Local Politics
Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2018 6:48 am
Last night, the wife and I attended a zoning meeting for our town. There were 2 public hearings on the agenda. The council hears from the town, the applicant and then anyone for or against. Then, the council votes. They have 5 votes, and if any member voted no in the first 4, they'd have to vote no in the 5th vote.
We were there for the 2nd hearing. Our neighborhood is the first one planned in the area. The oldest homes, like mine, are approximately 65-70 yrs old. All the homes are on 1/3-1 acre lots and are set far back from the road. The hearing was for this young couple. They purchased 2 lots and wanted to build a home. The first problem is that 1 lot is 100% un-usable. The second is extremely small. There's a reason why the lots hadn't been developed. They requested a variance to build 5 feet closer to the neighboring property line and they received that. The 2nd variance, the one that was being reviewed last night, was to allow a reduction in the 35’ front yard setback requirement for principal structures. They wanted 15 feet, effectively pushing the front of the house closer to the road. The couple are in their mid 20s. They've cleared the lot of 100+ yr old oaks and want to build a home that will NOT fit into the neighborhood. Putting it closer means they'd have no driveway, which means on street parking on roads that aren't meant for it. They want a garage and won't budge on not having one.
I don't think they expected last night to happen the way it did. After the husband and his FiL, a realtor, spoke in favor, it was time for the people to speak against. 12 people stood up against it (including myself). A petition of 31 homeowners from the neighborhood speaking out against the variance. It was a great example of democracy in action - people having a say in what happens in their community. I'm not sure the couple expected the push back. Apparently, there's already a building permit issued for the house, so the council was confused as to what has changed to make the owners want to build closer to the road. Their response - the hill on the left side slopes too much and it'd be to costly to dig a deeper foundation or put up a retaining wall. They didn't have all the information they needed, so the council suggested a deferral until next month. It didn't help their cause that many of the neighbors don't want the variance and 2 of the 6 council members live in the neighborhood.
Afterwards, we were talking outside when the couple approached us. After saying they just want to be good neighbors, they heard some hard truths. The neighborhood didn't come out to say we don't want them there. It's not personal. It's what they are proposing will not fit into the community or be safe. Plus, there's a study to install sidewalks and their house would be right on top of it. It took a while, but we eventually asked why they chose that lot. They never even set foot on it before buying it - which they overpaid. They took out a $60k loan on it. It was purchased last year by $15k by a company, sight unseen, with the hopes of building on it. They learned that it would be too expensive to engineer the land to have a house and any type of yard. I'm sure they were surprised someone wanted to purchase it. The father in law, the realtor, should've known better. There's a reason why it hasn't been developed.
I kind of felt bad for them. They either build the house that is already be permitted or be stuck with 2 lots that nobody wants.
Anyway - after the meeting, I thought you all would like the story. Local politics in action.
We were there for the 2nd hearing. Our neighborhood is the first one planned in the area. The oldest homes, like mine, are approximately 65-70 yrs old. All the homes are on 1/3-1 acre lots and are set far back from the road. The hearing was for this young couple. They purchased 2 lots and wanted to build a home. The first problem is that 1 lot is 100% un-usable. The second is extremely small. There's a reason why the lots hadn't been developed. They requested a variance to build 5 feet closer to the neighboring property line and they received that. The 2nd variance, the one that was being reviewed last night, was to allow a reduction in the 35’ front yard setback requirement for principal structures. They wanted 15 feet, effectively pushing the front of the house closer to the road. The couple are in their mid 20s. They've cleared the lot of 100+ yr old oaks and want to build a home that will NOT fit into the neighborhood. Putting it closer means they'd have no driveway, which means on street parking on roads that aren't meant for it. They want a garage and won't budge on not having one.
I don't think they expected last night to happen the way it did. After the husband and his FiL, a realtor, spoke in favor, it was time for the people to speak against. 12 people stood up against it (including myself). A petition of 31 homeowners from the neighborhood speaking out against the variance. It was a great example of democracy in action - people having a say in what happens in their community. I'm not sure the couple expected the push back. Apparently, there's already a building permit issued for the house, so the council was confused as to what has changed to make the owners want to build closer to the road. Their response - the hill on the left side slopes too much and it'd be to costly to dig a deeper foundation or put up a retaining wall. They didn't have all the information they needed, so the council suggested a deferral until next month. It didn't help their cause that many of the neighbors don't want the variance and 2 of the 6 council members live in the neighborhood.
Afterwards, we were talking outside when the couple approached us. After saying they just want to be good neighbors, they heard some hard truths. The neighborhood didn't come out to say we don't want them there. It's not personal. It's what they are proposing will not fit into the community or be safe. Plus, there's a study to install sidewalks and their house would be right on top of it. It took a while, but we eventually asked why they chose that lot. They never even set foot on it before buying it - which they overpaid. They took out a $60k loan on it. It was purchased last year by $15k by a company, sight unseen, with the hopes of building on it. They learned that it would be too expensive to engineer the land to have a house and any type of yard. I'm sure they were surprised someone wanted to purchase it. The father in law, the realtor, should've known better. There's a reason why it hasn't been developed.
I kind of felt bad for them. They either build the house that is already be permitted or be stuck with 2 lots that nobody wants.
Anyway - after the meeting, I thought you all would like the story. Local politics in action.
The township where my parents live is about half lakes (and seasonal people) and the other half farmers and dairy people. As soon as the lakes opened up, and it is warm, the complaints would start coming in about the condition of the gravel roads, smell of the dairy barns, or equipment traveling on the road. Dad is on the township board and does all the maintaining of the gravel roads. He had one lady chase him down and chew him out because they didn't get to "her" gravel road quick enough to take care of the washboards after a hard rain. That said they were not all bad apples, some were pretty understanding and would have cookies for my dad when he was doing the road by their lake cabins. There are good and bad people no matter where you go. Some just don't understand due to ignorance on what is really going on and others because they only care about themselves.
