Local Politics

[Ibanez]

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.

[Chizzang]

TL/DR

Gimmie the cliffs notes

[93henfan]

Damn that was long.

Here's a short one for Delaware. We have one rep in the US House. She's currently a negro Democrat. The Republican running against her is an old crazy white guy who the state GOP has withdrawn its support for. He's an alcoholic who was in treatment this calendar year. He recently proclaimed that he is fully recovered and is down to six beers a day.

You can't make this stuff up.

I'll probably vote for him!

[89Hen]

TL/DR

Gimmie the cliffs notes

Agreed.

I don't often care much because our county council is 100% liberal and they're going to do what they want. But latest issue is them reducing the setback for cell companies to put cell towers on utility poles in front of homes from 60' down to 30'. So I could get a cell transmitter emitting microwave radiation 31 feet from my bedroom. For being liberals they sure took the side of the corporations quickly on this one. Vote is in one week.

[Ibanez]

Damn that was long.

Here's a short one for Delaware. We have one rep in the US House. She's currently a negro Democrat. The Republican running against her is an old crazy white guy who the state GOP has withdrawn its support for. He's an alcoholic who was in treatment this calendar year. He recently proclaimed that he is fully recovered and is down to six beers a day.

You can't make this stuff up.

I'll probably vote for him!

Yeah - I know.

[93henfan]

I read it though, and I'm glad you old bastards are sticking it to the ill-informed youngin's.

[Ibanez]

TL/DR

Gimmie the cliffs notes

Young couple buys lot in a very old neighborhood, a lot that nobody has ever built on b/c it's awful. They want a variance to build something out of character of the neighborhood. Neighborhood came out against them.

[Ibanez]

I read it though, and I'm glad you old bastards are sticking it to the ill-informed youngin's.

Much of the neighborhood has most of the original owners/home builders still living in the homes and they are not pleased.

[HI54UNI]

It's my property and I should be able to do what I want!

Dealing with zoning issues is probably the thing I miss least about being a city manager.

[Ibanez]

It's my property and I should be able to do what I want!

Dealing with zoning issues is probably the thing I miss least about being a city manager.

The other hearing was for a family that wants to build a pool. They have a large plot that is at the corner of two major roads. It's mostly wooded, all the neighbors have said they are ok with the pool but b/c 3 of the council members seemed confused about one of the votes, they voted no and it was denied. Everyone in the room told them couple they should appeal.

[89Hen]

It's my property and I should be able to do what I want!

Dealing with zoning issues is probably the thing I miss least about being a city manager.

My wife works for our county doing this. It's a shit show.

[Ivytalk]

Damn that was long.

Here's a short one for Delaware. We have one rep in the US House. She's currently a negro Democrat. The Republican running against her is an old crazy white guy who the state GOP has withdrawn its support for. He's an alcoholic who was in treatment this calendar year. He recently proclaimed that he is fully recovered and is down to six beers a day.

You can't make this stuff up.

I'll probably vote for him!

He was the guy who finished 4th in the Democrat primary two years ago.

[HI54UNI]

It's my property and I should be able to do what I want!

Dealing with zoning issues is probably the thing I miss least about being a city manager.

My wife works for our county doing this. It's a shit show.

I can't imagine what it would be like in a heavily populated and/or growing area. It was bad enough in rural America.

[JohnStOnge]

I never like seeing the "fit in" argument. People should have a right to do what they want to do on their own property.

[Ibanez]

I never like seeing the "fit in" argument. People should have a right to do what they want to do on their own property.

They should also make sure that whatever they choose, looks like it belongs there. Believe it or not, a real estate appraiser will take that into consideration and a buyer will too. Nobody wants to purposely be the odd duck


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[Winterborn]

My wife works for our county doing this. It's a shit show.

I can't imagine what it would be like in a heavily populated and/or growing area. It was bad enough in rural America.

Try mixing city people and farm/dairy operations. 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.

[CID1990]

They're pulling the same crap with the hog farmers in NC. People who have been there, doing that for a hundred years. Suddenly the suburbs of Charlotte/Raleigh/RTP/Wilmington start encroaching on these areas and the halfbacks and people "from off" start complaining about the smell.

[Ivytalk]

One thing I’ve learned as a member of my town’s planning and zoning commission is that shit flows downhill. The town council punts all the tough issues to us, waiting to point fingers.

[89Hen]

I never like seeing the "fit in" argument. People should have a right to do what they want to do on their own property.

In the sticks maybe. Hell no around here John.

[CID1990]

I never like seeing the "fit in" argument. People should have a right to do what they want to do on their own property.

In the sticks maybe. Hell no around here John.

Cmon, 89

You know it would be easier for the bartenders to get to work if they’d dig a Metro line out to Congressional

[Ibanez]

They're pulling the same crap with the hog farmers in NC. People who have been there, doing that for a hundred years. Suddenly the suburbs of Charlotte/Raleigh/RTP/Wilmington start encroaching on these areas and the halfbacks and people "from off" start complaining about the smell.

It's amazing how you go less than 30 mi out of Charlotte and there are pig farms, large fields of cotton and no sign of city life.

[89Hen]

In the sticks maybe. Hell no around here John.

Cmon, 89

You know it would be easier for the bartenders to get to work if they’d dig a Metro line out to Congressional

Bus stops on River Road.

Having no rules on what you can build in urban or suburban areas would be one of the worst ideas in modern history.

[Ibanez]

Cmon, 89

You know it would be easier for the bartenders to get to work if they’d dig a Metro line out to Congressional

Bus stops on River Road.

Having no rules on what you can build in urban or suburban areas would be one of the worst ideas in modern history.

That's how you get a place like Houston. I have friends, that before they moved, lived in a house, with a Satanist temple next door and a 7-11 a houses down.

[89Hen]

Bus stops on River Road.

Having no rules on what you can build in urban or suburban areas would be one of the worst ideas in modern history.

That's how you get a place like Houston. I have friends, that before they moved, lived in a house, with a Satanist temple next door and a 7-11 a houses down.

Yeah, but that's only the tip of the iceberg. I'm talking more about even somebody building whatever home they want in a neighborhood of other homes. Your post that started this looked like it was all about setback rules. They are 100% needed. Imagine your neighbor being able to build to the end of their lot line, or being able to put up a 5 story home.

[Rob Iola]

Damn that was long.

Here's a short one for Delaware. We have one rep in the US House. She's currently a negro Democrat. The Republican running against her is an old crazy white guy who the state GOP has withdrawn its support for. He's an alcoholic who was in treatment this calendar year. He recently proclaimed that he is fully recovered and is down to six beers a day.

You can't make this stuff up.

I'll probably vote for him!

Diamond Joe switched parties?