Permitting: rat on neighbor?

[woger151]

The neighbor across the street, one house over, is installing some kind of driveway. Kind of like a carport, but right now it looks like it just has sides but no roof.

Definitely some earth moving going on.

My impression is that they didn't get a permit for this.

I'm a pretty live-and-let-live kind of guy, so I'd rather not rat on him. (NB: do not know him.) Is there a reason in terms of me protecting myself (i.e., my property value) to rat on him that could outweigh my discomfort in doing so?

County here is pretty strict about permitting. I put in a shed (HD Big Max Jr) and never got it permitted, though I did read up on the regs about offsets. Somehow this other operation seems like a bigger deal.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Why don't you read up on the regs for your neighbor's project, and if it looks like he's doing it right, then mind your own business?

[Shaun]

Guys like you got the snot beat out of them on the school playground...

[woger151]

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

Hard to do. The publicly available info clearly states they need a permit, but that's more because of legal issues. (Driveways intersect the county right-of-way; the county wants to keep tabs on significant improvements for property value tracking; etc.)

In terms of "substance" (engineering, etc), looks like the main code is ICC or whatever, which isn't online for free. ============

Well, it was OK for you to install your shed without a permit. Seems to me your neighbor should be allowed to break the law juse like you did, you hypocrite.

You sound like an old fart who spends his days peeking through the blinds at what other people are doing. Get a hobby. Get a life.

[Doug Miller]

That's a big ASSumption on your part there, Kanter. He may not have *needed* a permit for his shed. For example, here in Indianapolis, no permit is required for a structure of any type not exceeding 120 square feet and not having a permanent foundation.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

The OP's original message SUGGESTED that a permit was needed. You and I are both guessing about this, and our guesses are of equal validity.

Have a nice day.

[JoeSpareBedroom]

I think in principle I needed a permit for the shed.

But I also think installing a rather tiny shed (it's definitely less than 100 sq feet and has no permanent foundation) in accordance with setback requirements yet having no permit is a much smaller deal than putting in a new driveway.

I'm pretty sure the new driveway violates setback requirements, but I can't find the setback requirements themselves. Seems like in most localities the side setback for a driveway is 5 ft. In this case, the setback is 0 feet.

====================

Got a telephone? Call the down and ASK about the setback requirements. Numerous people in this newsgroup have said that their town's permit offices were totally helpful in terms of sharing information.

[woger151]

I think in principle I needed a permit for the shed.

But I also think installing a rather tiny shed (it's definitely less than 100 sq feet and has no permanent foundation) in accordance with setback requirements yet having no permit is a much smaller deal than putting in a new driveway.

I'm pretty sure the new driveway violates setback requirements, but I can't find the setback requirements themselves. Seems like in most localities the side setback for a driveway is 5 ft. In this case, the setback is 0 feet.

[trader4]

Yeah, there is definitely some hypocrisy involved here. However, he still has a vaild concern. Putting up a shed that's in a backyard, hidden from view, conforming to all codes, etc is different than someone putting up a carport/garage/driveway that is visible from the street. And it could have an impact on his property value.

I also don't think it's incumbent upon him to go figure out what the neighbor is doing and IF it conforms to code. First, he doesn't know what the guy is building. Should he wait until it's all up, complete with roof, then the ultimate result is the neighbor has to tear it down? That's worse for everyone. Second, without being a code professional and having inspected it, he can't tell how it's built, whether it conforms to codes, etc.

If it were me, I'd send an anonymous letter to the code officials. When you undertake doing something like this you know going in the risk you run is getting caught one way or another. And you do it because you want to save a few bucks, cut corners, or you don't think it will be approved and that is more important than the neighbors.

[jamesgangnc]

I'm a live and let live sort of guy. If you don't want to buy 100 acres and put you house smack in the middle of it then you need to be tolerant of others.

Here a shed over 100 sq ft requires a permit. Also here the setbacks do not apply to driveways, only to structures. I think that's pretty common. My driveway is about 3' from the property line.

So for my 2c, no don't rat the guy out.

[Kurt Ullman]

Actually the OP stated it specifically:

He may have not needed a permit, but he definitely thought he did.

[norminn]

Need permits for everything where I live, but they aren't enforced. My condo put in an enclosure for dumpster but not for recycling bins. Higher than code, but got permission. Looks like a toilet stall with recycling bins standing next to it. Supposed to match the structure, but it doesn't.

As for the OP, if a neighbor across the street was putting in a carport/crapport, I'd be inclined to complain. No mention of size, property lines, views, etc. All can impact the neighbors. A shed is a heck of a lot easier to move or remove that a double driveway with extra cars, mowers, trash cans, etc.

[hallerb]

rat the fellow out and one day someone may rat you out too.

mind your own business unless its endangering someone like if the new structure was too close to a electric line........

if the guy gets reported he will have a ax to grind and anyone in your neighborhood gets even a shovel out will get him calling.

so if YOU want more oversite sure report the fellow, but your about to start a local war that involves ALL your neighbors.......

[George]

If he lived in my area it is OK to install a shed up to 120 square feet without a permit and that isn't unusual. You just need to observe setbacks as the OP noted he did.

You sound like you jump to conclusions very easily without interpreting the facts...

[JoeSpareBedroom]

What's legal in your area is irrelevant.

You've obviously never lived with neighbors who have nothing better to do than play zoning cop. They're easy to spot.

[trader4]

Whether that happens or not is more a function of not doing things legally than whether you report someone else. It can be done confidentially to help avoid problems.

That would seem to be the point of many parts of the code. Applying the code is the building depts job, not neighbors who don't have access to the site or know the codes. If what the neighbor is doing is not consistent with the look of the rest of the houses and lowers property value, it is very much the business of everyone living nearby.

Yeah, but then again, people who don't give a damn about their neighbors and don't pull permits could also be the first ones to rat others out when they see something they don't like.

How about if a code official drives by and sees it? Then you have the exact same thing and potential for war without anyone having reported it. Code officials usually aren't going to say your neighbor reported you. They will just show up, say they saw construction, and ask about what is going on.

[Bill]

What comes around, goes around...

As a rule I don't call the city on any of my neighbors for anything. Even those I despise.

I would like to call the city on a couple of people, but I figure if I start doing that stuff, then they will return the favor...

Then that would tick me off and I would find something else to call about to "get even". Then before you know it, all out war! I think I have better things to do.

Same thing goes for my "nosy" lady neighbor and her wanting to tell me gossip about the other neighbors. I call her "Gladys Kravitz". I don't want to hear it and I have better things to do...

[Doug Miller]

No, he didn't. Did you bother to actually read what you quoted below?

That doesn't say that he needed a permit. It doesn't even say that he thought he did. All it says is that he took the time to read up on the regs -- so the only conclusion possible from that statement is that he thought he *might*.

[norminn]

clipped

The first time I ever made a code complaint, it was about junk my husband stored outside of our condo (in the common areas). I sure didn't want to do it, and tried other means first (of course). Hubby is a pack rat and neighbors were complaining. I read that one could make anonymous complaints, so I emailed one :o) Code people came by, with my email in hand, with the email addy that only my husband would recognize. That was the first time I got in trouble with him, not the last :o)