zoning laws: 20' setback distance from my property line....

[Vette73]

That sucks. This seems like one of those times the "better to beg for forgiveness than ask permission" approach.

Ha ha NEGATIVE!!!

One house me and wife looked at had some zoning issues. The board ordered a owner to tear his garage down. Asked for a variance and was turned down.

Thought we could use it as a bargining chip but it also had other zoning issues and needed to be stripped to studs to make right.


But damm, 20 feet? I understand no building on the line but 20 is a little much. Last house in NC had a 10foot rule. Not sure what N.VA area I am in has.

 

[Eli]

Ok example: You and an other dude buy a property where both of you want to build a house on it. You decide that you build this house at 2 inches from the line and your neighbor decide he's gonna do the same.

You end up with 2 houses at 4 inches from them...with windows and roofs right next to each other...water from both roofs dropping on the walls, damaging prematurely both walls...

Or, your neighbors's house sets on fire...what do you think will happer to yours?

Or, your house wall needs repairing or you want to replace a window...how will you work in a 4 inches sapce?

Hmm. Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for explaining. Can't they just add some common sense though? Obviously that isn't going to be a problem in the OP's case. Black and white laws are so stupid and aggravating..... At least you can ask for a variance at all, though... But it doesn't seem like it should be such an ordeal.

I suppose this is why I would never want to live in a cookie cutter neighborhood where there is barely enough space for your house on your "land".

I've looked at some nice properties that are bordered by Forest Service or BLM land on 2 or 3 sides. That would be awesome. Of course, there's no guarantee the land will stay that way, but... better than a neighbor. 😉

Hopefully I can find a place far enough out in the boonies where even if there are laws like this, they're for all intents and purposes moot and unenforceable.

 

[alkemyst]

Hmm. Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for explaining. Can't they just add some common sense though? Obviously that isn't going to be a problem in the OP's case. Black and white laws are so stupid and aggravating.....

I suppose this is why I would never want to live in a cookie cutter neighborhood where there is barely enough space for your house on your "land".

I've looked at some nice properties that are bordered by Forest Service or BLM land on 2 or 3 sides. That would be awesome. Of course, there's no guarantee the land will stay that way, but... better than a neighbor. 😉

Hopefully I can find a place far enough out in the boonies where even if there are laws like this, they're for all intents and purposes moot and unenforceable.

You keep missing the point though.

It's all about money. Look at your own compromises just for the vehicles you drive.

Everyone would love to own their own island, but unfortunately even if they could muster up the cash, they'd come short on the logistics of getting provisions shipped in and everything that goes in living in isolation.

All land today is what drives the cost of the home anywhere that's within a 30min or so trek to civilization. Move 2-3 hours out of town and then the improvements are the expensive part.

Just in my town in a 10 mile radius you have acres going for $200k to $50k...going out 30 miles+ you can buy an acre for $5k or so. It may take twice that in fill though to keep it from being a pond in a flood.

 

[Capt Caveman]

If the city wants to provide open space it should purchase the "buffer" between properties.

I can understand zoning laws in terms what the purpose of what is build IE commercial, light residential, ect, but shit like this is ridiculous.

You're joking right? As many have mentioned already, set-back laws help keep property owners from building things on their property that may cause harm to neighboring property owners. That's why any homeowner can file for a variance.

My first home backed against a commercial property and their parking lot was against my fence. The prior owners filed for a variance in order to build a shed six feet from the fence line. B/c the commercial property owners had no problem, the variance was approved.

 

[mugs]

Hmm. Okay, that makes sense. Thanks for explaining. Can't they just add some common sense though? Obviously that isn't going to be a problem in the OP's case. Black and white laws are so stupid and aggravating..... At least you can ask for a variance at all, though... But it doesn't seem like it should be such an ordeal.

I suppose this is why I would never want to live in a cookie cutter neighborhood where there is barely enough space for your house on your "land".

I've looked at some nice properties that are bordered by Forest Service or BLM land on 2 or 3 sides. That would be awesome. Of course, there's no guarantee the land will stay that way, but... better than a neighbor. 😉

Hopefully I can find a place far enough out in the boonies where even if there are laws like this, they're for all intents and purposes moot and unenforceable.

It's not a "black and white law." There is a mechanism for using common sense - it's the variance process that the OP is going through.

 

[Demon-Xanth]

Much of the time, set back laws are also there to ensure that roads can be expanded, overhead lines and lights can be placed, and other things that would otherwise not be feasible to do in the future.

 

[Eli]

It's not a "black and white law." There is a mechanism for using common sense - it's the variance process that the OP is going through.

I addressed that in the post you quoted. 😛 I guess it's just me being bitchy. Seems like it should be the other way around. You build what you want, and if someone bitches, they look into it. lol. How about "20 foot setback.. unless there is nothing within 20 feet."?

I dunno. Just the whole idea bugs me. Big brother and all. 😉

 

[Capt Caveman]

I addressed that in the post you quoted. 😛 I guess it's just me being bitchy. Seems like it should be the other way around. You build what you want, and if someone bitches, they look into it. lol. How about "20 foot setback.. unless there is nothing within 20 feet."?

I dunno. Just the whole idea bugs me. Big brother and all. 😉

So, if someone bought the house next door and decided to knock it down and build a house against your property line that was so high it blocked out the sun from your house, you think he should have that right?

 

[Eli]

So, if someone bought the house next door and decided to knock it down and build a house against your property line that was so high it blocked out the sun from your house, you think he should have that right?

Yes, it's his property.

The distance wouldn't matter, technically. He would just have to build higher..

I suppose there are probably laws governing that too. 😉 lol.. I mean I get it. I understand the laws' purposes. That doesn't mean I agree with them, though. In context, sure. For me personally, no.

Having a neighbor within spitting distance is not for me. Owning a 5,000 square foot parcel of land with a 2,500 square foot house on it isn't my idea of the American Dream.

Consequently, my American Dream includes "I'll do what I want, when I want, where I want.. on my land.". 😉 I won't have the opportunity to infringe on my neighbors rights, because any neighbors will hopefully be a distance measured in miles away.

IMO, you don't truly own your land otherwise.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Yes, it's his property.

The distance wouldn't matter, technically. He would just have to build higher..

I suppose there are probably laws governing that too. 😉 lol.. I mean I get it. I understand the laws' purposes. That doesn't mean I agree with them, though. In context, sure. For me personally, no.

Having a neighbor within spitting distance is not for me. Owning a 5,000 square foot parcel of land with a 2,500 square foot house on it isn't my idea of the American Dream.

Consequently, my American Dream includes "I'll do what I want, when I want, where I want.. on my land.". 😉 I won't have the opportunity to infringe on my neighbors rights, because any neighbors will hopefully be a distance measured in miles away.

IMO, you don't truly own your land otherwise.

Understandable. I think most people would love to have lots of land but living in the city or suburbs also has it's pluses - proximity to jobs, schools, restaurants, entertainment, hospitals, etc... and with that, one has to make some compromises.

 

[Eli]

Understandable. I think most people would love to have lots of land but living in the city or suburbs also has it's pluses - proximity to jobs, schools, restaurants, entertainment, hospitals, etc... and with that, one has to make some compromises.

Yeah, I know. I understand it's for the sanity of everyone. It's amazing we can live in such close quarters at all, honestly.

There will be a fine line between being sufficiently out in the country, yet still close to town, for sure...I draw the line at an hour commute. That's pretty far, really.

We've looked at some insanely cheap properties. But they're out in the middle of nowhere. It's almost frustrating to see these properties come and go, since we won't be ready to buy for another year at the least, when our lease expires. But it's also inspiring and exciting to see things like a 1600 square foot house built on top of a huge 40x40 shop on 5 acres.. for $75,000. I'm like where do we sign? lol.. We could afford something like that right now, easily.

The problem with that particular property? Cathlamet, WA. Where the eff is that? I lived in NW Oregon nearly all my life and I've never heard of it. lol.. Turns out, it's about 1.5 hours from Portland. It's only 30 minutes from Longview, WA.. but I don't really know anything about Longview.

And that may seem like a small house to some, or at least hardly anything to get excited about, but we're living in a 650 square foot, 1 bedroom house with a single car garage and a 10x10 patio as a back yard right now. It would be like a mansion.. lol. That's what $875/mo gets you in Santa Fe. :thumbsdown: Though I realize that's nothing compared to many cities. It's expensive as hell for a shitty city of 70,000 people with nothing around it, though.

 

[guyver01]

30 miles NE of Denver.

Thornton Sucks.

edit:

nevermind. North East. Either you're building on the Arsenal... or you're near Stapleton.

 

[sdifox]

my fence was built 1 inch inside the property pins. so the fence is on my property line.

ok imagine this.

stand on the curb and walk 20 feet and you will stop at my fence. that 20' between the road and my fence is town property i understand that.

now from my fence walk another 20' into my back yard, that is the min distance i can be from MY property line (the fence) i can build without getting a variance.

i want the garage door to be on the prperty line and i would pave out to the road. the town owns the dirt between my fence and the road and every person in town has permission from the town to "improve" that strip of dirt like concrete it, asphalt it, rock it....

So you are saying your property is actually inset by 20' and the town wants another 20'? and you can't pave the 20' to the street? That is retarded.

But asking for the variance should not be too big of an issue, I think it is more a permit thing. They do have to pave the 20' and cut the curb , assuming there is a curb. And they will charge you for it.

 

[sdifox]

Yeah, I know. I understand it's for the sanity of everyone. It's amazing we can live in such close quarters at all, honestly.

There will be a fine line between being sufficiently out in the country, yet still close to town, for sure...I draw the line at an hour commute. That's pretty far, really.

We've looked at some insanely cheap properties. But they're out in the middle of nowhere. It's almost frustrating to see these properties come and go, since we won't be ready to buy for another year at the least, when our lease expires. But it's also inspiring and exciting to see things like a 1600 square foot house built on top of a huge 40x40 shop on 5 acres.. for $75,000. I'm like where do we sign? lol.. We could afford something like that right now, easily.

The problem with that particular property? Cathlamet, WA. Where the eff is that? I lived in NW Oregon nearly all my life and I've never heard of it. lol.. Turns out, it's about 1.5 hours from Portland. It's only 30 minutes from Longview, WA.. but I don't really know anything about Longview.

And that may seem like a small house to some, or at least hardly anything to get excited about, but we're living in a 650 square foot, 1 bedroom house with a single car garage and a 10x10 patio as a back yard right now. It would be like a mansion.. lol. That's what $875/mo gets you in Santa Fe. :thumbsdown: Though I realize that's nothing compared to many cities. It's expensive as hell for a shitty city of 70,000 people with nothing around it, though.

650 sqft????

D:

My bedroom is 300sqft...


On the other hand, these inset laws seem very wasteful for me. Probably because I come from Taiwan and there the buildings are stuck to each other. When you are in a small island with tall mountains, you can't afford insets.

 

[dawp]

It could be like that to prevent 0 lot line construction. I worked for a company about 28 years ago that built homes for a developer that had one of their developments like that, one wall of the house was on the property line of the next one. On the wall on the property line, there were no windows and in general i didn't care for it.

and it generally made maintenance a pain. Imagine having to ask permission from you neighbor every time you wanted to have access to that wall.

 

[sdifox]

It could be like that to prevent 0 lot line construction. I worked for a company about 28 years ago that built homes for a developer that had one of their developments like that, one wall of the house was on the property line of the next one. On the wall on the property line, there were no windows and in general i didn't care for it.

and it generally made maintenance a pain. Imagine having to ask permission from you neighbor every time you wanted to have access to that wall.

I can't tear down and rebuild my garage on the same spot because it was built before the setback change so I can only jack up the roof and remodel.

Haven't done anything to it yet.

 

[alkemyst]

Yes, it's his property.

The distance wouldn't matter, technically. He would just have to build higher..

I suppose there are probably laws governing that too. 😉 lol.. I mean I get it. I understand the laws' purposes. That doesn't mean I agree with them, though. In context, sure. For me personally, no.

Having a neighbor within spitting distance is not for me. Owning a 5,000 square foot parcel of land with a 2,500 square foot house on it isn't my idea of the American Dream.

Consequently, my American Dream includes "I'll do what I want, when I want, where I want.. on my land.". 😉 I won't have the opportunity to infringe on my neighbors rights, because any neighbors will hopefully be a distance measured in miles away.

IMO, you don't truly own your land otherwise.

I think your mentality will definitely change once you do own property, or you will be the bane of your neighborhood.

You both own property and share it.

As much as people hate them, HOA's came to be because of people obeying the zoning laws, but then doing other things that destroyed the neighborhood.

 

[dmcowen674]

That would piss me off too.

It's my property

No one owns property in the U.S.

The U.S. Supreme court ruled you are only renting it from the Government until they decide they want it back or want to give it to a private developer at any time.

Just look up the New London Ct case to learn.

 

[IronWing]

20ft setbacks in the newer neighborhoods would put your house in the lot on the other side.

 

[Eli]

I think your mentality will definitely change once you do own property, or you will be the bane of your neighborhood.

You both own property and share it.

As much as people hate them, HOA's came to be because of people obeying the zoning laws, but then doing other things that destroyed the neighborhood.

I don't want to live in a neighborhood. 😉

Like I said, such a thing is definitely not for me. I can understand and respect these laws in their context of keeping order and sanity with tightly packed sardines- I mean people. But they have little to do with what I want in life. Things like this don't matter as much when you're on multiple acres. If I have to live a little farther away from civilization in order to be left alone, so be it.

 

[RavenSEAL]

WtF? I'd be like, bitches, i own this, i can build whatever i want! wherever i want!

 

[magomago]

650 sqft????

D:

My bedroom is 300sqft...


On the other hand, these inset laws seem very wasteful for me. Probably because I come from Taiwan and there the buildings are stuck to each other. When you are in a small island with tall mountains, you can't afford insets.

Even on a small island, there is so much risk and danger with building everything so close to each other. you can see the development of these insets on newer buildings, as compared with the older developments where all the buildings are literally smashed next to each other.

 

[jmagg]

As long as it doesn't impact your neighbors property regarding views, runoff, etc, and the neighbor is agreeable, they should give the variance.

 

[mugs]

I don't want to live in a neighborhood. 😉

Like I said, such a thing is definitely not for me. I can understand and respect these laws in their context of keeping order and sanity with tightly packed sardines- I mean people. But they have little to do with what I want in life. Things like this don't matter as much when you're on multiple acres. If I have to live a little farther away from civilization in order to be left alone, so be it.

Here's a property you might be interested in: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/unabomber_land_sale_l9Nxcv6r3wvXNhZ2ez4w7J

 

[sdifox]

Even on a small island, there is so much risk and danger with building everything so close to each other. you can see the development of these insets on newer buildings, as compared with the older developments where all the buildings are literally smashed next to each other.

There is like 23M people in Taiwan. There is no choice on density.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taiwan