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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,382 Likes: 7
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Greg:
Yes, there are differences between Fla. & NJ
How do we (Code Enforcement) aka Bldg Dept. find the 'issues'??
During re-sale CCO inspections.
Neighbors dropping a dime.
Contractor disputes. (Yes, some get themselves in deep)
Drive-bys. "Gee, what is that 100' crane doing??"
"Where did that pylon sign come from"
"That gas station was not like that last Friday"
"New neon is a retail that had a final last Friday"
"Brown paper covering windows"
Three doorbells & mailboxes in a single/two family neighborhood!
Believe me, it's not Sherlock Holmes work!!
BTW, 'destructive inspections' are a rarity. The illegal apartments being an exception. They get violations/fines, require permits for whatever demo.
John
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,931 Likes: 34
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There are other jurisdictions here that are more pro active in finding violations (I understand) but my county seems pretty easy going on small projects. It is mostly a complaint driven process. The tax man is very vigilant tho. What we call code enforcement is really run through the zoning department not the building department and they spend as much time on junk cars parked in the yard and unmowed lawns as they do on unpermitted activity. They will also be the ones who take the "multifamily in a SFD" complaint. (and that is almost always complaint driven) During the cutbacks some municipalities laid those people off and put building inspectors in those jobs, simply to preserve licensed staff but I understand that may be over. It was not a popular decision for senior multi license inspectors who were suddenly standing in an unkempt lawn with a yard stick measuring weeds but being laid off was worse. 
Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Apr 2002
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Amen to measuring weeds vs. a pink slip.
John
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,392
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I don't get it....why would an inspector measure a weed?
what kind of 'weed'....?
~S~
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Joined: Jun 2004
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Weeds are of issue because in the dry season they are fire transmission hazards.
Out my way they have to be cut down to stuble -- even if they are entirely outside ones own propertly lines. ( A ten foot swath is mandated -- this extends to as far as going across the road to cut those weeds down, too.
Big fines are involved.
Elsewhere, communities have established covenants -- of which you must sign to gain ownership and residency. Such terms of use are far reaching indeed. You are not permitted to paint your home just any color, your front yard cannot be planted with vegetable beds, it can be left weedy...
On and on...
In my area, such infractions are monitored by agravated housewives -- who then write nasty grams to the sheriff or homeowners associations. Given enough time and ink such actions can build into court cases and newspaper articles.
The wild west has been replaced by the manicured west.
Tesla
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Joined: Oct 2000
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Well thanks Tesla, guess i've been out in the puckerbrush a tad too long , i had no idea, but i guess the brushfire hazard makes sense, considering your history out west
worse that's happened to me is the local fire chief (who i know) scolding me with a 'don't make me come out there' line over my brush clearing/burning....
~S~
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Joined: Apr 2002
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OK, now that the weed is settled. Over/down here the property maintenance issues are handled by either Zoning or the Health Dept.
There may be some confusion as to Building Dept, Code Enforcement, or Construction Office as some municipalities around here refer to themselves as any of the above. A 'small' town may have one guy who wears a lot of hats.
John
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Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,498
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Interesting to see different permit requirements!
Austria has 9 different construction codes (lovely for a country with just 8 million inhabitants) but in the areas I know you don't need permits for any work that does not alter the exterior appearance of the building. Minor exterior work such as adding or replacing windows, replacing an existing roof with same (i.e. without altering the shape of the framing, the roofing material can change) etc. are covered by a simplified process with is called a construction notification rather than a permit - you just tell the council what you're going to do in an informal letter and if they don't object within 6 weeks you can start.
In theory, anything but (possibly) painting is supposed to be done by professionals who are responsible for the compliance of their own work. I've never heard about issues with homeowner work though, as long as it's safe. If DIY wiring burns down the house or electrocutes something (which happens considerably less often than you'd expect seeing some of that stuff) it DOES become an issue of course.
On a side note, even painting can be dangerous if someone is stupid... 1 or 2 years ago two families barely survived a weekend of painting, because one guy had the insanely bright idea to move the charcoal grill into the living room overnight to make the paint dry faster!
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 9,931 Likes: 34
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The weed thing here is pretty much cosmetic. The law says if your lawn is more than "X" inches tall over a certain percentage of the area you are in violation. That same class of violation includes junk cars in the yard and other home maintenance issues. The "code enforcement" guys who do this also find most of the unpermitted activity.
These are almost all complaint driven.
Greg Fretwell
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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,382 Likes: 7
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Tex:
" and if they don't object within 6 weeks you can start."
We have people jumping up & down when we tell them, by State regs we have '20 business days'!! Heck, if we said what you say, there may be another revolution.
John
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Posts: 356
Joined: August 2006
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