"someone should've caught this before ground was ever broken... especially if he's building into the poco easement..."
I think that someone left the inspection department in November according to the news report.
In the area i am in, they are not to build anything on the easement, but they do, storage sheads, above ground pools, even extend sun rooms into the right of way, and of course no permits, you don't get permits when your building on a right of way, then they complain when they do work in their right of way, and damage anything.
He can just change the door knobs to glass knobs, insulate to plumbing, and use only A Lamps.