Our daughter has always had her own room, while our five boys have shared. Granted, it was a big room, but they are getting older and privacy is becoming an issue.
They want bedrooms, and I want all the tools out of my kitchen, so we decided to finally build the garage with the extra bedrooms we'd been planning–from the start. The bedrooms we'd told the septic design lady to allow for.
But this week, we hear from the building department that our blueprints are unacceptable. Our septic system is only big enough for a four bedroom house.
We point out that it's designed for ten people. We only have six children and barring a miracle, we aren't having more. Not that it's any of their business. They measure. They do some figuring. Oh. So it is. But it still isn't big enough for more than four bedrooms.
What?
We can have ten people, but not more than four bedrooms? What? Do that math! And how does more square footage translate into more strain on the septic system?? I'm completely flummoxed. Somebody explain this to me.
Please. Give me just one, just one way this ruling could make any sense.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:23 pm
oh. take it easy and have a good thanksgiving,sometimes if you change the name of what your going to use it for,it makes a world of difference.
November 24th, 2009 at 7:10 am
Exactly. We erased all the walls, and called the entire upper floor a bedroom…which might, in the near future, get a series of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves…. As the one man down at the planning department said, "You know, it's still America, and once you pass final inspection, nobody is going to come looking." It just bugs me that the rules could be so illogical. Happy Thanksgiving to you, too!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:34 am
Maybe a second opinion? Or just do it the way you want and don't worry about it? Extreme naivety speaking here. I mean, assuming that you're planning not to sell–ever–why not?
November 24th, 2009 at 8:39 am
HA! Yeah, we tried that and got slapped with a stop work order. I'd love to know who sic'd the planning dept on us. You'd think in America, that a property owner could build walls at his leisure, within his own home!
November 24th, 2009 at 9:06 am
Hmmm……can you say BIG BROTHER?And since when has government made sense? I am thinking that the "bedrooms" would make great storage areas! =)
November 24th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Except here, if you have windows big enough for egress (in case of fire–and who wouldn't, with your kids in there?) they call it a bedroom, no matter what. Even if it looks like it could be a bedroom. You can't even add a window later, to a "storage room" without someone reporting you for not getting a building permit. You need a permit to build a fence, replace a window, pour a sidewalk, etc, etc.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:07 am
I say just do it.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Do you like living in town? I would so HATE having people close enough to know that anything is going on!!
November 24th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Yeah, there are members of this clan who think we should just sell and move out farther. I do like not having to drive very far for church and school and I think it would be hard to run a daycare out in the country, though.
November 24th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
It would be hard to do the daycare thing, but I wouldn't trade living in the country for a quicker commute for anything. If I ever have to live in town again, it will be one of the saddest times of my life.
November 25th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Kimber,
After discussing your situation with family members, it was concluded that the city cannot come onto your land without a warrant, hence they are unable to assess or inspect unless you allow them to come without a warrant. A close family member had the same experience you did, and continued on with what he was building using this tactic. They sent the sheriff out, and he told them to cease and desist, and the fam. member said, "get off my land" and the sheriff did. Might think about it.
November 30th, 2009 at 3:49 pm
That is so incredibly frustrating.