shadesofmauve (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shadesofmauve) wrote2013-04-24 01:11 pm
shadesofmauve) wrote2013-04-24 01:11 pm
Meeting with the city a (tentative, qualified) sucess!
My initial meeting was with a sympathetic plan reviewer and The Guy Who Says No. The problem with The Guys Who Say No is that you can't usually tell if they're right or wrong when they say no; in this case it turns out to be a whole lot of right and two really important instances of wrong.
Now, I'm not being allowed to go through with my original plan. They were very sympathetic to all my highly reasonable arguments -- "No one would ever use the garage anyway," "there's plenty of on-street parking," and "But I don't OWN A CAR" -- but sympathy doesn't change the code-as-written. None of that is a surprise. The City Administrator even pointed out that I could petition for a code change with City Council, but that this would take a looong time. They are not allowed to bar me from requesting a variance, but just asking costs $1000 and I was highly unlikely to get one (for reasons they explained to my satisfaction).
But.
The Guy Who Says No was wrong on two key points, one of which I shall almost certainly make use of.
1. I'm allowed TWO driveway openings off one street frontage, not one.
2. I CAN make a driveway that turns a corner and boxes a car in (he said cars had to be side-by-side, in a straight line, or on the straight parts of a curve connected with a quite broad radius).
So: The City Administrator and the Permit Manager tentatively approved an expanded driveway that's a T shape, since you're not any more blocked-in than you are with a tandem (straight line) driveway.
Which brings us to plan B!
Plan B is to move the GigantiRhody out towards the street and make a spur off the current driveway that runs between the front of the house and the (moved) Rhododendron. It admittedly makes for a seriously weird driveway, and a few of a car from the living room window -- IF you park there. But nothing in city code says it has to be used as a driveway, just that it has to be available -- an important distinction that both my dad AND the two city guys were quick to point out. I can build it out of turf block or grass crete and use the damn thing as a patio. I can build raised beds over it. I can keep chickens on it. It doesn't matter.
Like any change of plans, there are a lot of knock-on effects, and I'm sure I haven't sorted those out yet. I need to plant more pink survey flags in my yard to visualize things, and check prices on turf block and gravel and fill dirt (because one of the knock-on effects is that certain landscaping things I wanted to wait on would have to be done BEFORE I moved the gigantiRhody). I have to revisit the interior plans, becuase after sitting on them for six months there are things I'm not quite sure of. I have to redo the site map and cost estimate and, assuming I decide to march forward with plan B, turn those into the city for real approval.
And then I could maybe, possibly, hopefully, actually start work.
Which is rather terrifying, when I think about it.
WHAT IF THIS IS ALL AN AWFUL IDEA?!
Now, I'm not being allowed to go through with my original plan. They were very sympathetic to all my highly reasonable arguments -- "No one would ever use the garage anyway," "there's plenty of on-street parking," and "But I don't OWN A CAR" -- but sympathy doesn't change the code-as-written. None of that is a surprise. The City Administrator even pointed out that I could petition for a code change with City Council, but that this would take a looong time. They are not allowed to bar me from requesting a variance, but just asking costs $1000 and I was highly unlikely to get one (for reasons they explained to my satisfaction).
But.
The Guy Who Says No was wrong on two key points, one of which I shall almost certainly make use of.
1. I'm allowed TWO driveway openings off one street frontage, not one.
2. I CAN make a driveway that turns a corner and boxes a car in (he said cars had to be side-by-side, in a straight line, or on the straight parts of a curve connected with a quite broad radius).
So: The City Administrator and the Permit Manager tentatively approved an expanded driveway that's a T shape, since you're not any more blocked-in than you are with a tandem (straight line) driveway.
Which brings us to plan B!
Plan B is to move the GigantiRhody out towards the street and make a spur off the current driveway that runs between the front of the house and the (moved) Rhododendron. It admittedly makes for a seriously weird driveway, and a few of a car from the living room window -- IF you park there. But nothing in city code says it has to be used as a driveway, just that it has to be available -- an important distinction that both my dad AND the two city guys were quick to point out. I can build it out of turf block or grass crete and use the damn thing as a patio. I can build raised beds over it. I can keep chickens on it. It doesn't matter.
Like any change of plans, there are a lot of knock-on effects, and I'm sure I haven't sorted those out yet. I need to plant more pink survey flags in my yard to visualize things, and check prices on turf block and gravel and fill dirt (because one of the knock-on effects is that certain landscaping things I wanted to wait on would have to be done BEFORE I moved the gigantiRhody). I have to revisit the interior plans, becuase after sitting on them for six months there are things I'm not quite sure of. I have to redo the site map and cost estimate and, assuming I decide to march forward with plan B, turn those into the city for real approval.
And then I could maybe, possibly, hopefully, actually start work.
Which is rather terrifying, when I think about it.
WHAT IF THIS IS ALL AN AWFUL IDEA?!
no subject
Also, I would love to see the schematics of Plan B once you've come up with them, because I'm having a hard time visualizing them from your description. And I am /deeply/ fascinated in this whole process, being a (quasi-)homeowner and living vicariously through your home remodeling ability, haha.
no subject
And it's really my talking-about-home-remodeling ability you're watching. My actual home remodeling ability is yet to be truly tested. :P
I'll certainly post plans and pictures and explain it all! Just have to be home instead of at work. :D
no subject
no subject