No Electric, You might poop in the yard

[rdam]

That's right, the health department won't allow me to bring power to my AGRICULTURE/TRACTOR barn until I install a septic tank!!!????

Apparently they're afraid if I have electricity, I'll reside in my barn, and poop around the property, and therefore pose a danger to the other County residents. The fact that I don't have water is irellavent. Following is a copy of the letter I e-mailed after my visit. The names have been changed to protect the clueless. Wish me luck.

Mr Jones,

I had the opportunity to visit your office this afternoon. I drove from St Cloud to Lake City for the simple task of obtaining a permit to bring power to an AGRICULTURAL UTILITY BUILDING on 5 acres that I own. I consulted with Clay Electric and Columbia County Building/Zoning to ensure I was doing everything correctly. As a Law Enforcement Officer, I tend to be a fairly honest guy, and I am well aware of the need to comply with and enforce rules, regulations and LAWS.

Being the honest guy that I am, I explained to your employee, Mrs Grumpy Pants, that I would likely be building a home or placing a mobile home on the lot in the near future. I further explained that a LEGALLY constructed AGRICULTURAL building existed on the 5 acres, and that I desired power to the building to work on the tractor, have lights, radio, welder and other items necessary for maintaining my expensive investment in tractor and implements. Later, upon further reflection, I also realized that without power, I would be prevented from installing security lights and an alarm on the building to protect my investment. That just does not seem right.

A pleasant conversation ensued where the issue of people setting up residences in Buses and campers on lots and not having the proper sanitary facilities was discussed. As a Law Enforcement Officer, I have responded to "dwellings" such as this. I know that this is a problem for the environment and for the people who live near these "dwellings". During my conversation with your employees, they were professional and informative.

After discussing this issue with the Columbia County Building/Zoning and your employees, it appears that their is no law, ordinance or regulation that should prevent me from having a permit to legally bring power to a building, legally constructed on property that I own. A drive by of my property will show that although it currently produces nothing but hay, it is well manicured and immaculately maintained. I fully intend on doing all of my building "by the book" with proper permits and inspections. However, I fail to understand how refusing to allow me electricity will benefit the health of the residents of Columbia County. Will electricity alone allow me to "live" in my ag building? Without water? Will my neighbor, who has over $250,000 invested in house and property, allow me to "live" next door, in my ag building with no sanitary facilities? I'm pretty sure he'd be on the phone with Building/Zoning/Code Enforcement/Health Department pretty quick.

I have submitted a request for a Health Department release to allow me to install a METER POLE outside of my ag building. I have been informed that while it is possible for the release to be granted, "it just doesn't happen". Therefore, since you,
Mr Jones, have the ultimate say, and it's clear you CAN excercise discretion in this matter, I respectfully request you approve the release.

As a matter of record, I submit the following:
1. I will not use my agriculture building as a residence.
2. The meter pole will be for powering my legally constructed agricultural building ONLY.
3. Although you don't NEED my permission, you are free to inspect the building at any time, to ensure I am not living in, or otherwise endangering the health of the residents of Columbia County due to a lack of sanitary facilities.

Thank you for your time,

Sincerely,

Rick Damon

 

[DUMBDOG]

I find it hard to believe that you need a permit to bring in electricity to a building that is already there. But the law sure does work it funny ways sometimes.

 

[Junkman]

Governmental employees that don't understand that they are the servants of the people that elect the governing body need a rude awakening. If there is no law preventing the electrical hook up, then you are left with no other alternative but to climb the political ladder until you reach the top person..... If all that doesn't work, then it is time to bring in the big dog with teeth, commonly know as a lawyer and instantly file a legal action naming all parties personally and in their official capacity as parties to the law suit. This will get their attention to say the least and many times it will be settled "out of court" and to your satisfaction. One other thing that you can do is to locate other properties that have electrical hook ups without having sanitary facilities on the property.... Now go get them.....

 

[GareyD]

Bought the land here with the idea of building my own house in my spare time. Decided to put up the shop building first to house the tractor and woodworking tools that I would be needing...got the permits, built the shop, went to the county to get OK to hook up the power...

Health department says I have to get a "sewer" hookup before I can have power...Inspector comes out and says we can't have a septic tank because the local city sewer line crosses our land (we live in the county) and we can't have septic within 500 yards of sewer lines...

Go to the city manager and I am told...
"We aren't allowing county residents to hook to our city sewer."

We fought with the "powers that be" for 3 MONTHS...weren't getting anywhere...finally got a lawyer, met with the "Powers" and asked them since they had in effect CONDEMNED our property, which one, the county, or the city, would be buying the land and paying for the improvements that had already been made?

The city had our stubout completed within 24 hours... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Sorry for the long rant, but 7 years later thinking about the whole deal, still burns my butt!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

GareyD: persona non grata with the local city "powers" /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[johnday]

Sounds somewhat like Moron County, I mean Monroe County DEQ here in Michigan, thank God I'm moving 250 miles north of here soon, /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[NoTrespassing]

These stories burn my butt. Not long ago a guy stopped by my neighbors house and talked to him about a meeting with the local homeowners. The meeting was to figure out a way to get city waterlines out to our area. My neighbor basically told him that he was not interested in city water or the problems it would bring with it. It is our feeling that when city water and sewer lines make it out to our property so will zoning laws and higher taxes. As it is now, there are no zoning laws and the only thing that gets inspected is the septic tank when installed. There are no building permits required either. They come around and test our well water occasionally too. If it has bacteria in it they let us know but thats it. We are not required to treat it and have it retested. It is our option to do so.

Kevin

 

[Taylortractornut]

we finally got City water out here about 6 years ago. the line is infront of my shop fifty feet To get them to put in a meter is 500 dollars deposit. I dont mind paying that to get water to my house we bought across the road from this house but they said I couldnt run a lin from that meter to the shop. I had a friend that works there told me he'd get me a collar and help me tie in since I wouldnt use the line alot.
I get the same thing when I put a tank in a house lot. I dont have to have a licesence to put in tanks or field lines as long as it had an existing tank. alot of new home owners have me put in tanks but to get around the liscenes they claim there was one here already. My older brotehr lives in the next town over and they got city sewer but the put it in a way that he couldnt hook onto it. as it was too far from his house. It did have to cross his property to hook into the other houses. He played his cards and told them that he wouldnt sign an easment for a r.o.w. if he couldnt attach to it. Ive been trying to fight city hall about this being a county road 2 miles from the limits and the city sends theor low sided dumps down ths roads with cardboard scraps, lumber,carpet padding and old couches. They cut off on this road to keep from having to tarp their trucks and they bounce over the hill. Usually spilling a loade between my house and the neighbors. I hate it yester day they drove by while i was at work and they made a load i hit a Carbord scrap with City of Iuka packin address on it. I have a flat tire now. Ive been having them fix my tires. I had a neighbor hit a small chair in the road that we thingk fell off the same truck. Out town is based on the buddy system.

 

[rdam]

Here is the reply I received to my e-mail. I think it sounds promising.

Mr. Damon:

I appreciate your e-mail, and concern for power release issues in our county. The description of the property and the intended use of the ag building appear to conform to the power release ordinance we currently have in place. From your correspondence it is my understanding you have already submitted a notarized copy of the request for power pole release. I will review this application and forward it to my supervisor for his signature as well.

If a release is granted for non-residential power supply, please remember that this cannot service any structures generating watwater such as campers, mobile homes, or any other types of temporary housing. If you intend to stay on site, even for short periods of time, you will need to install a septic tank system to handle wastewater.

Once again I appreciate your concern and understanding in this matter. If you have any questions, please contact me at (386) 758-1058.

Respectfully,

Mark S. Lander
Environmental Health Director
Columbia County Health Department
(386) 758-1059

 

[Phred]

Rick,

Question:
You state in your letter that he does not need your permission to inspect your property!!!?????
What happened to probable cause? Last time I checked they need to have a very good reason to go jumping fences and "inspecting", and not just on a whim.

If I find an inspector nosing about my property there better be a good reason or I will press trespassing charges.

Fred

 

[rdam]

I would have to read through the paperwork again, but I think that signing for the permit allows code enforcement or health department inspectors to check compliance with the permit.

Obviously, I'm well aquainted with the principles of probable cause and reasonable suspicion from a law enforcement officers perspective. I honestly don't how and if the same "rules" apply to health department inspectors regarding civil matters.

In Florida, surveyors and contractors working on power/gas/electrical lines may trespass, to include cutting locks and fences. No crime. Any damage to the property including damaged locks and fences is handled through the civil courts.