Rant time !!! Bureaucrats at it again .... New home build

[Oldoak]

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who are "good stewards of the land" but do not have the financial means and cannot afford to "suck it up" to improve their living conditions due to all the bureaucratic red tape and new regulations forced upon them in today's world. It's like, punish everybody for the misdeeds of a few! Plus a money making scheme with the abhorrently high fees for so many different permits.

And taxes? A few years ago we decided to save a little on our property taxes by tearing down a couple of dilapidated outbuildings which we did not use but were being taxed on. Well, we tore them down and reseeded the whole area with native grasses.

When we went to our taxing authority to have them taken off our tax rolls, our taxes actually were raised. Their reason being is that we improved the property.

 

[Navvet]

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who are "good stewards of the land" but do not have the financial means and cannot afford to "suck it up" to improve their living conditions due to all the bureaucratic red tape and new regulations forced upon them in today's world. It's like, punish everybody for the misdeeds of a few! Plus a money making scheme with the abhorrently high fees for so many different permits.

Amen Brother !!!

 

[MossRoad]

The thing is as usual the government solves one problem by screwing over everyone. Certainly the issue Moss raises is important and needed solved. It does not need to be applied to a 20 acre parcel though.

Moss - the silt barrier is what I am seeing them put around houses that looks like a ring of sand bags?

It looks like a 2' fence made of fabric. They have to trench in a little slit at the bottom and stake it upright every so many feet. It's supposed to let water through and keep the silt in if there's surface water movement, like a decent rain.

 

[MossRoad]

Unfortunately there are a lot of people who are "good stewards of the land" but do not have the financial means and cannot afford to "suck it up" to improve their living conditions due to all the bureaucratic red tape and new regulations forced upon them in today's world. It's like, punish everybody for the misdeeds of a few! Plus a money making scheme with the abhorrently high fees for so many different permits.

And taxes? A few years ago we decided to save a little on our property taxes by tearing down a couple of dilapidated outbuildings which we did not use but were being taxed on. Well, we tore them down and reseeded the whole area with native grasses.

When we went to our taxing authority to have them taken off our tax rolls, our taxes actually were raised. Their reason being is that we improved the property.

Now you know why some folks keep junk all over the place....

 

[MossRoad]

As for 20 acres VS 1 acre.... let's say your 20 acres slopes to a watershed. You install your septic incorrectly, and give everyone downstream some nice poop water to deal with.

Or, 19 of your 20 acres is swamp. Or high water table. etc....

 

[buckeyefarmer]

"It's like, punish everybody for the misdeeds of a few!"

That's what gov't does.

 

[TheMan419]

As for 20 acres VS 1 acre.... let's say your 20 acres slopes to a watershed. You install your septic incorrectly, and give everyone downstream some nice poop water to deal with.

Or, 19 of your 20 acres is swamp. Or high water table. etc....

But that is why you have variation possible.

The septic is (or should be) inspected when installed and you have to have a permit with a drawing of what is being done. So that has nothing to do with the issue.

Regarding 20 ac v. 1 ac, yes it would depend on if it was 19 ac of swamp and 1 ac of "good" land. However the OP seems to suggest there is ZERO deviation. You get 1/2 ac of disturbance. Period. If the two lots are identical other than one is 1 ac and the other is 20 ac this is ridiculous. I guess it just means the house is going to have a full basement and two above ground stories so that you get more sq feet for the disturbance.

Also if you are building a pole barn with dirt floor can you argue the only ground disturbed is where the holes are dug for the posts?

 

[jfh28]

if I understand what you're saying correctly.......the rules do not prevent you from disturbing over 1/2 acre it only is saying if you do then you need to submit a storm water management plan......so yes more hoops to jump through and $ for engineer but doesn't stop you from utilizing the 20 acres.......storm water management is based on the permeability of your soil and that improvements reduce the sq ft of available soil to soak up the rains......how they came up with the 1/2 acre limitation could be from the soil conditions in the area or the history of flooding or it could be completely arbitrary.......the advantage you have with 20 acres is that you may very well be able to do all the things you want without having to do anything for storm management as you have lots of land area to soak up the rain.......whereas a person with only 1 acre doesn't have the extra land area to absorb the runoff from the new impervious areas........so the 20 acres is to your advantage.......all depending on your soil types and perc......I agree that all the rules made don't always make a lot of sense and seem over doing it......a lot of towns are forced to impose things like this to control over development......they can not make rules only for big developments and then not apply them to everyone else or the developers will sue them.......and most likely win.......sorry to say but a lot of regulations are driven by the fear of lawsuits.....and developers have deeper pockets and better lawyers then the towns do.......if you have a plan for all you want to build and do on your property I'd sit down with a civil engineer and see what they have to say......better to get one plan approved at one time then to have to keep going back with every new building you want to put up.......Jack

 

[MossRoad]

.....
I'm not sure how big my septic will end up being, but I built a 1000 sq ft garage 2 years ago and the house / deck will be in excess of 4500 sq ft ..... I'm starting to run out of space on my 20 acres.

End Rant ....

There's 21,789 square feet in half an acre.
You've used/allotted 5500 so far.
You have 16,260 left.....

 

[wagne223]

I bought this place 21 years ago. I have talked to a couple of builders and what sticks in my craw is this was passed without any notifications. Just one day it was there.




Unfortunately, one of the new laws I do know about limits private roads. My road has 10 nice lots on it, 3 to 7 acres with my 20 at the end.

Now, if you put in a private road with 4 or more lots it is considered a subdivision. it must be paved, 40' wide with 10' shaped drainage on either side. There is also something about streetlights in the rules.

We are currently grandfathered on our little road so to split my property I would be required to bring my 1.5 mile road to subdivision specs.

The government never notifies anyone of a new law, rule or ordinance.
Not arguing right or wrong, just giving you some info....

Every municipality has a process for implementing new regulations. The one common thing is it cannot be done in private but they dont have to advertise it.

The leaders of the municipality hold public meetings to present, discuss and vote on new regulations and many other issues.

We have a county council of elected officials and the city I live in has a city council.

They both hold monthly meetings where this stuff is brought up.

Very few residents are involved or comment on proposals or issues.
In a city of 20 thousand only 15 people show up to the meetings.

We are fortunate in that the council is required to post the minutes of the meetings online.
So we just read the minutes and check the agenda on meetings to know if we need to go.

If you want to stay up to date, you have to get involved and seek out the information.

Local elections are very important to your daily life and attending meetings is the best way to get to know your representatives.

You never know, you could have convinced the council to exempt properties over a certain acreage or done like our city and use a percentage to specify how much ground you can cover.

Being in Central FL, we have major issues with storm water management.
So I am well versed in the item you are talking about.