Re: garage addition/no permit - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

0 I have always checked on the rules and regulations either by coming down to City Hall or calling to make sure I am doing things right, for my hobby shop, my barn, my deck, my fences& new septic system that I upgraded,(even though it did not have to be until 2010) and the shed. I have spoken to Lyle about questions I have had many times over the 5 years I have been here. I admit that I make a mistake when I put up a lean-to roof from my shop to the fence 6 ft. behind the shop. I was just trying to prevent the things I was storing out under tarps from getting wet. At the time I did not think of it as a building because it was only a fence with a cover, and I did not need a permit for the fence. I was stunned when someone from the city knocked on my door and said I needed to go down to City Hall and get a permit for it. I understand now that it would be considered a structure since it is connected to the shop and has a roof. I was going to remove the roof, until I heard that the legal permit, that was signed for the 12' x 12' shed was done in error,your error. I already have bought the materials for and planned around the 12' x 12' shed for 5 months. If you had denied this from the start, this would not be such an issue, but the shed already exists, it is just not yet assembled. The fact of the matter is that even after this 12' x 12' shed my total out buildings would add up to 2,800 sq. ft. (1,200 less than legally allowed). Now I am the one getting screwed here. But like I previously said I do not want buildings everywhere on my property. But I should not be denied of what is legally allowed. I found that the lean-to behind my shop would do the job just fine instead of a 12' x 12' shed. And is not seen as another building to look at because it is fenced off anyway. I also understand that you have changed your wetland setback to 50 ft. +20 ft. in August and I appreciate that (I know the value of a wetland as I restore vegetation for a living). But that does not apply to me concerning the fence that was put up behind my shop in July, or the shed permit which was issued in May. I have spoken with 2 attorneys about this matter, and I do not wish to get into a legal battle over this, but I will fight for what is fair if I have to. I checked into what was legally allowed before I ever purchased this property and what I am asking for is not at all unreasonable. It is well below your own allowances. It seems now that I should have built 2-2,000 sq. ft. bldgs. to begin with,then subtracted sections to get down to what I wanted. I am asking that you allow me to either leave the lean-to roof on the back of my shop, or to put up the 12' x 12' shed that you had issued the permit for in May. I can fix my mistakes, but I can not fix yours, therefore the lean-to roof will remain up past the Dec. 19th deadline to remove it, until this issue is resolved. I am not the bad guy here. I have always done my best to comply with all of the ordinances of the City of Orono. I would think you would appreciate all the improvements I have made to this property in the past 5 years, and that I did not want to put up 2-2,000 sq. ft. bldg. I ask only that you work with me, not against me on this issue. Sincerely, Brian Kerber