08-14-2024, 03:18 PM
County enforcement is arbitrary, "complaint driven", and proportional to the perceived land value (roughly "distance from paved road"). If you have a gate, they need a court order to enter the premises. This is just far too much effort.
I was probably "discovered" because someone said something. The only "enforcement" was an adjustment of the assessed value. My taxes went up.
Given time and money (and "favors") it might have been possible to get an "as-built" permit. The problem with this is that an owner-builder is only allowed framing, not plumbing or electrical; most tradespeople won't risk their license to sign off on unknown work. An "as-built" also requires that every structure on the parcel be permitted or torn down. They will probably require a septic tank. Maybe they want to tear open the walls to see all the plumbing and electrical. Everything is arbitrary depending who you know.
I told County I was not going to get permits. They noted this in their files. I still qualified for the homeowner property tax rate.
There was no way County didn't know my house was unpermitted. They simply declined to enforce.
I was probably "discovered" because someone said something. The only "enforcement" was an adjustment of the assessed value. My taxes went up.
Given time and money (and "favors") it might have been possible to get an "as-built" permit. The problem with this is that an owner-builder is only allowed framing, not plumbing or electrical; most tradespeople won't risk their license to sign off on unknown work. An "as-built" also requires that every structure on the parcel be permitted or torn down. They will probably require a septic tank. Maybe they want to tear open the walls to see all the plumbing and electrical. Everything is arbitrary depending who you know.
I told County I was not going to get permits. They noted this in their files. I still qualified for the homeowner property tax rate.
There was no way County didn't know my house was unpermitted. They simply declined to enforce.