09-09-2009, 03:19 PM
There is a need to enforce minimum standards in many facets of life, housing being a very important one. Without addressing what the code actually says or whether it is actually enforced, it makes sense to me that sanitation, setbacks, ventilation, and control of fire would be addressed no matter what the circumstances, even on private land. Having people crapping openly on their land could definitely cause health problems that cross property lines. To claim that anything goes on private property doesn't fit with basically all the rest of law in general so I am skeptical about that. I can definitely see that living long term in tents could potentially cause problems in all the areas that the code addresses with regard to actual houses so I have to assume that the same issues are addressed with tents. If not there is a massive loophole that would have been exploited by thousands of people already.
Many people do already live in tents on their land. They do not however ask the building inspector to condone it when he comes for a housing inspection. A neighbor of mine had a storage container on his property. That turned out to be one of the items on his final inspection list. He bolted some wheels on it long enough for the inspector to check it off the list, then dropped it back on the ground after the inspection.
I don't even remember the exact question I once asked of the building department but I remember being disgusted that the person I talked to hemmed and hawed and said it was in the code. It was a cold call to the BD so I can not claim to have really worked for the answer but I could tell that the person I was talking to had no idea and far worse did not seem to think it was their job to get a correct answer for me. I also think it is entirely possible that someone from the building department could be extremely sure of their answer without it being correct.
It is clear to me that the Bldg Dept thinks that the code prohibits living in tents or other unpermitted structures. Bottom line, don't ask them, just do it, but be extremely unobtrusive, quiet, and a good neighbor. Some losers can't manage that even though they live in a real house.
Many people do already live in tents on their land. They do not however ask the building inspector to condone it when he comes for a housing inspection. A neighbor of mine had a storage container on his property. That turned out to be one of the items on his final inspection list. He bolted some wheels on it long enough for the inspector to check it off the list, then dropped it back on the ground after the inspection.
I don't even remember the exact question I once asked of the building department but I remember being disgusted that the person I talked to hemmed and hawed and said it was in the code. It was a cold call to the BD so I can not claim to have really worked for the answer but I could tell that the person I was talking to had no idea and far worse did not seem to think it was their job to get a correct answer for me. I also think it is entirely possible that someone from the building department could be extremely sure of their answer without it being correct.
It is clear to me that the Bldg Dept thinks that the code prohibits living in tents or other unpermitted structures. Bottom line, don't ask them, just do it, but be extremely unobtrusive, quiet, and a good neighbor. Some losers can't manage that even though they live in a real house.