Housing Zone Inspector/Code Compliance guy came to my house

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 2:46 pm
Well I guess I need to vent somewhere... I’m a bit outraged!!

I'm in my 3rd year of doing a full restore to my 87' E30, body is on a dolly- kinda restore. I got a notice on my door the other day from the Housing Zone Inspector/Code Compliance Division of Seattle. I had an un-named compliant from a neighbor. Compliant said I had an on going “autoshop”, noise, dust and fumes.

I returned the call and two days later I the inspector come over for a full inspection. I work on this car in my garage about 20 hours a week and only between 9-5 during the day- most the time it’s between 11am-5 pm at best and never on the weekends. If the weather is nice I often keep my garage door open (spring/summer)when working. Sometimes I don’t do work for weeks at a time- sometimes months at a time. I also did a break job; the timing belt/water pump/oil change on my other E30 in the driveway two weeks ago- had it up on jacks with the hood off for about four-five days. I store two sets of jack stands and two cheap floor jacks and a few blocks of wood in the driveway. I work on no other cars at my house and I do no engine “revving” or testing. Some grinding, sanding- yes… but as of date no paint or fumes to speak of.

Anyway… I’ll cut to the meat of the story. I was found to be in violation and given a “warning” ticket (soon to be mailed to me) and given two weeks to be in compliance with city code. I’ll be re-inspected in two weeks on Nov. 2nd. The inspector agreed with me that I was not running a commercial “shop” out of my house and that I was working only on two cars that I own. And yes she rolled her eyes (as well as I did) and said that she was only doing her job and enforcing the housing code as it is written... and no she would not give out the name of the person who filed the complaint, but I’m sure I know who it was… he never has liked me. I’v lived in this house for over ten years.

Check this out, did you know that (in Seattle):
1) By code- if a car is being worked on (inoperable) in a residential area it MUST only be kept in an enclosed structure (garage) and the door must be closed (fully) at all times- or you are in violation of city code. You can’t work on your car in the driveway (inoperable) at anytime or you are in violation.
2) By code- the only things that can be stored in front of your house is “garden tools, potted plants and lawn chairs… period!

So… I asked, If I had “a “ set of jack stands in the drive way (not being used) and have the garage door open even as little as 12-24” when she comes back to re-inspect in two weeks (if I’m working on a car or not, but having this car being worked on inside)… would she really give me a citation / ticket in which I would have to either pay a fine or go to court and fight (much like a traffic ticket)… she said yes… AND if I refused to remove the jacks and keep the door fully closed at all times (other then when entering or exiting the garage) I would have further legal litigations brought against me for refusing to comply with city zoning law's.

I will add that I have been using a power sander/grinder… as we all know can be a bit loud, but for the most part I’m done with most power tools... at the moment.

My problem now is… I’m days away from doing a full epoxy base coat/clear coat paint job and the welding of two quarter panels. I’ll need the garage door open 4” to install a temperary custom made vent on the bottom of the garage door to vent the paint fumes. The garage will be sealed with filters and converted into a spray booth for 48 hours… this should be interesting. I may have to work under the cover of darkness...lol

Now the question is… if I can’t have jack stands in my driveway, painting a car in my garage (with door closed but having a vent to the out doors) must be a real No-No. Anyone here know of a legal issue in regards to painting a car at home? The paint I’m using is legal to use in Washington State as far as I know… but now I’m going to be under a microscope for sure. All I need is about 48-60 hours to pull this off, but the inspector was at my door the first time within 24 hours of the first complant- she took pictures to documet the vist. Even if I'm done painting and she shows up... I still will have a newly painted car sitting there. She did say that after the second inspection in two weeks this case will be closed (if I'm in compliance) with no further inspections unless another complant is made.
Restoring 87' BMW E30 325 from the ground up...year # Three



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:26 pm
Sounds like your neighbor is an ****.. I would do what I could to get back at him if it was me, but I'm an **** also :)



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 3:47 pm
hmott wrote:Sounds like your neighbor is an ***.. I would do what I could to get back at him if it was me, but I'm an *** also :)


He is an ****... I'v been having issues with him for the last 7 years. I live near a VERY exspensive area (not far from Mr. StarBucks himself) and Bill Gates another 7 miles, but on the other side if the "street/tracks", but still the old houses in my neck of the woods (60 year-old 2 bedroom's- like what grandma lives in) start @ $800-900 K. He hates the fact that I'm a renter and living next door to him.

That thought -for a moment- did cross my mind....Grrrrr
Restoring 87' BMW E30 325 from the ground up...year # Three



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 4:05 pm
I'd rent a boat then take the neighbor and the city **** for a fishing trip out past the Continetal Shelf. Feed the pair of them thru a woodchipper mounted near the transom and then throw the chipper overboard as well.

If ya combine the chumming of the waters with a bit of Shark fishing it could be a fairly productive day :wink:
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:22 pm
ZRX61 wrote:I'd rent a boat then take the neighbor and the city ***** for a fishing trip out past the Continetal Shelf. Feed the pair of them thru a woodchipper mounted near the transom and then throw the chipper overboard as well.

If ya combine the chumming of the waters with a bit of Shark fishing it could be a fairly productive day :wink:


GOOD LORD!


That is an excellent idea!

That sucks about your neighbor through. I have a steady stream of friend's cars coming and going though my garage. We work until about 9pm on some nights with no complaints. Some of the cars are my neighbor's cars though, so that may help a little. I'm sure if your neighbor has car trouble, he just takes it to his Merc dealer and gets a 100K loaner... :roll:



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 5:36 pm
I'm sure if your neighbor has car trouble, he just takes it to his Merc dealer and gets a 100K loaner... :roll:


It's funny you said that... this guy has a desent Black pick-up with good paint and a primed rear quarter panel, all ready to be shot with base. I was just telling my other half last week that when I get ready to shoot some jet black- that I should go over as ask him if he'd like me to shoot the quarter panel with what ever black base I had left over (becouse I do try to be friendly when I can)... he can bite me now....lol
Restoring 87' BMW E30 325 from the ground up...year # Three

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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:05 pm
I had a similar problem in the Portland area. My family lives in 'unincorperated' Washington county. Even though they don't technically live in the city they had a visit from a County code compliance officer that has been threatening them with fines for the past couple years. We just keep moving everything around and clean the place up a little when they show up. Its the **** developers and capitalists that move into neighborhoods and don't like to see anyone doing anything but go to their 9-5 jobs. If you do anything that they think is devaluing their property, you're a target. If you ask me, they devalue the whole neighborhood with their attitude!



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 6:50 pm
I know the feeling! I got a neighbor who has done the same thing to me. He went as far as calling the EPA, county inspectors on me. Every neighbor hood has the neighborhood prick. Luckily I had eveything torn down and cleaned up before my visitors showed up. They did inspect, but found nothing and they dismissed it. Luckily my neighborhood prick moved into a wrinkle farm (nursing home)
Nick



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:07 pm
vwbobby wrote:I had a similar problem in the Portland area. My family lives in 'unincorperated' Washington county. Even though they don't technically live in the city they had a visit from a County code compliance officer that has been threatening them with fines for the past couple years. We just keep moving everything around and clean the place up a little when they show up. Its the **** developers and capitalists that move into neighborhoods and don't like to see anyone doing anything but go to their 9-5 jobs. If you do anything that they think is devaluing their property, you're a target. If you ask me, they devalue the whole neighborhood with their attitude!


Your right! Thats the thing...I got a VERY entry level job in a well established printing company when I was 23 in 1983. Five years (and many years of working 80 hour weeks) I later bought the company. After another 15 years or so of building it up... (two years ago) I sold it for a very fair profit. I'm not rich... but I no longer have to punch a time clock. I say at home and love working on my car.

I'm now 47. The people that live around me (in middle age, like myself) still do the 9-5 grind. I start my "fun day" working on my car well after they all go to work and by the time they all get home- I'm done doing the car thing and spend the rest of the night playing with my dogs, teaching my two Parrots to say dirty words (lol) and having dinner and a cocktail with my other half. My point is... they arn't even home when I'm at work on my car, and I do other things on the town on the weekends- for one becouse I need a break and two... I don't want to bother the people living around me. And your right... becouse I rent this house... I'm no body... just a renter.
Restoring 87' BMW E30 325 from the ground up...year # Three



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PostPosted: Fri Oct 20, 2006 7:50 pm
I have been reading this forum the last couple of months and have really learned alot without needing to post. This neighbor thing really bugs me. I have one rule when it comes to neighbors. If you are not going to help them, leave them alone. I wouldn't waste my time and energy thinking about violence. This neighbor has hidden behind an anonymous complaint, like a snake hiding under a rock. A snake doesn't like it when you grab it by the tail and pull out into the light. Go down to the Court House and see if he has criminal record. Has been sued or have any judments against him? You may get lucky and find some embrassing public information that you can make public to the rest of the neighbors.
Buy a few shares of stock in the company where he works. Maybe you can put a cost saving resolution on the next poxy that would effect him. Somone from the corportion will call you off the record just to see what it would take for you to consider dropping it before it appears before the stock holders. This man used the sytem against you. You can't change the system. But if think about it you maybe make the system work for you. Sorry this bugged me so much I had to chime in.
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