Man who dug space under home (Austin, Cove: insurance, mortgage, homes)

[CptnRn]

3 dummy grenades were found, only one live grenade was found. There are probably thousands of gun collectors in the Travis County who have gun and munitions collections vastly exceeding this. Should we confiscate all of their property and incase it in cement because we are fearful? Even though they have never done violent thing in their lives?

Where do private property rights end?

[ladysovereign]

Originally Posted by JayBrown80

I don't want to make assumptions here, but when someone digs a multi level dungeon in their basement, and fills their house with firearms and grenades, I tend to think that they are either like that scary dude in Silence of the Lambs OR they are preparing for a revolution.

There was a man caught a few years ago that had built out extensions of his basement in his home somewhere in Syracuse, New York. This is where he hid several women that he had kidnapped. One got away, some were released years later but one didn't and remained a prisoner there for many years. Fifth woman says she was kidnapped, held captive in man's basement dungeon - AP Worldstream | HighBeam Research - FREE trial

Whenever I think of someone doing what that Joe Del Rio guy did, I wonder if that was part of what he was planning on.

[JayBrown80]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

3 dummy grenades were found, only one live grenade was found. There are probably thousands of gun collectors in the Travis County who have gun and munitions collections vastly exceeding this. Should we confiscate all of their property and incase it in cement because we are fearful? Even though they have never done violent thing in their lives?

Where do private property rights end?

Not I, nor anyone has said that. I did not give an opinion either way on whether or not this guy should have had the city stop his digging and fill in his hole. I was simply guessing when another poster asked WHY he was digging the hole.

Surely you can see the difference between the two questions?

1) Why did he dig the hole?
2) Should he be allowed to dig the hole?

See the difference between the two.

I only guessed an answer to the first question, so there is no reason for you to get up in arms over the second.

And to be frank, it's not like serial killers and kidnappers never dig holes under their houses. I am not just pulling a sensationalized conclusion out of my a#@

The legal question of whether or not this man should be ALLOWED to dig a dungeon is the least interesting part of this story for me. My question is: What did he need a dungeon for? To all your dungeon afficinados out there, I am sorry the city of austin is slamming down on your hobby.

[eileenkeeney]

Yes, the man should be allowed to dig a dungeon AFTER (and only after) it is designed and approved, and determined to not render the property unsafe and even more important Not to render any other property unsafe or ruined in anyway.

[atxcio]

Originally Posted by eileenkeeney

Yes, the man should be allowed to dig a dungeon AFTER (and only after) it is designed and approved, and determined to not render the property unsafe and even more important Not to render any other property unsafe or ruined in anyway.

Uh oh, I feel an HOA debate coming on soon

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by JayBrown80

Not I, nor anyone has said that. I did not give an opinion either way on whether or not this guy should have had the city stop his digging and fill in his hole. I was simply guessing when another poster asked WHY he was digging the hole.

Surely you can see the difference between the two questions?

1) Why did he dig the hole?
2) Should he be allowed to dig the hole?

See the difference between the two.

I only guessed an answer to the first question, so there is no reason for you to get up in arms over the second.

And to be frank, it's not like serial killers and kidnappers never dig holes under their houses. I am not just pulling a sensationalized conclusion out of my a#@

The legal question of whether or not this man should be ALLOWED to dig a dungeon is the least interesting part of this story for me. My question is: What did he need a dungeon for? To all your dungeon afficinados out there, I am sorry the city of austin is slamming down on your hobby.

I don't know why you took my question so personally, it was not directed at you, it was a question to the thread.

I do feel I need to point out that it was a basement. There is no evidence he was building a dungeon. Lots of people up north have basements, maybe he wanted one to keep his vegetables cool or to brew beer. The deeper parts could have been intended for a well, but he never found water. A lot of people are jumping to conclusions there is no evidence for.

[TexasHorseLady]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I don't know why you took my question so personally, it was not directed at you, it was a question to the thread.

I do feel I need to point out that it was a basement. There is no evidence he was building a dungeon. Lots of people up north have basements, maybe he wanted one to keep his vegetables cool or to brew beer. The deeper parts could have been intended for a well, but he never found water. A lot of people are jumping to conclusions there is no evidence for.

Aren't they really! But those conclusions are a heck of a lot more exciting than the man wanting a basement.

[JayBrown80]

Originally Posted by CptnRn

I don't know why you took my question so personally, it was not directed at you, it was a question to the thread.

I do feel I need to point out that it was a basement. There is no evidence he was building a dungeon. Lots of people up north have basements, maybe he wanted one to keep his vegetables cool or to brew beer. The deeper parts could have been intended for a well, but he never found water. A lot of people are jumping to conclusions there is no evidence for.

Could have been a well, that is true. I mean, he will need a water supply for the hose when it doesn't rub the lotion on its skin.

Really I have no opinion one way or the other on this guy. If he wants to dig a hole to China, he should be able to do that, as long as he is not harming his neighbors or their property and not violating building codes. But it's like the suitcase in Pulp Fiction. They don't tell you what is in the suitcase, so you are left with your imagination guessing at what could be in it. This guy built a pretty extensive subterranean system, I can't help my mind wondering what it was for. Supposing that it was just a basement is a little on the boring side. You are making an assumption that he was digging a sweet innocent well. I am making an assumption that he was digging a bunker. We can both make assumptions. It's okay.

My assumptions are more interesting though.

[ladysovereign]

Originally Posted by TexasHorseLady

Aren't they really! But those conclusions are a heck of a lot more exciting than the man wanting a basement.

If he wanted a basement so badly, why couldn't he take the time to pull a legal permit? As a Realtor, would you be confident in selling a home that has an illegal basement built underneath it?

[CptnRn]

Originally Posted by ladysovereign

If he wanted a basement so badly, why couldn't he take the time to pull a legal permit? As a Realtor, would you be confident in selling a home that has an illegal basement built underneath it?

Most of the remodeling that is done on homes in Austin is done without a permit. The requirements for when they are required are vague and have been even more vague in the past. The fact that a home has had some remodeling done on it without a permit is not at all unusual.

Garage conversions for example. why the He** do you need a permit to convert this into a living space? There are no life, safety, health issues being compromised here, it is completely unreasonable.

Why should you need a building permit to replace the siding on your house, or your roof?

Why do you need a building permit to install a ceiling fan where you once had a light fixture?

Why do you need a building permit to add an automatic garage door opener?? Or a sensor detector on your driveway light so it turns on if someone drives up??

Why do you need a building permit to add a few paving stepping stones in the areas where no grass will grow, so you don't have to walk thru the mud????

The requirements are onerous and extreme, I can say so since I have sat they the absurd, complex and time consuming process of getting permits in these kinds of cases, and as a result, they are being ignored by the majority of Austin citizens when they remodel their houses.

They ignore it because it is a stupid and onerous infringement on their rights as property owners. Perhaps we need more property owners rights law suits against the City, the way that the Governator has sued the US over States rights in TX.

If the rights of private property owners bother you, then you should go sell shoes.