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But since the land is so cheap, it will make up for the variance costs....
There's a lot more than variance costs.
Think about it -- if they are selling the land so cheaply, why didn't they just do this themselves and sell a parcel that is ready to build? They could have made more money that way.
Here's another wrinkle:
41 Overlook sold for $155K in March 2014. It's a waterfront property with 4 br 3ba on just under 9,000 sq ft.
Thats a $155K house on double the *waterfront* property.
115 Overlook sold for $130K in April 2014. Also waterfront, it is 3Br 1 ba with a bulkhead and dock. Property (visual only) appear to be in the 8,000 sq ft range and the house was built 60 years ago -- before there was any concern about run off, water pollution, and hypoxia in the Forge River.
If one actually got DEC, BoH approval AND variances to build, how much house do you think they could build to keep in line with the going rate in the neighborhood for properties 2X the size?
You have one lot, it may be bigger than the average lot, but it is one lot. It will be easier to expand your house but it doesn't enable you to make up your own rules about cluttering your yard and others' views with sheds and shanties. If you don't like the laws regarding outbuildings in the area you should have bought somewhere else. If you don't want to see others disagree with your selfish point of view don't post here. Get your kids to go through their stuff - chances are they'll dump 3/4 of it rather than have to accept responsibility for storing it. If you still need more space, see what the town will allow for the largest single shed and get rid of all the ticky tacky plastic and tin ones you have now. Look to see if a storage only extension can be added onto the house somewhere like an undersized garage that will be considered part of the house and not a shed at all.
1) How is this a selfish point of view??? Am I the only one that finds this issue ubsurd?
2) We don't have any "ticky tacky" plastic ones, as you call it. I have a pool house that is for the plumbing of the pool and one shed (prefab - wood 10 X10) they said the pool house is a shed because it has no running water.
3) We lived in Queens for over 40 years and decided to move to Long Island for a better life. We knew nothing about these laws, and depended on our real estate attorney and bank to make sure everything was in order. Sorry we fell in love with Levittown ...
4) We cannot have 2 sheds in our back yard ... but a 12' pod sitting on our front lawn is okay??? and how is that not "tacky". And how is 2 sheds cluttering a 13,000 sq foot lot????
5) we are fully responsible for storing our stuff. Unfortunately, like most hard working people nowadays, we do not have the money to build an "extension or a garage" or we would have.
6) as for my kids - I guess you didn't read further: One son is in Afganistan fighting for this country, one son is in Missouri in a studio apartment trying to better his career and my daughter did get her stuff. So why should I be forced to turn bedrooms into a storage room so that I have nowhere for my inlaws or grandchildren to come and visit and stay over? Again, our home has no garage, no attic and no basement.
7) the Shed is for lawn mower, snow blower, tool bench, gardening tools, shovels, indoor outdoor vac...so we can keep the outside of the home looking pristeen ... and not "Cluttered"!!! The other shed is for the plumbing of the pool and barbeque when not in use, and lawn furniture.
So we have done what we can and the Pod will sit there... until we can figure out what to do with our snow tires, car hood, muffler system, and other car parts, along with my 2 sons things... "cluttering the FRONT LAWN, for everyone to see. Instead of in my back yard, that no one could see!!!
I was hoping to get advise, not ridicule, for something that we have been working hard to correct. We have been given the run around for going on 7 years. And while I fully agree that we should all be held accountable to ensure we abide by the laws...why isn't the TOH held liable when they ignore everything you submitted in 2006, (we have it all documented) then come back in 2014 and hit you with fines for not doing anything?
THis is a great thread. O.P. post, gets riduculed and bashed by all the regular L.I.posters. Has the thread hi jacked and never gets a real answer to the issue. Another great day on C.D.
The problem here seems that you were misdirected a lot. You should be working solely with an architect and an expediter to solve this problem. I feel your pain.
What is your overall question though?
What are you looking to do now?
What do you need advice on?
I understand your problem but what can we do/offer to help.
Ps. Your son is American Hero, thanks for his service.
Thank you for the wishes for my son... it goes a long way.
I was hoping for advise on what else I can do.
1) If the shed and pool house were on the property before I purchased it, and it shows on the original survey, do I have any recourse to fight any fines they throw at me?
2) we are working with an expeditor to do everything we can to make sure everything is permitted now. I got rid of the attorney because it was a waste of money.
3) We have submitted everything we can and we now have to wait for them to deny the permit so we can apply for the variance. In the meantime the court keeps having us go back every month for an update. We have called the examiner, tried to make an appointment to see him. Told them that we have another court appearance... but they don't care. so we keep losing pay going to court.
I wish we did have the money to put up a garage. On one side of the house we have room for a 2 1/2 car garage, that would solve the problems with the extra shed, but unfortunately we don't have those kind of funds.
Last edited by Phoenix98; 11-23-2014 at 02:47 PM..
Reason: spelling
Thank you for the wishes for my son... it goes a long way.
I was hoping for advise on what else I can do.
1) If the shed and pool house were on the property before I purchased it, and it shows on the original survey, do I have any recourse to fight any fines they throw at me?
2) we are working with an expeditor to do everything we can to make sure everything is permitted now. I got rid of the attorney because it was a waste of money.
3) We have submitted everything we can and we now have to wait for them to deny the permit so we can apply for the variance. In the meantime the court keeps having us go back every month for an update. We have called the examiner, tried to make an appointment to see him. Told them that we have another court appearance... but they don't care. so we keep losing pay going to court.
I wish we did have the money to put up a garage. On one side of the house we have room for a 2 1/2 car garage, that would solve the problems with the extra shed, but unfortunately we don't have those kind of funds.
I formerly lived in the TNH and I am answering point #1from that point of view.
We sold our home in 2013, with a central air unit that was there when we bought it, 17 years earlier. It was on the survey the former owner provided us before closing, it was on the survey when we expanded our house to include a new breakfast area 3 years after we purchased it. It should be noted the kitchen extension was all via proper permits. The summer before we decided to sell, our neighbor decided to match his fence to his left side neighbors, so his yard would now be uniform. That meant we, the right side neighbors, now were no longer uniform in our yard. We applied for a fence permit and the permit was denied for lack of permit for the a/c. I spoke to my attorney, the title search company, the town, and anyone who would listen. It all fell on deaf ears essentially because back in the day, they didn't care about this stuff, but it became a cash cow for the town and ta-da. Problems for the home owner. Not only did I have to pay the penalty, but the unit needed to be inspected and no surprised after paying for the inspection, I failed because it didn't meet current codes. I then had to have a Nassau County licensed electrician or one who worked for a company that had a Nassau license bring it to code, and then it had to be inspected again at an additional fee. Then once it passed, I had to apply for a variance, plus the penalty of course, because it was 3 inches into the side yard setback. The only thing that was in my favor was that the unit was in the best spot for all the neighbors, as the next door neighbors garage was on the same side as the unit and relocating it would not only have been costly, but anywhere else it would have been closer to living space of a neighbor. The expense was ridiculous and the aggravation worse but in a way it worked out since it most absolutely would have reared up when we closed on our house and delayed us.
Long story short, as far as point #1 goes, it doesn't make a rats patootie to them, they take the stance that your attorney and/or title search company didn't do their job properly. The attorney will blame the title search company and if you read the fine print on the Title search they have a built in escape hatch!!!!
1) How is this a selfish point of view??? Am I the only one that finds this issue ubsurd?
2) We don't have any "ticky tacky" plastic ones, as you call it. I have a pool house that is for the plumbing of the pool and one shed (prefab - wood 10 X10) they said the pool house is a shed because it has no running water.
3) We lived in Queens for over 40 years and decided to move to Long Island for a better life. We knew nothing about these laws, and depended on our real estate attorney and bank to make sure everything was in order. Sorry we fell in love with Levittown ...
4) We cannot have 2 sheds in our back yard ... but a 12' pod sitting on our front lawn is okay??? and how is that not "tacky". And how is 2 sheds cluttering a 13,000 sq foot lot????
5) we are fully responsible for storing our stuff. Unfortunately, like most hard working people nowadays, we do not have the money to build an "extension or a garage" or we would have.
6) as for my kids - I guess you didn't read further: One son is in Afganistan fighting for this country, one son is in Missouri in a studio apartment trying to better his career and my daughter did get her stuff. So why should I be forced to turn bedrooms into a storage room so that I have nowhere for my inlaws or grandchildren to come and visit and stay over? Again, our home has no garage, no attic and no basement.
7) the Shed is for lawn mower, snow blower, tool bench, gardening tools, shovels, indoor outdoor vac...so we can keep the outside of the home looking pristeen ... and not "Cluttered"!!! The other shed is for the plumbing of the pool and barbeque when not in use, and lawn furniture.
So we have done what we can and the Pod will sit there... until we can figure out what to do with our snow tires, car hood, muffler system, and other car parts, along with my 2 sons things... "cluttering the FRONT LAWN, for everyone to see. Instead of in my back yard, that no one could see!!!
I was hoping to get advise, not ridicule, for something that we have been working hard to correct. We have been given the run around for going on 7 years. And while I fully agree that we should all be held accountable to ensure we abide by the laws...why isn't the TOH held liable when they ignore everything you submitted in 2006, (we have it all documented) then come back in 2014 and hit you with fines for not doing anything?
Okay, here goes...
1. It's selfish to expose your neighbors to the view of a mish mash of sheds and a POD just because you think you should be entitled to put whatever you want on your property regardless of what the law says.
2. Ticky tacky plastic would describe the rubbermaid one you had and especially the POD.
3. Caveat emptor.
4. The POD is a tacky eyesore...but you're determined to keep it there. That says a lot about how you care about the neighborhood.
5. Get rid of some stuff.
6. See number 5 above.
7. Poor planning on your part should not be someone else's problem. You're entitled to have one shed, so keep one the maximum size permitted. Anything else you need to store seasonally, do off site.
If you're not joking about the car parts and really think you're entitled to operate a mini recycling center on your front lawn, there is nothing that anyone here can tell you that you'll understand.
Sometimes when you ask for advice, you just don't get the answers you want to get - that doesn't constitute ridicule. The town codes are your responsibility, not anyone else's. If the town is not following its own guidelines, that's another matter.
In the meantime, maybe you could at least hang some Christmas lights on the car parts.
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