I recently had my first taste of county government when I appeared before the County Zoning Board of Appeals requesting a variance for a new home.
Our current home, built by my parents around 1945, is going to be our retirement home and needs to be replaced because it started out as a lake cottage, but my wife and I want to live here (Yellow Creek Lake) year long. The current structure actually encroaches onto our neighbors property and our new home would be 4 feet from the property line.
Apparently there is an ordinance that says each structure must be at least 5 feet from property lines. OK, well, our new house would be 4 feet compared to the current structure which actually overhangs the property line. It would seem sensible that the board would approve such an improvement, you would think. Explaining that I grew up in this house, that it was our desire to retire to the area and remarking that I helped my dad knotty pine the entire cottage when I was 12, this board sat in their seats thinking about anything but my request. To say that I mesmerized them must be an understatement.
After my presentation, one Board member simply said, "well, it's not 5 feet, I move to deny." I couldn't believe my ears. OK, it's not 5 feet, but its better than 0 feet as it is now. This board, if one wants to call it so, simply sat there and destroyed my dream of retiring here.
This board is intractable and has no idea how their decisions affect lives.
Ok, Board, I'm leaving my home just as it is - overhanging my neighbor's property. By the way, I hope my space heaters are all in working order. The new home would have been connected to the gas line!
