Advice on how to handle overzealous code enforcement inspectors

demaples

Anybody have advice or experience on dealing with inspectors overly thrilled with their authority? I do know you don't want to make one angry through experience as then it becomes a vendetta. I have one telling me I have to tear down an old unused building in the middle of orange groves because it is a "blight" to the community.????

tonyb

Well if it's old and unused,whats the problem?
Here in Chicago land,cold hard cash is the solution.If it's not cost effective to tear down,See if you can throw a coat of paint on it,spruce it up alittle to please the money hungry pr@ck.

unc2701

How old? You can probably apply for a historic designation, which would put the code enforcement on hold until the application was evaluated. Throw in the usual red tape & appeals and you could drag it out for years.

...BUT it might bite you on the **** when you DO go to tear it down.

demaples

Yea, just spoke with our attorney. He mentioned that we might throw the fact that railroads are federally pre-empted from many regs and laws, however then they might come at us with a vengence and nit pic us to death.

steveinaz

What will it take to get it out of "blight" status? Ask them for specifics if you want to keep it.

dcmeigs

Railroad? Did I miss something?

cfrizz

You're going to start a fight over an unused, abandoned building that doesn't need to be there, rather than tearing it down?

Why don't you want to tear it down? Do you plan on using it? Or are you just bent out of shape because you were asked to take it down? What would happen if it catches fire?

demaples

I work for a railroad.. We may consider throwing a coat of paint on it but the historic thing might work too.

bobman1235

It's in the middle of an orange grove. Why would it spontaneously combust? Plus they're not fighting him over a safety hazard, which would be at least partially reasonable, they're fighting over a "blight to the community", which is bull. I'd fight it on principle. I mean, if it's really in the middle of an orange grove, how much of a blight could it be?

It's not like tearing down a building is a trivial or free task; it would need to be disposed of and whatnot, costing demaples time and money. Letting it sit there does neither of those things.

demaples

It's a metal building in the middle of Orange groves that has been there for years. I think this inspector has just taken it upon herself to make the county prettier. My maintenance crews need to be maintaining the track, not monkeying with a building that isn't hurting anything.

demaples

bobman1235 wrote: »

It's in the middle of an orange grove. Why would it spontaneously combust? Plus they're not fighting him over a safety hazard, which would be at least partially reasonable, they're fighting over a "blight to the community", which is bull. I'd fight it on principle. I mean, if it's really in the middle of an orange grove, how much of a blight could it be?

It's not liek tearing down a building is a trivial or free task; it would need to be disposed of an whatnot, costing demaples time and money. Letting it sit there does neither of those things.

My point exactly!

demaples

In my opinion, this inspector is simply overly thrilled with her authority.

demaples

dcmeigs wrote: »

Railroad? Did I miss something?

The track goes through the groves.

shack

demaples wrote:

In my opinion, this inspector is simply overly thrilled with her authority.

Then tell her you are the RAILROAD! And to kiss your ****!

I basically told a building inspector the same thing when she told me that I had insufficient caulk around the windows in....a garage. You know...one of those things with a big door that has about a half inch of air space between the door and the frame.

demaples

I like that idea Shack!

dkg999

Usually the first defense is to tell them that as soon as you receive the officially documented request, along with all supporting evidence, that you will then forward that to your legal team for review.

Doing this makes her have to do a lot of work, plus review the decision/request with her superiors, and is something that heaven forbid could leak out to the local media. There's no denying it when it's officially in writing, and most inspectors don't write very well, so what they do put together can usually be trashed pretty well by a more competent person.

demaples

Good point dkg.

dkg999

demaples wrote: »

Good point dkg.

Been there! I had a county inspector that demanded I remove a septic tank correctly sized for the 5 bedroom home I had under construction and install a smaller one that would barely handle a 2 bedroom home. I demanded the request be written, reasons documented, and timelines for correction stated. I then went to the county board meeting with the document, where I publically questioned the competency of the plumbing contractor who designed the system and certified it as complying with county regulations. This plumbing contractor also happened to be a county board member

The next morning wasn't a good one for the county inspector

unc2701

Might be cheaper for you to have your legal team write up an injury disclaimer form, then put up an ad on craigslist:

Free materials: You haul.

Make whoever shows up sign the disclaimer and it'll be gone in no time.

cfrizz

There's the missing piece of info!:D

Tell her you just work there & don't own the building. To take it up with whoever owns the railroad you work for!

demaples wrote: »

I work for a railroad.. We may consider throwing a coat of paint on it but the historic thing might work too.

demaples

As dkg said, I'm not doing anything till I get it in writing. The idea from unc2701 isn't bad either with the price being paid for scrap.

Systems

lets get drunk and burn it down.

Chuck

demaples

I'll bring the scotch!!!!

Systems

I have a zippo made for days like this.

Chuck

amulford

demaples wrote: »

I'll bring the scotch!!!!

Not in that heat, thank you.

obieone

I had a dealing with a local health inspector years ago. What a PITA!

NotaSuv

demaples wrote: »

Anybody have advice or experience on dealing with inspectors overly thrilled with their authority? I do know you don't want to make one angry through experience as then it becomes a vendetta. I have one telling me I have to tear down an old unused building in the middle of orange groves because it is a "blight" to the community.????

very deep hole,plastic bags and a chainsaw

madmax

I'd tear it down and put up a huge billboard with a picture of the same building, just twice as big.
madmax

F1nut

madmax wrote: »

I'd tear it down and put up a huge billboard with a picture of the same building, just twice as big.
madmax

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

That's the best suggestion yet!

obieone

Call the local OVERZEALOUS tv reporter with this broad's HOME address, and tell THEM she's harrassing YOU, and trying to extort money/ solicit a bribe!:D