October 2007 - Submit completed improvement plans to County
December 2007 - Prepare Parcel Map
(after approval of improvement plans)
April 15 2008 - Construct Road Improvements
April 30 2008 - Submit parcel map & evidence of completed
conditions of approval (including all waivers, letters, fees & conveyances)
May 30 2008 - Map is recorded.
May 30 2008 - Submit construction plans for the house
July 1 2008 - Start construction on the house
Judging by what we've already been through, I think the parts of that timeline that depend on the county are very hopeful. They will almost certainly take longer. Call me a pessimist, but the system has not been on our side thus far.
I just hope we're in our house before the end of this decade. This process is so frustrating.
Friday, September 28, 2007
Saturday, September 8, 2007
APPROVED!!!
Well, we're finally over the biggest hurdle we've come to yet. The Planning Commission approved our lot split plan as is. That's the short version of it... here's how it actually went down:
On Sept. 6, 2007, Andy picked me up after work and we drove to Eureka. We planned on getting some take-out sushi for dinner and eating it at the meeting. We arrived at the sushi place just at 5:30pm, and the one teenage employee was closing up. Bummer. So, we headed to the Co-Op for a quick bite. We ran around the store, picking up random food items since the deli was cleaned out and quickly headed for the checkout line. The checkout was excruciatingly slow. Andy offered to bag the groceries of the lady in front of me because the checker was so slow. It helped, but it still took 10 minutes to get 2 people (including myself and my 6 items) through the line.
The meeting started at 6, and we barely made it in time. We walked into the Board of Supervisors' chambers, and saw Andy's parents and DJ. I also noticed "Neighbor X," the neighbor who had raised a stink 2 days before. My heart started racing. Why was he there if not to testify against our project? Andy and I end up sitting next to his folks and DJ, and right in front of Mr. X. There was also another neighbor there, though I've never met him and couldn't pick him out of the crowd. Apparently, he was on our side, which was nice to know. Andy and I quickly chomp down some food and rustle our bags before the meeting is called to order.
So, the dude starts the meeting, we wipe the crumbs from the corners of our mouths, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and get down to business. The dude makes a motion to move certain more time-consuming agenda topics to the end of the meeting. Done. Next item: he goes through the list, asking for a show of hands if people wish to testify on a certain issue. He gets to our project, #5 on the agenda, and my heart is literally pounding out of my chest. Nothing is said, and I want nothing more than to turn around and make sure Mr. X does not raise his hand, but I resist. Heart still pounding, because I don't know for sure... did he or didn't he? The dude gets through the rest of the agenda items, and recites back the agenda items to which no one wanted to testify. 2, 4, 7... WHAT? I didn't think my heart could beat any faster if I were trying to keep up with Andy in a 5K! One of the other dudes on the Commission pipes up and says the dude skipped #5. THANK YOU!!! The dude re-reads the list... 2, 4, 5, 7, etc. These items are approved without controversy. HOORAY! The dude says people that are in attendance regarding these items are free to leave, so we go, smiling from ear to ear.
We still have plenty of other hurdles to clear, but it looks as though they'll have to wait until spring. For now, we need to get the final map drawn by a licensed surveyor, get the map recorded by the County, get approved for a loan, finalize the building plans, choose a contractor, etc. So much to do, and it feels like forever until spring, but I know it'll be here before we know it.
On Sept. 6, 2007, Andy picked me up after work and we drove to Eureka. We planned on getting some take-out sushi for dinner and eating it at the meeting. We arrived at the sushi place just at 5:30pm, and the one teenage employee was closing up. Bummer. So, we headed to the Co-Op for a quick bite. We ran around the store, picking up random food items since the deli was cleaned out and quickly headed for the checkout line. The checkout was excruciatingly slow. Andy offered to bag the groceries of the lady in front of me because the checker was so slow. It helped, but it still took 10 minutes to get 2 people (including myself and my 6 items) through the line.
The meeting started at 6, and we barely made it in time. We walked into the Board of Supervisors' chambers, and saw Andy's parents and DJ. I also noticed "Neighbor X," the neighbor who had raised a stink 2 days before. My heart started racing. Why was he there if not to testify against our project? Andy and I end up sitting next to his folks and DJ, and right in front of Mr. X. There was also another neighbor there, though I've never met him and couldn't pick him out of the crowd. Apparently, he was on our side, which was nice to know. Andy and I quickly chomp down some food and rustle our bags before the meeting is called to order.
So, the dude starts the meeting, we wipe the crumbs from the corners of our mouths, recite the Pledge of Allegiance and get down to business. The dude makes a motion to move certain more time-consuming agenda topics to the end of the meeting. Done. Next item: he goes through the list, asking for a show of hands if people wish to testify on a certain issue. He gets to our project, #5 on the agenda, and my heart is literally pounding out of my chest. Nothing is said, and I want nothing more than to turn around and make sure Mr. X does not raise his hand, but I resist. Heart still pounding, because I don't know for sure... did he or didn't he? The dude gets through the rest of the agenda items, and recites back the agenda items to which no one wanted to testify. 2, 4, 7... WHAT? I didn't think my heart could beat any faster if I were trying to keep up with Andy in a 5K! One of the other dudes on the Commission pipes up and says the dude skipped #5. THANK YOU!!! The dude re-reads the list... 2, 4, 5, 7, etc. These items are approved without controversy. HOORAY! The dude says people that are in attendance regarding these items are free to leave, so we go, smiling from ear to ear.
We still have plenty of other hurdles to clear, but it looks as though they'll have to wait until spring. For now, we need to get the final map drawn by a licensed surveyor, get the map recorded by the County, get approved for a loan, finalize the building plans, choose a contractor, etc. So much to do, and it feels like forever until spring, but I know it'll be here before we know it.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
crisis averted
Yesterday, with 2 days to go to the big meeting, one of our future neighbors decided to oppose parts of our project. They threatened to write a letter to the planning commission and have our project pulled from the Sept. 6th agenda. My understanding is this: they had issues with the possible change in the drainage pattern of rainwater off the road and the basketball hoop that has existed in the in-laws' driveway for the last 30 years.
This was distressing to say the least. Luckily, DJ, our project manager/bomb diffuser was able to meet with these neighbors yesterday afternoon. We believe he was able to make some slight changes to the tentative map to satisfy the neighbors' requests as far as the drainage is concerned. The basketball hoop... whatever. That has nothing to do with our project, and honestly, it has nothing to do with their property either - it's 120 feet from their house. Things might be different if we all lived in one of those new subdivisions where the lots are only slightly bigger than the McMansions built on them, but we're talking about a semi-rural area, where the houses are on about an acre of land each.
Personally, I just think these neighbors are bitter because their property is right next to the busy road, and last summer a house was built to the side of their property. Once our construction is done, the only part of our property near their property will be our driveway and goats. My final thought: quit your whining and let us get on with our life. Yes, I'm upset about this. It's been almost 4 years, and to have things nearly derailed with 2 days to go to such a big step forward is incredibly frustrating. All we want is a place to raise a family. Surely they should be able to understand that.
This was distressing to say the least. Luckily, DJ, our project manager/bomb diffuser was able to meet with these neighbors yesterday afternoon. We believe he was able to make some slight changes to the tentative map to satisfy the neighbors' requests as far as the drainage is concerned. The basketball hoop... whatever. That has nothing to do with our project, and honestly, it has nothing to do with their property either - it's 120 feet from their house. Things might be different if we all lived in one of those new subdivisions where the lots are only slightly bigger than the McMansions built on them, but we're talking about a semi-rural area, where the houses are on about an acre of land each.
Personally, I just think these neighbors are bitter because their property is right next to the busy road, and last summer a house was built to the side of their property. Once our construction is done, the only part of our property near their property will be our driveway and goats. My final thought: quit your whining and let us get on with our life. Yes, I'm upset about this. It's been almost 4 years, and to have things nearly derailed with 2 days to go to such a big step forward is incredibly frustrating. All we want is a place to raise a family. Surely they should be able to understand that.
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