happy new year and third trimester!

quoted from DJ...

... because it's 4:30 a.m. and I can't sleep. Too tired to rewrite the e-mail he sent (a week ago), but not tired enough to actually fall asleep. I hate that.

"I just got off the phone with Michael La Grand in the Public Works Department and he said we can't really do the road improvements during the rainy season, but there is a mechanism that allows for the parcel to be recorded prior to the road improvements actually being completed.
It's called a parcel map subdivision agreement. All we have to do is write a letter explaining that we would like to request a parcel map subdivision agreement with the county, along with our road improvement plans and a plan check/permit deposit of $X00 to the Department of Public Works*. Once they process the request you should be allowed to record the subdivision, secure financing, and submit for plan check on your house plans. The Building Department will perform their review, but will withhold the actual permit until the road improvements are done, however this could be done in a matter of days rather than weeks or months. You could start building your house the day after the road is finished. You should have plenty of time to secure your financing between now and next spring."

This is really great news. We'll be able to utilize the rainy season for paperwork, and get started building first thing in the spring.

*extortion again; probably the 10th time we've gone through something like this, but we'll do whatever it takes to not be set back any further.

Tentative Schedule

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.

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.

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.

We might have something to blog about in a week and a half...

I really do apologize for the lack of posts lately. But really, there has been absolutely nothing happening. We went on vacation, but that's about it. Nothing with the house.

The HumCo Planning Commission Meeting is on Sept. 6. That's when we'll find out if we have are able to split the lot or not.

I'll post for sure late next week...

I've been busy.

I made these tiles in my class at the Fire Arts Center. I went a little above and beyond expectations, but I have a vision for our house.

The koi, lily pad and lotus flower tiles will be installed on the walls of the walk-in shower in the master bath, with small mosaic tile around them to look like water.
The small rose tile will be used as accent tiles somewhere... probably on the backsplash in the kitchen.

I've made a lot of other tiles, but I really don't know yet how I'm going to use them. The style of the other tiles varies SO much; I just wanted to see how certain glazes would act on certain clays and to test out different techniques.

It's been fun, but it's not over yet... several more weeks of class (round #2) to go!