Oh the long suffering saga of cold fire arson investigation and the purgatory of permitting processes.
As has been occasionally chronicled here, the acreage and home in which Sue was raised in rural Washington, 50 miles north of Seattle, was rented to a fellow and his growing sons until it was brought to our attention that our property had become a dumping ground for tons of festering garbage and the home had been turned into a drug den and completely destroyed. We evicted the dead-beat low-life criminals only to have the gate chain repeatedly cut and repeated major vandalism to all the window and the interior. Repairs were being made when an act of felony arson burned it all down on Halloween Night, 2016.
Twists and turns of fate bring us to finally getting architectural plans drawn and submitted to the county planning department for approval to re-build the house in October, 2017. The requested permit was pulled by the county, pending site evaluation for "environmental critical areas" and "geohazards". What? Where was all of this county concern when frequent calls to the county sheriff were met with indifference and non-response?
We wasted 7 months waiting for 'critical environmental areas and wetlands' to be assessed, finally getting just an email saying "I was there in May, here is your report." OK, what a waste of time and money to comply with fictitious fish and an old orchard with tall grasses condemned as 'protected wetlands'. Part 1 of 2 environmental hurdle taken care of. Mischief managed (at a cost).
Now time to Handle Hazards.
Now the "geohazard". The county noticed that in rebuilding the burned out house we will still be within 100' of a slope over 10 feet in height. Therefore, under county code another consultant ($3500) is required by the county in order to file a report prior to approval of our permit. We spoke with GeoTest, a firm that will handle the building site evaluation and report. We told GeoTest that we'd like to be at the property when they have their field guy out to walk the land. We get word on the morning that we are to drive to Montana for a visit to my parents that GeoTest will meet us there on August 2. We agree to be there with a key to the gate at 9 AM.
At this last minute change, we rearrange our schedule to drive west from Montana to Arlington, WA at the tail-end of our Montana vacation to be present for the geohazard assessment. Sue now needs to book a 'red-eye' flight from Seattle to DFW Airport departing around midnight in order to get back for work on time, rather than drive with me back to Texas.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Sue walks around her natal stomping grounds with the GeoTest field geologist and points out the salient geology, practically writing his report for him. He takes his notes and observations back to the office, but tells us, we should have no problem getting our permit approved from all that he has seen. We thank him. Mischief managed (at a cost).
As long as we are out at the property, I fill out the forms to get the abandoned car legally removed from our land. It was left there before we installed a heavy-duty $5000 gate to managed the mischief. Then, in June, someone came to the gate with a power pipe saw and cut through the gate. It has since been rewelded.
We count it as progress to get the geohazard site evaluated, investigated the Type F stream (revealed to be hogwash really) and pick a few apples from the overgrown orchard and nibble a few blackberries as we lock the gate behind us.
Mischief managed. Hazards handled.
As has been occasionally chronicled here, the acreage and home in which Sue was raised in rural Washington, 50 miles north of Seattle, was rented to a fellow and his growing sons until it was brought to our attention that our property had become a dumping ground for tons of festering garbage and the home had been turned into a drug den and completely destroyed. We evicted the dead-beat low-life criminals only to have the gate chain repeatedly cut and repeated major vandalism to all the window and the interior. Repairs were being made when an act of felony arson burned it all down on Halloween Night, 2016.
Twists and turns of fate bring us to finally getting architectural plans drawn and submitted to the county planning department for approval to re-build the house in October, 2017. The requested permit was pulled by the county, pending site evaluation for "environmental critical areas" and "geohazards". What? Where was all of this county concern when frequent calls to the county sheriff were met with indifference and non-response?
 |
| Sue meets with Phil our General Contract - once we get a permit to rebuild the house |
Now time to Handle Hazards.
 |
| GeoTest on site to report on Geohazards before county will approve our building permit |
At this last minute change, we rearrange our schedule to drive west from Montana to Arlington, WA at the tail-end of our Montana vacation to be present for the geohazard assessment. Sue now needs to book a 'red-eye' flight from Seattle to DFW Airport departing around midnight in order to get back for work on time, rather than drive with me back to Texas.
Meanwhile, back at the ranch... Sue walks around her natal stomping grounds with the GeoTest field geologist and points out the salient geology, practically writing his report for him. He takes his notes and observations back to the office, but tells us, we should have no problem getting our permit approved from all that he has seen. We thank him. Mischief managed (at a cost).
 |
| Old Growth Cedar Stump Left from the early 20th Century |
 |
| Criminal mischief the last of 5 abandoned vehicles dumped on our property |
We count it as progress to get the geohazard site evaluated, investigated the Type F stream (revealed to be hogwash really) and pick a few apples from the overgrown orchard and nibble a few blackberries as we lock the gate behind us.
Mischief managed. Hazards handled.
No comments:
Post a Comment