Governmental regulation at the local level is out of control. To the point that one's own children home from college for the summer are not allowed to park in one's own driveway in Cobb County, Georgia, without obtaining a special permit!
'Parking War' Armistice Signed Between County, Kennesaw Family: The family will have to apply for a permit to allow four cars to be parked in their driveway before next summer, lest hostilities recommence (dated July 21, 2015) in its entirety:
A Kennesaw family whose children are home from college have won a battle against Cobb County code enforcement, but the war may not be over yet.Are the cars in the Oviedos' driveway jalopies overcrowding the driveway? No!
The Oviedo family’s two kids are home for summer, which means there are four cars parked in the driveway. This doesn’t sit well with code enforcement, which due to a recent rule change on so-called Open Space Community property can only allow two cars to be parked in each driveway.
Cobb County created Open Space Community zoning as a way to “encourage the preservation of natural resources within residential development.” As such, a portion of the relevant review criteria for obtaining open space zoning is that “[l]ots must be designed so to accommodate on site parking for at least two vehicles.” The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that a recent rule change prompted the visits from code enforcement, so the on site minimum may have been changed to an on-site maximum.
A reporter with WSB-TV was able to contact Cobb County to get the Oviedos a reprieve for the summer, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. The family will have to apply for a permit to park more than two cars in their driveway for next summer, or the conflict will start anew.
In the name of environmentalism, Open Space Community regulations in Kennesaw, Georgia, have stomped all over individuals' rights to use private property!
How much are the Zoning Nazis' regulations interfering with your rights to private property in your community?
Additional reading: Agenda 21.
(hat tip to Infidel Bloggers Alliance for the first link in this blog post)
Yes, it can be oppressive, but the flip side of the coin is some dingo painting his house purple and orange, motley collections of people roasting meat and swilling beer in their front yard, Billy Bob and his nine cars up on cinder blocks in the front yard and parked up and down the street, multiple families in one house, with questionable "friends and family" coming and going at all hours of the day and night...
ReplyDeleteIt's a balancing act. Those neighborhoods want to keep their real estate values up, and they want to keep the riff raff out. The two go hand in hand.
The solution is to not live in a covenanted neighborhood. We live in a working class neighborhood blessedly free of covenants--we even have some section 8 housing--and we don't have any problems.
Even more egregious, imo, is when local government set arbitrary standards as a new source of revenue.
SF,
DeleteThe balancing act is skewed.
One reason for this skew -- around here, anyway -- is that the local governments make changes, then update the online code. When print copies of the code had to be provided, there were fewer changes to the code.
Mr. AOW and I also live in a neighborhood which is not covenanted. The Zoning Nazis' regulations nevertheless apply -- and anonymous snitches can notify the county so that the county to descends to the tune of a $100/day fine; typically, notification is given after 30 days. Do the math. This happened to us a few years ago; our family attorney went after the code enforcement department, which had to back down and allow time so that we could comply with the new regulations, which had overturned the decades-long regulations.
I agree with you. Governments become tyrannical, especially when they use these arbitrary regulations as a shakedown operation that would make the mafia blush.
DeleteIn your opinion, is that what is going on? Do you think this is one more way to squeeze more money from taxpayers?
That's how I see it.
SF,
DeleteIMO, a part of this is getting more money from the taxpayers. How much do these zoning inspectors get paid?
Lower Management (government) will mold you into what they believe best fits their vision for you.
ReplyDeleteSF you make excellent points.
ReplyDeleteAOW, the use of the term NAZI does apply in regard to the environmental/Agenda 21/ 2030 Agenda aspect of this story. But the people enforcing the zoning (and even setting it up) are administrators and bureaucrats who likely have no idea of the overall plan. They think only, "we are keeping the neighborhood nice and property values up".
Sadly, even if we described the 2030 Agenda (the successor to Agenda 21 - which has succeeded beyond the UN's wildest hopes), many people wouldn't even see what all the concern was about...
About the 2030 Agenda:
DeleteConsensus reached on ambitious new Sustainable Development Agenda to end poverty by 2030 and universally promote shared economic prosperity, social development and environmental protection.
On Sunday, August 2nd, following more than two years of intense negotiations and hard work, the UN's 193 Member States reached consensus on the outcome document that will constitute the new sustainable development agenda to be considered and adopted by world leaders at the September UN Summit on the post-2015 development agenda in New York.
The emerging development agenda is universal, calling for action by low, middle and high-income countries alike. In the current draft document, Member States pledge that no one will be left behind. Indeed, the 2030 Agenda encompasses a universal, transformative and integrated agenda heralding an historic global turning point.
As noted by the World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, the focus of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs') on people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership provides a comprehensive and robust development path for the world to follow over the next fifteen years.
The World Bank Group is eager to work with governments, international institutions, non-governmental organizations, the private sector and others to achieve the global goals and targets....
Sheesh.
SWISH! –– SWISH! –– SWISH! –– SWISH!
ReplyDeleteThe Pendulum is descending at an agonizingly slow pace to cut to ribands the body of the American Public bound, gagged writhing on the floor of the dungeon. Surrounded by an army of hungry, nibbling rats, the American Public is able only to writhe helplessly on the damp stone floor squirming in terror, praying for the mercy of Death at last to end their suffering.
The clanking red hot iron walls are drawing closer and closer as the Scythe-like blade of the Pendulum swings closer and closer forcing the writhing forms tortured by gnawing rats to plunge into the PIT –– the ABYSS –– the yawning INFERNO where Hope dies and eternal damnation awaits the Victims.
SWISH! –– SWISH! –– SWISH! –– SWISH! ––SWISH! –– SWISH! –– SWISH! –– SWISH!
Ask not towards whom the PENDULUM swings, it swings toward THEE.
Again with the swishing and the swashing and the red hot pokers! Oy...
DeleteSwish!
DeleteLooks like FT has packed it in. I guess that the progressive bunch from Shaw's blog was too much for him.
ReplyDeleteIt's understandable but I thought that Free Thinke was stronger than that
Mr. FreeThinke,
DeleteWhat did push you over the edge and make you decide to close the doors?
Things got a little nutso over there, but I thought you did a pretty good job, even if I don't agree with the more way right conservative fare.
You're an allright fella!
Thank you. Red Blobster. That was very kind of you to say.
DeleteThe shortest explanation of why I'm taking an extended break:
FATIGUE - BOREDOM - DISGUST
More Important:
A compelling interest –– a MUSIC PROJECT long on my "Bucket List" –– now takes up much of my time. It's much more constructive and exciting than constantly complaining about things over which I have no control.
Good luck to you! And thanks for your interest.
~ FT
Well Mr. FreeThinke, we're not on the same page of politics newpaper, but your a Hale Fellow Well Met. I admire how you tried to bridge the gap. It is a sad commentary on our times about how angry and loud people get over politics.
DeleteI see it on my own side and I just shake my head at some of those agitators way over on the edge. I'm a old Hubert Humphrey guy. I may be red, but I aint that damn red!
SF has the range on this; we need some balance. Billy Bob with nine cars on cinder blocks is unacceptable almost everywhere except Arkansas, four cars in the driveway because the kids are home from college seems perfectly rational. One solution could be requiring code enforcement officers to enroll in logic courses at the community college and attend seminars in the summer to keep them in touch with reality. AOW is right ... whether the boot is left or right is of no consequence —possibly the reason we have such things as code enforcement officers is that neighborhoods refuse to self-govern.
ReplyDeleteLogic? In touch with reality? From Government??? :-)
DeleteHere are the words of wisdom from Mustang:
"possibly the reason we have such things as code enforcement officers is that neighborhoods refuse to self-govern"
Silver, I'm in a middle class area too. No CC & R.
ReplyDeleteNext to my driveway is a patch of dirt, where I've kept my truck for years. Recently I was told I cannot have it on the dirt... it's a code violation. So now, it's gotta be on the street, in the overpacked garage, in storage, or somewhere else.
And here I thought my land, my car. It wasn't a nuisance, it was just an additional parking space, in my eyes. They said I can put concrete down and then I'm fine. no pavers though.
I guess the idea is a car parked on dirt, or pavers, can leak oil and pollute the groundwater.
You're right, it's a balance!
And these are local issues...
Dave,
DeleteThat's over the top, but on the other hand, I have recently changed my opinion on banning washing your car at home.
I used to be against those bans, but you're washing stuff into the storm water, and car washes have filtration systems, where somebody's house does not.
Also, once the law enters in, common sense goes out. We all know Dave Miller is a conscientious guy and would not let oil leak into the ground, but if we let him get by with parking on dirt, then we can't go after the yahoos down the street who don't care about leaky vehicles...
We're more like prisoners than free people...
Apparently you care, since you showed up and left a comment.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteHer, Hee, Hee
ReplyDeleteObviously you care, otherwise you would not have responded.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to care. Caring is nice.
Reading this blog means you care enough to read this blog, so you do care.
It's supposed to be a balancing act, but sometimes the balance goes awry and ends up being nonsense pushed by officious bureaucrats. I've heard of some of these condo associations demanding that even curtains have to be a certain color. I would never live in one of those places, but I know they can be quite pushy.
ReplyDeleteNote to commenters:
ReplyDeleteI AM reading comments to this thread. I've been unable to participate because I've been having a reaction to my recent vaccine for chickenpox. A mild reaction, but it nevertheless flattened me yesterday afternoon.
Thanks for your understanding.
What is wrong with being Mexican?
ReplyDeleteHee, Hee , if you don't know then there's no hope for you either.
ReplyDelete