Bob's caboose build

[pjo129]

So sorry this turned out the way it did. I wish I had advice. I will, however, keep praying for your situation.

[bc toys]

Sorry it turned out this way How about you saying it is a storage shed for tools and lawn stuff that way it might pass city ordinances

[S. Heisley]

Sorry it went that way Bob. But small town government has never been known as progressive. What precludes you from just parking it on the property? As long as you do not live in it why can't it sit there? What do they consider the tiny house? Is it a trailer, an RV or a house. As long as it is mobile it should be one of the first choices. Get it licensed and leave it there. If those are not acceptable options to the town "I" would get combative , but in a passive aggressive way. I would see to it that this piece of property was left as unattractive as possible. Let them see that they could have had a respectable parcel there instead of a huge thorn bush patch.

I would not bother with an appeal. You would need more support then a 1/2 vote.

What a blow that had to have been. So sorry, Bob.

I think Steve (Woodbutcher) is right. Have you licensed the Caboose yet? If not, I would try to get it licensed as a trailer. If it is a trailer, can you leave it parked there as such? After all, it is your own private property. What if you put a fence around the property?

Another avenue is to ask what you CAN do with that property. If they tell you nothing, I would see if you can sue to get your money back from your land purchase. At least that would be something. After all, they sold it to you, knowing that you wouldn't be allowed to do anything with it except pay taxes. In the meantime, can you park the caboose behind your rented barn? (I'd still paint it a soft green, so it wouldn't attract as much attention....)

[lrrowe]

Bob,
Came across this today and thought you would like it.....about tiny houses.

http://www.zillow.com/blog/20-something ... nyhousecta

[bobhenry]

Well complaints have been filed with the American Civil Liberity Union and the Indiana Attorney Generals office for all the good it may do.

I combined and refined a couple letters I may have already posted................

As a tiny home dweller I am fighting a zoning battle on the home front. Although my tiny house is not a foundationed home and also not a mobile home nor an RV I am being categorized as an RV for zoning purposes. Despite the thousands of dollars invested in not only the tiny house but the land on which it sets I am unable to reside in it without the blessings of the zoning czars via an exemption as a one unit RV park. I have also been assured it has as much chance passing as a snowball in hell. So the tiny house sets empty and I am forced to reside elsewhere until I can unravel the red tape. I am trying to live at the level of my disposable income in safe and healthy environments and tread lightly on mother earth yet I am treated as a criminal because I have figured out how to live lightly (and cheaply) in modern society. Should the jobs evaporate tomorrow and the grid collapse I will survive thanks to solar, wind, and rain water projects that allow an off grid existence.
Shot thru the heart!
Yesterday evening was the zoning meeting. I was attempting to get an exemption for a one unit campground on my property. There are a number of problems with this in that the entryway into the city is sacred and there are numerous hurdles that must be cleared. Setbacks, landscaping, and plantings etc. Adding to the odds an adjoining neighbor showed up to voice concern that if passed my being on the property might block the future sale of his property if a large corporation was interested in purchasing down the road. Well to make a long story painfully short it was 4 ½ of the 5 votes against. I say 4 ½ because one young board member got the idea of what I was doing and reluctantly voted NO , probably buckling to peer pressure. I was commended for my bravery and forward thinking and they promised to give me the time needed to remove the tiny house from the property. I will wait till the first of next week and meet with the zoning administrator to investigate the process for appeal. I am at a loss as to what to do and where to go. This is the only property I own. The tiny house is tiny but still too big to hide in my glove box. I have nowhere else to store it.
Why am I not allowed to place my property on my property?

Robert L. Henry
P.O.Box 895
Frankfort, In 46041
765-538-2580

[bobhenry]

Bob,
Came across this today and thought you would like it.....about tiny houses.

http://www.zillow.com/blog/20-something ... nyhousecta

Thanks for the link sir. I even joined in on their site and added a couple of thoughts in the comment section.

[bobhenry]

Well I took my dilemma to the media today. I E-mailed the State newspaper the Indianapolis Star with my zoning problem. I also contacted three local TV channels and the local Frankfort newspaper. I am in hopes of gaining a bit of help with some media exposure. I guess we will see what happens.

[bobhenry]

And the hits just keep on comin'

10.4 of the county municipal zoning code defines failure to comply as a misdemeanor punishable by fine or incarceration. So my housing problem may be solved. I can't afford the fine and since they allow work release I will have a warm place for the winter and a great excuse for not moving the caboose, " I was in jail your honor".
Made we wonder how much time I would receive for each days violation ( as each day is a separately chargeable violation). I now have a call into the mayor to find out who the city attorney is. I would like to put forth these questions to him. This ought to make a great humanitarian story for the news media.

Anyone available to dog sit Sadie ?

[bobhenry]

It has been a great day....

I have unearthed Indiana code 36-7-8-3 D lovingly dubbed the log cabin rule. Loosely translated a private person can build his own home without permit or zoning limitations. I intend to play that card at the appeal hearing.

And then it got even better........

Shan Sheridan who is the economic development director called today to test the water and see if I might entertain selling the property to the county. I was reserved but did hear myself saying I would entertain an offer or even an equity trade for another piece of property that the county would allow my tiny house. Mr. Sheridan is another of the younger minds that actually understand about tiny homes. He made a statement that the mayor and he had talked about an area set aside for the tiny home development.

It just gets funner and funner

[Verna]

Bob, THIS sounds like you're making some progress!

[bobhenry]

Kinda make ya wonder what they know that I don't.

The 14 unit mobile home park a 1/4 mile west of me is being bulldozed out for some reason. If I jump too quick I might miss out on something even bigger.

If they get in a bigger hurry I will need to turn over some rocks and see who might be coming to town. I know the minute I plopped the caboose down on that property they started looking for the owner. The very first day I spent any time there mowing here comes the zoning commissioner to "warn" me that the zoning wouldn't pass.

Me thinketh I smell a rat !

[lrrowe]

Contralutalions Bob on the good news
But I agree about being careful.
Here is wishing you some good luck

[lrrowe]

Bob, have you seen the TV show, called Tiny House Nation. It is on now on Network FYI (EST). Channel 119 on Dish Network.
You might find it very interesting.

[Woodbutcher]

Hope this end run produces a good outcome. It does sound like there is something in the works and they want your property. Go slow and see if you can figure it out. Maybe try seeing if you can buy an adjoining lot and see what that shakes out. If all of a sudden they won't sell or are evasive you can figure they may have someone wanting to develop the land.

[S. Heisley]

I'm thinking that they are concerned that Bob might make a lot of publicity noise or sue them about it all and they are looking for a way to fix this mess before that happens.