Pine Haven looks to refining permit verbiage

After dealing with a number of issues regarding the proper surveying and engineering of planned structures within town limits, Pine Haven's council, in association with the planning and zoning committee is refining verbiage on building applications.

In the last month, two problems have faced the committee; first, a builder has approached them to argue a request from the municipal building inspector for an engineer's survey due to the lack of this request in writing when the application is provided. However, the ordinance allows the inspector to request said surveys as well as an engineered foundation, obligating the builder to have this report as part of the application before a building permit is issued.

The second and more complex problem is the case of a homeowner who built without engineer's confirmation, based on what he assumed to be corner markers already set before he took possession of the property. The home is now built so close to town and power easements that variances and vacation of rights-of-way had to be established and approved by a neighbor, the town and PRECorp. "His roof line almost overhangs the property line" committee chair Charlie Gulley reported to council at November's meeting."

The homeowner later explained his reasoning on the situation, "There were some pins out there, on the property, when I bought it. Come to find out those pins had nothing to do with anything. We've had a few different surveys out there [since then] ... so we're not sure what the actual corner pins are."

The homeowner had already established a 20-foot easement from his neighbor and any future owners of the neighboring property before the public meeting for the variance and vacation for Pine Haven and PRECorp utilities. The committee approved with the understanding that "the town would be indemnified in the future if they have to go in and repair any water lines or PRECorp has to repair any electric line there if it does damage to the home or the foundation".

As for the newly established right-of-way through the neighboring property, the mayor answered from the audience, a question about future owners and possibly losing the utility corridor, "Whoever owns that property, we're good to go. That's what we're doing, even if that property is sold... we're good to go."

Gulley had previously informed council of the committee's efforts to end these problems, "We're changing the application for the building permit to indicate that that is going to be a requirement,"

Mayor Karla Brandenburg agrees with the change, "We don't need to change our ordinances because it says that he can request them, but on our building application, we're going to put that they have to do it. It will say the same thing, we're just cleaning it up."

With no more questions by those in attendance, the public meeting closed and the special meeting of the committee was reconvened to approve the variance and vacation. Council members indicated they hope to see an improvement in the application and permitting procedure before the new building season.