diy beware

In reading that article one might easily conclude that this city in question has some really power hungry idiots working for it. Six months for a code violation? Get real. This is just one more reason to have nothing but utter contempt for the legal system as it is today. If a national TV or radio show picks this up and exposes this, I wonder how long it will take the city to correct this injustice and fire the judge that gave that man a six month sentence?

.. to repair a fence

No. It looks like he was sentenced to jail because he pissed off a judge. js

Well there are those who do work on their homes without permits and don't get caught.

Then those who do work on their homes without a permit, get caught, then file for the permits or correct the work as required.

But this guy did work without a permit, got caught, had a court ruling ordering him to remedy the situation, then did not comply.

For the actual work he did, it seems silly for him to go to jail over this, however there are a lot of people out there doing things to their homes (house wiring, structural work, etc.) which will in the future be a danger to people other than themselves. For example their family and people who may buy the house in the future.

Building and electrical codes are mostly in place to protect life and property. From thing like buildings falling down, fires, people being electrocuted, etc.

So probably good to crack down on people like this as an example. But not the best choice for making an example of if you ask me...

Then there are those who pretend that this has something to do with DIY alarm installation. FTR, the guy didn't work on his home. He built a fence, a retaining wall, a patio and a few concrete columns to decorate his driveway. Linares had been given six months to get final permits for the offending structures or remove them as part of a plea agreement reached in January, when he pleaded no contest to five misdemeanor counts of violating the Rolling Hills Estates building code.

Part of the problem was he built his fence on city property. He agreed to tear it down and to file for permits for the other work he had already done. He did none of the things he promised and after six months the judge was fed up. While I think the punishment was excessive, his actions brought it upon him.

I know what you mean. There have been countless lawsuits against professional alarm companies for malfeasance, nonfeasance, deceptive trade practices and outright fraud. This sort of thing puts the public at risk. Fortunately, by choosing to DIY most homeowners can avoid these dangerous situations.

Quoted from the article:

"When Linares asked the city to repair the white three-railed fence behind his house, he was told it was on his property and his responsibility. So he replaced the termite-infested planks. Then the city reversed itself and said Linares had illegally built the fence on city property."

They way I read it he didn't "build" the fence at all. The city should be thanking him for fixing "their" fence - which was already there when he moved in.

Typical bureaucrats...

Just to enlighten you to my frame of reference when it comes to dealing with this sort of bull...

HUD repo'd the house next to me about two years ago (it's still sitting vacant). This spring they complained to the township that I had cut down trees on their property. The township took their word for it and sent out some flunky to threatening me with destruction of property and some other crap.

Nobody bothered to take a look at the property line drawings located in the county office right down the hall. Had they done so they would have seen that the trees were at least ten feet on my side of the line.

Instead of the check to cover replacing the trees I sent in a copy of the platt(sp?). Haven't heard anything since.

That's just the typical garbage about people refusing to believe reality doesn't meet their expectations. I had my current reidential property surveyed at my own expense before erecting a fence. Put up the fence legally, and the neighbor came over screaming at us and making threats about gettig her lawyer. I pointed out we had a proffessional survey the property and mark the corners before doing anything. She got out her 100' tape measure and proceeded to act challenging and measure from another property marker on the other side of her property. She came up short, so she hired a another surveyor. I spoke to the surveyor she hired two days ago, and he confirmed the marks made by the surveyor we hired. LOL.

In fact a part of their fence tresspasses onto our property and it has not been there long enough to gain squatters rights. We sent them the first certified letter yesterday. If they hadn't refused to recognize reality I would have just ignored the 8 inches of intrusion. Now I may have to demand they move their fence at their own expense. For shame.

You could save them some expense if you like. Do you own a chain saw? :^)

Why don't you write to the guy in Rolling Hills and ask for some of his termites to put on your neighbor's fence instead?