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TheCabinCalls
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 11:54
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This came up in another thread so I thought I would keep the discussion separate.
On which side do you fall? For or against? Other thoughts?
Some say regulations are helping keep people safe and keeping the property values from falling due to dumpy looking properties just sitting there.
Others say that having a ship ladder to a sleeping area is charm and part of the adventure. That having a 5 or 10 year plan to finish is okay. That rules should be set by the adjacent neighbors not by the city.
Should cabins be in a different class? Are these rules, size requirements, codes, etc killing the charm and adventure or helping things?
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Dillio187
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 12:33
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in the suburbs, I don't have a huge issue with most of the codes and by-laws, especially when concerning the outside of the structures.
When it comes to living in the country on your own acreage, leave us alone. Who cares what you do in the middle of your own acreage that isn't visible from any road? It irritates me to no end reading posts on here about all the hoops people had to jump through to build their cabins, which is why I chose to build my 'cabin' as a shed on blocks.
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flyrdr
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 12:37
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That's a great question. My feeling on the subject is that many of the current codes and laws keep the dream of a vacation retreat or cabin in the woods in the realm of the wealthier portion of the population and out of reach for many of us. Just the prospect of a septic system makes the dream out of reach for me, let alone minimum square footage, electrical and plumbing by licensed professionals etc. I understand that the intent of codes, covanents etc at least in part are to protect the environment, insure safe dwellings and protect the investments of adjacent landowners but ther seems to be in general a total unwillingness by the powers that be to consider alternative green building designs and construction techniques that are in harmony with protecting the environement, building safe dwellings, building smaller dwellings etc. It just seems, well..unAmerican!
I had a 2 acre property in the White Mountains of NH back around 1980 on which I was planning to build a cabin. When I went to the bank for a small loan to build a small recreational cabin they wouldn't even consider anything but a full blown tradidional residence complete with full basement, central heating, well and septic. Our ideas what a vacation home was were light years apart and there was no use arguing and no persuading them.
I could rant on this all day I guess but that won't change anything. I know many of you pretty much take things in your own hands and just do what you want and hope everything works out. That's a scary proposition for me seing that the worst that can happen is they can tear down your dream that you put so much into.
I know in New Hampshire the defination of a "recreational cabin" is 400 square feet and under. The catch 22 is finding a town that will let you put one up.
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MJW
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 12:38
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I believe if I own a parcel of land of a certain size (you never really own land you just rent it but that is another discussion altogether) you should be able to build what you want, how you want.
Government tries to cover their true intent with the "we are doing this for you for your own good and safety" more and more because the sheeple buy into that.
If my home is out of sight I should be able to have an "eyesore" if that is what I choose to build. I should be able to have stairs that don't conform to code if they are the stairs I want to build to make the most of usable space. I should be able to catch and use rainwater without government intervention or more taxation for doing so.
I could go on but there is no point. Those that share my beliefs do and the ones that don't won't. That is ok, everyone has a right to their opinion. Fortunately that freedom still seems to be intact.
If you live in incorporated areas you should expect regulation and controls. You should be able to choose not to live there and NOT to have to deal with these controls.
Too bad the west had a coastline is all I am saying. hahaha
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 14:27 - Edited by: cabingal3
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Quoting: TheCabinCalls Should cabins be in a different class? Are these rules, size requirements, codes, etc killing the charm and adventure or helping things?
good question for us all.
well we live right now in town and oh man.they are having an inspection of every single manufactured home in this park.there is 500 of us here.they gave us notice to tell us they are coming on our property to inspect everything we have on the outside of our home.agh.i just think it is so nosey.as long as things look ok from the road is how i feel.
anyway...in our woods it is a mix.alot of hand built cabins.one fellow out there we call the junk guy.his land looks like something from the yards of american pickers where they go to dig thru things.its horrid.we can never tell if junk man lives on the property or not.we imagen each time he has cleaned something up.it always looks different but never really better.he has a couple of lots out there.ew.then across the road from us-a mobile home got crashed into by trees or heavy snow load.something common in our neck of the woods.so someone paid some guys to come and tear the mobile home apart.they took all the wanted and left.its this huge mess of all the contents of a mobilehome and i think just the metal was taken and all the rest left.
its a horrid mess.
when we first were out at our land camping.our neighbor use to toss all his food cans into the yard.it was like a dump in his front yard.
i am willing to look the other way.if i am free.i can let other s be free.i am glad though he does not do this anymore.we ourselves have a big mess.we are trying to clean it up by our bare hands.it is slow going.tearing down a big trailer and also another camper.gar torn down one camper already.most of this was out there when we moved there and bought the property.
the ones who get mad are the ones who have really nice home.we have one example at our woods.a really nice place and the couple has everything a couple could want...but a family moved in across from them.they have an outhouse.4 kids.they homeschool and there little acreage has everything u can imagen.sheds and many many out buildings and those canvas covered buildings.many of those.now i admire the little family.i am thinking cute things like oh-the little family that had everything but money.
some dont want this kind of thing next to them.our good friends out there have a rich pretty home.they kept saying.when are u gonna build your house.i hated to break it to them.our cabin is our house.when i told them.they laughed and laughed.i was glad we could give them so much entertainment.
so in all.as long as it is not a health risk i am for leaving people be.
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trollbridge
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 14:36
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This will be a good discussion as there are certain points that can be argued many ways.
I'm okay with building codes though exceptions for cabins should be made for certain things like ladders to lofts instead of 3' wide staircases or certain square foot requirements-GRRRR.
I see the point in having the outside completed within a certain period of time for the protection of others who can see it from the road------believe me when I say there are plenty of eyesores up our way with no siding and obviously none for years and years-pretty ugly.
As far as outhouses-they should be allowed (at least a holding tank) instead of the thousands required for septic systems.
Many of the requirements in my opinion do squelch the average person wanting a simple get away. There should be a ban on huge mcmansions around all our northern lakes! Rich people skewer me now! LOL!
Sad to see people who want something very simple to meet the financial and many ridiculous code requirements set by the county zoning offices.
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flyrdr
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 15:33
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I'm with you Troll on the McMansions on the lakes. Alright some of them are really architectural marvels but some are just plain ugly to my eye. You could certainly make the argument that he old small "camps" on the lakes are far more pleasing to the eye than alot of the McMansions but then beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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TheCabinCalls
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 16:07
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You could also argue that such large homes are actually worse for environment and lake quality.
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cabingal3
Member
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# Posted: 19 Jun 2012 18:47
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well as u can tell where we live.u can do alot if u just dont bring yourself and what u are doing to the attention of whomever.basically dont get the neighbors mad at u.
Theres all kinds of funky cabins built up there.so i love the freedom of it all.so i would put up with some messy junk yards to have that freedom but if someone is burning at time when the fire danger is extreme.
i would not call and tell on them but i would go ask them about this...mostly i would mind my own affairs.
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