Posted on 01/06/2009 8:57:51 PM PST by bamahead
The Amish families claim the town of Morristown has refused to issue building permits that would allow them to practice their religion and build homes according to their beliefs.
"The U.S. Constitution, and legal precedent all the way to the Supreme Court, are clear. The Amish, who are known throughout the world as master craftsmen and master builders, have the right to practice their beliefs. That includes building and living in homes that conform to those beliefs," Rassbach said.
Before 2006, the Swartzentruber Amish in Morristown were granted building permits and allowed to build their structures according to traditional standards and customs without interference, according to the 37-page lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Watertown.
However, since 2006, Morristown officials have brought more than 10 separate prosecutions against the Amish, the lawsuit said....
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Code here requires a plug every 8 to 12 feet (forgot the exact number) regardless if it is the same wall or not. Even in hallways...
that, or if they’re like the amish in my area, they have lp gas powered lights in the house and their freezers run on propane too—can’t have that now—gotta keep their food spoiled and their homes in the dark......
I had to have a fight with the city inspectors about not having windows in a home theater... They demanded that it have windows and I didn’t want windows. We’re talking about a home theater where you want it dark, not some bedroom...
After getting an building code expert to write the city a letter saying that code permitted it I finally got it through... But as always, it is all on you time and your dime...
You’ve hit the nail on the head here, Beelzebubba.
The Amish have a long record of fine craftsmanship...craftsmanship that far exceeds what is typically available today. I bet THEIR walls don’t rattle when you walk down the hallways.
And if a non-Amish is considering a purchase, it should be HIS responsibility to see to it that the house meets whatever standards he deems appropriate. If it doesn’t, he of course should not buy it.
Regards,
You shouldn’t have had to pay that ridiculous fee, either, ReneeLynn.
Government bureaucrats like town building departments are nothing but money-grubbing toads looking for job security and kickbacks. I would never in a million years rely on a town-approved C.O. as “proof” of a home’s fitness for occupancy.
Everybody would be better off if they were all fired and went into business for themselves as REAL home inspectors. They’d make their own (and probably better) money and we taxpayers wouldn’t have to pay them OR any stupid $25 fence fee.
Regards,
Speaking of windows...a neighbor of mine got about a bazillion permits in order to re-roof, re-side, and generally refurbish his home.
So the town inspector comes by and hits him with a fine for having the “wrong” windows. Seems the guy wanted to replace the divided-light windows that were original to the house with — you guessed it — NEW divided-light windows. The inspector said he had to have those ugly plain windows because they were “safer” in the event of a fire.
Stupid me, I thought that’s why all those firemen carried axes.
Regards,
At least one window per bedroom is required to open large enough to get out of (egress) in a fire. That’s a pretty common requirement. You are supposed to be able to get out without a fireman’s help...
I did no such thing.
Just trying to argue against a possible legal precedent.
You are a tool.
If they were Amish contractors wanting to sell houses to non-Amish buyers you'd be right. But since both builders and occupants of the houses in question are Amish (possibly the same people) and don't want the stuff mandated, and the lack of the stuff doesn't endanger anyone not a part of the transaction, what's it to the goobermint if they want smoke defectors or not? You're in effect protecting them from themselves.
(Yes I know the goobermint does it all the time, but I don't agree with it those times either)
Oh, the windows OPENED, DB. They were 6 over 6 double hungs.
They were EXACTLY like the old windows except that they had the doubled glass and vinyl exterior/wood interior.
Regards,
And since you were simply replacing existing construction, you asked about a permit why?
You seem to be paranoid. I detect a possible Libertarian and maybe a Ron Paul acolyte...
Arguing against driver’s licenses or proper photo i.d. is ridiculous.
I hope you have your tin-foil hat on. The men in black are coming.
ooohhh the government has it's hand out.....let them try to get a building permit to rebuild for free....
I thought of that, but I’ll bet Amish homes tend to stay in Amish hands pretty much forever. Besides, anybody that wants to move in won’t get a mortgage on home that isn’t code-compliant, so anyone buying one is paying cash and probably knows what he’s buying. If even that’s not good enough, pass an ordinance that says title transfers will not be recorded without a notarized waiver from the buyer acknowledging the variances.
As long as we aren’t setting some kind of dangerous legal precedent, I have no problem with whatever the Amish want to build, even if they want to construct igloos in the middle of summer.
OMT,
The Mennonites here (Amish) build homes for poor people regardless of race/religion who get them at DEEP discounts, so yes, the Amish do build quite a few things for others. Just Food For Thought
The most dangerous legal precedent is to pay attention to what a bunch of goobers who steal money from others at the point of a gun tell you to do.
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