Posted on 07/30/2018 6:43:31 AM PDT by george76
LAUREL, Md. Prince Georges County filed a legal case against a Laurel couple in their 90s over a wheelchair ramp in their own home. To avoid legal trouble, the elderly couples son tore down the ramp, trapping the woman in her own home. The county permitting department said the family had no permit to build a wheelchair ramp in front of their own home.
"I don't want my husband trying to lift me now," said 91 year old Evelyn Strahle.
Evelyn Strahle's husband David is 94 years old. "Two people had to put her in a wheelchair and lift her down those steps before we had it, said David.
A pile of lumber is all that remains of the wheelchair ramp that gave Evelyn freedom to leave her Laurel home.
It clips my wings. I can't do anything," said Evelyn.
Evelyn's son Bob built the ramp. He's in the construction trades. He didn't want his parents to pay the $5,000 they priced a ramp of this size. Bob bought $1,700 of lumber and built it himself.
"Very well built and I felt very safe on it always, explained Evelyn.
Then, a Prince George's County inspector came.
There was an inspector that showed up here twice when I was here and I asked him why couldn't he just inspect it and tell me if there was anything I needed to do to make any improvements on it so that it would fit permitting requirements but he said that wasn't the process and I had to go through the long route, explained son Bob Strahle.
Bob submitted plans and tried to file for a permit but was denied because he built the ramp before asking county government.
(Excerpt) Read more at wjla.com ...
To say that correctly, pinch your nose shut to get a nasally sissy voice like the teachers pet.
Should a building permit be required before assembling a swing-set kit in your back yard?
After all, improperly-tightened bolts could lead to structural failure and serious injury or death.
Of a child!
I agree.
There are right ways to do things and wrong ways to do them.
And when you short-circuit the law, innocent people can suffer for it.
When localities require permits to figuratively change an electrical receptacle, they invite indiscretions on home projects.
It’s like Ann Rand’s saying about govt making so many laws (and rules) such that even innocent people are guilty (or words to that effect).
Permit??? I’m glad I live in Indiana, in the country, away from big city idiots. My sister lives in King George County VA- she can have it. We got the official permits when we built our house and that’s the last permit we ever got to do anything on our property.
Don't drink and post.
The county should have worked with them to get permitting. Liberals just don’t get the idea of government.
If the son was in the biz, he should have known what was required. I know it is tricky to make an exception for this elderly couple and not that one.
Hopefully the son will get their permit in order and then reconstruct his original work.
And believe me, I hate that all this sort of stuff is regulated and that corrupt municipal officials bend the rules for their friends while coming down hard on others all the time, etc.
There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
Make you pay to do the improvement so they can raise your taxes afterword.
Those of a totalitarian bent love rules.
BS. This was local bureaucracy pushing its power and incompetence.
And if the innocent aren’t guilty, the Peter Strzoks of the world will be sent out to frame them in a crime.
Many years ago, I called the city to ask if I needed a permit to build a fence. They said yes and gave me the requirements, height/placement/location, etc.
I asked if I really needed to place my permit in the front window. I was told ABSOLUTELY, otherwise we will get calls from ALL your neighbors.
Ignorance of the law is never an excuse,
It was the contractors responsibility to find out what permit was required and obtain an inspection before work commenced.
Sure its not the old ladys fault and she is the victim in all this.
The guy who built her the ramp messed up.
In Prince Georges County, MD, you must be a democrat to obtain any position within county government. Of course they are liberals.
NO IT ISN’T FOR SAFETY REASONS. It’s for TAX reasons. Yes, they DO want the permit fee. But what they REALLY want is a way to declare your project an increase in the value of your property, so they can raise your tax assessment; which many of them do ANNUALLY any more.
The letter from the “manager” was insulting. He wrote “it’s a shame that you felt discouraged to the point of removing the ramp”. Having his 90+ year old parents threatened with fines and imprisonment is not the same as “feeling discouraged”. That manager is a total jerkoff.
Yep, and union protectionism. Reminds me of this story from last year...
Toronto man builds park stairs for $550, irking city after $65,000 estimate
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