If you are any kind of a minority, you can claim a human rights
violation.
Mike L.
AN5 10426 etc.
----- Original Message -----
From <richard.arnold at juno.com>
>
> The local city council recently changed the municipal code to
further
> restrict the number and types of vehicles one is allowed to
store on
> their property outside of a garage. The new ordinance is
intended to
> address the various problems associated with 'junk' cars.
Without going
> heavily into the particulars, the new version prevents me from
storing a
> project vehicle outside while I am working on it (well, I can
work on it
> outside, I just can't leave it in the same spot for more than 24
hours
> without running afoul of the law).
>
> As a person who enjoys working on my vehicles for pleasure (as
well as
> being unwilling and too cheap to pay someone else to do it), I
am not
> particularly happy about this. Not only does it prevent my
tackling
> large projects, it either forces me to give up my hobby or incur
expenses
> that would otherwise be unnecessary. This seems unreasonable,
as I don't
> think I am the sort of person the council had in mind when they
drafted
> the ordinance. Of course, neither do I think that I should be
allowed to
> run a mini-junkyard on my property (I recognize there are
limitations).
>
> Naturally, I think that there should be an exemption drafted
into the
> ordinance. Do any list members live in an area that has
successfully
> reached a compromise (for example, a limited exemption for
gearheads)?
> If so, what was the compromise? I hope to convince the city
council that
> a reasonable compromise can be reached -- as most of you can
understand,
> I am loathe to give up or cut short a twenty-odd-year hobby just
because
> the city council doesn't understand the fun to be had in turning
> wrenches....
>
> Just to give you an idea of the breadth of the new ordinance,
under state
> law, if I decide that I am not going to be using a vehicle for
awhile, I
> can 'register a vehicle as stored' by surrendering the plates to
the
> county treasurer (for example, I've been called to active duty,
or my job
> has been temporarily transferred). This allows to me save some
money on
> annual fees, and avoid a penalty and back licensing fees when I
put the
> car back on the road.
>
> Now, if I park the vehicle in my driveway for more than 24
hours, the
> vehicle violates the ordinance only because it doesn't display a
current
> license plate and registration. Never mind that the vehicle
doesn't
> otherwise violate the ordinance, the city can tow and impound
the
> vehicle, and impose a fine of up $500+ (and impound fees and
towing
> charges). I suspect that this problem is more of a drafting
problem than
> anything, and that the city didn't intend to cause this problem
(well, I
> would hope so, anyway). I've requested to be heard by the
council on
> this issue next week.
>
> On other fronts, I just acquired two more MG's ($100 for the
pair; one RB
> Midget, and one RB MGB). Have I crossed the line between hobby
and
> obsession?
>
> Rich
> http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.
>
|