November 5, 2014

Tipster sets off probe of illegal carports in Oregon

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) — A carport vigilante is at work in Springfield, Oregon, or in the eyes of some, a nitpicking busybody.

In early September, somebody came to a City Hall counter and dropped off three pages that listed the addresses of 67 homes where, it was alleged, carports had been placed too close to the property line.

As in many Oregon cities, Springfield requires a 5-foot side yard between fixed building structures and the property line, the Eugene Register-Guard (http://bit.ly/1EdUjl7 ) reported Tuesday.

Fire safety is the goal: The space is to slow the spread of fire and to give firefighters easy access.

But it's a simple matter for a homeowner or contractor to stick a few treated posts in concrete, slap on a corrugated fiberglass roof, and, presto: The side yard becomes a carport or storage area, encroaching on the 5-foot space.

So far, city inspectors have checked out 17 of the complaints, and the anonymous tipster is 17 for 17. Violation notices have gone out, and city officials say they're duty-bound to continue checking out the complaints.

“I can't look into the heart of whoever the submitter was,” said Planning Supervisor Jim Donovan. “I only have to respond accordingly, equitably and fairly.”

The violations range from a small awning-like structure tacked onto the side of a house to looming metal-framed structures 12 feet or more tall that shelter RVs.

Residents who receive a violation notice have three options: remove the carport, move it to another part of the property, or reduce its footprint to meet the 5-foot requirement. Or they could face fines of $500.

Those who've gotten violation notices have expressed surprise, anger and curiosity.

“I would like to know who did it,” said Rodney Olsen, who said his carport meets the setback requirement but needs a building permit to make it legal. He said he's working on that.

Olsen said he understands that the city must respond to complaints but added that employees should react differently to those that pick nits and those that uncover major problems.

Another who got a violation notice, Larry Vaughn, said he was angry. His carport shelters a 21-foot custom-made boat. He said it cost him $1,400 to install and $100 to remove.

And since he doesn't have room to build a legal carport and can't afford $100 a month in storage fees, he said, the boat will be sold.

Vaughn said he could understand a complaint stemming from a junky looking carport, but it makes no sense why someone would complain about one well maintained, as his is.

“If it looks good, what's it hurting?” he asked. “I'm not hurting anybody.”