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Antique Pedaler · 11-05-2007, 07:15 AM

We rent space in a friend's pole barn to hanger our Airstream. The only down side has been a number of pigeons that also live there. But we seem to keep them at bay with one of those big plastic owls hanging from the rafter above the trailer.

I'd take a picture but we're 1,000 miles from home...in our Airstream.

AirstreamGypsy · 11-05-2007, 08:21 AM

Excellent! Color me green

Although I literally built my home around my Airstream I hope to have another one or two in the future and a building to match!

Denis4x4 · 11-05-2007, 04:54 PM

There another great forum for garage/hanger building:
The Garage Journal

I find it very interesting as to the differences in construction, materials and concrete prices from region to region. A 10 yard truck with 3/4" roadbase is about $225.00. On the other hand, concrete is extremely high.

Don Cook · 11-05-2007, 06:43 PM

Alvinator
Truly inspiring. You will be sooooooo glad you did it
DC

bobkelly · 11-05-2007, 08:35 PM

Great looking building. Now that you have parked it at least once, what do you think of the door width? More specifically, if you were buiding another, would you keep it at 12 ft door width or bump it up or down a bit? By the time the rear bumper enters the doorway, is the entire rig lined up straight, or are you still steering the TV? Thanks,

alvinator · 11-06-2007, 03:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobkelly

Great looking building. Now that you have parked it at least once, what do you think of the door width? More specifically, if you were buiding another, would you keep it at 12 ft door width or bump it up or down a bit? By the time the rear bumper enters the doorway, is the entire rig lined up straight, or are you still steering the TV? Thanks,

I would leave the width at 12 as I was still steering when the rear bumper arrives at the door. It is about 36 feet from the street curb to the door.For absolute ease, a 14 wide would be ideal but I had to compromise due to setback restricions on the width of the building. This building is in a residential area of a borough and not out in the country. One of my co-workers, a tractor trailer driver, guided me in on the first try. He said he could have put one of our 53' trailers in the garage though the tractor would have been jack-knifed because of the street width. ( I realize that the door is not high enough nor the building long enough for that!)

Colonial Airstream · 11-06-2007, 07:40 AM

Nice work alvinator

**Janet H** · 11-06-2007, 07:48 AM

Great building! Maybe you could get a spare Airstream for the extra bay if no one rents

Streamer1 · 11-06-2007, 10:20 AM

Yes, nice building indeed. Our 25' International would fit nicely in there! How far are you from the Washington, D.C. Beltway?

alvinator · 11-06-2007, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Streamer1

Yes, nice building indeed. Our 25' International would fit nicely in there! How far are you from the Washington, D.C. Beltway?

Jersey Shore, PA 17740, 10 Miles west of Williamsport, PA.

mrmossyone · 11-13-2007, 11:19 PM

We currently live in a pole barn while we are deciding what to do about a permanent dwelling. My father-in-law lived here before us for about 15 years. The barn is a 40x60 pole barn, about two thirds has been converted into an apartment that is called the bungalo. Our kids don't want to move, they love the barn. I need to clear some space inside the barn so I can attempt to put our Argosy 24 in it. There is plenty of room for it to fit but I don't know if I can make the swing into the barn. It's not a problem with the doors as they are two sliding units about 8 or 9 feet wide each by 18 feet tall. The problem is the well house is too close to the barn making it a very tight turn for the camper. We are actually thinking of building another, nicer "barn" to get around a county building code based on county tax revenue greed. We have 5 acres and are only allowed one residence on it. If we develop it and run elec. plumbing and a road we can put 25 fouses on it and give the county lots of tax revenue. As it is your only allowed 1 residence per 4 acres of land, it used to be two acres per 1 res. then the county got greedier. You can however get a building permit for a barn with sep. elec. and sep. meter as well as it's own plumbing.

Before you ask yes there is already a house on the property that we rent out and can't tear down as my wife's father built the house by himself and doesn't want to see torn down and out of respect and keeping the peace in the family we won't tear it down. We looked into expanding and renovating the house and every builder/architect we had come out said tear it down. You can build a new house for less money, which we believe when we got bids from all of them(crazy high).

So if there are any builders or other government loophole savvy people out there that has any alternative ideas that will allow us to bypass the code we would deeply appreciate the advice. Thanks.

markdoane · 11-14-2007, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmossyone

So if there are any builders or other government loophole savvy people out there that has any alternative ideas that will allow us to bypass the code we would deeply appreciate the advice. Thanks.

The zoning rules are there for one of three reasons:

1. To generate revenue
2. To maintain the existing character of the area, or create a greenbelt.
3. To limit the amount of nitrogen and pathogens injected into the groundwater. In other words, to provide separation between your drainfield and your wellhouse.

If you know the reason your property is zoned as it is, you will have a better chance of getting a variance, or approval for a PUD (planned unit development).

You would need to get approval from the Board of Adjustments to add a second principal structure on your lot. You may already be in non-compliance by living in the barn. Consult an attorney.

mrmossyone · 11-14-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdoane

The zoning rules are there for one of three reasons:

1. To generate revenue
2. To maintain the existing character of the area, or create a greenbelt.
3. To limit the amount of nitrogen and pathogens injected into the groundwater. In other words, to provide separation between your drainfield and your wellhouse.

If you know the reason your property is zoned as it is, you will have a better chance of getting a variance, or approval for a PUD (planned unit development).

You would need to get approval from the Board of Adjustments to add a second principal structure on your lot. You may already be in non-compliance by living in the barn. Consult an attorney.

Well no.1 is the reason as they will pet us develop it. The county inspectors know somone lives in the barn unless they are totally devoid of any intelligence, although they say there shouldn't be two residences on the property. Their are smaller properties than ours in this county where they have more than 2 residences. The barn apartment was built under the radar about 17 years ago and I'm sure if they wanted to they could have us move out and gut the barn and turn it back into just a barn. My wife is an attorney, works for a large real estate firm we tried to get a variance with no success and she doesn't like the idea of building anything else under the zoning radar as they could come in later and make us tear it down and fine us. It just pisses us off that we can't build another house on our own d#$%ed land. It has nothing to do with a green belt or inadequate leaching or drainage it's all about generating more tax revenue. Thanks for the advice anyway. We have pretty much come to the conclusion that we will have to buy more property somewhere and build or buy a house. Property is very high in the town where our kids go to school but they have phenomenal schools and we are not going to move the kids. 1/3 acre lot goes for anywhere from 80,000 to 125,000 (and we don't have a high cost of living here), undeveloped land in the area is about 75,000-100,000 per acre of which there is very little left in the school zone.

It just stinks big time. Sorry for the rant. Everyone have a good day.

markdoane · 11-14-2007, 08:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrmossyone

. . . . .
It just stinks big time. Sorry for the rant. Everyone have a good day.

If revenue is the goal, I don't understand why they wouldn't let you subdivide and build another residence.

Wouldn't that generate more permit fees and tax revenue?

mrmossyone · 11-14-2007, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markdoane

If revenue is the goal, I don't understand why they wouldn't let you subdivide and build another residence.

Wouldn't that generate more permit fees and tax revenue?

This area is booming and they want me to develop it and put multiple units on it or sell it to a developer. Developments are going up all around us. What used to be a rural country setting is now a huge development area with 400,000-600,000 dollar homes(theses would be 3 times this price say in California or New York) all around us. Our corridor has been holding out from being incorporated into Collierville city limits for a few years now. We want to stay in the county so we can keep riding dirtbikes, four wheelers, horses, having bon fires, shooting skeet, target shooting and hunting as well. We had big plans when we took over the property and they have all gone away, it really stinks but hey we'll make the best of it.

malconium · 11-17-2007, 04:21 PM

Is the implication of development that you would have to be anexed into the city limits instead of still being in the county? What would happen if you subdivided and just did not build on any of the lots except for one? Would you have lost your status of being in the county? How about splitting of just a part of the land and developing it? Could you do that so that the majority of your property is still county but the split off lot would be city?

Malcolm