My builder walked the plans through. She explained it was a one-for-one replacement and presented a site plan showing the existing building and the proposed building. He approved it on the spot with no comments - made no mention of the open space fee at all. It was only after I pulled up the project that we learned the fee had been assessed.

Well ... I just got an email from the Parks Director. I expect this will be resolved very quickly.

After the reviewer's third dismissive response and continued refusal to acknowledge the prior structure, I sent a formal request for determination of calculation to the Parks and Planning directors, first citing the Code, explaining what occurred, and providing nine different forms of evidence to prove its existence. Ultimately the Parks Director has the authority to determine how the number of dwellings is calculated and what deductions and credits are applied.

This is what I submitted:

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• Attachment 1 - HCAD records. These records show two buildings on this lot: A single family residence and a garage with second floor dwelling. both buildings were constructed in 1936. The garage apartment is building number 2.
• Attachment 2 - Utility Customer Service water bill. My water bill clearly shows I am being billed for a property with two (2) dwelling units. The account is coded as a type user 14, multi-family.
• Attachment 3 - Demolition permit, project -----. This demolition permit denotes it is for a garage with a second story. The sanitary sewer disconnect was finaled on August 4, 2015, the building was demolished on August 14, 2015, and the demolition final inspection took place on August 20, 2015.
• Attachment 4 - Property survey. The survey, prepared in 2003, shows the presence of a two-story garage.
• Attachment 5 - Site plan. The site plan clearly shows the existence of the garage apartment with proposed replacement of the structure.
• Attachment 6 - Wastewater capacity reservation. This document specifies existing development of "Garage Apt w/ washer/dryer."
• Attachment 7 - Photos. These photos show the presence of the building prior to and after demolition. Included in these photos are images of the interior, showing the presence of a functional kitchen, which is the determining factor used by Utility Customer Service to establish the garage apartment as a dwelling unit.
• Attachment 8 - Google Earth imagery from 1944, 1953, 2002, and 2014. Imagery demonstrates the building has consistently existed at this location for a minimum of 71 years.
• Attachment 9 - ILMS Data. This data shows the structure located at ----- and ----- are one and the same and is an apartment, abbreviated as, "APT."

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As you can tell, I like being very thorough, but the more I think about this, the angrier it makes me. I take a lot of pride in my work and enjoy helping people resolve their issues. When issues get escalated up the chain and customers are angry and irate, I am the guy who gets to deal with it, so it's important for me to be thorough and do a good job. I actually get paid to get yelled at so front line staff don't have to get subjected to it.

Even today when I was being a customer, there was a guy in the lobby who was clearly frustrated and upset because he had been sent all over the building and no one knew how to help him. From what little I heard of the conversation, I knew exactly how to resolve his issue, so I gave up my place in line and took him into the administrative offices to help him. He left very happy and got exactly what he needed.

This plan reviewer does not seem to care, and that really bothers me.

Have we derailed this thread enough yet?

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PM me a project number and I'll make an issue out of it. The old building official is gone now, so the attitude from the top is a lot different now.

Seriously - anyone who has an issue and is willing to provide the project number can talk to me about it.

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Wish you were in Charleston, I could probably use your help sometime soon. Your situation is funny though (once you're through it). It amazes me they continue to believe that nothing existed despite overwhelming evidence that it's been there for easily twice the guy's lifetime.

This is a cool build, Ryan. What prompted the decision to tear down the old apartment? I am curious what you will charge for rent on the new space.

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This is a cool build, Ryan. What prompted the decision to tear down the old apartment? I am curious what you will charge for rent on the new space.

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The foundation had failed and was beyond repair. I had a structural engineer out to look at what it would take to level and repair it and he looked at it and pretty much said, "Nope." The interior also needed more renovation than was cost effective, along with being a 324 SF efficiency. Having a true one-bedroom is a better design and commands more rent. We also had the problem of the garage being too small to accommodate modern vehicles. I have never been able to park in my garage.

We were getting $550 for the efficiency, which was probably below market. We should be able to get $1200 for the new build since it will include a garage space and storage unit.

This thread has taken an interesting turn.

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This thread has taken an interesting turn.

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Yeah - my project is completely on hold now until I get this parks fee issue resolved. My builder is not allowed to submit the plans for review until the fee is either paid or removed.

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PM me a project number and I'll make an issue out of it. The old building official is gone now, so the attitude from the top is a lot different now.

Seriously - anyone who has an issue and is willing to provide the project number can talk to me about it.

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Appreciate it, and I'm sure I'll ping you for a project at some point, but that little nugget of awesomeness is one of our local folks. For all of our betching and complaining, CoSA DSD tries to help. The One Stop center has info counters, plenty of resources online, and you can track waiting times for walk-thru permits and other counters through their website.

Now if they could only get a spellchecker.

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Now if they could only get a spellchecker.

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Plans got approved through wastewater today (it helps that I got my availability letter a year ago), and I'm cleared to submit plans to structural on Monday. The parks fee is not going to stand in my way now until I need to actually buy permits.

I'm glad we don't do projects in Austin and have to deal with their s***. Harris cty is pissing me off enough as it is. I tried calling a plan reviewer and he has not returned my calls or emails. Then I tried calling someone else in the department. Same thing. Just for laughs I went straight down the list of names in the department and called everyone (everyone?....EV-REE-ONE!!!) on that list. Nothing.

RTT, how easy would it be fore a first timer to get a plan approved through the city?

I am looking to build my own 12' x 16' shed for my workshop. I saw a kit at Home Depot I really like and modified it to bulk up the design ( 16" OC walls, upped the truss design to 2'x6'). My old man is an electrician by trade and was going to use his company to pull the permits for electrical, but everything else I can do myself correct?

Also, anyone here a structural engineer that can look over my plans to see if they are sound and apply to the Houston area? I think that is my biggest holdup to trying to get permits.

Yes, you can pull permits for everything except the electrical. It should be a very easy thing to do and you can probably walk it through Residential One-Stop in an hour or so on most days except Thursdays.

So could I pull everything I need and do all the work up until electrical is needed and then get those permits pulled?

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So could I pull everything I need and do all the work up until electrical is needed and then get those permits pulled?

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Yes. Call the Houston Permitting Center at 832-394-9000 and ask for residential one-stop. They can tell you everything you will need to bring with you.

Uh oh ... somebody told the Parks Director the issue had been resolved. As of 5:00 pm today it had not been resolved and nobody has made contact with me in five days. The plan review supervisor hasn't returned my calls or emails.

This should get interesting tomorrow.

The fee was removed this morning after the reviewer's boss called me.

Will anything to be done to prevent this kind of thing from occurring again (generally and specifically with respect to this reviewer)?

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Bureaucracy gives power to people that don't need it.

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And all too often people get promoted one level above their competency. Then we'll intentioned safeguards and protections along with egos keep them there.

I hope they don't stick you with a ridiculous impact fee to "reserve" water and waste capacity for the new garage.

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I hope they don't stick you with a ridiculous impact fee to "reserve" water and waste capacity for the new garage.

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I ran the reservation application a year ago. I'm replacing an existing building with a net loss of square footage, so no impact fees are due.

Sounds like a cool project.

And as a large commercial electrical contractor in Htown if we could just get CNP and the COH on the same page across the board it would make life soooo much easier. Thankfully we finally energized this week.

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Sounds like a cool project.

And as a large commercial electrical contractor in Htown if we could just get CNP and the COH on the same page across the board it would make life soooo much easier. Thankfully we finally energized this week.

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I agree, but COH can't get CNP to stop putting transmission poles in the middle of sidewalks, much less coordinate on anything else. If you only knew ...

My 12,000A vault was delayed due to a period. Yes a "." Because it wouldn't tie in the system

Not much to report on this week. My plans were approved yesterday morning, but a bad appraisal by an out of town appraiser has delayed funding of the project. I have to go through a different lender for a new appraisal now.

What kind of loan are doing? If you want to do a HELOC...I can recommend a guy/bank in the area that got me a great deal (and appraisal). Email me or send me a PM if interested.

Doing a cash-out refi so I don't have to refi in a year and I can get some funds for improvements to the house as well.

Try Michael McKenney at the Compass branch on Yale.

More hurry up and wait. Just finished up appraisal #3.

At least this time the guy has 30 years of experience in my neighborhood and he is an Aggie. I'm praying for a good appraisal report.

Really cool

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PRAISE JESUS!

Appraisal #3 came back $96,000 higher than appraisal #2, and well above our target number. Should close within a week and break ground next week.

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Serious question. Appraisals that are so wildly different don't raise flags? They mortgage/real estate lending system just shrugs it's shoulders and says, "ok, first appraiser must have been an idiot?"

Congrats on being able to move forward! This is a great board for learning and your project is very interesting.