Or in the alternative title, “Building Departments Gone Wild.”
We have reached a new height of ridiculousness in code enforcement, and I’m saying that as a Plan A-/B+ kind of guy.
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78 comments
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January 31, 2012 at 12:18 pm
Just Sayin
The Times-Standard has the details and Heraldo merely comments on them.
January 31, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Mitch
If this story even has a hint of truth to it, it should become required reading for progressives who think the solution to concentration of power in the hands of large corporations is concentration of power in the hands of governments.
Unfortunately, solutions are not as simple as slogans.
January 31, 2012 at 12:43 pm
tra
Here’s the link to the Times-Standard story:
http://www.times-standard.com/localnews/ci_19847521
January 31, 2012 at 2:08 pm
tra
It would be interesting to find out who made the determination that the tree-fort counts as “development” under the county’s “Streamside Management Area Ordinance.” Was it the inspector, on their own, or someone higher-up in the Planning Department? Did they consult with the County Counsel’s office?
If the problem is an inflexible, or overbroad or unclear county ordinance, then presumably the problem could be solved by the Board of Supervisors amending the ordinance.
January 31, 2012 at 2:32 pm
Eric Kirk
Thanks tra. The comment section makes for a very interesting read.
January 31, 2012 at 3:23 pm
just middle class
A heads up for everyone is that in the proposed new plan the 100 feet will become 300 feet! Just think of all the fun our Planning Cops can have with that one.
January 31, 2012 at 3:55 pm
"HENCHMAN OF JUSTICE"
It appears on face value that even IF the property owners apply for a “special permit”, how does a special permit for development within these folks SRA any different than other SRA’s There was aproject befoire the planning commission 3 weeks ago (Hanes???) where staff switched-up there requirements for SRA’s in a manner that was flip-floppish when weighed against previous and now post SRA incidents or concerns for incidents.
In a nutshell, the county enforces codes only when it benefits thems….when a politically powerful property owner wants some enforcement of SRA violations, the planning department will do its best to not acknowledge an infraction by others which makes that politically powerful property owner look correct with respect to what property owners and the general public do with SRA zones after the development has been signed off.
So, in this story, no proof yet as to whether it is merely building within so many feet of the creek (builders framework references); or, that an actual certified and created SRA zones exists. Either way, the property owners made a mistake , either trusting their own judgement or trusting government local officials.
Lastly, it is 100 square feet, not 120 square feet……kinda reminds me of when a former Supervisor got all high and mighty about a builder doing something in McKinleyville supposedly illegal; then, when the foot was pulled-out of that supes mouth, silence was the only game to play by that supe.
Guess who it was which was sooooo sophisticated but sooooo wrong and under-knowledgeable. Cherish those truth tellers who know the facts!
HOJ
January 31, 2012 at 4:21 pm
"HENCHMAN OF JUSTICE"
Forgot to state this truth too,
legitimate complaints are, at times depending on who complainant is, put into a pile on a desk that sits until a subpoena is issued – so that the complainer can NOW read the planning department or building department onsite inspection report…….this is part of local government employees’ games to frack with certain people when certain people prove the laundered environmental paperwork getting filed with the State Of California with regard to Streamside Management Areas, set-backs and mitigations.
Why?
The answer has to do with all the development within the SRA’s after the department agency types closed their files and got their tax dollars/private capital application fees and charges plus title changes to real-estate……. county staff is sinister too often enough…and hate those who expose their dirty laundered paperworkings and development projects.
Actually, Faust is the best commissioner to discuss the matter of SRA’s because the other commissioners just don’t get what games and schemes staff is playing with the commissioners from project to project. After the Hanes project exposed some staff members and commissioners (all but Faust), this issue only adds more nitro to the flames.
If the issue is sediment run-off, then footprints through ground traversings and travels are not allowable; yet, county officials still try to get public trails through these areas, such hipocricy.
HOJ
January 31, 2012 at 4:25 pm
"HENCHMAN OF JUSTICE"
Lastly for now,
If I am these property owners, I do nothing, let the county charge me, and I’ll use a public defender to pull-out every trick of their trade, even past planning commission meetings. Screw ‘em and I hope they lose their employment as they screw more than they do help! Again, we are talking about LOCAL PEOPLE who are LOCAL PUBLIC EMPLOYEES!
HOJ
January 31, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Anonymous
Why aren’t the code enforcement officials spending more time on the Tooby Ranch?
And cleaning up that huge mess?
January 31, 2012 at 8:21 pm
moviedad
Kind of elaborate for a “treehouse”. The neighbor probably has a legitimate complaint. There is obviously more to this than the conversation indicates. While it’s true that planning has gotten way out of control, not to mention biased; they still have to respond to citizen’s complaints. That is as long as the citizen is complaining about other citizens. They don’t seem to care much if the citizens are complaining about businesses, or law enforcement, or municipal agencies, or media, and so on, and so on…….
January 31, 2012 at 8:23 pm
edsvoice
Does this story seem to good to be true, or is it just me? Yeah, its just me. This families name is “Robinson”, the boy is “Will Robinson”? Hello!
And if that is not amazing enough, its about a treehouse the Robinson Family has been building?
Has anyone else looked at the photos of this “Treehouse” as the paper calls it, but doesn’t that mean it needs a tree? How about calling it a “stumphouse”. I don’t know of too many “treehouses” that have engineered load bearing supports, cross-members and footings from the ground up? Nice 2 X 6 frame job, looks like 16 inch centers too.
So what is it Eric, Tree Fort or Treehouse?
I was surprised you posted this, you know, this compliance issue sounds familiar?
February 1, 2012 at 6:43 am
Mitch
moviedad,
While you’re probably correct that there’s more to this than the conversation indicates, the involvement of government is clear and apparently quite damning.
Here are the facts as I understand them: a 100 square foot “project” without electricity, heat, plumbing, foundation, or even ground contact beyond two posts, located 85 feet from a stream on top of a large redwood stump, must be torn down to prevent theoretical damage to the stream. The pathway by which some damage takes place is unknown, unexplained, and unlikely. The alternative to the teardown is thousands of dollars of fees.
Here’s my question to you, moviedad. What is being protected by this cruel, Inspector Javert application of law? This is a victimless pseudo-crime, and I truly believe any government employee who doesn’t understand that has no business being employed by government. Of course, they’d also be pretty useless anywhere else.
As for “environmentalists” who would protect the ecosystem of the trunk, you are not environmentalists. You are doing damage to environmentalists.
February 1, 2012 at 8:35 am
Eric Kirk
Well, this is exactly the kind of incident which will generate a backlash against environmental regulation in general. I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets national coverage.
February 1, 2012 at 9:16 am
"HENCHMAN OF JUSTICE"
100 feet,
in Mckinleyville, the 100 feet, as explained and written in the builders framework section indicates 100 feet = 50 ft. x’s 2.
IOW, 50 feet on either side of the center of stream/waterway course. Even DFG recognizes this.
So again, need to see the property title, or a planning department file, etc…
Also, complaints forwarded to planners can be put into a vaccuum because after site investigation, a subpoena is being threatened by planning staff to complaintants and those being complained against. IOW, if you wanna see what is in the report, spend more money with the courts first (ok, get ready for the tax dollar game that staff will use to cover-up their misdeeds).
The Reason?
Answer= dereliction of duty, abdication of responsibilities to cover-over the planning departments past recorded and filed application/development approvals. Simply, insiders hiding the post-facto evidence that incriminates LOCAL public employees who deserve to lose their public employment.
Kinda like those UNDERSIZED cul-de-sacs in major subdivisions that at least 2 public agencies commit “sign-off” fraud upon by approving the final development.
#1 – District Fire Department does their inspection when no vehicles are present because no homes can be sold until sign-offs from various agencies. The problem is the cul-de-sacs are too small and fire engines only have a problem AFTER homeowners move in and fill-up the cul-de-sacs with parked vehicles…..not to mention those homeowners who park on the sidewalk in front of their garages…to bad for crippled folks in wheel chairs and children…..testing the site for accessibility prior to the sites normal operating standards/conditions on the ground is misapplied action and follow-up, no less. So, developers through LOCAL planning agency ruses and schemes and misrepresentations have been getting a “free ride” in a sense. Too many LOCAL KICKBACKS TO INSIDERS or on behalf of the insiders.
#2 – Public Works Department approves these development plans too…….and there layeth the problem for streets and roads and its maintanences with regard to public safety and general welfares and rights, including how SMA areas are affected by PUBLIC roadway run-offs and the sediment that county public works employees refuse to clean-up. So, even cheapness and lying can hold hands together as well….such unity by locals.
Insiders HATE TRUTH TELLERS USING FACTS.
HOJ
February 1, 2012 at 9:26 am
"HENCHMAN OF JUSTICE"
Even at 300 feet,
County Public Works and Planning will attempt their best frauds at running silt into the streams, albeit, the attempt will be over someone else’s land.
Anyone ever notice those cuts in the curbs that drain water directly onto a private residence – yep, that was the sinister methodology that LOCAL planners and Public Works types used all-too-often to make their jobs less expensive and misapplied so as to retain as much money to waste elsewhere on some other development kickback projects. In essence, shifting money from this applicant’s project over to some other insiders bigger applied for project(that is still under-mitigated)…..and people want to know why development problems persist – it is the liars and thieves you allow as public employees, something private sector money is always too willing to help hide-away in a mini storage unit until the next election cycle rolls around and glorified puppets are needed to continue the frauds.
February 1, 2012 at 9:31 am
"HENCHMAN OF JUSTICE"
Erik is correct on insinuating the national coverage; yet, California may look even more ridiculus, thus discouraging people to move here, lola.
No community can ever heal when it is operated by so many tenured liars and manipulators!
HOJ
February 1, 2012 at 9:34 am
moviedad
Mitch, are you accusing me of siding with an overzealous government? Now that’s rich!
I’m just saying that the whole thing is about a complaint by a neighbor. Personally, I don’t see how it could possibly harm a stream 85′ away. and how close are the houses? And the “stream is probably just some light runoff. Whatever you believe about motives and “Cruelty” and “psuedo-criminals” is fine. My point is, they jump on complaints against ordinary people, but ignore complaints against businesses, corporations and people working for the government, both local, state and federal.
I think it’s interesting that you’ve tied this to so-called “Progressives” wanting to seed individual authority to government. If you’re talking to me I say we can’t do anything with the government we have now. It has to be reformed so it will represent common people. Lets start with public financing of elections, all elections. Then lets start prosecuting for bribery and influence peddling. Then lets start having trials for those who have defrauded the people. And then lets take back the country’s resources and start a new license procedure where those with license to mine, drill and harvest; don’t get to “Own” the resources that should rightly belong to all of us.
Just a few things we need to do before we can put any trust in the government to do an honest and proper job of adjudicating between neighbors.
February 1, 2012 at 9:36 am
Anonymous
It looks like it is going to be an extra room for the boys to have when they get older. It looks much more official than a tree fort/house. It is an “addition” to their home, IMHO.
February 1, 2012 at 9:53 am
Not A Native
movieda you’re making some good points.
But they’ll be drowned out by the local crowd that believes ‘their freedom’ means to have equal opportunity to claim for their exclusive control any resources they see lying abound and can get their hands on. “If it ain’t someone else’s then its mine. Finders keepers.” And even if it is someone else’s, I should have the chance to coerce them to turn it over to me.
February 1, 2012 at 10:07 am
Mitch
Sorry if I put words in your mouth, moviedad. I agree with what you say at 9:34.
As for progressives and government, that wasn’t directed at you, but it seems to me to be a huge problem. It’s so much easier to see the problem of the moment than to recognize that some apparent fixes just make the problem worse. I think the reason the founders are justifiably revered (despite being products of their era) is that they managed to devise and implement a system with separated powers that somehow kind-of worked to maintain a kind-of democracy for US citizens for many, many years.
In our era, where you can chart the correlations between money spent by a campaign and votes polled, where a corrupt branch of government suspends a Presidential recount to install its candidate and then opens the floodgates for the wealthy to buy a government, the founders’ strategy is challenged as never before in history.
The government needs the power to regulate the other power brokers of society, but it also needs to be kept out of the day to day affairs of individuals to the extent that is possible. It’s supposed to be a watchdog against accumulation of power, not a lapdog to the powerful.
Incidentally, I’m on a mission to publicize Smedley Butler. Smedley Who?
Why the famous hero General Smedley Butler, the most decorated US marine in history until his death in 1940! The one who wrote the book titled “War is a Racket,” in which he called for taking the profit out of war by conscripting the armament factories before conscripting youth — paying the executives and others $30/week, like we pay the grunts. The one who praised the bonus marchers a day or two before General MacArthur destroyed their camp. The one who (before he wrote the book, obviously) was recruited by Wall Street bankers to lead a coup against FDR, a coup attempt he reported, and that was investigated by a Congressional committee that confirmed it was in the offing. That Smedley Butler. That coup.
Ain’t American history endlessly amazing?
February 1, 2012 at 11:02 am
edsvoice
How do you figure Eric:
“Well, this is exactly the kind of incident which will generate a backlash against environmental regulation in general”
You forgot to end this comment with LOL
“I wouldn’t be surprised if this gets national coverage” Careful what you wish for Eric……..
February 1, 2012 at 11:28 am
moviedad
Why does so much in American social advancement depend on “Traitors-to-their-class”. FDR is considered a traitor to his class for his New-Deal programs. Butler would no doubt be in a cell next to Bradley Manning if he was writing his book today.
This, for me , is the greatest flaw in the American system. Every new politician seems to have to power to throw out every policy and declarations of rights that have preceded them. People who fought for those rights think that they are set in stone, but alas, here comes a corrupt Supreme Court and suddenly liberty is up in the air and “Yet to be decided.”
It all starts with one action….overthrow the current media system. Start over with Community media. and just maybe we (USA) have a chance.
But personally I think we’re doomed. US fascism is just getting started. Wait until their true “Leader” rears his ugly head. Then the fun will start for real.
February 1, 2012 at 11:46 am
Mitch
“Every new politician seems to have to power to throw out every policy and declarations of rights that have preceded them. “
Honestly, moviedad, I think one of the glories of the American system is just how hard that is to do. But I suspect those who want oligarchy have been investing decades and billions to bring it about, and even the strongest levy eventually fails when the flood is large enough.
I completely agree that commercial media is the single largest disaster of the system to date — who ever thought it was a good idea to fund journalism by selling advertising? You end up with what we’ve got.
(Is public broadcasting much better? The funders like Pew, among others, were behind the attempted coup back in the 30s.)
It’s no news that every generation must work to keep a democracy going — and we’ve had forty year’s worth of no-draft, cheap toys, cable TV and valium to keep us quiet while the takeover took place. It’s time for forty years of response.
February 1, 2012 at 1:31 pm
Not A Native
Moviedad, sorry that life isn’t easy, well ordered, and stable. I can’t explain or justify it, but I believe its an observed fact of nature. People have railed against it all through recorded history. So we too have to take up the task, its never ‘finished once and for all’.
Best comfort I can give you is that you’re not alone, “The price of liberty is eternal vigilance”. And that doesn’t refer only to aggression from outside sovereigns.
And BTW, I disagree with Eric on the significant of this. After the national media see the pictures of the ‘tree house’, I they’ll not be repeating this story as an example of Government excess.
February 1, 2012 at 1:45 pm
moviedad
“Moviedad, sorry that life isn’t easy, well ordered, and stable.”
Well you should be! Ha!
I have an idea for a bumber-sticker based on your comment:
“Demand-Utopia!”
February 1, 2012 at 4:34 pm
Erasmus
As long as it’s not forgotten that “utopia’ means, in the original Greek, ” no place.” —- But dreamin’ on is part of our make-up, and I wouldn’t want to discourage anyone.
February 1, 2012 at 4:35 pm
tra
Here’s today’s interview with the tree-fort-scofflaw Mom, from KSLG:
http://lostcoastoutpost.com/podcasts/john-matthews-guest-week/illegal-treehouse-family/
February 1, 2012 at 4:53 pm
tra
Just listened to the interview. In addition to the Mrs Robinson her son, will, Matthews also spoke with Mark Lovelace, who was out of town at the moment, but sounded confident that something could be worked out, both for this current situation, and to avoid similar situations in the future. Understandably, he was careful not to make any iron-clad promises, pointing out that he hasn’t had the chance to get into the details. I guess we’ll see where it goes from here.
February 1, 2012 at 7:40 pm
moviedad
Ok, Erasmus, I’m almost afraid to ask…what about: “paradise?”
February 2, 2012 at 8:57 am
Erasmus
Good question: we all know about paradise “lost” (and by definition it exists nowhere). What about the “paradise” that awaits believers? A reading of ‘The Metaphysics of Dante’s Comedy’ by Christian Moevs provides an answer. “…home (the Empyrean) is nowhere at all. It does not exist in space or time; thus neither does the spatiotemporal world it ‘contains.’ The Empyrean is the subject of all experience, it is what does the experiencing.” (p. 6). Dante’s vision of Paradise was as complex as Jerry Falwell’s was simplistic. It demands much study and should be mastered before a Richard Dawkins-type atheism is propounded. (I’m not holding my breath.)
February 2, 2012 at 9:20 am
Mitch
This is a great excuse to tell a Buddhist story I’ve heard about heaven and hell. I have no idea if it is real, but it should be.
Someone asks a master what hell is like. The master explains that it is a place of incredible, unquenchable desires. “Imagine,” she says, “a huge banquet hall filled with every type of delicious food, arrayed in splendor. Then imagine that everyone in the hall has fingernails that cannot be removed and that are three feet long, so no matter how hard they try, they cannot put a single morsel in their mouths.”
The questioner looks somber. “What about heaven?”
“Ah,” the master smiles, “that’s the same hall, with everyone feeding one another.”
February 2, 2012 at 9:52 am
Erasmus
Excellent story, Mitch. — It seems that heaven, in most cosmogonies, is a “place” where separateness is overcome, where personality (a carving out of individuality from a matrix of some sort) melds with its ground of being, and desires are not so much satisfied as transcended. The word “atonement” conveys this sense well when we split it into at-one-ment.
February 2, 2012 at 9:57 am
gpf
Cops on a beat, English bobbies, sheriff’s deputies…they all enforce the law. If a citizen has a complaint about another’s activities, the cop will listen to both sides, try to act as a mediator and right on the spot try to diffuse the problem. Sure, there is usually more than one law that could be arbitrarily enforced, but the smart cop doesn’t want to unnecessarily burden the system or fan the flames of whatever discontent there is.
Sometimes the problem is so gross that immediate action is taken, and the legal and judicial system are put into action.
A landowner may see a structure going up a distance away and simply does not like people messing with his viewshed.
This landowner is savvy and knows about streamside protection, maximum unpermitted size, building with ungraded lumber, etc, and knows the planning and building departments will investigate all complaints, and his name will be kept secret.
Presto! The builder is busted by code enforcement, red flagged, or threatened with heavy fees. The landowner has the satisfaction of control over his viewshed, and it didn’t cost him a cent.
These law enforcers should try to diffuse the situation first. If the infractions are not gross, code enforcement should not become involved, and the complainant has the right to go to civil court for damages (and there are none).
February 2, 2012 at 10:20 am
Mitch
For me, Erasmus, the nicest thing about the story is it reveals that any location can serve as heaven or hell…it’s a matter of our behavior to one another, which is largely based on ourperception of one another, and of our role in creation. Here’s to heaven.
February 2, 2012 at 1:27 pm
suzy blah blah
-if thats heaven, no thanx. Fortunately God created nail clippers.
February 2, 2012 at 2:19 pm
Mitch
Apparently suzy has never craved a good back scratching.
February 2, 2012 at 2:52 pm
Not A Native
Why is it that the afterlife is divined as being either totally wonderful(heaven) or totally awful(hell), while present life has always been a mixture of both?
Seems to me, a belief in absolute perfection(anywhere) is essentially a desire for unworldlyness. Its likely a characteristic of a rigid absolutist mind that idolizes ‘purity’ and demeans ‘complexity’. That’s great for a hermit or monastic but a disaster for a group leader.
February 2, 2012 at 3:11 pm
Mitch
Interesting and valid point, NaN. But signposts generally post one way or the other, not towards a wishy-washy middle. In any event, that Buddhist story isn’t necessarily talking about an afterlife.
February 2, 2012 at 4:11 pm
suzy blah blah
-right Micth, suzy’s not really into having her back scratched by some buddhist weirdo with three foot nails. But to each their own bloody cult.
February 2, 2012 at 5:11 pm
Not A Native
Mitch, Since your story Master references the experiences of Hell and Heaven, I’d say it certainly references the afterlife. But if you mean the story is really about ‘hell on earth’ and ‘heaven on earth’ then I get your point but then it doesn’t address the nature of real life on earth, which (again) is a mixture of both.
I think your comparison to signposts as indicators of the absolute is inapt. Signposts merely identify the direction of an object. But any object has size greater than zero, so the pointing will never be absolutely accurate. If the signpost accurately points to a range of directions, then its ‘wishy-washy’, in your terms.
But even if ‘absolute’ physical conditions did exist, in no way would that imply there can be absolute human mental states or life situations.
If I were asked “What is it like in heaven or Hell?”, my answer would be, “Like nothing you can imagine.”
February 2, 2012 at 6:14 pm
suzy blah blah
“Like nothing you can imagine.”
-definitely like nothing Mitch can imagine, who’s ideal of heaven is a place where they have three foot fingernails and have to use them to feed each other –yuk, sounds more like Hell to me.
February 2, 2012 at 6:47 pm
moviedad
You guy’s have totally ruined my Bumper-Sticker.
So now I’m just going with: “Demand!”
Less is more, don’t ya think?
February 2, 2012 at 6:51 pm
suzy blah blah
a “place” where separateness is overcome, where personality (a carving out of individuality from a matrix of some sort) melds with its ground of being, and desires are not so much satisfied as transcended. The word “atonement” conveys this sense well when we split it into at-one-ment.
-LOL! thats perfect! No suzy doesnt desire to be “atoned” for her “sins”, and i definitely have no need to be “at one” with 99.9% of you all. But Erasumus does show a great example of some totally newage woowoo nonsense wordplay and doublespeak type propaganda. Its so much easier to manipulate a population when you can convince them that theyre in need of atonement, or better yet “all one”. Not for me, but anyway –you have a good “one”, LOL!
February 2, 2012 at 7:30 pm
Mitch
NaN,
OK.
suzy,
OK.
February 3, 2012 at 7:55 am
Cristina Bauss
Best thread I’ve read in a long time. Thank you, everyone, for perking up my Friday morning!
February 3, 2012 at 10:58 am
Eric Kirk
So what is it Eric, Tree Fort or Treehouse?
I don’t know what the difference is, but to me a house is something people live in while a fort is something kids play in.
February 3, 2012 at 3:38 pm
suzy blah blah
-point out any holes in his cute little pseudo spiritual tale to Mitch and he goes all defensive, suggest that the metaphysical may be a little bit more subtle than his black and white heaven/hell understanding of it and he crawls into catatonic arrest.
February 3, 2012 at 3:54 pm
suzy blah blah
-yr welcome CB, np.
February 3, 2012 at 5:34 pm
Mitch
suzy,
How do you crawl into catatonic arrest? It sounds like it might be fun, once I’m done with my back scratch.
moviedad,
I think “DEMAND” would make a good capitalist bumper sticker — you could build your business by selling add-ons. I like “THINK!” too, except I think IBM co-opted that as a slogan. Or was that Apple and the Dalai Lama? No, that was “think different.” You can tell it was Apple because they’re so cool they don’t need capital letters. The tea party could go with “ME!” or “MINE!” There’s always Pissing Calvin.
My favorite bumper sticker is “Don’t Believe Everything You Think,” but it’s too small to read from a safe distance unless you have 20 year old eyes or a really really big bumper.
NaN,
I guess you’ve got me.
Eric,
From one point of view, it’s a multipurpose tree platform, from another it’s a stump-destroying colonization by feral kids, from still another it’s a thing with which to tell a neighbor “fuck you,” and from an inspector’s view it’s probably some number like 125 section C3a — don’t let them get you with the trick questions. Before you know it you’ll be telling us event horizons are perfect spheres, and making a mess of my spirituality.
February 3, 2012 at 5:41 pm
Anonymous
It looks like a one room house on a stump.
February 4, 2012 at 5:29 pm
suzy blah blah
-Mitch, as youre obviously too defensive to discuss your buddhist bias, and apparently in some kind of weird scizoid zen stupor that you feel excuses you from having to respond to any questioning of the underlying foundational leanings of your story (a stupor that comes directly out of your limited spiritual belief system, i’d say) or to even have any nuanced understanding of replies referring to the objective ethical questions it raises, other than the most simplistic black and white interpretation of its contents, which you try to imply is, “wisdom”, LOL!.
Sure, it’s a cute little ditty, but suzy’s afraid to have to inform you that it is merely a figment of the alienated subjective mind and has little or no relation to objective reality, such as the very real issues of poverty, feeding the poor, the occupy movement, medical provisions, sexism, taxes, federal law vs state, code reindications, building permits, the patriarchy, tree houses, ownership of land, current politics, both local and international, electoral ramifications indicated, racism, and any other number of real life situations in need of the people’s focus and attention, right now! In fact, it doesnt even shed any light on the porta potty issue, (the truth which lies between the cracks of Babylon’s facade, smelling up your childish either/or interpretations of the meaning of the subject of heaven and hell) ahem, remember? –heaven? hell? feeding the
world’s population?!! And oh, thats right, Mitch, when you feed them they have to shit somewhere, duh. Sorry if that’s too much for your poor fragile mind, artificially strengthened by a fuzzy buddhist styled subjectivity, to grasp. So go ahead and slide back into the comfort zone of simplistic zen abstractions like, “be as the (radiated) water which seeks its own level”, or,”suffering is inherited”, etc, etc. It’s all good. Careful with those long fingernails though when one of the other buddhas needs you to wipe his ass.
So anyway, back here in the real world, having long ago left moralistic posturing far behind, now, after busting you for your phony spirituality, suzy finds that she has no more time to waste on pointing out the big holes in such lame creations of the subjective mind … and so i will leave you here, scowling in the ethically correct budda cell of your own making, stirring your fermented che-che tea with your overinflated fingernail, and who knows, perhaps when you get to heaven lord buddha will give you that magic smile thatll enable you to hear the sound of one ice cream koan melting … before it makes a mess down the front of your made-in-china, tye-dyed-in-Ecuador, T-shirt.
February 4, 2012 at 7:05 pm
Mitch
suzy,
Serious for a moment. Why would you want to discuss anything with someone presenting a “fuzzy buddhist styled subjectivity,” responsible for “lame creations,” who is apparently in a “schizoid zen stupor.” And that’s not even getting to my overlong fingernails.
I shared what I think is a very sweet story. I agree that it is insufficient to immediately and completely solve the problems of the world but I didn’t suggest it would. I’d ask you to explain why it seems to have upset you, but I don’t really want the abuse and, as you’ve said, you have no more time to waste.
I wish you well, but I also think you should seek help.
February 6, 2012 at 2:21 pm
suzy blah blah
-suzys not perfect Mitch. I may need some help, but i dont really expect to see any coming from the likes of your ilk. My language has improved and other things but i dont know how to embed a video into the comments thread yet. Can you help??? suzy has totally a lot to share, and i could definitely make some better responses to your debates by using a few videos interspersed within my responses to illustrate y points like you do . .. that would totally help me, more than a cute little buddha taile,
– /or are you the type who talks the talk until when it comes to really helping someone …
February 8, 2012 at 7:47 pm
mresquan
From Mark Lovelace,
“I’m happy to report that the issues with the Robinsons’ treehouse have been resolved. After visiting the site with me on Monday evening, Community Development Director Kirk Girard was able to determine that it qualified for an administrative exception on the grounds that its impact was de-minimus, or inconsequential. Once we visited the site we were able to resolve the issue in less than 24 hours.”
February 8, 2012 at 7:58 pm
anon4cec
As expected Mark had made his little political problem go away without addressing the underlying problem. What about fixing the codes that allowed the travesty in the first place? Woe be it to the next group of kids who don’t know enough to call the press. Anyone wanna bet as soon as he can get away with it Mark will be sending in the code enforcement swat team in full combat regalia to tear out tree forts far and wide.
February 8, 2012 at 8:18 pm
Eric Kirk
Was it the codes, or overzealous enforcement? Sounds like he did well by his constituents.
February 8, 2012 at 8:23 pm
anon4cec
“Sounds like he did well by his constituents.”
By fixing the symptom and doing nothing about the underlying problem?
February 8, 2012 at 8:27 pm
Eric Kirk
I don’t see an underlying problem here necessarily. Streams should be protected, but there should be flexibility in the policy, and Mark has sent a message to the county that maybe they don’t have to be as zealous as all that. The symptom was the problem.
February 8, 2012 at 8:49 pm
anon4cec
I respect your position and agree that streams need protection but I guess that I feel that non sediment producing tree forts should should be principally permitted anywhere that kids want to play and that common sense should be a basic and bare minimum requirement for employment in ANY county position. Further that employees that demonstrably fail to acheive the minimum standard should seek another less challenging field.
February 8, 2012 at 9:35 pm
Eric Kirk
Okay, but rewriting the codes won’t solve that problem. A pep talk about loosening up might. And Mark just may have given that pep talk.
February 8, 2012 at 10:09 pm
Anonymous
“I feel that non sediment producing tree forts should should be principally permitted anywhere that kids want to play…”
What if the kids start rough and tumbling on the hill side, kill all the ferns, loosen up the soil so that it erodes into the stream when it rains?
February 8, 2012 at 10:48 pm
tra
Perhaps the example set in this case, along with some internal staff training/supervision, will be enough to prevent a similar situation arising in the future. But it might also be helpful if the ordinance in question did include some more specific criteria about what does and doesn’t count as “development” for the purposes of that ordinance. That might make things a bit easier on the rank-and-file inspectors, so that they don’t end up in the kind of embarrassing situation they did this time
Of course the fact that they’ve solved the immediate problem doesn’t necessarily prevent them from seeking a more permanent solution aimed at ensuring that the next time this sort of thing happens they won’t need an outcry from the community, and the intervention of a County Supervisor and the Director of the Planning Department in order to sort out whether something like a tree fort requires an expensive permitting process or not. Presumably both of those folks have other pressing duties to attend to.
But I’m happy that they’ve worked out a solution for this case in the meantime. Hooray for common sense! And thanks to Mark Lovelace for his intervention.
February 9, 2012 at 10:24 am
Eric Kirk
What if the kids start rough and tumbling on the hill side, kill all the ferns, loosen up the soil so that it erodes into the stream when it rains?
What does that have to do with the fort? If they’re in the fort, they’re obviously not doing that. They don’t need a fort to do that. In fact, kids are attracted to streams, so the only solution to that is to pass a law which bans kids from stream areas.
February 9, 2012 at 10:53 am
Anonymous
“…kids are attracted to streams, so the only solution to that is to pass a law which bans kids from stream areas.”
Please don’t give Lovelace and his Plan A friends any ideas.
February 9, 2012 at 5:32 pm
Anonymous
The stump/tree fort is on the hillside above the creek. You think those boys are gonna spend all their time in the fort? NO WAY. They will be roughing it up on the hillside.
February 9, 2012 at 8:25 pm
Eric Kirk
Damn kids! And they’re probably all over your lawn too!
February 10, 2012 at 7:49 am
Mitch
Eric,
Nobody actually thinks like Anon 5:32. These comments are almost certainly frauds from property rights uber alles groups, trying to make it look as though the “enviros” will ban your tree forts, rape your wives, and make off with your children as slaves.
February 11, 2012 at 10:33 am
gpf
Eric,
Nobody actually thinks like Anon 5:32. These comments are almost certainly frauds
Mitch and Eric, could it be satire?
February 11, 2012 at 12:45 pm
Guest
gpf,
Satire is funny, so probably not. More like social vandalism.
February 24, 2012 at 10:55 pm
suzy blah blah
-just like i already knew, Mitch, youre nothing but a phony elitist. You talk totally “knowingly” about how someone needs “help”. Just another way of saying “youre crazy”. Dont deny it. Thats exactly your opinion, as your condescending remark shows clearly.
what an asshole, a zen charlatan, with a bullshit story about heaven and hell. -no good Samaritan.is Mitch. He’ll just look down his nose at you like he did at me. Dont expect help coming from his quarter.
As long as there are ppl like Mitch in this world, who thinK theyre better than others, bias prejudice, hatred, war, eventually leading too the destruction of the earth will be our future. First theyll say you need help, next incarceration, next death. Mitch is a clear example of the enemy of peace and equality. .
February 25, 2012 at 7:15 am
JK
Suzy. I’m fairly certain there might be some serious damage to your limbic system somewhere. But, I think you were asking how to post videos? In between all the insults and vitriol, I mean. If you were serious, all you need to do is cut & paste the link to the video onto the text field. The link is just text but the site should recognize it’s a video. Just remember, not all sites allow you to post links to their content. So the video wouldn’t show, but people can still use the link to go to it. Also, make sure it’s a reputable site like you tube that will keep the same video at the link. It can be VERY embarrassing if they change the video…
February 25, 2012 at 4:16 pm
suzy blah blah
-dude, instead of calling me insulting and then insulting my limbic? system why dont you try rereading my post so you can understand the question and bother me with crap suzy already knows.
and though it may sound like vitriol to you, what it really is, is a passionate feeling (something you no doubt have heard of, maybe) –a feeling about the hypocrisy of ppl like Mitch and Eric. They pretend to be too sophisticated to believe in a god, while they replace that human function with their substitute “gods” (ideas that they believe in, have faith in, and give over there power to) eg, Money, Political Influence, and Work.
February 25, 2012 at 4:18 pm
suzy blah blah
not bother
February 25, 2012 at 4:59 pm
Mitch
Suzy,
As someone who has acted with passion and vitriol, sometimes simultaneously, I’m not sure that the passion is aided by what is perceived by others as vitriol.
The long sad history of institutional religion is of preaching love for one’s associates (and the whole world) while being willing to crush and destroy those who one perceives as other. That history makes it worthwhile to do a little check in the mirror when one finds oneself being accused of spewing vitriol when one is concerned about other’s lack of recognition of one’s God.
February 25, 2012 at 6:11 pm
suzy blah blah
-mirror? LOL, now youre implying that suzy has something to do with “institutional religion”. No Mitch, you dont read what i say nor are you able to follow it. I have nothing but disdain for religion. if you read suzy you’d know that she communicates directly with an energy of an extra-mundane standpoint. I dont go through any middle man. sorry try again.
February 25, 2012 at 9:05 pm
JK
Suzy, I did read your posts. 1 you refer to yourself in the third person, which is always a red flag. Even if it’s in jest.
2 You are way TOO emotionally attached to the posts. Most people compartmentalize their interactions that aren’t face to face. This means they don’t have the same empathy/guilt they would normally. This is why most people are a-holes on the road, they know other cars are driven by people, but they don’t FEEL it. I’m not saying this is a good thing, it’s just a normal thing.
You should realize that most people just see it as text on a screen. Try not to read more into it. Or, at least realize that if you explode every time someone pokes you then people will either dismiss you or poke at you for fun.
BTW- It wasn’t necessarily an insult to say you might have a damaged limbic. It was just a glib observation. The difference is, I don’t care if people despise me online, because they don’t mean anything to me directly. But, I don’t like hurting peoples feelings, so just think of me as having internet-turrets syndrome.
February 27, 2012 at 7:23 pm
suzy blah blah
-speak for yourself, suzy does NOT get too emotionally attached dude, LOL!, another of your alhpa male dominance put downs. How arrogant of you to presume what others are thinking and try to imply that women are over emotional. If you are too compartmentalized and feel no guilt and are in lack of empathy, that’s your problem dude, it doensnt have a thing to do with what suzy is thinking and feeling.