The City of Palm Coast Code Enforcement Officer Chip Risch
The City Of Palm Coast Code Enforcement Officer Chip Ricsh, mad a visit to a home in a residential section. Upon his arrival he decided to write a warning to the resident for Chapter 44-34 Parking and Storage of Vehicles Subsection D2. Well the statute he wrote it under didn't apply. The boat is in the side yard of the residence. On top of it its behind a fence.
Code Officer Risch then decided to tape a warning up to garage door of the home owner with masking tape. A previous contact with the home owner was not received well since the boat had been there for two years. According to the home owner Chip Risch used some bullying tactics stating that he was a former or retired new york police officer. This may or may not be true, Risch didn't list this on his application. He did however list other police agencies that did not sound similar to New York phonetically.
I spoke to a council member about this incident and he said prior to becoming a council member he had interactions with code enforcement. He wants them to just talk to citizens like people. I agree, the more clean and eye to eye conversations we have the less we will feel bullied and talked down on.
After doing some research the code officer is misapplying the law to the property. This occurs many times because the education of those hired are not that of lawyers. Some are solely GED graduates. Common sense is not something we can learn, you either have it or don't The law states the following however.
Sec. 44-34. - Parking and storage of vehicles generally.
(d)
Recreational vehicle restrictions. All noncommercial recreational vehicles, including, but not limited to, motor homes, travel trailers, campers, vessels, boats, boat trailers, or similar vehicles, equipment or apparatus, otherwise lawful and in compliance with controlling law, may be parked or stored in a noncommercial, nonindustrial, or non- recreational vehicle permitted neighborhood, subject to the following regulations:
(1)
It is prohibited and unlawful to park or store a recreational vehicle within any required front or side yard setback areas.
(2)
It is prohibited and unlawful to park or store a recreational vehicle for more than a total of three days, or any part thereof in any consecutive seven-day period on a residential driveway as set forth herein, unless for the purposes of repair, maintenance or bona fide preparation for off-premises use. Any part of a day shall be considered a full day for enforcement purposes.
Code Officer Chip Risch marked on his warning 44-34 (d)2. This particular portion of the ordinance doesn't apply, nor does Paragraph 1 of the ordinance.
The required setback of any property is what is defined here. Required setbacks are that which buildings, easements, and other permanent structures generally can not be built within these easements. This is where Risch Errored in his enforcement of the law and also appeared to have become defensive of his own authority when questioned. According to the homeowner, he stated to her that they must listen to him and he proclaimed to be a former new york officer.
After reading the law, the survey, it clearly appears they are not in violation of the law. The boat can not be within the required setback, and anything after 7.5 feet is not a required setback.
Click to see the code and employment application
Click to see the code and employment application
It’s crazy how we put public officials in these public positions and without barely any training and then they expect the world from the citizens that come to them for help.
I don’t agree with code if we have a boat and trailer because we use the boat and trailer I feel we should be able to we have canal to fish why can’t we own a boat and trailer to do so it’s inconvenient to find and pay to park your boat and trailer. And I’m sorry if this sounds rude but neighbors that complain about what in the yard of there neighbors is the most childish thing . Your supposed to love your neighbor and if people would be more human than savage the world would be a better place . I fish in these canals groceries are high I feed my family with the fish I catch that’s the way I was raised . I find it hard to understand people that act out against others . You teach your children to hunt and fish and love nature and you teach your children to be kind and love .. when you take all these things you have taught them to survive.. where have these people that are so concerned about what parked in your driveway it’s not physically harming you and as far as curb appearance and market value maybe all these realtors need to have a code violation for nnot having to tell the buyer’s of these homes that the people live next door are gonna watch your house like a crow people that live here are not loved they apparently was raised by parents that never taught something as simple as mind your own business… If your house has a work truck and trailer with a jon boat that’s has more curb appeal than the house with the hypocrite you can have a big house nice cars but your miserable and I say this from my chest look in the mirror and the reflection try fixing that because this town is full of ugly and maybe instead of not picking others try fixing your own skeletons then try talking and understanding the people that your so fast to complain about you may find something or learn something
Sincerely
Southern woman that hopes this finds at least one miserable person that changes the reflection and maybe we can see a change