TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

I have seen older posts regarding the requirements of sheds in TOH. But I need help.
We purchased the home in 2003, nothing came up on the inspection. We were just now hit with a violation for having multiple sheds on the property. and an order to appear
1) Our property is approx 13,000 square feet.
2) We have a pool house which we got inspected and know we must get a permit for.
3) we have 3 other sheds a) 8x10 Rubermaid, b) 10x10 barn style in the middle of the property 3 ' from our house, c) 8 x 10 metal shed that we are baout to demolish because the trees and weather have destroyed it.
We have hired an attorney (not much help) We have gotten a brand new survey of our property. We called the inspector to ask him to come by agains so we can show him what we have done so far and he said " I have been by and you still have 4 sheds, they all have to come down." I am at a loss. All of the fences are more than 3 1/2 feet from the fence and they are all movable (not permanent). I have gone through the code (that was fun) and am yet to find anything that advises us as to the "limit" of sheds you are allowed. Can anyone help and point me in the right direction, please?

Message edited 6/19/2014 1:57:42 PM.

Re: TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

All sheds require permits in the town of Hempstead. Doesn't matter what the size is.

http://www.toh.li/permits-and-applications/shed-permit

TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

this is why I am confused. I have seen that but then look at the actual code: http://ecode360.com/15520616#./15520652?&_suid=140320201212309653739158450185

Exemptions. No building permit shall be required for work in any of the following categories:
(1) Construction or installation of one-story detached structures associated with one- or two-family dwellings or multiple single-family dwellings (townhouses) which are used for tool and storage sheds, playhouses or similar uses, provided the gross floor area does not exceed 144 square feet (13.88 square meters);

TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

Then you should probably call the town and find out. I was always under the impression TOH requires permits for all sheds.

TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

Thank you ave1024 for your assistance.
This is why I am so confused. I also can find nothing on how many sheds youare allowed.

Re: TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

I would call the TOH building department. I do know they are strict about where a shed should be and the dimensions, not sure if there is a quantity limit.

That being said sorry you are going through this. I would love a shed in my backyard, but I am on a corner lot and I was looking up the directions on how to get a legal shed (since if someone saw and reported it i would be screwed) and it seemed like a major PITA so i didn't bother.

Re: TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

Can you go down there in person and show them what you found?
That's probably the best way to get an answer.

TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

You guys are so great for trying to help. This has been more communication than I get from the Town and even the lawyer I hired.

At this point I have an order to appear for June 26th, so I went ahead and had hired an attorney (interesting that I had to give him the code ...ughhh). I am going to appear with 1) my new survey 2) the electrical work along with the inspection certificate for the pool house 3) the estimate to demolish the one metal shed (unfortunately PSEG is busy cutting down trees in my back yard right now so I can't get to it) 4) The new Survey I just had done. 5) pictures of the remaining 2 sheds along with my lot.

It is just so frustrating that when you try to do everything right when you first buy a house and you still end up ... We came from the city where we did not have such codes, so we hired a lawyer and paid for an inspection through the bank ... no one at any time told us we had a problem, and now we are being made out to be crooks!

Re: TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

Re: TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

Honestly, rather than an attorney, you might want to consult with an expediting firm that acts as a liaison with the town and understands the specific requirements for sheds.

An attorney (even a real estate attorney) is not going to know the ins and outs of the town code and how it's applied in reality. An expediter knows the local inspectors and how to handle hearings, etc. It costs $, but sometimes it's money well spent (if it's important to you to keep the sheds and sort this out). It will save you some time and definitely some aggravation in the long run.

RMB is a company I've worked with before when my clients have had questions similar to yours. They will come on site to your property, take a look, and then advise you on what is a potential problem and how to fix it. They charged a few hundred dollars ($400, I think) to come on site, look at the house, and draft a basic report about what compliance issues exist.

One of the problems with trying to legalize the sheds (if they are, in fact, in violation) is that the town inspectors may find other things if they are invited on your property to inspect the sheds (do electrical inspections, etc.). So you might want to know if there are other potential violations to be flagged before you go too far down that road.

Here is the contact info for RMB:

RMB Development Consultants, Inc.

RMB Drafting Services, Inc.

Electrical Inspectors

308 East Meadow Avenue

East Meadow, NY 11554

516 396-0600 Office

516 396-5097 Fax

But I'm sorry you are going through this. It's really ridiculous how nit-picky the town can be. I just had a sale for an LIF buyer where a shed had to be moved like 4 inches because it was a little too close to the property line, lol! So I know how crazy it can be. If it's any consolation - TOH is one of the better ones to deal with. Town of North Hempstead is a nightmare!!!

Hope this helps!

Re: TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

TOH - Sheds - HELP!:

Thank you all so much. The lawyer is working with Expeditors. As for specs...one is a rubbermaid shed from home depot. And the other was put in long ago and i have no clue on documents. Like most people in levittown, we have no garage and no basement. We are working paycheck to paycheck and just have little to no funds left anymore. Between surveys, electricians, inspector for the pool house, and the lawyer we have already spent over $3K that we dont have all for something that should have been caught before we closed on the house. Well...all we can do is take this one day at a time.