Treehouse faces demolition in dispute with Fairfax County

[The Northerner]

FALLS CHURCH, Va. - It seemed like a great idea -- build a treehouse on his property for two growing boys. But for one local man, it's turning into a big, expensive lesson in government red tape.

...

Mark Grapin thought his two sons would love the treehouse.

...

Grapin says his immediate neighbors had no complaints, but someone did complain anonymously to Fairfax County.

Grapin was told he had to treat it like an addition to his house and get a zoning variance. He spent more than $1,800 getting the proper forms and going through a hearing.

Read more: http://www.wtop.com/?nid=149&sid=2584585

[blm]

1. So, with all the news out there, this is what RepubLibertarians want to talk about?

.

[abelenkpe]

2. O! That is so sad

My parents live in the same area. I remember my pop putting up a basketball hoop in our front drive and the storm of crap that followed. Some neighbor reported it and he had to go through all kinds of hell getting it approved, etc. In the end he had to paint the backboard to match the color of the roof. I hope they don't make him take the tree house down.

[MADem]

3. What a load of steaming horseshit.

I lived in Fairfax County several years ago and had (horrible) neighbors who built a fucking WAREHOUSE in their back yard. They ran a full-bore business out of a neighborhood zoned strictly residential, replete with trucks and heavy equipment going in and out at all hours of the day/night. They had a cellarful of undocumented workers living in brutal conditions (the porta-potties and outdoor shower plainly visible from the 2nd floors of surrounding homes) in their basement, and large dogs would go in the gate on BBQ weekends and never be seen again. To ice the cake, the business owner would get drunk on the weekend, beat the shit out of his wife on the lawn, and stagger off down the road before the cops got there. The wife would pull the "no speak English" routine and never bust the asshole.

EVERY neighbor on the street complained, bitched, griped, called....and not one thing was done. Literally, there was not square inch of grass left in a fenced yard that had previously contained some charming old growth trees, a swing set, a dog kennel and a generous lawn. It was just one great big BUILDING.

Yet they have time to dick with a guy over his kids' itty-bitty treehouse?

Who's getting--or not getting--their bribe, here?

Is Fairfax County in need of money that badly? They should go take care of business at that jerk's house--in fines alone, they could probably pay a building inspector's salary for a year or more.