TRIP TO KANE COUNTY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS.....

So, Jim decides that we need to have a little pow wow with the folks at Kane County Building Commission....  This consisted of the Building Inspectors - 2 people, and the Zoning Inspector - 1 person...

We take down our plans, explain what we need and ask for advice.  They actually were really quite nice.  We decided that we didn't want to have our property re-zoned, but we needed information from the Buildings inspectors - one lady, and one man.

They gave us all sorts of information that we really didn't know about - like, we need to have the septicsystem plans submitted with the building permit package, we need to dig the hole, and then have a compaction/soils test done, but, we have to have the perc test done before any digging is done.... So, strange.  The septic system is one of the last things to go in, but is one of the first things you need plans for... I don't get it, but it's the rules.

We found out that we have to have the outer structure of the cabin, that is the walls, and the doors and the windows and the roof, all completed within 1 year.... We aren't really dealing with 12 months here - there's an issue of snowfall, which will stop the whole process, so time is definitely a factor here.. So, we decided to hire someone to frame the cabin in.  We found a framer down in Hatch that seems to meet our needs... Kind of a young guy, family man, lots of kids... and I mean, lots of kids....and wives....Ok....  Very nice man...He came highly recommended... We're now waiting for a bid from him.  He said he can provide a whole crew and the framing will go up in about 2 weeks...  I guess it's good for him to have a whole crew built in... Giggle...

This guy told us where to go to buy the wood/supplies at the best price in the area, and I think he is going to prove to be very helpful.

Cheri

OK, this is pretty cool to watch. LOL. Just for you Cheri.

I had to do this because of Cheri's last Blog entry.

OK, so watch it.  I'll bet Cheri can't watch it to the end.

Here's the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FI_07YVS3tY

This is synchronizing your wind turbine generator to the grid so you can put back energy and get a credit for the energy you are providing to the grid.

Bye for now, Jim Streeter

WHAT THE FREAK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, JIM?

I suggested Jim look into the whole idea that we can power our cabin with wind generated energy.  As I expected, many people read his post.  It is really quite interesting, but I am sure that most of you read his post, and then in your minds, said.."WHAT THE FREAK ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, JIM?"  I know, I did.

Let me explain...  You know those big huge wind turbines that you see here and there... Well, we are going to have a little one to power our cabin.  That's the whole thing in a nutshell...

Please remember, Jim is an amazing engineer... that's the key word here... engineer.  He accuses me of staring at the ceiling when he talks, or rolling my eyes... I don't mean to - but, sometimes my mind just wanders when he gets into the depth of some subjects....

I personally like the idea of powering the house without having to rely on Utah Power, but basically, if I get up in the morning, and the lights turn on, and my blow dryer works, I'm good....

I love you, Jim....  Cheri

What About Wind Energy?

Cheri brought up an interesting idea the other day.  Why don't we put up a wind turbine to generate our own electricity?

I did some research and found a wealth of information and products on the Internet.

The size of many turbines are determined by the average electricity usage in the home, but here in Utah you can sell your excess back to the energy grid and if you size it correctly, your electric bill can be zero each month.

So, what size?

The average home uses up to 1 Kw per day.  I'm thinking of a 2 meter rotor that can generate up to 3.5 Kw per day.  This would offset any days where there is no wind.  But every time we are at the cabin site there's a wind blowing.  Remember we are up at 6,800 feet of elevation on the side of a mountain.

Food for thought.

Bye for now, Jim Streeter

Our Development has a Home Page!

Believe it or not, I just found this today.  Check it out.  LOL, I must be getting old.

http://brycewoodlands.com/BW/Home_Page.html

Bye for now, Jim Streeter

What will it look like, really?

Cheri asked me what the cabin will really look like.  She said she couldn't understand the drawings so I searched the web for a cabin that looks like our's will.  Here is the best I could find.

Our drawings look like this.

So, there will be no stairs on the left, but there will be a deck across the front and down the right side.  The roof will look the same except our's will be a metal roof.  The siding on our's will look like shake shingles but will actually be vinyl siding.  The vinyl siding will look like the drawing.

The windows are a little different due to the fact that we've already bought what is in the drawing.  The only addition is that there will be two symmetrical windows on the lower level.  That is actually the garage on the lower level.

Jim Streeter

Local Information

If you are ever wondering what is going on around the cabin site the closest website with local activities, up to date photos, and news worthy information you can go here;

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cedar-Mountain-True-Value/180822097269

This is the local hardware store, but they are very active in the local politics and people.

This article popped up this morning.

http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2013/12/08/movement-gorge-gridlock-closure-remains-effect/

Bye for now, Jim Streeter,

LOT JOINDER

We have three lots in Brian Head, and the cabin was going to go in the middle of two of the lots... So, we found that in order to build in the middle of two lots, we have to join them as one.

So, I get all the paperwork, and it includes old maps, and new schematics and tax notices and paid receipts from the taxes... all kinds of little things.  I get it all put together, and send it to the people at Kane County.  Apparently, it has to be sent to Kane County, and when they have their little county meeting, it has to be reviewed.  It's a whopping 15 minute procedure, but we were told that one of us has to be there for the proceedings.  They, of course, aren't held on the weekends, or in the evenings, they are held in the middle of the day.  But, we are then told, that we can telephone conference in, so that saved us missing a day's work, and 2.5 hours travel time... for a 15 minute meeting... Uhuh...  This whole procedure costs $500.00.

So, I scan and send all the information to them.  I get an e-mail from the woman in charge and she asks where the labels are... Labels?  What labels?  She explains to me, that a letter has to be sent to every land holder within 500 feet of our property, and ask their permission to join our properties...  and I'm like... let me get this straight - I own the property, all three lots, and I have to ask permission from the neighbours if I can join the properties that I already own?  Funny, I didn't have to ask their permission when I was buying the property....  And, I am supposed to scour the public records, and figure out who owns the property, type out all these labels, send them to Kane County, and they send out a letter.  On top of that, it costs $10.00 per letter, and guess what... there are 30 letters to send out.  So far, this little joining the property adventure is costing us $500.00 + $300.00 = $800.00.

Then, the lady e-mails me and says that we have to have a surveyors stamp on new drawings.... Are you kidding me?  What's wrong with the surveyor's maps that THEY had drawn up when we bought the property?  Apparently, in the 2 years since we bought the property, there was a major earthquake or something, and the property lines changed.  The little surveyor is going to charge us, yep - $1,000.00 for a new drawing.  So, update, the price is now, $500.00 + $300.00 + $1000.00 =  $1800.00... just to join two pieces of property that we already own.  Amazing.

Jim and I reached the conclusion that we are going to move the cabin to the center of the middle lot, and be done with it.  This is getting ridiculous.  We are going to put some serious money into Kane County in the next couple of years, and they just want to make it as difficult as possible...

Utterly ridiculous.

Cheri