<VV> encroaching zoning
Hank Kaczmarek
kaczmarek@charter.net
Mon, 1 Nov 2004 22:52:48 -0500
All
I spoke at the Lincoln County Planning/Zoning and County Commission hearing
tonight.
The following is a copy of what I had to say.
Good Evening Planning Board members and Commissioners
My name is Henry Kaczmarek, I live at 406 Shoal Rd, and I have lived in
Lincoln County since 1997. I am employed by Victory Chevrolet in Mt. Holly.
Unlike so many who were born here, During my military service I circled the
world twice, and in 1981 picked Lincoln County as the place I wanted my wife
and I to spend our post military years.
Three of the factors in selecting this area to retire in were the
friendliness of the people, low property tax rates, and open space where I
could enjoy my hobby, collecting and restoring Corvair Automobiles. I have
been engaged in this Hobby since 1986, and have owned a dozen Corvair cars,
trucks and vans in that time. I am a past National Committee Chairman of
the Corvair Club, and belong to the local chapters in Hickory and Charlotte.
The last Corvair Automobile was produced in 1969, and the oldest are now 45
years old. Chevrolet discontinued most of the parts for this car in the mid
70's. Although my hobby community is lucky to have excellent parts
reproducers and vendors, having parts cars and project cars to continue to
enjoy the hobby is very important.
At the present time I have 4 unlicensed vehicles on my property. (the
current ordinance allows four)
One is to be stripped out and the shell crushed, and I have two vans, which
I can make a good one out of the two, and have spare parts left over.
Before moving to the county, I was aware of the current ordinance regarding
unlicensed vehicles on private property. This ordinance was instrumental in
where in the county I purchased a house, how much land I could get, and
proximity to other homes.
I am empathetic to the plight of citizens who have junk cars near their
property. In my opinion, there should be a definition of what a junk car
is. I consider a junk car one that has no value to collectors or
hobbyists, whose owner has no desire to repair and restore, and is stored in
a manner where it is an eyesore to passing motorists and adjoining
homeowners.
If the ordinance is to be altered regarding the number of cars a property
owner is allowed to keep on their land, I would implore the Board and the
Commission to find a way to accommodate property owners who are auto
restorers and hobbyists.
I would like to propose some possible solutions to this issue.
1. Create a Grandfather clause for current property owners to continue
to keep four vehicles on their property.
2. Allow Hobbyists to apply for an exemption for their vehicles, showing
membership in a club for a particular make or model of vehicle, or by
showing that only one particular make or model of car is collected.
3. Change the current ordinance to include that any parts or project
vehicle be kept covered, and/or stored in a covered area. This could include
carports, pole buildings, etc.
4. Allow residents to certify themselves with the county as an auto
restorer/hobbyist, and purchase an annual permit to keep unlicensed vehicles
on their property to support their hobby activities. I would be happy to
pay the county an extra fee on my tax bill each year for this privilege.
Many ordinances include language to read "cars that are being actively
restored". This language is very obscure, and open to wide latitudes of
interpretation. Auto Restoration is composed of two basic entities---Money
and Time. And normally, when one has the money, they don't have the time,
and vice versa. I recently finished a mechanical restoration of a 1965
Corvair Monza. No paint, interior or chrome, just mechanical restoration.
It took me 28 months to bring the vehicle to a roadworthy state, and I
already have over 4000.00 invested.
Would a Lincoln County code enforcement official consider 28 months "Active"???
It is my sincere hope that the Board and Commission can craft the ordinance
in a manner that removes cars that are not to be repaired or restored from
private property without interfering with the rights of property owners to
engage in a worthwhile hobby.
*** *** ***
*** ***
I was the second of 10 people who asked to speak, and I was the only one who
recieved applause from the citizens gathered. The room overflowed and people
were out in the hallway. (over 100 people attended this meeting)
When I turned around, nearly the whole room was on their feet applauding.
I was a little embarassed by that, and as the next speaker took the podium,
I went out in the hallway to escape.
I escaped right into this black lady (one of two who were there), a reporter
from the Charlotte Observer. I had mentioned to her how Gestapo like the
code enforcement division was in Virginia Beach (Smitty can testify), and it
turns out she was born and raised in Norfolk. Once she gave me her name, I
found out I knew her brother and one of her cousins, and not from a place
she was proud for me to know them from (Norfolk City Jail). I told her to
mention me to them next time she went home. She wanted to follow up with
me tomorrow, and I gave her my card.
I didn't stay for the vote, as I had things to do at the house for Boy
Scouts this evening. About 10 Scouts were in the room fulfilling a
requirement for a Citizenship Merit Badge.
The Comissioner from my area (west lincoln) had talked to me last week about
this, and he was giving the code folks hell before anyone even spoke. He's
an Antique Tractor Pull guy (a farmer and rest. owner), and I told him if
old cars are on the hit list, how far behind is antique Farm
Equipment---Would he like to have to get rid of his 2 Farmalls he has for
parts???
I will update the list with the decision reached.
Spence, keep an eye out for the stuff in the Charlotte Disturber. Any
newspaper that hasn't endorsed a Republican since Richard Nixon in 68 isn't
worth my money or my time.
Regards
HANK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Spence Shepard" <sshepard3@earthlink.net>
To: <kaczmarek@charter.net>
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 9:30 PM
Subject: Re: <VV> encroaching zoning
> Hank,
>
> Good luck. The last thing we need is more stupid laws.
>
> Spence
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <kaczmarek@charter.net>
> To: <virtualvairs@corvair.org>
> Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 8:38 AM
> Subject: <VV> encroaching zoning
>
>
>> All
>> Tonight I am speaking, along with other hobbyists, at a joint meeting of
>> the Lincoln county planning board and county commission, regarding the
>> (inevitable) changes to the zoning ordinances as they relate to
>> unlicensed cars on private property.
>>
>> The current law allows 4 unlicensed vehicles on private property. they do
>> not have to be in a covered building, or covered.
>>
>> The move is to change the number of cars from 4 to one.
>>
>> Anyone who has been to Bruce Hewitts place (about 4 miles from me knows
>> he has more than 50 Corvair parts cars uncovered on his property. He
>> bought a 36 acre parcel, put his house, garage and pole building and cars
>> smack in the middle of it, and leases the land around it to farmers. his
>> cars are not able to be seen from any vantage point except if you fly
>> over them, yet they will still be subject to the ordinance.
>>
>> We are trying to get an exemption for auto restorers and hobbyists.
>>
>> Will let you all know how this comes out
>>
>> HANK
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