The property is now ours (it's now fall of 2001) and we make an offer to the neighbor just south off us in exchange for a utility easment.
The offer? Monetary consideratrions (to be determined) and new signs for the building so we can place a 4" sewer pipe across the front of the neighbors property (a Dry cleaner) he balks because he doesn't want his business shut down while it's being dug...so...we up the offer to include hiring someone to carry clothes to and from his clients while we work on the ditch and signs directing his customers in and out..
"No I can't have my buisness shut down" (period)but he will allow it across the back of his property (no charge).Sounds like the problem is solved right? WRONGO...The city has a code that won't allow anyone to dig within 3 feet of an existing structure (more to it than that ...but this is the short version).
After a week of trying to talk to the city officials about this dilema I contact one of our clients (a contractor) and ask his opinion as to how we should proceed. He recommends the hiring of the ex-city engineer. We made that contact and he was willing to solve our problem for a small fee $750.00...two hours later he has negotiated a sewer easment in front of the dry cleaners (between the curb and sidewalk) on city property. Money well spent but it would have been nice if it had taken several days and two or three trips...don't you think?
While all this is going on the city (coincidently) decides to put in a new sewer in the alley we are to hook up to...again I contact the city and ask if they would put in the connector fitting we need to hook up to. They informed us they couldn't do something special just for us or "they'd have to do it for everyone" I remember telling them "Not everyone is looking in this hole"...but it didn't matter as far as they were concerned it was a closed subject.
While waiting for a contractor to do the sewer hook up, the NEW CITY SEWER is put in place and they move the manhole we were to hook up to (clear to the other side of the street) When I asked how we were suppose to get to it (now that it is another 50 feet farther away than it was the word came back from the city "Not our problem" Then they recommended however that we put in a new manhole in front of the shop and run a new line down the middle of the street then build another manhole at the new sewer site. Oh and we had to pay for the paving of the street.
Back on the phone with the ex-city engineer (he can solve this for a small fee) but agrees to do it if we pay him for the "Lot line adjustment" (another story). Two hours later he comes back with the news that we can have a Lamphole (cleanout) in front of the shop and a build a new manhole in the exact same location the old manhole was in...but because we are 3 feet further east of the side walk we will have to put down an 8" pipe instead of 4" (hhad the dry cleaner guy had allowed us on his property).
Now this is where it gets fun...we're done talkin to the dry cleaner guy and the NEW CITY SEWER has been in place for one full week when our contractor arrives on site and starts jack hammering the pavement across the drycleaner property we dig up the "NEW" sewer cut it in half and build a manhole... dig a ditch 65 feet to the building site and place the clean-out.
Now instead of a 4" line diectly into the new sewer with a half days labor we have the dry cleaner guy tied up for a week and half accomplishing the ridiculous whims of all the officials involved.
The difference ...had the dry cleaners allowed us access the sewer it would have cost $1,500.00 plus...The new 8" sewer now cost $5,600.00
Oh and the best part ...it started raining that week and the dry-cleaner guy is now up to his butt in mud for a month and a half...the up side ?...I didn't have to paint his damned signs...oh and now he's mad at us. go figure!
Stay tuned for Chapter 3- MAKING PROJECTIONS AND AQUIRING BIDS
[ October 29, 2002, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: Monte Jumper ]
-------------------- "Werks fer me...it'll werk fer you"
posted
If Dante had written "The Inferno" in this century, he would have devoted an entire level of hell to city officials and sewers. However, I see that the Dry Cleaner got more than his dues for being a knucklehead (and we think signpainters huff too many fumes!)
-------------------- "A wise man concerns himself with the truth, not with what people believe." - Aristotle
Cam Bortz Finest Kind Signs Pondside Iron works 256 S. Broad St. Pawcatuck, Ct. 06379 "Award winning Signs since 1988" Posts: 3051 | From: Pawcatuck,Connecticut USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Wow Monte, what a nightmare! A mighty expensive nightmare. I hear that many of the officials are crooked there in Norman. It sounds like things could have been easier if you filled some pockets with bribes. It is very sad, but this is too common all over. You hang in there and before you know it, it will all be behind you.
-------------------- Bill Riedel Riedel Sign Co., Inc. 15 Warren Street Little Ferry, N.J. 07643 billsr@riedelsignco.com Posts: 2953 | From: Little Ferry, New Jersey, USA | Registered: Feb 1999
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Well for one thing Monte.... you are gaining more respect and compasion for the everyday business man that thinks the "Sign Industry" is yet still another person trying to get in his pocket in order JUST to do business! he he he can't wait for your open house/letterhead meet Hang in there
-------------------- PKing is Pat King The Professor of SIGNOLOGY Posts: 3113 | From: Pompano Beach, FL. USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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