Don’T Like Your Neighbors’ House? Sue Them.

[siru]

RALEIGH, N.C. — IN September, Louis Cherry, an architect here, received a building permit and the necessary approvals to begin constructing a house for himself and his wife, Marsha Gordon, on an empty lot in Oakwood, a historic district in Raleigh. The neighborhood features a variety of architectural styles, from postwar bungalows to Greek Revivals, shotguns to Queen Annes. Construction began in October and the home, modern but modestly so, is nearly complete.

But it is also at risk of demolition. Not because of a tornado or termites or some other natural disaster, but because one of his neighbors doesn’t want it there.

Through a series of protracted appeals, the neighbor has been successful in getting the city to reverse its approval of Mr. Cherry’s permit. The house passed its building inspections and is 85 percent complete, yet sits empty, its future dependent on who finally wins a legal battle that never should have been allowed to happen.

Gail Wiesner, who lives across the street from Mr. Cherry — not incidentally, in a house built in 2008 — doesn’t like it in her neighborhood. In her appeal, she complained not only that the house was too modern for the area’s historical character, but also that the impact of its completion posed a threat to the community. Testifying to the Raleigh City Council, Ms. Wiesner argued that past attempts to engage in similar stylistic treachery had been made by architects who had been “churned out from a very modernist school,” and like to “show off their abilities.”

[siru]

But lawsuits like these fly in the face of American individuality and progress, which the American dream is meant to embody. With each passing year it seems that things like homeowner associations and the various codes, covenants and restrictions they tend to follow have become ever more proscriptive and often ridiculous. People have been sued for not mowing their lawns, or for using exterior paint colors that were not on a list of approved colors.

Over a decade ago, I traveled to Louisville, Ky., to write a story about a young couple building their dream home who were sued by neighbors who claimed that the house violated neighborhood covenants, codes and restrictions (C.C.&R.s) that limited the use of certain building materials. The house was clad in polycarbonate and corrugated metal, but atypical as that may have been, several houses in the subdivision used aluminum and vinyl siding, materials also not stipulated in the C.C.&R.s. The neighbors claimed that the home had caused them everything from emotional distress to failing health to the loss of a job promotion. Ultimately, the neighbors lost their case and the couple lost thousands of dollars in legal fees. In the end, their house got to stay; the judge ordered them to cut the glare, so they planted a tree in front.

In a historic district like Oakwood, the preservation guidelines discourage attempts to build new Victorians and instead support contemporary design. This reflects the prevailing view of historic preservationists who frown on the practice of designing new buildings to look as if they’re old. And indeed, Ms. Wiesner’s arduous efforts to save Oakwood from the Cherry-Gordon house aren’t garnering the support of those whom she claims to speak for — the historic preservationists.

In fact, Myrick Howard, who has been head of Preservation North Carolina, a nonprofit group dedicated to protecting historic homes and districts in the state, for 35 years, wrote a letter in support of the Cherry-Gordon project, arguing that the home “is in line with a half-century of preservation philosophy and practice, contrary to the assertion of their opponents.” Further, Mr. Howard told me recently, the case “is giving preservation a black eye. Because it sounds like preservationists are against this house. It has put the historic development commission on the defensive.”

[Spartan]

its nothing but Jealousy man..

 

malli daniki historicla feature culture tokka tolu ani coloring...

[megadheera]

Pichi andi idi

[siru]

its nothing but Jealousy man..

malli daniki historicla feature culture tokka tolu ani coloring...

True. land of the free antaru.. Manaki nachina illu kattukune freedom ledu

[Muthyam]

[Akkumm_Bakkumm]

its nothing but Jealousy man..

malli daniki historicla feature culture tokka tolu ani coloring...

Maree intha jealousy ento picha mund@ ki...

[tom bhayya]

[siru]

erri pooo evad undamanad ra ninnu 10gey ilantivi sava laksha unay desam la prathi daniki american dream ki link petti love da lo edupu enduku be a man erri poo

Frustration lo nunchi BP vachi sachipoye la vunnav

[ManOnFire]

nice

[timmy]

[accuman]

yes, ikkada 2 story buildings vunnna community ki velli nee istam vachhi nattu 4 story building kadathanu ante biscuits tinipistharu

 

 

even outside pain and boundary mesh kuda pakkana vaadiki istam leedu ante marchalisinde

 

 

[iTeachSAP]

Ee lekkana naa inti pakkana unde desi aunty ni sue cheyali.. Roju battalu bayata aaresi vaatiki cliplu pedathadhi...

[HECTOR08]