[Toller]

I put up a plastic 10x12 shed 3 years ago. I believe code requires it to be 10' from the lot line. My neighbor has an outbuilding on the lot line with a deck on top of it. (I don't know, but presume the building has been there for many years.) I told him that I wanted to put my shed so it was next to his building. He thought that was great because he would see less of it from his deck than if it was 10' away.

At the moment we are on good terms, but I am not sure that will continue, and am concerned he will complain about my shed just to be a jerk. Another neighbor tells me not to worry about it; he knows from experience that if a shed has been there for more than a couple years the town will not listen to any complaints.

Does that sound right?

My only experience was buying a house with a 10 year old fence 1 foot on a neighbor's property. My lawyer said it was a non-issue after 10 years.

 

[joecaption]

Contact your local zoning office for the real ansewers not guesses.

 

[Trillium]

Every jurisdiction is different. You really need to call your town Hall and speak with a Planner about your local setbacks and regulations.

The neighbour may be correct. Or maybe theyre not..
A quick phone call will put your mind at ease with where you stand

In my area they only enforce those kinds of bylaws if a complaint is made

 

[Toller]

You're kidding, right?
I may or may not have a problem; which may or may not ever come up. The last thing I want to do is alert the town about it.

 

[Bondo]

You're kidding, right?
I may or may not have a problem; which may or may not ever come up. The last thing I want to do is alert the town about it.

Ayuh,.... Just put the shed up, 'n don't worry 'bout it,....

Many places exempt boxstore sheds from any set-back rules,....
'round here it's any shed up to 144sq.ft......
Stick-built, or store bought,...

I also doubt the guy would be stupid enough to call the CEOfficer to whine 'bout Yer shed, when his ain't in compliance,...

 

[Aggie67]

I spent a few years working in a small engineering firm that had a contract to provide zoning officials to small towns in the area, and I have had my turn in the barrel sitting in that chair and sorting out zoning issues and neighbors pointing fingers at neighbors. You should be concerned not so much with your neighbor with the deck/outbuilding, but with your other neighbors and with people buying and moving into your neighborhood. That's where the majority of complaints came from when I worked in zoning. A new homeowner can move into the neighborhood, apply for shed permit or a remodel permit or whatever, and the second he gets resistance for his project, he'll pile on to anything he can see from his window or back deck. You might be better served (and better protected) by following the rules in your town.

 

[Toller]

I You might be better served (and better protected) by following the rules in your town.

But of course it has been where it is for 3 years. So I should move it now rather than take a chance that someone might complain and the town might take issue with it; and move it then?

 

[ZTMAN]

Leave it. No reason to move it now. Worse thing that can happen if you are not in compliance with the set back, you will have to move it when someone complains, IF you are in violation. Its not like they are going to arrest you.

 

[Ron6519]

But of course it has been where it is for 3 years. So I should move it now rather than take a chance that someone might complain and the town might take issue with it; and move it then?

If you were concerned about the location, you would have put it where it belonged at the beginning.
Forget about it.

 

[danpik]

In my area a shed is not considered a permanent structure so it does not fall into the zoning setbacks. The terms for determining if it meets the temporary structure are kind of vague but, one of them is if it can be moved/removed with in a 24 hour period. my 12 x 16 sits on a concrete slab and was moved onto it from a different location in the yard in about 2 hours.

 

[cwoods]

Yea with it being the size it is I wouldn't be concerned, if you have to move it down the road it won't be too hard to accomplish. I built a 16x24 about 10 years ago, ran electric to it, insulated it and added a wood stove. After my new garage aND addition were finished I needed a new as built survey to close out my permits.
Well I wanted to keep a much of my yard as I could so I had the shed sitting about a foot off my side fence and the city caught it and reminded me I had a 5 ft setback (which I knew already). I used a couple toe Jacks and lifted it up off the blocks it was on and sat it back down on several composite beer pallets. Drove my buddies jeep around back in front of the shed aND tied off the rear to a tree aND winched the shed full of 4 wheelers and tools forward in about 5 minutes. It's not a big deal...REALLY.
I to would just leave it till it MAY be an issue.

 

[Knucklez]

Aggie67, you are right about this observation. as long as there are rules someone will complain.

let's say this new neighbour complains that their permit was rejected while your shed is a violation. so what happens, most likely nothing, but let's say city guy shows up at your door. then you say i will move it on the condition that these other 4 sheds in my neighbourhood AND these other 845 sheds and 27455 decks within the city that i observe ALSO have violated setback rules or construction rules (easy to spot decks with improper railing or risers unequal height or lack of guard rail on deck >3') also get forced to move & changed. and if you, the city guy, do not enforce this rule upon all these other violators me and my lawyer will consider your action to be discriminatory and will take action.

 

[AllanJ]

1. Your neighbor's shed may have been grandfathered by being built before the zoning changed.

2. My city requires the setback for any building no matter how small.

3. Would you really rather erect the shed where you please and run the risk of having to move it compared with following the zoning law from the start?

4. It would have been better to remove the contents before winching the shed. Otherwise much more strain on the structure.

5. (OT) Remove the equipment from the stereo or video cabinet before moving the latter any distance if it is not on casters in turn upon a hard smooth floor.

 

[Toller]

1. Your neighbor's shed may have been grandfathered by being built before the zoning changed.

Quite likely, but wouldn't they have killed the grandfathering by improving it by putting a deck on top?

3. Would you really rather erect the shed where you please and run the risk of having to move it compared with following the zoning law from the start?

At this point it doesn't really matter. It is where it is.

5. (OT) Remove the equipment from the stereo or video cabinet before moving the latter any distance if it is not on casters in turn upon a hard smooth floor.

Bins of boating equipment on grass/dirt. ?