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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 07231996 - C80 C.80 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on July 23, 1996, by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Rogers, Bishop, DeSaulnier, Torlakson, and Smith NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Correspondence C.80 LETTER dated July 9, 1996, from John and Sandra Barsell, 43 Canyon View Drive, Orinda, CA 94563, requesting a response from the Building Inspection Department to their inquiries on an alleged building code violation. ****REFERRED TO BUILDING INSPECTOR FOR RESPONSE IT IS BY THE BOARD ORDERED that the recommendation as noted 1****) is approved. 1 hereby certify that this Is a true and cortect copy o; an action taken end entered on the mUtutee Ot the Board of Su rs n the date shown. ATTESTEO: o PH TCH OR,Clerk of the board cis Isors and my Administrator 00Puty c.c. Correspondent to CAO Building Inspector U0 - John and Sandra Barsell JUL I 0 199 43 Canyon View Drive CLERK BOARD OF SUPERVjjISORS Orinda, Ca 94563 STA Co. 655-9336 July 9,1996 Jeff Smith Chairman of the Board of Supervisors Contra Costa County 651 Pine Street Martinez, Ca 94553 Re: Alleged building code violation, failure to respond Dear Chairman Smith: On January 30, 1996 the Building Department sent us a notice of violation regarding some old foundation piers on our property. We have since sent the Building Department five letters and have made numerous telephone calls trying to resolve the matter. The Building Department has completely refused to make any reply even when we were able to talk to the inspectors by telephone. Copies of the correspondence are enclosed. Please help us to get a responce. Sincerly, ( D rem... cc Steve Pouliet, CCC Building Dept ew Building Inspection Contra DiecolrofLBuildngoInspection Department Costa , 651 Pine Street, 3rd Floor, N. Wing County Martinez, California 94553-1290 (510) 6.46-2300 F-AX (510) 646-1219 '- l - F January 30, 1996 John Barsell 3160 Lewiston Berkeley, CA 94705 RE: Existing concrete pier at 43 Canyon View, Orinda Dear MY. Bar.sell: This letter is in regards to the existing concrete piers located at the above referenced address. This department has no record of a building permit issued for these piers, and recommends that if these piers are not to be used in the future, you need to cut the piers down approximately 6 inches below existing grade. A native cap of soil should then be placed on top of the cut piers. If you choose to use these existing concrete piers for future . construction, you will need to provide this department with an engineering investigation to determine if the piers would comply with the code for their intended use. Please call me at (510) 335-1122 if you have questions regarding this matter. Sincerely, _ Nestor Bal igod 1� K C� Grading Inspector I 7SZ '5 NBC:ceb l� �f John E. Barsell 3160 Lewiston Ave. , Berkeley, CA 94705 February 6, 1996 Nestor Baligod, Building Inspector Building Inspection Department 651 Pine Street, 3rd Floor,N. Wing Martinez, CA 94553-1290 Dear Nestor: Re: 43 Canyon View, Orinda This is to confirm our telephone conversation on February 5, 1996. After receiving your letter of January 30, 1996, I contacted the seller of the property, John Nance, who is a registered architect. Nance designed and built the house 23 years ago. He assured me that the garage piers had been built with a permit and that the garage plans were part of the original house plans. He stated that the piers had been engineered by Ray Razzano (telephone 510-658-7825), a registered structural engineer. Nance also provided me with the soils report and the pier inspection billings by John J. Hallenbeck, the soils engineer. The original house plans are also in my possession. These include the garage plans and show the piers in question. You told me that your letter stating that no record could be found for a building permit was based only on a computer search. You said that you would check the original house plans to confirm that the garage was included with the original house plans. Please advise me of the results of your research and the name of the person with the City of Orinda who directed your office to write the letter of January 30, 1996. Nance's office phone number is 510-686-2292. Enclosed is a copy of the site plan and page 1 from Hallenbeck's report dated May 26, 1971. Please let me know ivhat fbrther evidence you require. Sincerely, John E. Barsell 510-655-9336 Enclosures John E, Barsell C �� 3160 Lewiston Ave. Berkeley, C,,X 94705 March 10,1996 Nestor 'Balig ocl, Bulldui .ig Inspector Building Inspection De-partnient 651 Dile Street, 3.rd Floor, N. W1119 Martinez, CA. 9,45533-1.290 Deal.- Nestor: Re: 43 Ca-nycmn Or`.illda Mv wife Sandra and -1 are deeply-, concerned regai-dial,, [lie status of our property m viuw, of your statenient, on Febru"'mtry 5tli that we -would not be able to obtaill a building pernulin the futut-c because of[lie eXiste.-nee of the (--)Id -pler,s b-LI'llt in 1973 as part. of(lie orl-ginal building penniL Please try to understand the emotional Imp"'Id of that statement since it effects all our facture phut" for the propefty ,c-tnd its future m arketahility. We hadlioped that the situation was explained in our letter of 6,1.95 6. but vv,c hay recelVed no resporil;Q. -NIay please have a reply to that letter ( cogy enclosed). The other 1,11"c-Itter v"hiclirequIres resolution is your letter of November 224, protccliu.y nel. ib(-)f's rose (yarden. 1995 conceTrilliu, the dralliage ditch baill to 1� zn Ni."ou agreed that if Ilie c"llich v"erc, reiumcd and rass plariled yc)-u i�,ould reniove the 9 �,-Iolalioli after [lie 2 c ni . ate(l, We Jja:\,q, -fi.Alowed your iii,,Aruc . ms exac 1V but ...'rass nin tioi t.1., VOU have slot. renioved the v101at1011- Please let LIS IMOIA" NVIIclit, else is required. Sill c el-ely, John Bar,,cll and S,,ui.dra Baa-sell 51.0-655-93'.)(5 Enclosures John E. Barsell ` 3160 Lewiston Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705 May 9 1996 Nestor Baligod, Building Inspector Building Inspection Department 651 Pine Street, 3rd Floor, N. Wing Martinez, CA 94553-1290 Dear Nestor: Re: 43 Canyon View, Orinda Enclosed is a copy of my letter to you dated February 6, 1996.. In response to my lettter you asked me to provide you with more evidence that the carport piers were built as part of the original house building permit issued inl973. In complience with your request I have obtained the enclosed letter from John Nance. Nance who is a registered architect confirms that the piers were built with proper approvals. In the early 1970s I lived at 4109 Happy Valley Road which is immediately adjacent to 43 Canyon View. I know to my own knowledge that the piers were built at the same time as the house. A simple inspection of the piers shows from the soil condition, the rusted steelwork and the rotting sonotubes that the piers are of great age. All except three are now below the natual soil level. In my letter to you of February 6 I enclosed a copy of the original building plan showing the piers. Also enclosed were the soils report and carport pier inspection billings from John J Hollenbeck, the soils engineer on the job. The architectural and engineering plans for the improvements on my house are now complete and I am now ready to apply for a permit. Please advise me if the existence of the carport piers will continue to prevent me from filing my permit application. Sincerely, John E. Barsell 3160 Lewiston Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705 May 20 1996 Nestor Baligod,Building Inspector Building Inspection Department 651 Pine Street, 3rd Floor,N. Wing Martinez, CA 94553-1290 Dear Nestor: Re: 43 Canyon View, Qrinda Enclosed is a copy of my letter to you dated May 9,1996. Since the architectural and engineering plans for the improvements to my house are now complete and I am now ready to apply for building permits an early response to my letter would be appreciated. Very Truely Yours, • • • t �4 V John E. Barsell 3160 Lewiston Ave. Berkeley, CA 94705 June, 23, 1996 Nestor Baligod,Building Inspector Building Inspection Department 651 Pine Street, 3rd Floor,N. Wing Martinez, CA 94553-1290 Dear Nestor: Re: 43 Canyon View, Orinda This is my fourth letter to you without a response regarding the old piers on my property. My prior letters were dated February 6,May 9 and May 20,1996. My phone messages to you have gone unanswered. When I finally contacted you at work on or about June 1,1996 you would not answer my questions but referred me to another inspecter who also would not answer any questions. Nestor, what is going on here? I worked for the Attorney Generals Office in the Licensing Section for 31 years and never heard of such treatment. Many of the inspecters in your office were witnesses in my cases before the Contractors State Licensing Board and were always completely cooperative and responsive. Surely you know that the questions you raised regarding the piers are preventing me from obtaining a building permit. Please give me an immediate reply. Very Truely Yours, /5�