October 9, 2009
 
 
Hello Mr. Brown,
   I'm an old hippie who has owned a small house on the westside for the
last twenty years (where Isaac Boatright lives). I'm on a friendly first
name basis at the permit center and regularly call the land use enforcement
ladies, mostly due to grouchy neighbors. I have some ideas about building
regulation.
   Being fairly low budget, and fifty, I've been in some hundred or so
remodeled houses in the Eugene Area. Only one was remodeled with a permit,
that I know of. Due to my special treatment, I have gotten to know the
building and land use codes really well, so I can say with certainty that
almost no building I've been in was inspected when remodeled.
   I'm no advocate of enforcement of anything and actually consider it to
be straight up evil. I'm no advocate of better code compliance. My view is
that enforcement has long ago ceased to promote safety and wise construction
methods, and has instead become solely a blackmail or revenge device for
neighbors, evoking much paranoia and hatred, and no significant benefit to
safety or wise construction.
   I am currently entirely in compliance and have a live permit for a three
bedroom one bath addition to my house. My neighborhood rapport is seriously
trashed and the busts against my place have resulted in no visible change
to my place, no important safety or sanitation improvement, no change in
personnel, but very serious financial and emotional costs and a huge amount
of direct labor on my part. Isaac's homemade house was one of the
casualties. The details of the main bust is on the internet at
http://www.efn.org/~wolfe/neighbor.htm if you have an interest.
   Fearing my retaliation using their own heartless method, the neighbors
who dislike my lifestyle will not even admit to being my enemy, let alone
offer any sort of real clarity about our conflict. I wrote explicit letters
to the main suspects, but it just increased their paranoia.
   I am recommending a change of the permit center to a certification
agency, specifically for houses that are to be sold, instead of as a bully
to wreck the lives of people at stable permanent owner-occupied homes like
mine. I suggest that the certification be voluntary.
   I also recommend that Land Use enforcement be converted to mediation
service, wherein a person complaining would be coached in writing an
explicit understandable anonymous complaint, specifying the actual issues
rather than invisible code matters, to be presented and explained by the
enforcement person.
   I can see overt enforcement of actual fire and sanitation hazards, but
with a six month schedule so as to derail use of such concerns as a
bullying device.
   I have a related concern that I've presented before to a code
development committee several years ago. My hippie outlook has me having a
building solely to create a context to have a commune. I've had up to 22
people and I would say that my sanity and spiritual well being are best
promoted by a minimum of eight direct roommates and a maximum of thirty.
The current code permits five unrelated persons per dwelling unit and two
in a campsite on the same property.
   That emotional maturation is discouraged and neurotic isolation required
by law is sick to me. There is an exception though for blood related
roommates. So I am suggesting that an owner occupied home could be likewise
considered an exception as emotionally stable enough to permit a large
group. In my former appeal I suggested an increase to a limit of eight.
   My real view is that all households are self-limiting this way to no
more than can be sustained without referee by authorities. During my seven
month absence, my own house self-limited to two people, out of the seven I
left. I believe I am a required element to the large group, with or without
government influence, and a complete erasure of the rule would result in no
changes anywhere other than at my house. Almost no-one I've met has even
been aware of the five person rule til I told them.
   I appreciate your store very much. The open-mindedness and good humor of
your employees has always been remarkable, and I figure you are related to
that. Isaac told me he encourages my letter writing to you and is open to
talking to you about it if you want to. Thanks for taking on the council
position, and no hard feelings if these ideas are too much or inappropriate
to take on.
 
                    Adrian Wolfe 
 
 
 
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