Posted on 03/17/2006 11:22:04 AM PST by JZelle
A couple who bought and renovated an 82-year-old house in Chevy Chase must tear it down because Montgomery County officials erred in approving the project. Marianne and Marc Duffy said the oversight was pointed out by some high-powered neighbors who pressured the officials into rescinding approval, which will force the Duffys into bankruptcy and to demolish their $725,000 home in the 3700 block of Thornapple Street. "Our neighbors complained, then county officials informed us that they issued our building permits in error and that we'd have to seek a variance," Mrs. Duffy said. "This is after a county official testified under oath at hearings that we were truthful and forthcoming, and that they and the permitting office fully understood what it was approving."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
It's for the children!!
Okay. Then the couple gets to sue the department that negligently issued the permit for damages.
Marianne Duffy, shown with her daughters Caroline, 5, and Claire, 2, left, and her husband Marc, have gone practically bankrupt by having to pay rent on an apartment while paying a mortgage and property taxes on an unfinished home. J.M. Eddins Jr. (THE WASHINGTON TIMES)
The county granted the couple new permits, then voided them and halted construction when neighbors pointed out the house was originally built seven feet too close to the street and two feet too close to the home of William Hamilton, an editor at the Washington Post, and his wife, Jane Mayer, a staff writer for the New Yorker.
Mr. Hamilton and Mrs. Mayer; ABC News reporter Jackie Judd; and prominent lawyer Michael Eig and his wife, Emily, are among those who have complained about the Duffys' home.
Kristin Gerlach, owner of Gerlach Real Estate Inc., also testified against them.
DOesn't Chevy Chase have any say in this couple destroying his home?
gee, I sure wish I were rich enough to have uppity neighbors..since I'm not, I'm damn glad..
The gov't agencies which originally approved the permit should pay all costs since they're the ones that screwed up..to have these people do everything right and then STILL lose everything because of beaurocracy makes me sick..
And the department should also pay for their legal fees.
And a new house for that family.
Neighbors from hell. They would put these people into bankruptcy over a couple of freaking feet?
What kind of people are they?
I wonder if the seller knew this?
ping
Mr. Hamilton and Mrs. Mayer; ABC News reporter Jackie Judd; and prominent lawyer Michael Eig and his wife, Emily, are among those who have complained about the Duffys' home. Kristin Gerlach, owner of Gerlach Real Estate Inc., also testified against them.
Seems like there must be more to this story. Why have all these people ganged up on this family, just over seven feet too close to the road and two feet too close to a neighboring house?
Time to serve some whoopass on unelected bureaucrats!!
They should issue a variance and let the neighbors complain.
Yet another example of why anyone with a brain should not live in Monkey County, MD!
Ok, I guess you can raze my house...
Yet another example of why anyone with a brain should not live in Monkey County, MD!
Yet another example of why anyone with a brain should not live in Monkey County, MD!
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