REPRIEVE ON CODE ENFORCEMENT; MORATORIUM ORDERED FOR SOME FARMERS, SELLERS.Byline: David Greenberg The creator of this article, or someone who has substantially contributed to it, may have a conflict of interest regarding its subject matter. It may require cleanup to comply with Wikipedia's content policies, particularly neutral point of view. Daily News Staff Writer County Administrator Lin Lin , Maya Ying Born 1959. American sculptor and architect whose public works include the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. (1982). Noun 1. Koester has ordered a moratorium A suspension of activity or an authorized period of delay or waiting. A moratorium is sometimes agreed upon by the interested parties, or it may be authorized or imposed by operation of law. on enforcement of some suspected building code violations on farms, fruit stands and nurseries. In a recent memo, Koester said farmers and sellers can avoid enforcement action by signing an agreement with the county to come into compliance when a new code is adopted next summer. ``There appears to be a more strict enforcement that could be a detriment Any loss or harm to a person or property; relinquishment of a legal right, benefit, or something of value. Detriment is most frequently applied to contract formation, since it is an essential element of consideration, which is a prerequisite of a legally enforceable contract. to farmers,'' Koester said. The moratorium could last until the Agriculture Advisory Committee completes its examination of the county's implementation of state building codes to see if they are too stringent for farmers and sellers. The committee is expected next month to present County Supervisors with recommendations designed to make the state building and safety code more user-friendly for farmers and food retailers. For many in the agriculture industry, the report won't come a moment too soon. Every three years the state revises its building and safety codes, which counties must formally adopt before they can be enforced. Counties can make the regulations more stringent, but never more lenient le·ni·ent adj. Inclined not to be harsh or strict; merciful, generous, or indulgent: lenient parents; lenient rules. . The building and safety code outlines such issues as the strength of beams and joints, what type of structures are classified as buildings - and therefore require a permit - lighting, size and whether a structure is permanent on temporary. Farmers have long complained that Ventura County officials embrace a tougher standard than other counties in their enforcement of sections of the code that do not pertain to pertain to verb relate to, concern, refer to, regard, be part of, belong to, apply to, bear on, befit, be relevant to, be appropriate to, appertain to safety. For instance, many other counties classify clas·si·fy tr.v. clas·si·fied, clas·si·fy·ing, clas·si·fies 1. To arrange or organize according to class or category. 2. To designate (a document, for example) as confidential, secret, or top secret. all shade structures - a mesh Refers to an interconnect architecture that cross- connects several devices. See mesh network, wireless mesh network and switch fabric. (character) mesh - The INTERCAL name for hash. roof supported by four beams - as equipment and therefore not in need of a permit. Ventura County requires a permit for all shade structures that cover in excess of 1,500 square feet. ``If we can come up with something that is ridiculous, then we're going to bring it before the board,'' said Don Reeder, an advisory committee member. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. proponents of relaxing the standards, the most notable example of the overregulation of agriculture befell Moorpark tree farmer John Boething, who has been locked in an eight-year battle with county inspectors over a host of planning issues, such as lot size, office size and shade structures. Koester met with Boething and Supervisor Judy Mikels before implementing the enforcement ban. In the late 1980s, the county pushed for Boething to get a conditional use permit for his business, which he had been operating with no permit since 1947. When supervisors adopted revised building codes in 1995, Boething no longer needed a permit, according Mikels. ``The big issue was whether he was a retail or a wholesale operation,'' she said. ``He is not a retail operation. The public does not come to the property at all.'' Since July, Boething has been seeking additional power from Southern California Edison Southern California Edison (or SCE Corp), the largest subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX), is the primary electricity supply company for much of Southern California. It provides 11 million people with electricity. to warm the roots of his plants and trees during the winter months. But the electricity giant will not give him additional power without authorization The right or permission to use a system resource; the process of granting access. See access control. from the county building and safety office. That office, in turn, won't sign off on the project until Boething gets an engineering study on nine temporary structures to prove they are safe for employees, according to Keith Jajko, administrative assistant to Mikels. Boething has complained to county officials that the study would cost a minimum of $25,000. He is not alone in his frustration with county regulations. Jajko said at least a dozen farmers contact Mikels' office each year with similar complaints, which is why the review of the building and safety code is needed. ``The bottom line is, farming is the number one industry in Ventura County,'' Jajko said. ``Everyone says they are for preserving farm land and the agriculture industry. But in order for farmers to survive, we have to make sure that we don't regulate them to death.'' |
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