Stealth Cob House within a Greenhouse...can you all help me keep a secret?

Wow, Atomo - good work digging through all that legalize. I acknowledge the hard work that is (reading stuff like that makes my head hurt!)

I am on land that we call "Agricultural Land Reserve" (ALR). As you've identified, it has special rules which are generally helpful, but not always. We still need permits, but it's harder for the Municipality to say "no".

A major benefit is our "farm taxes" are far lower than normal property taxes. We can't get them unless our "farm income" is over a certain dollar value, but we do that easily with Hubby's chicken business which we do totally as farm gate sales. We tried going to a farmers market, but the cost/benefit ratio just wasn't there.

So it really is worth researching what can be done legally, and I'm impressed that you've thought this through from both the legal and the good of the land and the good of the planet perspectives! I can't wait to see your building and water plans.

Makes sense Douglas. I agree that your land should be for "you" as long as it doesn't hurt others. Regrets and or lessons learned can come from both directions - following all the rules at the cost of your integrity, or not following
enough of the rules at the cost of functionality. It's all an adventure and journey of self-discovery whichever path is chosen

Hurrah! You may have found a creative, functional and eloquent solution in the right-to-farm laws.


Here is a link to a form of trust valid in all 50 states - https://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/financial-planning/land-trusts3.htm

Reading this thread has inspired me to follow my original instinct of alternative financing and or alternative "ownership" options, ie land trusts etc - Thanks for your original post!

Just to be a devil's advocate (and believe me that I'm empathetic about the amount of money it costs to get permits - it's absurd) - I'm the daughter of a building inspector and I have to say that there are very good reason for building codes and respecting that process. I completely agree that people can be dinosaurs and I have no empathy for jerks - and jerky cities -  who won't look at a new idea. I get that you're in the middle of nowhere and if you do anything dangerous (which you probably won't but zillions of people do), you still can be a hazard to public safety. So many fires are started by illegally installed electrical systems and exploding hot water tanks. Even if the fires don't spread, it's public money that funds the fire department, so the cities feel it fair to ensure that there are no avoidable fire, fall, drowning or collapse risks. I  grew up in a recreational area that didn't have a permitting system for many years and saw lots of that kind of thing. In your position, I think I would build a mobile tiny house. There aren't nearly the number of rules for anything mobile, and you don't run the risk of being forced to take down the safe if the city condemns it.

Another point about building codes is to protect  individuals from shoddy contractors. Whether it be for new construction or remodeling someone is always willing to hide dangerous, shoddy, sometimes criminal work. Either to save time or material or to avoid delays that would cut into their bottom line so they can hurry along to the next con job.

Septic laws are hard to get away from because of the possibility of outbreak of serious diseases.


At the end of the day,  my nesting habits are none of your bleeping business. There is always a loophole just gotta find it. Stop living your life in fear and just live.

ben heidorn wrote:Another point about building codes is to protect  individuals from shoddy contractors. Whether it be for new construction or remodeling someone is always willing to hide dangerous, shoddy, sometimes criminal work. Either to save time or material or to avoid delays that would cut into their bottom line so they can hurry along to the next con job.

Yes, I think that's a BIG part of it. I know people in the trades. That sort of stuff happens all the time.