SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
Rob Rhinehart, developer of the "magical milkshake" known as Soylent, has been criminally charged for attempting to build an off-grid "experiment in sustainable living" without obtaining city permits. He could face up to two years in prison and a $4,000 fine. [...]
"Flat Top hill has been a gathering spot since long before I arrived. I would be thrilled if the area became a park, but that has not materialized so in the meantime I have a right to use land that I own," Rhinehart told The Guardian via email. "I want a sturdy, lightweight, affordable home."
Nearby residents have long called for the area to be turned into a park, but the city wanted to make a buck from it, so they auctioned it in December, allowing Rhinehart to purchase the land.
Now, after residents complained, and with no indication Rhinehart intends to connect to the city grid, Los Angeles has deemed the shipping container an "unlawful structure" and removed it.
"Unpermitted structures pose a safety risk," said City Attorney Mike Feuer. "They also can be unsightly and erode the quality of life in a neighborhood."
Source: The Free Thought Project
Don't paint your house bright red.
~childo
(Score: 2) by VLM on Monday August 15 2016, @07:22PM
You can dig a hole any time you want in your backyard but virtually all property has some easements or another. Someone's gotta pay when a fiber optic cable is severed.
The way it works around here (maybe USA in general) is the digger is normally completely personally liable for damage to someone elses property. There are some minimal exceptions like "historically agricultural cultivation land" and theoretically gardens less than X inches deep. However each state has a semi-private service where one-call will, when given a weeks warning, come out to your property for free and spray paint the location of every known buried thingy. Diggers are then only liable for "unusual behavior" in a marked area (its all legal-ed up, basically don't dig there) or no liability at all for marked as clear areas. I'm sure in some states they either don't exist or charge insane amounts of money or only provide partial legal liability or maybe only work thru land surveyors or who knows.
You'd be pretty foolish not to call the one-call if you're digging, but unless you start a fire or flood the local government has very little opinion on the matter.
(Score: 2) by Arik on Monday August 15 2016, @09:49PM
Not had to worry about that for a long time though, you do it once you don't have to call back each time. Nobody has snuck in and buried cables on my property while I was sleeping, I'd wager.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?