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Century Denies Variance So Man Can Live In Too Small Mobile Home
August 7, 2012
The Century town council voted Monday night to deny a variance to allow a man to live in an old mobile home cited for multiple code violations.
Brian Sanders petitioned the council to allow his 12×60, 1974 mobile home on a lot in the 6700 block of Jefferson Avenue. Century’s Land Development Code does not allow a mobile home less than 14 feet wide.
The mobile home has been on the lot about 45 days and was cited by Escambia County Code Enforcement for 10 separate violations on July 30. No one currently lives in the mobile home.
Council members disagreed on whether or not a variance was warranted to allow Sanders to keep the mobile home on the property.
“We can’t do anything for him,” council member Annie Savage said. “We stand by our rules and regulations that we enforce.”
“I can read, and I know what it means,” council member Jacke Johnston said, adding that she was torn as to how to vote. “We have an application for a variance…because sometimes you need a variance.”
“If we do variances, we might as well not have any law,” Council President Ann Brooks said. “We are trying to regulate mobile homes.”
And council member Gary Riley said he was against the variance. “We won’t be setting a precedent…because if we do for one, we have to do for all.”
The council voted 4-1 to deny the variance request.
Mayor Freddie McCall said Sanders should have obtained an permit before locating the mobile home on the lot, but it was moved in by a moving company from Alabama. He said the town has problems with Alabama companies failing to obtain the necessary permits before moving mobile homes into Century.
Pictured top: The Century Town Council listens to Brian Sanders request a variance to keep a mobile home that does not meet the town’s lad development code. Pictured inset: Council member Jacke Johnston throws her hands up Monday night, saying that she was torn how to vote on the issue. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
21 Responses to “Century Denies Variance So Man Can Live In Too Small Mobile Home”
I would like to know the width of the FEMA trailers, they don’t seem to be any wider than the trailer in question. Someone needs to check this out. And what about people who live in camper trailers? How do they get approval to live in them. It all seems very suspicious to me.
If Brian could afford to renovate the trailer (if that’s even possible) or move it, he probably would not have asked for a variance. It would be nice if we could follow up on this story to see how things turn out for him. He’s really in between a rock and a hard place. I wonder how much time he has to move the trailer and if there are fines if he can’t move it. I understand rules and laws have to be followed (and not knowing the rules/laws is never an acceptable excuse), but I can’t help but feel sympathy for someone who seems to be “trying” to do the right thing. In most similar situations, that’s not always true.
simple, just pit a false 12″ front on each side and then it will be 14′ wide
Leave the guy alone.
These are hard times
We need to RID SOME OF THESE DUMB RULES.
I live in a 2001 14 x 56 mobile home, on the title it says 56 feet, when measuring the living space i only have 14 x 52 , they count the tongue as extra feet.
I also have a 1973 12×60 it measures the 12×60 without the tongue! The 1973 is a better built home with more living space and easier to cool and heat. where the 2001 is not so easy to cool with electric bills going asd much as $400 a month during the summer. Our town has the trailer ordinance also that it was be 10 years or newer and a certain square footage living space.
My plans since i got it approved is to remodel the older trailer, I have installed all new windows,door’s,plumbing, wiring and working on the the sheet rock in ceiling. I will move into it when completed, it is just a better built trailer. My figures shows about $3500 to be complete and look new. Time’s are very hard , the older trailers to me are better built. yes i agree that theyt should not be parked by nice houses, Some think diffrent but i know for a fact that you cant take nothing with you when you die. Also the way things have been going haveing a house paid with this economy is a plus. People should be able to own a home they and have the money to save for the future. I read all the time people living in card board box’s or tents. No need for alot of that when they can work towards having there on home.
So Let this guy do any repairs if needed and let the council decide if its up to code then. If you can see a model T driving down the road witha tag must mean the state of alabama thinks its safe to drive and look how old that is. Parts for a mobile home are cheap, its cheap living. Me myself and I do not want a morgage payment , could lose it and i do not want too!
If it looks good, the work is put into it, then it should be able to be lived in .
When i am thru with the remodel only thing will show you its older is the roof, Im not going to change what doesnt need fixing .
It’s just a mobile home, if it looks nice let it be and pass it! The low income apartments come’s out of the goverment and our pockets so not let this man have his own home and not at the peoples expenses, At least he is trying ! Alot don’t!
Too bad this guy couldn’t get a variance. It sounds like an out of state company has put him in this spot through no fault of his own. I am sure this person will do all of his homework next time.
What most alarms me is the Council. It looks like only one person on the Council knows what a variance is and why they are necessary at times. From the quotes, three members of the Council have hard line stances against any and all variances. One goes so far as to suggest that granting this man a variance would be tantamount to doing away with all zoning. This is a gross oversimplification.
If the Council as a whole had granted the variance after thought and consideration, that would have been fine. That is not what happened here. Three of the Council members just denied the variance because they, apparently, do not believe variances should ever be allowed. While I am sure they mean well, their position is way off base. They were elected to give thoughtful consideration to the reasonable requests of the citizens of Century. Unfortunately for this guy, some of the Council members just didn’t give it to him.
Go by the rules or don’t have the rules! It really is that simple folks.
Maybe the key word is “OLD” mobile home. We had some one try to move a “used” mobile home into our area. There was pink insulation up and down the road. Some one call county inspection (it was not me) and the mobile home was so bad that they were told they could not live in it. They were going to run a garden hose to a well for water. There was a leaking sewer hose that was to have run down into the woods behind it. They could not understand why they could not get a permit to live in it. While I can feel sorry for this fellow—- where do you draw the line?
@ Sam, come on! Get real, If he has a 12 by 60 home, Do you really think It would be beside a higher priced home in a higher priced area? No, I don’t think so. So I don’t think you would have to worry about that.!
without seeing the location i defer to the town. if he’s moving next to other mobile homes, no problem. if he’s moving next to people that have property they pay high taxes on. I see a problem. their property value is trashed. got to have rules.
OMG! Where are we Russia! If a person can only afford a small mobile home to live in, Who do you think you are to say that’s not up to code!!!. What do you live in? Some people live in what they can, That doesn’t make them a bad person. SHAME, on you Century!! for not letting this man live in what he has!! You are disgusting!!!!!
Do you people honestly think that if you did something wrong in Escambia county and code enforcement nailed you for it that you would get away with what you did? Every adult should know that the days of “doing your own thing” is over. Of course there are those that would do it then try to pull the “you are picking on me” card. Obey the laws.
Attach a deck to the trailer with a hose faucet extending through to the other side of the deck and “Shazam”, you can make it 14 1/2 feet. Problem solved.
Really…..why can he not live in his home I never knew such a thing. He is trying to do right then not able to? Maybe Century should try to help him fix hi home like they do those old homes. If his home is 12 feet can he build 2 or 3 feet on to his home then it be legal? I need to know this does anyone know cause this is just crazy and Im just tired of silly stuff. Can we see the home that they are talking about is it worst than some of the things around there are would it be a better one?
Is this all they can find to raise a ruckus about? My gosh people! At least he has a place to live. Lord Have Mercy! This world is full of governental idiots! If the ole boy is happy living in a 14′ wide trailer, then by gosh let him live there! Who Knows-love the comment! Let’s spend OUR tax dollars upgrading the trailer or by gosh let’s just build him a new house just because the one he WANTS to live in is too small for the town laws! Good grief folks!
Crazy! At least the man is seeking to do the right thing by applying for a variance. A variance is just that – it varies from the existing rules – and doesn’t mean it has to be passed for everyone that applies for one.
Century sure ain’t Beverly Hills. So whats the problem. Just another mobile home. 12′,14′ who cares. The folks that run that town don’t go by any rules.
“Why not get a federal grant and spend $80,000 to upgrade the mobile home.”
Best response I’ve seen all day!!
They should also be holding these companies accountable for not obtaining the proper permits, of course that would take effort on the Town Council’s part.
Trivial stuff,let the man live in his home.
Why not get a federal grant and spend $80,000 to upgrade the mobile home.