chuckography

My Blog Does NOT Have A Permit

A recent news article about the size of cities in the Charleston area surprised me. Sure I expected Mt. Pleasant and North Charleston to be among the leaders but my tiny little town of Hanahan posted a 6% gain since last year!

Of course, with 3,800 as a total population that's only about 230 new people.

Municipal governments of all sizes have to eke out income every way it can and Hanahan has found the mother lode : permits.

Nearly 50 years ago my parent left Society Street in Ansonborough (that's the "old Ansonborough" where nobody owned, everybody rented) and moved into their 800 square foot home on a corner lot out in the country just off Remount Road.

My dad was an expert carpenter and cabinetmaker so the first thing he did was extend one side of the house to build his 50' by 20' workshop. The porch out front was moved forward later and the kitchen grew about 20 feet toward the rear. Today, the modest home has 2000 sq.ft upstairs (under air as they say) and another 2,000 square feet downstairs including a huge workshop.

Couldn't do that today. Not in Hanahan. Nope.

Permits would be required for every step of the way. My dad was not a patient man and did not suffer fools too kindly. I chuckle to think of an inspector coming to HIS house to tell him HOW to do anything! He didn't take such comments from me and I was his middle son.

I am trying to keep the house nice for my elderly widowed Mom and I have met the enemy. Wish me luck.

Labels: Ansonborough, building permits, Hanahan, workshop

posted by chucker @ 5:58 PM