Neighbor's massive backyard structure

[aquabliss]

I envy you!  Plan 1 really is awesome, best choice by far.  Can't wait in a year or 2 to look at Google Satellite maps and see all the crazy things Trevi Homeowners do with those back yards and all that dispensible income.

 

[lnc]

There's few Trevi home with optional casita at the back yard and it looks like that's what it is.  You should also check with the sale office see if your neighbor home has such casita option.

But what puzzle me is that if it is from builder's optional casita, it should be build at same time as the main house not afterward. 

 

[AW]

could you go to the sales office and ask, they should be able to tell you if it is indeed the casita option

 

[momopi]

Nice lot with backyard!  I visited a few million dollar OH homes and the tiny yards made it look like detached condos.

May I suggest growing sunflowers with cucumbers on the backyard slope?  Plant the sunflowers first and your cucumbers can use it as a trellis.

 

[socal78]

I think a casita can be allowed for this lot, however not of this size or height.  Just to include some frame of reference, it is 20 x 30 feet in l x w, again this is an underestimation. 

Here's a crazy idea: How about just asking the neighbor what it is?

 

[irvinedreamer]

I don't need to ask, i know what it is, a massive shanty that has reduced our property value over night.

 

[Ready2Downsize]

Whoa!

What kind of setback is that against your wall? That alone might make them take it down.

 

[aquabliss]

Wow that thing is crazy huge.  It must be a casita, not just an outdoor open structure.  You'll either be looking at a wall of stucco or some windows with shades where the occupant can look directly into your yard.  Weird either way. 

Did you enter their address here just to see if anything comes up?
http://permits.cityofirvine.org/Default.asp?Build=PM.pmPermit.SearchForm&utask=normalview

 

[nosuchreality]

The structure doesn't look that big to me. Comparing it to the wall blocks, it appears to be about 20 feet by 10-12 feet and in the 10-12 foot high. 

In other words, roughly 250 sq feet and 12ft or one story high, in conformity with the CC&Rs.

Hopefully it's a Casita.  It could be a chicken coop.  Set back to the wall looks small, but part of the is the double downward and sideways angle.  Setback requirements vary by development zone from 0 feet to 10 feet with 5 feet being most common for side.  OH Planning area 1 is mostly 5 feet setback.

Probably complies with the 5 feet to the inch.

Get it checked now before it's complete, if you want to fight it.  You can do a lot yourself, just tape measure a brick and count how many corner to corner.  If it's more than 25 feet, odds are they exceed the 250 square feet.  It looks 2x1 but could be 25x10.

If it's compliant, not much you're going to do.  Although on the bright side, it simplifies your landscaping as that wall now may become screening plants.

 

[irvinedreamer]

Thanks guys!

I did check out the irvine permits.  It is at least double what the other post had suggested...

I had always assumed Irvine was strict about almost everything.  Guess again. 

I honestly don't care what they do, i'm just concerned about resale value of our house. 

If it blocks my sunshine, i will have to invoke a civil suit for vit D deficiency.

If their goal is to look into our yard, i'm thinking batting cage or helipad, or since irvine city permits nearly anything some combo of the both...

 

[bitmaster20]

I don't need to ask, i know what it is, a massive shanty that has reduced our property value over night.

The point was that you could talk to your neighbor and find out the details of what's going on. It could resolve a lot of questions you had. Armed with that information you would have a better idea of what your options are. Otherwise you will be just spending your time and energy in second guessing.

 

[momopi]

Has anyone considered how absurd it is that people don't meet and greet their neighbors next door?

Back when I was a kid, neighbors would bag their surplus backyard fruits and pass them down the street.

 

[irvinebullhousing]

Has anyone considered how absurd it is that people don't meet and greet their neighbors next door?

Back when I was a kid, neighbors would bag their surplus backyard fruits and pass them down the street.

At my old hood in West Irvine. My next door neighbor is down to earth and we would chat after work. He would pluck lemons from his trees and bag it for us full, knowing that my wife loves lemon. Then when he and I decided to ditch the corporate world and pursuing our passion. Our kids would play together in the park and we would walk around the neighborhood and tell each other how ridiculous housing prices have gone back up.  This is back in 2012.

We then moved in 2014 for a few reasons other than greed. I can say that FCB, they do have money but lacking in the social realm. A simple wave would be nice or even a hello, but I guess since they came with a suite case of money, many of the FCB believe that they could just pay for it and that's all.  It could be for the better that they invest in lands and real estate for the U.S. But so many young kids graduate with advance degree still waiting to buy.

 

[irvinedreamer]

I have met the majority of my neighbor(s).  The one with the huge structure, showed me their plans many many months ago, and those plans were no where near what is all ready gone up.  As i stated earlier, i am more concerned with my house value and now having to stare at their solar cells.  At least have the courtesy of putting cells on the side where, gosh, the actual homeowner would have to look at them.  Alas, that would spoil their oasis.  I highly doubt they would alter their plans or structure due to my concerns.

FWIW, the hoa, confirmed multiple times that the plans were not even submitted nor approved as of last friday.  Our hoa takes 45 days to review, and they send out letters reminding us not to pressure them.  HOwever, today, the plans were approved...

Caution:  not everyone is a 'fcb'.  I do not know how people bought their house.  Other people who have immigrated for personal reasons or for the weather, are actual super nice to talk to and have made living here very pleasant. 

 

[irvinehomeowner]

When the neighbor showed you their plans, did you sign off on anything?

And if the HOA didn't approve it, how is this even being built without the proper permissions?

This qwershunning of the HOA methodology is problematic.

 

[irvinedreamer]

There was no sign off, nor should there be.  They can do what they want.  Their plans were great at the time, but have significantly altered since then. 

HOA did not approve it last week, nor were there even updated plans, but something got sudden approval the other day. 

 

[Paris167]

There was no sign off, nor should there be.  They can do what they want.  Their plans were great at the time, but have significantly altered since then. 

HOA did not approve it last week, nor were there even updated plans, but something got sudden approval the other day. 

"sudden approval" sounds like a bribe with some benjamins - you know the "Asian Way" of getting things done. 
But I'm surprised...our OH HOA is so strict. even after completion of our landscape they make a site visit, measure everything, take their own pictures and they make you adhere to the CC&Rs to the T. Some of my neighbors had to pull out trees, alter structures etc.
So your neighbors better be adhering to every rule because they can make them bring down part of that structure if it does not meet the requirements or match the plans submitted. Or they can just greet the site officer with an unmarked bag of bills....

 

[Dresden215]

Since the structure is attached to the house, is that a conservatory that your neighbor is adding on?

 

[Arman]

Having served on my new community's HOA board, I can say that people will do things without HOA approval and then beg forgiveness later. It's super tough making someone undo something they've spent a lot of time/money doing. We usually end up reaching a compromise. If it hasn't been approved, now is the time to get the HOA involved, not afterwards, because it's unlikely much will change afterwards.

 

[scooter]

Not sure why you are stressing so much over your home value, you've stated this over and over.  And how have you convinced yourself that this will have a negative impact, are you planning on selling relatively soon?  Do homes appraise for a lower value if side neighbors have structures like this? 

I'd be more worried about what that owner intends to do with that extra space.......think loud parties, multiple families/generations living in the home, impact on number of vehicles on the driveway/street, multiple pets, etc.....