Guest column: How can this possibly be my mistake? | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

The county statement that I changed my plans in the middle of construction, without notification to the county, is an outright lie. Elizabeth Dixon, county Inspections and Permits director and the head of the task force looking into building permit errors, would like you to believe I did not provide plans to planning and permits, just to make her appear as though the mistake is all mine.

What follows is the time-line of the permit process. You decide if I was deceitful:

Sept. 5, 2006, I applied for a permit to build a 25-foot by 25-foot by 16-foot tall detached garage. Fees paid, and I was granted approval that very same day. A total of three copies of the plans were submitted, as is the requirement.

April 5, 2007, I changed my plans by increasing the cement foot-print of the garage to 25-feet-wide by 28-feet deep by 16-feet tall. I paid the fees, and the plans were approved that very same day. Again three copies of the changed plans were submitted.

On Aug. 9, 2007. I revised my plans a second time to include "conventional stairs" versus the "pull down stairs" originally planned. In addition, I added a 4-foot knee-wall, which would allow me to walk upright in the attic, versus having to bend at the waist, while carrying various items for storage placement. Again, fees were paid, and three copies provided. But this time I was told by the reviewer that the plans would receive further scrutiny, and be mailed to me if all went well. I received the stamped approved plans via the mail a few days later.

By this time, the cement footers and the block work had been completed. Planning and Permits Inspection granted me approval to continue on with the "stick build."

My builder, T.W. James Construction of Pasadena, then and only then, began to build the stick build, to the approved plans recently sent to me by planning and permits. Construction began four days later on Aug. 13, 2007, after receiving those approved plans.

Just as Tommy James was completing the last piece of roof sheathing install, Brett Cannon, a planning and permits inspector, arrived on site, and gave my builder a verbal stop work order, for the building being too tall. This occurred on Aug. 21, 2007.

I ask you, Mrs. Dixon, how do you justify saying I failed to notify the county, when I have all three stamped and approved plans in hand? I followed all the rules required of me by your department, and yet you have the audacity to call me out as though I did everything wrong.

I would also like to suggest that task force member Kent McNew, who said "I don't think we have a problem," take another hard look at the facts, and tell me you don't think there's a problem? The system is flawed, and it's broken.

By the county's own admission during the appeal hearing of Feb. 14, 2008, the structure is 3-feet, 8 inches too tall.

To Frank Ward, director of the county Permits Center and another task force member, I ask if you said "County inspectors didn't realize until it was too late that the law had changed." To me, you admitted the mistake on your end, as has Mrs. Dixon in the past according to an e-mail she sent to Mr. James several months ago.

Why is it that your department continues to place the blame on me?

It is now going on nine months since you sent me the stop work order. I have been through the process of a variance hearing, and more recently a Board of Appeals hearing in that time frame. A few weeks ago the board sent me a letter advising me of a 30-day extension before they would reach a decision of whether or not to allow me the 3-foot, 8-inch variance.

To the people of Anne Arundel County who have been following this story, I can only reiterate... my builder and I followed all the rules set forth by planning and permits. My builder built to the approved plans. How can this possibly be my mistake?

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John Getz's Glen Burnie garage is at the center of the county's review of erroneous building permits.