carports requiring a permit? anyone had to get one in charles county?

[DannyMotorcycle]

If i recall correctly charles county requires a zoning permit on any SHED or whatever under 200 square feet and i guess you call it a building permit for anything that size and larger..

Maybe the county has a loophole for carports or something? I find it just a little odd that the guy at the carports spot at the end of billingsly would be lying and says he's a deacon
at a nearby church.. he said one isn't required.. also would find it odd if he were wrong..

I know I know, i'll call charles co gov't myself tomorrow and find out.. but i figured i'd just check the experience of you guys anyway. at least it gives you something to read.

 

[TimTheToolMan]

Charles County pretty much requires a permit to blow your nose. Good luck!

 

[itsbob]

Depends on the type of carport doesn't it? Is it a metal one that sits on the ground? No foundation?

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

yep with rebarb banged into the ground to keep it down.. dang i should have asked marco when i went back there to confirm the order the PA guys to do it too

 

[nutz]

If i recall correctly charles county requires a zoning permit on any SHED or whatever under 200 square feet and i guess you call it a building permit for anything that size and larger..

Maybe the county has a loophole for carports or something? I find it just a little odd that the guy at the carports spot at the end of billingsly would be lying and says he's a deacon
at a nearby church.. he said one isn't required.. also would find it odd if he were wrong..

I know I know, i'll call charles co gov't myself tomorrow and find out.. but i figured i'd just check the experience of you guys anyway. at least it gives you something to read.

It's gonna depend on who you talk to and whether or not your neighbors turn you in. They also do roving inspections now. You have already stated that you will enclose the carport, in effect making it a garage. For the carport, they should require you to get a zoning permit. For the enclosing, a "building" permit will be required.


A building and zoning permit is required for all residential detached accessory buildings, garages, sheds, or mini‐barns greater than 200 square feet. A zoning permit will be required for an accessory structure of any size.

NOTE: Pre‐fabricated accessory structures will require the submittal of the accompanying sales brochure provided by the vendor. A pre‐fabricated accessory structure is not exempt from the foundation and tie down requirements of a similar field built structure.

http://www.charlescountymd.gov/sites/default/files/pgm/cpis/permit_guides/PG-resdetached_8-3-15.pdf

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

So i just called planning, and a permit office.. both of them sounded unsure, but answered yes. the first one

"uhh i believe so..yes" - planning

the permit office person who answered had to yell the question out to someone else... i guess a lot of people dont' get carports? *shrug*

darn shame a deacon of a church would tell me i dont' need one. Maybe i'll stop back there and have a conversation with him and see what he says about it..

I think i'll shop contractors who have permit experience and handle it all.. maybe.. got more thinking to do.. smh

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

or maybe i'll just get a 10 by 20 and only need a zoning permit and not a building permit.. or two or three.. that'd give me the 20x30 that i'm looking for..

or start asking neighbors, where they got theirs.. and details

 

[DEEKAYPEE8569]

It makes sense; to me anyway; to say, if you are building a carport, ie; a simple structure with posts and a sloped overhang/roof; no walls, doors, concrete foundation or wiring; like one might build/attach to a deck, you don't or at least shouldn't need a permit of any kind. You're adding to an existing structure.

If you're building a structure with walls and/or a concrete foundation and nothing else; separate from an existing structure, you might be required to obtain a building permit.
If you intend to wire it; lighting, switches, outlets, breaker panel, like that, you will definitely need a building permit.

imprettysure

 

[LightRoasted]

If I may ...

I'd say, why are you asking for permission to improve your property? Did you ask for permission from the government to buy your home in the first place? Are you a child in need of supervision or something? What the hell is wrong with people needing to seek out permission to do work on their own property?

 

[nutz]

It makes sense; to me anyway; to say, if you are building a carport, ie; a simple structure with posts and a sloped overhang/roof; no walls, doors, concrete foundation or wiring; like one might build/attach to a deck, you don't or at least shouldn't need a permit of any kind. You're adding to an existing structure.

If you're building a structure with walls and/or a concrete foundation and nothing else; separate from an existing structure, you might be required to obtain a building permit.
If you intend to wire it; lighting, switches, outlets, breaker panel, like that, you will definitely need a building permit.

imprettysure

It is fairly simple. A building permit is for a building. A zoning permit is for anything else erected on the property. A building permit typically requires inspections. A zoning permit does not.

 

[nutz]

If I may ...

I'd say, why are you asking for permission to improve your property? Did you ask for permission from the government to buy your home in the first place? Are you a child in need of supervision or something? What the hell is wrong with people needing to seek out permission to do work on their own property?

:shrug: ask for permission or beg for forgiveness, you get a choice.

 

[nutz]

So i just called planning, and a permit office.. both of them sounded unsure, but answered yes. the first one

"uhh i believe so..yes" - planning

the permit office person who answered had to yell the question out to someone else... i guess a lot of people dont' get carports? *shrug*

darn shame a deacon of a church would tell me i dont' need one. Maybe i'll stop back there and have a conversation with him and see what he says about it..

I think i'll shop contractors who have permit experience and handle it all.. maybe.. got more thinking to do.. smh

A carport, regardless of size, is an accessory structure = zoning permit. When you enclose it, it becomes a building = building permit.

 

[Booboo3604]

So i just called planning, and a permit office.. both of them sounded unsure, but answered yes. the first one

"uhh i believe so..yes" - planning

the permit office person who answered had to yell the question out to someone else... i guess a lot of people dont' get carports? *shrug*

darn shame a deacon of a church would tell me i dont' need one. Maybe i'll stop back there and have a conversation with him and see what he says about it..

I think i'll shop contractors who have permit experience and handle it all.. maybe.. got more thinking to do.. smh

My one and only suggestion is that you handle the permit process yourself even if you find a contractor to do the work. I had a horrific experience with a contractor when I had an addition built. When things started to go south and I wanted him off the job, because the permit was in my name, I was able to bring another contractor back on the job immediately. This seems pretty easy, but I will never let a company pull a permit for my home for anything sizeable.

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

My one and only suggestion is that you handle the permit process yourself even if you find a contractor to do the work. I had a horrific experience with a contractor when I had an addition built. When things started to go south and I wanted him off the job, because the permit was in my name, I was able to bring another contractor back on the job immediately. This seems pretty easy, but I will never let a company pull a permit for my home for anything sizeable.

I've read that here before, probably from you i guess. I did have that in mind.. It's looking more and more like i'm going to just build a 10x20 200 square feet shed so i only need a zoning permit, and nto a building permit.

 

[DannyMotorcycle]

If I may ...

I'd say, why are you asking for permission to improve your property? Did you ask for permission from the government to buy your home in the first place? Are you a child in need of supervision or something? What the hell is wrong with people needing to seek out permission to do work on their own property?

I feel what you're saying... but it's calculating everything.. Do I want to gamble all the money investing in it, only to be forced to tear it down and have to find a place to move my stuff to?
and then what am going to do if a neighbor calls in? Tell the gov't to eff off? who has that worked well for? not many. now if my property didn't have back yard neighbors, I'd be more inclined
to ignore the nanny state.