Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 17, 2024, 10:02:09 PM
Show Posts
1
General Talk / Santa Cruz County Environmental Health Services Errors will cost my Family $70K
« on: May 13, 2022, 01:20:37 PM »
Not fishing related, but important. If you plan to apply for Santa Cruz building permits, please beware of Santa Cruz County's incompetence.
I (Matt) am a hydrographer with the U.S Geological Survey at the Wrigley Building on Santa Cruz’s West Side. My wife Chelsey is a Registered Nurse at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. We purchased our 3-bedroom 2-bathroom home in Aptos in April of 2016, where we currently reside with our 2-year-old daughter Isla. During escrow, a septic inspection revealed that the septic tank needed to be replaced. Contingent upon our purchase of this home, an agreement was reached with the seller which guaranteed that the seller would replace the septic system legal, up to code, and permitted by Santa Cruz County. The seller agreed and hired a licensed septic construction company to install a brand new “conventional” septic tank. Santa Cruz County Environmental Health department (EHS) authorized and inspected that work and issued the permit. The system is currently functioning normally.
In February of 2020 a large Douglas-fir tree fell onto our home, destroying the outdoor deck and uninsulated modular “sun-room”. We applied for Santa Cruz County permits to repair the deck and to replace the sunroom with solid insulated walls. While reviewing these plans, EHS decided they issued the 2016 permit in error, and are now unwilling to issue ANY permits unless we first agree to replace our 2016 septic tank with an Enhanced Treatment System. This is the same septic system EHS inspected, approved, and permitted in 2016. They are essentially rescinding their previously approved permit, and holding our repairs hostage until we fix their mistakes. I don't understand how this is legal, or moral. The replacement system will cost over $70K-which is more than my insurance payout to fix my house, and the current system works perfectly. This is putting my family into a dire financial situation from which we may not be able to recover.
My family is getting screwed over by the county to the tune of $70K (which is more than our insurance adjustment to repair our home). We are now taking a home equity loan just to replace the (functioning) septic system in order to get the permits to repair our home. Since February of 2020, we have lived with an active toddler and a shattered and dangerous deck and a leaky moldy dining room because the county is holding our repairs hostage to a retrospective septic upgrade they should have mandated in 2016 when they approved the existing system. I believe the people of Santa Cruz have a right to know how the county does business.
I (Matt) am a hydrographer with the U.S Geological Survey at the Wrigley Building on Santa Cruz’s West Side. My wife Chelsey is a Registered Nurse at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. We purchased our 3-bedroom 2-bathroom home in Aptos in April of 2016, where we currently reside with our 2-year-old daughter Isla. During escrow, a septic inspection revealed that the septic tank needed to be replaced. Contingent upon our purchase of this home, an agreement was reached with the seller which guaranteed that the seller would replace the septic system legal, up to code, and permitted by Santa Cruz County. The seller agreed and hired a licensed septic construction company to install a brand new “conventional” septic tank. Santa Cruz County Environmental Health department (EHS) authorized and inspected that work and issued the permit. The system is currently functioning normally.
In February of 2020 a large Douglas-fir tree fell onto our home, destroying the outdoor deck and uninsulated modular “sun-room”. We applied for Santa Cruz County permits to repair the deck and to replace the sunroom with solid insulated walls. While reviewing these plans, EHS decided they issued the 2016 permit in error, and are now unwilling to issue ANY permits unless we first agree to replace our 2016 septic tank with an Enhanced Treatment System. This is the same septic system EHS inspected, approved, and permitted in 2016. They are essentially rescinding their previously approved permit, and holding our repairs hostage until we fix their mistakes. I don't understand how this is legal, or moral. The replacement system will cost over $70K-which is more than my insurance payout to fix my house, and the current system works perfectly. This is putting my family into a dire financial situation from which we may not be able to recover.
My family is getting screwed over by the county to the tune of $70K (which is more than our insurance adjustment to repair our home). We are now taking a home equity loan just to replace the (functioning) septic system in order to get the permits to repair our home. Since February of 2020, we have lived with an active toddler and a shattered and dangerous deck and a leaky moldy dining room because the county is holding our repairs hostage to a retrospective septic upgrade they should have mandated in 2016 when they approved the existing system. I believe the people of Santa Cruz have a right to know how the county does business.
. I was just walking to the beach to go surprise him when I spotted Mrs PISCEAN also searching for parking. Impromptu tide pool party!!! Had so much more fun exploring the eel grass and muscle beds with good friends. There is another King Tide forecast for Feb 8 and 9. If the weather is good, I highly recommend you go to your nearest rocky beach and go check it out. Great activity for children too. Next time Id like to harvest some muscles. Here are a few pics from the evening. 