HomeMy WebLinkAboutResponse+from+Richard+FerrisNov. 19 2021
Regarding code case 000201-2017
The purpose of this letter is to summarize the basics of the 4 issues in the citation.
1. Retaining walls. Our retaining walls were constructed to be 48" or less and as such require no permit for
use on a ditch. The ditch through our property was a ditch and is a ditch in spite of the cities attempt to make
it into a creek by simply renaming it as a creek and then pretending that as a creek their regulations for creeks
now suddenly apply to our ditch. If you would please review my two letters on this subject, references 9 and
11 in our main response, you can easily see that our ditch is a ditch and NOT a creek, and therefore we did not
need a permit to put 48"or less of retaining blocks in our ditch. We were maintaining and improving the
channel as required by our City’s regulations
Since it is a ditch and not a creek the citation is not valid and should be dismissed.
2. We have been storing on our property for over 25 years, it is the primary purpose of the property. We
originally used truck trailers, there are over 40 we use to store our back-stock inventory. Around 2000 we
started using 40 ft ocean containers for our own storage and to build up enough containers to build a storage
facility made up of ocean containers. Once we had more on the property than we needed we started renting
out the extras until we got a permit to build a storage facility.
We are currently working on a permit for our Parker St containers and hope to use the results of this
process to guide us through the temporary use of containers at Horizon Lane until we accumulate enough
boxes to build an actual structure using containers, with a city permit for permanent use. We must first
resolve the resolve the ditch issue which is currently blocking any forward movement of our property
development.
3. This citation is based upon the misconception that our ditch is a creek. It clearly is not a creek and there
for the citation does not apply and should be withdrawn. To be a creek a lot of work would need to be done
that the city has not done. Renaming a ditch and calling it a creek is not due process and is not a valid way to
proceed.
4. Creek setbacks only apply to actual creeks and not to ditches. Our ditch is not a creek and this citation is
invalid and should be withdrawn.
Thank you for your consideration
Sincerely,
Richard W Ferris
Ferris Family Trust