Moving camp - adding winch to off road machine pg. 7

Drive them rambling wrecks from Georgia Tech!

Constructing a vehicle that performs equally well on Interstate and mountain trails would be an amazing accomplishment.

Have a great journey into the mountains.

The Tundra got put to the test last weekend Dave.
A long steep one with loose rocks





Maiden voyage at Horse Gap at +/- 3000 feet altitude. Ole Tundra tamed a 35+ degree slope covered with loose bread loaf sized rocks climbing parallel to Mauldin Creek spring head with little slipping. Toyota builds a fine limited slip differential both front and rear. A bit out of practice for this level of off roading and will be anxious to install a winch. Hardwood forest looks to be about 200 years old. Spectacular beauty. Mauldin Creek is one of two spring heads marking the beginning of the Toccoa River.

Well Dave, I finally invited the inspector on the property and he gave me 5 days to install DOT silt fencing and cover the entire disturbed 50' buffer zone with 3 to 5 inches of mulch.
Put me under a stop work order.
I will find out Wednesday if I accomplished the above task to their standards and then get fined in some amount up to a maximum $4500.
Guessing they will hit me with $1000 to $2000.

Mind you I got exactly what I wanted done. The silt fence had to be installed anyway. The mulch is a fine addition. So the damage may not be too bad.

I am only disturbing about 3/8's of an acre out of 5 acres so the building dept. views me as making a small percent foot print at this point.
They know I hired a tree surgeon to collapse trees to prevent big trees from falling and damaging adjacent foliage. This fact makes my intent plausible.

Had a neighbor turned me in the fines would have instantly been maximum rate.

Anyway, hiring the tree surgeon, minimal % site disturbance and reporting myself will likely be my saving grace.

And the rest of the project is perfectly suitable for the building departments code standards.
The inspector knew that the site was near impossible to build on without doing the damage that I had done.

I could have insisted on a legal creek crossing to flatter land on the other side of the creek.
The legal creek crossing does way more damage to the creek and it's 50' buffer than I did.
Of course this was mentioned to the inspector and it seemed to lighten his discontent with the 'do it now/ask for forgiveness later' approach.

The 5 days is up Wednesday. I will find out what my punishment is then.
This county is totally strict. Which is really a good thing since it keeps the county beautiful and waterways healthy.

I like how strict they are for land disturbance near creeks where you are.

Where I used to live, someone could have even dredged a trout steam and filled in a wetland for a road. Only received a slap in the hand. AKA $50.00 fine. The fences used for projects near water were the orange ones with holes. Tell me how a plastic fence with holes prevents run off?

I like your plan of action for this. Do the work, turn yourself in (basically) and plead forgiveness.

Yes, a lot depends on who you are. Funny thing was that my G-Grandfather was the original developer of the land I was on. Actually about 10,000 feet of lake frontage and an island. I was living in his homestead. Held to tighter standards than some of those who had recently moved to the area.

Even though this was my childhood home, I was considered a foreigner.

Oh yes. I am the former President and one of the founders of the County Lakes and Rivers Association.

The Township President, who lived across the bay from me, dredged his lake frontage annually, with no problems. Others had outhouses and septic systems that drained into the lake.

Purchased some offshore lake lots that had a swamp drain creek running through the property which flowed to the lake.

I had to get a special, and expensive permit to tear down a garage that was built over the creek and falling down. Another to tear down the cabin near the garage. Another to remove by hand, the garbage the former owners had thrown in the creek. Another to install electric service, as the former electric was via overhead wires. A tree had fallen on it about 10 years prior.

In the end, the permits alone (both Township and County) were about $2000.00.

Did not understand how silt fencing would protect the creek from debris resulting from the garage built over the creek was being torn down. The creek at times, was flowing through the garage. It contained many old boat motors, gas cans and other items. I installed some flow through fencing on each side of garage to catch any debris from the tear down. If I had been caught, it would have resulted in a fine.

I was not allowed to add a 4' section adjoining a bathroom (toilet only) bump out on back of cabin. Wanted to install a shower and sink. Was also not allowed any foundation repairs or repairing the siding that had fallen off. The missing siding caused a 5" by 3' hole in the toilet room.

Eventually sold the property, at a loss. The new owners were able to expand the remaining cabin, install a basement and build a second story. The cabin now is about 10' from the creek, which is unheard of in an area that requires a set back.

Maybe I was being held to a higher standard as an example. Do not know.

I appreciate your concern for wanting to do everything correct.

Collecting and using the shop?  lol.

Might need to set up a campground for RTH people.  Or build a bunk house.  

Agree that in some areas rocks are not big business.  In other areas they are becoming such.  

There is a small, old, gravel pit on my land.  60 years of past owners turned it into a dump, but one side is still exposed.  About a 15' tall by 20' long wall of sand/gravel and rocks.  Found some great rocks/fossils there.  Just have to walk through old tires, barbed wire, wood and scrap metal to get to the wall.