Family struggles with 115-year-old home on illegal north Boulder lot
By Erica Meltzer, Daily Camera, Boulder, Colo. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Located at the end of
It also leans noticeably and is riddled with cracks. An engineer found no supporting structures inside the walls and voids in the masonry. He estimated it would cost
"All my life, my mom fought this house," said
Her mother, also named
Now the younger
The Wilsons had always believed the house was on an acre lot, but the property is actually 0.74 acres. That means even in 1956, it was an illegal lot. And
Wilson said she and her siblings have had verbal offers of up to
But because of the lot's size and the irregularities of its creation six decades ago, there is no legal building lot there.
Last month, the
'An illegal lot split'
In order to have the property declared a legal building lot,
"I understand," she said. "It's an old house. But they are in no position to help us financially."
His proposal is that the county put development restrictions on the property such that any new home would have to stay in the footprint of the existing one, and that the historic portion of the house be preserved while a newer addition could be removed to make room for the new construction.
There are many homes in
In a report to the commissioners, the
County planners wrote that there is no inherent development right in an illegally created parcel.
"As this property is not a legal building lot, a unit of density does not exist as a development right associated with the parcel, even though a residence is located on the property," the county report says. "This is a common result of an illegal lot split."
The land use department cites several goals of the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan -- that the county limit development in the foothills and direct "dense" development on small lots to areas inside city limits -- in recommending denial of the request.
Byrne countered that there is no risk of density spreading in that area. The property is surrounded on three sides by city-owned open space. On the fourth side is the Silver Lake Irrigation Ditch, which marks
"The Wilsons should not be penalized for the lot size deficiency created by others," Byrne wrote in a letter to the county. "Even with its proven size, the Wilson Parcel is significantly larger than many of the subdivided lots in nearby city neighborhoods. Recognition of the lot as buildable will not increase the density of the neighborhood."
County planner
He said the Wilson family could still sell the property as-is to someone who has the resources to preserve it.
"They don't want to do that because of the value, but that is not part of the criteria analysis," he said.
Byrne said any buyer would be getting "a third trip through the process we've been through twice."
Williams said the county would be supportive of the family pursuing annexation into the city and developing the lot that way.
Byrne said he is exploring that option, but it is no magic bullet. The property is in Area III in the Boulder Valley Comprehensive Plan, which means it is not eligible for annexation.
During the comprehensive plan update next year, the family could apply to move into Area II, which is eligible, and then they could apply for annexation.
However, in exchange for annexation, the city likely would also want the historic property preserved, as the city looks for "substantial community benefit" during annexation.
The property is also bisected by the "blue line." West of the blue line, the city cannot provide water and sewer service. Currently, there is no functional septic system or well on the site.
Meanwhile, the costs continue to mount for the Wilson family, and relations among the siblings are strained.
The insurance company dropped the house when
The Wilson siblings also have a painful past associated with the house. Two of their brothers died in a fire in a jam cellar on the property as children.
"I would like to see someone else have a nice life there in a new house," she said.
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