Got a call earlier this week:
Him: I've been told I need to get a surveyor to certify that this business I want to open is not within 1000 feet of a Church, School or Day Care Center. Can you do that for me?
Me: I can but first let me ask you some questions. Who is it that is telling you you need this from a surveyor?
Him: The planner.
Me: Ok. What I would like to do is discuss this matter with the planner so I can be certain exactly what you need so you can get the appropriate permits.
So he tells me the name of the guy to contact.
I call city hall and ask to speak to the guy.
Me: This is Larry P, local land surveyor and I just got off the phone with *** Prospective Client. He tells me you need some sort of paperwork certifying that the location of his proposed business is not within 1000 feet of a Church, School or Day Care Center.
City Planner: I have no idea what you are talking about.
Me: I just talked to **** and he said this was a requirement.
City Planner: We have no such requirement. It is on the agenda of the board for this week but right now there are no requirements like that.
Me: So if **** comes in to see you today he can get everything he needs to open his business.
City Planner: Yes.
It turns out that the County Planner was the one wanting the letter even though his rules do not apply in the city.
What does the County Planner have to do with this new business? Nothing. Not one darn thing. But as is typical for that office he decided he wanted to feel the power by making this guy jump through some imaginary hoops for no reason at all.
For what it is worth the prospective client was tickled to death to hear this roadblock had disappeared.
Larry P
Don't you just love bureaucrats?
Umm, just what kind of business is this?
-V
Marijuana Compassionate Care Facility? or something in the x-rated category I'd imagine 🙂
They told me it was an Internet gaming business. I got the impression we are talking about a place where people could go and play virtual reality games. But we didn't get into any details.
The client was so appreciative of my being able to "fix the problem" that they told me to come by and play for free. Not my thing so I doubt that will happen.
Larry P
Larry
I certainly will not pretend to know about NC laws, but in VA there are some rules and regulations that when something is going to be close to a jurisdictional boundary both jurisdictions may have some input.
I can think of any number of items such as gun possession, drug possession, child molestors, etc. that if a school was near a boundary that the distance rules might jump into an adjoining jurisdiction. Internet gaming might also be similar.
I'd be very careful telling the prospective client he has nothing to worry about.
Casino type with internet poker perhaps...
When I first started reading Larry's post, my first thought was a beer or liquor permit. I do several of those types of "surveys" every year. Basically, it is rough measurements from the cl of the door of the building where the proposed business is, measured to approximate property lines of churches, schools, day cares, libraries, residential properties, and other beer or liquor stores.
They are generally pretty easy, and almost no liability.
Internet sweepstakes- (legal gambling in NC) is my guess.
Around here it is thriving.
Larry
> I certainly will not pretend to know about NC laws, but in VA there are some rules and regulations that when something is going to be close to a jurisdictional boundary both jurisdictions may have some input.
>
> I can think of any number of items such as gun possession, drug possession, child molestors, etc. that if a school was near a boundary that the distance rules might jump into an adjoining jurisdiction. Internet gaming might also be similar.
>
> I'd be very careful telling the prospective client he has nothing to worry about.
Good point Dave. I had not considered the rules crossing jurisdictional lines.
Larry P
> When I first started reading Larry's post, my first thought was a beer or liquor permit. I do several of those types of "surveys" every year. Basically, it is rough measurements from the cl of the door of the building where the proposed business is, measured to approximate property lines of churches, schools, day cares, libraries, residential properties, and other beer or liquor stores.
>
> They are generally pretty easy, and almost no liability.
Jimmy,
"almost no liability"? I have found that when neighbors want to fight over whether a particular business can move into their neighborhood, things get pretty ugly in a hurry.
The question comes up as to what constitutes a "Church"? We all will agree about the big buildings where hundreds gather on Sunday morning are churches. But what about the small group that rents and meets in what looks like an office building? Is that a church?
My preliminary plan was to have the governmental agency identify everything that they defined as meeting one of the criteria. That way I could put in my letter that the properties identified by the planner did or did not fall within the exclusion zone.
Larry P
> Internet sweepstakes- (legal gambling in NC) is my guess.
> Around here it is thriving.
That sounds like it.
Larry P
Hey Mr. P, I hope we're not talking about that one big fat nasty guy you and I have dealt with before. I can't remember the guy's name but who can forget his arrogant nastiness. I sure won't and I'd bet you haven't either.
E
Around here that distance is not measured as a crow flies.
It is at right angles to the centerline from the front door to the R/W
Along the R/W to a point right angles to the centerline from the R/W to the other front door.
Usually a place that has a private club back and/or serves alcohol.
