Sunday, May 23, 2010

arrogant

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http://www.islandpacket.com/2010/05/22/1249044/okatie-crossings-project-on-hold.html#ixzz0oiWMsb2Q

To native Americans land was sacred. Land provided animals and plants for food, clothing, and shelter. No one could own the land.

Then along came colonists who pushed the Indians aside and divided up the land for sale. Some made fortunes.

Not much has changed. Rape the land and the sea for profit. Pollute the Okatie, the Gulf, etc. Kill the goose that lays the golden egg. So much for progress.

"Horne said he is eager to move forward with development, although he would consider again trying to sell the property if a buyer "wanted to pay us a lot of money."


"Hardeeville city manager Ted Felder said he is confident development will come to the tract. "The bottom line is that property is going to be developed by somebody," Felder said. "It's going to be a great thing for the city of Hardeeville and Jasper County."

Arrogant, isn’t it?
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Friday, May 21, 2010

unanswered questions

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The following is a CitizenGram that I sent to Beaufort County, SC Executive Gary Kubic via Beaufort County's website (http://bcgov.net/) on 8/17/08:

Beaufort County CitizenGram
Sent 8/17/08


Mr. Kubic,

another blow to county credibility! Building Code Enforcement. Development Review Team. what's next?

FYI, stormwater runoff from the Hidden Cypress parking lot extension flows directly into a wetland without treatment (lagoon). Several acres of hardwood trees in the wetland are dead. This can be seen quite clearly from the boardwalk that goes through this wetland (just to the east of the Hidden Cypress parking lot).

BTW, did you ever find out what agency is responsible for assuring that retaining walls and timber bridges are designed and constructed properly? I don't know. Do you?

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As you can tell by my "BTW...", 8/17/08 was not the FIRST time that I asked Mr. Kubic about retaining walls and timber bridges.

What do you think of a County Executive who doesn't respond to county resident questions?

Don't you think, as I do, that it's about time that Mr. Kubic answered these questions? PARTICULARLY, in light of the County's Building Code Enforcement Office that has REPEATEDLY failed to identify building code violations with roof trusses that are improperly fastened and braced?

C'mon, Mr. Kubic, ANSWER MY QUESTIONS!
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Tuesday, May 18, 2010

If not, then why not?

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http://wncsos.blogspot.com/2010/05/hills-of-rivermist-landslide-should.html
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What about City of San Antonio government? Where were they when this 1,000 ft. long, 30 ft. high retaining wall was being built? (It's kinda hard to miss a 1,000 ft. long, 30 ft. high retaining wall!)


  • Did San Antonio's Building Department review the plans for the 1,000 ft. long, 30 ft. high retaining wall? If not, then why not?

  • Did they make sure that the wall was designed by a registered professional engineer, and that the construction drawings were signed and sealed by the registered professional engineer? If not, then why not?

  • Did Centex have a construction permit for the wall? If not, then why not?

  • Did San Antonio's Building Department inspectors review the wall during construction to assure that it was being built according to plans prepared by a licensed PE? If not, then why not?

  • Did San Antonio's Building Department require as-built construction plans, sealed by a licensed PE? Did they compare the as-built plans against the signed and sealed permit plans to assure that the wall was built according to the licensed engineer's design? If not, then why not?

  • Did San Antonio's Building Department issue a certificate following construction (similar to an occupancy permit for a house) certifying that the wall was engineered by a licensed PE and build according to the plans that the licensed PE prepared and sealed? If not, then why not?

SERIOUS questions for BOTH Centex AND the City of San Antonio.




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Monday, May 17, 2010

bracing

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This goes WAY back to when we moved here 5+ years ago. I’m sure that Tony Kunich has seen what I’m about to describe HUNDREDS of times here. I’ve seen it several times in the relatively few attics that I’ve been in since we moved here.

Structures 101. Lateral bracing (sometimes referred to as bridging) provides lateral stability between roof trusses. Lateral bracing is a BASIC requirement in roof framing.

Lateral bracing is PARTICULARLY important in hurricane-prone areas where gable ends are subjected to hurricane-force winds. The building code here requires that our houses be capable of withstanding a 130 mph wind--that’s 55 pounds per square ft. On some of the larger gable ends here this equals a force of several tons pushing against the gable end.

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Here’s the punch line: In some of the attics that I’ve seen there’s NO bracing at the gable ends. In some attics there’s bracing between interior trusses THAT STOPS SHORT OF THE GABLE ENDS, LEAVING THE GABLE ENDS UNBRACED.

Some of you might ask: doesn’t the sheathing provide lateral bracing? Yes and no. In reality, the sheathing does provide for lateral bracing between trusses; but, the building code doesn’t allow figuring the lateral bracing contribution that sheathing makes. That’s probably because in a hurricane shingles and sheathing are the first things to go.

If you find that this is the case in your attic, then, with a few 2 by 4s and some nails, you can extend the bracing from the interior trusses to the gable ends. You can also check out http://www.fema.gov/library/file?type=publishedFile&file=how2018_1__gable_end_roof.pdf&fileid=0a694bf0-0d5f-11dd-aeb1-001185636a87or Google “FEMA hurricane roof bracing” and download the pdf.

I see things differently as a civil engineer. All I can say is that what I’ve seen here is testimony to the lack of BASIC knowledge of construction and the lack of quality control by Pulte, Pulte’s subcontractors, and the Beaufort County, SC Office of Building Code Enforcement.
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Tuesday, May 11, 2010

from THE expert

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Controlling stormwater runoff volume critical to protecting creeks, rivers

"...The bottom line: The greater the volume of stormwater runoff, the more pollutants released into our estuaries. The best way to minimize the threat of development and the associated increases in stormwater runoff is to minimize the volume of stormwater discharged into creeks and rivers. The most effective way to minimize runoff is to minimize the amount of hard surfaces. This action will help sustain the health of our estuaries, as well as preserve the natural beauty and high quality of life that makes so many people desire to live in the Lowcountry. Most importantly it will also protect those who swim in these waters and eat the seafood our estuaries produce. We also must remember that when we use pesticides and fertilizer, some of these pollutants will wind up in our rivers and estuaries.

For detailed information on how stormwater runoff and hard surfaces affect water quality and public health and recommendations for avoiding and minimizing its impacts, go to www.scseagrant.org/pdf_files/tidal_creeks_booklet.pdf("Tidal Creek Habitats: Sentinels of Coastal Health"). "

Dr. Fred Holland is the former director of the Hollings Marine Laboratory and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources Research Institute.

Read more: http://www.islandpacket.com/2010/05/11/1235533/controlling-stormwater-runoff.html#ixzz0ncccEiTd
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Wednesday, May 5, 2010

The race to kill the goose

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Developers, politicians and DHEC seem to be in a race to see who can be the first to “kill the goose that lays the golden egg”.

From "TIDAL CREEK HABITATS, Sentinels of Coastal Health”:
“Coastal development has a negative impact on tidal creeks and ultimately impacts public health and the quality of coastal living. When the amount of impervious cover from development, including roads, parking lots and roofs, in coastal watersheds exceeds 10-30 percent, the physical, chemical and biological processes in tidal creeks are impaired and potential human uses of these important habitats decrease. Properties along the shores of developed tidal creeks become more vulnerable to flooding as impervious cover levels increase.”

In other words, keep developing the Okatie watershed and the Okatie estuary will die. For those who enjoy the view from Riverbend pier, who shrimp and crab from the pier, or who enjoy watching others doing so, take a GOOD look, because it won't last for long the way that things are going.

There’s a wealth of other good information in this little booklet. For those who value the natural resources that make this area beautiful, I recommend that you get a copy. It’s an EASY read.

You can download it at:http://www.scseagrant.org/pdf_files/tidal_creeks_booklet.pdf

You can order a hardcopy FREE at:http://www.scseagrant.org/content/?cid=318

The photos, illustrations, and the message are outstanding.

It’s going to take more than just a few to keep the developers, politicians and DHEC from killing the goose that lays the golden egg. Please join us. Getting a copy of this little book and reading it is a good way to start. Then join one of the several organizations that are fighting to preserve the natural resources that make this area beautiful.
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