We had a similar headache with a deck extension—city rejected it over "privacy concerns." Turned out a quick chat with neighbors and adding some privacy screens solved everything. Sometimes the simplest tweaks make all the difference...
Had a similar run-in myself when trying to convert a garage into a rental unit. City said no-go because of "parking concerns"—even though literally everyone parks on the street anyway. 🙄 Ended up just tweaking the plans slightly, adding a designated parking pad (that no one ever uses, btw), and boom, permit approved. Sometimes you gotta play their game, even if it feels a bit silly...
Haha, isn't it funny how sometimes the smallest tweaks can suddenly make the city happy? Had a similar issue myself when building a little backyard studio. Apparently, my original plan didn't have enough "green space." Seriously, who decides what's enough green space anyway...?
Ended up just sticking a few extra shrubs and some flower beds on the drawing—plants that, to be honest, I never actually planted—and suddenly it was all good. Makes you wonder, are they really looking closely at these plans or just ticking boxes?
Did you find other parts of your project easier after you got past the parking hurdle, or did the city keep coming back with more nitpicky stuff? Sometimes I think these permit folks secretly enjoy the back-and-forth dance!
Haha, sounds familiar... I've had my share of "green space" adventures too—sometimes it feels like they're just looking for reasons to shuffle paper around. Hang in there though, once you clear the initial hurdles, it usually smooths out a bit (fingers crossed).
Haha, yeah, the paper shuffle is real. Reminds me of when I was trying to get approval for a rainwater harvesting system in my backyard. Thought it'd be straightforward—eco-friendly, saves water, what's not to love, right? Nope. Got bounced around between departments for weeks because no one could decide if it fell under plumbing or landscaping. I swear, at one point they asked me for a diagram of how rain falls from the sky (only half joking here).
Anyway, after a few rounds of revisions and some patient explaining, they finally gave me the green light. Once you're past the initial confusion, things do tend to ease up. Just keep your cool, stay persistent, and maybe bring snacks next time you visit the permit office...worked for me.
