I've run into similar headaches myself. Inspectors can definitely get hung up on unfamiliar materials or methods, especially if they're newer or less common. A couple years back, I was building a small addition and decided to use a newer type of permeable paving for the driveway. Thought I was being smart—eco-friendly, good drainage, all that jazz. But the inspector flagged it immediately because he'd never seen it before and wasn't sure it met local runoff requirements.
At first, I was pretty frustrated because I'd done my homework and knew it was compliant. But after calming down a bit, I realized the denial notice actually had a vague reference to "impervious surface requirements." It wasn't super clear, but it gave me enough of a clue to dig deeper into the local stormwater management guidelines. Turns out, the inspector was working off an older version of the code and wasn't aware they'd updated it to specifically allow permeable paving as an acceptable alternative.
I ended up printing out the updated code section, highlighting the relevant parts, and sending it over along with some manufacturer documentation showing how my paving met those standards. Followed up with a quick phone call to politely walk him through it. He was actually pretty receptive once he saw the updated info and approved it without any further hassle.
So yeah, definitely worth double-checking the exact wording in your denial notice and cross-referencing with the latest local codes. Inspectors aren't always up-to-date on every new product or method out there, so sometimes you just gotta gently point them in the right direction. Did your denial notice hint at anything specific like that?
