Longtime resident forced to take extra steps to repair stairwell

SPARTA — A 70-year-old Sparta woman learned - much to her chagrin - that she needed to take a few extra steps to repair a basement stairwell in her home off Glen Road. The township council was quick to offer apologies to the Sparta resident of 44 years after a municipal building inspector had insisted that a permit was needed to fix the backings on the broken stairs in her three-bedroom home. “I think this is unacceptable behavior, and this guy should be called out on the carpet,” said council member James Henderson. Township ordinances require zoning permits for home projects including driveway paving, retaining walls, patios, fences and decks, among others. Indoor stairwells are not listed. “It’s overdone,” said the woman, who wrote a letter to council members, but wished to remain anonymous because she feared further harassment from township inspectors. “We have permits after permits after permits. When you put in a pool, it makes sense to have someone inspect it or a septic system. But a staircase just doesn’t make sense.” Zoning permits are not required for re-roofing or re-siding, interior alterations, window replacements, swing sets, awnings or fishponds, to give some examples. The woman said the township inspector first learned of the repairs when he noticed some debris underneath her back porch. The inspector then returned the following morning and highlighted a building code that states permits are required for indoor renovations. “I don’t see why we should be looking at every little thing that people do on their property,” said council member Wayne Ring. “It’s too heavy-handed. We’ve gone too far. It’s one thing if you’re putting an addition on a house. I think we’ve crossed the line when you see a pile of wood on the side of the house.” Items not allowed without a permit include the accumulation of debris such as leaves, brush, untidy garbage, unregistered disabled vehicles and piping drainage into the roadway and tent structures. “Every homeowner should be responsible for their own home,” said council member Jerry Murphy. “I’m not sure the code is supposed to cover everything that’s done in every household. We as a governing body should determine how the ordinance code is written.” The woman and her husband had to submit plans to acquire a permit at the municipal building, where they were eventually told it would not be necessary. Sparta Township Manager Henry Underhill said the inspector may not have gone outside the scope of his responsibilities. “I agree it somehow did leave a bad taste in this person’s mouth,” he said. “But, I don’t know how we’re going to get through it without enforcing safety.” Underhill, who planned to investigate the matter, said the township receives about 560 permit applications each year. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t receive a letter about our service,” he said. Mayor Alish Hambel said the town wants to have a partnership to serve and protect its citizens. “Are we getting carried away?” she said. “We’re here to assist, not dictate.” The disgruntled homeowner said the stairs are now in fine condition. She hopes her letter to the council helped raise community awareness. “The next thing you know, when you want to plant a rose bush, if you’re neighbor is allergic to it, you won’t be allowed to plant it,” she said.