County compels 91-year-old woman to tear down home wheelchair ramp
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
LAUREL, Md. (ABC7) — Prince George’s County filed a legal case against a Laurel couple in their 90s over a wheelchair ramp in their own home. To avoid legal trouble, the elderly couple’s son tore down the ramp, trapping the woman in her own home. The county permitting department said the family had no permit to build a wheelchair ramp in front of their own home.
"I don't want my husband trying to lift me now," said 91 year old Evelyn Strahle.
Evelyn Strahle's husband David is 94 years old. "Two people had to put her in a wheelchair and lift her down those steps before we had it,” said David.
A pile of lumber is all that remains of the wheelchair ramp that gave Evelyn freedom to leave her Laurel home.
“It clips my wings. I can't do anything," said Evelyn.
Evelyn's son Bob built the ramp. He's in the construction trades. He didn't want his parents to pay the $5,000 they priced a ramp of this size. Bob bought $1,700 of lumber and built it himself.
"Very well built and I felt very safe on it always,” explained Evelyn.
Then, a Prince George's County inspector came.
“There was an inspector that showed up here twice when I was here and I asked him why couldn't he just inspect it and tell me if there was anything I needed to do to make any improvements on it so that it would fit permitting requirements but he said that wasn't the process and I had to go through the long route,” explained son Bob Strahle.
Bob submitted plans and tried to file for a permit but was denied because he built the ramp before asking county government. Prince George’s County mailed an order to the parents, demanding they show to District Court May 16th. The county sought compliance with building code. The order warned in bold lettering “if you fail to comply with such default order, you may be subject to fines or imprisonment, or both, for contempt of court.”
David Strahle replied, “I was very upset, naturally.”
Bob tore down the ramp. Weeks later, Haitham Hijazi, the county inspections director, wrote a letter admitting "something obviously went awry" and stated top managers could have worked with the Strahles if county employees had notified managers.
"For him to have to do that after he worked so hard to put it up. It was such a great gift and then to have to give it up,” commented Evelyn.
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Almost a given that the dick who quoted them 5K ( including the permit) called it in as a code violation.
No doubt. Inspectors need to learn to work with home owners. A little give and take here and there won't hurt anybody.
I'm not talking bribes
Now they can get go fund it page and pay the $5000
Jr. can maybe build a shed or small deck out back where the inspector can't see it, lol
Sounds like they tried to work with the inspector once they told the coupe there was a permit issue, but he said no. The problem seems to lie with him, whatever his motivation was. The county manager seems to think so also.
He didn't want his parents to pay the $5,000 they priced a ramp of this size. Bob bought $1,700 of lumber and built it himself.
Too bad he didn't check for or pay for a simple permit.
Many people try to get around building regulations, some are successful some get caught. Ignorance is no excuse, as I've been told. He's not the first to build stuff unpremited that had to be torn down. But, If everyone built stuff non permitted America would be no better built than a third world dump.
You are correct, while you, I and others feel for the parents and wish that some sort of compromise that didn't involve tearing down the stairs had been reached ultimately permitting is the law and the son should have followed the proper steps.
I'm glad the one I built for my mother is on the back side of the house. It only goes down 32" but the stairs were getting too much for her and her dog. They love their ramp and I mixed sand in with the sealer so it's not slippery when wet.
Ah shucks BF...
At the time my mom's giant schnauzer was going blind and was having a very hard time with stairs. I used that as an excuse to build mom a ADA ramp and since then she has had both ankles and one knee replaced. When she was on her scooter she could still tool down to the back yard and feed her birds. She's up and raising hell now and has another dog which is about 10" tall, has a bad hip and is deaf as a post.
Okay, I get it, rules are rules .. but I think a compromise could have / should have been able to be reached for the sake of an individuals freedom and self dignity.. get the ramped codified, a paint job and let the 90+ year old woman roam.... I am rather crippled up .. and until the docs figure out what is causing my nerve problems in my legs and feet, I cannot drive - Oooo my do I feel trapped, I could not imagine what being trapped in my house would be like...
This is so wrong on so many levels … Thanks for allowing me to vent...
Ego got involved on the part of the building inspector.
I hope something can be done to get this old woman a ramp again.
It's actually a pretty sketchy looking ramp with its tiny wooden supports. It also looks dreadful the way it just sits on the steps. The county probably did her a favor, but obviously they could have handled it in a way such that she wouldn't have to be housebound for an extended time.
The one I built met these specs.
It's actually pretty easy to follow.
It looks ok to me. You don't need 4x4 posts to support a wheelchair ramp that is less than 36" off the ground.
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Feel free to play civil engineer if you want to.
"To avoid legal trouble, the elderly couple’s son tore down the ramp, trapping the woman in her own home. The county permitting department said the family had no permit to build a wheelchair ramp in front of their own home."
So the "Son" was a dumpshit and trapped his own mother in her home.
It's a very simple solution, if the "Son" wanted to follow "The Laws of the land". Counties "WILL" work "WITH" you on "Redtag" issues.
Hire an architect to submit plans for a permit on what was already built (most would do this for free in this kind of situation, but one MUST ASK). There was no need to tear down the ramp, unless the "Son" didn't want to get a permit.
If the later is the case, the "Son" is STILL a Dumbshit !!!
More government overreach. Drown it in a bathtub.