Concerns are building in regards to the new home being built on Baker Street that is of pole barn construction.
During Monday night’s Common Council meeting Councilman Mike Delp presented his concerns of the home’s construction to members of the Common Council. Delp said, “My concern is that looks like a pole barn and I don’t know how he will dress it up.”
After speaking with the owner Delp learned that there will be a porch across the front and on part of the west side. There will be wainscoting up as high as the railing on the porch to try and break up the vertical metal siding.
On the north end there are two large 12 foot tall garage doors at the alley. Delp said he stepped it off and estimated the living area to be about 1200 square feet.
Delp said he has talked with three neighbors are unhappy with the construction and have concerns that it will devalue their property values.
After the exterior is complete the owner plans to complete the interior on his own. He told Delp it will be 2 to 3 years before it is ready to be lived in.
Delp said, “I’m just afraid that we are going to end up with a pole barn that you would see in the country.”
Councilman Wayne Smith asked if a pole building meets the definition of a conventional home in our regulations and City Building Inspector Keith Hammond’s said it meets all the requirements by stating, “Nothing in our residential code says they can’t build one.”
Mayor Senter said he would look into the issue with other Mayors to see if they have faced this issue. The city attorney will also do some research on regulating esthetics of residential homes.”
Delp noted that the home construction in question is in a traditional neighborhood.
