Snohomish County building officials have given County Councilman Jeff Sax 30 days to apply for permits for the unauthorized house that an inspector found under construction on the councilman’s property near Snohomish.
County officials slapped a "stop work" order on the construction project on Nov. 21, the day after an inspector found the home being built on Sax’s 10-acre property on 171st Avenue SE.
After the home was discovered, Sax admitted making a mistake by not having permits to build. Getting the permits and paying all the fees will cost about $13,000.
Sax has until Dec. 22 to apply for permits.
A first-term Republican councilman who represents District 5, Sax said he would work with county building officials to bring his project into compliance.
"He’s certainly working very well with us right now," said Faith Lumsden, director of Snohomish County Planning and Development Services.
"We’re looking forward to having this resolved," she said.
County inspectors returned to Sax’s property again last week.
Lumsden said officials had talked to Sax about finishing the "short plat" subdivision process, which would make it possible for Sax to have more than one home on his 10-acre property. A triple-wide mobile home already sits on the property.
A photograph taken during the county’s inspection of the property in November shows the unpermitted home fully framed, with windows installed and the roof almost finished.
While the stop work order means that construction should come to a halt, Lumsden said that wouldn’t prevent work to make the site safe or protect the integrity of the structure.
"Buttoning it up is one thing. Putting up sheet rock is another thing," Lumsden said.
Sax may be able to restart construction of the new home after he applies for a building permit for the single-family residence. He also must finalize the short subdivision process, or agree to remove the existing home so only one house is on the property if the property isn’t subdivided.
Sax must pay final plat and road fees to the county, as well. That’s expected to cost the councilman approximately $6,900.
He will also have to pay permit fees for the construction of the new home. County officials have said those plan and permit fees may total close to $2,565.
Sax may also be charged a mitigation fee by the Snohomish School District of approximately $3,500.
Reporter Brian Kelly: 425-339-3422 or kelly@heraldnet.com.
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