MOVE THAT STORAGE BIN
“I live on Rosemary Avenue and there has been one of those very large metal storage bins in the front yard of a nearby property for about two months now. Are there any laws concerning how long this thing can stay there and what can I do about it?”
RED PHONE
Laws concerning storage bins, dumpsters, and other structures similar to these fall under the jurisdiction of John Amos, code enforcement officer for the City of Morgan Hill. Amos clarified the law for the Red Phone by telling us that any structure that is 120 square feet or larger requires an active building permit if it is located on a construction site or in the case of a bin in a neighborhood such as the situation you have described, a use permit would be needed by the owner of the property.
Amos says he generally gives the owner two weeks to move the object unless it is deemed a safety hazard or is blocking traffic, in which case less time is allowed.
Code enforcement needs the complaint submitted in writing, and there is a Web site with an e-service center that has a form available for such a purposes at www.morganhill.ca.gov. If you would rather fax the form to Amos, the fax number is (408) 779-7236, or you can drop the form off at his office at City Hall, 17555 Peak Ave., in Morgan Hill.
CHAD’S TREE
“A few months ago, I made a trip to the Live Oak High School campus to visit a tree. Not just any tree, Chad’s tree. Chad Parker died car accident in April 2000 and it was decided to plant a tree in his memory. It was planted in the middle of the grassy quad alongside a plaque that I dedicated to Chad and his family. During my visit, I couldn’t find the tree or the plaque.
“I have called Live Oak to figure out what happened, but my calls have gone without a response. If anybody has any idea concerning the whereabouts of this beautiful tree, please let me know.”
RED PHONE
A trip to the Live Oak High School campus and a conversation with Lloyd Webb, assistant vice principal, was necessary to get to the bottom of this mystery. Webb assured the Red Phone that Chad’s Live Oak tree is and always will be right where it was planted, in the so-called “octopus quad.” The quad gets its name because of the eight walkways that led to the center of the complex. The area was cemented over in the summer of 2005 and raised cement benches were installed around the trees. The entire area looks a lot different than it did a year and a half ago.
Our caller couldn’t find the exact location of the tree because the dedicatory plaque in honor of Chad was moved into the administration office because the brass plate is mounted on a wooden base and it is not designed to withstand the rain and sun beating on it. All visitors at Live Oak go through the office and this location affords everyone the chance to see the memorial, according to school officials.
If you see something going on that rubs you the wrong way, let us know about it. Then again, if you like something about your town, let us know about that, too! Contact Red Phone at (408) 779-4106, ext. 206, or e-mail re******@mo*************.com. Remember to leave a name and phone number when you call or e-mail. The Red Phone will not publish this information and will only use it for verification purposes.
