Loading...
1994, 11-01 Update Notification to CourtVan Camp ®, Bennion TRLAI., LAWYERS W. 1707 BROADWAY SPOKANE, WA 99201 TELEPHONE (509) 326-6935 FAX (509) 326-6978 W. Russell Van Camp Irving H. Bennion Dustin Deissner Bonnie Favor also admitted in Idaho Paralegals: Sally Eva Don R. Shaw RECEIVED SPOKANE COUNTY NOV 3 1994 DIVI$10i1! UILDING Judge Donna Wilson Spokane Co. District Ct. Public Safety Bldg. SPOKANE WA 99260 Tom Davis Code Compliance Coordinator Public Works Bldg. SPOKANE WA 99260 1Nov94848 Stanley Waltz Frank Christoff 1115 W Broadway Ave SPOKANE WA- 99260 re: Winston A. Smith 3514 N Edgerton Rd. Dear Judge Wilson, Stan, Frank and Tom: Please consider this an update notation on behalf of Winston Smith, and taking into consideration that all parties have received the letter from the Chief Paul Chase dated 10/14/94. Mr. Smith took it upon himself to ask the Chief to inspect his house from a safety standpoint. Mr. Smith has not yet received a reply from the Chief, but the Chief did write to Tom Davis who in turn forwarded a copy to Mr. Van Camp and myself. I was at the house last evening. Mr. Smith will, this week, have larger numbers on the front of the house. He's also installed a dusk to dawn yard lite to illuminate them. The sheet rocking around the garage is to be attended to. We'd all gone over that at the inspection when everyone was there, and it was reiterated when Tom and Kevin were there last. The plumber has been there and made the changes Kevin wanted, but there must be insulation installed, and then sheetrock. Chief Chase was apparently of an opinion that all that remained was to close it in with the 'rock. In passing Kevin wanted the ceiling in the garage under the living room insulated to R-11. Mr. Smith is doing 95% of that area at R-19 and the balance at R-13. Mr. Smith has a single smoke alarm that is just outside the bedroom doors. I've written Chief Chase to inquire if it is necessary to have one in each room. I don't see what benefit there is to having multiple smoke detectors at 21 to 4 foot intervals. Having one in each bedroom and outside the bedrooms would place three detectors in an area roughly the side of a desk top. I just haven't heard back from him yet. Mr. Smith will install a detector and safety lite with battery backup in the ground level entry way. I've inquired of Eagle, Ernst, Zigglers and Home Depot and none of them are aware of how to interconnect smoke alarms so that if one goes off they all do. They were of an opinion that you couldn't. At least not with the units they are familiar with. Again, I have asked Chief Chase for help with this and I'm sure he will get me a copy of the code that requires that as well as letting us know how to do it. The upstairs bedroom window that faces South does not meet the current building code, and possibly did not meet the code in effect 12-15 years ago when it was installed. I've explained to Mr. Smith that it would be much simpler and easier to just cut a hole in the wall and put in a new window and lower it by 7". A few hundred dollars additional for that is relatively nothing. The east wall of the residence he has covered with metal from floor to ceiling, and has installed 'rock over this, and the ceiling. That still leaves the outside wall on the East, and he's already installed metal up that wall, and it's being prepped to be sheet rocked. He apologizes that his house is not attractive to Chief Case. He and the neighbors all think it is wonderfully better than when he purchased the property. If the Chief would care write an outline of what would be more attractive I will certainly pass that on to Mr. Smith. We have taken notice that Chief Chase wrote that he was not familiar with zoning and building requirements. but they need correction, and do thank him for his concern. The circular stairway House on Geiger Blvd. The believe the Code calls for Mr. Smith is getting a 36" is coming from Spiral & Railing cost will be $855.00. I a 28" to 32" wide stair. width. The area of the entry way he's covered with metal from floor to ceiling and 'rocked over that along the wall to the right as you enter. The wall to the left as you enter is 'rocked in the daughter's living area and is scheduled to be 'rocked in the entry way by or before Saturday of this week. -2- All of the sheetrock being used is "fire rated" as distinguished from ordinary plain sheetrock. In passing I am also submitting a copy of the Washington Water Power Company's computer print out that shows in the lower left corner that the "Installed Date" for the present electric meter was 10/01/1978, some six years before Mr. Smith purchased the property. That does leave a interesting question of how WWP was providing power to a living unit that it's now alleged by Mr. Davis, did not exist? And that was the installation of a "new meter" which they do when the old ones have been in use so long they have to be replaced. In all events, the above is the present status of the property and of the work being done. It is not completed, and shy of a sudden influx of $20,000.00 this afternoon, will not be finished in one more week. Mr. Smith is working at it and is having those things he can not do himself done. It will be possibly as long as three more weeks until the curved metal stairway is completed and installed. The new plumbing must be inspected and then the insulation purchased, installed and after that a few hundred dollars of 'rock purchased, and dry wall installers scheduled and the work done. We're waiting to hear from Chief Chase (see copy of my letter to him dated 10/31/94 attached). In total, there's been quite a bit of work done. There's a lot more that needs to be done to satisfy Mr.Davis and bring the old house up to 1994 Code specs. Summer/Fall good weather seems to have departed so that applying the dry wall to the outer wall along the eastern extreme really should wait until Spring. We'd ask that the Court consider this and continue the matter an appropriate time for this to be done. There's also the matter of applying for and securing financing to do this. In the mean time, we will gladly keep the Court and Messrs. Davis and Waltz updated every few weeks as to the work completed. lam' W, t., for RUSSELL VAN CAMP Attorney at Law enc: Copy Chief Chase's letter Copy my letter to Chief Chase Copy WWP print out -3- WW1> WORKPLACE ---11 Date: 10-19-94::::.:*:"..:sx.:sx•x.x.:.:tx,.... WP Workplace Options Windows Help Account Customer Premise Services Request Co al:MEW,E0&;1 Services Templates View Windows Hetp Electric Service G Gas Service 67514334 / 001 s 00146828 / 101 Account Templates Options View Windows Help ris Account Information a 09-13-98 / CLOSED (NO BALANCE 30 Account Recap daGeneral Collection latLandlord Rental 01-01-91 Mailing Address Ilur OPEN BILL alTransaction Register Billing Container rroi Customer Container SMITH;WINSTON A 533; Premise Container 3514 N EDGERTON RD Services Container 2 • Elddfridiervice.67514334:: Metered Service Windows Hetp Status: Establish Date Rate Schedule Revenue Class Service Location .c.rtrt:r.;Z Read Seq No. Dist Xfmr OPEN 89-14-1990 Order No. 0131 RESIDENTIAL SERVICE 81 RESIDENTIAL 0 Manuf. Type: 170S Constant: 10.0 LI Resealed: 0 Route: 188252 I'D•d img4caRen Install Read Access Key 130g0Fgaid Underground Hiah Use MID Kwh Tax Exempt Multiplier Estimated Load M Rill Multinlier Fxemntion int Out Box Van Camp (8), Bennion TRIAL LAWYERS W. 1707 BROADWAY SPOKANE, WA 99201 TELEPHONE (509) 326-6935 FAX (509) 326-6978 W. Russell Van Camp Irving H. Bennion Dustin Deissner * Bonnie Favor also admitted in Idaho Paralegals: Sally Eva Don R. Shaw 310ct941403 Paul Chase Division Chief, Prevention Division 10319 E Sprague Ave SPOKANE WA 99206 re: Winston A. Smith residence 3514 N Edgerton Road Dear Chief Chase: Thank you for responding to Mr. Smith's request to look at his home as to its safety to occupy. Mr. Smith will, this week, get larger numbers showing the street address; that was item 1 of your report. The sheetrocking of the garage we'd already been informed about, but it seems best to do the plumbing items first and then the sheetrocking. We've also already gone over the double fire walling between the daughter's area and the wash room -spa area. As to item 4, I gather that notwithstanding the upstairs has been a constantly inhabited area since the 1970's it's now mandatory that homeowners install smoke detectors according to the current code requirements for 1994. Will you please send me a copy of that so I can go over it with him. I do agree that having lots of smoke detectors seems like a good idea, and they certainly are not very expensive. I am concerned that you require them to be interconnected so that if one sounds off, they all will. I've just installed one in my own home and I'm not sure that it's physically possible to connect them that way, although it's not a bad idea. Is this a new requirement for all homes in Spokane County? I'd like to have a copy of a wiring diagram that would show how to do that as I get a couple more, and one for the basement too and would connect mine that way. We've been told about the two upstairs bedroom windows. Even though they are closer to the floor and are larger than the ones in the house just to the South of Smith's they are still non -complying. I gather he must cut out the wall on the south side to lower that window 7 inches. By the way, will the neighbors have to do this too? I'm in touch with the neighbors also, and surely hope not. We're aware of the walls and their proximity to the East and South property lines. I'm also sorry if the home appears unattractive, but Mr.Smith and the neighbors all thought it looked a whole lot nicer than it did in the '70's and early '80's before he purchased and moved in. We do appreciate your opinion as to the safety risk of occupants and firefighters. Mr. Smith asked that I be sure to thank you and the rest of the fellows for never having brought that up when Ms Smith was alive and wheelchair bound. If that had been brought up during those years it would have been just one great worry to her. Rest assured, Mr. Smith is working on the problems as you could see. Unfortunately for Mr. Smith, the estimate by Mr. Davis and Mr. Myere of maybe $200.00 total for the work seems to be a bit off. Thus far it over $2,000.00 and climbing steeply and that's just for the material. I will make a report and have that delivered to Mr. Davis and Judge Wilson this week. Rc HAW, W. RUSSRTJ. VAN C Attorney at Law drs , for c:cl/T.Davis/Court Stan Waltz/S-R SPOKANE VALLEY FIRE DEPARTMENT Spokane County Fire Protection District No. 1 ca. OCT , 1SQ4 10319 EAST SPRAGUE AVE. • SPOKANE, WA 99206 • (509) 928-1700 • FAX (509) 927-2227 _ Karl Bold Fire Chief Tom Davis County of Spokane Building Codes 1026 W. Broadway Spokane, WA 99260 October 14, 1994 Dear Mr. Davis: I met with Mr. Winston Smith of 3514 N. Edgerton Road regarding the safety of his duplex. He asked me to verify its safety to occupy until he completes remodeling the duplex. Mr. Smith showed me most of the home inside and out. I told him we have the following safety recommendations: 1. Address the building so it can be seen from the street. 2. Install the proper fire rated sheetrock separating the garage from the living area. Pay particular attention to properly fill all plumbing and wiring chase holes. There are currently flammables in the garage. 3. Install proper fire rated walls separating the two halves of the duplex. 4. Install smoke detectors according.to the current code-. a. Detector.in each of the two upstairs bedrooms. b. Outside the bedroom and in the lower level entry way Be sure they are interconnected so if one rings they all ring. 5. The two upstairs bedroom escape windows do not comply. The north bedroom window does not exit to the outside, it goes to another room. In essence it does not have a secondary escape. Both window sills are at 51". I told him they needed to be 44" RECE{VEO OCI96±ell, VAN CAV.V. 4 ,sENM 0N, P S 2 Tom Davis Building Codes 3514 N. Edgerton Road Page Two This duplex is a very confusing and unattractive remodel job. It appears there are additional problems that need correction to be a good neighbor. The south wall appears to be one foot from the property line. The east wall appears to be on the property line. .I am basing that assumption on the fence locations. I did -some rough measurements of the home. It was 79' 10" wide by 40' deep with a 5 1/2' jog inward in the rear. The approximate size of the main floor is over 3,000 square feet. It is my conclusion that there is a high life safety risk of occupants and firefighters in the event of a fire. Safety corrections should be made as soon as possible. I am not familiar with zoning and building requirements concerning set backs, but they need to be corrected. Sincerely, Paul Chase Division Chief Prevention Division PC:sg - Enclosure