Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Storage solutions anyone?

Is your garage getting as full as mine? Apparently, many of you have experienced this problem. How do I know this? A quick glance in your backyard can tell me. If you have a storage shed out there, I know you have attempted to solve this problem. I notice that some of you have attempted to solve the problem two or three times, since there are that many sheds out back. My own storage shortage, as well as the popularity of these sheds, made me wonder about the requirements for putting one on my property.

Bill Campbell

My first step was to call the Department of Building and Zoning listed in the city of Springfield section of the phone book. They had some specific rules about building permit and siting requirements for storage sheds. If you are thinking about a shed, I would recommend that you give the zoning folks in your city or county a call to find out the requirements for your locale.

Let's talk about some of the specific requirements so you will know what to ask about when you call. The first requirement dealt with a minimum shed size for the building permits. For example, they may require a permit for any shed over a set number of square feet of floor space. Some localities set this minimum to limit the number of permit filings they will receive and process each year. If the shed is below 120 square feet, you may not need a permit

Another permitting requirement in some places is whether the building will be fastened to the ground. Is the shed on a foundation, anchored by poles sunk into the soil, or is it on runners? Sometimes these different structural options can determine if permits are required. I recommend that you check with your zoning office for the specific type and size of building you are considering.

There also were requirements across the board dealing with property lines, locations with respect to the house, and locating on easements. For example, the shed should be at least 3 feet from the property line (preferably on your side of the line) according to one of the governing groups I talked to. Your own requirement may be greater or less; please check.

One of the zoning departments required that all storage shed style buildings be located somewhere other than the front yard of the home. I'm sure some of you have seen houses that would look better if there were a shed in the front yard instead of the collection of treasures left for all to see.

Locating these, or any building, in a utility easement is not allowed from a building permit standpoint. This requirement makes sense for two reasons. First, if you put a building in an easement, you will be charged for moving it if the utility workers need to bring in their equipment to repair lines. Second, in the case of overhead power lines, if the lines break and fall on the shed, they could start a fire or energize the steel roofing and siding of the shed. Imagine your surprise when you grab the door handle of a shed energized with 7,200 volts. It also would be best if you could avoid putting your shed under the 240-volt insulated service-drop conductors running to your house.

After contacting the zoning and building people, I would recommend that you call your utility companies before locating any structure on your property to ensure that you will not damage pipes or wires while building, digging, or moving the shed. Sounds like a lot to do, but these calls, if made before you have a building full of treasures on your lot, may save you money and time.

Bill Campbell is an Extension Educator, Farm Systems, at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Illinois. You can write to him in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone: (217) 782-6515. E-Mail: campbellw@idea.ag.uiuc.edu

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING JULY 1997