chzhao

I have a narrow lot. I have heard that if I want to add a house behind my current house, the city of Houston requires a driveway of minimum width of 15ft leading to the back house. Please let me know if this is incorrect. What if I only want to add a detached garage behind my current house? Is there a minimum width requirement for a driveway leading to the back garage? Thanks.

My house is in an old subdivision. The lot I put my modular house on was part of a bigger lot with an old house on it, and I divided it with a partner and platted my part. The city inspected everything and allowed me to move in last year, so I assume they must have given permit for the pad? Actually I finally got to speak with someone in the City. Apparently my neighbor complained about my house blocking her drainage early this year. But the city inspector "observed no voilations". The guy I spoke to said we were all supposed to drain towards the city drainage, but he couldn't quote the exact ordinance. Anyone know about the ordinance? RedScare, I didn't understand what you mean by "If you want to PM me". But I am definitely looking for a good lawyer to handle this. Thanks, Chuck

Actually I received a letter from the neighbor's lawayer demanding 85,000 while her whole property was appraised as 63,000 by HCAD. The letter claims damage to foundation and smell of mold. Her house was only 7 feet from the west border and my pad is only 5 feet from it, so heavy rain was sometimes trapped in between, and it didn't help that she used to have a garden with logs in front of it. Isn't the neighbor supposed to drain to the front yard and ditch at the south side to begin with? Also the ditch on the south side definitely drain eastward. Only along our border the neighbor claims her lot used to drain westward onto mine in the past. I get the point of the code... but I still cannot digest it. With a 58 feet wide lot, the house and driveway will take the whole width, so I'll have to put the house 100 feet from the road so neighbor can drain sideways onto my front? what if my yard is only 60 feet deep? If I am sued, is it reasonable to drag my contractor into it? Thanks for all your answers. Chuck

I live inside City of Houston. My 60x200 lot is to the west side of my neighbor's 70x200 lot. There is a street and drainage ditch along the south borders of our properties. I've put a pad on my lot for a modular home, and it is a few inches above ground along the east edge. my neighbor claims that the pad blocked the natural flow of storm water from her lot westward onto my lot, causing flooding in her west yard, and violating 11.086(a). She is demanding damage payment and threatening to sue. Does she have a good claim? If she does, won't that mean anyone with a proerty slightly lower than their neighbor's can't even build a house? I will appreciate any clarification on this matter. Thanks, Chuck