72-Year-Old Suing City of Austin for Seizing His Home and Condemning It for Building Fallout Shelter
- Posted on May 14, 2012 at 8:52am by
Liz Klimas
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Joe Del Rio’s story starts off two years ago. The 72-year-old man from East Austin, Texas, was woken up at 7 a.m. on a Saturday in May 2010 by a local SWAT team and fire department at his door. Why? To investigate a multilevel bunker under his home.
In the years following, Austin’s American-Statesman reports, Del Rio’s home has been condemned by the city as uninhabitable; he’s been served a $90,000 bill from the city to make the street on which he lives “safe” again (his bunker apparently made the street’s structure unsafe); and more recently set out to sue the city for unconstitutional seizure of his property without compensation.
Inside Del Rio's bunker. (Photo: Code of Compliance Department City of Austin via American-Statesman)
(Photo: Code of Compliance Department City of Austin via American-Statesman)
Here are more details on the case from the American-Statesman:
“The ordeal they put me through was unnecessary,” Del Rio, now 72, said the afternoon before the second anniversary of his forced eviction. “I’ve gotten the runaround. I think they want the property. Condemning it is a cheap way to get it.”
The city released this statement in response to the suit: “The City of Austin has yet to be served with a lawsuit from Mr. Del Rio; however, actions taken by the City at 2006 Canterbury St. were done due to a public safety risk caused by the structure located on the property.”
Del Rio said the space in question started out as a Cold War-era fallout shelter — by no means uncommon at the time — which he later expanded into what he described as a work space when he took possession of the family home.
Graphic showing the layout of Del Rio's home, bunker and where the authorities found what they considered questionable items. (Graphic: Robert Calzada/American-Statesman)
The American-Statesman goes on to note several instances where complaints had been issued by neighbors over the years due to holes in the land as well as construction of a retaining wall. It also points out that war memorabilia and firearms were found in Del Rio’s bunker and home when it was searched. Armed with these findings and complaints during the military veteran’s morning wake-up call in 2010, Del Rio said the police treated him like he was the “Unibomber” over his disheveled appearance — uncombed hair and shirtless nature — which he attributed to just waking up. He says he was interrogated for 10 hours.
Watch Del Rio describe the situation:
The American-Statesman goes on to report local structural engineer Jeffrey Tucker, who constructed the retaining wall, as saying he inspected the house in 2009 and at the time it seemed “structurally safe” with no signs to indicate it would fall in.
Off the Grid Survival reports some of the $90,000 bill Del Rio received from the city was for filling in his bunker with 264 tons of concrete.
Cement trucks filing toward Del Rio's home in Austin to fill his underground bunker with concrete. (Photo: Rodolfo Gonzalez/American-Statesman)
Del Rio's bunker being filled with concrete. (Photo: Rodolfo Gonzalez/American-Statesman)
Del Rio is seeking compensation for the land that was taken from him, which the American-Statesman reports in 2010 was valued at $172,000.
See more photos of Del Rio’s bunker and surrounding property here.
This story has been updated to change pounds of concrete to tons.
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Comments (257)
Dougral Supports Israel
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:33amHis mistake was building his bunker in the city. He should have had some acreage out in the countryside and no one would be the wiser about what he was building.
Report Post »Texas Chris
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:04amTotally agree.
He should never have told anyone about his bunker, either.
Report Post »Zorro6821
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:20amThis guy was a complete Moron…there is such a thing as Code Compliance for a reason. Not only did he not make others unsafe, he made his own home into a potential hazard. Judging by the pictures, this guy had no idea as to what the heck he was doing. I suggest the city bulldoze the property, the place is a big dumpster. If you are going to embark on a major project like this…do it right or don’t do it at all.
Report Post »granolajohn
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:30amaaaahahahhaaha I love!!! that this is headlining news for you guys!!! ‘Creepy old man with crazy three story bunker gets owned by local government’ OOOOOOO NOOOO!!! It’s the end of American freedom as we know it!!! You guys are way to much haha!! I absolutely love it!
TomSawyer
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:35amCalling it a bunker is a bad idea too. Call it a basement.
Report Post »IntransigentMind
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:57amTrue enough. That said, I am not surprised by this story. Austin is the first destination of every miserable carpet-****** who stumbles into Texas. They are a cancer, and they are slowly bringing the entire state into compliance with their various dicta. When I moved to Texas more than two decades ago, Austin was a small city, with essential state offices, a major university, and population that was liberal, but restrained. Now, it’s a big, dirty, ugly city, just like every pesthole of the northeast, and it has adopted all the same miserable habits, ideas, and propaganda. Two decades ago, the catch phrase there was “Keep Austin Wierd.”
Now it seems the institutional left has taken it over and it’s become a haven for big-government thugs.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:11pmgranolajohn
There are ways about going about being prepared (a prepper) & ways not too.
- FEMA has recommended keeping 2 weeks of food on hand in case of tornadoes, blizzards, hurricanes, earthquakes, …
- Do city building codes cover how far a person dig? Probably should but I doubt they do.
– Last every city is 3 days from total chaos should services fail. When the lights went out in NYC what happened? Widespread looting. If they had stayed off?
I just bought 2 weeks worth of MREs. Piece of mind was bought. Now on to other things such as making more money for another European vacation. Got to see all art & historical sites before the Taliban blow everything up. After all the most popular baby name in Britain is Mohammed.
LMAO @ U.
Tea!
Report Post »Bryan B
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:44pmIf Mr Joe Del Rio isn’t hurting anyone, leave him alone.
This is just another case of the government sticking it’s nose some-place it doesn’t belong…..
Report Post »granolajohn
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:49pmyes!! I love it!! hahhahaa wingnut crazy is so much fun!! Obama is going to destroy our country!! o noes! and I love far left crazy too…O no global warming is going to destroy the world in 2 years aaahh!! Scaring people that work hard and focus on their career is so much fun!!………………………………still not news worthy and still a crazy old man, win GB news site..
The-Monk
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 1:02pm“Off the Grid Survival reports some of the $90,000 bill Del Rio received from the city was for filling in his bunker with 264 pounds of concrete.”
Maybe 264 sq. yards of concrete but, not pounds.
Report Post »TH30PH1LUS
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 1:20pmDepending on local code (in some cases) the property owner has mineral rights to the land up to 50 feet down.
Rights to dig do not neccessarily mean the work is done to code. If he did weaken the street, then that was bad planning on his part. Article also says that his neighbors were complaining. Not good. Seems the city should have had to prove he had weakened the street before taking action, however.
Property Owner Del Rio
Either (1) figure out a way to keep your projects quiet and out of sight of the neighbors, or (2) build elsewhere.
City of Austin
I thought you liked to “keep it weird in Austin”? What’s the problem? Was his weird not your brand? Sending SWAT and seizing property was your FIRST move? Overkill much?
American-Statesman News
- guns, war-memorobilia, and 50 gallon drums are common items. Why are you trying to make this elderly Veteran out to be dangerous?
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 1:37pm@IntransigentMind
I have a few friends who live in Texas who all say the same things. Progressives are ridiculous. They wreck their own local area, get fed up with the results of their own policies, and then migrate to another area to do it all over again.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:15pmGranola John
“O no global warming is going to destroy the world in 2 years aaahh!! ”
That would be the left not the right. I read in an australian paper, The Australian or news.com.au, about how “the Council” (read local Housing Council << It is a British/Commonwealth thing) condemned a retired couples retirement house shortly after they bought it, because man-made Global warming MAY cause it to be eroded by wave action in 50 or a 100 years.
Yes the left is that stupid & dictatorial.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:21pmGranola John
Yes the left does make people’s lives a living HeII for the sake of their theories.
“In the 1970s, the couple, now in their 80s, found it, a modest single-level brick house at 23 Illaroo Rd, Lake Cathie, a town on the NSW mid-north coast.
It’s simple bliss: Anne, a retired clerk, spends time keeping up her neat garden; Russell, a retired mechanic …
For Illaroo Road residents Kylie Outtrim, a nurse, and Stephen Hunt, a financial planner, yesterday marked “D Day” for making a property already devalued by council actions now unsellable. Illaroo Road is about 7m above mean sea level, so there’s no danger of flooding.”
http://junkscience.com/2012/03/24/fighting-on-the-beaches-as-council-orders-retreat-from-climate-change-threat/
Report Post »larrytrick
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:22pmDoes not matter where you goground penetrating radar will find it.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:25pmGranola Jon
Since you are a great psychologist, how many riots have there been around the world? What are they over? Will they get worse? The ones in China are getting more widespread & worse. The news doesn’t talk about it. What are the chances for riots in the U.S.? Are we immune?
I think the guys set up left a lot to be desired, but in some ways he is more cognizant of the situation than you.
Look up pictures of Korea town during the 1992 LA riots. It can & it does happen here.
Report Post »jagape
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:29pmHe did NOT call it a bunker…he called it a work space. Why is it that everyone goes by what the anti American media calls things instead of what the person accused says??
Report Post »KyleD
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:45pm@Zorro6821
City codes about building weren’t always in existence. It‘s a possibility they weren’t in existence when the bunker was made and as the article said this was common practice during the cold war.
Report Post »mils
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:06pmthis is an old story….
Report Post »Maji
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:21pmZorro as with others like you, If the man’s a moron you and he make two!
He’s am old man cut him some slack!
If you say it was code restrictions name them if you can.Were they pre-war? Post war?
Was the bunker started before the street was paved(makes a difference if you know city code!)??
Was it still a private street when the bunker was started?
Was any restictions “grandfathered” in or do you know or are you just an azz!
Cut the old man some slack he’s 72!
Report Post »Knight Templar
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:35pmDon‘t bother with GranolaJohn he’s an arrogant idiot.
Report Post »Maji
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:35pmGranolajohn….you know…you’re suppose to “Eat the Granola”
not smoke it!!
Right??
Report Post »Kevin The Elder
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:37pmSticks and stones will break my bones but legitimate everyday words will never hurt me. How dare The Blaze join the ranks of the insane by banning a perfectly legal word. The fifth comment down by @IntransigentMind is interrupted with asterisks because he used a word that is as common as a cold: carpet-******. Now I guess these brave neo Nazi editors who wield such banning power will complain to sports shows when someone hits a double or triple for a two-****** or three-******. I guess that they mean well and are looking to protect me from being labeled a tea-******. If that’s the worst that happened to me in my life, I will have lived a flawless life. Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-****** Carpet-******…
Report Post »Maji
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:46pmPs
Report Post »Have any of you guys ever been to New York City some of the most nasty things I’vve ever seen
live there!!
Just the pigeon crap alone when it rains and washes to the sidewalks will make you vomit!
That white stuff washing down on wall st. in a rain….bird poop!
FromSeaToSea
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:50pmThe blame for the gov. actions goes back 25 years. Who did this man vote for in the last 25 years of federal, state, and local elections. Did he vote for immoral, unjust, marxist, one world gov. officials? Who did You vote for in the last 25 years?
Did You vote against the United Nations? Did You vote for abolishing the Federal Reserve? Did You vote against marxist leaders? Did You compliain enough to those with ears about the UN and Federal Reserve?
My point is possibly You and most Americans are at fault for allowing the US to be a member of the UN, Obama being Prez., the Federal Reserve existing, and Your state and local officials being slave masters. YES WE THE PEOPLE ARE RESPONSIBLE. You have accepted the lies of the media and voted for the marxists. Unless people wake up, this is just the start.
“If we like it or not, we will have a One World Government. The question is if it will be achieved through consent or through conquest” – J. Warburg – (Rothschild banker)
“It is well enough that people of the nation do not understand our banking and monetary system, for if they did, I believe there would be a revolution before tomorrow morning.” – Henry Ford
“There will be a new form of global (one world) government.” David de Rothschild, Nov. 7, 2008
“If my sons did not want wars….there would be none.” Gutle Schnaper, wife of Mayer Amschel Rothschild
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:31pm@ granolaJon – Nope, no problems… $5 trillion in new debt in 3 years, no problem, bankrupting our childrens future with 4 years of record-busting deficits, no problem, printing an estimated $3 trillion in new money, no problem.
The problem will come when it all collapses – kind of like Greece right now.
So – Jon, we are just right-wing nuts clinging to God and guns – no need for you to prepare. Nothing will happen, and if something does, BARRACK HUSSEIN OBAMA WILL COME TO YOUR RESCUE!!! LOL!
For my conservative friends – BE PREPARED, and remember, DON’T FEED THE LIBS, THEY MULTIPLY LIKE RABBITS!
Report Post »muffythetuffy
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:32pmWill he be able to post his plans on the web and tell us how he did it without the town knowing. I think a meter reader came into the house and squealed. Texas has a lot of tornadoes so I wonder why they called it a Fallout Shelter. I live 40 miles line of site from NYC and have though about a fallout bomb shelter the trick is building one without anyone knowing.
Report Post »awestruck
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:35pmTo The Monk, (and everyone else who kept saying “pounds”) the article says 264 TONS of concrete were used to fill in his bunker.
Report Post »muffythetuffy
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:38pmThis story was not in any of the NYC area newspapers. How can they do this to a person’s home? Texas, I never thought this would happen in Texas. We thought Texas was a Free Nation.
Report Post »armyofnibiru
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 7:35pmactaung;actuang! how dare you zink you can defend yourself from sa city.aka feds, zieg hiel jon.
Report Post »phil1765
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 4:55amgranolajohn
Report Post »So because someone chooses to be prepared they are a lunatic right? Ever hear the story of the grasshopper and the ant? Don‘t come knocking at my door if you don’t have any food or water *****. Why do you even come on this site if everyone on here is a wingnut according to you?
mzk1
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 7:01amSo if I understand the trolls, the fact that you don‘t like a guy’s looks or way of life, is a good reason to ruin his life. I recall something like this in my native Baltimore.
I don’t know if Austin is a threat to our civil rights, but clearly people like you guys are.
Report Post »Dahveed
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 9:11pmWhat? You can’t have a basement under your house in Texas? Austin is the test-bed for the Nanny state. You want some freedom, then you’d better move. The only thing you’re free to do in Austin is be a drunk, druggie, pan-handling bum – the city is cool with that. But dig a basement under your home, and keep some survival supplies in it and they’re going to pump that full of concrete.
Report Post »perry1980
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:32amFilling up your home with concrete. That seems a bit excessive.
Report Post »The Bushmaster
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:51amThey could have just filled it in with sand, but I bet someone high up in local govt has ties to a concrete company… Concrete is super expensive. Especially when it has to be pumped…
Report Post »Pyronaught
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:25amYou can bet it took a hell of a lot more than “264 pounds of concrete,” whoever wrote that wasn’t thinking. You couldn’t even make a small patio with that small amount of concrete. One cement truck carries about 40,000 pounds of concrete, or 8 cubic yards. What they probably used was 264 cubic yards of cement, which would be about 33 truck loads.
Report Post »chips1
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:22pmWith that much cement, we could have build more of the wall keeping smelly dead bodies from the Mexican side of the border from spilling onto our side.
Report Post »Right wing nut job
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:59pmFilling the hole with concrete was HUGELY wasteful and excessive. Here’s a little perspective. True story, I just finished building a 24‘ X 30’ detached garage. I poured the floor 4″ thick. It took 9 cubic yards of concrete at just over $90.00 per yard! That doesn’t include the footer or the stemwall, just the floor. Now think about complely filling the area of the garage all the way to the roof trusses.
Report Post »Right wing nut job
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 1:20pmIf they had concerns about the structural strength they could have put in proper supporting structures for the house and retaining walls to prevent cave in for a fraction of what it cost to completely fill it with concrete. Someone had a stiffie for this guy.
Report Post »RodT82721
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:31amThis is more a story of Austin then anything else. Texas is suffering that fleeing-progressive ailment.
Over educated and also brain washed collage graduates, destroy their own areas, where ever they land after school. Their heads have been filled with progressive ideology, so they vote themself into bankruptcy. When they finally wake up to what the have done, the flee to some other location to avoid their own mess.
Unfortunately for Texas, with a climate more like CA, these progressives want to avoid the likes of gov Moonbeam, but they never change their voting habits, bringing the scourge of progressiveness with them.
Another good example is CO, headed down hill faster then TX, even with a harsher climate.
These progressives seem to have no idea, they are the cause of all their problems, not the tea party.
Report Post »Texas Chris
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:04amAustin is in Travis county, pretty much the only liberal county in Texas.
Report Post »Tom K
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:09pm@ RODT82721: Same problem in Florida; liberals ruin their home state in the Northeast and then move to the South and do it again. Florida needs an intelligence test for residency to weed out the liberal-socialist-knuckleheads. You see, ” We don’t give a dam* how ya’ll did it up North “.
Report Post »chdorb
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 5:55pmYou’ve got it right. Austin, Houston and now Dallas are in extreme danger of becoming Los Angeles, Beverly Hills and Silicone Valley. Vote early and vote informed before we are overrun.
Report Post »CharlesMartel
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:22pmTexas is too tolerant Yankees moving in. I aught to now I moved there in 1978.
When I moved to Florida in 1992, I thought the bumper stickers that said “I don’t care how you did it up North” were arrogant. Now, I see they were just common sense!
Report Post »EP46
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:19am“It also points out that war memorabilia and firearms were found in Del Rio’s bunker” …..can’t have that in America. Wow….you can’t have guns and build an Alamo in Texas anymore ?
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:38amIt’s gotten to where you have to move out of the cities, even the small cities to get away from the local gestapos.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:59amDid I read right that he said he bought it a couple years ago, and the previous owners built the bunker. He just expanded it to make it an office space? If that house is worth $172,000, how come I can’t get $162,000 for my almost 3,000 square foot house with hardwood floors, 5 bedrooms, 3.5 baths and a jucuzzi? Austin property must be much more expensive than Garland, TX.
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:52amI couldn’t help but notice the “Firearms Found” notation on the schematic.
This guy may be guilty of bad judgement but the fact that he had firearms in his house has nothing to do with the issue at hand. Liberal journalism at it’s finest.
Report Post »Mastermind
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:19amIf something bad were to happen that would require the use of the bunker in his home in order to survive, the same neighbors that turned him in would be begging to use it, too.
Report Post »Kafir-Islamsux
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:49amNot now…they filled it in…
Report Post »busterpuddles
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:18amI thought Texas was the last state with just a bit of freedom left. After reading this, I realize I was wrong. Where do we go now that the lefties haven’t turned to bodily waste?
Report Post »junior1971
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:39amVirginia is going to be the last free state standing if these vile demons are allowed to complete their little coup!
Report Post »KMM
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:58amAustin has always been liberal. The city council is inept and unqualified to do anything (just look at the roads and highways in the city for evidence of that). It’s just hard to vote them out with so many liberal/progressives living there. Texas, for the most part, is still massively conservative.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:18amJust try to avoid Austin. I live in the area and can’t wait to get the heck out. It’s turned into your typical godless, cesspool of stoner hippies and stoner commies. If you‘re wondering if you’re within the city limits of Austin, just look outside the window of your car or crack your window. If there are people panhandling on all 4 corners of the intersection and you smell pot smoke and BO you’re in Austin. Once you get outside of Austin it’s not so bad but the suicidal, inbred liberals are starting to find their way outside of the city. Like I said, I can’t wait for the day when I can put a for sale sign up in front of my house and probably head for the Dallas area. I grew up in this area and never remember it being this bad. Of course I was also a liberal for a while in my younger years so I thought it was great. Now I see it for what it is. The evil a-hole of Texas. I can’t wait to leave and never come back. Hate it here.
Report Post »TheSitRep
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:19amAustin has been infected with California progressive trash.
Report Post »My Two Cents
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:55amAustin has been a mecca for liberal nut jobs for decades.
Report Post »toomuchgovt
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:53pmIf you look at all the states, the capitals are always very liberal. Liberals move to the capitals to work, via government union jobs, activist (normally retired union workers) follow to keep the union jobs, the welfare follow to keep the government unions working and then the rest of them, that simple have nothing to do. Texas is lucky they have contained it to the capital.
From the pictures this guy did everything wrong. He used “automotive parts” as supports? Come on.
Report Post »Tom K
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:13pm@ BUSTERPUDDLES: Its Austin Texas – the ONLY liberal county in Texas. Pay attention ! The rest of Texas is Heaven on Earth, for now.
Report Post »SageInWaiting
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:16amAbout the “preparations” Glenn has been advocating (shelter, food, financial and physical protection), beware that for the good of the collective…. and all this for a “storm shelter.” (I mean, gee; don’t they say they grow EVERYTHING big in TX?)
Time to evacuate from the cities and, if you can, the country, I’m afraid. Many with the means already have.
Report Post »Colt_45
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:05amHe was getting ready for a war and he was going to be hiding.
Report Post »toomuchgovt
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:53am“House supported with wood, automotive parts and …” enough said.
Report Post »muffythetuffy
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:09amI planned to build a shelter like that one, now what do I do?
How did the government find out about his shelters. Guns, they found guns but guns are constitutional. 55 Gallon drums, Oh My God, he must have planned to use them for water. The shelter is no good unless its secret. While everyone else in the neighborhood is walking around like Zombies with their hair, teeth, and flesh falling off, you are safe underground. If these neighbors knew you had a shelter with food, they would want in.
Report Post »PATTY HENRY
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:27amThere is a reason for requiring BUILDING PERMITS. If what you build is without inspection, not only do you endanger yourself and your family, but in this case: the public roadway. Not everything is a slam against our freedom, Heaven knows I’m a supporter of FREEDOM…but this was a dangerous
Report Post »and impactful bit of construction (or lack of it) .
txannie
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:46amThis is what Austin is becoming, that‘s why it’s being called cali-east. So many from california moving here it is now a citywide ordinance banning any plastic bags. You will be fined if they find you with anything other than a cloth or some other “natural” type of bag. This bunker is just an excuse to move an old man out of a home that is in a very valuable area of town. Beware the infiltration of liberals. They’ll take what you have and line their pockets with the proceeds in the name of safety for the community or any other reason they can find.
Report Post »Red Bubba
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:21amFined for possession of a plastic bag?
Report Post »That would be wierd if (just saying) packages of plastic bags started arriving at city hall.
FireMall
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:36pmI can‘t recall all here whom I would like to respond to so I’ll wing it.
#1– 264 pounds of concrete ? Geeez It isn‘t hard to see a Liberal Basement dweller that hasn’t a clue about real world things wrote this article.
If the writer meant 264 cubic Yards of cement , this would be more in line with filling the enormous cellar. Problem is that concrete cost $90.00 a yard in West Texas and likely is $120.oo + pumping at around $50-75 per yard in goofy azzed Austin.
As usual, The Liberal Socialist City council can’t even believably lie with their figures or lie to keep the truth hidden. As Usual.
#2– I suspect this house And so called Bunker was built long before the City annexed the area. Thus the Grandfather clause would apply to the house as it stood before annexation..
#3– Someone here assumed the city was trying to pull an Eminent Domain gig on the property . That’s a possibility considering the excessive use of Eminent Domain by private developer / Gov partnerships. It would cost millions to dig up anytime later for a development project, highway ,etc.
Report Post »Which goes along with the Lib’s habit of crapping in their own roost.
Ref: Cowboy stadium in Irving Tex. Many low income homeowners got screwed there as well as the low income North Overton district redevelopment east of Texas Tech in Lubbock also.
The developer that partnered with the Irving & Lubbock city council was & is one & the same in Lubbock & Irving
klevalt
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:38amLove the schematic! I am going to start mine this week!!! Who will know???
Report Post »caleejr
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:30amnow that you posted – the TSA – Homeland Security – the FBI – and every other gov’t agency knows. LOLOLOL
Report Post »Haxhi
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:28amThe us as our founders designed it is gone we are looking at its ghost wake up America you are living in an illusion you think you are free you think you own property but you are not we are in a dream wake up and see reality America is over we are slaves to the gov and it will get worse they are killing those that would dare to question their illusion or their motives we are in the matrix we are living the matrix just enough normalcy to keep us from seeing the truth we struggle for that which is already gone
Report Post »bumfuzeled
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:19pmIf this old man had been a true Texan he would be firing his last shot from his front porch as they came to take his home…..but you have to build safely. What good is a hole if it collapses taking you, your neighbors and a good chunk of a city street with you. His neighbors would be suing the government if they let this sort of haphazard construction go on to tragic ends.
Report Post »lawrench
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:25amThe Liberal Capital of the South, Austin is known for many liberal policies. I lived there one time, a friend of mine moved from Austin to Houston, I asked him why, and he said “ I would like to be able to support my family”. Austin has a high cost of living. Many students at UT do not move away after graduating, and they keep the workforce in high compitition which keeps wages low. While these kids end up being pretty liberal. Before I moved away, if I wanted to put a deck in my backyard, the permit would cost me $1000.00. The City of Austin also owns the Electricity supply in the City Limits as well as water and Sewage, which they are not afraid of charging you. Many times in the summer my Electricity bill was over $500.00/month and this was in the 80‘s and early 90’s. Austin is a nice place to live if you want to remain poor.
Report Post »SpankDaMonkey
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:24am.
I keep trying to tell ya’ll TEXAS SUCKS……..
How much more proof do ya’ll need?……
Report Post »lawrench
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:36amNO! Texas does not suck, Oklahoma does. That is why Texas has not fell into the Gulf of Mexico.
Report Post »Blazebanned
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:47am@Spank
Report Post »Painting with a broad brush there, are’nt you buddy.Obviously, you have never been to Texas,,so i wouldnt be so quick to judge.First, Austin, Dallas, Houston etc, are all full of california,new york new jersey, and michigan rejects,who have come here,after destroying their home states with their liberal ways.Second,having college students from out of state, (of which, 90% are liberal) able to vote in state and local elections has ruined the major cities here in Texas.Im 53 years old, an Austin native,and have watched this town destroyed by liberal pukes from outside the state. Yes we have our problems,but its funny, that when you yankees and west coast wussies destroy your own states, you run here to live.There used to be a bumper sticker i had on one of my trucks that read, “Keep Texas beautiful, put a yankee on a bus”,i would just like to expand that to include, californicators and wet-backs…….
Tigress1
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:09amThanks for the info. I heard that Texas was having problems after they opened their doors to all the New Orleans Katrina victims, but I didn’t know that about all the other libs invading Texas. I always thought they were a nice Conservative state. They were on my list of states to flee to if TN ever got too liberal. Now I must reconsider…
Report Post »Sirfoldallot
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:44amIt‘s Kansas that sux’s the hardest, it keeps both states from going into the Gulf of Mexico.
Report Post »Xiccarph
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:51amTexas should have stayed a Republic. It will rot from within just like the rest of us. Remember, when libs control the cities of a state, they own the whole state, plain and simple.
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:06amI live in Garland (so close to Dallas, you have to watch for signs of when you crossed over into Dallas). Garland is still mostly conservative, but Dallas is, like they said, east-California. My brother in law is a big liberal, and he couldn’t stand living in Garland, had to move to Dallas. He loves it there. Bet he won’t when AT&T starts their lay offs due to Obama’s policies, or he loses his health care because they’d rather pay the fine than provide insurance to everyone. The best thing Texas could do is get an immigration policy like Arizona, then all the illegals would leave.
And I like the comment about Oklahoma sucking and keeping Texas from falling into the gulf….funny.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:21amFrenchy’s back….
Report Post »Here come de judge….
bumfuzeled
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:03pmKeep spanking there monkey. We all know how jealous you are that Texas won’t let you in.
Report Post »devildogger
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:48pmI lived in Austin for 26 years and it WAS a great place to live, until Dell Computer took off. Unable to staff the growth of his company locally, Dell started importing employees from Silicon Valley. The prices on real estate became ridiculous. For a while, Austin TX was the 3rd most expensive real estate market IN THE COUNTRY; San Francisco, Washington DC and Austin. And it was because of the Californians who left the sh*thole that is The Golden State. But, it seems to have been mostly conservatives who left the mess wrought by the socialists. The left wingers are still in Cali sucking on an almost dry teat.
Report Post »Gratitude
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 12:58am@ BlazeBanned
Report Post »We have the same issue here in Colorado!!! The Californians have already turned this once great state into their new liberal state, made in the image of what they ran from.
Somehow we need to take over the education system and do to them (in a good way) what they have done to us. ?? How I don’t know.
mikenleeds
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:17amsounds just like they did people in Nazi Germany ..
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:15amI‘m all for small government and being able to do what you want as lang as it doesn’t harm someone else.In the story it’s a little vague as to weather he harmed his neighbors,something about holes in the yard,who’s yard? The neighbors property or are they claiming Del Rio’s bunker caused holes in their property? If his bunker is harming someone else that’s not very libertarian of him.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:59am‘long’
Report Post »raderby
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:49pmlooking at the hard pan that cylindrical hole has, he could dig down another 100 feet and not bug his neighbors, nor cause structural concerns.
Report Post »brntout
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:15amMust have been huge if it only required 264 ponds of concrete to fill it in!
Report Post »brntout
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:54amSorry,“pounds”.
Report Post »BaconSlinger
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:06amThat was the same thing I was thinking. Sure was an awful lot of concrete trucks for approx. 3.25 of the 80 pound bags. My guess is somebody mis-understood. 264 yards maybe?
Report Post »shvlruss
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:03pmA liberal paper, and a liberal reporter.They are so smart, they don`t ever check their facts before printing!
Report Post »chips1
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:34pmIt’s just like the government to lowball the estimate of cement they will need.
Report Post »Full Throttle
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:17pmAt the very end of the article it says correction from “pounds” to “tons”. They need to hire a better proofreader if they have one at all.
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:14pmIt being a city engineer that estimated the project I can understand them not knowing the difference between pounds, square yards, cubic yards and tonnage. Like all city projects they are estimated on a computer in an office without any reference to the real world.
Report Post »FeliciaJewel
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:10amAs a property owner we do not own our properties. The cities/Twp. let you know 2 times a year that you are renting. I am so sick of the goverment comming in and telling you what you can and can not have. Long arm of the law stikes again!!!! 72 years old!!! Leave that man alone!
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:33amToo true. Unless you have an allodial title, you only own the improvements above grade. Technically, if you were putting in a fence or flowerbed and found and 100 pound diamond, the city or more likely the developer of the land would be the “lawful” owner of said mineral and they could sue you for it in an instant and win. It was a dull and ignorant move to separate property and mineral rights. Extremely stupid move indeed. If we had never made this move as a nation, then nearly every homeowner would receive a royalty from nearby oil and gas wells.
Also, under an allodial title, the landowner is the sovereign and no foreign entity (government or otherwise) can come onto your land and act with impunity. Just look at the King Ranch in Texas. It is held in allodial title and you will never see a trespasser or the police on that property without a written invitation. It is too bad that Texas is the only state left that allows for real ownership of land via the allodial title.
Report Post »FeliciaJewel
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:41amI live in Michigan and we are under attack, property owners here beware! My husband and I have talked about moving to Texas. It seems Texas is the last place in the US with -some- true freedoms left. I get worried every time I hear Texas residents are under attack from the government. We all say what if the US is destroyed where will people go? If Texas is destroyed where will Michiganders go?
Report Post »:(
Tom K
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:50pm@ FELICIAJEWEL : Americans MUST change the tax structure. You DO NOT really own your property, ever. Even when your mortgage is paid you must pay property taxes to support the ever failing government school system, plus fees, etc. Even when you die, there are more taxes to be paid by your survivors. We MUST get government off of our backs. Take America Back !
Report Post »BeingThere
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:07amI don’t agree with the way this was handled, but he is in the wrong. You can’t just dig a big hole under your house, he‘s lucky they didn’t have to remove his body from under his collapsed house.
Report Post »the_system_disconnect
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:24amBecause it‘s the government’s job to make sure you’re safe on your own property……
Report Post »mitchrx7
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:32amIn America, We have freedom to fail.
Report Post »FeliciaJewel
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:32amAs stated, the guy said it was sound in 2009 after retaining wall was put in. If he is not hurting anyone why not have a fall out shelter? So should we stop putting in basements? I understand your point that he may get hurt… but I am sure he did not build this shelter in hopes to be crushed. I have had some arguments with people about the building materirals we have to use in building our homes… 2×4′s are not really 2×4 are they? What we can cut in our back yard and use to build is problably safer than these stamed peices of wood you buy at the local lumber yard, our 2×4′s are true. You can not possibly be responsible enough to build your home? So says the govenment! After all we want our homes to crash on us while eating dinner. The guy is 72, I am sure he is smart and wise enough to protect himself, making sure it is sound.
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:34amDid you miss the part where a structural engineer working for the city deemed it safe???
Report Post »FeliciaJewel
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:50amAs stated in my first sentence, the guy deemed it safe in 2009.
Report Post »deeberj
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:18amBeingthere – so you agree with the concept of a nanny state gov’t? You must if you think he can’t do what he wants on his own property.
Report Post »Xiccarph
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 11:10am@FeliciaJewel All lumber measurements are fresh cut dimensions. A 2×4 is 2“ by 4” when cut fresh at the mill. The drying process and planing of the dried/treated board reduces it to an industry standard 1.5 x3.5″. DYI’s can cut, dry or plane (or not) as they wish, but boards can then have different dimensions and have the problems associated with that when used in building something. The cut size vs finished size has been standardized in the construction industry for obvious reasons.
Report Post »DIR
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:00pmThere is something fishy with this story. Building Departments usually slap a notice of violation when certain uninspected work has been done to one’s home, Generally a permit is required, in this case a structural engineer will have to certify the work (make sure the shelter is safe. If it isn’t, the owner is required to bring it to code. Generally, if one doesn‘t pull permits or do work necessary the city isn’t empowered to seize private porperty. Officials have their ways to get offenders to comply, like making one;s property impossible to sell or finance. If the building is provably some kind of threat to public safety then county officials can step in and do what is necessary to protect the public good. It doesn’t sound like the structure (house or shelter) have any problems whatsoever, it was oked by an engineer in this article. Either the story isn’t accurate or there is something strange going on that the city/county condemned and took possession of this man’s property. I didn’t see anyting about a court order or lawsuit. I say Fishy!
Report Post »BeingThere
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 4:40pmI was wrong, I take back what I said.
Report Post »BruceB
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:06amNever Mind
Report Post »BruceB
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:05am1st
Report Post »Oldphoto678
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:05amGood! You can‘t just do anything you want if you’re going to live in close proximity to other people.
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:58amI cant believe He thought because he owned a piece of property ,
Report Post »he could do whatever he wanted on it. What country does he think he’s in..?
Only the Government in this country, is allowed to do whatever they want.
and get awy with it.
deeberj
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:16amIf you think about it no one really owns their own property anyway. Try not paying your land use fee, I mean property taxes, to the local gov’t and see what happens. They take your house and land. It’s not yours; it’s theirs and they let you use it for a fee.
Report Post »gperky
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:45pmThat’s right. Freedom is only free to left wing libs and you have to have a permit at that! That way, when the Chinese take over, our government officials will know where to hide!
Report Post »johnjamison
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:03amWelcome to austin texas or as I call it Nazi Germany. How dare he build something on the property he owns without paying the state,
Report Post »missy8s
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:01amThat would be 264 “yards” of concrete not “pounds”….
Report Post »EP46
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 10:21amit was liberals….weighing the trucks …lol
Report Post »Full Throttle
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:14pmIf you look at the very end of the article, in italics is a note that the article was corrected to refer to “tons” of concrete, not “pounds”.
Report Post »Individualism
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:00amTexas is such a police state civil liberties don’t exist there.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:09amThey do need to throw their Congressmen out.
Report Post »therealconservative
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:11amAnd Ron Paul is one of their Congressman
Report Post »NeoFan
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:35amTurns out Ron Paul is tied to Soros.
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 9:44amAhem! Ron Paul is their Representative at the FEDERAL level. These types of actions are the result of city and possibly state level idiocy and they do have a state congress I am sure. Furthermore, you can go to freaking hell for not liking Ron Paul. He is for real Liberty, unlike the R’s, D’s, and OWS’ers who all just want to use larger and more powerful government to control the Citizens of this nation in the way that they see fit.
“RealConservative” You are truly a conservative. You want to keep big government and our increasing national debt so that one day we can all be slaves. I don’t want to conserve anything but our natural and Constitutionally confirmed rights. The rest of this government can get tossed the hell out of the window and replaced with about 5 pages of 12 point, double spaced, Times New Roman.
Report Post »Weiners Wiener
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 2:24pmNEOFAN — Lemme guess.. You’re @Hal2012 on Twitter, right?
Report Post »PubliusMaximus
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 6:12pmCalm down… take your medication.
Texas is a wonderful place, if we could just somehow build a wall around Austin. And friends, in the years ahead, remember Texas was an independent Republic once, and it wouldn’t take all that much for us to be one again. And we have some of the only saltwater ports not in the hands of liberal states.
Report Post »devildogger
Posted on May 16, 2012 at 12:26amAnd what, pray tell, are the civil liberties lacking in Texas, sport? Please be specific so as to not present yourself as a bigger jackass of idiotism than you have already done.
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