My city just passed a city ordinance that requires all LFLs to be registered (with a $50 fee) and to have building plat submitted for approval. Seriously. I freaking building plat. I'm just wondering how other cities treat these because I find this to be utterly ridiculous. We have about 4 LFLs within a few blocks of our house and one of my daughters favorite things is to go for a walk and bring a book to exchange. I would hate to see people stop building these simply because our city government feels the need to regulate every little thing. And for those that don't know what a Little Free Library is, its just a box, about the size of a mailbox that people put in their yard for people to exchange books. I really like them as I feel it promotes community.
Never heard of them and it is not done around here. I suspect they would not be regulated. And yes, I think what you describe is ridiculous. Up here, many rural people build little tiny houses (almost deer blind size) for their kids to be able to stand in while waiting for the bus at the end of the driveway. Of course you don’t have to worry about -10 deg temps down there very often. Its very common up here. These are the closest thing I can come up with that applies locally and they are not regulated. Sounds like they just want to generate revenue.
I noticed one of these at a local metro park last weekend. I would assume that if people were to put them on their property that local government would want to regulate it. It's really a shame.
I don't think there needs to be fee, but I'm not sure that having where and what is being built looked at is a bad idea. I see potential risk if they are not placed safely, if they are not placed back from the sidewalk, I could easily see kids on bikes running into them and getting injured. if they are built big, which is a possibility in this country they could block visibility at corners. It might be better to approve where and what is built ahead rather than having to remove or move later.
Last year the city went around and put chains on all of them because they said they were illegal commerce. People had to explain that it was just an exchange system. Now they say regulation is needed because the LFLs could block traffic or driveways. Like people are putting them in their own driveways or in the streets. This type of government interference is maddening.
I'm hoping that just like the first time the city came after them, that enough residents fight this to get some type of repeal. And I'm not against common sense regulation like requiring them to be built a certain distance from roads/sidewalks or a maximum size limit. But the money grab and having to submit a building plat? Come on.
Never heard of them but what a great idea. As you said, I can see the need for some guidelines as distance from road, etc. but this is definitely over reach. Keep us posted on the outcome and good luck.
I have never heard of or seen those before but my kids and nephews would absolutely love those. That's really sad but not surprising in the least, unfortunately. Government just sucks...
[video]http://fox13now.com/2014/02/16/uniquely-utah-little-free-libraries/#ooid=hmeDlwazpryzx9AbtW5A51BMhfmv8h8N[/video] Here in rural Utah, nobody is going to freak out about a little box in your front yard. (people have goats tied up in their front yards and no one cares) If you asked, the local boy scouts or youth church group would happily build one and install it for you.
BJE80, there was a little suburb around Milwaukee here at one time that banned these things, I can' tremember what suburb and it was a while ago. People try to do something that would help others out and politics has to step in a squash the whole thing, even if it is doing some good. The suburb I llive in I know has two of these that I have seen so far. Knowing them they probably wanted a permit to put them up !!!!
