Tennessee Native Lumber law

[deadfall]

Deadfall,
Is the rural class K only the north coast?  Wonder if we could get a bill like this introduced in California - or is Georgia Pacific, and the like, too powerful?

Here's what I wrote:

In the early '80s in California, there was a governmental assault in Northern California to get rid of the riffraff and hippies who were building their own homes in an effort to get back to the land with less than a quarter million dollars.  If I remember the story right, someone whose front door got tagged with an oder to vacate was a friend of Linda Ronstadt, then Governor Moonbeam's GF.  It was one of those little miracles and in the end, Mendocino County adopted what became known as, "Class K" building code.  As I remember, it involved staying code for sewer, electric, and fire, and a transparency, in that one could not represent any building as being anything, code-wise, except what it was as an owner built home.  Seems fair enough, yes?  So, why can't any rural area have class K?

So, this was in CA.  Whether it's in your county or not, I can't say.  But it was the state that stepped in and made it happen.

A quick search found these:

http://www.bbarksdale.com/index.php/class-k-the-alternative-building-code

http://www.permies.com/t/28290/natural-building/building-codes-building-dept-counties

[Ljohnsaw]

Yes, I know it was in California, the "North Coast" or "Lost Coast".  I also found the links you mentioned.  In one, they mention that the Class K for Mendocino County, aka north coast, was worked into the Title 25 code.  I'm building under Title 25 but I find no such reference to relaxed inspections.  I was hoping someone has figured this out before.  Its no fun re-inventing the wheel.  I am treading lightly with the building department, don't want to get on their bad side.  My first inspection (pre-footing pour) when reasonably well and the inspector (who I will see for all other inspections) was impressed at my structure I intend to build.  However, my real goal it to be able to use my native lumber for structural.  No luck there so far.  My engineer will "approve" my timbers via photos or Skype.  Only I don't have good cell reception let alone internet at the site.  I'm hoping I can email lots of pictures from home that he can view, stamp and send them back to me for the inspector's "approval".  It would be so much easier to just point to some code and say to the inspector, "I'm good".

[SineWave]

That is excellent news. Depending on the outcome I may try, or get together a group to try to get similar legislation passed in VA. I'm sure it will be tough, but maybe if TN and NC have similar laws it will make it easier. I think everyone should have the right to build their own house using ones own lumber.

Verticaltrx - Did you ever try to get this going? I'm thinking of writing to my guys in Richmond about it.

Jeff

[just_sawing]

Is this on the agenda now

[stihlsawer]

Is this on the agenda now

DONE DEAL a few months back!! Thank you TN Andy for your hard work on this and everyone else that bent the ear of our legislators.
UT Ag Extension is working out the course particulars now. I just shot him an email waiting for his reply. MTF


Trever

[Don P]

That is good news! Please do post class details when they become available.

In VA, I've trained with a grading agency, even tried to get the inspectors trained and would be more than happy to be certified by a neighboring state. I just politely let them know that I sit in the finest forest in the world, trained, capable and waiting for them to wake up. If they had one person a week sending them a letter saying that...

It also takes constant vigilance, those who feel they "lost" are always looking for places to begin chipping away. It took some effort recently to keep horse barns ag exempt here. You have to know the law and pay attention to know when they are taking advantage or altering it. This is a right in TN now, know it, protect it, and broadcast it widely.

aside, NC had and I believe still has an exemption that allows you to build your residence out of trees from your land.

[submarinesailor]

Does anyone have a link to the TN law so I can read, copy and forward it to my VA state reps?

Bruce

[Don P]

Hey Bruce,
This is what google turned up, looks like the end is clipped?
https://legiscan.com/TN/text/SB0822/2015

I didn't see that this is for residential only.

[submarinesailor]

Don,

Thanks for the link.

Bruce

[stihlsawer]

Does anyone have a link to the TN law so I can read, copy and forward it to my VA state reps?

Bruce

"As enacted, enacts the "Tennessee Native Species Lumber Act." - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 43, Chapter 28, Part 3 and Title 68, Chapter 120"

link is: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Bill/SB0822.pdf

Trever

[Don P]

There's the residential clause,

"End user" means any person who purchases native lumber from a commercial sawmill for the purpose of residential construction;

[stihlsawer]

Does anyone have a link to the TN law so I can read, copy and forward it to my VA state reps?

Bruce

"As enacted, enacts the "Tennessee Native Species Lumber Act." - Amends TCA Title 5; Title 6; Title 43, Chapter 28, Part 3 and Title 68, Chapter 120"

link is: http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/109/Bill/SB0822.pdf

Trever

http://www.lexisnexis.com/hottopics/tncode/
Look under Title 43, Chapter 28, Part 3, Tenn. Native Species Lumber Act

Hopefully that works. Still waiting to hear back from the UT Ag Extension on courses.

Trever

[stihlsawer]

Update from the UT AG Extension as of a few hours ago. The UT AG Extension is working out the details and how to implement the training now. It will take the extension a little while to implement the training.

Trever

[just_sawing]

From what I am not seeing it appears that TN extension agency has dropped the ball. I have tried to find out and found nothing.  

[Solar_HoneyBee0]

Andy,

If I understood the post, you're saying that someone cannot build a building on their own property with lumber that is milled by themselves? The lumber needs to be stamped? I honestly don't know where the stamp comes from. Is this correct? If not, just ignore my post. :D

I only ask for clarification because I had a neighbor just go through something similar a few weeks back. Cut off a 40 and milled his own lumber and built a beautiful pole barn/shed out of it. Well, the local inspector shows up one day (i wouldn't believe it if I wasn't there myself) and asks when he put the building up. He took a walk through it and stated something to the affect "you don't have any stamped (he called it something else) lumber do you?" Well the neighbor said "No, I milled the lumber myself". The inspector told him that he had to brace everything with stamped lumber and redo the truss work. If he didn't comply within 14 days then everyday afterwards he would be getting a fine. He did in fact get 4 days worth of fines before he started building. I think by the time it was all said and done he had around 13 days of fines. No refund or anything, just have to pay the fine and the cost of the new lumber.

It's a crazy world we live in. Rather interesting to see this type of stuff going on in other states.