Imagine putting up a new building on your property, going through the necessary channels to get permits, then in the middle of construction being told you have to take it down.

That's the reality for Poland resident Alan Dirienzo, who moved to the area about three years ago.  Already an owner of an in-ground pool, he had a vision for a pool house

 

 

"I was thinking a bathroom area for the kids to change, a place to put all the pool stuff so it's not sitting out," Dirienzo said while showing 21 News reporter Corey McCrae around the structure.

On April 21st, he obtained permits though the Poland Village Zoning office, and county, before starting construction.  However, three weeks, and $67,000 dollars into the project, Alan received a letter in the mail.

"I got a notice to correct violation, which there was no violation on there, and they issued me a stop work order," Dirienzo explained.  The letter saying a mistake was made and the permits should not have been issued.

For the next two weeks, those permits would be under review, in the meantime, contractors continued working on the project.

"At one point they actually sent the police...I don't know exactly what he said to the gentleman, that was working but basically that he had to stop or else he could fine him," Dirienzo added.

The permits would eventually be rescinded, and Dirienzo was given 14 days to have the structure taken down.  He then applied for a variance, in other words, a request to the zoning board of appeals that would allow for the structure to deviate from original zoning requirements.  The 14-day countdown was put on pause, until the variance request was denied.

Timothy Clavin, Poland zoning administrator, told 21 News, that he made a mistake in the permitting process.  The submission was originally classified as garage, but upon finding that the zoning requirements for a garage couldn't be met, the pool house then became an accessory building.  However, the pool house exceeded the 500 sq. ft. ordinance for an accessory building.  

Nearly finished with stage one as most of the structural work had been done, Alan was completely unaware of these zoning requirements.

"That's why I applied for a permit because I don't know their zoning codes, I figured if I got a permit I was okay to build it," Dirienzo explained.

Alan says the the $100 demolition permit was waived, and he was refunded the original permit money, but that amount far less than the $67,000 he invested, as well as the demolition costs he would incur. 

Timothy Clavin also tells 21 News that Dirienzo could file a claim with the Village's insurance, a step Dirienzo says, he's looked in to.

"When we asked, 'are you saying your insurance is going to cover the cost of the building and demolition', they said 'we can't speak for the insurance, that's up to them.' "

Alan says he's filed a petition for a stay with the court of common pleas, which will prohibit any action to the pool house until further resolution has been reached.