Sacramento County oulaws home car repair

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California leads the way again!

 

County in California makes it almost illegal to repair your car at home

Sacramento County outlaws restricts amateur mechanics to using only household tools

by Matthew Guy   | 1 day ago

Residents of Sacramento County may be in a bit of a bind the next time they elect to take on a car repair in their own garage. At issue are the county’s zoning codes, some of which are worded with a vagueness that would make a politician proud.

First expounded upon at the Grassroots Motorsports forum and brought into the mainstream consciousness by the gearheads at Jalopnik, the lawmakers have cleaved the activity of “auto repair” into two buckets: minor and major.

“Minor automotive repair” is listed as including brake part replacement, minor tune-ups, change of oil and filter, repair of flat tires, lubrication and “other similar operations.”

“Major repairs” are considered anything outside that scope, plus body or painting work of vehicles or vehicle parts. This is presumably meant to ward off ne’er-do-wells from setting up a chop shop or paint booth in their backyard.

Here’s the sticky part, though. The zoning law goes on to state it is unlawful to engage in even minor repair under the following circumstances:

If using tools not normally found in a residence;

When conducted on vehicles registered to persons not currently residing on the lot or parcel;

Conducted outside a fully enclosed garage and resulting in any vehicle being inoperable for a period in excess of twenty-four hours.

Number one on that list has a few people up in arms. What constitutes “tools not normally found in a residence”? Is it a welder? Air tools? Torque wrench? All of those reside in your author’s suburban garage and see weekly use.

https://driving.ca/auto-news/news/county-in-california-makes-it-almost-i...

And people say that Democrats over regulate.  Crazy talk!

How often do people work on their own car? 

Hey Thom in NJ the politicians and rabbis engage in human organ trafficking, just so you know. 

"How often do people work on their own car?"

Given how difficult they make it to even change spark plugs these days this is a fait question.  But just because fewer people do something isn't a reason for government to stick their hands into it.

That's interesting Bucky.  But please tell me what it has to do with the topic at hand.  You seem to have trouble staying on topic.  Off your meds?

You’re a stupid ingenuous cunt that’s what it has to do with your post, you fucking creep. I hope you get run over on 6th Avenue at that Wilco show you fucking piece of shit. You deserve a hot poker straight up your ass for the amount of bullshit you post around here. 

Sorry I’m off of my meds asshole. 

 

Dude's outraged about a home car repair ban, but is alright with kids being put in cages

"Cunt" is appropriate in this case, off or on meds yes

Given the tight proximity of houses in many Sacto neighborhoods, as well as the varying degree of human species (gang bangers, white trash, the unemployed) who happen to populate the area, this looks to be a sound and reasonable law. 

Thom if you live next to a house where they were painting and banging on cars all day, you'd be the first person to call the cops. 

 

thom, why do you hate car repair businesses?

 

there was a good discussion of this at Jalopnik last week, which noted that this kind of law is quite common, it's not limited to California or Sacto. But nobody knows about it until their neighbors bitch.

I used to work on my own cars, but the new one (Mazda) is basically designed to require being put up on a lift for anything. 

Republicans love government regulations when it comes to abortion, substances, voting, lyrics, marriage, and hairstyles, but you’ll have to pry the socket wrench from their cold dead hands.

As a Sacramento County resident I want to check in as safe from the car repair riots that are sure to form any minute.

Stay safe!

 - namaste

>>And people say that Democrats over regulate.  Crazy talk!
When the 2015 ordnance went into effect, 2 of the 5 Sac county supervisors were affiliated with the Democratic party. One was(is) Republican and the other 2 listed as non-affiliated.
Also, here is the full text of the 2018 amended Sac County zoning laws: http://www.per.saccounty.net/LandUseRegulationDocuments/Documents/Zoning...
The section referred to in the article is from 5.2.0.B
As for people working on their cars in Sac county, it happens all the time. I think it's kind of like not using your turn indicator or signaling when attempting a turn or changing lanes. While there is a law on the books, I know of no one who has ever been cited for it.

My buddy's dad will be fixing my truck at his house this weekend.  He does it all the time. Not sure how this suddenly became an issue, was there a court case or something?  I suspect this is one of those laws with enforcement that is color-coded.  Read a story the other day about an african-american criminal defense attorney who has this one code enforcement officer who is after her for everything, like the tire on her car being two inches off the driveway.