I Don't Get The Logic...

The nice folks at the Richfield City Hall called to tell me that my plans for a pergola had been approved for a Building Permit.  For only $105.25, I can go down to City Hall legally build a pergola.

The permit fee is going to be my largest expense in this whole project.  Now, I know that is misleading because I am using a lot of wood from the first time we built a pergola.  Perhaps the fees are designed to help pay for all the inspectors and their support staff.  I can't imagine what the fee would be if I was adding a chimney or a second floor.  Scary.

The fee is almost a disincentive to build using the permit system...

This hole is located near our back stoop.  So far during this project I have pulled two dead vols out of this bad boy.  There are two holes just above the form, on the bottom side of the photo, where the vols seem to have been traveling north and south.  This hole has interrupted their throughway and the poor vols climb up their tunnel and then fall into the hole.  Their holes are the size of a quarter, which I guess means the vol can climb out using his/her back to press against the tunnel as they climb.  Once they get in the big hole the vols apparently can't climb out.

I hope to get the posts for the holes today, so that I can put dirt back in the hole soon, and stop the demise of my earthly buddies.