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Officials Use Google Earth To Find Unlicensed Pools

Posted by samzenpus on from the eye-in-the-sky dept.

Officials in Riverhead, New York are using Google Earth to root out the owners of unlicensed pools. So far they've found 250 illegal pools and collected $75,000 in fines and fees. Of course not everyone thinks that a city should be spending time looking at aerial pictures of backyards. from the article: "Lillie Coney, associate director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, DC, said Google Earth was promoted as an aid to curious travelers but has become a tool for cash-hungry local governments. 'The technology is going so far ahead of what people think is possible, and there is too little discussion about community norms,' she said."

6 of 650 comments (clear)

  1. This is an appropriate use. by molo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It is the government office saving money instead of hiring a plane to fly over the neighborhood and take pictures. Or are you going to say that you have a right to privacy from the air? Get real. A $300 fine ($75,000 / 250) doesn't sound excessive for a permit violation either. Now all those pools also need to be inspected for possible code violations. That is where it might get expensive.

    -molo

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    1. Re:This is an appropriate use. by Mastadex · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I agree. They are essentially DOING THEIR JOB but with the added efficiency of Google Earth. I don't see a problem here.

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  2. When a pool fails... by crow · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I had a friend who had a neighbor with an unlicensed above-ground pool. I'm not sure what went wrong, but one day it collapsed, sending all of the water into my friend's back yard, destroying everything there. Building permits are required for good reasons, and they're usually dirt cheap (less than 1% of the project cost). If you're hiring a contractor who doesn't get a building permit, then they're probably not doing it to save you money, but to allow them to skimp on important building code details that might end up costing you a huge amount.

  3. Re:They collected $75,000... by Volante3192 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    A swimming pool is a massive adjustment to the landscape, involving excavation multiple feet down. You don't know what pipes or wires might be down there. And what if you're on a hill and it breaks because it wasn't properly made, causing a landslide?

    Note, by the way, in the BODY of the article, the word 'license' never shows up. Instead they use variations on 'permit' which sounds much more logical. If you want a pool, you get an inspector, they ensure there's no rogue wiring or geographic problems, they tell the city, then you get your zone permitted to install a pool.

  4. Re:They collected $75,000... by Critical+Facilities · · Score: 5, Informative

    If you want a pool, you get an inspector, they ensure there's no rogue wiring or geographic problems,

    On a slight tangent, sometimes a proper permit/inspection can prevent a tragedy.

  5. Re:They collected $75,000... by toadlife · · Score: 5, Informative

    I don't really see how any form of pool malfunction could possibly damage a neighbor's property,

    Pools without gates tend to kill small children. Also pools without double drains tend to suck the innards out of people. Those are two things are usually required and checked as a part of the permit process.

    Truth is, you are just another liberal sado masochist

    Truth is you're just a self centered prick who does get the point of civilization.

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