Brickbats

Move It Or Lose It

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In Chevy Chase, Maryland, building officials have given Marc and Marianne Duffy just two choices: Move their home 1.7 feet or demolish it. The battle between the two sides began when the Duffys began to remodel the house, which was built in 1923. Montgomery County officials originally gave them permits for the work, but they tried to rescind them after neighbors complained. The dispute centers on whether the Duffys are renovating the home or rebuilding it. If it's the latter, that means that it would have to conform to current setback requirements rather than stay where it has been for the past 83 years.