For those of you who are thinking about building your studio without getting a permit, you better think twice. This happened in my town. Think a stop work order is bad? It could be a blessing.
I always figure that building codes are there to:
a) keep me from killing myself, because they were written as the result of coroner's inquests,
b) the local building department knows a lot about the buildings and environment in my area that internet people don't know, and certainly a lot more about structural engineering, and
c) since not getting a permit likely voids insurance, it's silly to have paid for insurance you no longer have.