Permit denied. Can't build structure without residence?

[Ross Bernard]

My dad just purchased 23 acres of land with a 4 acre lake in Sanford, NC. There is currently no residence on the property, only a 16x16 screened gazebo near the lake. My dad wants to build a storage shed near the lake and applied for a permit. The permit was denied because they said that no structure can be built on a piece of land that does not have a permanent residence. Is there any way around this?