Dealing with ridiculous neighbors... help / advice..

[96C220]

Okay,

My neighbor is either insane, has undiagnosed ocd, or really, really needs to get a hobby.

Over the years, we've been very shrill towards each other. This came to a head about a year ago, when my sump pump failed and flooded my basement. He called the town and got me a $1000 fine for putting trash out more than 24 hours before the next scheduled collection. He did not ask where or why all this trash came from. 80% of it was cardboard boxes that had been soaked in the flood. What was I supposed to do with that? I ended up going to court and got it dismissed after I explained the situation.

Now his latest obcession has become the property line, and cutting the grass exactly up to it. He confronted me once telling me "i'm going to tell you this once nice" learn where the property line is bla bla bla. To which I responded oh yeah, well what are you going to do the second time, and told him he needed to get a life and walked away.

A few days ago, he decided that he was going to arbitrarily measure the property line, using a string, and then proceeded to spray paint saftey orange lines in the grass along his percieved property line, every few feet, the entire length. Mind you my lot is 357 feet deep.

He did not call in a surveyor, or otherwise scientifically measure anything. So as far as i'm concerned, its just a line in the grass... Meanwhile his line differs from the cut line by maybe 4" at most. And this is cut with a 42" tractor. Its not like i get bored and cut figure 8's in his lawn for kicks.

Today I come home, and i see a makeshift fence, fabricated out of 1x3 stakes and a piece of black burlap stapled to them, in the middle of the lot, about 35 feet long. This is ridiculous, totally unacceptable.

Meanwhile, he has building materials, and other assorted garbage stacked in the back of his property. He tore his deck off and it looks like hes about to start either an addition or replacement deck.

He is uneducated, and more of a confrontational tough guy than anything else. I am trying to avoid a physical or verbal confrontation with him, not that I am afraid of him, but I am not going to stoop to his level.

What are my options as far as putting an end to this situation? Can I seek legal recourse, a cease and desit order? Can I force him to survey the property if he intends to mark the property line?

Please see the attached image, and keep in mind this is in a community of half million + dollar homes.

Thanks in advance,

George

Get a survey, and check your sub bylaws about the fence.

And move to the country. But then your way out of reach neighbor will rain bird shot on your during a kids birthday party.

Then get a bigger piece of property and build dead center.

Then hire a security firm to keep people off your land.


It never ends. but I'm truly sorry to hear about your wacko. Now get out the weed whip and beat the hell out of that fence. OR call County Mental Health.


is this guy a dentist?

[elau]

Do you have a Home Owner's Association that you can bring the dispute to? It's ashame that your neighbor will do something like that. I always thought your neighbors are suposedly your extended family, help each other out when in need.

I would try to avoid any type of confrontation with the guy. It will only makes matter worse. Seek legal advise as to yours and his rights. If it is me, I would spend the money and put up a fence by a contractor and surveyor. That way you can block him out altogether. Good luck.

[Hatterasguy]

It may not be a bad idea to get your property surveyed. Also I would just try and ignore him.

You could buy say the most rusted out pos car you can find and stick it on his front yard. Legally he can't touch it.

[96C220]

No homeowners assn or any sort of dispute resolution mediary.

I have a survey from when the house was purchased, but its several years old.

I was ignoring it, but this is just too over the top.

As far as a fence, if he has such a problem, let him do it. Honestly I think it would make my property look closed off. I dont have any pets I need to contain, or a pool or something that would justify a fence. I'm going to go talk to the town tomorrow. The building code specifically states that he needs a permit to erect a fence, as well as a current survey.

I dont know if this contraption, can be construed as a fence, but I dont really think so....

Take care,

George

[koop]

speakers, really big speakers

[Carleton Hughes]

I have found by experience that GOOD FENCES MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS!.

You can inquire as to the requirements and try to meet him half way,agreeing that indeed a fence would be a good thing,the higher the better,perhaps a 6' cedar stockade?

You will get used to it.

What you will like more,however is that the fence will for the most part keep this noisome fellow and his antics much less noticeable to you.

[96C220]

Did some online searching of my municipal code.... So far here's what i've come up with that hes violated.

(a) All permitted fences shall be situated on a lot in such a manner that the finished side of the fence shall face adjacent properties. No fence shall be erected of barbed wire, topped with metal spikes, nor constructed of any material or in any manner which may be dangerous to persons or animals, except that these provisions [this section] shall not apply to farms and except further that fences permitted for industrial uses may be topped by a barbed wire protective barrier in RD, REO, REO-4, MFG and I districts. All barbed wire fences shall be faced into the property. A construction permit is required for the installation of all fencing.

(3) Fences should complement the structural style, type and design of the principal building.
(4) Fences which are deemed to be inferior in quality and therefore not maintenance-free (except for painting or refinishing) are prohibited.


So far I think hes violated the items highlighted in red..... I need to call the land use department tomorrow, and have an inspector come out.

As far as the proposed solutions, while amusing, as well as some i've gotten privately of peppering driveways with roofing nails and the like, I'm not looking to start a war or egoes or nerves. I have better things to do with my life.

Take care,

George

[Palangi]

I wouldn't call the inspector tomorrow. I would wait till he finishes it, THEN call the inspector.

[300DandTD]

From the picture of the "fence" it appears to be sediment control fencing which in my state (confusion) is required to break ground for a building project where the surface is disturbed.

[96C220]

Originally Posted by 300DandTD

From the picture of the "fence" it appears to be sediment control fencing which in my state (confusion) is required to break ground for a building project where the surface is disturbed.

Wouldn't that be more properly placed closer to the site of ground breaking? Hes a good 75 feet from anywhere he would break ground. Also, wouldnt he be required to do this on both sides of the property?

George

I noticed a shade tree in the background is that overhanging your property by chance.

In reality, just put up the fence. I'd get the survey, and have the line marked. Put the fence right up to the line, but just inside your side of it. When he comes out to *****, and I gurantee he will, you can then kindly tell him that you are simply "marking" the line, just like he wants (wink, wink). Since this guy is such a dick, I'd go to the extent of having it be built out of decorative cinder blocks, just like the ones used for noise barriers on urban interstate highways. Then his other antics would be nicely muffled as well. Nothing says GFY like a good ol' concrete barrier.

[GermanStar]

Originally Posted by Palangi

I wouldn't call the inspector tomorrow. I would wait till he finishes it, THEN call the inspector.

Exactly. Do you believe that this neighbor is attempting to elicit a response on your part? If so, make sure you don't provide the response he expects. Let him hang himself and just provide timely little nudges as needed. This is exactly the kind of crap that led me to abandon the world of subdivisions altogether.

I actually wish that all I had to deal with was a fabric fence. My neighbour tried to burn my house down last night with their fireworks. While I got lucky, and the house is fine, they were sucessful in partially burning up my car trailer, and cooking the wiring on the snowmobile trailer. Oh yeah, and consequenses their "mistake" also resulted in the local fire department making a 13 foot wide hole in my chain link fence that keeps my dogs contained.