BAD BAD Neighbor

[mark777]

I could have added this to Birdhunter1's post but now I am at wits end. I am asking if anyone has had any similar experience with a neighbor like this. I closed on a small piece of property last September '03. It was the neighborhood dumping grounds, and I spent the first 6 months cleaning, clearing and making several dump runs.

The very first time I brought in fresh, clean land fill and crushed concrete, I was greeted by the county inspector. I only purchased 2 -12 yard loads to rebuild my driveway. Red tagged, and until I purchased the permits I could not spread, grade or operate my tractor concerning the 24 yards of fill.

Because I live in the 100 year flood plain, I have pulled 9 different permits, 2 PE engineer reports @ $600 each and right now i'm at about at a total of $3000. in paperwork. I post all the required permits and the county inspector has come by and initialed his signature on everyone, if I am there or not. Everytime I show up to work on the property (fence posts, repair, waterline trenching, anything) country inspector shows up.

Sorry this post is so long...the final straw, I was dozing 120 yards of fill for the DW mobile home site, where I intend to pour a slab, bring to correct elevation, cut in footings and I have all the required permits including sewer hook up. My wife, Teresa, called to tell me that the county pollution board was on there way to test my soil as a neighbor had complained about a vapor and green fog rising from my site SWEAR TO GOD!!! Most of you know what it costs to rent / operate even a small D3 cat, and now it's sitting there waiting for sample results from the county.

I have approaced the neighbor whenever I spot him near our property line. He turns and scurrys to his front door. This is the kind of guy that hides behind the curtain, with the phone in his hand calling everytime he sees me working on any new project. I have laid in bed at night and pondered all the cival ways to approach him, but now I am entertaining ideas, and none short of violence.

I am asking advice before I strangle this guy and serve jail time. Yes, I am at that point.

Regards, Mark

BTW: The county inspector told me all of his official visits are from one neighbor who repeatedly calls in and he must show up and follow up on each call.

 

[bczoom]

Mark,

Sounds like you need to get a dialog started with the guy.
You are going to be neighbors and the perpetual visits you're receiving from various agencies may persist each time you start up a piece of equipment.

You may want to work something out with the county inspector as well. Ask him to explain to your neighbor that all permits are in place, everything is being done legally...

Good luck!!
Brian

 

[shvl73]

Perhaps someone here will know if this amounts to harassment & is reportable to the police. One town over from me there is a guy who has become a self-appointed speed enforcer w/ his own radar gun. He has called the police dept. approx. 150+ times in a little over a year. The police dept. finally took him to court & won. He can no longer call unless there is an emergency. Whether this ruling stands up in a higher court (and it will end up there) is another matter.
I would certainly try speaking with the cops & see if there is anything they can do.

 

[DocHeb]

As a city boy transplanted to the country (at least on weekends) with similiar neighbor problems , and after innumerable threads reporting similiar neighbor problems (read MDBarbs' post for a real eye-opener), all I can say is "welcome to the country". For all the complaints about the "city-slickers" coming and causing problems in the country, there seems to be just as many complaints about the "country bumkin" causing problems as a neighbor.

Personally, I'd try talking once, but after that I'd just go about my business in a proper fashion, get the permits, and do things right. Then I'd complain to the inspector that your neighbor's old septic system is failing since you can smell it after the rain.

Don't get mad, get even.

 

[ByronBob]

Time to introduce yourself. Get a feel for what's up with this person. Go over say hello, tell him your building there and mention to him that the county inspector is giving you a hard time and ask him if he knows who's doing it or why. Mention the costs to you going through the roof and if anyone is upset for some reason to speak with you first before calling the law every time. Maybe a solution can be found which will not hurt the wallet so much. If he finds your not an SOB maybe he will change his tune.
Before we built we visited everyone in the neighborhood beforehand and said hello face to face, mentioned what we were doing and got names and phone numbers ect....It worked our well so far.
I have a neighbor 2 doors over who is the closest actually to my house. He is in a rock band. Well he moved in and now the garage is the studio which took my quiet rural home and made it Studio 1. We spoke one night at 10:30 about the noise. I respectfully mentioned my gripe and we've found a way to co-exist.
Last week he had a halloween party and the music was going at 11pm. I went over 2 times nicely to tell him we were sick and needed him to keep it down. The third time I asked the sheriffs to do it for me.
I would hope maybe with some interaction with the neighbors you might be able to figure something out before it's **** on earth moving to your new place.

 

[RobS]

Like Chris said, maybe talk to the neighbor but I wouldn't expect much. Better plan may be to become very tight with the inspectors and the building department. Invite them out, ask what you need to do your work, get all the necessary permits and stick to them. Then when the neighbor calls the inspectors only have to come out to see that you are within the bounds of your permits. They'll know you well and it should be a short, friendly visit.

Not sure if it would work but that would be my approach /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Whiskey]

Mark777:

Man.....you got it bad huh?......

{short of violence} your not leaving me much to work with here are you /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

All I can think of is a tall privacy fence. I know how much you wanted to live closer to your shop...and now this. Give us a little back ground on this guy...age, mairred, kind of place he has, work or retired, what's in his yard garden...maybe a weekend landscaper, car or truck?

Maybe the TBN guy's can come up with a creative solution to your problem, Then again I have found being very blunt and direct and in there face to work very well....keeping in mind I like life on this side of jail bars.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

<font color="red"> I would certainly try speaking with the cops & see if there is anything they can do.
</font>

I would take a very similar approach, but instead of talking to the cops, I would talk to my lawyer. And I would probably talk to 2 different lawyers, one being my general council and one being a real estate lawyer. The RE lawyers are a somewhat different breed of legal advisor and specialize in only one thing (at least the good ones) and I would see if either of those two could help you out with some sort of injunctive relief. I would also ask, possibly via the freedom of information act, to see each and every complaint that has been brought against you and I would want copies of each of those. And those would be given to the lawyers when you visit them the first time, don't make the lawyers send a clerk to get those, it will cost you $75/hour, get them and take them there yourself and don't bother to show up without them. I would ask about nusience suits, injuctions, etc. I would also take a copy of the business card of each of the inspectors to the meetings with the lawyers. I HOPE THAT YOU ALREADY have been documenting as many of the conversations with the inspectors as possible. Often times the guy with the most paperwork & documentation wins . . . and if you have some yellow pads of paper that say :
on such and such a date between the hours xx: AM and yy: AM, I met with the _____ inspector regarding ______. At that meeting he indicated he recieved a complaint about ______, upon inspection he stated it was not a valid complaint having found nothing. Further he stated that this is his um-teenth visit and each has resulted in finding no problems. Further he stated that he is sick and tired of coming out but is required to by code to follow up on each and every complaint no matter how silly.

I would at very least drag the neighbor in for a deposition for a possible lawsuit (even if you have no intent to follow up on the suit) for harrassment and have the lawyer scare the living doodoo out of him. Depositions can be a lot of fun if you have the right lawyers (I even sent a lawyer a bill for being late to a depostion one time that she called me to!). And have your lawyer bring up issues (even if not true) on his land about his smelly septic, his drainage, accumulated trash, etc.

 

[Inspector507]

Mark,
Sounds like this neighbor was "put through the wringer" at one time and now makes sure everyone else will as well.
So far you have spent $3000 for paperwork/permits, etc.....Are these things that you would ordinarily have to do anyway?
Make the call to your Inspector BEFORE you head out to do some work, tell him what your plans are for the day, that way when nosey neighbor calls, the Inspector already knows. Maybe he'll even meet you there as you arrive to show Mr. Nosey that you are on top of things.
Now as far as making a "bogus report" to the pollution Board, well, they may be able to deal with him. But yes in the long run, it screws you to have to sit and wait.
This is not a neighbor I'd care to live next door to.

 

[mark777]

Thanks for such quick replies. Let me just add, I am on a first name basis with the inspector. I had originally introduced myself as the new property owner last year. I only just found out that this neighbor offered 20,000 to the divorced lady that I purchased it from (1/4 of what is is appraised for). He had his horses roam freely while the property was vacant, and now will jump off his riding mower when he sees me approaching the property line, or even drive down my driveway. It is way past any civil conversation, and not because I was unwilling or unable. I am in despair, but will take anything under advisement.
Mark

 

[Bob_Skurka]

He has horses?

Well that, depending on the laws of your state, opens up all sorts of doors. The horses may be a nusience all by themselves attracting flies. The manure may be positioned in such a way that when it rains there is runoff that is going crossing the property line, or that is draining into the ditch along the road. In some areas livestock must be kept back from the property line XX number of feet so check your state/county/municiple codes for any possible violations. You might even call animal control if you ever see the rib cage on one of them or see them out of their corrals.

The best defense is a good offense when you are dealing with an idiot.

 

[Varmintmist]

Not to mention the rat problems that the feed storage has caused, the mice in the hay, the fire danger of hay storage, erosion from animal hoofs.

Is the fence a safe horse fence? Board or tape?? If its wire of any type, there are a bunch of articals and opinions that they are dangerous to horses.

If there is a septic problem, then ask the inspector to dye test all of the neighbors, particularly the one near the damp side of your property.

Actually a certified letter from your lawyer might be all you need, asking him to cease and desist.

 

[BillG_in_TX]

Dang, Mark!

I think I know where your ulcer came from. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Marine1]

"He who lives by the sword shall die by the sword" With that said. Find every thing that is a violation on his property and/or vehicles. Compile a list and then make your own calls a little at a time. If you can find what this jerks main problem is ( like blocking a view for instance) then do it just out of spite if for no other reason. Sounds like you could also use some barbed wire with some plants ( decorative to you of course) that are not compatable to horses on that fence line.
Let's not forget the person also. Try to find some personal history on this idiot. Be ruthless,merciless, and personal.
Lawyers are a good way to legally hassle a person as well, but it is costly.

 

[B7500]

Mark,

Simple solution:

Kick his then tell him to have a nice day.

-Terry

 

[YanmarFever]

Mark
This neighbor sounds like hes related to our old neighbors.
I gave up our new house & moved once (never again)
I got an education in dealing with butt heads.
First you go to the county & pull his plot map
second you compare it to the improvements he has made.
third if he didnt pull a permit for the deck, fence, barn,
pool driveway, new windows, doors, stairs, pump house,
ect... you get the picture?
You call those violations in to the county (one at a time)
I garrante he will leave you alone because he wont have time to bother you any more with all the repairs & permits hes taking out too!
Talk to some of the other neighbors & see what is up this guys tree to.
But do not tell them your plan (loose lips sink ships)
By the way I spent 18000 in moving & loss because of our old neighbors from outer space.
Ern.

 

[skent]

From someone who has had neighbor problems, If talking does not help, consider finding someplace else to live. Before you put too much time and effort into this place. Yes, you can stay and fight, stand your ground, make the phone calls. But it's a hard way to live. Like Mdbarb has been through, even if you are in the right, that dosen't mean you'll win. Sometimes even the bad guy wins. I would find myself thinking "Whats he going to pull next?".

 

[Phils]

I gotta disagree with DocHeb:

DON'T GET EVEN.

GET AHEAD!!

The suggestions on "green gas from his septic after a rain" and his treatment of his horses should be good starts. If he isn't man enough to confront you with his "concerns" then you are justified in giving him equal treatment, IMHO. From what you said earlier, he's experiencing 'sour grapes' because he wasn't able to steal that land from a widow. That says volumes about his character.

The suggestions to get lawyers involved would probably be the way I'd [reluctantly] go about it at this point in time.

Phil

 

[roho]

OK Mark, fire w/FIRE! That's the way 2 fight! Ask the dude, What will it take to coexist! If U don't get sensible answer, "Tell him, if he don't like what he sees now he sure the HECK ain't gonna like what's next!' Ok U'r in S.E.Texas, don't know what county, but seen in U'r bio, that u custom paint?, & motorcycles, Go to all swap meets & invite entire Swap meet to pig roast, every wked! When that wears thin, invite trail riders to camp out on property on their rides! Set a fireworks shotting area right before U tell on neighbor U'r thinking about opening a gun range or a cult hide a way! Then offer to take his property off his hands for a little bit of nuthing cause neighborhood has went to heck! BUT Seriously Matt!! Be careful, Down here some fools really kill each other over less>>>> 2nd thought legal answer is probably safer! Good LUCK

 

[MossRoad]

I think I'm gonna stay on Bob's good side. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif