The World encroaching? Move your driveway!

California · May 8, 2005

Re: The World encroaching? Move your driveway!

Last year I put an S-bend near the end of our driveway to block view of the barn on the opposite side of the easement. The property had sold to weekenders from San Francisco and it wasn't as quiet as it had been with an elderly single over there.

We intend to plant an evergreen screen where the driveway was, but this spring the wildflowers came up so dense that they serve the purpose for the moment. See Attachment - the neighbor's white barn is barely visible above the wildflowers, center-left. The driveway previously was closer to the property line on the left.

In my case it was pretty simple to regain my privacy.

RalphVa · May 8, 2005

Good job.

Have thought about squiggling my own driveway, but the hump in it about half way down gives me enough privacy to do my front lawn and wash my cars without clothes. Gotta dress when going beyond that hump. I'm at the end of a cul-de-sac: little traffic.

Too bad grandpa couldn't have given enough land to allow the house to be put further back from the road. Some folks want the house out front to show off. Others of us want to hide.

Ralph

AntrimMan · May 8, 2005

Bigpete,
I feel for you having sustained a similar situation myself.
It used to be dark here at night when we turned the yard light off, now it's lights everywhere and other peoples noise that must be tolerated. Long story short, it boils down to legal enjoyment of ones property and you can be sure that if you don't own it you can't do a whole lot to control it and the only person looking out for you is you. Eventually, no matter where you are and regardless of how remote, if there is adjoining land it will beckon some building.
You have done a very nice job attempting to regain your privacy. Well thought out indeed. I also applaud your patience and desire to befriend the new neighbor.

Best of luck,
the very much confined and surrounded Martin

bigpete · May 8, 2005

Thanks for the comments on my project. For those of you guys who have decided that I must either be some kind of a snob or that I am looking down on someone, you just don't get it.

Again, In summary:

A guy tore out virgin timber across the road from my house and plopped down a cheap home. Even though it is legally acceptable, I don't like it and its presence imposed on my lifestyle and on my right to maintain a private homestead. I took steps to return my privacy and retain my property values.

Pretty simple. If you think I judged someone for the type of home they can afford or the socio-economic class they are from, you made something up in your own mind. I just don't like what he did and know he made a bad decision. Okay, already! /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

MaineTWLSB · May 8, 2005

( gives me enough privacy to do my front lawn and wash my cars without clothes.)

I've learned alot since joining this site, I'm thinking I didn't need to know that.... /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

John

Tractor_Jim_CT · May 8, 2005

BigPete

Your post started with showing the moving of a driveway and a plan to get a more pleasant, private view back.

Well thought out solution and there is no need to explain beyond the project to justify why you did what you did.

Post a picture when the white pines or what ever fast growning evergreen is in.

KiotiJohn · May 9, 2005

( ( gives me enough privacy to do my front lawn and wash my cars without clothes.)
I've learned alot since joining this site, I'm thinking I didn't need to know that....
John )
I don't know why this should bother you. My car never has clothes on when I was it either! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
John

MrJoe · May 9, 2005

Nice solution BigPete /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif From your orignal post I could read that you had no problem with someone putting a house on their property, just how he did it. If the kid had been smart, he would have maximized the features the land already had and had a better looking job when he was done. There's no accounting for bad taste. Maybe he'll look at your place everyday and wish it's what he'll have when he grows up /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

hobbyfarm · May 9, 2005

( A guy tore out virgin timber... )

He should be banished to the plains where there are none of those "annoying" trees in his way.

Wood_Butcher_Dav · May 9, 2005

I would not have moved the drive way, because now your headlights will not shine in their living room /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif. The other positive out of this is that their property taxes will increase, so your county seat will have more money. The view that you talked about did have power lines following the road. As others have said some mobile homes (prefabs, doublewide, modulars) are better than others, sounds like this guy is on the lower end with the problems of foundation and peers. Wish you luck.

Dave