Crazy neighbors
Oct. 19th, 2009 02:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
altivoChainsaws again all weekend. This morning we woke up to the sound of heavy equipment, as in bulldozers and such. Sure enough, they were over there pushing down trees and shrubs. Knowing that they were very close to the property line, we ran out with a compass, surveyor's tape, and a copy of our survey. The line is 41 feet due west of the southwest corner of our arena, which is quite a bit farther than anyone is likely to expect, and well on the far side of the creek at that point. Gary had me hold the end of the tape while he crawled through the undergrowth with it. The foreman (we assume) of the construction crew came over to ask who he was and what he was doing. I couldn't see, but could overhear the whole thing. The guy was actually quite polite.
Gary explained, and the response was "Oh good. You're the neighbor then. Glad you came to check."
They did have the line figured to within a foot of where Gary put it. The guy explained that the Brits were putting up a pole barn. OK, this is their right, provided they get a building permit and stay within their property lines. They had indeed clear cut everything right up to the edge of our land. Code here requires a ten foot setback for any permanent building, and the foreman said they were staying back fifteen feet to be sure, and the roof will have a one foot overhang beyond the base of the building. So that's fine. Maybe their horses will stay home when they have a barn of their own, instead of wandering into our barn looking for hay.
Now I'd have thought it was good manners (even if not required by law) to advise neighbors of a major construction project like that, and explain where it would approach lot lines or affect drainage or overhanging branches, but of course nothing of the sort was done. Construction begins today. At least the crew leader was polite and (I hope) honest, which is more than I can say for the neighbor himself. Unfortunately for us, I don't think this is going to reduce the noise levels from over there at all, either during construction or after, but I guess I can stop worrying about my own oak trees for a while. Provided, of course, that Brit neighbor himself isn't operating the equipment. He has a propensity for crashing through fences and over lines, as demonstrated in the past.
Gary explained, and the response was "Oh good. You're the neighbor then. Glad you came to check."
They did have the line figured to within a foot of where Gary put it. The guy explained that the Brits were putting up a pole barn. OK, this is their right, provided they get a building permit and stay within their property lines. They had indeed clear cut everything right up to the edge of our land. Code here requires a ten foot setback for any permanent building, and the foreman said they were staying back fifteen feet to be sure, and the roof will have a one foot overhang beyond the base of the building. So that's fine. Maybe their horses will stay home when they have a barn of their own, instead of wandering into our barn looking for hay.
Now I'd have thought it was good manners (even if not required by law) to advise neighbors of a major construction project like that, and explain where it would approach lot lines or affect drainage or overhanging branches, but of course nothing of the sort was done. Construction begins today. At least the crew leader was polite and (I hope) honest, which is more than I can say for the neighbor himself. Unfortunately for us, I don't think this is going to reduce the noise levels from over there at all, either during construction or after, but I guess I can stop worrying about my own oak trees for a while. Provided, of course, that Brit neighbor himself isn't operating the equipment. He has a propensity for crashing through fences and over lines, as demonstrated in the past.
