The neighbor weed whacked MY property QUESTION ADDED

[Harriet Vane]

This is a blatant appeal for sympathy.

I took a walk today on the lane next to our house. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it.

Our next door neighbor is obsessed with his meticulous lawn. He's retired. He runs motors of various sorts over it for hours and hours every week--as in, 3-4 times each week, he will spend 3-5 hours continuously mowing, weed whacking, and blowing. I wish I were exaggerating. It really is that often and for that duration each and every time. I actually moved my office into the basement several years ago so I wouldn't hear it, though now my office is upstairs again so that dh's pandemic office could be in the basement. More recently, we have both had to work upstairs since January due to basement rehab project and now due to a huge plumbing repair.

Yesterday the neighbor actually weed whacked ON MY PROPERTY. He has also repeatedly over the last few years purposely blown mulch OFF the flower bed that borders the lane. PURPOSELY. Dh went over to tell him not to alter any part of our property and he proudly proclaimed he would keep doing whatever he feels necessary to keep the lane "clear."

For the record, while our gardens are not as meticulous as the neighbor's, dh does keep up with the yard. Dh spends hours mowing and weed whacking. Part of what neighbor trimmed is an area we are specifically trying to re-forest (and he knows it as we have explained it to him), and part of what neighbor trimmed is an area dh had trimmed a few days earlier. We do not need or want our weird neighbor on our property messing with things. I hate this.

So we have the most gorgeous, forested lane next to our house that has just a few houses on it. We have always loved walking on the lane. We bought this house almost a decade ago because of the big, forested yard and because of the beautiful lane. And now I just feel bitter and upset because this horrible neighbor destroys our peace constantly with his motors and with his shenanigans.

 

Edited to add:

QUESTION:

Our property survey shows an easement on either side of the lane. Does that mean anyone can do whatever they want on my lawn as long as it's on the easement?

If so, can I traipse over to the easement on his side of the lane and dig up his Virginia bluebells? (Theoretically speaking of course. I am not actually planning to steal anyone's property.)

 

Along the same lines:

He has a small parking pad just off the lane in front of his house that can accommodate 2-3 cars. It definitely falls within the easement. Can I make the argument that I have the right to park there because it's on the easement?

I don't actually intend to park there. I'm trying to understand the issue and also looking at examples I might throw into a letter IF I choose to write one to him.

We are thinking we will ask the township office tomorrow too.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Harriet Vane

[Spryte]

I’m so sorry. That would be very annoying, and then to have him altering your property — aaaaghhh! 
 

Neighbor issues are no fun. You have my sympathy.

[Grace Hopper]

Can you put up any kind of fence or barrier, even temporary, and cameras, to make it clear to him that you are very serious about your request for him to not touch your property?

[Harriet Vane]

I am very, very tempted to put up bright orange, plastic construction fencing the whole length (3/4 of an acre from the driveway to the edge of the property).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-4-ft-x-50-ft-Safety-Edge-Fence-in-Orange-14900-45-48/202524871

[Melissa in Australia]

A fence might help

[Melissa in Australia]

Just now, Harriet Vane said:

I am very, very tempted to put up bright orange, plastic construction fencing the whole length (3/4 of an acre from the driveway to the edge of the property).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-4-ft-x-50-ft-Safety-Edge-Fence-in-Orange-14900-45-48/202524871

 I was thinking a pallet fence but that would work 

[Harriet Vane]

1 minute ago, Grace Hopper said:

Can you put up any kind of fence or barrier, even temporary, and cameras, to make it clear to him that you are very serious about your request for him to not touch your property?

We are seriously thinking about cameras. We are also looking into our specific rights. We are in an unincorporated township area, so it tends to be the Wild, Wild West as far as regulations--some things are regulated and many things are not. There is some question about whether or not the lane is the private property of the house at the end or if it's a public street. Not that it matters. I'm pretty sure weird neighbors are not allowed to alter any part of our yard, and I suspect that goes double where we have actual flower beds and where we informed all the lane neighbors in writing of our reforestation project.

[Harriet Vane]

2 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

A fence might help

Yes, a fence is the obvious answer. But we do not want a fence. The neighborhood has large lots with spread-out houses and lots of forested areas. We love our view. We don't want a fence.

The other thing is the expense. The whole yard is 1.25 acres with a curvy edge. We have already this year had to spend a ton of money on major and unexpected plumbing issues, and that's on top of the basement rehab project we did already before Easter and house trim painting. We do not want to spend any more on big home improvement projects just because this horrible neighbor is like this.

[Harriet Vane]

5 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

 I was thinking a pallet fence but that would work 

A very petty part of me wants the bright orange plastic because it's far more of an eyesore than the fledgling forest in the back of the yard.

(We have deep forest at the very back immediately next to a wide swath that has several mature trees creating deep shade. After a couple years of trying to get anything other than moss to grow back there, we decided to stop fighting the ecosystem and convert that swath to forest. It just takes a couple years for it all to blend together, and we cannot make the trees grow any quicker.)

[twovetteslater]

Professional survey (if you haven't already), fencing, privacy trees, strategically-placed cameras, coupled with a receiver w/playback capabilities.

Sorry you're having problems. We just moved due to NFH.

Edited June 7, 2022 by twovetteslater

[Slache]

Please do the orange fence.

[Lillyfee]

I am so sorry for that.

We have a holiday home in Austria and one day my dad went there and we had a fence up and goats in the yard.

Nobody asked us if that is ok and my dad had no idea who put them there. Turns out it was the neighbor. We were ok with it but that was also really weird.

 

 

[Harriet Vane]

1 minute ago, Lillyfee said:

I am so sorry for that.

We have a holiday home in Austria and one day my dad went there and we had a fence up and goats in the yard.

Nobody asked us if that is ok and my dad had no idea who put them there. Turns out it was the neighbor. We were ok with it but that was also really weird.

 

 

Wow. Okay, that would certainly throw me for a loop. That takes some nerve.

[wintermom]

23 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I am very, very tempted to put up bright orange, plastic construction fencing the whole length (3/4 of an acre from the driveway to the edge of the property).

https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-4-ft-x-50-ft-Safety-Edge-Fence-in-Orange-14900-45-48/202524871

And just to be sure that this particular neighbour gets the message loud and clear, you could add a few of these facing his house. The orange fencing may not be enough for the guy (and wife?) to truly understand the message.  😉

[Melissa in Australia]

I have read on this forum in the past of people using motion sensor sprinklers to keep animals off. Would sonmething  like that work to keep the neighbour off? 

[Garga]

43 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

Our next door neighbor is obsessed with his meticulous lawn. He's retired. He runs motors of various sorts over it for hours and hours every week--as in, 3-4 times each week, he will spend 3-5 hours continuously mowing, weed whacking, and blowing. I wish I were exaggerating. It really is that often and for that duration each and every time.

We don’t have a forested lane anywhere near our house, or I would have thought you were talking about my neighbor. People think I’m joking when I say he’s out 3-4 times a week and spends 3-5 hours with his motor tools, but I’m not exaggerating at all.  I don’t know how he’s not stone deaf at this point.  His machines drone and drone and drone for soooo long for so much of the week.  I feel your pain.

[Harriet Vane]

1 minute ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I have read on this forum in the past of people using motion sensor sprinklers to keep animals off. Would sonmething  like that work to keep the neighbour off? 

I am quite tempted. The question is how to get a spray powerful enough...😋

[AbcdeDooDah]

16 minutes ago, Slache said:

Please do the orange fence.

And when the neighbor complains you can ask if you have his word that he‘ ll leave your property alone. Or it stays.

[Harriet Vane]

Just now, Garga said:

We don’t have a forested lane anywhere near our house, or I would have thought you were talking about my neighbor. People think I’m joking when I say he’s out 3-4 times a week and spends 3-5 hours with his motor tools, but I’m not exaggerating at all.  I don’t know how he’s not stone deaf at this point.  His machines drone and drone and drone for soooo long for so much of the week.  I feel your pain.

It is actually painful, isn't it? I am really, really good at tuning out my surroundings while I work, but the incessant drone of his machinery really gets under my skin. And it's painful to see--when he goes out to mow the yard, it already looks meticulous and trimmed. I wonder sometimes if the blades actually cut anything.

[Garga]

1 minute ago, Harriet Vane said:

It is actually painful, isn't it? I am really, really good at tuning out my surroundings while I work, but the incessant drone of his machinery really gets under my skin. And it's painful to see--when he goes out to mow the yard, it already looks meticulous and trimmed. I wonder sometimes if the blades actually cut anything.

Yes! I’ve almost cried a few times at the frustration from all the noise. Our tiny little houses are close together so there is nowhere in my house I can escape the noise. Nowhere.

My dh didn’t quite get it until he started working from home, and I swear he, too, almost cried the first week he had to listen to it while trying to work.  

The leaf blower is the worst, because it’s not a steady noise. It’s constantly being powered up and down…rrrrRRRRRrrrrrrrrRRRRRRRrrrrRRRRrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRRR.  I can almost block out the steady noises, but when it’s unevenly oscillating I just can’t block it out.

[Innisfree]

I’m so sorry. That would make me furious. The cameras sound like a good idea, possibly along with the orange fencing and/or the motion sensor sprayer.

[Grace Hopper]

45 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

We are seriously thinking about cameras. We are also looking into our specific rights. We are in an unincorporated township area, so it tends to be the Wild, Wild West as far as regulations--some things are regulated and many things are not. There is some question about whether or not the lane is the private property of the house at the end or if it's a public street. Not that it matters. I'm pretty sure weird neighbors are not allowed to alter any part of our yard, and I suspect that goes double where we have actual flower beds and where we informed all the lane neighbors in writing of our reforestation project.

Sounds like a visit from the county sheriff and maybe a surveyor to very visibly mark the property line might help? Or if you have a lawyer friend, simply a letter on legal stationery is enough to rattle some folks. 
 

But gosh, it shouldn’t have to come to that. Any chance he’s breaking noise ordinances with his machinery? That much regular motorized noise would make me crazy. 

[Grace Hopper]

18 minutes ago, Garga said:

We don’t have a forested lane anywhere near our house, or I would have thought you were talking about my neighbor. People think I’m joking when I say he’s out 3-4 times a week and spends 3-5 hours with his motor tools, but I’m not exaggerating at all.  I don’t know how he’s not stone deaf at this point.  His machines drone and drone and drone for soooo long for so much of the week.  I feel your pain.

This is why my husband is not allowed to retire! I’m afraid boredom would lead him to become a lawn commando. 
 

A neighbor recently retired and he is now nonstop constantly working on his back yard, going between the houses (though sticking to his own property). My morning coffee on the deck time has pretty much come to an end due to this new reduction in privacy. But at least he hasn’t started whacking our yard. Yet. 

[Kassia]

19 minutes ago, Garga said:

We don’t have a forested lane anywhere near our house, or I would have thought you were talking about my neighbor. People think I’m joking when I say he’s out 3-4 times a week and spends 3-5 hours with his motor tools, but I’m not exaggerating at all.  I don’t know how he’s not stone deaf at this point.  His machines drone and drone and drone for soooo long for so much of the week.  I feel your pain.

Many of our neighbors are really bad about this but one in particular was terrible.  It felt like we were living in an industrial zone with machinery going on all the time.  We could never open our windows and could still hear it going even with the windows shut. 

But the worst neighbor was elderly and he died several years ago.  While I was very sad that he died, the reduction in noise was quite a relief.  It's still ridiculously noisy here (and we live in a very wooded area with houses pretty far apart - we have over three acres) but it's still better than it was.  

@Harriet Vane we have problems on one side where the neighbors don't know where the property lines are or they don't care.  The last neighbor actually took something from our back yard and displayed it in his front yard!  The current one who moved into that house dumps stuff in our back yard.  Drives poor DH crazy - he's very territorial.  We have plenty of land and it doesn't bother me as much.  But he would lose his mind over someone weed whacking our property.  I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

[gardenmom5]

motion activated sprinklers?

[Harriet Vane]

23 minutes ago, Kassia said:

Many of our neighbors are really bad about this but one in particular was terrible.  It felt like we were living in an industrial zone with machinery going on all the time.  We could never open our windows and could still hear it going even with the windows shut. 

But the worst neighbor was elderly and he died several years ago.  While I was very sad that he died, the reduction in noise was quite a relief.  It's still ridiculously noisy here (and we live in a very wooded area with houses pretty far apart - we have over three acres) but it's still better than it was.  

@Harriet Vane we have problems on one side where the neighbors don't know where the property lines are or they don't care.  The last neighbor actually took something from our back yard and displayed it in his front yard!  The current one who moved into that house dumps stuff in our back yard.  Drives poor DH crazy - he's very territorial.  We have plenty of land and it doesn't bother me as much.  But he would lose his mind over someone weed whacking our property.  I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

Yes. It does feel like an industrial zone. Naturally there are other neighbors who also service their lawns with machinery, and the wealthy guy at the end of the lane has a landscaping crew weekly. All those other people at least get the job done in a much more reasonable time. I know when our other neighbor starts working on his lawn, he'll be done making noise within a half an hour. We can live with that. But when you add up all the shorter bursts of machinery with the obsessed guy who is constantly operating machinery, it's so.much.noise. And all in this bucolic, forested, big-yard neighborhood. So ironic.

[Harriet Vane]

Okay, new idea.

I'm thinking now about planting a bunch of metal tent spikes in the ground along that side. Deep enough to not see easily, but high enough to get caught in a weed whacker.

[Grace Hopper]

19 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

Okay, new idea.

I'm thinking now about planting a bunch of metal tent spikes in the ground along that side. Deep enough to not see easily, but high enough to get caught in a weed whacker.

String it with fishing line and you won’t hear the noise of that weed whacked for a while. 😂

Honestly, I’d get a bunch of those metal sign stakes and hang the orange plastic fencing on it. Because not only will it clearly mark your property, it’ll greatly improve his lawn aesthetic. eta I would also definitely get a camera for future evidence collection. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by Grace Hopper

[Lisa]

1 hour ago, Melissa in Australia said:

I have read on this forum in the past of people using motion sensor sprinklers to keep animals off. Would sonmething  like that work to keep the neighbour off? 

I really like this idea!😆

[Harriet Vane]

QUESTION:

Our property survey shows an easement on either side of the lane. Does that mean anyone can do whatever they want on my lawn as long as it's on the easement?

If so, can I traipse over to the easement on his side of the lane and dig up his Virginia bluebells? (Theoretically speaking of course. I am not actually planning to steal anyone's property.)

 

 

Along the same lines:

He has a small parking pad just off the lane in front of his house that can accommodate 2-3 cars. It definitely falls within the easement. Can I make the argument that I have the right to park there because it's on the easement?

I don't actually intend to park there. I'm trying to understand the issue and also looking at examples I might throw into a letter IF I choose to write one to him.

We are thinking we will ask the township office tomorrow too.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Harriet Vane

[kbutton]

1 hour ago, Grace Hopper said:

This is why my husband is not allowed to retire! I’m afraid boredom would lead him to become a lawn commando. 

Do you like fresh veggies? I got my husband into gardening. He used to go outside and burn sticks all the time. If he didn't have sticks to burn, he'd trim bushes and burn the green branches. I have asthma. I was not amused. Eventually he realized that he could stay super busy in a veggie garden (we usually start and end together in the cooler weather, and then he takes over when it's hot because he loves to be hotter than the human body is built to endure). Instead of a smoky yard and a smoky husband, I now have veggies. He still putters a bit in the lawn, but nothing like he used to. 

1 hour ago, Harriet Vane said:

Okay, new idea.

I'm thinking now about planting a bunch of metal tent spikes in the ground along that side. Deep enough to not see easily, but high enough to get caught in a weed whacker.

Yes, and I agree with the person that said to string them with fishing line. I would so seriously make him hate going anywhere near the property line. 

[mommyoffive]

1 hour ago, Kassia said:

Many of our neighbors are really bad about this but one in particular was terrible.  It felt like we were living in an industrial zone with machinery going on all the time.  We could never open our windows and could still hear it going even with the windows shut. 

But the worst neighbor was elderly and he died several years ago.  While I was very sad that he died, the reduction in noise was quite a relief.  It's still ridiculously noisy here (and we live in a very wooded area with houses pretty far apart - we have over three acres) but it's still better than it was.  

@Harriet Vane we have problems on one side where the neighbors don't know where the property lines are or they don't care.  The last neighbor actually took something from our back yard and displayed it in his front yard!  The current one who moved into that house dumps stuff in our back yard.  Drives poor DH crazy - he's very territorial.  We have plenty of land and it doesn't bother me as much.  But he would lose his mind over someone weed whacking our property.  I'm sorry you have to deal with that.

Ugh.  I want to move out of my neighborhood to one like yours and thought everyone having 1-3 acres would lesson the noise issues we have in our neighborhood where people have .27 acre or less.  

[KungFuPanda]

Do you have any noise ordinances? A neighboring county has legislation in to outlaw gas powered leaf blowers. Have you spoken to local law enforcement? Can you put up no trespassing signs facing his property so you don’t have to see them? It sounds like he’s being a bully and winning and you need to push back. 

[Harriet Vane]

Just now, KungFuPanda said:

Do you have any noise ordinances? A neighboring county has legislation in to outlaw gas powered leaf blowers. Have you spoken to local law enforcement? Can you put up no trespassing signs facing his property so you don’t have to see them? It sounds like he’s being a bully and winning and you need to push back. 

I can check into noise ordinances, but I really doubt it. It's an unincorporated township area and it's hit or miss with ordinances. I'm willing to bet he can do whatever he wants during daylight hours.

I might put up signs, but I think he'll work around it by simply not stepping foot onto my lawn. He can stand at the edge of the flower bed and blow aaaaaalllllll the mulch off from the lane. He can probably reach with his weed whacker pretty far just standing on the lane. And I would bet he'll argue he can stand on the lawn because of the easement, so I really need to figure out the easement laws.

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, Harriet Vane said:

It is actually painful, isn't it? I am really, really good at tuning out my surroundings while I work, but the incessant drone of his machinery really gets under my skin. And it's painful to see--when he goes out to mow the yard, it already looks meticulous and trimmed. I wonder sometimes if the blades actually cut anything.

Ok, so I went into this thinking I'd be annoyed, because I actually really enjoy lawn work and a nice lawn. I don't HAVE a nice lawn right now, as I have other stuff to do, but if I was retired and had the time, I'd do a lot of lawn work. 

BUT

Even in my "lawn nut" circles, where twice a week mowing for normal grass and every other day for bermuda (does he have bermuda?) is a normal thing...it wouldn't be hours and hours multiple times a week! And no one trims/edges more than once a week! You mow multiple times because the grass is healthier if you cut a little at a time, vs a lot at once...but that doesn't apply to edging and trimming. So, he's just wacky. Even by lawn nut standards!

(Now I'm wondering if he is one of the people on youtube with videos about his lawn - does he film himself?)

[gardenmom5]

Easements are to allow access to their property - or  public property.  that's is.

They are not allowed to "do whatever they want".

[Dianthus]

Good fences make good neighbors.

- Robert Frost

[Harriet Vane]

1 minute ago, Spirea said:

Good fences make good neighbors.

- Robert Frost

Quoting myself here:

Yes, a fence is the obvious answer. But we do not want a fence. The neighborhood has large lots with spread-out houses and lots of forested areas. We love our view. We don't want a fence.

The other thing is the expense. The whole yard is 1.25 acres with a curvy edge. We have already this year had to spend a ton of money on major, unexpected plumbing issues, and that's on top of the basement rehab project we did already before Easter and house trim painting. We do not want to spend any more on big home improvement projects just because this horrible neighbor is like this.

[gardenmom5]

1 minute ago, Spirea said:

Good fences make good neighbors.

- Robert Frost

easements make things complicated.

My sister's neighbor has (or no longer has) an easement on my sister's driveway to access their garage.  

[Harriet Vane]

Just now, gardenmom5 said:

easements make things complicated.

My sister's neighbor has (or no longer has) an easement on my sister's driveway to access their garage.  

The thing is, the neighbor in question did put up a length of fence. He took out gorgeous, huge pines from his side of the lane on the easement and replaced them with a fence and some bushes. The fence is not very long--it's not even the full width of his house--and it's not a solid fence. The design of it is huge open boxes with criss-cross pieces. The fence is placed six inches from the lane. My guess is if he can put up a fence, then I can, too. But I do not want a fence. It's expensive and it will mar the view that we treasure so much.

[Ausmumof3]

2 hours ago, Harriet Vane said:

I am quite tempted. The question is how to get a spray powerful enough...😋

Lol… can you add some temporary dye to the sprinkler head 😆😆

[Ausmumof3]

Im wondering if instead of a full fence you could install some of that lawn strip or make a rock border just to make a visual barrier? It’s hard for me to picture neighbourhoods without fences because it’s just not a thing here. I’m sorry your neighbour is being a jerk.

[Grace Hopper]

22 minutes ago, ktgrok said:

Ok, so I went into this thinking I'd be annoyed, because I actually really enjoy lawn work and a nice lawn. I don't HAVE a nice lawn right now, as I have other stuff to do, but if I was retired and had the time, I'd do a lot of lawn work. 

BUT

Even in my "lawn nut" circles, where twice a week mowing for normal grass and every other day for bermuda (does he have bermuda?) is a normal thing...it wouldn't be hours and hours multiple times a week! And no one trims/edges more than once a week! You mow multiple times because the grass is healthier if you cut a little at a time, vs a lot at once...but that doesn't apply to edging and trimming. So, he's just wacky. Even by lawn nut standards!

(Now I'm wondering if he is one of the people on youtube with videos about his lawn - does he film himself?)

I’m thinking he’s one of those people whose wife sends his retired self out to play every day so he won’t hang around inside driving her crazy. 😆

[Harriet Vane]

Just now, Ausmumof3 said:

Im wondering if instead of a full fence you could install some of that lawn strip or make a rock border just to make a visual barrier? It’s hard for me to picture neighbourhoods without fences because it’s just not a thing here. I’m sorry your neighbour is being a jerk.

I've looked at some of those options this evening. A rock border costs more than I want to spend with all the other house projects we've already done. A small border he'll just reach over. I've lived here almost ten years, and I really believe the same hubris that leads him to think he can blow mulch off of a planted, pretty flower garden (yes, ALL the mulch, literally, and more than one time) will lead him to do whatever he can reach to do. That is a lot of why this is tearing me up so much right now--it feels as though nothing will make any difference except spending a lot of money for stuff we neither want nor need.

The other piece that bothers me a ton is that we have been nothing but kind to these people. We never complained about the mulch. We simply bought more mulch, and we never complained to him about how all that blowing probably killed off several of the new plants dh put in. We have never complained to him about the noise. And we have been soooooooo nice to his grandson who visits. He's just an awful man.

[Harriet Vane]

25 minutes ago, Grace Hopper said:

I’m thinking he’s one of those people whose wife sends his retired self out to play every day so he won’t hang around inside driving her crazy. 😆

She's scarily a lot like Hyacinth Bucket from Keeping Up Appearances. She is as crazy about home interiors and decorating in general as he is about the lawn. They've got quite a few lawn ornaments sprinkled about--painted bicycles and baskets and multiple stone grinding discs (like from a mill) and rocking chairs and tiny fences with tchotchkes hung on them and decorative benches and decorative rusted chairs (yes, all rust) and cute little signs and cement animals and on and on. The lawn is big enough to accommodate all that--it's rather fussy but it looks nice if you're into that sort of thing.

(Hyacinth started sending out Richard to garden every day when he retired because she doesn't want him in the house.)

Edited June 8, 2022 by Harriet Vane

[gardenmom5]

17 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

The thing is, the neighbor in question did put up a length of fence. He took out gorgeous, huge pines from his side of the lane on the easement and replaced them with a fence and some bushes. The fence is not very long--it's not even the full width of his house--and it's not a solid fence. The design of it is huge open boxes with criss-cross pieces. The fence is placed six inches from the lane. My guess is if he can put up a fence, then I can, too. But I do not want a fence. It's expensive and it will mar the view that we treasure so much.

If he's blocking an easement -he can be required to rip out the blockage.

[LaughingCat]

My understanding of general easements (along the road), is they are there if the city or county needs to do anything and for utilities.  So for example, we put our front fence back of the easement because if the county needed to do something, they could just tear down our fence and do their work.   It is still our property, so our neighbors don't get to do whatever they like on it (although I suppose people might park on it if neighbor had a very large party).

Given all you've said - I probably would put up that orange fencing in the rewilding part at least even it it did destroy my view!  

[Harriet Vane]

8 minutes ago, LaughingCat said:

My understanding of general easements (along the road), is they are there if the city or county needs to do anything and for utilities.  So for example, we put our front fence back of the easement because if the county needed to do something, they could just tear down our fence and do their work.   It is still our property, so our neighbors don't get to do whatever they like on it (although I suppose people might park on it if neighbor had a very large party).

Given all you've said - I probably would put up that orange fencing in the rewilding part at least even it it did destroy my view!  

At this point I would embrace the orange fencing regardless of the view because I would know it would make him upset. Petty, yes. But that's how it feels right now.

My son suggested putting some rusted cars on cinder blocks. My daughter suggested an artistic weathered fence with urban gang graffiti and random metal sculptures.😄

[Ausmumof3]

28 minutes ago, Harriet Vane said:

I've looked at some of those options this evening. A rock border costs more than I want to spend with all the other house projects we've already done. A small border he'll just reach over. I've lived here almost ten years, and I really believe the same hubris that leads him to think he can blow mulch off of a planted, pretty flower garden (yes, ALL the mulch, literally, and more than one time) will lead him to do whatever he can reach to do. That is a lot of why this is tearing me up so much right now--it feels as though nothing will make any difference except spending a lot of money for stuff we neither want nor need.

The other piece that bothers me a ton is that we have been nothing but kind to these people. We never complained about the mulch. We simply bought more mulch, and we never complained to him about how all that blowing probably killed off several of the new plants dh put in. We have never complained to him about the noise. And we have been soooooooo nice to his grandson who visits. He's just an awful man.

Ugh. Yeah we have so many rocks laying around here it’s a cheap option but it wouldn’t be if you have to buy them. And if he has no respect a visual boundary won’t work. Maybe you just need to complain loudly about every little infraction until he gives up. But alternatively that could just escalate things. Maybe make everything a bit more formal by putting it in writing.

Edited June 8, 2022 by Ausmumof3

[happi duck]

The noise would truly tank my mental health.

(hugs)

I can't picture this situation but I hope you get clear, enforceable answers from the township.