Yard Nazis, Trespassing, and JSO

[mtraininjax]

I love the drama that this post has created, I really do! I am sorry that the Maintenance Nazis came and tried to cut people's property without their knowledge, but the City does own the first 5-7 feet  from the curb to the property and on special occasions, they will exercise more of a right, if there is and ONLY if there is a public safety issue. Rarely do they "trample" on people's property, they have enough to do.

The yellow code enforcement signs are pointless, unless the City follows them up with action. Drive down Phyllis street off McDuff and there are one on every house for blocks, the city puts them there, and claims they are doing something, when they rarely ever come back and enforce them.

[Dog Walker]

We have a "freedom" yard too.  No fertilizer, no irrigation.  Florida has lots of plants that will volunteer to cover your ground.  If it's green and I can run a lawnmower over it, it's a lawn!

[Deuce]

My opinion is unless you pay the property taxes on the land keep your opinions about someone's else garden to yourself.

Agreed, when it comes to taste. When it comes to lack of maintenance, I for one hail the yard Nazi's. As for those who suggested talking to the neighbor, I recommend against it unless you are very good friends.

When I served on an HOA several years back, my initial inclination was to approach the neighbors first when they had a violation and gently remind them of the policy or ask that they rectify it. Almost always met with hostility no matter how nice or polite I was. It seems no one thinks the rules apply to them, even though they signed a contract stating that they would abide by them. Our prop manager weaned me off this approach. He said that though it was impersonal, it was always better to just sent a warning letter and follow procedure for dealing with the situation. If the person had an issue, they could always ask for a hearing and the matter could be handled in a formal and business-like manner.

That's just my two cents from experience.

[mtraininjax]

I changed the zone on a property from Single Family to Muilti-family. I was told by many neighbors that they were not happy, yet at the 3 hearings I had to attend, not 1, not 1 neighbor showed up to complain, which is their right in the rezoning hearings.

Often times, people will tell you one story and do another, that has been my experience.

[Dog Walker]

There is an old saying in Libertarian circles, "Your freedom to swing your arms ends at the beginning of my nose."  

If you live in a community you have to be respectful of other people's noses.  If you are alone on an island you can do anything you want.

[jbroadglide]

The yellow code enforcement signs are pointless, unless the City follows them up with action. Drive down Phyllis street off McDuff and there are one on every house for blocks, the city puts them there, and claims they are doing something, when they rarely ever come back and enforce them.

Currently Code Enforcement has 6 active Nuisance cases on Phyllis St, 1 Unsafe Structure case and 1 Residential case. The nuisance cases are going through the abatement procedures now. The unsafe structure case was just opened in June and all current property owners are being notified, by law, which takes about a month. The residential case has 3 of 10 violations corrected by the owners and a $50 a day rolling fine until the other 7 are corrected. So contrary to opinion, CE is doing something on these properties. But some of these actions take time, because the law says so.

[gmpalmer]

My vegetables and wildflowers hurt no one.  We're not in a neighborhood known for flipping houses or property values, so that's not a cogent argument.

The drug dealers down the street and the cess-pool of a trailer park on Main street, however, are continual sources of disruption and theft.

But the drug-dealers have nice yards, so cops don't harass them and destroy their food.

Also, we don't live in an HOA neighborhood for a reason.

[second_pancake]

JaxNole, did you offer to mow that person's yard or let them borrow a mower?

What the fxxx is wrong with you people that someone's unkempt yard is a reason for bringing violence down upon them?

Violence?  How is reporting a nuisance property violent?

I called 630-CITY about one property on my block.  When the grass is 30", which I mentioned I measured in a previous post, it makes it more inviting for criminals to target the neighborhood.  Code Enforcement noticed two other properties with code violations and so they were also provided notices.

Also in my previous post, I indicated I left notes on the door.  I didn't state in the post that my lawn guy offered to mow the lawn for free and I also wrote that on the note.

I rang the doorbell numerous times, at different times of day, on different days, but the interior of the property is empty and no one answered.  It's not like I'm waiting for someone's grass to reach 15 inches and immediately call.  In fact, it was double the height permitted by Code so it's not like I was attempting to get the property owner in trouble.

I don't know what spurred this, but I'm pretty certain your property was not the one that was reported so please don't attack me for wanting to keep my neighborhood in compliance.

Was it MY yard???  If so, PLEASE have someone mow it.  I've been begging for this to be done by friends, law guys, my realtor...hell, I'd be freakin ecstatic if the city came and "mangled" my bushes...er...uh....you know what I mean.

Seriously.  My house is vacant and I live in TX so would have no idea if there are yellow signs posted or not and obviously knocking on the door and leaving additional notes about having someone mow the yard for free is going to do nothing since no one lives there, eh?  The house next door to mine is also vacant so maybe your lawn guy could take care of both of them;-)

[Karl_Pilkington]

I think HOA's suck and will never live in a neighborhood with one.  I've found that those who like to "serve" on their boards are usually wannabe political types with an overblown sense of importance.  I too have a "freedom yard' with numerous wildflowers and different types of grasses.  Yard Nazis though is pretty funny!  down with YARD NAZIS!  up with FREEDOM yards!

[braeburn]

These people should stop by in Clay County where my grandfather lives.... down a 2 mile dirt (actually, mud. With lots, and lots of places to get stuck and / or thrown into a ditch) road with grass so high you could get lost or lose your ass to a bed of cottonmouths.

I always have a fear of the guy in plaid with a chainsaw popping out of the sticks when I go there to visit...

[NotNow]

Unbelievable.  This big of a fuss about mowing your yard?  Why not just mow it?  All (well, almost all) of suburban America keeps their yard at least reasonable.  I understand your financial difficulty gm, but didn't you say you just came from a four WEEK vacation?  And the Cops were just laughing as your pregnant wife was vomiting?  Really?  Lotsa drama.

[NotNow]

It really scares me when StephenDare! seems to be the most reasonable person on a thread!

[kellypope]

Bookmarking.