How to Disguise/Cover This Wall?

[target2019]

UPDATE:

I've planted two holly trees and a podocarpus, to see how they'll do.

It's now clear that the 10' high fence will make it hard for them to get enough light. The county regulations require a fence of less than 6' without setback and permit requirements.

I'm going to have a tree company come and remove overhanging branches and other branches on my trees so that the plants near the fence will get more light.

I would not let that 10' height pass. Code violations that extreme are not good for the community.

 

[TromboneAl]

I would not let that 10' height pass. Code violations that extreme are not good for the community.

Agree. I've already contacted a lawyer concerning this latest atrocity:

His artistic wall had already damaged our car. It isn't even his driveway.

I'm hoping that by blowing the dough and letting a lawyer worry about it, it will be less stressful. That driveway is supposed to be 20' wide.

 

[JoeWras]

"artistic wall"?

Looks like construction debris.

 

[MarieIG]

That fence was enough, they threw those rocks all over your driveway!

Have your lawyer look at your place first to make sure you don't need to do anything else before you proceed with any complaints against the neighbor.

The town might come down and look at both your properties at the same time.

 

[CardsFan]

Agree. I've already contacted a lawyer concerning this latest atrocity:

His artistic wall had already damaged our car. It isn't even his driveway.

I'm hoping that by blowing the dough and letting a lawyer worry about it, it will be less stressful. That driveway is supposed to be 20' wide.

If that "jetty" is on your property, or on a deeded right of way, I would call a buddy with a front end loader and move it for him .

No, I probably would not do that, but I would be sorely tempted. But I WOULD find the must destructive climbing ivy to plant along the fence. OH, and I would call the lawyer, like you did.

 

[TromboneAl]

The guy thinks he's some kind of artist, but his stuff is just tacky.

Here are the ivy cuttings:

 

[target2019]

Hope this works out with a minimum of damage. But it looks like an escalating situation that will get decided by legal and code.

 

[ERD50]

Agree. I've already contacted a lawyer concerning this latest atrocity:

...

His artistic wall had already damaged our car. It isn't even his driveway.

I'm hoping that by blowing the dough and letting a lawyer worry about it, it will be less stressful. That driveway is supposed to be 20' wide.

I don't understand what I'm looking at. Are you actually saying that your driveway is 20' wide, and he dumped those rocks and took up 8' of your driveway?

If that's the case, that's insane, jump on it. If you don't that is effectively giving your property to him, I forget the name of that law, but you need to get control of this, and the fence. Ahh, here you go: "adverse possession"

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclop...nce-over-the-property-line-does-own-land.html


And tell us how you got those rusty screws out!

-ERD50

 

[MissMolly]

I hope you don't plan on planting that ivy on your property. You will live to regret it.

 

[Music Lover]

I don't understand what I'm looking at. Are you actually saying that your driveway is 20' wide, and he dumped those rocks and took up 8' of your driveway?-ERD50

I was thinking the same thing. Is that a shared driveway or is it private?

 

[TromboneAl]

I was thinking the same thing. Is that a shared driveway or is it private?

The guy with the rocks and the wall is 43. I'm 42.

I don't know what you call the driveway. Easement? County property?

 

[target2019]

That's an interesting document. The driveway needs about 4' on each side, but only a new survey will settle things (one would hope).

Guy with lot 43 wants more property. There is something on his property, to the right of his sign. Is that a surveyors monument?

 

[Gumby]

I would think that his reduction in the driveway width would be a public safety issue; emergency vehicles (such as fire trucks) need adequate clearance to be able to access the two rear properties.

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

I would think that his reduction in the driveway width would be a public safety issue; emergency vehicles (such as fire trucks) need adequate clearance to be able to access the two rear properties.

If his wall is on the 39 side of his property, then it looks from the survey like that is marked as county property rather than an easement. And I agree with Gumby, that is probably your best approach when contacting the county/local government. Us old folks need ambulances all the time, don't ya know!

 

[The Cosmic Avenger]

That's an interesting document. The driveway needs about 4' on each side, but only a new survey will settle things (one would hope).

Guy with lot 43 wants more property. There is something on his property, to the right of his sign. Is that a surveyors monument?

I'm guessing it is just a utility access panel; when we had a survey done, the only thing they left were steel stakes/pins marking the corners. We have an access panel to our FIOS cables that looks a lot like that, probably the same size and everything (definitely smaller than the one in the link). I'm at w*rk or I would take a picture.

 

[TromboneAl]

Water meter.

 

[ERD50]

Does lot #40 (adjacent to you) also use that 20' for access?

Though pointing out it may be needed for emergency vehicle access may help highlight your case, seems to me it shouldn't be needed. It looks cut & dried to me - the survey says his property ends and there is a 20' area that is not his property, and is access to your property. End of story (in terms of legality, getting action is a whole 'nother thing).

Do you and/or #40 have any other access to your property? If so, is this the one you most often use?

-ERD50

 

[TromboneAl]

Yes, 40 and I share that driveway for access and there is no other way to access out properties. 40 is even more angry than we are.

 

[ERD50]

Yes, 40 and I share that driveway for access and there is no other way to access out properties. 40 is even more angry than we are.

With no other access, I'd be more than just angry.

As soon as I saw any sort of activity like this, I would have jumped into action. Maybe you want to avoid direct confrontation with this guy, and that might be smart, but I would be at the municipality offices that same day. And maybe put up a sign "Warning - this debris was dumped on our access road, please proceed with caution while we work with authorities to get it removed." That would at least send a message to that guy.

That's outrageous.

Is #40 in with you on the lawyer? Not sure you need one anyhow, this should be a clear code violation, you can't restrict that access. Twenty feet is twenty feet.

-ERD50

 

[DFDubb]

I'd tell the neighbor that Jetty's are for the ocean, not the woods. I'd be absolutely livid and would have contacted the city/county the minute he started that absolutely ridiculous eyesore. Whoever said it looks like construction debris was right.

The fence, meh, I get it. The Jetty just reinforces why people outside of CA think they're weird. I saw a lot of this kind of nonsense "art" when I lived out there too.

 

[CRLLS]

I'd call the city, township or whoever maintains that access (surely you don't have a shared title with 40). Let them deal with 43. If the city won't intervene with 43, I'd mention something about wanting to solve this peacefully and not wanting to get the lawyers involved. I'm sure that would light a fire. That is what you pay your taxes for, 40 feet of access road.

 

[TromboneAl]

And then there's the lighthouse-on-a-stick:

 

[JoeWras]

Is it just a lighthouse? Or a little library? Lots of those popping up all over.

At least the lighthouse does explain the extreme need for a North Jetty.

 

[ERD50]

And then there's the lighthouse-on-a-stick:
...

Well that changes everything! I mean, if you have a lighthouse mailbox, you just have to have a jetty!

More seriously, when did the 'jetty'/debris go in? Did it start small and grow, or

Is there any chance at all that the drive was actually 8' over on his property, and he is just trying to reclaim what is really his? Seems unlikely, but can you rule it out?

edit - sorry, cross-posted with JoeWras on the 'need' for a 'jetty'- still would like to know about timing and survey marks.

-ERD50

 

[CardsFan]

I'd call the city, township or whoever maintains that access (surely you don't have a shared title with 40). Let them deal with 43. If the city won't intervene with 43, I'd mention something about wanting to solve this peacefully and not wanting to get the lawyers involved. I'm sure that would light a fire. That is what you pay your taxes for, 40 feet of access road.

^^This.

Since it APPEARS to be a city street/right of way, they could/should define the extremities. It is POSSIBLE the street goes to the the left of your photo another 8 feet, it is NOT likely.

AND, if a survey shows you are correct, then I would get the bobcat and move the rocks! ( yeah, probably not, but it would feel SO good.)