On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt"
wrote:

....but you won't be able to repaint it red...

And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/

"they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use
ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to
having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get
to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from
reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from
the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land
use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of
hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition
to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not
necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The
climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to
advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us.


There are many levels of garden and whatever they want to police
folks. There are county and city regulations that most folks are
totally unaware of, until some neighbor decides to complain about
something.

Here, Boise, Idaho, there are rules that state that no plants can be
planted where they act as screen anywhere other than at the perimeter
of the property, like a fence. And then only in the same manner as a
fence, otherwise. no taller than 3' if there aren't spaces between the
plants. 4' if there are spaces where people can see through.
Everywhere else, no higher than 1' above grade.

We also can't plant things within the easement that is the highway
district's. My area is easy to determine since there is a sidewalk,
There is a 5' area past the fence into my yard where we cannot plant
trees, or build anything permanent in that area, or put anything that
would be difficult to remove.

So that covers the planting of stuff.. you can plant individual plants
that do not form barriers .. so you can plant one tree that can grow
more than 1' above grade, but you can't plant several in a row as that
would constitute a screen.

Then there are the annoying little rules that are usually not actively
enforced in general areas, things like you can't have a trash can out
over 24 hours before or after pickup date. You're not supposed to
have your hose out if it's not in use, at all. Not supposed to have
any yard care items or trash cans where they can be seen in the front
or back yard. You're supposed to tote all of them back and put them
in a shed. You don't have a shed? Get one, but make sure it conforms
to the rules too.

Now, those are general city codes.. and there are more. However what
a lot of people seem to fail to find out or really understand at times
is that many subdivisions have their OWN covenants which can be and
usually ARE much stricter. They go so far as to tell you that you can
ONLY plant certain plants, and some of them want no variation. They
want all front yards to have the SAME plants and no others in them,
and if something should die, they'd want you to replace it with a
plant the same size as those in the yards around you. If you plant
something else, you'd be told to remove it, if you didn't then someone
else would remove it and you would be billed. You have to have ONLY
the prescribed mail boxes, yard decorations, plants, paint/rock colors
etc. Any variations and you will be chastised, told to fix it, if yo
don't it will be fixed and you will pay and if you don't then you will
be fined, or taken to court. You have to sign papers to this effect
to get in. If you forget what you signed they'll remind you. It's a
cookie cutter sub division and that conformity makes some people
happy, and secure an no one should buy into such a community if they
aren't of that mentality. Some people just don't read it or don't
take it seriously!

I really don't much like cookie cutter yards, and I annoy my neighbor
to the east because he's anal retentive and my yard makes his butt
pucker. ;-D I hope he loses sleep over it he's suck a jerk..not
merely *my* observation!

So, there are real "garden police" and there are those who merely
self-appoint! ;-)

Janice