Hi all,

I am sure I am posting in the wrong place, but you gotta start
somewhere. Is there a city ordinance about fences? Do you put it right
on your property line? I built and paid for the fence, does your
neighbor have any rights to the fence, ie: leaning things against it,
spraying your plants with weed killer through the fence, other things
too numerous to mention. The fence is just the tip of the iceburg with
the problems with the neighbor. I am sure I will get the advice to
move...believe me it has crossed my mind.


thanks...happy gardening

On Fri, 06 May 2005 10:21:00 -0500, Not Telling
wrote:

........Is there a city ordinance about fences? Do you put it right
on your property line?

The ordinance addresses height and possibly some materials I think,
but not where you locate it. For that, you should always put it far
enough within your property to maintain it. At least 4 inches to be
safe, maybe closer with chain link. That way it is your fence and if
the neighbor messes with it you can stop it but that could become a
legal issue.

................... The fence is just the tip of the iceburg with
the problems with the neighbor.

Good fences make good neighbors? Not always the case unfortunately
and I am sorry to hear of your problem. But like Victoria says, if
you move, it could be worse.

Rusty Mase
Austin, Texas

Not Telling wrote:
Hi all,

I am sure I am posting in the wrong place, but you gotta start
somewhere. Is there a city ordinance about fences? Do you put it right
on your property line? I built and paid for the fence, does your
neighbor have any rights to the fence, ie: leaning things against it,
spraying your plants with weed killer through the fence, other things
too numerous to mention. The fence is just the tip of the iceburg with
the problems with the neighbor. I am sure I will get the advice to
move...believe me it has crossed my mind.


thanks...happy gardening

Fences are often controlled in some fashion by cities. Usually starting
with a building permit ( as in cedar Park where I live) and may include
height, materials, and setback restrictions. You may find much of what
you want to know on your city's website.

Hopefully you had surveyor guidance as to where the property line is
exactly. The original owner's of my house built over the line in a
couple of places.

All I've said is merely to whet your appetite for asking the correct
sources for this type info.....your city and/or an attorney with
experience in this area. Fortunately for me, all my fence/property line
experience comes from watching Judge Judy ;-)

Each city has its own ordinances about fences. Also special subdivisions,
such as gated communities, communities built around golf courses, etc.,
can have special rules of their own that they police from their own
subdivision office -- which can be more strict than the local ordinances.

Some cities require a permit to build a fence and, naturally, the inspection
office can give you a list of the requirements and limitations they will
expect you to comply with.

So, cutting to the chase here -- the answer is that the rules in your
location
are the rules in your location; and your city permits and inspections office
will provide that info. So just look them up in the telephone directory, or
call your city information office. (Or, if you are outside the city limits,
whatever political subdivision you live in -- county, parish, or whatever,
will provide the info you need.

g

"Not Telling" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

I am sure I am posting in the wrong place, but you gotta start somewhere.
Is there a city ordinance about fences? Do you put it right on your
property line? I built and paid for the fence, does your neighbor have any
rights to the fence, ie: leaning things against it, spraying your plants
with weed killer through the fence, other things too numerous to mention.
The fence is just the tip of the iceburg with the problems with the
neighbor. I am sure I will get the advice to move...believe me it has
crossed my mind.


thanks...happy gardening

I wrote earlier, but just thought of something else. I had a neighbor once
who allowed poison ivy to grow on his fence -- a hurricane fence, across
the back of my yard. I went over and asked him if he would mind if I kill
the poison ivy, and he responded that he was afraid I would kill his plants
that are near the fence. He was very polite about it, but the answer was,
"No."

I constructed a seven-feet-high redwood fence a foot inside my property
line and, each time poison ivy got on my side of it, I sprayed it with a
weed killer that is absorbed through the leaves, but will not harm any
plant's roots.

Everybody is happy now. Frequently, when I would go out near that
fence I would smell marijuana smoke. Evidently the plants the neighbor
was worried about were marijuana plants, and the poison ivy helped to
conceal them from view from our side.

Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

g

"jOhN" wrote in message
m...
Not Telling wrote:
Hi all,

I am sure I am posting in the wrong place, but you gotta start somewhere.
Is there a city ordinance about fences? Do you put it right on your
property line? I built and paid for the fence, does your neighbor have
any rights to the fence, ie: leaning things against it, spraying your
plants with weed killer through the fence, other things too numerous to
mention. The fence is just the tip of the iceburg with the problems with
the neighbor. I am sure I will get the advice to move...believe me it has
crossed my mind.


thanks...happy gardening

Fences are often controlled in some fashion by cities. Usually starting
with a building permit ( as in cedar Park where I live) and may include
height, materials, and setback restrictions. You may find much of what you
want to know on your city's website.

Hopefully you had surveyor guidance as to where the property line is
exactly. The original owner's of my house built over the line in a couple
of places.

All I've said is merely to whet your appetite for asking the correct
sources for this type info.....your city and/or an attorney with
experience in this area. Fortunately for me, all my fence/property line
experience comes from watching Judge Judy ;-)

In article . net,
"g" wrote:

I wrote earlier, but just thought of something else. I had a neighbor once
who allowed poison ivy to grow on his fence -- a hurricane fence, across
the back of my yard. I went over and asked him if he would mind if I kill
the poison ivy, and he responded that he was afraid I would kill his plants
that are near the fence. He was very polite about it, but the answer was,
"No."

I constructed a seven-feet-high redwood fence a foot inside my property
line and, each time poison ivy got on my side of it, I sprayed it with a
weed killer that is absorbed through the leaves, but will not harm any
plant's roots.

Everybody is happy now. Frequently, when I would go out near that
fence I would smell marijuana smoke. Evidently the plants the neighbor
was worried about were marijuana plants, and the poison ivy helped to
conceal them from view from our side.

Oh well. Can't win 'em all.

g

Ha! I hope he's able to discern between the two plants! I was once the
victim of poison ivy in a campfire and I was covered in a rash
afterwards from the smoke. I can only imagine what inhaling it would do
to someone.

--
Isaac ******l
www.i******l.com

"Not Telling" wrote in message

property line? I built and paid for the fence, does your neighbor have
any
rights to the fence, ie: leaning things against it, spraying your plants
with weed killer through the fence,

Ouch, well, if it were WELL inside your property line, you could go the
criminal trespass route, but it is a painful, annoying routine (generally,
the police officers that respond could care less about your pettiness (as
they see it) and as you get more upset, they get less responsive...which, I
guess, compared to responding to a robery, this would be pretty far down the
scale of importances for them). You have to post signs, then warn them at
least once, then call the police...who like I said probably won't care.

If you could document some damages and show receipts for ornamentals his
weed killer killed and receipts for the fence which you document his leaning
against is damaging, plus whatever your hourly wage is, you could take him
to small claims court. It's cheap, the Secretary will give you a preferred
pleadings form for your judge, you get to write a really nasty ten day
demand letter that makes you feel better, and even if you lose, if you
really did document with pictures and receipts, the judge will make sure the
other party at least understands what you are saying. Is pretty cheap and
can really make you feel better :)

Or you could try V's way and give him something nice instead.

Johm

Thank you to everyone that responded to my post about fences. I
appreciate all of the answers and opinions. I was nervous about
delurking and posting....but I was so pleased with how nice everyone
was. I know I could have much worse problems....but I think everyone has
had an obnoxious neighbor or two over the years and sometimes you have
just had enough.

I did what I could with some plants and bamboo fencing to get some more
privacy and I will just wait for the karma train to come by his place.

happy friday to all and hope all your gardens do well this year.