Being neighborly……………..
eld6161
23 days ago
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Neighborly etiquette question for privacy hedges and shrubs
Comments (25)It all boils down to what the municipal code in your city dictates you are allowed to do along with what you believe is "neighborly" but here's another opinion for all those who might look at this thread while searching for similar answers: If you live in a packed residential area like I do (and if moving is not feasible) with neighbors windows looking directly into your own windows then you will probably appreciate some privacy shrubs for screening. I strongly believe that good fences make good neighbors and I would be extremely grateful if my neighbor would stop obsessively pruning all their plants to the height of their fence line so that I wouldn't have to constantly hear or see them every time I look out my window or try to use my yard. We had to plant shrubs along the wall we share with them even though they have more room to do so than we do. Unfortunately, they severely cut back our exquisite NON-MESSY ornamental evergreen shrubs which have hung slightly (less than 6 inches) over the fence in their front yard which gave them privacy simply on the principle of maintaining their property line (they have nothing planted below/along the fence line or any other justification for doing so). Not many of us appreciate the feeling that we are being "watched" and I certainly think that even the property line fanatics who have posted above also appreciate privacy to some extent. I would be more than happy to lightly prune back my neighbors shrubs if they were to grow over too far onto my side but then again I think that would be a great "problem" to have. If your neighbors are reasonable people try talking to them. Perhaps they would appreciate the privacy shrub installation as well. Sometimes communicating with nasty neighbors is unfruitful but its worth a shot in the beginning. Also, a word on large trees: We have several protected endangered oaks on our property including an enormous one that is over 300 years old. The trees were here long before any of the houses in my area were built. Around 15 years ago, developers thought it might be a good idea to erect a massive house on a tiny lot 10 feet away from the property line and right under the trees massive canopy. The old house that was knocked down was large enough (2,500 sqft) and was set back an appropriate distance from the trees. The new house is a monstrosity and home to neighbors who hate all trees and love lawn. Needless to say this has resulted in significant problems over the years with the new neighbors who are unhappy that the biggest tree is close to them. Luckily, where I live (California) neighbors cannot just cut your tree/shrub to their property line if doing so injures or kills the tree. Cities should do a better job at preventing these issues by ensuring massive houses are not built on tiny lots or fix zoning of properties to ensure that old large specimen trees aren't being cleared to make way for concrete yards and McMansions which have destroyed the character of the city and do nothing to help the current housing crisis....See MoreBeing A Good Neighbor
Comments (28)Sadly, I see this a lot when city people move to the country. Maybe it's because they don't know the meaning of being neighborly because they never knew their neighbors. Helping each other was reserved for emergencies only. They live in a cocoon. A number of years ago I lived in the Poconos of PA. The real estate boom was underway, and developers were advertising directly to New York city and New jersey. And they moved out in droves! And brought the city attitudes with them. A majority of them came with an "I'm better than you" attitude. We were the "hicks". They moved to areas they thought were beautiful because there was a farm across the road from the subdivision. Oh how quaint is that? That all changed when the farmer started work at 4 am. He had the audacity to drive his tractor on the road when they were rushing to the bus station to commute the 100 miles to their job in the city! And when the fertilizer went on the fields in may? That was the last straw for many of them. They went to the Town Supervisors demanding he cease and desist! They made his life so miserable he ended up selling his farm to another developer. Who built more houses. That brought more kids. That meant new schools. That meant skyrocketing property taxes. When I lived there, the local school had 1,200 students. When I left, the school had 7,800 students. There was almost a civil war between the "locals" and "transplants"! People were buying more house than they could afford, and when interest rates went up, they just abandoned the houses and moved back to the city. Monroe County, PA had at one point among the highest foreclosure rates in the country. I moved to Vermont and again I have nice neighbors who will lend a hand at a moment's notice, as will I. City people just don't get it when we say we don't have a clue where the front door key is....See MoreMay have to get a shade to cover a skylight in roof
Comments (2)Contact the manufacturer of the skylight and inquire about available accessories. They will be pricey, especially as an add-on plus labor. My skylights are remote controlled roller shades. That is your option if you object to the telescopic pole. We don't close ours anymore since we're up before sunrise so we can witness the sunrise. :)...See MoreA neighborly conundrum, or WWYD? Long story.
Comments (29)In your situation, it seems that you do not necessarily have power to spare. When we bought our home it came with a whole-house generator that comes on automatically and powers everything, down to the pool heater and decorative landscape lighting. It is fueled by a large underground propane tank that could last 2-3 weeks. Under such circumstances, we have in fact become a de facto inn from time to time. However, outages have become more common and so have generators. By now many neighbors have their own. You are totally within your rights not to share power when there is an outage. The only thing is, with neighbors, the value of keeping the peace is quite significant. Good neighbors can really enhance your experience, and bad ones can be harrowing. I would handle this in a way that keeps peace, even if it is not deserved per se. Exactly where/how to draw the line between doormat peacekeeper and generous but reasonable neighbor, only you can know....See Morelily316
23 days agocarolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
23 days agolast modified: 23 days agoTera Hunter
23 days agocindy-6b/7a VA
23 days agoeld6161
23 days agolast modified: 23 days agoElmer J Fudd
23 days ago
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