Neighbor called health Department

[arwenmark]

I we picked up our travel trailer about a month ago. My next door neighbor with whom we have had trouble since he moved in about 25 years or so ago. Could be heard in his yard swearing and complaining about the trailer being in our yard.

So yesterday morning while I am still in my PJs a vehicle pulls in my yard and a woman with a clipboard gets out. I went to the door and she was from the town health dept. it seems "Someone" had filed a complaint saying that we had people living in the camper.

Now since it got here, we have been doing various work on it and cleaning it etc. We have the Electric plugged into the house so we can do stuff.

It is still dewinterized, and refrigerator is propped open. No water going to it at all.

So I showed her that and she seemed satisfied.

however we are now on their radar and I am wondering how much trouble we are going to have just being in it over the summer, I mean working on it or perhaps being in it to have some peach and quiet I can't get in my house, two grandkids and three adult children living with me.

how many of you are not allowed to use your RV for anything while in your yard?

[BirchyBoy]

We're only allowed to have it in our yard for a 24 hour period per the HOA rules. Nothing limiting usage, though. I'd have to look at our city ordinances about that.

[JRTJH]

What are the "rules and requirements" as documented in the HOA (if there is one) or in the city ordnances that govern the subdivision? That would be the "final deciding authority" unless the neighbor wants to hire an attorney and take you to court, in which case a judge would decide on whether or not you can park the trailer there and determine what you can use it for while parked.

It sounds like a "bitter neighbor" who is upset over 2 grandchildren and 3 adult children moving into a "single family dwelling" and now having to deal with a travel trailer in the yard so the occupants can "spread out for peace and quiet".....

I suppose it's a matter of "whose perspective" you view when you look at the situation???

I recall a recent photo posted on this forum where a member backed his trailer into the back yard at the rear of his house (at the end of his drive) and the trailer looked to be about 2 feet from the neighbor's deck. If I were the neighbor and I could "reach out to touch" your trailer from my deck, I'd be concerned that you're parking it too close to my house (from a fire danger point of view) and I'd want you to move it away from my house. As for sleeping in it or living in it, follow the laws of your city, the rules of your HOA and/or the ordnances that govern use of trailers in your town.

[bsmith0404]

First I've heard of that one.....why is it a health department concern?

[notanlines]

This post is exceptionally interesting. Most of us here can probably see both sides. A large, extended family in a single family neighborhood, a travel trailer parked out front, 25 years of consternation.....even if the HOA or local codes don't rule differently, you are probably at the limit of what the neighbor will accept. I don't have any specific advice for you. My neighbors put up with our boats and toys parked in our drive for a day while we load/unload. We have tried to be good neighbors for 33 years. Maybe if you took a step back, approached your neighbor with a clear head and talked reasonably about a little "can we get along" attitude. Seems like both of you could benefit from a little peace and quiet. We would all like to know how it turns out a few months down the road.

[JRTJH]

First I've heard of that one.....why is it a health department concern?

In many locations, the health department is responsible for enforcing building/apartment occupancy rates, sewage disposal, determining "lawful" use of residential dwellings and settling disputes between neighbors "without court proceedings".....

[sourdough]

I just finished working with my city officials a couple of months ago on an ordinance to deal with situations like this.

If you're in Cape Cod I would imagine there is some sort of ordinance regulating RVs on personal property and the streets. Some towns have very restrictive ordinances, some have none. Again, you will have to call them or go by and get them to see.

As far as your neighbor, you have to step back and look at the issue objectively. I live in a nice, quiet neighborhood and I would not be happy if a couple moved their 3 grown kids and grandkids in with them for the long haul. A "single family dwelling" does not usually encompass 3-4 familes. So in reality they are probably concerned about what your intentions are and what you are going to do with the trailer and/or family members.

I would think the city would have sent a code enforcement officer by instead of the health department....if they had a code. The health department, and the neighbor, might be concerned about what you're doing with your gray/black water.

Maybe a straight, honest talk with the neighbor would help. Maybe the grown kids are about ready to get out on their own? My son joined the Army at 18 and my daughter went to college for 5 years year round beginning at 18. If my son had wanted to stay at home until he was grown....I would have enlisted him:)

[Timon]

I we picked up our travel trailer about a month ago. My next door neighbor with whom we have had trouble since he moved in about 25 years or so ago. Could be heard in his yard swearing and complaining about the trailer being in our yard.

So yesterday morning while I am still in my PJs a vehicle pulls in my yard and a woman with a clipboard gets out. I went to the door and she was from the town health dept. it seems "Someone" had filed a complaint saying that we had people living in the camper.

Now since it got here, we have been doing various work on it and cleaning it etc. We have the Electric plugged into the house so we can do stuff.

It is still dewinterized, and refrigerator is propped open. No water going to it at all.

So I showed her that and she seemed satisfied.

however we are now on their radar and I am wondering how much trouble we are going to have just being in it over the summer, I mean working on it or perhaps being in it to have some peach and quiet I can't get in my house, two grandkids and three adult children living with me.

how many of you are not allowed to use your RV for anything while in your yard?

I few things come to mind.

The OP didn't say anything about a HOA so at this point I'll assume he doesn't have one so that's off the table.
Some cities won't allow you to keep one in the front yard but very very few have any say about one in your back yard behind the fence. So unless the OP says otherwise I'll assume it's behind his fence.
Why would you ever let the health inspector enter anything on your property? I would have ask why they were there and when they told be it's because someone reported we had someone living in the coach I would have said. "It's our RV, no one lives in it, I may be filing a FOIA to find out who filed a false report and unless you have a warrant please leave." If the health department wants to go that way fine but you never let them in no matter what without a warrant.

Here is the bottom line, if you've been having problems with a neighbor for that long at this point nothing will change no matter what you try to do. It's going to be that way until either you or they move.

[Bob Landry]

I'm going to take a different approach and say that if the OP has determined that he is in compliance with the state and local laws and ordinances and also with any HOA restrictions if applicable, what the neighbor likes and is willing to put up with is irrelevant and what the OP chooses to do with or in the trailer is his concern, not a nosey neighbor with too much time on his hands.
As far as the health department involvement, their interest should be limited to actual public health issues such as dumping tanks on the ground, unsanitary living conditions, etc. If their person was satisfied with the inspection, that's a done deal and hopefully some kind of signed document was issued stating so. If the neighbor wants to file a nuisance suit against the OP, let him go for it with the understanding that there will be a counter-suit. I'm betting he's just a loud mouth who likes to make noise.
If this neighbor has been belligerent for 25 years, he obviously is not open to any meaningful discussion and he has an axe to grind. It's time to sharpen the axe and play his game. This JMHO, but I'm one to enjoy enjoy a good scrap, especially when I know I'm right, others do not.

[{tpc}]

I think we have a 48 hour rule, but the way our land is set up, there isn't a way to drive into the backyard with it. So it goes in the driveway. Our HOA was recently turned over to the homeowners since the sub had reached a certain percentage full.

We are now on our second set of board people...actually the second vote. First set wanted to do it, got voted in, then something happened and they all quit with no explanation, what a mess.

I could understand how in a smaller older area someone might be upset with the sight of a rv in a backyard...it happens. I wish people would just MTOB however. Or at least man up and talk to someone in person before they go calling the city etc.

But if your allowed to have it, nothing he can say about it. Though he can keep calling the city. At some point I'd be erecting a privacy fence or something that maybe could shield his view of it...and your view of him. lol

[JRTJH]

The question to ask, Bob Landry, is whether or not all the "if's" you have listed actually have been verified by the OP or even if they apply in this situation. We're getting one side of a "25 year long history of ill feelings". Who's to say that we're getting the "entire story" verses the "condensed, one sided version"......

A "good scrap" is always a "fun way to spend some otherwise unaccounted for time" but if it's a "good scrap you can't win" then is it really a good investment of that time?

There is "the other side" of this story (you know, the "PAUL HARVEY" version) and we haven't heard any of that, yet...... Probably won't, so we likely will never "solve" the OP's dilemma........

[sourdough]

Timon - many cities in fact have anything and everything to say about a trailer parked in your back yard. When the inspector asks to see you have to let them in or you will then deal with law enforcement and/or a citation.

Many cities do not allow an RV on your property at all. Many have ordinances against anyone staying in it, if and when the slides can be opened, how long they can be open, what utilities if any can be connected; no matter where the RV is on your property. All of these things require a visual inspection and the property owner must provide access to the inspector by law. Once you put yourself on the radar of the enforcement entity you won't have to worry about the neighbor bringing you to their attention; you will have put yourself there.

[GmaPaTime]

The question to ask, Bob Landry, is whether or not all the "if's" you have listed actually have been verified by the OP or even if they apply in this situation. We're getting one side of a "25 year long history of ill feelings". Who's to say that we're getting the "entire story" verses the "condensed, one sided version"......

A "good scrap" is always a "fun way to spend some otherwise unaccounted for time" but if it's a "good scrap you can't win" then is it really a good investment of that time?

There is "the other side" of this story (you know, the "PAUL HARVEY" version) and we haven't heard any of that, yet...... Probably won't, so we likely will never "solve" the OP's dilemma........

The one question I would have is... What was the problem all the years prior to getting the trailer in the yard? Seems like a Hatfield and McCoy situation to me. :D

[arwenmark]

First I've heard of that one.....why is it a health department concern?

according to the agent, because of sanitary and fire conditions.

Here you may not have a full time hook up for a RV in your yard and we don't.

[arwenmark]

This post is exceptionally interesting. Most of us here can probably see both sides. A large, extended family in a single family neighborhood, a travel trailer parked out front, 25 years of consternation.....even if the HOA or local codes don't rule differently, you are probably at the limit of what the neighbor will accept. I don't have any specific advice for you. My neighbors put up with our boats and toys parked in our drive for a day while we load/unload. We have tried to be good neighbors for 33 years. Maybe if you took a step back, approached your neighbor with a clear head and talked reasonably about a little "can we get along" attitude. Seems like both of you could benefit from a little peace and quiet. We would all like to know how it turns out a few months down the road.

There is a history here as you can imagine. this neighbors house used to be in my family as was ours and the one on the other side of the neighbor. We have, that is my family has lived here over 60 years. about 25 years ago he bought the place he was a young man then and I was living in this house raising my children, he was a drinker and well off because of family connections and he had Loud, drunk parties. his guests used to park all in front of our house, urinate in our bushes and worse.
Then he opened a business out of him home, He is a roofer, trucks in and out, yelling at his men, It was not zoned for business even in the begining so not grandfathered either. still more parties. He did put up a fence shortly after he moved in but just along our property line.
Then he found AA good thing, accept he became even more of a pain in that became even more demanding and expects all the neighbors not just us to conform to what he wants.

He has also complained about others on the street that have boats or other things in THEIR yard.

This is an OLD community, no HOA, not even a sub division, an old New England town. Yes they have zoning and he has broken rules under that regularly. My home is a family dwelling, I raised five children here, it is not a single family nor is it a multifamily, just an extended family house.

This is not the first time he has done this sort of thing. and the zoning in our town, says nothing about RVs on your own property except the NO LIVE IN part. this is all just to clarify the situation. I just wondered if others had any zoning or any problems with neighbors. I didn't even think about HOAs as they did not exist and mostly still don't around here.

[GaryWT]

Got to love neighbors.

[arwenmark]

I few things come to mind.

The OP didn't say anything about a HOA so at this point I'll assume he doesn't have one so that's off the table.
Some cities won't allow you to keep one in the front yard but very very few have any say about one in your back yard behind the fence. So unless the OP says otherwise I'll assume it's behind his fence.
Why would you ever let the health inspector enter anything on your property? I would have ask why they were there and when they told be it's because someone reported we had someone living in the coach I would have said. "It's our RV, no one lives in it, I may be filing a FOIA to find out who filed a false report and unless you have a warrant please leave." If the health department wants to go that way fine but you never let them in no matter what without a warrant.

Here is the bottom line, if you've been having problems with a neighbor for that long at this point nothing will change no matter what you try to do. It's going to be that way until either you or they move.

While I agree up to a point about the warrant part. She was nice and it was easy to show here no one was living in it. So I did, and she said that was fine.

As for my neighbor, He will win out in the end because we will be selling the place and retiring to our property in WV in one to two years depending on my husbands ability to keep working [He has severe medical conditions.]

To those who said about the kids moving out, One son and his family live here to take care of me and my husband both with medical problems that need assistance. The other son staying here is an alcoholic, [he even used to drink with the neighbor when he was still drinking] anyway even though he is a middle aged man he cannot hold a job or qualify for assistance of housing.
Perhaps after we move he can do better in a new place.

[Festus2]

how many of you are not allowed to use your RV for anything while in your yard?

What the rest of us are allowed or not allowed to do doesn't really matter. What does matter are the "rules and regulations" that apply where you live. If you have examined them and found that you are following them then you shouldn't have much too worry about. If the folks down at city hall say you're okay that's pretty much all that counts.

It seems pretty obvious that you have your plate full not only with your neighbor but also with the dynamics within your own family - medical and alcohol abuse issues. We really can't help you out much here or give you advice that will "make things better for you". We're not family counselors or experts in solving disputes with your neighbor.

I wish you the best of luck in resolving your disagreements with your neighbor and finding a solution to your family and medical problems. I'd like to think we could help but I'm afraid that we really can't be of much assistance with these issues.

[sourdough]

If you have no ordinances concerning rvs except living in them you should be in the clear. The health inspector has checked you out and you were clean. If the neighbor continues to harrass the city they may choose to have a conversation with him but I doubt they would continue to involve you unless he told them you were living in it....and then you could prove him a liar and let the city handle him.

The other issues are difficult I'm sure and many of us have to work our way thru different variations of those same things. On those issues, as Festus mentioned, I don't know that we can help other than to wish you the best with your family situation and with the neighbor.

[poncho62]

Makes me glad that I live on 1 1/2 acres in the country........

I am wondering how big the lots are there, if things are in that close of quarters?....Just trying to understand why there is such strife?

[Road-King]

I remember when I was a kid, someone would say "Can I do (fill in the blank)?". The common replay was "It's a free country". You don't hear that anymore.

It is sad that nosy neighbors our governments (local, state and federal) have taken away or trampled on our rights as citizens....

[wahoonc]

Makes me glad that I live on 1 1/2 acres in the country........

I am wondering how big the lots are there, if things are in that close of quarters?....Just trying to understand why there is such strife?

I have 40 acres and the local gummit is a PITA. They actually had the balls to "expect" me to tell them how much water I use from my private wells. I wrote a less than polite reply on the form and mailed it back in. FWIW they would not "allow" me to install a grey water system on my property, and said it was illegal to collect rain water in a cistern to water my own garden.:banghead:

Aaron:cool:

[JRTJH]

We're getting close to "politics" gentlemen. Please read the forum rules located in the FAQ section (found in the blue bar at the top of every forum page).

[arwenmark]

Makes me glad that I live on 1 1/2 acres in the country........

I am wondering how big the lots are there, if things are in that close of quarters?....Just trying to understand why there is such strife?

I am on a 1/2 acre lot. He has also complained to and about others on the street with boats or a messy yard, that are no where near him. He just thinks he can tell everyone else what to do.

I was not expecting advice on the issues I raised about my personal situation it was more to give you all the bigger picuture.

I asked about others using their trailer on their property, just to see how common it was. Thanks to all that replied.

[sourdough]

Who can do what with a trailer on their own property varies by every local government. When I was assisting the implementation of an RV ordinance in our town ordinances were pulled from surrounding cities large and small. They vary from zero oversight to complete prohibition so you can see the situation is going to be very localized.

It sounds from your posts that you are in the right legally as long as you or someone else doesn't try to move into the trailer. In that case you'll just have to endure the neighbor and hope the city tires of him. Good luck on that situation.

[Pmedic4]

Perhaps the important question is, 'Are we being a good neighbor'.

I'm not saying the original poster isn't a good neighbor, any more than the complaining neighbor is a "bad" neighbor. I've clearly had a bad neighbor, who would complained about anything my family did, yet they did a good deal of real damage to our property and they perceived they were the ones offended!

I have parked my RV on my property occasionally to work on it, usually for no more that 1-2 days. I have neighbors who store their RV on their lot, but I chose not to, because I don't think it is appropriate in a residential area. I pay the fee for storage, but likely less than the unexpected ill will of my neighbors who I want to maintain good relations.

[x96mnn]

Where I live there are two rules.

1) you cannot have an RV on your property that is being used as a full time residence. My take and practise is there is nothing against yard camping and the kids going in it overnight.

2) Can have an expired inspection sticker no older then three months out. This makes sure the unit is in towable condition.

I have had no issues with my neighbours so far, although I have just moved so hope no issues continue.

[ftrupe]

When we purchased our camper, we wanted to store it on the side of the house. It would be out of the way and not interfere with any of our neighbors. Our landscaper extended our driveway with pavers to match the existing drive, and next to the house we put a 12ft by 35 ft border, filled it with crushed concrete and then bluestone. After all was done and the trailer parked on it, a building inspector from the town rang the bell and said there was a complaint from a neighbor and that gravel is considered "paving" like blacktop or concrete. The town restricts paving to 25% of the side yard; same with the front yard. His recommendation was to apply for a permit and a variance for both the side and front yards. The side yard was 79% "paved" and the front 28%. We went through the process and everything was approved as installed. However, the permit was $250, the two variances were $250, since it was "existing" (or put in prior the the permit) there was another $300 fee, and a $35 environmental fee. We also had to send registered return receipt letters to any neighbor within 200ft notifying them of the public hearing-another $130.(Note: the neighbors adjacent to where the trailer is stored wrote a letter indicating they had no objections to the variance, which we submitted to the Board of Zoning Appeals. We believe it was the neighbor on the other side). So, after a lot of worrying and money, all is good and we have been having fun getting our camper ready for our maiden voyage the end of May. The old saying is sometimes appropriate: Should you ask for permission or ask for forgiveness.

[Shadowcats]

I really feel for you...we're lucky. Most of the neighbors have RVs and several are parked in the yard. We also park on the street a lot during the season. As long as we move it every 30 days and its legally tagged...not a problem. We go out about 2-3 times a month and a few long trips too. The trick is to back into the yard without hitting the tree, the house, or the neighbor's fence. Good luck...try to smile a lot :D

[mikell]

We have a 2 week limit supposedly and my neighbor has complained but when they came we were gone camping and the next time they came we were packing to go camping. The cop isn't going to write a ticket because he has his class C in his driveway all summer and as long as they come and go it's not an issue to the city. They told the neighbor that they are watching and if it isn't moved every 2 weeks they will have another talk with us. No they won't they are done with the issue because too many people have them in their yards.

[Ken / Claudia]

My take and advice if you want it. Some of this was said earlier on another post. Since you had a inspection you were told (guessing here) what is legal and illegal with the RV at your home. Follow the law. Now than keep records of every contact with the health/code dept. Every phone call, every visit, every time the neighbor says something to you about it. Two things will happen, 1 your neighbor may be talking to your lawyer about harassment (if it was me), 2 The city will only follow up on his complaints xx amount of times when there are no laws broken over the same complaint and will take action to the neighbor. That maybe be do not call the city ever again or worse. As long as your being legal allow all inspectors to do their job, it only helps your case that you have a crazy neighbor.

[cabinfever]

Problem with a neighbor like this in any area. Sometimes a few loud complainers will get new ordinances written for or against something. A few ordinances in our township were written just so the council did not have to act as a referee in neighbor disputes dealing with similar issues in the future.

[340_Formula_S]

I'm glad my area is zoned agricultural.

[michael_h]

we park ours in our side yard, and we had someone in our neighbor hood that used to call on us a lot about where we park it too. In my town it either has to be in your side yard behind the plane of the house, or if on a corner lot in the back yard behind the house, our caller complained that ours is not where it belongs per code because we are on a corner lot. My wife finally had enough of the crap we've dealing with, she was home one of the days the code inspector showed up and told him we are not on a corner lot. The inspector asked the wife to come and explain to him how we weren't cause we clearly are, so she did, he checked the land plots and guess what, we're not in violation cause yes, we're not on a corner . . . (there happens to be a small strip of land between our land and the street). We now know who was calling because the realtor a few doors down from us now refuses to speak. Oh well, we meet code (I think this person also rides around and turns others in for code violations as well. (we have no HOA either)

Also we use ours for cookouts and parties where it sits. It has lights, a radio, and a nice awning. My G kids also play board games in it during the day while I'm cleaning or fixing something. We are not breaking any codes.

This neighbor of yours needs to go pound sand, see he probably called the code inspector and found you're not in violation of any parking codes. He knew he didn't have a leg to stand on so he called the health department on you for occupancy violations. You know I just might report a suspected meth lab since you already know you can't reason with him . . . some pay backs are hell :D

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

One could ... complain of an unusual smell ie.

"Meth labs can smell like cat urine, rotten eggs, sewer gas, ether, wet diapers, paint thinners, paint removers, adhesives, cleaning fluids, vinegar, pickled foods, cattle feed lots, and fertilizers. Meth labs can smell like a hospital due to the common use of ethyl ether as an anesthetic. Nasal irritant."
Dec 11, 2013 Meth Lab Smell - Meth Lab Homes
methlabhomes.com/what-does-a-meth-lab-smell-like/

just sayin' .......

hankaye

[mom2budnbug]

We can park ours on the side of the house/in the yard. We cannot have it parked in the street. Most neighbors won't complain if a trailer is out on the street for a day or two. Not sure about having someone live in it. There is a house in our development that has an adult child living in the trailer parked on the side of their house. I believe they have been living in it for about a year.
Hope you can enjoy your time in your rig and the neighbor will chill out :)

[C130]

If I have neighbors like that I pay them back. I had a pain in the butt neighbor a few years ago that kept accusing me of causing his back yard water issues. I told him he must have a sprinkler issue and my pool overflow was not the issue. This went on for a few months and got very heated, he was constantly yelling at me and my wife and threatening to sue me. I kept telling him what his issue was but also begged him to sue me and stop threatening to do it. Finally, I came home from work and he had his back yard sprinkler system all torn up and got it repaired. Meanwhile, daily solo cups of Roundup didn't do his front yard any good, especially after it rained and spread it all around his front yard.

[Dave W]

I sure am glad we have good neighbors (well, mostly). One, opposite side of where we park our 38 footer didn't even realize we had a new one. Or even care. The other side (parking side) folks don't care either. Our property is just under an acre and is shaped like a baseball home plate in the middle of a 3 home cul-de-sac and backs up to the woods. But, to spend more then a casual night or so, we would need an occupancy permit. I do try to be a good neighbor and when working on the RV or anything else, keep the noise to reasonable levels and hours and keep any maintenance or building materials pretty well picked up.

As far as the OP, if it ain't illegal, don't sweat it - the town fathers do have a requirement on any complaint to at least visit and determine if you are obeying your local laws, but they also know the local PITA's and will act accordingly.

[Cnc_hemi]

Some people are just like that. Here where I live there are some HOA's that may have an issue with it. But if you park it in a good place out the way and not in ya front yards im sure no one would have an issue. It's an RV!!!! Some people don't get the pleasure in owning one and using it. Everyone that's gets a new rv goes on and out of it and cleans it all the time. It's like when ya buy a new car/truck. LOL. face it some people are just jerks and want stir the pot. Man enjoy ya new rv and In less ya breaking some form of HOA or city rules I wouldn't worry about it. And never let someone come in ya home with out a warrant or even search ya property. This includes ya rv. Make them uphold our rights as Americans and use the constitution for what it was made for. O I also do understand about a bad neighbor.


LSU TIGER FAN
2013 FUZION 310
2012 GMC 2500 HD SIERRA DURAMAX 6.6L

[Homer & Marge]

I would not want to be your neighbor. Permanent storage of an RV in a residential neighborhood or subdivision is unacceptable almost everywhere. Ever hear the term trailer trash? Don't subject a neighbor to that and be advised that neighborhoods and subdivisions that do allow this have crappy property values.

[bsmith0404]

I would not want to be your neighbor. Permanent storage of an RV in a residential neighborhood or subdivision is unacceptable almost everywhere. Ever hear the term trailer trash? Don't subject a neighbor to that and be advised that neighborhoods and subdivisions that do allow this have crappy property values.

I wouldn't generalize like that. Our neighborhood does not have any restrictions on parking/storing RVs in your yard/driveway. It's a nice family neighborhood that just started building new homes about 10 years ago and is still expanding with several new homes being built every year. The RVs that are parked here are nice, newer Cougars, Raptors, Montanas, etc. I have considered parking mine as well, but trying to back a 40' 5er into a space that is 10' wide off of a normal residential street isn't worth the hassle. Our property values have gone up quite a bit since we built the house 10 years ago. Even during the housing problems in recent years the values only dipped slightly, but quickly recovered.

[Festus2]

Homer & Marge -
Are you saying that it is "unacceptable" for folks like me who live on a 1/3 acre residential lot to keep/store our RV year-round on our own property? In our area plenty of people have their RV's sitting on their lots all the time. They are living in the stick house - not the RV.

I don't think the bylaws regarding "storage" in our community are any different than most other places. The only restrictions that I am aware of are that an RV cannot be parked on the street for more than 48 hours, cannot impede or restrict traffic/pedestrians and must be "hooked up" to its tow vehicle. But we can leave it in our yard - providing no one is living in it - permanently.

[Steve S]

I would not want to be your neighbor. Permanent storage of an RV in a residential neighborhood or subdivision is unacceptable almost everywhere. Ever hear the term trailer trash? Don't subject a neighbor to that and be advised that neighborhoods and subdivisions that do allow this have crappy property values.

My thinking is that if people have RV'S then they have money which means they take care of their places and that adds to the property value:)
I think nearly everyone on our dead end street has a TT on the 1 acre lots and it doesn't look like trailer trash here.
I'm pretty sure there's some unwritten rule on our street where as long as the trailers are beside the house or out back by everyone's shops then there's never a complaint. I've been here for years and I've never heard anyone complain about anything and everyone knows one another. It's pretty hard to walk my dog without talking to a handful of neighbors along the way:)

[Dave W]

I would not want to be your neighbor. Permanent storage of an RV in a residential neighborhood or subdivision is unacceptable almost everywhere. Ever hear the term trailer trash? Don't subject a neighbor to that and be advised that neighborhoods and subdivisions that do allow this have crappy property values.

I guess I wouldn't want you as my narrow minded neighbor as several other folks have pointed out. A well kept, almost new trailer sure would not hurt the value of my neighborhood.

As far as you using a trailer trash moniker towards a member - that is harsh and uncalled for on any forum site.

[Festus2]

Alright - enough name-calling and other personal comments! If the thread is to be kept open then let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

[Ken / Claudia]

It's is interesting to hear of what makes a good neighborhood or bad. Current home in Oregon last three homes across the my street sold for 1.5 mil, 900,000 and the last one may sell for 1.3 mil. I have a boat, TT and 3 vehicles in driveway. The 1.5 mil home has a MH and boat in driveway. We are looking at down sizing to a smaller city and home around $250,000. The area has nearly all homes with 3 car garages with RV next to many. Most also have boats. Most people are retired who live there. Most yards are kept real nice. Trust me I know what brings home values down and it is not a 50,000 dollar TT or 150,000 MH parked next to it.

[arwenmark]

I would not want to be your neighbor. Permanent storage of an RV in a residential neighborhood or subdivision is unacceptable almost everywhere. Ever hear the term trailer trash? Don't subject a neighbor to that and be advised that neighborhoods and subdivisions that do allow this have crappy property values.

clearly you have not been in areas like New England that have OLD neighborhoods that do not have covenants and restriction. You are entitled to quiet enjoyment of your property.
Here on Cape Cod MANY MANY people have large Boats in their yards. Many also have RVs of various sorts.

An RV in stored in your yard between uses is not "Trailer Trash" that is something quite different indeed.

For what it is worth I would not want to be your neighbor either.

[mikell]

Granger ??? Now that's funny!

[Whitewolf]

I live within 50yds of Lake Superior. Its an older neighborhood with everything from trailer homes to $400K+ homes. It's a great neighborhood with great neighbors. Some winter store their trailer (we do), and others keep them on their property all year around (both neighbors on either side and across the street)
Apparently some people wouldn't like it here. And that's fine with me. :)

[randy69]

Live in southern califorina and Lucky to have a city that doesn't care if the rv is in the driveway. But again with neighbors with 7 family's to a house and cars that fill the street curbs. I guess city doesn't care about that either.

[Steve S]

Alright - enough name-calling and other personal comments! If the thread is to be kept open then let's keep it civil and respectful. Thank you.

Thank you Festus :) The bashing of this couple is driving me nuts! !
The talking of everyone's experiences in their own neighborhoods is more interesting :)
It's nice hearing the positives of people getting along :)

[TexasKevin]

Well for one if there are no HOA or City Rules that apply then you have every right to park it there, if this is just a bitter neighbor dispute, then I suggest inviting him over for dinner and talk things through, come to an agreement. If he still is bitter, then you have done all you can do. It is not a good practice to have a neighbor as an enemy. They need to be an ally. With that I wish you good luck. If they still wont come to an understanding, then let your conscience be your guide. The way I look at it is its your drive, your land and if he cannot except it, well.........

[brittsnbirds]

You did the right thing when the inspector came, worked with them. One thing you DO NOT want to do is "tick off the man". Here to tell you they will win. They were sent out on a fact finding mission. Had there been a problem you would have seen it from the start. They are very familiar with your neighbor, and do not want to deal with his "habitual complaints".

No where have I heard in your posts what the reasoning is that you have a RV? Sounds like it is something that you had in the past and have not sold yet. If so get rid of it and not have it as an eye sore on your property. RV's are not meant to be a yard ornaments. If your using it as it is intended then do so if not get rid of it. Sounds like you are re-locating in future any way.