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]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

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]

Originally Posted by 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?

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]

Originally Posted by 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........

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.

[arwenmark]

Originally Posted by bsmith0404

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]

Originally Posted by 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.

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]

Originally Posted by Timon

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]

Originally Posted by arwenmark

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?