DannyW
Senior Member
Just want to get other input on a neighbor issue.
Neighbor moved in next door about two years ago. Single black women about our age. Right after moving in she asked us, nicely, to take down two big Leyland Cypress trees that were about 3 feet from the property line and hanging 3-4 feet over the fence on her side. We told her, nicely, that we didn’t want to cut them down but she could trim them up to the property line. She countered with an offer to hire and pay someone to take them down.
These trees provided a nice privacy barrier for our deck but in the spirit of getting off on the right foot with a new neighbor, we gave our permission.
The lots on our side of the street all slope side to side downhill. Runoff from several houses above me run through my backyard and then the neighbor's. This runoff was literally washing away my backyard, no grass, nothing but a layer of clay was left. So in 2014 I had a drainage system put in and new sod laid. The drainage exits my lot about 6 feet from the property line and runs through a rock field before going under my fence and into her backyard.
She made several remarks over the last year that implied that I should do something about it. I took no action, what could I do? Rainwater runoff is a common enemy among neighbors and it cannot be stopped, only controlled. I spent a lot of money to control it and discharge it gently to her side over a 30 sq foot rock field.
In July I came home from a week’s vacation to find this:
And this:
The first rock field is between her driveway and my lot,and extends three feet onto my property (the fence going between the two properties is mine). The line of rocks in the second picture are about 30 feet long and centers my discharge rock field on the other side of the fence. The obvious intent is to create a dam, and after a heavy rain it creates a small pond on my side of the fence. After about 5 minutes though, water will find a way and it drains onto her property anyway.
I immediately went to talk with her. I politely but firmly told her that she could not pile rocks three feet into my yard, and that she could not pile rocks and concrete stepping blocks against my fence. I also told her that I couldn't stop rain runoff any more than she could and if it's bothering her that badly she should put in a drainage system.
Well the next week she removed the rocks beside the driveway and on my property, and replaced the sod. But 6 months later the rocks against the fence remain. She obviously does not intend to move them.
I have already done the 'go talk to her thing', what's my next step? If I move them myself, the concrete slabs are the main worry, I'll be trespassing. Our neighborhood has a very strict set of covenants, should I let the HSA handle it? Do I need to send her a registered letter? Hire a lawyer?
If I do nothing, the fence boards are going to root at the bottom.
Anyone have a creative solution? TIA...
Neighbor moved in next door about two years ago. Single black women about our age. Right after moving in she asked us, nicely, to take down two big Leyland Cypress trees that were about 3 feet from the property line and hanging 3-4 feet over the fence on her side. We told her, nicely, that we didn’t want to cut them down but she could trim them up to the property line. She countered with an offer to hire and pay someone to take them down.
These trees provided a nice privacy barrier for our deck but in the spirit of getting off on the right foot with a new neighbor, we gave our permission.
The lots on our side of the street all slope side to side downhill. Runoff from several houses above me run through my backyard and then the neighbor's. This runoff was literally washing away my backyard, no grass, nothing but a layer of clay was left. So in 2014 I had a drainage system put in and new sod laid. The drainage exits my lot about 6 feet from the property line and runs through a rock field before going under my fence and into her backyard.
She made several remarks over the last year that implied that I should do something about it. I took no action, what could I do? Rainwater runoff is a common enemy among neighbors and it cannot be stopped, only controlled. I spent a lot of money to control it and discharge it gently to her side over a 30 sq foot rock field.
In July I came home from a week’s vacation to find this:
And this:
The first rock field is between her driveway and my lot,and extends three feet onto my property (the fence going between the two properties is mine). The line of rocks in the second picture are about 30 feet long and centers my discharge rock field on the other side of the fence. The obvious intent is to create a dam, and after a heavy rain it creates a small pond on my side of the fence. After about 5 minutes though, water will find a way and it drains onto her property anyway.
I immediately went to talk with her. I politely but firmly told her that she could not pile rocks three feet into my yard, and that she could not pile rocks and concrete stepping blocks against my fence. I also told her that I couldn't stop rain runoff any more than she could and if it's bothering her that badly she should put in a drainage system.
Well the next week she removed the rocks beside the driveway and on my property, and replaced the sod. But 6 months later the rocks against the fence remain. She obviously does not intend to move them.
I have already done the 'go talk to her thing', what's my next step? If I move them myself, the concrete slabs are the main worry, I'll be trespassing. Our neighborhood has a very strict set of covenants, should I let the HSA handle it? Do I need to send her a registered letter? Hire a lawyer?
If I do nothing, the fence boards are going to root at the bottom.
Anyone have a creative solution? TIA...
