Background info... DoggyMama bought an RV back in the summer with the intention of being able to take the grandkids on some "camping" trips. I didn't want it (to me, RV camping isn't camping - it's parking), but I didn't fight her on it. One of the problems is that we have no room in our driveway for it, so we parked it in our side yard. In the meantime, a friend of hers left her abusive boyfriend and needed a place to stay, so we let her stay in the RV (that's another story). Anyhow, we have always parked our pontoon boat and pickup next to the house, and have for 13 years with nary a word said by anyone.
Today (November 10th), I got a letter from city code enforcement informing me that I am in violation of zoning codes and that any vehicles parked in a side yard must be on a "hard surface". They said unless the situation was abated by November 20th, I would be subject to fees and fines and lawsuits, etc.. So since Monday is a holiday, they've basically given me a week to come up with a solution. I emailed the person that sent the letter to ask if a gravel parking area would suffice and will wait to hear back from him about that.
I explained to him that one week is not enough time for me to have at least one, and possibly two trees removed, arrange for gravel to be delivered and spread and secure financing for all this. Oh, and DoggyMama has just started cancer treatment so things are very much in a state of flux with us. I also told him I would need to take time off work to get all this done, and we're very busy at the moment so that's going to be tough too. I let him know that I of course want to comply with the law, but that I really needed more time, so we will see.
I have a feeling I know who called them on us. Nextdoor neighbor's wife is a real *****. They have an 8 foot privacy fence, so they really only see the top 3 feet of the RV, but apparently that makes her unhappy. They didn't have the guts to just come talk to us about it, but instead chose to report us to code enforcement. I'm usually a "go along, get along" kinda guy, but this really ticks me off.
So, I'm going to find out the bare minimum I need to do to stay legal and let it go at that. I'm tempted to have the gravel piled a little "extra high" where the RV will be parked. I they thought they were going to get rid of it, they've got another thing coming. We have one of the nicest yards on the entire street. Well manicured, landscaped, etc.. It's not like we have junk vehicles sitting out on blocks and a couch on the front porch. With all that's going on right now with DoggyMama's health and my current workload, it's just lousy timing.
Today (November 10th), I got a letter from city code enforcement informing me that I am in violation of zoning codes and that any vehicles parked in a side yard must be on a "hard surface". They said unless the situation was abated by November 20th, I would be subject to fees and fines and lawsuits, etc.. So since Monday is a holiday, they've basically given me a week to come up with a solution. I emailed the person that sent the letter to ask if a gravel parking area would suffice and will wait to hear back from him about that.
I explained to him that one week is not enough time for me to have at least one, and possibly two trees removed, arrange for gravel to be delivered and spread and secure financing for all this. Oh, and DoggyMama has just started cancer treatment so things are very much in a state of flux with us. I also told him I would need to take time off work to get all this done, and we're very busy at the moment so that's going to be tough too. I let him know that I of course want to comply with the law, but that I really needed more time, so we will see.
I have a feeling I know who called them on us. Nextdoor neighbor's wife is a real *****. They have an 8 foot privacy fence, so they really only see the top 3 feet of the RV, but apparently that makes her unhappy. They didn't have the guts to just come talk to us about it, but instead chose to report us to code enforcement. I'm usually a "go along, get along" kinda guy, but this really ticks me off.
So, I'm going to find out the bare minimum I need to do to stay legal and let it go at that. I'm tempted to have the gravel piled a little "extra high" where the RV will be parked. I they thought they were going to get rid of it, they've got another thing coming. We have one of the nicest yards on the entire street. Well manicured, landscaped, etc.. It's not like we have junk vehicles sitting out on blocks and a couch on the front porch. With all that's going on right now with DoggyMama's health and my current workload, it's just lousy timing.
I had the GF get in the thing and back it up enough so it was 1/2" BEHIND the line and as we were doing it Abner and Gladys went by smiling and waving as I "invited" them to come over and inspect it so they could see it was indeed now legal.
