New "Neighbors" Advice

Okay. Without trying to sound like an a-hole...here's the situation that has come up, and I need some advice.

My wife and I (and our 8 month old son) live somewhat out in the country. We're outside "city limits", and we live on two acres. The five acres to the west of us is pretty much abandoned, overgrown woods (which we love).

The land to the east of us is three acres that the owner has used as his storage/dump for any sort of crap that he doesn't need at the moment...including an abandoned mobile home towards the back of it.

We knew about that eyesore when we bought our house, because we felt we could deal with that and hope that one day he'd clean up.

Well, things have changed drastically in the last month. We came home from church one Sunday to notice an SUV just randomly parked out on that property, somewhat close to our fence line...just sitting there. Guy with a woman in the front, and some kids in the back seat. They leave when we get home.

Week or so later, my wife sends me a text at work, telling me she met the guy who was out there. Told her he was going to be "renting to own" the property, and he was going to be having a mobile home dropped off on the land in a week or two. (So this makes mobile home #2 on this land...) He's a single guy with three foster kids, and a pitbull/lab mix that he "just can't keep chained up."

We aren't thrilled with the idea, but we agreed to keep an open mind.

The moment finally happened. We both get home last Wednesday to find an 80's model, junked up, mildew covered, trim missing piece of crap dropped about five to eight feet from our property line. It looks like crap. My wife wants to cry, move, sell the house, etc.... I'm just mad that they drop it so close I could piss on the thing.

However, I'm more concerned about the condition of the trailer in so much as health is concerned. Is there anything we can do? The trailer is clearly falling apart. The guy won't be moving into it until next school year starts, so it is going to be sitting there, festering. The end window blew out in a storm we had last night... The place is a hole. I'm concerned about how they plan on drilling a well and putting in a septic system, being so close to our property. There's a tank battery (oil) approximately 200' or so from the trailer, further east.

Does anybody know of any sort of rules or regulations that can be called upon to deal with this? I'm sorry for being long-winded, but I needed to paint a picture of it. I have a picture on my phone if another visual would help.

Any advice is welcome. Thank you.

 

If the trailer is in that rough of shape, you could report them to the department of health i'd imagine, especially having foster children there are certain standards for living conditions which generally have to be met.

 

Exactly, best to either speak with them directly about trying to move it a little more over, or speak with someone in the city about it.

 

This is one idea that I've already come up with...I'm just waiting a bit to see what all they're planning on doing. But, thank you.

 

I wouldnt worry about the septic and water, they have to follow certain state regs anyways to install those. Might be time to plant some trees on your property line!

 

A plant screen has already been planned for this spring!

 

Being outside of city limits, I think that is what my issue will be. I don't think there are any rules when it comes to placement of structures. That's why I'm focusing more on the health aspect of it right now. The way it is right now, it will be a cesspool for mice, copperheads (that are already bad enough out here), skunks, birds, and insects.

 

I would check the local zoning ordinance to see if mobile homes are allowed in your area. Because you are country-ish, they are probably OK, but never hurts to calling the planning and zoning board to ask. Every town has building setbacks and in the country setting (agricultural zones), they can be upwards of 50 feet.

Next step would be to talk to them directly if they ARE allowed and ask if they could be a friendly neighbor and move it away from your house....If they retaliate, the next step is to speak with the board of health for your Town and let them know you are concerned with the future living situation of an abutting neighbor to you.

 

Yeah...my wife and I are trying to give this guy the benefit of the doubt right now. My problem is I never see him while I'm home. He stops by the property on a rare occasion for the time being. I really don't see how he'd be able to have it relocated on the property. It's an 80' trailer, and they've already got it up on blocks...

 

And another avenue to chase is that they may not even be permitted to live there without a site plan. In MA, you can get in some big trouble by just dumping a mobile home on a property without having the lot surveyed, and designed to ensure there are no non-conforming issues.

Massachusetts is very strict in these situations, but for example, you couldn't put a mobile home in a low lying ditch on your property because of the potential for flooding water....the lot needs to be graded away from the structure. It shouldn't be hard to fight this if it gets there....

 

In our state the county regulates properties that are not in municipalities limits.

Generally their rules are very similar to the city's, in terms of wiring, plumbing, safety issues, etc.

There are also zoning rules in counties as well, controlling the usage of the property. Sometimes the condition too (like no dumping)

Permits are required to install a mobile home (different than an RV), have secure anchoring, septic connection, water connection and electric connection. We (power company) won't even provide power w/o a permit.

I'd start off making inquires there. I'd also be asking them to coordinate with the county health department regarding the condition of an occupied building.

Foster kids are usually wards of the state; the department in your state that handles that should be making inspections of the living quarters of the children.

If everything is, or is brought up to, code, and the kids are safe, then your options have pretty much run out.

 

About the dogs, check on your local leash laws. Where I live, a lot of people think it only applies in city limits when it is actually a county wide law.

 

Here is part of your answer:

Based on the location you provided in your user info, I found the local zoning ordinances and on page 77 of the PDF on the Town's website, found this gem:

"C. "A mobile home shall be parked or stored only in a recreation vehicle park which is in conformity with the ordinances of the City of Guthrie."

Granted, I don't know how close or far out you live from the city, but unless you are in a different region, I bet you still have to abide by the city ordinances. Zoning districts determine what you can and can't do, but you still have to adhere to the umbrella coverage of the city.

 

This, along with what everybody else said. There are regulations, whether you are in a country town or a city, about what can or can't be on a property. Call your town hall, town inspector, police, everybody and anybody who will take your report and explain things to them. The more noise you make about it to officials, the more likely they are to do something about it.

Are you the only neighbors around? If not, get some other people to call as well.

As far as relocating the trailer, he got it there somehow, it can be moved.

 

I believe the current land owner or "landlord" that he is renting to own had the trailer transported out there. I've seen him once in the two years we've lived out here.

We live on a short, dead-end road. There are two other homes by us. Since this all has started happening, they now lock their gates. I can definitely see them getting on board if needed.

 

Here's a pic... Figured it'd help some. The white-topped T-post is my property edge on that side..

 

Dude, I feel your pain just looking at that picture.

Absolutely no way that would fly sitting that close to the property line. I would find a way to get a hold of the land owner and tell him that either that moves, or every department in the town is gonna make a field trip to look at it.

 

see if he is willing to sell you the 3 acres . What is an acre selling for?

 

Kill it with fire.

 

The guy at the end of the road owns 40 acres down there. He tried to buy it from the guy. Said he'd sell it for $40,000 an acre. Average acre price down here is $2-3.5K right now. So....