Neighbor issues. Not sure if I am crazy or what.

So my wife and I bought our house 3 years ago. It's a corner lot. Our house faces north. Our neighbors behind us, their house faces west. My side yard joins up with their front yard. My side yard is rather large, while their front yard, not so much.

When we first moved in, our dogs would constantly fence fight with theirs. They didn't care. We did because our blue heeler would literally foam at the mouth and go ape shit because she was so territorial. So the wife and I replaced the chain link fence in our backyard with privacy fence. It's our property, so we should be able to do that. Well, the neighbors said they didn't care. However, now when their kids would hit their baseballs into our backyard, instead of just hopping the short chain link fence, they had to come ask us to get their balls, cause the privacy was 6 feet tall (tallest allowed by code).

Well, apparently the people who lived in the house before us, let the neighbors kids play football and baseball in the side yard. My wife and I were not happy about that. especially when they started hitting our house with baseballs. So we asked them a couple of times, very nicely, to not let their kids play football in our side yard, or baseball in the direction of our house. there is a school and a park literally a block away that has a baseball diamond and lots of room to play football. At first they said fine, but it continued. So we tried asking nicely again, because now the football game was starting to destroy the lawn, and my wifes flowerbeds. Well, this was the last straw for me. My neighbor and I got into a heated argument about it one night. He stated "It's just grass". My reply was "Its not just about the grass, its about kids having respect for other peoples property" Their kids are probably 8 and 10 or so.

Well, things were fine until last weekend, when the father and his sons decided to play football in the side yard again. So the wife and I decided to take matters into our own hands. We went out and bought 7 forsythia sunrise bushes, and 30 feet of 3 foot tall decorative fencing. We will be having the bushes planted from our side fence, to the sidewalk, and put the fence just in front of the bushes just on our side of the property line. In essence creating a wall between our side yard and their front yard.

Am I crazy to think that this is my fault. We tried being nice, but that obviously didn't matter. their kids run all over the neighborhood like it's their own personal playground. My wife and I don't have kids, so maybe we just don't understand. But if we did, they damn well would learn to have respect for other peoples property.

It's driving me crazy. I keep playing out these scenarios where the neighbors get all pissed at us and cut down the shrubs (the shrubs will be completely on our property), or poison them, or start another argument. My line of thinking is that, it's my property, I can do what I want on it, as long as its within code.

Any opinions?

Cliff notes: Neighbor wont keep his kids out of my yard, so I am taking matters into my own hands. Should I feel guilty?

 

I dont think so. I'm also on a corner lot and my neighbors behind me are just plain weird. They (the kids) used to aggravate my dog on purpose and throw crap back there to get her to eat it. They've stopped since I caught them red handed. Now, the dad is in a midlife crisis and drives a Harley with a modded exhaust. He feels that he has to rev it everytime he leaves or comes. No matter what time. Even once at 6 am on a saturday. I don't think you're crazy. I feel your pain. You warned them, and I think you have to do what you need to do to protect the property you worked hard for.

 

Ive had the same issues before, we actually had neighbors that were selling drugs so the traffic was horrendous. There is nothing wrong with keeping peace in the neighborhood. Luckily when that was happening, I know the drug taskforce guys here in town so, we put an end to that shit pretty quick.

But...after you set up your line of defense and you think there is foul play involved, you should set up a camera. Take legal steps.

Your home is your HOME, sometimes you have to defend it.

 

That would drive me crazy too. I think the bushes is a great idea for privacy and it's prevents another screaming match.

 

I know this exact issue (same side yard, front yard, etc. exact layout.) Except I'm one of the kids and my friend was the neighbor with the small front yard. We would play football in that side yard every so often, one owner (had kids) didn't care, but another that later moved in (didn't have kids) did care. From my perspective as the kid...kids will be kids. Although in hind sight and being much older it's not right. Do I think you're crazy for thinking the way you are? Not completely. My wife and I also currently don't have any kids and I don't like it when my neighbor kids are running all over my lawn. On the other hand I imagine If I had kids it wouldn't be a big deal b/c mine would be out there playing also.

 

The sad thing though is that you're having to spend your money to do all this just to keep them from tromping all over your property. If you were planning on doing the landscape work then I think all would be fine but still sucks for you man.
People just have no respect for others property. If things get bad set up a home surveillance system. You can get them semi-cheap and some even come with wireless cameras. Good luck and hopefully it won't have to come down to legal action but if it does a pictures worth a thousand words, or in this case a video.

 

I have a similar situation where the neighbor kids are throwing crap at my dogs to either harm them or to see if they will eat it. They also stand at the fence and taunt them. I got on ebay and bought one of those wireless cameras and set up the receiver to my computer so the footage went straight to my hard drive.
I got home one night after work and saw a shiz ton of junk in my back yard. When I confronted the parents they denied it. So I went home, pulled up the footage and confirmed their little turds did infact throw it all back there. There was also footage of their kids taunting my dogs and kicking their noses through the fence. I immediately burned two copies. I called Animal Control and the Cops, showed them the footage and they took the second copy to the neighbor for the parents to watch.
This all occured at the time they made animal cruelty a felony so the chat with the parents and law enforcement was quite entertaining to witness.
I haven't had an issue with them or any of my neighbors since. Apparently they think I have my entire property under survelence. That's fine by me!

So if I were you, put in those bushes and put up that fence then get yourself a little camera to watch your property. Nothing better than a silent witness to something you are trying to prove.

*since this time, I have moved the camera to my driveway so I can see my front door. Now if someone knocks I don't have to get up to see who it is to decide if I am going to answer it or not! HA HA!!

 

I don't actually think they will do anything malicious, I just keep playing out the worst case scenarios in my head. the wife says I'm crazy, and that nothing will happen. She says that they can't say a thing, because everything will be 2 feet from the property on our side.
If I have to put in a camera, I will. If I have to put up no trespassing signs on that side of the yard, and then call the cops when I see them do it, I will.

 

That sucks man. I think you are spot on in your reasoning. I wouldn't spend the money on the bushes and fence just to keep them out. If you want it for landscaping then fine but just putvup a camera system and check it regularly. They have a 5 camera night vision set up at harbor freight for around $100. I had a similar issue with the fire break behind my house, people would constantly ride 4 wheelers behind my house, not that I have a problem with that but atleast ask permission first. I don't want someone to get hurt and then sue me. I put up a fence and he just rode around it. Luckily I was kit in the back one day when they rode by and yelled at him andd cursed him out (grown man). And he a never came back.

 

Fences (or in your case, bushes) make good neighbors. Neighbors can be a big pain in the ass.

 

That's another concern of mine. There's a tree just on my side of the property. The kids like to pull the branches off and climb it. If they fall and get hurt, it's my responsibility, or they can sue me. Fuck that.
I don't mind putting up the shrubs, cause they were cheap, and the fencing is even cheaper. It will give us alot more privacy on that part of our yard.

 

not at all dude, its your yard, stay the hell off of yer property.

its an insurance thing too.

call the cops?

 

That;s what I like to hear.

 

not your fault at all man, kids are kids, thats a given, but they should learn to respect property, I for one (only 19) wasnt one of those kids that were everywhere (we lived out in the country), but i had friends who were like that. Thier parents didnt really care, usually, big thing was that thier kids were out there playing with them though

oh well, another lesson learned

(also, if they try to jump the fence for whatever reason, the electric horse fences work great lol, just "put it up for your dog, to keep it from digging under the fence")


OH, is there a home owners association that wil give you crap about the trees?

 

Hell no! Nothing wrong with pride in ownership. And your're doing it a nice way.....I'd put an electric fence just inside the bushes. Come get your ball now punks.

People have no respect for other people's property now days.....drives me friggin nuts!

 

^This

 

Good for putting up the line of defense. Start a log with the local police for "trespassing" issues. Cuz if the parents don't get it that you do not want them on your yard, document it just in case it does escalate in the future. And from working in a 911 dispatch center, documentation is always good.

 

I'm glad to read that I am not delusional.
i just dont want this to escalate the situation. In my opinion, this should be the last we have to worry about it.

 

More like this
"But if we did, they damn well would learn to have respect for other peoples property."

 

That's what every parent says before they have kids...