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Opinions on landscaping issue w/ neighbor please. PsIP
Hi ladies! I just realized this board existed and it's the perfect place for my question. I know it's long, but I appreciate your input!
We moved into our current home last summer. The house is 10 years old but the previous owners lived here maybe 4/5 years and made no improvements to the house. Our front yard was a disaster, as was the back. Last year, we did some major fix-ups inside and we landscaped our backyard. We are now starting the front yard.
Our 3
reasons for doing the front:
1 - we have no landscaping and would like some!
2- our driveway is super long and skinny. It's a PITA to turn around on
it (visitors) and it's hard to back out because it's on an incline and
narrow and hard to see. When we have people over, they're always driving
on the grass and breaking sprinkler heads...
3 - There is a large drain that was built wrong and when it overflows,
the water heads right to the side of our house and is starting to seep
into the house in the basement and leave dirt and nastiness on the side
of the house.
Do we really need any reasons since it's all our property?! The plan were approved last year by our home association, the builder (neighborhood), and the city!
Last summer, out of courtesy, we showed our neighbors the plans and let them know we would be doing work. Our neighbor to the right (in the pictures) seemed totally cool with it and praised the plan!
Fast forward to this week when we start the front yard. I went to her house to let her know we were starting. She was all smiles and friendly. Then she complained to the guy cutting down the trees that people "have been sued over less then this".
All was smoothed out. DH went and talked to them.
More bulldozing to get the ground leveled for the driveway. Neighbor calls city to complain and says we're tearing down Nature Reserves that can't be touched (the DRAIN!). City comes out and tells us everything looks great and that the plan for the drain is a great idea. We're not doing anything wrong. That's the part that really pisses me off..she smiles to us then AFTER we start (and a YEAR after we show her the plan), she tries to throw a wrench in the project?! WTF!
I truly understand her concern. Right now, her back yard is completely exposed. When working w/ the landscape architect, we made sure to include our neighbor's best interest: privacy, more trees that won't grow onto their property, etc.. And I do understand that people don't like change. But don't we have a right to do some landscaping like everyone else did when they had their homes built?!
So please tell me if I'm missing something. Are we doing anything wrong, from an outsider's perspective? Or does this lady just have too much time on her hands? Thoughts please?
Before
pictures:
The Plan:
Right now:
Re: Opinions on landscaping issue w/ neighbor please. PsIP
Ignore her. The plans have been approved, you've let her know. Don't talk to her any more about it, and just get the work done.
GL
Our little Irish rose came to us on March 5, 2010
Don't drink the water.
Disclaimer: I am not an MD. Please don't PM me with pregnancy-related questions. Ask your doctor.
I'd smile back at her and ask her directly wtf her problem was, and since it's clear that she HAS one, why did she tell you otherwise when she was asked instead of being two-faced, smiling at you, and going behind your back. What does she think, you don't know she's doing it?
Nature preserve, my asse. It's already looking a lot better since you bulldozed the nature preserve. Definitely too much time on her hands.
We had a similar problem with a lady across the way from us. She claimed we needed all kinds of permits (which did not exist) and threatened to sue us for changing our driveway configuration and adding much needed landscaping. We ended up ignoring all of her rants and just proceeding with the work. We did have to notify the landscapers that she would probably bother them while working, but they seemed to take it well and even provided us with a little entertainment (we got to see them get in the neighbor's face a little). In the end, it all worked out and the landscaping turned out great!
I LOVE your landscape plan btw. Good luck!
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I usually lurk but wanted to throw out an FYI (oh, and ignore your neighbor):
There have been a couple of court cases on the west coast (I know of two in Oregon) in recent years where a neighbor has sued another neighbor over water issues. In both Oregon cases, the suing party was suing because of non-professional, non-licensed landscape work done by the other party that greatly increased the amount of water flow onto the suing neighbor's property, causing drainage issues and property damage. You obviously don't fall into the category, you have a professional LA and have had the plans approved.... this is the only reason I could image you would be doing anything wrong, and since clearly you aren't, ignore it.