What is the name of your state? CO
Older neighborhood - neighbors in their eighties. Got along with them OK for many years - as long as I let them do whatever they felt like. Around five years ago, another group (younger, but just as thoughtless) moved in next door to THEM and they share not only a driveway, but a small dog, which the old man next door to ME took out of the new neighbor's yard and let it run around in MY yard, where it was encouraged (by these "neighbors") to let nature take its course. This got tiresome so I asked BOTH of these neighbors to please keep the dog OUT of my yard.
This polite request fell on deaf ears, in more ways than one.
After the fifth time of asking the old man to keep the dog OUT of my yard - I confronted him verbally and loudly and, as the other neighbors were standing in the mutual driveway taking this all in, I approached the elder of two women, who immediately clapped her hands over her ears and chanted "LA lah, lah, lah" and ran back inside her house(!), this woman appears to be in her fifties and, presumably, too old for such behavior, so despairing of any further reasonable conversation, I called animal control officials who, very reluctantly, gave them a summons.
They (the new neighbors) plead "not guilty", so we had to go to court, where they were fined $50.
NOT the end of the story.
The old man went up and down the street haranguing the neighborhood with some tale of his version of events, and his thirty-five-ish year old grandson approached me on my property - stating "You don't know who I am, but I'm going to ruin your life." I took this obnoxious lout at his word and immediately called the police. Even though I asked to sign a complaint against this boor, the police sided with the "poor old guy" and his belligerent grandson, and left without doing much more, while the old man and his offspring stood glaring at me from their backyard.
For years, the runoff from their overwatering has undermined the sidewalk in front of my house, and is causing cracks in MY driveway. Although I continue to ask them to adjust their sprinkler heads (which run right down the property line - frequently overlaying the concrete of my drive), it just brings about another scene.
Twice now, they have gotten "Piston"(not his real name), the piece of work from across the street, to dig a huge hole in the narrow adjoining property, the dirt getting piled in my yard. More confrontations, more scenes.
The old man gardens in the alley, pitching weeds into my property. More confrontations, more scenes.
The belicose grandson comes and mows their lawn - stomps around in my yard making faces and leaves grass clippings in my driveway. More confrontations, more scenes.
The problem stems, apparently, from their "connections" - present or past - in the city government, and they just feel like I am automatically "wrong" for trying to get them to respect my property rights.
I have spoken to an attorney who knew this family in some regard and stated that he would not get involved - and did not know anyone who would take the case(!).
I don't know whether I need an attorney, the state bar assoc. or an elementary school principal.
Without bringing in an attorney from out-of-town (and costing a fortune), what can I do short of going postal and/or formally declaring war?
Helpful suggestions more than welcome.
Older neighborhood - neighbors in their eighties. Got along with them OK for many years - as long as I let them do whatever they felt like. Around five years ago, another group (younger, but just as thoughtless) moved in next door to THEM and they share not only a driveway, but a small dog, which the old man next door to ME took out of the new neighbor's yard and let it run around in MY yard, where it was encouraged (by these "neighbors") to let nature take its course. This got tiresome so I asked BOTH of these neighbors to please keep the dog OUT of my yard.
This polite request fell on deaf ears, in more ways than one.
After the fifth time of asking the old man to keep the dog OUT of my yard - I confronted him verbally and loudly and, as the other neighbors were standing in the mutual driveway taking this all in, I approached the elder of two women, who immediately clapped her hands over her ears and chanted "LA lah, lah, lah" and ran back inside her house(!), this woman appears to be in her fifties and, presumably, too old for such behavior, so despairing of any further reasonable conversation, I called animal control officials who, very reluctantly, gave them a summons.
They (the new neighbors) plead "not guilty", so we had to go to court, where they were fined $50.
NOT the end of the story.
The old man went up and down the street haranguing the neighborhood with some tale of his version of events, and his thirty-five-ish year old grandson approached me on my property - stating "You don't know who I am, but I'm going to ruin your life." I took this obnoxious lout at his word and immediately called the police. Even though I asked to sign a complaint against this boor, the police sided with the "poor old guy" and his belligerent grandson, and left without doing much more, while the old man and his offspring stood glaring at me from their backyard.
For years, the runoff from their overwatering has undermined the sidewalk in front of my house, and is causing cracks in MY driveway. Although I continue to ask them to adjust their sprinkler heads (which run right down the property line - frequently overlaying the concrete of my drive), it just brings about another scene.
Twice now, they have gotten "Piston"(not his real name), the piece of work from across the street, to dig a huge hole in the narrow adjoining property, the dirt getting piled in my yard. More confrontations, more scenes.
The old man gardens in the alley, pitching weeds into my property. More confrontations, more scenes.
The belicose grandson comes and mows their lawn - stomps around in my yard making faces and leaves grass clippings in my driveway. More confrontations, more scenes.
The problem stems, apparently, from their "connections" - present or past - in the city government, and they just feel like I am automatically "wrong" for trying to get them to respect my property rights.
I have spoken to an attorney who knew this family in some regard and stated that he would not get involved - and did not know anyone who would take the case(!).
I don't know whether I need an attorney, the state bar assoc. or an elementary school principal.
Without bringing in an attorney from out-of-town (and costing a fortune), what can I do short of going postal and/or formally declaring war?
Helpful suggestions more than welcome.
