Can't really FIGHT 'em!!!!

So, I own "my" house, free and clear, and I've been paying taxes for a few years, and I get a registered letter from the City giving me 7 days to move my camper trailer behind "my" six foot wood fence or pay $2,000 per day. In addition, it essentially places a lien on "my" property and promises disconnection of utility services (which are city owned). This is about a small pop-up camper trailer that I've been working on occasionally. It's been sitting with the levelling jacks in place in the same spot for about eight months, but NOW I have a week to get into compliance with a rule that I didn't know existed.

OK, I got 'er done! Cost me $20.00 to rent a couple of strong young men for half an hour to muscle the trailer around the house to a spot where I have no electricity or shop air outlets and the ground is too soft for the jacks. A damn sight cheaper than the alternative! END OF RANT!!!

What I want to know is how to find out exactly what is allowed and what is not allowed in the driveway of "my" house here in the "Socialist Republic of Austin, Texas" I don't think it would be a good idea to use that phrase in inquiring of the city's minions. I'm just wondering if there is any single place where all the applicable rules and regulations are published.

I could go on with specific questions, etc, but to no purpose. I am subject to the rules of this city, but would like to hear from anyone who has dealt with similar situations. Specifically how to find out what the rules are, where they are found in whatever rulebook your region's gestapos are working from, and how to be in compliance with their rules while enjoying our hobby.

 

Well heres the long and short...some cowardly scumbag ratted you out .
I could go on for hours...but in a lot of city's and towns it is almost impossible to find out what you want. They like it that way.
If you get a ticket there is always a note of what you have to do...or else... But try to find out ahead of time what is or is not legal..sometimes impossible.
Gary

 

We can still leave crap everywhere.

 

Go visit city hall. Ask for the "code enforcement person? and see if there is a list of ordinances that is on the city website or in the library to make your search easy. Unless you live in an area that still has covenants, the city ordinances are all that you have to deal with.

 

I asked the realtor about neighborhood ass(hole) associations, and "deed restrictions" (which I think is the came as "covenants" here in Texas), but didn't think about city ordinances. Oh, well, "It's not paranoia if they're really after you!"

 

I know the feeling. I had my 65 Falcon parked in my front yard...on my grass....
under my tree for a couple of days, while I was driving & working on another
one of my cars. Apparently, one of my fine neighbors ratted to someone, & a few
days later I had a city guy come by asking if I had a car parked in my yard.
By then the Falcon was back in the garage. I was told that's a no-no to park
your own car, in your own yard, on your own grass here! JEEZUZ!!!
What's wrong with that!!!! There's some screwy ordinances out there.

 

the greener the yards are in the neighborhood the more problems you're going to have. All my neighbors have dead lawns or have replaced them with slabs of concrete. You can literally dump oil in the storm drains and the neighbors will say howdy when they walk by and not even care.

 

The library is where I found my city's ordinances regarding barking dogs and fences many years ago.

 

Just try to be as considerate as you can to your neighbors within reason and hope for the best. It is better not to go asking the city what you can and can't do until you want to do something you think clearly might be a problem or might obviously need a permit for. Generally, if you are kind of thinking it might be a problem, then there is likely a good chance it could be. Like if you are the only one in your neighborhood fixing a camper or car in your driveway, it might become a problem over time. If you had done it in a couple of months, it still would have been against whatever regulation they used against you, but your neighbors probably would have let it slide. But, after eight months, somebody probably got tired of seeing or hearing it and decided to call it in. Not defending them, but basically I have learned to just try to be extra considerate when working on stuff and not invite trouble. And don't open up cans of worms for yourself. Just do what you think is right and hope for the best. When you get a notice, just fix it asap as you did and leave it at that and be extra careful in the future to minimize any more problems, but don't go down to the city hall stirring up any more problems than you already have. Good luck with it!

 

Here is a link to the Code of Ordinances for Austin. A quick search on a few keywords didn't turn up any obvious passages that relate to your situation, but I'd start with title 9 "Prohibited Activities" and Chapter 9-1 "Abandoned Property and Vehicles". Hopefully you can get someone at the city to give you a code reference for lookup.

http://www.amlegal.com/austin_tx/


FYI for others - not every state/county/city is on the above site, but many others are on this other site:

http://www.municode.com/Resources/OnlineLibrary.asp

Good luck!

 

I pray it never happens here I live in a small town between two larger cities and I have crap everywhere in my front yard alone I have a 55 chevy gasser project, my 34 pickup, 2 model a coupes, my glass 32 roadster, in the back yard i have 55 pontiac, 55 chevy 2dr post, my trailer, a stack of frames, pallett of rear ends and a pallett of ford front ends and 3 35-37 Ford cabs and enough stuff to put together a couple of model a sedan bodys. everything is organized but I would be in tons of trouble if they cracked down here. To top it off the only one that runs and drives is my 34. My neighbors are cool so hopefully no problems will ever arise but it just takes one A-hole. I love the book History of Hotrods were there is the little photo of the guys yard in the late 50's in California, theres a 32 roundy rounder, A on 32 rails and 2 or 3 other coupes in his front yard . The captions reads his neighbors probably were not to happy.

 

It's kind of ridiculous that somebody had a problem with a camper sitting behind a 6 foot fence. On the other hand I have my fair share of scumbag neighbors that leave trash laying around and there kids run around naked in the front yard, as I type this they are burning trash in the backyard(BIG no no here in the city)and i am thinking about calling the fire department on them since my house is filled with the smell of burning garbage and my wife and I are about to go for a drive until our house clears out because the smoke is literally choking me.

 

the left wing socialists want to run every aspect of your life,including your property rights

it's only going to get worst...you can bet on it

 

All of the rules are conveniently located about 9 inches up your ass.

The city uses a special "man tool" to access the rules.

The only thing you have control over is weather they use lubricant [yes I will comply] or no lubricant [pay the fine] when they fuck you with one of the rules.

Welcome to the new "kinder gentler" America

 

I hate rats!!! They gave me the biggest problems when I was storing my car. Thay have no lives!!!!! ANd no friends!!!!

 

I mean "they"

 

Some places actually have the zoning laws and codes online now, that's how I beat them here.

 

what a bunch of shit

 

Township hall or city hall what ever you have will have a building and ordinance enforcement person or office..contact them it HAS to be in writing or they can't enforce it. But it is your duty to know the rules..

Hey at least you Texans can still shoot first and ask the midnight gardener questions last.

 

Try this site for more info on your situation. Good luck.

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/law/

 

And THAT'S why I love it!

 

Typical. Abuse of an ordinance. I understand and even appreciate some ordinaces ( I would have a problem with a niebor junking up his place to the point of bringing my property value down) but always someone has to push it to the limit and be an a--. I can't imagine someone complianing about a pop-up camper in their driveway.

 

Almost Heaven

 

your lucky you can put it behind your fence. i moved here because the city was new (read loose laws) now 14 years later it's a about the OC snobbery, i can't even legally put something like that (or a project car) any place other then INSIDE my garage (or enclosed workshop if the city would let me build one) my front yard/front of my house is always clean and kept up and project under a new car cover (not on blocks either)......all it takes is one person to turn you in.

 

that's what causes cities to enact codes .

 

It's funny how the 'liberal minded' cities in TX seem to get more of this crap than the conservative ones. Friggin left wing whacks trying to peep into every window. By law,all of your ordinances must be on city file and open to view. They cannot be filed in some hidden type rulebook.
It must also contain explicit instructions on how, when and where to apply for exemptions from the code as applied. It must list penalties, and the ramp they follow; ie; usually fines start low and work high.
And don't be looking for a pissed off neighbor...most cities hire a couple of hacks to drive around looking for ways to screw with somebody. In my city, I had my mothers 1966 Buick Wildcat convertible parked in my drive after she passed away. It had not been titled/driven in about 8 years. A city dork comes by a puts the 12 x14 red sticker warning of impending tow, fines, blah blah if it isn't stored. Well, genius puts the sticker on the painted trunk lid instead of the window. Sent me off like a rocket. Got a city inspector to admit that I have to receive a warning--by mail--before any such threats were made (read the code). Got the sticker removed at city expense and one A1 jackass fired. Know your rights or you don't have any.

 

use to live in a real nice neiborhood and damn the laws are crazy...cant have a above ground pool, had to be inground...no trampolines...we had a small popup camper, brand new sitting in the drive cause we were using it in the summer and we had to store it in the garage so the rusty chevy pickup sat outside...those laws are a pain...but what amazed me is that the rusty beat chevy could sit outside but the brand new popup couldnt

 

when i bitch about the war, the president, our nations laws, etc. some republican know it all says "america, love it or leave it." maybe you guys should take that advice and quit moving to "liberal" cities where you don't like the laws and people? or maybe learn a little of that personal responsibility thing the righties preach about and take responsibility for a minor infraction of a city ordinance instead of making excuses?

 

i deal with code enforcement people whenever they decide to stop by. they are usually cool because i "name drop" complete with business cards in hand and that usually defuses their "official attitude"! with the workload they have (usually 500+ active cases) some creative ass kissing goes a long fucking way. i usually "over comply" and they eat that shit up. that simple manuover got me a 6 month extension from having to tarp the back of a pickup that i parked in direct view of the asshole next door. most of the time these people are taking mass amounts of shit and they usually feel like their visit is a waste of their time. they usually e-mail me or a simple phone call when i'm on the "radar" again. like the old saying goes "the best neighbor is a fence!"

 

If anyone here knows how to research law the US Supreme Court ruled that zoning is unconstitutional more than 20 years ago!This was front page news here when they made the ruling.I kept a copy of the article for many years but unfortunately have misplaced it at some point in a move.The case was over a guy wanting to operate a small home business out of his garage NOT AUTO RELATED.He fought his town all the way to the Supreme Court and won !Basically they said no person has the right to restrict another persons use of their private property including local government like city,town or county