Can my neghbor's mail boxes overhang my property?

Nov 06, 2004 29 Replies

I have a dispute with my neighbor in Florida.



His mailboxes for a four-plex are placed on a double post situated on the propery line. The vertical space between the two posts is exactly on the line. Two boxes hang over both properties on a horizontal board..



When I asked him to move the mailboxes so that none would hang over my property his response was; "I checked with the County and your property is set back from the road and since this is County property, I can place my mailboxes there".



Logic tells me that his mail boxes should not be allowed to hang over the line defining my property. After all, If he had 30 rental units, could he hang 15 boxes over my property just because the post was on the line?



BoyntonStu


If he is right, and the county owns that strip which is on the street side of the property setback, you should appeal the issue with the county, if the owner is unwilling to move it. The county, however, could probably care less, and has bigger problems to deal with. In any case, it doesn't seem that we are talking a big inconvenience (two boxes on your side) for you. Where I live, the Post Office, not the county, decides where to cluster boxes for the neighborhood, and some of my neighbors have 5 or 6 boxes in front of their single family homes, but no one is getting spaced out about it.

You have great community spirit - I'd hate to be your neighbor.

My mail box (and that of my next door neighbor) are across the street along with the neighbor on that side of the street (3 in a row). Because mail is only delivered on that side of the street. The boxes were there when I moved into the house.

We do not have curbs and sidewalks yet (even though my home built in 1910 is in the city), but the mail boxes are on the public right of way.

He is probably correct. In my case, there is a four foot section of my yard that actually belongs to the town. I paved the driveway across it, maintain the grass and I put my mailbox by the street, but I do NOT own the land. The survey stakes show where my land ends. This is very common in most every area. Towns keep an easement for future road expansion, sidewalks, etc.

A new house was built across the street and the owner put his mailbox right next to mine. I have no say in it as it is not my land and the post office told him what side of the street the box must be on.

If you take matters into your own hands and remove them, you are possibly asking for a lot of legal problems.

what comes around, goes around.

randy

Did you also see hanging chads when you voted? What's the big deal? Call Wexler. He will fix it for you.

Maybe that's how things were done back when the homes were built. It'll be funny when you're sued.

It is not the same all over so you need to check your local laws.

It is very common that a strip of land along roads are either owned by the local government or has easement rights. In either case the mail boxes may be legal where they are.

In any case, unless you like making trouble and having neighbors hate you, you would be better off backing down and apologizing.

Move. You are way too obsessed with mailboxes for this to be that simple, something else ticks you off about the neighbor.

And yes, he can place them there, as long as USPS says they're located fine. In Florida, the right of way is public use though you're required to maintain it, unless local codes dictate otherwise. He can even park his cars on your lawn in the right of way.

Jeff

Mailboxes over the line ! Wow. You need to worry about more important things.

Get over it. What else have you complained about to this neighbor? Did you gripe to the city when they put the speed limit sign in the CITY right of way in front of your house? How about that fire hydrant in the easement in front of your house is that legal? Get a life. What do you say about the airplanes that fly over "your" property are they in the wrong? I'll bet you are the most popular guy in the neighborhood. Muff

My son is an attorney who lives in the house. We do things 'by the book'.

An aside: I placed flood lights to illuminate the 'alley' way between the two houses in order to allow guests to walk to the guest house at night.

My neighbor "took it into his own hands" and spray painted black on the bulbs. There is more to the story than just a few mail boxes overhanging the property line.

The space between houses is only about 14 feet. In fact, the reason he didn't place the mail boxes in fron of his property is that they would have made parkng a little more difficult for his tennants. The prestent mail box location makes our egress a little more difficult.

BoyntonStu

I'm in Florida, If the mailboxes are on your easement - you're responsible for their upkeep and are required to make sure they are constructed in a manner that is conducive to the surrounding neighborhood ambience.

Painting your lights black is malicious trespass, and destruction of private property, the police issue citations for this.

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (m Ransley) wrote in news:1457-418CF605-32@storefull-

3132.bay.webtv.net:

My neighbor has spotlights that shine in my bedroom. I was thinking of setting up something reflective so he can enjoy the big beaming shining up his eyes. If only he'd put in a yellow bulb it would be better. He's the type you can't say anything to or else he wants to fight about it. He's almost 90 years old.

That's easily dealt wth. Ask him if he can keep his lights on more because of the security for your home, or something similar. Reverse psychology tends to work well with clowns like that.

clipped

Shhhhhh......don't tell anyone :o)

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