Code violations, including storage of gasoline outside?

Is there a problem storing gasoline outside 6 feet from the house in a standard plastic gasoline container, with a pressure vent?

1) Some obnoxious neighbor must have ratted on me to the code enforcement, and he seems to be complaining about this. I havent' reached him by phone to learn details, but I thought it was ok. I'm certainly not supposed to put the gasoline in my house, right?

2) He also complained about wood lying on the ground. I think he is referring to either a) a piece of t-111 lying under my deck, which I have ther so that I don't have to lie in the dirt, sometimes muddy, when I crawl under the deck to get my spare key, which is buried there.

Or b) the peices of t-111, totalling about 4x8 feet, that are on the front patio (which is surrounded by a "privacy fence") that I put there so that I could rebuild the motorcycle without oil on the cement and without scratching the cement with the kickstand.

I've neve seen termite damage to t-111, evne though I do have termite damage to my untreated fence pickets 15 feet away. Is t-111 (or even plywood. Maybe he thought it was plywood) on the ground or the cement some sort of violation in some places?

3) He complained about tarps, saying rats would hide under them. I have three, all of them the cheap blue woven tarps. ONE covers the motorcycle but doesn't reach to the ground. Tarp TWO covers the second level of a stack of lawnmowers, to protect them from the rain. The tarp is tucked in and only covers the second layer. Two lawnmowers on each level, with a piece of t-111 in between to stabilize the second. Tarp THREE covers my first lawn mower that I would like to fix some day. It's smaller and gets into small places, and is built as a mulching mower, and the tarp there goes all the way to the cement.

I can't reach him on the phone so far. What is he likely complaining about and how can I cover these things or protect the cement and still make him happy?

Thanks

layer.

Reply to
mm
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Well there is a problem if there it is a code violation. I suggest you check your local code enforcement agency. You might try the local fire department for the gasoline issue.

You apparently live in a terminate area. If it were my home, especially if it was in a termite area, I should would not want any non-treated wood in ground contact, and I would prefer not to have any treated wood in ground contact.

Reply to
Joseph Meehan

On Thu 27 Mar 2008 11:31:53a, mm told us...

You will *never* make the SOB happy. Too bad murder is illegal.

Reply to
Wayne Boatwright

Only the code official can tell you what the specific rules are in your area. If it's in some protected area, ie out of direct hot sunlight, that still leaves it available for some kids or trouble makers to screw around with. Like taking a whiz in it, or using it to light your house on fire.

I keep mine stored in the garage where it's secure.

Surely there must be a better place to hide a spare key that would eliminate the need for this.

It's more likely his real issue is that he thinks you're creating some kind of repair facility or junk yard. How far away is your neighbor? Is this an attached house type deal?

Again, depending on the neighborhood, how close homes are, where this is visible from, etc, I could see this being a case where the neighbor thinks this is an eyesore and likely to get worse.

Only one that can tell you what specific ordinances apply is the town code official.

Reply to
trader4

Sorry to say this, but why don't you just clean up the place? Do yourself, your neighbors, and the neighborhood a favor?

Reply to
Buck Turgidson

yourself,

gasoline is best stored in a locked shed far away from home, most of this stuff could go in a shed, why not get a cheap one?

Reply to
hallerb

Probably safer inside of a shed where no one can steal it or toss matches at it. I'd not attempt to gess at your local codes

Not seeing your place I'm not going to judge, but, he could just be a PITA neighbor or your yard can look like a redneck vacation spa with wood and tarps abound. Take an objective look at it as if you were living next door and were having a party for friends in your yard. What would they see?

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

You sound like an absolute pig. It's pretty sad to blame your troubles on an obnoxious neighbor.

Do your neighborhood justice, by taking that gasoline, pouring it on your pig pen, and tossing a match.

Reply to
Skip Trace

I know more about my n'bors than you do. And I know the one who left an AC compressor (the whole box) in the middle of her back yard for 6 months, though I never even considered complaining, and never puts a leash on her dog when she walks him (a pit bull), which the HOA has complained about a lot of times, and who screamed like a banshee about my yard when I talked to her nephew about the dog.

When you grow up, you may learn not to jump to conclusions.

Reply to
mm

I should have said I have a townhouse, and no room for a shed. There is only one shed in the whole n'hood. I wonder if that means everyone else is keeping their gas inside the house.

Reply to
mm

mm wrote: on an obnoxious neighbor.

Oink, oink, little piggy.

Reply to
Toffee Monday

So, this comes down to, what.... two wrongs make a right? Or izzit "looky they're even worser than I am"? You want someone here to say "there there your place isn't so bad ain't it awful someone complained", don't you.

Just read the code, bring your place up to code, then you don't have to worry about who is saying what. It's pretty simple really.

Banty

Reply to
Banty

No, I didn't say anything like that. Since I can't reach the inspector so far, I'm trying another method to find out what exactly he was complaining about.

There are three tarps and I don't know which or how many he is complaining about. There are two pieces of wood. Same question.

It's foolish to assume it is all of them, because in situations like this it rarely is.

No, I didn't say that either. My point is that she's a nasty person who would have complained no matter even when the things weren't so bad.

I would to be able to read the code. Do you have a copy?

Reply to
mm

In my city, disabled vehicles are a code violation. "Outside storage" is also a code violation, unless it is something intended to BE outdoors, like grill and lawn furniture.

The first time I complained about code violation in our condo was about my hubby's junk that was stored outside. He moved from a place with a lot of storage to a condo with no garage. Just had an emotional attachment to all his crap that was relatively useless. I thought the complaint was anonymous, but the enforcement officer showed hubby my email. That was the first time he considered divorcing me. I have found that for the number of people willing to act on code violations, there are probably ten more who are really bothered but do nothing.

Your place sounds like kind of an eyesore - you cover your patio to keep from getting oil on it, but it is piled with "stuff" that looks unsightly.

My city has all of their building codes online.

When folks work hard to keep their property looking nice, and spend a fair sum of money, they don't want to sit in the yard or look out the window and see their neighbor's junk. That's why there are building codes.

Reply to
Norminn

Uh huh.

Are you related to Homer Simpson? The guy DID already talk to you about some of the stuff in your yard. Do you think MAYBE he was saying he wanted to get rid of most of the junk in his own yard as a hint that MAYBE he doesn't like looking at crap in your yard? You state that he's only lived there since August. Hmmmm, that seems about the right amount of time. He's been somewhat reasonable, dropping hints and waiting. Should he have told you straight up to clean up or else? Yeah. But in my experience, had he done that, then you'd be here whinning about how unreasonable he was instead of cleaning up anyway.

Since this is a townhome, I'd be surprised if there isn't a governing body with rules, regulations, covenanats, etc., which are far more strict on controlling what is or isn't allowed than any town ordinances.

Reply to
trader4

So, send him a letter asking for clarification.

How did you learn of the complaints? What exactly did they say? Did you actually *get* a complaint from someone in authority, or is this gossip/hearsay?

Actually, it usually *is* "all of them", because the *problem* is in the general trashiness of the property. You might address some of the specifics you list - Norm is right that, for everyone who complains, there are like 10 more who aren't happy with it either. Addressing some of the items you know about well enough to tell us about it (!) may keep it down below the complaint threshold.

So make it better than not "so bad". I take it you even know you're pushing the limits of tolerance in your community.

You know, if I placed a bet that any given complaint I hear described wouldn't be accompanied by a description of "nastiness" of said complainer, I'd more often lose the money. It's like hearing divorced people talk about their exes. Yes, both halves of the same couple. It's always how awful and abusive the

*other* one is.

Look - it's immaterial, irrelevant. You actally *listed* some things that you know look bad. Just Fix Them. Better, look at the codes and covenants (if any) of your community and Just Follow Them.

Just keep your nose clean. If there be belligerent complainers (they do exist, but not nearly so often as some like to claim), they'll complain about someone

*else*. That would solve your issue with any of these that may exist - no?

No silly. Go to your local governing boards, whatever they may be. Town, condo association, whatever.

Banty

Reply to
Banty

A.

B.

Yep. He says "A", then he says "B". As is usual with folks who ignore the rules, if you say something they ignore you, if you report to authorities they'll cry about how you went to authorities why couln't you just settle it with them. (Don't get the feeling "mm" is one of these, but often the reason they want to you go to them instead of authorities is to have a chance to tell you "F*** you mind yer own bisiness". No pleasing 'em.

Banty

Reply to
Banty

"mm" wrote

No way to say this especially nicely ... a STACK of lawnmowers???

Sounds like a junk yard, and if I was your neighbor, I'd be annoyed, too.

nancy

Reply to
Nancy Young

Ant bait. Roach bait. Fly bait. Why don't they make "obnoxious neighbor bait" you can leave out for him to eat, and stop bothering you?

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

I woulda considered divorce. After all, what good is a wife who doesn't communicate directly? Gee whiz, can't you two talk to each other? What's the sense of staying married?

Hope he threw out your relatively useless cosmetics, hair brushes, and scrap books.

Reply to
Stormin Mormon

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