Neighbor Draining Roof onto My Property
Perry Aynum
down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the the fence, and it
is draining directly onto my property, and drenching the footings of my
shed.
I can't believe this is anything but intentional. In fact, he did it a few
years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway from front to back, instead
of the back corner.
Do I have a reason to complain to the guy? Am I torqued over nothing?
Someone please talk me out of calling him and "politely" asking him to move
it again.
Or should I go out there at night, and push a long pole through the fence
and push the drain back onto his yard, and see if it magically reappears
again back towards my yard?
sligoNo...@hotmail.com
wrote:
Considering the tone of your message, I would totally avoid
any contact with the neighbor and certainly any illegal action on your
part.
You need to contact the local authorities. In most areas
there are regulations about changing drainage patterns and how you
handle such drains. It sounds like your neighbor is in violation of
the typical regulation. Let the authorities handle it.
RBM
"Perry Aynum" <jc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Ga1El.21393$%k2....@newsfe07.iad...
>
>Water has to drain somewhere and ultimately it will flow to whatever
>downhill location exists. There is probably little to nothing you can do
>about it anyway, so I would ignore the prick, and not give him any
>satisfaction in knowing that he's annoyed you. There are lots of small
>people in the world. Ignoring them is absolute torture to them
DanG
can't add water to someone else's property and you can't stop
water that has always gone that way. Have you looked over the
situation? Is there a place or direction that could be beneficial
for both of you without messing up someone else? If water has
always flowed toward you, he may need a rock garden or some other
diffusion system to prevent rutting out either of you. A mutual
solution is always better.
--
______________________________
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)
dgri...@7cox.net
"Perry Aynum" <jc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Ga1El.21393$%k2....@newsfe07.iad...
evodawg
Call your Building Dept. or Code enforcement.
--
"You can lead them to LINUX
but you can't make them THINK"
Running Mandriva release 2008.0 free-i586 using KDE on i586
Website Address http://rentmyhusband.biz/
Stormin Mormon
the fence (lawn edging plastic stuff several inches tall?)
to keep the water out of your yard?
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.
"Perry Aynum" <jc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:Ga1El.21393$%k2....@newsfe07.iad...
Ken
> He is trying to care for his issues. The law ends up saying you
> can't add water to someone else's property and you can't stop
> water that has always gone that way. Have you looked over the
> situation? Is there a place or direction that could be beneficial
> for both of you without messing up someone else? If water has
> always flowed toward you, he may need a rock garden or some other
> diffusion system to prevent rutting out either of you. A mutual
> solution is always better.
>
>
I agree. Nothing can create ill will faster than calling the
authorities before discussing the issue with your neighbor. If you let
him know you have a problem due to his actions, perhaps the two of you
can find a solution that satisfies both of you. If not, then you can
call the authorities for help.
I no longer live in a mega-city environment, but I did live in one for
many years. It is amazing how many people in large cities don't even
know their neighbors name, hence the reluctance to discuss a problem.
Colbyt
> downspouts down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the the
> fence, and it is draining directly onto my property, and drenching the
> footings of my shed.
>
Water does tend to run down hill and if you property is lower than his you
will get the water sooner or later anyway.
It does sound like he may being a bit of a butt to not allow the ground to
absorb some of the water before it reaches you.
Before you follow the advice of other posters and call code enforcement,
make sure your own house is in order. Did you get the proper permits for
the shed? Did you alter the natural drainage patterns with the shed (illegal
most places with codes)?
While it is annoying I doubt that a shed has enough weight for it to really
be an issue. Maybe some flow routing can help?
Colbyt
tra...@optonline.net
+1
I'd start with figuring out if there is any easy solution as to where
he could be routing the water that would alleviate your concerns.
Then I'd talk to the neighbor. If that doesn't work, then I'd proceed
with a call to code enforcement and see what they have to say. It's
possible the neighbor didn't even think about what he was doing. But
of course it's also very possible he's just a jerk.
Kurt Ullman
"Colbyt" <colbyt@-SPAMBLOCK-lexkyweb.com> wrote:
> Before you follow the advice of other posters and call code enforcement,
> make sure your own house is in order. Did you get the proper permits for
> the shed? Did you alter the natural drainage patterns with the shed (illegal
> most places with codes)?
>
Did you put the shed in a drainage easement. My property for instance
has a 20 foot drainage easement in the back yard that is easily
overlooked if you don't think about it.
--
If youąre going to sin, sin against God,
not the bureaucracy; God will forgive you
but the bureaucracy wonąt.
‹Hyman G. Rickover
Perry Aynum
>> Before you follow the advice of other posters and call code enforcement,
>> make sure your own house is in order. Did you get the proper permits for
>> the shed? Did you alter the natural drainage patterns with the shed
>> (illegal
>> most places with codes)?
>>
> Did you put the shed in a drainage easement. My property for instance
> has a 20 foot drainage easement in the back yard that is easily
> overlooked if you don't think about it.
>
Cold you explain what you mean by "drainage easement"?
To answer the other question - yes, I pulled a permit for the shed and it
is compliant.
Kurt Ullman
"Perry Aynum" <jc...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Before you follow the advice of other posters and call code enforcement,
> >> make sure your own house is in order. Did you get the proper permits for
> >> the shed? Did you alter the natural drainage patterns with the shed
> >> (illegal
> >> most places with codes)?
> >>
> > Did you put the shed in a drainage easement. My property for instance
> > has a 20 foot drainage easement in the back yard that is easily
> > overlooked if you don't think about it.
> >
>
> Cold you explain what you mean by "drainage easement"?
An easement for drainage (g). It is an area in back of my house that
basically contains the drainage swale and some extra. The developer put
in these easements for drainage where you can't put anything that would
impede drainage. Can't even run my fence in there because stuff floating
by might get caught and do the impeding.
>
> To answer the other question - yes, I pulled a permit for the shed and it
> is compliant.
Then that is probably not a concern.
Bob F
Google "water drain to neighboring property".
MLD
resulting in water backing up all the way to his gutters.
nor...@earthlink.net
I would not move it. Degree of concern should be where the water drains
from, what alternatives there are, who was "there" first and general
slope of the properties. MUST he drain there to keep water away from
the foundation of his house? Got basements? Distance from house to
house? Drainage pipe to shed? Any potential real harm to your shed?
"Drenching the footings" sounds like a non-issue unless there is
standing water or really soggy soil around the shed.
cl...@snyder.on.ca
It is illegal for a property owner to direct run-off onto another
person's property. In current developments here the location of
downspout discharges in relation to property lines is subject to
planning department approval (building permits0
mm
<colbyt@-SPAMBLOCK-lexkyweb.com> wrote:
>
>"Perry Aynum" <jc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>news:Ga1El.21393$%k2....@newsfe07.iad...
>> My next door neighbor has run his black corrugated pipe from his
>> downspouts down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the the
>> fence, and it is draining directly onto my property, and drenching the
>> footings of my shed.
>>
>
>Water does tend to run down hill and if you property is lower than his you
>will get the water sooner or later anyway.
AIUI, the Earth rotates once a day, so half the time, the water should
flow the other way.
The Daring Dufas
As crazy as I am, I would probably dig a pit and put a
large sump pump in it that would spray the water back
the way it came. *snicker*
TDD
Ivan Vegvary
Drainage law in most States is a left-over from British common law. To wit:
You have an obligation to take whatever waters nature would have sent
towards you. You have to accept your neighbor's water. However, your
neighbor has an obligation not to alter the path of the water and not to
concentrate it to one location. Obviously he has done that.
As one respondent noted above, he should spill the water onto a dissipater
(rock bed possibly the whole width of his yard) and thence the water will
revert back into sheet-flow instead of being concentrated against your shed.
I disagree with all the teat-suckers that suggest you run to your government
for help. Ultimately you have to work this out with your neighbor and might
even have to bring a tort claim against him.
BTW, a simple dissipater would consist of his drain pipe ending in a "TEE"
section. The "TEE" would be perforated pipe laid within about 6-8 inches of
drain rock. The pipe should follow the contours of his lot, i.e., it should
be run level. The entire assembly can be placed a few inches below ground
and a lawn can be placed thereon. The water will exit the perforated pipe,
saturate the drain rock and hopefully percolate into the ground. Whatever
does not percolate would 'sheet-flow' across his lot onto your property just
as nature had intended.
There are some codes and design standards for the above system. Some codes
require that the dissipation system be placed a minimum of 20 feet uphill
from your common property line.
Ivan Vegvary
bob haller
>
> - Show quoted text -
around here code requires downspout water to goi in dry well.........
neighbor got in troublew and was required to install dry wells.
interestingly the water from his property still flows like a creek in
heavy rains..
first ask the neigbor nice, then if that doesnt work complain to
authorties.
but know your going to start a war, if you are doing anything the
other fellow can complain about
Kenneth
<iv...@reelart.us> wrote:
>I disagree with all the teat-suckers that suggest you run to your government
>for help. Ultimately you have to work this out with your neighbor and might
>even have to bring a tort claim against him.
Howdy,
How might the OP "bring a tort claim" without the
involvement of the government?
Thanks,
--
Kenneth
If you email... Please remove the "SPAMLESS."
Colbyt
>
> Cold you explain what you mean by "drainage easement"?
>
I image the codes vary a bit from state to state depending on ground
conditions and other factors. Here in our newer developments it is a part
of plat approval that homeowners will not alter the natural path of water
after the landscape engineering plan is approved by the planning commission.
To wit: water runs down hill to a proper catch basin and is slowly released
to the natural streams. Building a berm of some sort that blocks the
natural / structured flow of the water would be a code violation.
I personally think your neighbor is a butt to do this but the old saying
that about flies and honey is true. I would discuss it with him first.
I do doubt that it will hurt your shed unless it is creating a bog which
would mean you other problems on the down hill side of your shed.
HeyBub
You should probably try to either work with your neighbor or suck it up.
The downside of starting a war - either through spiteful actions or by
involving the authorities - is the possible retaliation. Your cats end up
dead. Your garage mysteriously catches fire. Your children get "free"
tattoos. Your outdoor grill generates a fire truck call.
If my neighbor sicced the authorities on me for some piddly drainage issue,
I'd hit the sonofabitch so hard his mother would die.
But that's just me.
And it could be your neighbor.
Ivan Vegvary
"Kenneth" <use...@soleSPAMLESSassociates.com> wrote in message
news:q602u4dun34ettblm...@4ax.com...
> On Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:17:53 -0700, "Ivan Vegvary"
> <iv...@reelart.us> wrote:
>
>>I disagree with all the teat-suckers that suggest you run to your
>>government
>>for help. Ultimately you have to work this out with your neighbor and
>>might
>>even have to bring a tort claim against him.
>
> Howdy,
>
> How might the OP "bring a tort claim" without the
> involvement of the government?
>
> Thanks,
> --
> Kenneth
You simply sue him for any damage (erosion, over saturation, structural
destabilization etc.) you might incur.
BTW there is a big push to get surface waters to recharge the ground instead
of sending them by man-made conveyance to the nearest ditch, gulley, stream
etc. You might be able to sue under the environmental provisions of your
state laws. Bigger dollars and possibly you attorneys fees can also be
reimbursed.
Ivan Vegvary
Tony Hwang
Tampering with the natural drain pattern is against the law.
He should not do that.
Gordon Shumway
On Sat, 11 Apr 2009 16:47:41 -0500, "HeyBub" <hey...@NOSPAMgmail.com>
wrote:
Perry Aynum
> I do doubt that it will hurt your shed unless it is creating a bog which
> would mean you other problems on the down hill side of your shed.
>
>
But I shouldn't have to put on rubber boots just to go out to the shed.
I am not interested in suing the guy. But the last time he did this little
trick I had to ask him twice to move the drain. I am tempted to go to the
city so the butthead gets the message this time.
Kenneth
<iv...@reelart.us> wrote:
>
>"Kenneth" <use...@soleSPAMLESSassociates.com> wrote in message
>news:q602u4dun34ettblm...@4ax.com...
>> On Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:17:53 -0700, "Ivan Vegvary"
>> <iv...@reelart.us> wrote:
>>
>>>I disagree with all the teat-suckers that suggest you run to your
>>>government
>>>for help. Ultimately you have to work this out with your neighbor and
>>>might
>>>even have to bring a tort claim against him.
>>
>> Howdy,
>>
>> How might the OP "bring a tort claim" without the
>> involvement of the government?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> --
>> Kenneth
>
>You simply sue him for any damage (erosion, over saturation, structural
>destabilization etc.) you might incur.
>
>BTW there is a big push to get surface waters to recharge the ground instead
>of sending them by man-made conveyance to the nearest ditch, gulley, stream
>etc. You might be able to sue under the environmental provisions of your
>state laws. Bigger dollars and possibly you attorneys fees can also be
>reimbursed.
>
>Ivan Vegvary
Hi again,
Are you of the belief that filing a suit would not involve
the government?
Thanks again,
nor...@earthlink.net
The OP doesn't give enough info to show whether this is really altering
what existed before he put the pipe next to the fence. The solution
might be as simple as placing some rock to break and disperse the flow
of the water.
Our condo has downspouts that empty right next to the building. Over
the years, the ground was badly rutted, hedges had bare roots from soil
washed away, and it looked bad. After filling in eroded soil, very
simple changes kept it in place and made the place look nice. A couple
of suitable plants or some ground cover might accomplish the same thing.
If the neighbor extended the pipe so that water drains 20' from where it
should, then it is grounds for contacting code enforcement because it is
an obvious change - not enough info. It is certainly easy to start a
war with some people, and some will never let it end.
Oren
It all happens after an invitation for a cold beverage, brunch or any
other place of neutrality. Never go into the lions den!!
One option is for the OP to Water Board the neighbor..
Bob F
If you;ve already dealt with him doing this once and he did it again, I'd agree.
Bob F
It seems pretty clear to me.
"My next door neighbor has run his black corrugated pipe from his
downspouts down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up
the the fence, and it is draining directly onto my property, and
drenching the footings of my shed."
The water didn't used to go there. Now it does.
Bob F
And how many times would you do it to him before he would be justified in
escalating?
Don't you think after the first time he should know better?
Oren
wrote:
>
>"Kenneth" <use...@soleSPAMLESSassociates.com> wrote in message
>news:q602u4dun34ettblm...@4ax.com...
>> On Sat, 11 Apr 2009 13:17:53 -0700, "Ivan Vegvary"
>> <iv...@reelart.us> wrote:
>>
>>>I disagree with all the teat-suckers that suggest you run to your
>>>government
>>>for help. Ultimately you have to work this out with your neighbor and
>>>might
>>>even have to bring a tort claim against him.
>>
>> Howdy,
>>
>> How might the OP "bring a tort claim" without the
>> involvement of the government?
>>
>> Thanks,
>> --
>> Kenneth
>
>You simply sue him for any damage (erosion, over saturation, structural
>destabilization etc.) you might incur.
>
Read the question posed, again.
Colbyt
> I am not interested in suing the guy. But the last time he did this
> little trick I had to ask him twice to move the drain. I am tempted to go
> to the city so the butthead gets the message this time.
>
This is the missing piece of information. It would have been helpful if you
had shared that the first time around.
Report him to the city or sue him. He obviously is not a good neighbor.
Others have mentioned the potential repercussions. But sometimes we just
have to stand and fight. I always prefer to avoid them but am not afraid to
do it if necessary.
The city costs a lot less than lawyers.
Colbyt
Oren
HeyBub
>>>
>>> If my neighbor sicced the authorities on me for some piddly drainage
>>> issue, I'd hit the sonofabitch so hard his mother would die.
>>>
>>
>> And how many times would you do it to him before he would be
>> justified in escalating?
>>
>> Don't you think after the first time he should know better?
>>
>>
>
> Does he have two black-eyes?
Off-topic:
*I* have two black eyes!
I had lower blepharoplasty done last week. But I want to tell you about the
surgeon's office.
His waiting room had a 25' round ceiling, painted sky blue with cherubs and
angles flitting about. The ceiling was ringed with TWENTY 4-foot crystal
chandeliers. His consulting room was about 15x20 foot, one side completely
mirrored, there were were two life-size semi-nude statutes, brocade on the
opposite wall and on the ceiling, another chandelier. He sat at a
gold-filigreed table with curved legs while I sat in a chair of French
revolution heritage. The whole thing looked like the anteroom to Marie
Antonette's boudoir.
The rest of the office was filled with crystal, giant tapestries,
ostentatiously framed oil paintings, marble floors, gold doorknobs, the
works.
When I left, I immediately went to the only tree in the parking lot and peed
on it - I just had to do something manly.
I did ask the surgeon, in passing, what it was like to work in an office of
beautiful women, or women who would shortly be beautiful. His response: "You
ever hear a woman go on about her hairdresser? Same thing. They are seldom
completely pleased."
I responded: "It's not just that. I was married once. Same thing."
Sorry for the digression, but I just had to get this off my chest (I've
already pulled out all the hair!).
HeyBub
>>
>> If my neighbor sicced the authorities on me for some piddly drainage
>> issue, I'd hit the sonofabitch so hard his mother would die.
>>
>
> And how many times would you do it to him before he would be
> justified in escalating?
>
> Don't you think after the first time he should know better?
Heh! In my days as a cop, I made a follow-up call at the hospital emergency
room to the victim of a chain-saw attack. The conversation went like this:
Me: "We got the dude that cut you and put him in jail for being drunk. I
need you to go with me to file charges of aggravated assault."
Vicitim: "Hell, no! I ain't filin' no charges!"
Me: (?) "Why not?"
Victim: (pointing to weird-shaped bandages) "Shit, man, look what he did and
he didn't even know me. Whadda you think he'd do if he was mad at me?"
I took to heart that the FIRST lesson given to a miscreant has to be
overwhelming, immediate, and medieval.
----
Aside:
Cop work is usually very boring. Still, your curiosity gets peaked when you
hear (earlier in the evening):
Dispatcher: "1520. Make a fight. In progress. Parking lot of Joe's Joint,
11520 West Hardy. Reportedly two white females with chainsaws involved. Any
unit clear and close to backup 1520?"
Or this one:
Dispatcher: "650"
Unit 650: "650. Go."
Dispatcher: "650, check a report of a nude, colored female running across
the Highway 90 bridge at this time."
Unit 650: "650 clear. Enroute."
(two minutes pass)
Dispatcher: "650"
Unit 650: "650, Go"
Dispatcher: "650, have additional information on your nude, colored female
subject. She is reportedly being pursued at this time by another colored
female with a knife. Handle code 3"
Unit 650: "650 Clear"
I purposefully NEVER inquired as to the circumstances behind this radio
exchange. I knew full-well that whatever the actual events were, they could
never be as good as my imagination.
cl...@snyder.on.ca
wrote:
>Perry Aynum wrote:
Send him a registered letter of complaint, give him 3 days, then go to
the city.
Dick Adams
is higher than his and my gutters drain onto his property. It
was that way when I moved in 16 years ago. He ignored it because
he was working on other things. He asked me if he could help me
put in a French Drain to move the runoff further away.
The plastic piping comes in whatever length you want it and it's
inexpensive.
Dick
nor...@earthlink.net
Soooooooooooo........did the neighbor attach one foot of pipe to extend
drainage one foot further from the foundation of his own house or did he
run 20' of pipe from his downspout all the way to the fence line?
Details matter sometimes.
tra...@optonline.net
Yeah, but this wasn't that way for 16 years. It was just created by
the neighbor redirecting a point source of water directed right at
this guy's legally placed shed near the property boundary. I'd
certainly go talk to him, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna kiss his
ass, say thank you Sir and offer to help pay for and offer labor for a
remedy. If he won't cooperate, and change what he just implemented,
then I'd go to code enforcement.
I see this situation as totally different than say a row house
situation, where rain water may have gone one way or another for
decades, but now a neighbor wants to implement a better solution. In
that case, I would cooperate, help, etc.
tra...@optonline.net
wrote:
> Bob F wrote:
> > norm...@earthlink.net wrote:
> >> cl...@snyder.on.ca wrote:
>
> - Show quoted text -
Whatever he did, he can't suddenly start dumping water onto the
neighbors property, creating a flood around his shed, where it didn't
occur before. And I agree with Bob. From the way it's stated, it
appears far more likely that it's not just a foot of corrugated pipe.
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a piece of corrugated pipe to
move water just a foot.
But let's ask Perry exactly what he did, how much further he
redirected the water, etc.
sligoNo...@hotmail.com
<cayoung61**spamblock##@hotmail.com> wrote:
>What kind of fence? Can you put something on your side of
>the fence (lawn edging plastic stuff several inches tall?)
>to keep the water out of your yard?
In my area, that could be illegal. The best idea is to start
by finding out the facts of local code.
Pittman Pirate
"Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61**spamblock##@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:grq9fj$qcq$1...@news.motzarella.org...
> What kind of fence? Can you put something on your side of
> the fence (lawn edging plastic stuff several inches tall?)
> to keep the water out of your yard?
>
> Christopher A. Young
> Learn more about Jesus
> www.exmormon.org
That's what I'd do. Since he did this intentionally without consulting you,
I'd get a few scoops of rock and sand mix and just make a swale there so no
water could enter the property, and it would just send it back on his side..
Steve Daniels
compelled "HeyBub" <hey...@NOSPAMgmail.com>, to say:
> His waiting room had a 25' round ceiling, painted sky blue with cherubs and
> angles flitting about. The ceiling was ringed with TWENTY 4-foot crystal
> chandeliers. His consulting room was about 15x20 foot, one side completely
> mirrored, there were were two life-size semi-nude statutes, brocade on the
> opposite wall and on the ceiling, another chandelier. He sat at a
> gold-filigreed table with curved legs while I sat in a chair of French
> revolution heritage. The whole thing looked like the anteroom to Marie
> Antonette's boudoir.
Gay gay gay gay gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
--
Real men don't text.
HerHusband
> downspouts down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the
> the fence, and it is draining directly onto my property, and drenching
> the footings of my shed.
> I can't believe this is anything but intentional. In fact, he did it
> a few years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway from front to
> back, instead of the back corner.
> Do I have a reason to complain to the guy?
Your neighbor is probably just trying to solve his own drainage issues.
While he may be reckless in the way he handled it, maybe you could just
mention the problem and offer to help find a solution.
"Howdy neighbor, I see you just added a drainline for your downspouts. I
bet that really helps keep things dry over there. Unfortunately, the way
you have the pipes routed, it's flooding the area around my shed. Can I
help you install a drywell to disperse the flow? That way you can keep
things dry over there without flooding my property. Or maybe we can reroute
the lines so it runs off the other direction away from my buildings."
If he's a halfway decent person, I would think he would be happy to work
with you to find a solution that works for both of you. For example, I have
drainlines routed to the back of my property, and if I found out they were
causing issues for my neighbors, I would be happy to fix things so it
doesn't impact them.
On the off chance he's just a jerk, I would just look at it as natural
drainage. He's not CREATING water afterall, he's just redirecting the
natural flows. So how would you handle the situation if it were naturally
occurring? Maybe you could create a swale along your property, or add your
own drain lines to reroute the excess water to areas it won't hurt
anything.
Taking legal matters would be my absolute last resort. It would be
expensive, stressful, time consuming, and create even more tension with
your neighbor. In my opinion, it would just make a bad situation even
worse. He may fix this problem to appease the law, and then find something
else to annoy you with in the future.
Just my two cents,
Anthony
Bob F
And since he's already done this to you once, and didn't fix it until you had
complained twice, how many more time will you be so nice and helpful?
JIMMIE
> He is trying to care for his issues. The law ends up saying you
> can't add water to someone else's property and you can't stop
> water that has always gone that way. Have you looked over the
> situation? Is there a place or direction that could be beneficial
> for both of you without messing up someone else? If water has
> always flowed toward you, he may need a rock garden or some other
> diffusion system to prevent rutting out either of you. A mutual
> solution is always better.
>
> --
> ______________________________
> Keep the whole world singing . . . .
> DanG (remove the sevens)
> dgriff...@7cox.net> news:Ga1El.21393$%k2....@newsfe07.iad...
>
>
>
> > My next door neighbor has run his black corrugated pipe from his
> > downspouts down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right
> > up the the fence, and it is draining directly onto my property,
> > and drenching the footings of my shed.
>
> > I can't believe this is anything but intentional. In fact, he
> > did it a few years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway
> > from front to back, instead of the back corner.
>
> > nothing? Someone please talk me out of calling him and
> > "politely" asking him to move it again.
>
> > Or should I go out there at night, and push a long pole through
> > the fence and push the drain back onto his yard, and see if it
>
> - Show quoted text -
My neighbor built a dam that blocked drainage of my property across
his and he had to remove it. He did so quite willingly once he was
informed of the law.
JImmie
Perry Aynum
>
>
> This is the missing piece of information. It would have been helpful if
> you had shared that the first time around.
>
I did mention that he did do this in my original post, and this is the 2nd
go-round. Please see the 2nd paragraph.
Perry Aynum
neighbors property, creating a flood around his shed, where it didn't
occur before. And I agree with Bob. From the way it's stated, it
appears far more likely that it's not just a foot of corrugated pipe.
I don't think I've ever seen anyone use a piece of corrugated pipe to
move water just a foot.
But let's ask Perry exactly what he did, how much further he
redirected the water, etc.
He ran what must be about 30' or 40' feet of corrugated pipes from
downspouts on both ends of his garage into a "T", and then ran them down to
about 6 to 8' up from the corner, so it drains right into my shed area. THe
drains pipes are orders of magnitude different from a 6' drain pipe
extension.
HeyBub
The thought occurred to me and is one reason I opted for a local anesthetic
instead of general sedation.
But, turns out, he's only an employee of "Elizabeth's Cosmetic Surgery,
LLC." [Not the real name] "Elizabeth's" picture was prominently displayed in
several places, including business cards. She's hot! Plus, the other
patients I saw there were women. The office manager is, however, a little
light in the loafers.
Maybe "Elizabeth" used to be a male?
I dunno.
BobR
A number of years ago I had a neighbor behind me threaten to sue me
over a drain that I had put into the corner of my back yard. The yard
had a natural slope from the front to back and left to right. The
drain pipes were put into the right rear corner of the yard. The drop
from the front to back was at least 3.5 feet.
What I asked the neighbor to do was come visit me during the next
major rain. We lived in North Houston where major rain events were
quite common. A few weeks later he took me up on my offer and visited
me in the middle of a heavy down pour to complain about the water
coming through the pipe. I took him into the back yard where he
immediately dropped his objections to my drain pipes.
As I said, the drain pipe was in the right corner but was only about
three inches in diameter. The flower beds around the back yard were
all built up considerably with high backings against the fence. They
ranged from 1 to 2 feet high against the fence. A walkway wound
through the back yard that used epoxy stone and flagstone to allow for
some water absorbtion. Due to the natural drainage of both my
property and my next door neighbors property, all of the rain water
from both ran across my back yard.
What convinced the neighbor to drop his suit was seeing that instead
of dumping all that water directly onto his property as it was
falling, I was restricting the water from flowing onto his property.
The water in that corner of the yard was over two feet deep and the
walkway around the backyard was like a retention pond with the water
between 6" and 2 ft. deep. It would normally take upwards of an hour
for the water to drain after a major rain. The neighbor decided to
put in a drain system from the point where I was funneling the water
around and by the side of his house to the street.
Sometimes the best thing is to talk with your neighbor and get a view
of why they have done what they have done before getting mad.
Oren
wrote:
>He ran what must be about 30' or 40' feet of corrugated pipes from
>downspouts on both ends of his garage into a "T", and then ran them down to
>about 6 to 8' up from the corner, so it drains right into my shed area. THe
>drains pipes are orders of magnitude different from a 6' drain pipe
>extension.
Is this perforated drain pipes or solid? HE needs a French drain on
his property with perforated pipe. Let his land absorb the water.
Think of a septic leech field.
What's that saying fool me once, fool me twice.... The guy is on a two
stike rule (boxing gloves optional).
nor...@earthlink.net
There is a Florida eye surgeon - incredibly wealthy - who used to have a
Polaroid photo taken of himself with each patient and presented to the
patient. Like I make a scrapbook of surgeries with the surgeon's photo?
Yuck!
tra...@optonline.net
Sure, create a swale in your own backyard because the neighbor just
ran 50 feet of pipe right up to the edge of your property and
channeled all the water from his roof into it. Maybe a nice big
drywell for the neighbors water would be helpful too. How about next
he starts throwing his leaves and garbage over the fence too? I
guess some folks were just made to be walked all over and afraid to
assert their own rights.
> > Taking legal matters would be my absolute last resort. It would be
> > expensive, stressful, time consuming, and create even more tension
> > with your neighbor. In my opinion, it would just make a bad situation
> > even worse. He may fix this problem to appease the law, and then find
> > something else to annoy you with in the future.
>
> > Just my two cents,
>
> And since he's already done this to you once, and didn't fix it until you had
> complained twice, how many more time will you be so nice and helpful?- Hide quoted text -
mkir...@rochester.rr.com
Don't worry about it. Reading comprehension is a lost art.
If you put more than two sentences in a paragraph, or more than three
in a post, it's too much for most people.
HerHusband
> ran 50 feet of pipe right up to the edge of your property and
> channeled all the water from his roof into it. Maybe a nice big
> drywell for the neighbors water would be helpful too.
Obviously, I don't know what kind of person the neighbor is, or what the
topography of the land is. My point was if the water runoff occurred
naturally anyway, I would rather solve the drainage issue, than argue with
the neighbor about his drain line.
> How about next he starts throwing his leaves and garbage over the
> fence too? I guess some folks were just made to be walked all over
> and afraid to assert their own rights.
I'm not against taking legal action, I just think it should be the last
resort. I'm always amazed how many people immediately jump to the
conclusion that someone is trying to screw them over and rush to clog the
courts with lawsuits.
In my opinion, it would be a rare individual who would intentionally direct
water runoff to a neighbors property. Yes, those types of folks are out
there, but in most cases he's probably just trying to solve issues on his
own property and didn't take the time to consider the side effects. He may
not have taken any action from the intial complaints because he didn't
"KNOW" what to do about it. Maybe he moved the pipe after your complaints
and caused problems for a different neighbor?
Instead of just complaining and blaming the neighbor, offer to help find a
workable solution for both parties. THEN if he doesn't take action, you can
pursue legal actions. Remember, you still have to live next to this person
when all is said and done. I would make every effort to come to a peaceful
solution than to start a war that could last for years.
Anthony
Bob F
So when would you actually try to force him to not divert water onto your yard.
After the third offense. Fourth, fifth?
This was clearly posted as a second offense, with multiple complaints before the
first was temporarily corrected.
harry k
>
> - Show quoted text -
There is nothign in the OP to indicate "multiple complaints". Yes,
some "hints" of prior problems but only one incident is mentioned.
Her Husband is correct. Taking legal action prior to trying to
resolve it amicably is downright stupid UNLESS there is already a
neighbor/neighbor war going on.
Harry K
Phisherman
wrote:
>My next door neighbor has run his black corrugated pipe from his downspouts
>down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the the fence, and it
>is draining directly onto my property, and drenching the footings of my
>shed.
>
>I can't believe this is anything but intentional. In fact, he did it a few
>years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway from front to back, instead
>of the back corner.
>
>Do I have a reason to complain to the guy? Am I torqued over nothing?
>Someone please talk me out of calling him and "politely" asking him to move
>it again.
>
>Or should I go out there at night, and push a long pole through the fence
>and push the drain back onto his yard, and see if it magically reappears
>again back towards my yard?
>
Check your local laws and tell him. The law might be something like 5
feet from the property line. Try to speak slowly and as calm as
possible when you discuss. Or, build a berm to keep the flow away
from your property. Avoid arguments.
tra...@optonline.net
This is nothing?
"I can't believe this is anything but intentional. In fact, he did it
a few
years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway from front to back,
instead of the back corner. "
>
> Her Husband is correct. Taking legal action prior to trying to
> resolve it amicably is downright stupid UNLESS there is already a
> neighbor/neighbor war going on.
>
> Harry K- Hide quoted text -
harry k
>
> - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
So show where there is "multiple complaints" in that quote.
If you follow your own advice I can see you having a lot of neighbor
problems.
Harry K
HerHusband
> So when would you actually try to force him to not divert water onto
> your yard. After the third offense. Fourth, fifth?
When I had made every effort to peacefully find a "solution" with the
neighbor. This may be after the second offense, or after the tenth. Just
standing on my side of the fence and complaining isn't helping anyone, it
just makes me an annoying neighbor. But showing the neighbor what the
problem is and offering to help find a solution would benefit both parties.
> This was clearly posted as a second offense, with multiple
> complaints before the first was temporarily corrected.
OK, let's assume neighbor is doing this on purpose and you have exhausted
all peaceful solutions. Do you KNOW what is legal in your area?
I think Phisherman gave some great advice, call the county and check what
the local laws are. You may find the neighbor is completely within his
legal rights. Afterall, I think the original poster stated the drainline
ended eight feet away from the property line. That's a lot different than
dumping right at the fence. And the restrictions may be a lot different on
a city lot than they would be on rural property. If he is not breaking any
local codes, that makes YOU the annoying neighbor complaining about things
he has every right to do. In that case, you're right back to solving the
problem on your own.
Otherwise, you can show the neighbor the requirements and let him know you
would like to solve this peacefully before you have to take legal action.
Keep in mind, if he's dumping 8 feet from the fence and the laws state he
has to keep back at least 12 feet, he may just cut four feet off the pipe.
Will that eliminate the problem? Good luck...
Oh, and before you call the law into matters, you might want to make sure
sure you don't have any barking dogs, junk cars sitting around, fences too
tall or close to the property line, structures that exceed height or size
restrictions, buildings or other projects you constructed without a permit,
etc.. The law works both ways you know... You might also want to think
twice if the neighbor is a lawyer or a member of a biker gang... :)
Anthony
Bob F
And from a followup message:
"I am not interested in suing the guy. But the last time he did this little
trick I had to ask him twice to move the drain. I am tempted to go to the
city so the butthead gets the message this time."
Kyle
> My next door neighbor has run his black corrugated pipe from his downspouts
> down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the the fence, and it
> is draining directly onto my property, and drenching the footings of my
> shed.
>
> years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway from front to back, instead
> of the back corner.
>
> Someone please talk me out of calling him and "politely" asking him to move
> it again.
>
> Or should I go out there at night, and push a long pole through the fence
> and push the drain back onto his yard, and see if it magically reappears
> again back towards my yard?
Let me reiterate what others have said, because it is the best answer:
you need to talk with your neighbor! Approach him without rancor or
accusation. Say something along the lines of, "I don't know if you're
aware, but your downspout drains into my yard and is creating a
problem, and I wonder what solution we might be able to come up with
that will be good for both of us."
Approaching him that way either defuses him and he'll have to work
with you, or he will be a jerk to your face in which case you respond
by saying that his action has forced you to contact the county/city/
town/-ship for their help in solving the problem.
NOW...my wife and I have gotten into this rain runoff barrel thing
where we capture the water from the downspout to use to water the
lawn, garden and flower beds. So one possible solution would be to
suggest neighbor guy could get a barrel to help with his own lawn, or
you could offer to rig something up that would allow you to capture
his runoff and use it yourself. (Heck, if it's that much runoff, get a
greywater tank system and use his runoff to flush your toilets!)
Just some thoughts...
Smitty Two
wrote:
> "Perry Aynum" <jc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:Ga1El.21393$%k2....@newsfe07.iad...
> > My next door neighbor has run his black corrugated pipe from his
> > downspouts down to the back corner of our adjoining lot, right up the the
> > fence, and it is draining directly onto my property, and drenching the
> > footings of my shed.
> >
> > I can't believe this is anything but intentional. In fact, he did it a
> > few years ago, and even more blatantly, and halfway from front to back,
> > instead of the back corner.
> >
> > Do I have a reason to complain to the guy? Am I torqued over nothing?
> > Someone please talk me out of calling him and "politely" asking him to
> > move it again.
> >
> > Or should I go out there at night, and push a long pole through the fence
> > and push the drain back onto his yard, and see if it magically reappears
> > again back towards my yard?
> >
> Maybe one night the end of the drain pipe becomes clogged with debris
> resulting in water backing up all the way to his gutters.
Debris? You mean, like, uh, concrete? Good idea.