'No Pee Zone' sign on the grass between sidewalk and road = Ugly neighbors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does this person live near Arlington forest? There’s a guy with this sign who once yelled at a neighbor who’s dog was pooping in that part of the grass and was picking it up. He literally yelled STOP POOPING! 🙄

I can see that though. The guy maintains the grass. He has to walk across his grass everyday to get in and out of his car when parked along the curb. The little poop bags don’t wipe all blades of grass. Poop gets on the guy’s shoes. He’s bitter now.

Did you know that soil is made up of poop and rotting plants? Is he bitter about the soil too?

As if you don't know the difference. Have you been to a place without modern sewage systems? It's not "soil" you are smelling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your neighbors are "ugly" because they don't want your dog peeing/pooping on the grass in front of their house? Aren't you an entitled piece of work.

Where do you suggest dogs pee?

In their own yards, dummy.

Hm, and dogs that live in apartments and condos, where should they pee.

In the designated 'dog walk' area provided by the dog-friendly complex?

That doesn't in 99 percent of dog friendly buildings in any large city, including DC. People in cities are less uptight about this kind of thing though. It's a good day if you have a 40 year old human naked and spread eagle taking a dump on your lawn!

Yes and no. Ten years ago I would have said that yes people in cities are less worried about this kind of thing and I never really cared if people let their dog pee in our tree box (though if the pee ran across the sidewalk and especially if I witnessed this I'd be annoyed and grossed out -- but I also assume that the city sidewalks are covered in pee and worse things at all times and that's why we don't wear shoes in the house).

But dog owner behavior in DC has deteriorated aggressively in the last 10 years and especially in the few years since Covid. I am guessing a lot of people who previously would not have gotten dogs have done so thanks to WFH and this has made the average DC dog owner just ruder and more entitled. I find myself getting annoyed with them way more often because I constantly encounter awful dog owner behavior -- aggressive and untrained dogs are more common and people let dogs off leash in far more places where they really should not than they used to. We've had people attempt to colonize a park in our neighborhood as a dog park and they are AWFUL -- they take down the city-placed "no dogs off leash" and "dogs are not permitted on playing turf" signs regularly. I have personally watched people walk dogs into restaurants and cafes where there are multiple "No dogs -- it is a health code violation so please don't do this" signs. It's crazy.

So I think people in DC (at least the non-dog owners) have gotten more "uptight" about dogs generally and this likely leads to more people being mad about dogs peeing in tree boxes. We don't really do anything with our tree box except ask the landscaper to weed it and cut back the patchy grass that grows there (we've got one of those huge ancient trees with the knotty roots and there's just no point in doing anything more) so we aren't going to be freaking out about that anytime soon. But I have seen more of those "No Pee Zone" signs in the neighborhood as well as the ones that say "You're on Camera" to try and dissuade people from letting their dogs pee in the box. There are also more actual dog parks in the broader neighborhood than ever before (I can think of 3 that have opened in the last 5 years or so or are in the process of being installed). So I think more people are losing their patience with dog owners and no longer want other people's dogs to be a factor in their lives.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I saw a sign like this just today while walking my dogs. I laughed and completely ignored it. I always pick up after my dogs, but asking them not to poop or pee on that stretch is ridiculous and not that person’s decision to make.

A lot of you are seriously outing yourselves as sociopaths with zero respect for others. Yes, the city owns it, but you know full well that the homeowner is tasked with caring for it. What is wrong with some of you? No wonder you like dogs better than you like people when you act the way you do.

Homeowners are not tasked with caring for it in my neighborhood. It’s considered a common area and the HOA contracted a landscaping company to maintain it. I don’t think we’re even allowed to place any signs there long term.

Oh well for sure your one HOA neighborhood where signs aren’t even allowed is the best example.

Doesn’t even matter who maintains it. Homeowners might shovel snow off sidewalks, but they can’t necessarily claim ownership. They may provide and maintain a mailbox, but they’re not allowed to use it for any purpose they want. In most jurisdictions, that strip of grass doesn’t belong to the owners of adjacent properties any more than the sidewalks or the streets do.

It does though. I have put out signs when I have just put in new plants. I don’t own my easement/hell strip/boulevard but it is my responsibility as a homeowner to care for it so that it looks decent. Why some of you are obviously pleased to destroy someone else’s investment - even if it’s small by your standards - is just sad and you come across as toxic, entitled people. This is why we can’t have nice things as a society. “That’s not theirs, I don’t care if they’re trying to take care of it, they’re crazy, I’m going to let my dog destroy it!” is an entirely messed up thing to do.

+1 We don't own it, but we are required to maintain it. I understand if some people don't want to encounter your pet's waste when they are doing their civic duty, and even more so that they don't appreciate your pet killing the plants they just spent time and money putting in place. Just respect that. There is another strip 50 yards away without a sign. Why create an issue when you can just be kind about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our neighbor now has a ring camera pointed to the common area. Right where their no poop signs are. It’s not private property. They have a smile you’re on camera sign as well. It’s so passive aggressive and a violation of privacy. That it’s not their actual yard irks me. They must have massive pull with the condo hoa.

I get that some dog owners are not decent with where they allow their pets. And some do not pick up. I don’t get why someone thinks a public area is theirs to police that way. It’s super rude.

If there is an HOA, and it is community space, then there are rules about it's use. It's not "public," free for all, use it as you wish. The person with the camera is probably the HOA President whose job it is to monitor use of common space. It costs money to maintain that space, which comes out of HOA dues. Dogs do damage to yards and gardens and it costs money to fix it.

[Anonymous]

It’s just common sense and being a good neighbor. You don’t let Fido pee/poop on someone else’s lawn or flowers.
Teach your dog to use your lawn ad a bathroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you think the homeowner doesn't own that part of the grass? What jurisdiction?

In DC row houses you "own" to your front door but need to maintain the front walk and tree boxes. You can literally come home and the city will have dug up your entire front yard -- brick and all between sidewalk and house. They are supposed to return it to the way it was but if you have plantings. Gone.

Not sure about other parts of the city since we have only owned row houses on the Hill.

This is true in many jurisdictions. Homeowners do not own that strip between sidewalk and the road. And also the first few feet of your actual yard is not yours either. Any resident that has had new sidewalks put in knows this. We live in CCDC.

Here is an interesting article on the history of DC "parking strips" - note: meaning city/national park, not like park your car.

[Anonymous]

As someone who doesn't have a tree box (I live in a condo) and also doesn't have a dog -- I'm on the side of the homeowner who is trying to keep their tree box looking nice. It makes such a difference when you are walking around neighborhoods and the tree boxes are nicely maintained and attractive and if people letting their dogs pee or poop in them makes that harder or impossible then I don't see anything wrong with someone putting up a sign to please not do that.

I get that dogs want to do this instinctually but I don't think that's a defense. Dogs also instinctually want to hump everything that moves or bark at people and other dogs and dog owners are reasonably expected to take steps to address those behaviors. There are dog parks and dog runs around and many people have their own yards where they can create a designated area for this. And regarding dog poop you can of course just have your dog poop on the sidewalk and then pick it up (no one expects a sidewalk to be pristinely clean). But letting your dog piss all over someone's flowers or plants that actually beautify the city seems really anti social!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you think the homeowner doesn't own that part of the grass? What jurisdiction?

In DC row houses you "own" to your front door but need to maintain the front walk and tree boxes. You can literally come home and the city will have dug up your entire front yard -- brick and all between sidewalk and house. They are supposed to return it to the way it was but if you have plantings. Gone.

Not sure about other parts of the city since we have only owned row houses on the Hill.

This is true in many jurisdictions. Homeowners do not own that strip between sidewalk and the road. And also the first few feet of your actual yard is not yours either. Any resident that has had new sidewalks put in knows this. We live in CCDC.

Here is an interesting article on the history of DC "parking strips" - note: meaning city/national park, not like park your car.

https://www.foresthillsconnection.com/home-front/the-city-park-outside-your-front-door/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our neighbor now has a ring camera pointed to the common area. Right where their no poop signs are. It’s not private property. They have a smile you’re on camera sign as well. It’s so passive aggressive and a violation of privacy. That it’s not their actual yard irks me. They must have massive pull with the condo hoa.

I get that some dog owners are not decent with where they allow their pets. And some do not pick up. I don’t get why someone thinks a public area is theirs to police that way. It’s super rude.

I would just smile, like the sign says, and possibly wave. Maybe I would run over with whatever poop I've just picked up and hold it up to the camera, since the person is so interested.

[Anonymous]

I have a sign on OUR LAWN. Their dog can pee on the easement.

They are leashed dogs go pee next door.
I can see the yellow patch of pee spot but I need to do something.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a sign on OUR LAWN. Their dog can pee on the easement.

They are leashed dogs go pee next door.
I can see the yellow patch of pee spot but I need to do something.

The thing is, that upright thing in your lawn is *more attractive* to male dogs than a flat piece of grass would be, and once one dog creates a scent, they're all going to want to do it.

The people who know to keep their dog to the easement don't need a sign. The ones who don't won't be swayed by a sign. And now your yard has a stupid sign in it. How is that an improvement?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighbor now has a ring camera pointed to the common area. Right where their no poop signs are. It’s not private property. They have a smile you’re on camera sign as well. It’s so passive aggressive and a violation of privacy. That it’s not their actual yard irks me. They must have massive pull with the condo hoa.

I get that some dog owners are not decent with where they allow their pets. And some do not pick up. I don’t get why someone thinks a public area is theirs to police that way. It’s super rude.

If there is an HOA, and it is community space, then there are rules about it's use. It's not "public," free for all, use it as you wish. The person with the camera is probably the HOA President whose job it is to monitor use of common space. It costs money to maintain that space, which comes out of HOA dues. Dogs do damage to yards and gardens and it costs money to fix it.

They aren’t. It’s not the prez. It’s not a garden space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighbor now has a ring camera pointed to the common area. Right where their no poop signs are. It’s not private property. They have a smile you’re on camera sign as well. It’s so passive aggressive and a violation of privacy. That it’s not their actual yard irks me. They must have massive pull with the condo hoa.

I get that some dog owners are not decent with where they allow their pets. And some do not pick up. I don’t get why someone thinks a public area is theirs to police that way. It’s super rude.

I agree with most of your post but what the neighbor is doing is not a violation of anyone’s privacy.

And OP, your dog does not have rights.

It is when I’ve not consents to being filmed. We aren’t doing anything that impacts this particular spot of grass that’s not close to their fence line. It’s a problem that they record folks and post online. It has not been of me. But it happens. I don’t think that’s ok. It’s aggressive.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our neighbor now has a ring camera pointed to the common area. Right where their no poop signs are. It’s not private property. They have a smile you’re on camera sign as well. It’s so passive aggressive and a violation of privacy. That it’s not their actual yard irks me. They must have massive pull with the condo hoa.

I get that some dog owners are not decent with where they allow their pets. And some do not pick up. I don’t get why someone thinks a public area is theirs to police that way. It’s super rude.

I would just smile, like the sign says, and possibly wave. Maybe I would run over with whatever poop I've just picked up and hold it up to the camera, since the person is so interested.

Look! She had corn. Then a huge thumbs up/air guitar? I could swing the poo bag around like a flag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does this person live near Arlington forest? There’s a guy with this sign who once yelled at a neighbor who’s dog was pooping in that part of the grass and was picking it up. He literally yelled STOP POOPING! 🙄

LOL