Dispute regarding trash cans for alley pick-up in DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP—Any time we get a huge snowstorm, be sure to shovel all the snow in the alley on to that 5 x 8 strip of grass and up against his gate and on top of his trash cans.

You seriously think someone as selfish and entitled as OP is out there shoveling snow??

You seriously underestimate the power of payback to a d*ck neighbor.

Yep. Which is why my neighbors will be trimming our tree from their roof, instead of benefitting from us trimming it for them. In fact, we will get it trimmed off of our roof and our other neighbors, but let it grow into their gutters.

You sound the worst. Bet all your neighbors feel the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, why is moving the fence not an option?

I understand the rules to leave cans in the alley. I understand the convention to keep the alley clear and to use available strips of grass to put out cans.

But can there be a new convention when you adjust your fence to accommodate your trash cans on pickup days? Cut a portion of the existing fence and move it back two feet - it may be expensive but it seems that would be the responsible thing to do.

Once again, the existing fence very likely belongs to a different neighbor, or moving it will impact them. There's NO way to get around cooperating with your neighbors when you live in rowhouses. Your walls are literally shared.

Likely? It would be good to know the facts to have a constructive discussion.

I understood that the fence separates OP's "back yard" from the alley. Is that incorrect? How would moving the fence impact a different neighbor?

because the integrity of the neighbor's adjoining fence could be affected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP—Any time we get a huge snowstorm, be sure to shovel all the snow in the alley on to that 5 x 8 strip of grass and up against his gate and on top of his trash cans.

You seriously think someone as selfish and entitled as OP is out there shoveling snow??

You seriously underestimate the power of payback to a d*ck neighbor.

Yep. Which is why my neighbors will be trimming our tree from their roof, instead of benefitting from us trimming it for them. In fact, we will get it trimmed off of our roof and our other neighbors, but let it grow into their gutters.

You sound the worst. Bet all your neighbors feel the same way.

No, all our neighbors dislike the d*ck neighbors, because they instigated it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know both these neighbors, and I'm one of the people who puts out my cans on someone else's patch of property, with no problem. Some people suggest we change our fencing. Actually, the new guy suggested that, too. We are not rich people and this neighborhood is not a rich neighborhood. If we all had his money, maybe we all would change our fences. Maybe he should pay for it. He can be like his neighbors and put community before self twice a week, or have us all think he is a selfish gentrifier. He made his choice.

He should move his fence back closer into the alley and say, "tag" it's your turn to host the garbage cans for the next decade, neighbor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, why is moving the fence not an option?

I understand the rules to leave cans in the alley. I understand the convention to keep the alley clear and to use available strips of grass to put out cans.

But can there be a new convention when you adjust your fence to accommodate your trash cans on pickup days? Cut a portion of the existing fence and move it back two feet - it may be expensive but it seems that would be the responsible thing to do.

Once again, the existing fence very likely belongs to a different neighbor, or moving it will impact them. There's NO way to get around cooperating with your neighbors when you live in rowhouses. Your walls are literally shared.

Likely? It would be good to know the facts to have a constructive discussion.

I understood that the fence separates OP's "back yard" from the alley. Is that incorrect? How would moving the fence impact a different neighbor?

Exactly. The OP has a boundary between their yard and the alley that they need to deal with (if they don't want to just put the cans in the alley which is completely fine also). There is no need to involve any neighbor at all. The OP is being unreasonable to expect to have use of anyone else's property simply because it is more convenient or cheaper for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You need to make room on your property to place your cans for pick up.

This!
You made YOUR problem his and now you big mad??
Figure out your own trash - seriously!

+1

[Anonymous]

DPW says to leave the cans in the alley, so leave them in the alley. Though you should try to do this for as short a period as possible. Our trash is routinely picked up at 6:30 am, so we can usually get them back to our property before work. We don't have the space considerations that the OP does, but DPW routinely mixes up the cans and leaves them all over the place, so we try to get ours back home as soon as possible.

[Anonymous]

The nerve of someone to spend Hundreds of thousands of dollars on their property and then want to use every last blade of grass of it in the way that they want.

FOR SHAME!

[Anonymous]

OP here. This is the most entertaining thread ever, with nuggets of very helpful insights. Thanks, DCUM forum. The odd thing is we had no idea this new neighbor existed until months after he moved in, and the previous resident didn't mind us leaving them there. We didn't know there was a new occupant in that house.

We can't modify the fence because--and this is tough to explain in text--the sides and back of the fence are indeed shared with two other houses. The fence predates our arrival. If the three of us had the cash, maybe we'd collectively tear it down and start over. We all are affected by this new neighbor's position (it's not just our trash cans). He has his property deed on his side, and none of us dispute that. As for generating the good will of his new neighbors, well, that's another story...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, why is moving the fence not an option?

I understand the rules to leave cans in the alley. I understand the convention to keep the alley clear and to use available strips of grass to put out cans.

But can there be a new convention when you adjust your fence to accommodate your trash cans on pickup days? Cut a portion of the existing fence and move it back two feet - it may be expensive but it seems that would be the responsible thing to do.

Once again, the existing fence very likely belongs to a different neighbor, or moving it will impact them. There's NO way to get around cooperating with your neighbors when you live in rowhouses. Your walls are literally shared.

Likely? It would be good to know the facts to have a constructive discussion.

I understood that the fence separates OP's "back yard" from the alley. Is that incorrect? How would moving the fence impact a different neighbor?

because the integrity of the neighbor's adjoining fence could be affected.

Nope. As someone already explained. OP can add another fence wall a few feet in from the existing back fence wall. Another lockable gate is added. Cans now stay in the new space and the outside door is opened on trash day with the cans in the entrance way.

But as has been explained numerous, times nothing really needs to be done. Cans go in the alley like every other city neighborhood. If the trash trucks can maneuver around, then so can cars.

[Anonymous]

Why can’t you just place the trash cans in the open gate of the fence?

I’m siding with the new neighbor. I wouldn’t want someone else’s trash on my property 2x a week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. This is the most entertaining thread ever, with nuggets of very helpful insights. Thanks, DCUM forum. The odd thing is we had no idea this new neighbor existed until months after he moved in, and the previous resident didn't mind us leaving them there. We didn't know there was a new occupant in that house.

We can't modify the fence because--and this is tough to explain in text--the sides and back of the fence are indeed shared with two other houses. The fence predates our arrival. If the three of us had the cash, maybe we'd collectively tear it down and start over. We all are affected by this new neighbor's position (it's not just our trash cans). He has his property deed on his side, and none of us dispute that. As for generating the good will of his new neighbors, well, that's another story...

Good will my a**. He’s not obligated, morally or otherwise, to let you put your cans on his property. How many posters have to tell you that before it gets through your thick skull??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. This is the most entertaining thread ever, with nuggets of very helpful insights. Thanks, DCUM forum. The odd thing is we had no idea this new neighbor existed until months after he moved in, and the previous resident didn't mind us leaving them there. We didn't know there was a new occupant in that house.

We can't modify the fence because--and this is tough to explain in text--the sides and back of the fence are indeed shared with two other houses. The fence predates our arrival. If the three of us had the cash, maybe we'd collectively tear it down and start over. We all are affected by this new neighbor's position (it's not just our trash cans). He has his property deed on his side, and none of us dispute that. As for generating the good will of his new neighbors, well, that's another story...

It’s possible to cut out a gate without affecting the rest of the fence. Might not be cheap, but that’s not your neighbor’s problem.

Do you at least acknowledge now that you’re not actually “entitled” (your original word) to put your trash on his property?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. This is the most entertaining thread ever, with nuggets of very helpful insights. Thanks, DCUM forum. The odd thing is we had no idea this new neighbor existed until months after he moved in, and the previous resident didn't mind us leaving them there. We didn't know there was a new occupant in that house.

We can't modify the fence because--and this is tough to explain in text--the sides and back of the fence are indeed shared with two other houses. The fence predates our arrival. If the three of us had the cash, maybe we'd collectively tear it down and start over. We all are affected by this new neighbor's position (it's not just our trash cans). He has his property deed on his side, and none of us dispute that. As for generating the good will of his new neighbors, well, that's another story...

Good will my a**. He’s not obligated, morally or otherwise, to let you put your cans on his property. How many posters have to tell you that before it gets through your thick skull??

Doing something you are "obligated" to do doesn't create any goodwill.

Allowing something that you don't have to because it makes life easier on everyone (yourself included, because trash cans aren't in the alley) *does* create goodwill.

Putting the kibosh on an arrangement that has been in place for years that has little to no impact on you simply because "it's my property, so there" actively removes goodwill.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. This is the most entertaining thread ever, with nuggets of very helpful insights. Thanks, DCUM forum. The odd thing is we had no idea this new neighbor existed until months after he moved in, and the previous resident didn't mind us leaving them there. We didn't know there was a new occupant in that house.

We can't modify the fence because--and this is tough to explain in text--the sides and back of the fence are indeed shared with two other houses. The fence predates our arrival. If the three of us had the cash, maybe we'd collectively tear it down and start over. We all are affected by this new neighbor's position (it's not just our trash cans). He has his property deed on his side, and none of us dispute that. As for generating the good will of his new neighbors, well, that's another story...

It’s possible to cut out a gate without affecting the rest of the fence. Might not be cheap, but that’s not your neighbor’s problem.

Do you at least acknowledge now that you’re not actually “entitled” (your original word) to put your trash on his property?

This is true. IT is also true that DPW indicates that the trash cans should be left in the alley. The new neighbor doesn't like that, but that's not OP's problem.