The A**hole neighbors of mine

[Anonymous]

AAAGH. I'm beside myself. My husband and I began to renovate and add some space onto our home after many years of living in a too small house. We hired an architect, got a permit, and had our plans approved by the neighborhood architectural and planning board. Everything has been open and done correctly, in other words.

I'm in Bethesda (yea, I have my gripes with it) and wouldn't you know I've had trouble from every neighbor on every side of me. I just learned that the two backyard neighbors have gone to our architectural review board to ask if they would be affected by any excess water that "might" drain from the backyard. Didn't approach us with a friendly hello. Both Attorneys. THis is after we gladly pay for the damaged fence between our properties, invite her kid to birthday parties, etc.

The other neighbor puts up string on the property next to our driveway so that no one -workmen or us-will park on his grass. after we take in their mail, give their kid a nice gift, water their plants and watch their house.

Everyone seems to have a gripe with what we our doing on OUR land...approved and all.

What happened to the days when a neighbor just knocked on another neighbor's door and solved things amicably neighbor to neighbor? What is this sh*t?

It's all about ME ME ME and more ME And how does it affect ME.




AAAGHH.

[Anonymous]

I know someone who used to live in Chevy Chase who tried to do a remodel of his house, and the neighbors tried to obstruct it because they felt the appearance of the remodeled home wasn't in keeping with the "character" of the neighborhood. So to be a good neighbor, he hid the modern remodel behind a traditional facade even though he didn't have to, and a bunch of neighbors sued him anyway.
The lawsuit lasted for several years, and finally the neighbors lost.

[Anonymous]

I don't see the problem with your neighbor marking her yard with string. Have you seen the damage construction workers can do to a yard? Who cares if you brought in her mail, etc. That was very nice of you, but the marking of her yard has nothing to do with you - it has to do with the workers. BFD.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see the problem with your neighbor marking her yard with string. Have you seen the damage construction workers can do to a yard? Who cares if you brought in her mail, etc. That was very nice of you, but the marking of her yard has nothing to do with you - it has to do with the workers. BFD.

Would park our cars near that piece of our property when there was no place else to park. Yes, it has to do with us. BFD to you.

[Anonymous]

The first seems to be a simple question about how it affects THEIR land, and the second is a reasonable attempt to keep workers from tromping through their grass and peeing on their lawn (yes, it happens). Really, it doesn't sound too bad to me.

[Anonymous]

This is very Bethesda. I'm very familiar with how the B-CC area folks feel about remodeling and construction, especially when it has to do with expanding existing properties. I am not surprised. Sorry, OP.

[Anonymous]

Eh, I understand why you're upset, OP, but I can guess your neighbors' perspective. How noisy is the construction? How long is it taking? Did someone already park on the property of your neighbor who put up string? Even if they didn't, if he's spent time and money on his lawn, why shouldn't he take precautions to protect it? And potential water drainoff is a legitimate concern. Your neighbors are both being proactive in taking steps to ward off potential damage to their property and, consequently, problems in their relationship with you.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, OP. Sad - your neighbors' concerns are legitimate and normal, and what happened to courtesy, level-headedness and common sense to start out by contacting you directly? Would have been so easy and more productive, too.

As for the drainage, a hypothetical question for you. If they had come to you directly, what would you have done to respond to their questions? Could you still do it and pro-actively approach them? I have seen construction drainage issues affect neighbors (I'm in Bethesda too). My guess is that the county does not always catch problems in the permitting phase. Perhaps that is your neighbors' concern; nothing personal, they just want to be sure. Or, let the county spend the money to re-review the plans.

I would contact the neighbors so this doesn't spiral any more. For the parking issue. If you want to be strict with your contractor about where the workers can walk/park and or how courteous they are to neighbors, you can choose to be. And if your neighbor wants you to do this, they would do well to talk to you instead of just putting up string.

[Anonymous]

OP, did YOU talk to your neighbors about what you were planning on doing before your went ahead with your plans?

Large renovations can be very inconvenient to neighbors because, indeed, things like damage to lawns from large vehicles, drainage issues affecting neighboring properties (because the ratio of absorbent land to building is lower and the slope of land may change, and, of course, noise and parking can be major issues. It would have been the neighborly thing to do to discuss with your neighbors concerns they may have had ahead of time instead of having them find out in some other way.

[Anonymous]

Yes, it's very Bethesda. As soon as daughter is out of school, we are getting the h*ll out. I can't stand it.

2.) The neighbor with the string never takes care of the yard. It looks like cr*p! Sticks everywhere, crab grass, cable wire sticking out of the ground, uneven patches of grass and dirt.

3.) We are approachable and have worked before with the neighbors complaining about water runoff. Did they need to go behind our backs with big attorney mouths?

Bleech.

[Anonymous]

I moved from Alexandria for this reason, this is how people in Alexandria are too.

The minute I moved back to DC, it was much better. Move to Capital Hill - we are much more friendly.

[Anonymous]

So sorry OP. Folks around are strange.
I live at the end of a dead end. One of my neighbors is a contractor. This week he stopped a Plummer coming to my house and asked him where he was going, what he was doing. This guy thinks he is entitled to every job in the neighborhood. He pads the bill and talks trash about everyone.
It is the hardest thing to do, but kill them with kindness.

[Anonymous]

May I also add that these neighbors have all done renovations and my husband and I were never notified until after the work had started.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sorry OP. Folks around are strange.
I live at the end of a dead end. One of my neighbors is a contractor. This week he stopped a Plummer coming to my house and asked him where he was going, what he was doing. This guy thinks he is entitled to every job in the neighborhood. He pads the bill and talks trash about everyone.
It is the hardest thing to do, but kill them with kindness.

Thanks. Kill them with kindness is hard for me. I'll have to settle down first!

[Anonymous]

a Lib attorney combo of the biggest asshole