Dispute regarding trash cans for alley pick-up in DC

[Anonymous]

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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

[Anonymous]

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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

Except the grass strip isn't common space, it's the other person's private property.

[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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

Except the grass strip isn't common space, it's the other person's private property.

Sure but we think of it as common space. So by right it is...

[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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

Except the grass strip isn't common space, it's the other person's private property.

Sure but we think of it as common space. So by right it is...

So just because I think of something as mine it becomes mine? Wow. OP, just accept you were lucky for ten years and adapt. Your neighbor is fully within his right to request that you find a new home for your trash cans.

[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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

Except the grass strip isn't common space, it's the other person's private property.

For the millionth time, as OP describe it, neighbors put their trash cans on those strips so they alley doesn't get blocked, for everyone's benefit.

[Anonymous]

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.

[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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

Except the grass strip isn't common space, it's the other person's private property.

For the millionth time, as OP describe it, neighbors put their trash cans on those strips so they alley doesn't get blocked, for everyone's benefit.

And as many others said already, there are other ways to achieve the same outcome. We still did not hear from the OP why she can’t bring her fence in.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Wow, such animated responses! I should have specified that this scenario probably is pretty foreign to those not familiar with these DC rowhouse alleys. We've only left cans out for trash days (twice a week), per DC statute. And yes, our fence is preexisting, its sides shared with neighbors. Moving our fence in to create more alley width isn't an option. Per DC DPW, our property is designated to leave cans "in the alley" on trash days, but there really isn't much space to put the cans off to the side of the alley anywhere. So, as a coping mechanism, the longer-term neighbors told me that, over the decades, there has become a community norm of leaving cans on trash day on whatever patches of land we can find in the alley, often in patches that, strictly speaking, are the property of neighbors across the alley. This remains the norm today, since the alternative would be to risk obstructing the alley if we left cans elsewhere.

And yes, there are other neighbors who remain amenable to having their patches of property be pick-up spots for cans, so this has been our solution for now. This new neighbor is an outlier, and we fully concur that he's well within his right to assert his property rights. So far, most of the neighbors in his position opt to be more flexible, but so be it.

[Anonymous]

Does the new neighbor require car access to the alley, so he benefits from keeping the cans out of the alley?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, such animated responses! I should have specified that this scenario probably is pretty foreign to those not familiar with these DC rowhouse alleys. We've only left cans out for trash days (twice a week), per DC statute. And yes, our fence is preexisting, its sides shared with neighbors. Moving our fence in to create more alley width isn't an option. Per DC DPW, our property is designated to leave cans "in the alley" on trash days, but there really isn't much space to put the cans off to the side of the alley anywhere. So, as a coping mechanism, the longer-term neighbors told me that, over the decades, there has become a community norm of leaving cans on trash day on whatever patches of land we can find in the alley, often in patches that, strictly speaking, are the property of neighbors across the alley. This remains the norm today, since the alternative would be to risk obstructing the alley if we left cans elsewhere.

And yes, there are other neighbors who remain amenable to having their patches of property be pick-up spots for cans, so this has been our solution for now. This new neighbor is an outlier, and we fully concur that he's well within his right to assert his property rights. So far, most of the neighbors in his position opt to be more flexible, but so be it.

Please tell me you will consider the options suggested regarding the next big snow storm.

—fellow DC rowhouse owner and keeper of the alley

[Anonymous]

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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

New owners are allowed to make choices with their property. OP should move the fence or find space. You do not take over someone's property when they are telling you no.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, such animated responses! I should have specified that this scenario probably is pretty foreign to those not familiar with these DC rowhouse alleys. We've only left cans out for trash days (twice a week), per DC statute. And yes, our fence is preexisting, its sides shared with neighbors. Moving our fence in to create more alley width isn't an option. Per DC DPW, our property is designated to leave cans "in the alley" on trash days, but there really isn't much space to put the cans off to the side of the alley anywhere. So, as a coping mechanism, the longer-term neighbors told me that, over the decades, there has become a community norm of leaving cans on trash day on whatever patches of land we can find in the alley, often in patches that, strictly speaking, are the property of neighbors across the alley. This remains the norm today, since the alternative would be to risk obstructing the alley if we left cans elsewhere.

And yes, there are other neighbors who remain amenable to having their patches of property be pick-up spots for cans, so this has been our solution for now. This new neighbor is an outlier, and we fully concur that he's well within his right to assert his property rights. So far, most of the neighbors in his position opt to be more flexible, but so be it.

He's telling you no, so move your fence to create a space. Problem solved. Twice a week is a lot. We only get once a week pickup.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, such animated responses! I should have specified that this scenario probably is pretty foreign to those not familiar with these DC rowhouse alleys. We've only left cans out for trash days (twice a week), per DC statute. And yes, our fence is preexisting, its sides shared with neighbors. Moving our fence in to create more alley width isn't an option. Per DC DPW, our property is designated to leave cans "in the alley" on trash days, but there really isn't much space to put the cans off to the side of the alley anywhere. So, as a coping mechanism, the longer-term neighbors told me that, over the decades, there has become a community norm of leaving cans on trash day on whatever patches of land we can find in the alley, often in patches that, strictly speaking, are the property of neighbors across the alley. This remains the norm today, since the alternative would be to risk obstructing the alley if we left cans elsewhere.

And yes, there are other neighbors who remain amenable to having their patches of property be pick-up spots for cans, so this has been our solution for now. This new neighbor is an outlier, and we fully concur that he's well within his right to assert his property rights. So far, most of the neighbors in his position opt to be more flexible, but so be it.

He's telling you no, so move your fence to create a space. Problem solved. Twice a week is a lot. We only get once a week pickup.

Again, stand aside if you’re not a DC resident whose rowhouse is on an alley. You have no idea what you’re talking about.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. Wow, such animated responses! I should have specified that this scenario probably is pretty foreign to those not familiar with these DC rowhouse alleys. We've only left cans out for trash days (twice a week), per DC statute. And yes, our fence is preexisting, its sides shared with neighbors. Moving our fence in to create more alley width isn't an option. Per DC DPW, our property is designated to leave cans "in the alley" on trash days, but there really isn't much space to put the cans off to the side of the alley anywhere. So, as a coping mechanism, the longer-term neighbors told me that, over the decades, there has become a community norm of leaving cans on trash day on whatever patches of land we can find in the alley, often in patches that, strictly speaking, are the property of neighbors across the alley. This remains the norm today, since the alternative would be to risk obstructing the alley if we left cans elsewhere.

And yes, there are other neighbors who remain amenable to having their patches of property be pick-up spots for cans, so this has been our solution for now. This new neighbor is an outlier, and we fully concur that he's well within his right to assert his property rights. So far, most of the neighbors in his position opt to be more flexible, but so be it.

He's telling you no, so move your fence to create a space. Problem solved. Twice a week is a lot. We only get once a week pickup.

OP already said there is no way to move the fence.

OP, I think the solution is unfortunately just to do exactly what DPW says, and leave the cans in the alley as instructed. If neighbors complain that the alley is obstructed, you can explain honestly why you had to make the change. It is what it is. (But yes, I might first ask a neighbor further up or down the street who has a grassy patch if they're okay with you setting your cans out there. That seems like the simplest answer, if someone says yes.)

[Anonymous]

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??

Selfish = disrupting the way neighbors have managed common space cooperatively for 10 years.

Its not common space.