What is with the fortress-like homes here? (Dallas, Frisco: new house, fence)

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by grindin

Oh darn, so much for my Potted-Meat-and-crackers hor d'oeuvres with Box Wine to suffice. I gotta do better ya'll!

http://www.wavsurfer.com/wavs/slingblad/potted.wav

[tycobb2522]

Originally Posted by renlouis

...In house #2 (front entry) we immediately got to know our neighbors while we were driving past their houses and into our driveway, getting out of the car, yelling hello...

Yeah, but how do you explain the "dancer glitter" you got on you when the neighbors ask?

[gamsite]

We are in an upscale neighborhood in Frisco with front and rear entry. What gets me is that for the most part, the front entry people garage their cars and the rear entry people park on the street in front of their house creating congestion and really clutters the landscape. I presume they use their garages for storage and find the alleys inconvenient. The front entry doors are rough hewn cedar with criss-cross designs and are very attractive.

[Macbeth2003]

I think this all follows trends. I remember in my parents neighborhood when everyone was installing circular drives, and using their rear entry garages for storage.

Myself I've never understood the horror some people have about parked cars on the street in a residential neighborhood. I mean I get it when you have the neighbor who parks six badly maintained cars, blocking everyone else's house, but I never thought someone parking their one or two cars in front of the house was an eyesore. I guess it comes from spending a large part of my time growing up in neghborhoods that were old enough no one really had a garage. It probably has a lot to do with what we are used to.

[Debsi]

Originally Posted by Macbeth2003

I think this all follows trends. I remember in my parents neighborhood when everyone was installing circular drives, and using their rear entry garages for storage.

Myself I've never understood the horror some people have about parked cars on the street in a residential neighborhood. I mean I get it when you have the neighbor who parks six badly maintained cars, blocking everyone else's house, but I never thought someone parking their one or two cars in front of the house was an eyesore. I guess it comes from spending a large part of my time growing up in neghborhoods that were old enough no one really had a garage. It probably has a lot to do with what we are used to.

I don't understand the horror either. I'm another one voting for front entry or detached garages. I have a detached garage but I park my car on the driveway. I think most rear-entry neighborhoods have a less friendly feel, and it does encourage vehicle-related crime. My cousin had her purse and some other things stolen out of her car in her "upscale" neighborhood. Her husband forgot to close the garage, and there's nowhere in the house where you can see that your garage is open. It's easy for thieves to go up and down alleys looking for opportunities and not really be noticed by anybody.

[gamsite]

Not a horror but the problem is that they line the streets on both sides and the streets are only 30 feet wide. If you have cars coming down the road from opposite directions, one has look for a spot to pull over and wait for the other one to pass. The other thing is that we are not talking about old vintage neighborhood houses but high-end where people get really anal about the stonework, landscape, castle-like entrances, etc. and you can't see the homes (and especially the landscape) for the cars. HOA gets freaky about weeds, statuary, type of mulch, toys in the yard... but OK with the teen's rusted out, tail-light busted beater.

[lh_newbie]

The street isn't the jurisdiction of the HOA, unless it's a private street. IMO, tough crap.

[getmeoutofhere]

Originally Posted by lh_newbie

The street isn't the jurisdiction of the HOA, unless it's a private street. IMO, tough crap.

Depends on where you live. Lantana has a huge list of HOA covenants, and one covers parking cars in the street for an extended period - meaning, don't.

[lh_newbie]

Originally Posted by getmeoutofhere

Depends on where you live. Lantana has a huge list of HOA covenants, and one covers parking cars in the street for an extended period - meaning, don't.

They can say whatever they want. If it's a public street, they legally can't do a thing.

[Lakewooder]

You can't park on the street more than 24 hours in Dallas.