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Old 10-26-2007, 10:41 AM
 
3,763 posts, read 12,508,921 times
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We are building in an medium sized neighborhood (100 homes) or 1 acre lots. Most don't have fences. We will. As long as the HOA doesn't forbid it, and you are in compliance with city ordinances, I say fence away. People who are against fences always seem to be the ones who's children and dogs are never in their own yard. As we have a dog, and want her to not be bothered by the neighbor's children - a fence (immediately) is a must for us. If my neighbors are bothered, well that's honestly their problem. I am a very friendly person and will do whatever else I can to help neighbor relations, but a fence is non-negotiable.
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Old 10-26-2007, 10:54 AM
 
28,803 posts, read 47,552,525 times
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We added a fence the second summer after we built. A few of the neighbors decided that the back yards were a communal playground; for them and their children. There is a very nice city park less than one block away.

The day our back door neighbor trashed our new White Pine while catching a poorly thrown football was the the last straw. The fence was up a week later. Amazing how many people were upset that I ruined the "park". Since then (19 years ago) every yard except one has added a fence. The one with no fence has no trees, the grass is mostly weeds and the whole place is pretty much a dump. Whatever they spend their money on it's certainly not the house and yard. Guy on the other side is worse. I nicknamed his place the Center Street Salvage Yard and when we move I'm going to have a nice sign made up and plunk it in their front yard on the way out of town.

I do a lot of gardening and landscaping and don't feel the entire neighborhood should have the right to tromp through just because they think it's okay. My grassy areas have gotten smaller over time and the man who takes care of the lawn actually lowered the price for his services!

We've endured baseballs, footballs, Frisbees, gloves, basketballs, etc during the years. A baseball missed my wife's head by about 6 inches one day. I paid the next door idiot a visit. That practice stopped quickly. Being a six-foot two, 240 lb man has it's advantages. Not being afraid to deck some wimp does, too. Of course as soon as someone new moves in the "training" starts all over again. We've had people we don't know wander into the back yard (open the gate and walk right in) looking for something they threw over the fence while visiting next door. My wife was startled by a teenager backing out of a gate when she came around the corner of our house one day. Picture: A five-foot one middle-aged woman grabbing a six-foot teen aged boy and slamming him up against a fence, screaming "What are you doing in our yard!" Sure wish I had a movie of that, I'd put it on YouTube. He stopped coming into the yard after his balls.

Door bell ringing is a favorite. For some reason every kid (and most adults) think it acceptable to immediately ring the bell when anything goes over the fence. They also think it's our responsibility to drop whatever we are doing and retrieve said item. Yeah, that'll happen. I've got a baseball in my back yard that's been there since May. Kid next door was using our fence as a backstop and the ball came over twice. I tossed it back and asked that they throw it a different direction. It came over again. I can't seem to find it.

Yes, I think fences are a good idea. The taller, the better.
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Old 10-31-2007, 08:06 AM
 
Location: DC Area, for now
3,517 posts, read 13,238,229 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kdog View Post
Sounds like they got 4" to 6" of your yard in the process too.
Many jurisdictions have a law that allows people to legally take your property after many years of "hostile use." Having a fence line inside the line like that can constitute hostile use. The property owner can prevent that by simply periodically delivering a letter (keep copies) to the neighbor giving permission for the use of the land on their side of the fence.
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Old 10-31-2007, 09:36 AM
 
13,167 posts, read 21,733,933 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tesaje View Post
Many jurisdictions have a law that allows people to legally take your property after many years of "hostile use." Having a fence line inside the line like that can constitute hostile use. The property owner can prevent that by simply periodically delivering a letter (keep copies) to the neighbor giving permission for the use of the land on their side of the fence.
Right, that was my point. I can understand needing to contain the fence within your property, but I'd go flush to the property line. I've never heard of a setback being required for a fence, although I suppose it's possible. What happens in that case when your neighbor wants a fence on their side? You end up with a 1' alley between the two fences? It's goofy.

A much better approach is the "good neighbor fence" that goes right down the property line. The fence is co-owned and maintained by the neighbors on both sides. Fence materials are used that are essentially finished on both sides. We've had redwood fences and block walls, both of which fit that criteria. In both cases it was the land developer that installed the fences, so you got them when you bought into the neighborhood. I could see where it would be much more difficult creating good neighbor fences in an already established neighborhood though.
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Old 10-31-2007, 06:16 PM
 
Location: Jax
8,200 posts, read 35,378,456 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kdog View Post
Right, that was my point. I can understand needing to contain the fence within your property, but I'd go flush to the property line. I've never heard of a setback being required for a fence, although I suppose it's possible. What happens in that case when your neighbor wants a fence on their side? You end up with a 1' alley between the two fences? It's goofy.

A much better approach is the "good neighbor fence" that goes right down the property line. The fence is co-owned and maintained by the neighbors on both sides. Fence materials are used that are essentially finished on both sides. We've had redwood fences and block walls, both of which fit that criteria. In both cases it was the land developer that installed the fences, so you got them when you bought into the neighborhood. I could see where it would be much more difficult creating good neighbor fences in an already established neighborhood though.
Well, Florida vs Arizona, things will be different.

As for the 2 fences, most people are reasonable and if the neighbor nextdoor wants to put up his own fence, you'd let him build off of yours, that's what I did. I'm just not going to be that territorial over a few inches of land. But somebody had to be the first one to install a fence and it was me, so I had to play by the rules and install inside of my line.

I also own a house in an older neighborhood and at that house there were three layers of fence going back decades - and yes, there were "alleys" between them. 2 of the fences were on my side so I recently tore them down. My neighbor on one side there is very territorial about her property line and installed a lousy fence to boot. When I move back to that house, I will have no choice but to install my own fence, on my own property up close to hers, thus creating another "alley". Her fence is not adequate to contain my dogs so there is no other option.

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, especially where dogs are concerned. I think we'd all love perfect little rectangular lots with no obstructions and fences that line up perfectly down the dotted line, but that's rarely a reality unless you're in a new cookie-cutter development.
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Old 10-31-2007, 06:22 PM
 
28,803 posts, read 47,552,525 times
Reputation: 37905
Quote:
Originally Posted by kdog View Post
Right, that was my point. I can understand needing to contain the fence within your property, but I'd go flush to the property line. I've never heard of a setback being required for a fence, although I suppose it's possible. What happens in that case when your neighbor wants a fence on their side? You end up with a 1' alley between the two fences? It's goofy.

A much better approach is the "good neighbor fence" that goes right down the property line. The fence is co-owned and maintained by the neighbors on both sides. Fence materials are used that are essentially finished on both sides. We've had redwood fences and block walls, both of which fit that criteria. In both cases it was the land developer that installed the fences, so you got them when you bought into the neighborhood. I could see where it would be much more difficult creating good neighbor fences in an already established neighborhood though.
Our builder (American Fence) will not build a fence on the lot line. When asked to (this was 18 years ago) he refused stating that if I wanted a fence on the lot line I had to find someone else to put it up.

After a few calls I had them build. No one else would do it either.

Iowa
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Old 10-31-2007, 07:25 PM
 
384 posts, read 1,130,223 times
Reputation: 197
I think it is proper to build a fence that sort of matches what the rest of the neighborhood has. An ugly chain link fence in a neighborhood with nice, 5 feet wooden fences that are predominantly brown makes you come off as a jerk in my opinion.
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Old 10-31-2007, 11:08 PM
 
Location: Cary, NC
2,407 posts, read 10,661,951 times
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My HOA only allows certain types of fences depending on the neighborhood. Most neighborhoods only allow wrought iron fences. They did levy a fine and threatened to place a lien on properties where homeowners put up fences without prior approval from the architectural review committee.
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Old 11-01-2007, 07:21 AM
 
Location: DC Area, for now
3,517 posts, read 13,238,229 times
Reputation: 2192
My new neighbor behind me put up a fence but put it a good 10 to 15 feet inside their property line. My old neighbor said I should complain to them, but why? It's no sweat off my nose. They, in effect, just enlarged my back yard for me. And in a lot more years than I plan to own the property, I could make a claim on the property as a hostile use since they never have said anything about it except that they would be careful not to put it on my property (I guess so!). It isn't a style I would have chosen but it isn't bad either.

I figure life gives you enough problems without poking your nose into other people's choices. Live and let live.
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Old 11-01-2007, 11:28 AM
 
5,652 posts, read 19,306,041 times
Reputation: 4106
NOPE. do it right when you get in, before you know the neighbors enough that they will take it personally when you erect one.
I will NEVER own property that does not have a fence on all 4 sides again. (neighbor problems) That way, they and you know exactly whose is whose.
If you do put one up, make sure you get a survey first. So you know EXACTLY where the lot line is. Otherwise you may end up tearing it down and moving it if it is wrong. Do not go by where "someone told you" the boundary was. Developers, real estate people, and neighbors can all be wrong.
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