Posted on 09/30/2009 7:15:54 PM PDT by HiTech RedNeck
A certain township in a Chicago collar county is playing mind games on me. I believe I am being harassed.
Sporadically over the last three years I've gotten "love letters" from their code enforcement jackboot claiming that a neighbor complained about grass and weeds in my yard but "has even offered to help [me]." In the past when this happened I just freshly mowed the yard and heard no more, for a while. (I am not in the best of health and sometimes cannot take care of my yard as well as I would like.)
Well, I got another "love letter" yesterday threatening that they were going to warn me no more. This time, I called up the jackboot and really pressed him about this neighbor business. After all, no neighbor had come to me with an "offer to help" over the three years this stuff had been going on. The jackboot finally said he would call the neighbor back and ask him/her to get hold of me, but sounded like he would take his sweet time about it and "we warn you, this is not going to affect the timetable" [until they send jackboots to mow my yard].
I walked to all my adjacent neighbors (including across the street and cater-corner to my corner property) this evening and inquired if it was they who had complained. Every single one denied it. I explained how I was told that such neighbor offered assistance, yet they were adamant that they had not complained.
I have left a message with the township supervisor, asking to speak with the township attorney. I haven't heard back yet, but it was late and I'm hoping I hear back tomorrow. I get a creepy feeling this is about more than neighbors and grass and weeds, this is about harassment.
Besides keeping the lawn paranoically cut, what else would you folks suggest?
I’d write them a letter back, kindly advising them to go piss up a rope.
If you can afford it, hire a lawn company to cut you lawn every other week (winter is coming) Then complaints would be unjustified. See what happens then.
BTW, doesn’t Chi town get a rather large amt of SNOW.
Then at least find an attorney and give him copies of everything to "open a file" on, and wait. If anything happens further, you'll at least be ready with your bona fides.
Hire an enterprising (if there are any) teen to mow the yard...and pay them cash....maybe there’s a church nearby you could advertise in?
Yes it does. And...?
Spray your lawn with weed and grass killer once a month. Tell your neighbors you are going green and conserving water.
I had an elderly aunt that had complaints resulting in code compliance letters after she told someone who expressed an interest in purchasing her property to buzz off.
Has anyone in the past several years shown any such interest in your property?
Huh, the guy next door has said he would want to buy the house (but also is apparently trying to sell his, so I don’t know if he cares about living there any more).
Good suggestion especially a teen at a church.
Anyone know if IL has any sunshine laws where you can ask who is sending the letters?
I was looking into whether IL has any equivalent to the Federal FOIA. The jackboot says it’s policy for their office not to say who complained, which is stupid on its face if the complainer is offering to help!
Many times a home owners association has members that drive around the neighborhood looking for “violations.” You will then get a letter saying that a “neighbor” complained. Technically accurate (the other homeowner is a neighbor), but they will never admit it to you. I might assume that your township has similar rules in place and some type of citizens committee that has to approve of any changes to your house (that can be seen from the street).
See if that is true and get to know the members of this committee. That might get them to harass someone else.
Hmm. That is an interesting take. I’ll have to ask the township if there is such a committee concerning my neighborhood. I know there were no HOA covenants in the sale of my home, but yes home alterations have to go through a county inspector permit process which in turn also goes through, you guessed it, the township. I had heard the township was only interested in damage to the right of way, but there might be more now.
What business does government have telling people how high their grass and weeds can be on their own property? I wish people would fight this nonsense.
Maybe I’ll make the whole yard into a gravel field...
It seems commie to me, because after all my weeds aren’t marching over to the neighbors and biting them in the neck during the night.
Hmmm. That’s what they do in Arizona.
Was thinking of filling it full of pink flamingos, but those are the dickens to mow around.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.