Ticket for parking on grass in my own yard(PARKING TICKET)

[Jessica2677]

Does anyone know if this is legal? We just got a parking ticket for parking in the grass in our own yard. The ticket says "can not park on grass or unpaved area(even if your own yard). I swear to god this is what the ticket says and its a $50 ticket that doubles to $100 then doubles to $200 Does anyone know anything about this law????

[packrat35]

I’d rather have a neighbor with a car in his front yard on cinder blocks than a petty busybody myself.

[packrat35]

What part of “your neighbor has no responsibility for your property values do you NOT understand?”

He really doesn’t! Deal with it! Like the man said, if it bothers you that much-buy him out!

[adorno]

I bought the property on both sides of me so I don't have to put up with the likes of someone like you, pretty simple wasn't it,

You're still doing pretty simple minded thinking.

So, with your simple thinking, the solution is to buy all the properties adjacent to mine. And then, if instead of just owning one house I then owned the other two houses next to mine, wouldn't I then have to buy the other two homes adjacent to my other two homes in order to prevent some undesirable from moving in? Where would it stop?

Actually, it's a lot simpler and much less costly to have caring neighbors.

[Jessica2677]

Me too. Last time I checked property values were based on what the homes have sold for in a 5 mile radius of your home, not next door.

[steve86]

I share your sentiments. When I read FReeper elitist snobs putting down those of us who live in mobile homes, I like to think about how much they probably lost in the stock market and real estate (and will lose considerably more during the next downleg in a couple months). Probably would have paid for 2000 of the 6,500 sq ft he lives in. I live in a mobile home and MADE THAT MUCH since 2007 (being in bear investments). Guess I’m smarter than the snobs in big houses.

[packrat35]

You also can’t make people “care” or “like” you. You really can’t, even if you weren’t a nosy busybody worried about inflicting your will on others.

[Jessica2677]

and like me you are living within your means and paying all your bills.

[jwalsh07]

I’d rather have a neighbor with a car in his front yard on cinder blocks than a petty busybody myself.

I'd rather listen to Barry Manilow 24/7/365 than live amongst the annointed in some HOA or whatever the heck it's called.

[dalereed]

Every city in So. California that I know of parking on your grass is illegal.

[packrat35]

I never understood the “trailer trash” comments myself. We all condemned it when Clinton cronies used it to demean Paula Jones and others who came out about him.

Seems like the US really is a lost cause when supposed Conservatives think “it takes a village” to keep property values up!

[eastforker]

Still real simple, if you like codes and restrictions live in an HOA neighborhood, every body knows the rules moving in. But if you buy in a neighborhood without an HOA, don’t bitch about what the neighbor does. Again, real simple.

[adorno]

If you invest that much money in a house squeeeeeeezed into an area so small what your neighbor does in his yard bugs you....you are definitely stupid.

The stupidity comes from those who do not understand what property value means.

Before that neighbor moved in to the house he's in now, it used to be worth a lot more than it is now. Adjusting for property values after the recession, my neighbor's house is worth a lot less than similar properties in the same neighborhood. However, along with his property value coming down, all the houses in the neighborhood also came down. It is not a matter of being squeezed into small areas. My house lies on about 1/3 acre and my "bad" neighbor's property is on 1/4 acre. If you happen not be blind, you will notice, even without trying, that my neighbor's property is very unkempt. And, what the hell is the problem with being a good neighbor? What the hell is wrong with cutting the grass and keeping your vehicles from being parked on the front yard. It's not very hard to do.

[eyedigress]

I live in the city and the ordinance is there. I also have about 5 brand new homes about to hit the one year mark in my neighborhood unsold. This may not be your case but I can certainly see why the developer here wants lawns clean.

[eastforker]

Before I bought the property next to me I kept my yard just clean enough to keep the wife off my ass yet junkie enough to keep anyone from wanting to buy and building next door. When the price was right, I bought the property next door kind of cheap, real simple wasn’t it.

[Basic_Problem]

[URL=”http://egov.co.pg.md.us/lis/docPopUp.asp?File=26-127.04&Type=CODE&Action=undefined”]Subtitle 26. VEHICLES AND TRAFFIC[/URL]
Your Remedy is on line paragraph (a) “except as necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic”
if you can prove that parking anywhere other than your lawn would have conflicted with other traffic, you should be able to beat the ticket.

(a) General rule. The provisions of this Section apply except as necessary to avoid conflict with other traffic or in compliance with law or the directions of a police officer or traffic control device.

and the law is paragraph (c) 18
(c) Standing or parking. No person shall stand or park a vehicle:
(18) On an unpaved area of a residential lot that is one (1) acre or less in size.

Now with this I would ask the court if the officer had a land surveyor research and measure the legal boundary of your property to determine it was less than 1 acre and that you did not own any connecting properties?

You could hire a lawyer to fight your case but the cost may be counter productive. I would certainly submit to the state legistlature a petition to change that law to repeal that clause as it is unconstitutional. I would certainly go to court and plead not guilty and use paragraph (a) as a defence.

[Snurple]

So what? You evidently spent a bundle on a house and are at the mercy of someone else as to weather or not it retains its value. That's stupid how ever you slice it.

I live on 50 acres that is worth 5 times as much now as when I bought it. I could give less than a shit what anybody around here does with their property, it theirs and wont affect my property value in the least.

You made the decision to live where you do...its your problem....not your neighbors.

[Moonmad27]

It may be legal in places, but it’s tacky everywhere.

[PERKY2004]

I live in California, and we have a local municipal ordinance that prohibits people from parking their vehicles on unpaved surfaces (which would include lawns.) I had the occasion to research WHY the ordinance was passed, assuming it was a "prevent blight" sort of argument.

My assumption was wrong.

It turns out that there had actually been a lot of grass fires started because of sparks, heat, etc. that came from parking (and idling) on dry lawns -- and those grass fires had spread to buildings, neighboring lawns, entire blocks. To prevent this, they prohibited people from parking on unpaved surfaces.

I am sure if enough people in your community don't like the law, you could talk to your local representative (City Councilperson) and see about having it changed.

[Basic_Problem]

You could also pave your entire front yard and tell the city to stick it.

[70times7]

Do you live in an area with a Home Owners’ Association? They make some pretty Stalinesque rules.

Cops do not issue parking tickets based on HOA rules. An HOA violation would require civil action.

Were you in the city’s right-of-way, even though in front of your house?

I really don't think the city has an easment across this person's front yard. This is PG county in Maryland. Although it is red almost everywhere outside B-Mo, PG county is a whole different world.

Besides, most all municipalities are digging into peoples pockets for everything they can. The law applied doesn't need to make any sense.