Posted on 08/12/2013 8:58:30 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
A handicap ramp in front of a Fountain family's house is in the middle of a neighborhood squabble.
Vincent and Heidi Giesegh say their neighbors are threatening legal action if they don't remove the ramp. They say the next door couple is worried that the ramp will hurt the value of their home. The Giesegh's say they need it for their 16 year old daughter Kirsten who has Cerebral Palsy.
"As she goes into her spastic modes, we could just tumble down the stairs and both of us could get massively hurt," said Heidi Giesegh.
The Giesegh's neighborhood doesn't have an HOA, and the family says the City of Fountain told them it was ok to install the ramp and widen their driveway for a handicap van. 11 News went next door to get the neighbor's side of the story and they told us no comment.
"It's kind of irritating," said Vincent Giesegh. "I mean we're trying to do our best to assist our daughter with her daily needs to get in and out of the house."
The Giesegh's home is part of a community under construction. We reached out to the home's builder and they say they've also received complaints from the neighbors.
The Giesegh's say they've contacted the Rocky Mountain American Disability Center for help.
Karma can be a cruel b!tch.
I don't see how having a wheelchair-bound person in the neighborhood could possibly affect property values. Makes no sense.
Anyone who utters the words "it will reduce property values" is pretty much an asshat, if the item of contention does not create or increase either health hazards or safety hazards.
I guess I will be the fly in the ointment here...but that ramp is hideous-looking. While it may serve its noble purpose (and a ramp SHOULD be allowed to be “present” of course), the design is awful.
It is in a residential neighborhood, and looks like something in front of a 80’s era Post Office. A simple Google search provides dozens of beautiful designs that would fit in with the “look” of the home.
Some people lack the ability to visualize how things might look when completed (which may be the case with the homeowners here)...it is the fault of whoever (ahem) “designed” and built it for installing something like that on the front of a residence.
How low, how devoid of grace. Best outcome, this stinky neighbor just drops the idea. It probably WON’T hurt their home value, they’re just thinking it will.
The neighbor could be helpful if that is the case, rather than being the one who drills the hole in the boat of love. Surround it with a porch screen or something. Life is not a zero sum game and the big secret is that God would bless that helpful neighbor instead of, which is likely, blowing back on him the way he is now.
I know, I really feel bad for the homeowners. I’m sure they spent a LOT of money on that ramp...it’s just an awful design. I just cannot believe that ANYONE would have designed and actually built that thing on the front of a residence...shame on whoever did that to them.
They could put some stone facing on it to match the house; replace the rails with something more residential; and get a landscaper in there and it would do wonders. Maybe those unhappy builders in the story would donate some of their time and expertise to FIXING the problem.
The neighbors are insensitive boobs. However, it seems to me they could pay for lovely wood fencing to hide the metal rails.
Or even pay for certain horticulture objects that would hide the ugly concrete and steel that so offends them.
It’s actually ugly as hell but, given the needs of the neighbor I’d not be concerned.
Were I concerend I’d pay to:
Obfuscate the eyesore with miniature Italian Junipers or “Homo” fantastic shrubbery.
That ramp might even be a selling point for the house.
No zoning or building code violation so the complainers can STFU..............
IMO, I would suggest the family with the handicapped daughter sue the crap out of the complaining neighbor for harassment.
But for the grace of God, the neighbor's do not need a ramp themselves but perhaps they will some day down the road. Or, have a child or grandchild that needs a ramp. Their attitude will be a lot different then.
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes made of ticky tacky,
Little boxes on the hillside,
Little boxes all the same.
The ramp IS ugly. Should have been made of wood.
Well, if you know it needs to be permanent (like your daughter will always need it), then the cement makes sense. Others are correct, a little landscaping will hide blend this ramp in nicely.
Austin Silly council has passed (or will) that every new home or remodeled home have wheel chair access. That should tick off all the libs here.
Did you look at the picture in the article?
I did. I have seen uglier ramps, but this one is not a thing of beauty.
The concrete construction bothers me a lot. That thing is going to be there for a long, long time. If it were wood, a carpenter, or even a homeowner could dismantle it in a day when the need was gone.
As someone said, the correct landscaping would go a long way toward hiding it, but landscaping is already in, and there is no attempt to hide it.
Just like the existing neighbors, I would ask if it had been permitted, and if there was any input from neighbors or town planners to mitigate the visual impact. I have no doubt that the ramp owner has the right to put in a ramp for his daughter, but I think that a feature like this should require a variance and a public review to minimize its impact on neighboring properties.
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