Everyday I have to drive by this house in our neighborhood (College Hills area)...



As you can see, they have a giant blow-up pool, numerous pool floats, chairs (they recently moved a recliner out by the pool), and other random junk in their front yard... not to mention the overweight, middle-aged lady laying out in her bikini (not out at time of the picture)

I don't believe we have an HOA, but is there anything we can do to get them to clean up their yard?

I usually thought the City of CS was on top of these type of things, but the house has been like this for months.

To me it looks like this is stuff that should be in the backyard but who knows what the backyard might look like ??

I'd call the city.

The backyard surprisingly doesn't have a thing in it.

While I can sympathize with you, there is a silver lining (hopefullY). When it cools off, they will put it all up. I hate it when people in a nice residential neighborhood make their home look like a junk yard. Probably the negative responses are from people that a) are not homeowners, or b) make their home look like junk yards..

We purchased a little home over near Thomas (sp?) park, and there is a HOA there, with rules and regs all set up. Maybe you have one and just don't know about it. Go back to all your closing documents and see if a HOA was included.

I have to admit that I wouldn't be a happy neighbor having to live next to this. I would not, however, find it prudent to snap a pic, put it on a local message board and make tacky remarks about the owner.

I'm curious as to the reasoning behind not posting it on a website. It's not like the owners don't have it out there for everyone to see anyway. I mean, the op isn't snooping and snapping pix in the backyard or through the windows. I don't have a problem with it. Besides, the op didn't say anything ugly - just that (s)he didn't like the way it looked.

I have neighbors that can't seem to get their trash all the way in to the garbage can. What's even worse is, on trash day I will be picking their trash up out of my yard and they just walk on by, pushing the garbage can out to the street. They are renters, and, apparently couldn't care less what yard their trash ends up in. Frustrating indeed. One day they spilled an entire box of packing peanuts, the wind blew it across three yards, we were all out there cleaning up their mess when the whole family got into their "grocery getter" minivan and headed out to get another fast food meal and bring more garbage back for me to pick up.

Sorry
[rant/]

Isn't there a requirement that swimming pools need to be inside some type of fence?

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Isn't there a requirement that swimming pools need to be inside some type of fence?

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That's what I was thinking as well. Seems like a safety concern to have that pool out in the open.

From the 2003 International Residential Code Appendix G (what CS has adopted)...

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APPENDIX G -SWIMMING POOLS, SPAS AND HOT TUBS
(Amd) AG105.2 Outdoor swimming pool. An outdoor swimming pool, including in-ground,
above-ground or on-ground pools, hot tubs and spas shall be provided with a barrier that shall
comply with the following:
1. The top of the barrier shall be at least 48 inches above grade measured on the side of
the barrier that faces away from the swimming pool. The maximum vertical clearance
between grade and the bottom of the barrier shall be 2 inches measured on the side of
the barrier that faces away from the swimming pool. Where the top of the pool structure
is above grade, such as an above-ground pool, the barrier may be at ground level, such
as the pool structure, or mounted on top of the pool structure. Where the barrier is
mounted on top of the pool structure, the maximum vertical clearance between the top of
the pool structure and the bottom of the barrier shall be 4 inches.

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What isn't clear is whether this also covers inflatable pools, and if the height of the pool wall constitutes the barrier.

[You will have to be awesome on another board if you continue to be rude on this one. -Staff]


[This message has been edited by TexAgs staff (edited 8/17/2009 11:23a).]

They're just bragging to the neighborhood that THEY have a pool.

QUOTE:While I can sympathize with you, there is a silver lining (hopefullY). When it cools off, they will put it all up.



While logic would dictate that to be the case, I'm willing to bet since the Icicle Christmas lights are still hanging from the roof in August, that the pool stays out year round.

[This message has been edited by csagyo (edited 8/17/2009 8:52a).]

Something similar in my neighborhood, except the pool is deflated. There is also a recliner. Looks like I need to get me a pool and recliner.

Why don't you go take a swim in it?

I have driven by this house many times and it's been like that for a while. I sympathize with you.

I have icky neighbors and totally feel your pain.

I don't blame you for being upset at all. If my yard looked like that I would hope that one of my neighbors would care enough to let me know how trashy it looked.

I am a homeowner, and I care about my neighbors yards because it reflects poorly on my own home, especially if I were in the market to sell.

I would just stick a note on their door. And I wouldn't be upset with my neighbor if they did so to me; rather I would be embarrassed and ashamed that somebody had to take the effort to do that. I never want to be a bad neighbor and would do what I could to remedy such a situation. Then again, not everyone can take criticism.

I know exactly what you mean about the trashy houses. I live near the College Station High School and I don't know if anyone else has seen it, but on Langford a man uses TOILETS to decorate his front yard and he plants flowers in them.

This house is at Lincoln and Walton. I see it often too as I live not too far from it.

I've driven by and seen that mess...it's college students!

Culligan - situations like this should concern neighbors because it has a negative effect on all property values in the neighborhood. I feel sorry for you that you have to live in a neighborhood with someone who is oblivious to this. I would at least call the city. Oh - and "My President Lives in Texas".

my first suggestion is to politely discuss the situation with the neighbor. They might be willing to move things to the backyard in response to a polite request.

Beyond that, call the city's code enforcement people and they will take care of things, they are very efficient.

Culligan: Send me a PM with your email address. I'll see if I can get something done.

Jayci...can you move into my neighborhood?

I like your attitude!

[This message has been edited by Sticks&Stones (edited 8/17/2009 10:29a).]

I read over these comments hurriedly and I don't see anything posted as to the safety.

What if a young child gets into that pool and the unthinkable happened.

Make waves before it is too late.

Thank you! Unfortunately, I have yappy little dogs that dig out of my yard if left alone, so I'm not exactly the picture perfect neighbor, either.

Your Code Enforcement Officer is Julie Caler, 979.764.3845. She is very nice and efficient.

So you'd be fine with their yard looking like that if they were your neighbor? Not mention if you were trying to sell your house...

They are not college students. The lady sits on that front porch and smokes cigs all day. From time to time another lady is out there doing the same.

my 2 cents worth...

I would skip the direct confrontation with the homeowner. The fact that the front yard is trashed and has been for a while already tells you that they don't care what you think. The conversation between the two of you is not going to end in a pleasant manner.

let the appropriate authorities handle it

At least the man on Langford does keep his yard mowed most of the time. Try driving by the house by College Hills on Gilcrest. You can hardly see the house because of all the stuff in the yard. The car is so piled high with stuff above window level that you can't even see clearly. Isn't that a driving hazard? The yard is so cluttered that I don't see how the meter readers ever get in there. Wonderful home for a variety of animals.

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not to mention the overweight, middle-aged lady laying out in her bikini (not out at time of the picture)

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So if had been a skinny college-aged chick it would be ok?

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Well........"duh"

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The car is so piled high with stuff above window level that you can't even see clearly. Isn't that a driving hazard?

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There is a car like that in the reserved parking lot between Richardson and Civil Engineering labs. You can get into the driver's door only. In a wreck that damaged the driver's door, they would have to use the jaws of life on the doors AND the stuff inside to get the driver extracted.

I saw a car just like that at the Wellborn post office this morning. There was an older gentleman driving it. I wondered if he always kept his car full like that or if it was his once a year trip to the laundromat.