Tacky Neighbor "Decorations" ie crap

Or an official-looking sign:
"These items violate the lease agreement. If they are not removed voluntarily, they will be removed by the groundskeeper.

-Management"

Just to let you all know how dumb these neighbors are - there is a beautiful yellow flowered plant trying desperately to grow beneath one of their "statue" items. It is a dog with holding a sign in its mouth stating their name. The flower is growing beneath its legs trying to reach for sunshine.

My neighbor (the one who planted the dead tree), is doing some landscaping.

He must have really been listening to me one day, when I was saying that objects are more pleasing to the eye when placed in arrangements of 3.

He took it to heart, because he's planting exactly 3 of everything.

Including some shrubs that he said will grow about 4 feet high, and 4 feet wide, once again, he's planted 2 of them about 6 inches from plants I have growing, which will be a few feet wide.

Ok, so last night I get home and now there is a half smoked cigar hanging out next to the "decorative items". This bonehead has done this before. He goes outside to smoke his cigar and as he doesn't want to have a used cigar in his house and wants to save the unsmoked half, he will leave it out front.

So finally I had it. You may not believe, but I really don't like to start trouble. I sent the management company the following email:

"I have a question/request regarding the plant/flower box area between the condo units. Is this considered general condo area? Is there any sort of policy of what is acceptable in this area? Currently, there are a couple of garden statues (which flowers/plants are trying to grow beneath them), an empty plant hook, some garden stake decorative items and often times half used cigars are kept there.

I ask as we plan on putting our condo on the market next week and it looks very personalized and a bit unkempt. It was suggested from a real estate agent that we clean up the area and remove these items, if possible, as first impressions are very important. I am not sure what the exact policy is, if these items are within the condo regulations, or if this area belongs to one of the units.

If it is a general area and/or these items are not within condo policy, would you be willing to contact the other owners?

Also, I'd be willing to clean up the area myself (rake, plant flowers, pick up trash), but want to make sure I am within appropriate condo guidelines. Could you let me know if this is possible and/or if landscaping is expected in these areas soon?

I greatly appreciate your time and help with this.

So this is the response from the management company and my response to them:

"All of the grounds outside each unit are considered common areas. However, the policy that has been in place for years is that the unit owners take care of the area immediately outside their unit doors. There is typically one larger tree/shrub in the area and all of the additional decorating is done by the individual owners. I know that is the case regarding the area you are describing. The dog statue has been there for years.

That being said, our landscapers will be in this week for the first cutting of the season and mulch is going down next week."

My response:
"Could we get rid of the trash? - ie cigars /Christmas decorations of bulbs lying in the bushes - I am willing to clean up. I'd like to at least move the statue. The statue prior was not in the flower box area, but on the area near their door. It is now on top of a flowering plant so it is destroying this plant.

Also, there are some plastic bee sticks that just showed up recently and have not been there all along. And an empty plant holder - I wouldn't mind this if it held something appropriate."

And if they don't do anything - I now will.

I think you should have Mame come over and talk to these people.

Mame would kick butt!

I am thinking about paying this boy that lives nearby $10 to destroy these decorative items if Mame is unavailable.

My husband already took one of the items out. It was owned by a previous owner and it is actually the only item that is ok within the area.

Once upon a time in Venice, we had neighbors, an elderly couple, who took in a teen from hell. I found out later that he repeatedly hit the aunt, who had been the kindly taker-in. Well, all we knew was that he played electric guitar at full volume well into the early morning hours, and worse, with no discernible connections between notes. Eight feet away. We moved our bedroom..

We did consider moving, almost bought a house a street away and one in Santa Barbara.

In our case, that would have probably counted as a matter to disclose.

Time passed, we called the police numerous times, yadda yadda, and finally he moved. Sheesh. Wonder what ever happened to him.

Maybe he got married and moved to Massachusetts.

Word of advice. Go ahead and pay the kid, but negotiating let him know you've got some dirt on him that he wouldn't want his parents to find out.

Naw the guy is the wimp - the wife is the one that pushes things. He says "yes dear" sort of one.

We actually had everything worked out fine with him - he actually said his wife and daughter are clueless when we spoke to him about the noise. And everything was "ok" - not the best, but reasonable. Then his wife left him and moved out for a bit. When she moved back that is when we started having issues again. She probably said do what I say and I want to make as much noise and not follow any damn condo rules - if we have a problem with neighbors you deal with it or I'm leaving you again.

At least that is how I imagine it going.

Forgot Mame, I'm going kick butt myself.

OH, and I do - he almost lives at our house - always wanting to eat over and crap like that.

Such a snappy mind you have, George. Very good. I happen to know he moved to somewhere in the valley (san fernando valley) but maybe he made his way east. Probably about the right age.

You mean over 50? I wouldn't place you as being that old.

Linkat - are you in a condo?

If so, why are you talking to the manager?

Go to the board and ask for clarification about what kind of planting, etc are allowed by each resident in their approach area and what is allowed in the common area. The ARC committee usually has jurisdiction over all this kind of thing.

Actually we plan to. That was actually our next plan of attack was to contact the members of the board.

The management company though often times does "resolve" issues between owners. They are knowledgeable about the condo rules and policies and often times will communicate between owners in order to clarify any rules. And they are easier and quicker to reach.

But just because YOU don't like their taste is not reason enough for anyone to take action.

The bylaws or the CCRS should outline exactly what can be on display outside. Most condo units are allowed American flags and bushes/flowers. What you describe seems excessive, but only if your ARC (committee) deems it so. Request to see written guidelines.

Well it is common area and according to the info I received from our manager on duty (not the direct contact at the management company) - is the units surrounding this area are all supposed to agree on what is put there. And this space is supposed to be used for flowers and plants - but we plan on verifying with the board.

We did not agree - and I am sure trash (like a used cigar and Christmas bulbs in May) would not be agreeable to most.

I have read the guidelines and there isn't anything specific - why we ask the manager last month prior to addressing with the management company and to get their clarification - which they did - and made it clear as mud.

Well its taken care of. When I came home all the crap was removed. Anything owned by the "neighbors" was moved onto their "property" - area near their door that is officially under their ownership.

I asked my husband what happened - he said I moved it. Once I saw that cigar sitting there - I thought that's it and moved it. The one statue that was left by the previous owner, my husband threw away.

It was still where he left it this morning. I went out and cleaned up the couple of Christmas bulbs that were in the bushes this morning and threw them away, along with some obvious trash.

Beginning of next week, they will be laying down the mulch and doing the landscaping any way so these items would have to move.