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They tried to kick my truck out of the neighborhood!

99nouns

Member
816
17
18
Location
Ocala, FL
Well if it will make you feel better I got raided by 35 Police vehicles one time and they said didnt know what to make out of it...
 

155mm

Chief and Indian
Steel Soldiers Supporter
1,178
389
83
Location
Guymon, OK
Howdy,
You are simply in violation.
It's not BS. It really doesn't matter whether you use it daily, have private tags, commercial tags. You live in a residential neighborhood. After reading what it all spells out. The grammar is fine for getting the point across.

Is the vehicle greater than 6500lbs? yes. You really have no recourse here.

Zoning enforcement probably has less staffing than your police department. But, they now have your number, and will cruise back by to see if it is still there. The fines will get you.

There is an understood 'AND' in the way the code is written, you are correct the vehicle does exceed 6501 lbs, but it is not a commercial vehicle. Both situations must fit for the code to be enforced under that part of the code. The part of the code that they might go after because someone complained is 'infringe on neighborhood character'. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, 'infringe on neighborhood character' might be classified as a jacked up sky high 4x4, or and extreme metallic green '64 convertible slammed to the ground on 24's.

When I lived in Kansas, my neighbor had a 1Ton 4x4 crew cab dually personal vehicle that he parked in his drive way. His job provided him a s-10 commercially tagged vehicle that he parked on the street. He received one of these notices also about commercial vehicles parked on the street in a residential area, so the fix to the problem... park the large truck in the street and the com'l vehicle in the driveway. Was it unsafer to park the large vehicle on the street? Yes. The devil is in the details. If it were me, I would fight this.
 
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Bandit02

New member
199
3
0
Location
Blind Bay, BC
I had my truck parked on the street at my mom's house haha and 2 days later got a letter stuck on the window from city by-law saying people were complaining because they couldn't see up the road when backing out their driveways LOL. I ended up moving it to my house ( big driveway) when I had time to move it (busy working out of town then).

People have nothing better to do then complain when they're threatened by change.
 

rhurey

Member
Steel Soldiers Supporter
737
14
18
Location
Bothell, WA
city ordnances range broadly across the good ole USA. I live in a community where I can park a fleet of MVs in my yard and driveway, but cant have a structure greater than 20 ft in height, so had to fight city hall over my ham radio antenna which would actually support the community in emergencies. Win a few and lose a few, but I never go down without a fight if I feel my rights are threatened. Good luck with code enforcement / zoning folks. Let us know the outcome
The town I lived in that had a 20' height restriction had it because the fire department didn't have a ladder long enough to reach a roof taller than that.

The fact an antenna was considered a structure is a bit odd.
 

74M35A2

Well-known member
4,145
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Location
Livonia, MI
I'd go dollars to donuts that one of the neighbors that approached you and talked about the truck was the person to submit the complaint. You can't find out unless you know somebody in the city system. Neighbor came up, said it was cool, asked if it is a friends or yours, and once you said it is yours with a big smile, they made a mental note of what to do to do so they don't have to look at it. Not sure, but that would be my guess.

I tell everybody it is my dads and that I am just working on it for him. They then don't have to decipher what it is going to mean for them then going forward.
 

99nouns

Member
816
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Location
Ocala, FL
In my experience if you don't know the law, they make up the law, I think modern government and all their entities are becoming like a corrupt religion...
 

peteybabes

New member
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Location
Gahanna OH
Well at the moment I've not been presented with the warning again at the address it's parked at now, but I need to start covering my bases if it comes up again.

In response to 74M35A2, you are probably right, but I think it could have been the neighbor across the street who was decent to me until I parked my truck in the driveway and he quit talking to me. What an annoyance.
 

m16ty

Moderator
Moderator
Steel Soldiers Supporter
9,580
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63
Location
Dickson,TN
I wonder if there is anything at the state level which would overrule this and make it null and void...
I highly doubt it. While I don't know state law in all 50 states, it's common to let the counties and cities impose whatever codes they see fit. Then you also have neighborhoods that can ban together and make their own rules that are enforceable civilly.


The code in my county is that every vehicle in on a residential lot must be tagged and operational. I'd be in violation myself but I'm zoned agriculture, therefore I'm exempt. They normally don't enforce that code unless you have so many it looks like a junk yard or somebody complains.
 

General Hood

Member
712
2
18
Location
Fort Towson, OK
The town I lived in that had a 20' height restriction had it because the fire department didn't have a ladder long enough to reach a roof taller than that.

The fact an antenna was considered a structure is a bit odd.
Unfortunately, some codes or covenants are worded in such a way, as to be left wide open for interpretation. There always seems to be that one unpleasant neighbor who wants everyone to share in their misery, and they feast on the opportunity to twist the meaning of a given covenant to meet that goal. It only takes one bad apple to spoil the lot. In my case I know the agitator, so I smile and wave every time she drives by. I won't be drug down to her level.
 

MDdeuce

Member
58
35
18
Location
Whiteford MD
There is an understood 'AND' in the way the code is written, you are correct the vehicle does exceed 6501 lbs, but it is not a commercial vehicle. Both situations must fit for the code to be enforced under that part of the code. The part of the code that they might go after because someone complained is 'infringe on neighborhood character'. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, 'infringe on neighborhood character' might be classified as a jacked up sky high 4x4, or and extreme metallic green '64 convertible slammed to the ground on 24's.

When I lived in Kansas, my neighbor had a 1Ton 4x4 crew cab dually personal vehicle that he parked in his drive way. His job provided him a s-10 commercially tagged vehicle that he parked on the street. He received one of these notices also about commercial vehicles parked on the street in a residential area, so the fix to the problem... park the large truck in the street and the com'l vehicle in the driveway. Was it unsafer to park the large vehicle on the street? Yes. The devil is in the details. If it were me, I would fight this.
155mm is absolutely right, devil is in the details. If you decide to try and fight it read all the applicable code and definitions (they already cited some for you), yes it is boring, but necessary. My county in MD defines and commercial vehicle as any vehicle with a GVWR or GCWR over 10,000lbs (regardless of use) for zoning purposes, and like your area they are not allowed in residential subdivisions. Stupid, yes, technically any 3/4-ton or greater pickup is a commercial vehicle, and there are loads of them parked in driveways. In my experience the zoning folks only come out when somebody complains.
 

Capehenery

Member
257
1
18
Location
Virginia Beach
Sorry I have not taken the time to read the zoning law in your area but in my neck of the woods (Virginia Beach ) I get those letters if I park the truck in the front of the house but if its parked on the side of the house its fine. I spoke to my zoning department and as log as it has personal plates and is behind the 4 ft fence its an RV and fine to park.
Doesn't seem to matter that the tires are taller than the fencerofl
Good luck!
 

12BMatt

New member
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Location
Redondo Beach / CA
I had the exact same issue a few years ago with a HOA. I brought out a friend who was with the PD, then called the Sheriffs office, DMV and just for good measure the DOT about parking regulations. this went on for w few months were the HOA would come by and ask when i was going to move it. WE got into more than a few heated debates. When i finally gave him the names and phone numbers of the people i called and contacted from the different agencies, HE WAS HOT! He had 2 things going for him "JACK" and "****". I made him admit that it was an eye sore, I admitted there wasn't a **** thing he could do!!!
 

1bonehead

New member
153
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Location
Maryland
Guys and gals,
i want to take a moment and apologize for my remark made in this thread. It was not in keeping with the overall positive attitude this site strives to maintain. Please understand. It is not acceptable to destroy others' personal property. That would eventually be a bad thing for all MV owners.
 

Gunzy

Well-known member
1,769
66
48
Location
Roy, Utah
I know that in some states ALL trucks are licensed ass "Commercial" vehicles. I had an El Camino in Texas that was licensed that way. If that is the case in yours the EVERY 3/4 ton, many 1/2 ton and larger trucks excedes their 6500 lbs limit. Yes, you need to check with your DMV and the codes before proceding.
 

fiero11

New member
22
5
3
Location
Johnson City, TN
The key statement to this issue is the term " commercial" in the ordinance! If you are like me, my truck is not registered as commercial, but as my POV. It has tags and insurance not much different than my cars and is registered no different than a pick up truck. You may have it dismissed and end your problems if you go and show the registration as such to the board. My neighbors have tried the same with mine, but it properly registered and parked fully in my driveway, and is not commercial, so they can do nothing about it except complain.
 
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