Need to vent(and some advice) (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Blair]

ok, here is the deal. My girlfriends parents live on the side of a 2 lane road(1 each way). Well, the city is going to expand the road to 4 lanes. No biggy right. Well, they are going to "buy" there land 5 feet from within there fence. Ok, that is not too good. Now here is the kicker. There drive way is along that street. So, instead of having about 10-15 feet to turn around to go out, they will have about 5. Not good at all. Needless to say, they are not happy. So, there goes the house value. And, it is illegal to back up onto a major road here in Austin. Needless to say, they are not happy people right now. I just had to rant for them. And, since I spend most of my time over there, I will have to park on the street now. Not good, last time I did that, I had to replace my rear window, because someone had shattered it. Ahh well, once we are married we won't have to worry about it.
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Jeff Blair
AIM blairj2
Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
- Abraham Lincoln
My DVD's

 

[Craig Chatterton]

Man I feel for you about that. It sucks trying to fight the city from taking your property in cases like these. There was a huge fight like this in Oregon a while back. A city wanted to put in a bike trail and part of it happened to go through a couple's business property. They didn't mind, but wanted the city to pay appropriate value for the property. The city refused and it went to court. It was appealed all the way up to the state Supreme Court and the couple won. So the City passed a law that allowed them to build it anyway! The couple had to go to court all over again. They tried to fight back by putting a state measure on the ballot that said any city had to pay appropriate value for property it took for it's purposes. They made the law retroactive to try to get it to apply to the bike path and that's ultimately what killed it - the government argued that it would go bankrupt paying for all the property (some dating back to the 1800's!) that was never compensated at correct value.
Anyone in Oregon know what happened finally? I never did find out if the couple were compensated (although I'm sure they already lost enough money filing the lawsuits that it wouldn't matter).
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Virgo: All Virgo's are extremely friendly and intelligent, except for you. Expect a big surprise today, when you wind up with your head impaled upon a stick.

 

[BryanZ]

Easily solved. Just ask the city to put in a large U type driveway for your future in-laws. Will that work?

 

[Ryan Wright]

Cities do whatever they please. It really sucks.
The city I live in has demanded that your front yard be at least 75% grass. An elderly couple bought the house across the street from me and put in a nice rock garden and some trees and shrubs. They were in their late 80's and didn't want to have to pay for upkeep on a lawn - they weren't in the condition to be out there mowing every week. The city harassed and threatened them until they finally moved out.
Another neighborhood in the city has an inset sidewalk. Like this:
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yard
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sidewalk
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more yard (~5' or so)
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road
In the extra yard space, most residents put gravel or rock gardens. The city left it alone for the last 5 years or so. This year, they decided they wanted grass in that extra yard space and made 70 some homes tear it up and plant grass whether they liked it or not. When some refused, the city came in and tore their yards up for them, planted grass, and placed liens on their homes for the amount of the bill.
Wonderful place we live in, isn't it?
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-Ryan (http://www.ryanwright.com )
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes.
That way, when you do criticize them, you'll be a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

 

[Steven K]

Ahh well, once we are married

Jeff, are you about to get engaged or is she just a girlfriend?
If so, congrats!
If not, don't say things like "once we are married" unless you are totally sure about it (ie: enjoy your freedom now and if you are young (still in school), don't think about getting married yet)

 

[Glenn Overholt]

A real long shot here, but is there any chance that they can get together with their neighbors to create a long enough driveway?
Glenn

 

[Jeff Blair]

Thanks y'all. I should have said, my fieance. Still getting used to saying that one.

About the only option they have is to redo there garage. Insted of them going into it from the side to the street they are going to expand, they could go in from the side to the street they are on. But, they have a 2 car garage, and if they did that, then only one car would fit. Not to mention that they would have to tear down a wall to do it. From the sound of it all they are going to pay for is the land, and not the loss of value on the house. I wonder if I could talk him into makeing it into a theater room. hehe
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Jeff Blair
AIM blairj2
Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.
- Abraham Lincoln
My DVD's