Re: [ihc]...property rights

[Tom Mandera <tsm1@xxxxxxxxx>]

Tom Harais wrote:

> one coworker put it yesterday, "Think of what you're neighborhood would look
> like if everyone had an old car (note that term "old car") sitting in their
> driveway.  That would look junky".  This line of reasoning, that we need to
> act collectively to prevent anyone from doing anything that is visually
Actually, I think it'd be darn cool if everyone in my neighborhood drove 
a variety of '70 Chevelles, '69 Z/28s, '57 Chevys, Biscaynes, 'Cudas, 63 
Corvettes, etc.

I think it would greatly improve the neighborhood. :D

----

In Montana, we have (like many other places, but less so than SoCal) a 
"Junk Vehicle" law, which I think I ranted about not too long ago. ;)

Junk Vehicles are defined as "pieces, parts, or whole" of a vehicle that 
is "non-operable" AND "not-licensed" and visible from the "a point 6' 
above the center of a publicly maintained road"

Now, when the County sent me a notice about my "junk", they included 
pictures of alleged junk.. and the pictures were NOT taken from a point 
6' above the center of the county road.. they were taken while 
TRESPASSING on my property.

Montana has this fun little "permanent registration" bit at the moment. 
 I just bought another Scout II (that's vehicle #19, and the 8th Scout 
II).. I licensed it yesterday for a whopping $106 - for life.  Never 
again will I need to pay a visit to the County Treasurer.

Earlier this year I permanently licensed every pile of junk on my 
property, zip-tied the plates with the "PERM" tag on 'em to each 
carcass, and then called the County back to confirm there is NO JUNK on 
my property, since it's ALL licensed.. PERMANENTLY.

Ironically, licensing everything from here to eternity was considerably 
cheaper than the 6' privacy fence I was planning on putting up to hide 
my "junk".

More ironically, I have no desire to put up said fence now, and 
whichever neighbor felt the need to complain must have realized by now 
that the Scouts are NOT going away, and they're not going to be hidden 
now. :D

I've also purchased a number of NO TRESSPASSING signs, and have insisted 
that the next time the County wants to harass me for "junk vehicles" I 
want the pictures to be taken from a point 6' above the center of the 
publicly maintained road (NOT from my property, and NOT from the public 
right of way that is privately maintained that resides entirely on MY 
PROPERTY) to prove that the "alleged junk" really is visible.

If they can't see it from from the public road, they can't enforce the 
Junk Law.

My wife mostly supports me in my antagonistic compliance with the law, 
but she really isn't overly fond of the parts-Scouts in full view (nor 
am I, but it's the principle now).

She also suspects that sooner or later there will be a new County 
Ordinance enacted.. perhaps they'll call it the "Mandera Act" in my 
honor.. and this loophole will be closed. ;)

The gentleman near Townsend that had 50+ vintage automobiles shined up 
and waxed in his front yard along the highway never got harassed.. but 
then, they weren't farm equipment..

Hmmm.. maybe if I claim I'm FARMING my 2 acres I'll receive special 
consideration for keeping my "FARM EQUIPMENT" to support my "FARMING 
OPERATION"..

.. there actually is a seperate clause in the Montana Code with regard 
to a private vehicle graveyard for purposes of supporting an ongoing 
*ranching* operation.. so maybe I need to buy a goat first..

-Tom

Latest view of my field..
http://tigger.tmcom.com/~tsm1/postnuke/modules.php?set_albumName=122004YardField&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php