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city property laws

mb7299

mb7299

Well-Known Member
Mar 15, 2013
1,306
579
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Iowa Falls
I've had a little bit of a problem with some new people that moved into the house right next to me. They are parking on the street side of the sidewalk on their side and then driving out on my property. So first of all is it even legal in most communities to park on the street side of the sidewalk? Also anyone know about limits of vehicles you can park in front of your home (they have half a lot) and usually have 5-6 cars parked on the street and their property, I dont think they are of relation. I should state that I live in Iowa Falls because I realize each town has different rules.
*Should have added that yes they are parking on the grass that is on the on the street side which is city property. Sorry for not clarifying.
 
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I'm not sure I understand the description. Are you saying they're parking in the grass that is usually between the street and the sidewalk?
 
If they are driving on your actual grass, then yes, you have an issue. However, in most communities, the grass between the sidewalk and the street is actually the city's (but you have to mow and maintain it). We had the city of Ames come and plant 6 trees in this area around our house (we live on a corner lot) and had no say in the matter. What cars park there is also fair game as long as they are parking within legal definitions (parking on the correct side of the street, adhere to snow route rules, mailbox parking, etc.). I am not sure you can do anything other than "Get off My Lawn" type behaviors. Maybe have a conversation with your neighbors. I also assume by street side you mean they are parking on the street.
 
Just ask them to stay off your property... if problems continue, call authorities.
 
Since it seems to be ***** day today.....

#1 Nearly everyone in my neighborhood has a 3 car garage.
#2 No one in my neighborhood has more than 3 vehicles


Why the hell do you park on the street? Even if you're using 1 of those 3 garages for junk you still have a space behind it to park. I wish Johnston would put something in place that you can't park on the street for more than 6 hours at a time. It's really not safe when you have kids running from behind the cars.
 
time for some new landscaping!


ms25_step4.jpg
 
I'm very experienced with this type of issue. Unless there are parking restrictions there is no limit to the number of cars parked on a public street since it's a public street. (something I never understood about Iowa is people here hate parking on the street).

I'm not sure I understand your question. most cities outlaw parking on the grass in the yard but you'll have to check with the city's nuisance department. call the non-emergency number for the police if the city does not have a city planner.
 
dmclone said:
Since it seems to be ***** day today.....

#1 Nearly everyone in my neighborhood has a 3 car garage.
#2 No one in my neighborhood has more than 3 vehicles


Why the hell do you park on the street? Even if you're using 1 of those 3 garages for junk you still have a space behind it to park. I wish Johnston would put something in place that you can't park on the street for more than 6 hours at a time. It's really not safe when you have kids running from behind the cars.
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i grew up in a neighborhood with tons of parked cars on the street and there was never one kid hit by a car on the street in my 18 years there. what was better than what we build now is the garages were in the alleys so you didn't have to see so many ugly driveways and trash cans
 
Most cities have ordinances that state you have to have your car parked on an impervious surface. Not sure on Iowa Falls though. Id call City Hall and ask them what can be done.
 
dmclone said:
I wish Johnston would put something in place that you can't park on the street for more than 6 hours at a time.
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I bought a house in with a HOA that doesn't allow cars to be parked on the street overnight. They're also quite tenacious about leaving stuff on your window if you do. I thought it was a dumb rule, but one that wasn't really going to bother me.

Now that I've lived here for awhile, I prefer it.
 
mtowncyclone13 said:
i grew up in a neighborhood with tons of parked cars on the street and there was never one kid hit by a car on the street in my 18 years there. what was better than what we build now is the garages were in the alleys so you didn't have to see so many ugly driveways and trash cans
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Yeah same here. Grew up on a street with one car garages on all the houses, and probably 40 kids between 35 houses. Not one kid ever came close to getting hit by a car.
 
mtowncyclone13 said:
I'm very experienced with this type of issue. Unless there are parking restrictions there is no limit to the number of cars parked on a public street since it's a public street. (something I never understood about Iowa is people here hate parking on the street).

I'm not sure I understand your question. most cities outlaw parking on the grass in the yard but you'll have to check with the city's nuisance department. call the non-emergency number for the police if the city does not have a city planner.
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When my grandparents retired and moved from their farm into town, I don't know how many times they called the local police to complain about the neighbors parking on the street in front of their house. You just couldn't get it through their heads that they didn't have a right to the street in front of their house. There was no explaining it to them.
 
kchacker said:
I bought a house in with a HOA that doesn't allow cars to be parked on the street overnight. They're also quite tenacious about leaving stuff on your window if you do. I thought it was a dumb rule, but one that wasn't really going to bother me.

Now that I've lived here for awhile, I prefer it.
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I can go both ways on that one, as one living in a similar situation in my townhome. On one hand its preferable to not have a car park behind my driveway when the roads in the development are rather narrow, but on the other hand, the visitor parking spots are always taken up (likely by people who actually live here and just have their garages full of crap) so if i have more visitors than my driveway allows, theyre going to be in the street.
 
alarson said:
I can go both ways on that one, as one living in a similar situation in my townhome. On one hand its preferable to not have a car park behind my driveway when the roads in the development are rather narrow, but on the other hand, the visitor parking spots are always taken up (likely by people who actually live here and just have their garages full of crap) so if i have more visitors than my driveway allows, theyre going to be in the street.
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People can park on the street in ours, just not overnight. You can park overnight if you send something into the HOA, which is a simple email. The majority of the time there are no cars on the street, day or night. When we throw a shindig, there are cars everywhere.

That didn't work out so well for the teenager down the street from us who was used to no cars being there. 10pm, giant white van parked under a light....BOOM! Drove right into the rear end of it at 30mph in a Civic. Was speeding AND on his phone, and he wasn't hurt so I didn't feel too bad for him.

Sorry for the threadjack. The OPs neighbors suck.
 
stretchclone said:
i would put up a small garden fence, like 8" high, maybe they would get the point.
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Ha your not the first person to recommend that to me, I actually put some rocks out there to mark the property lines and they stole them (river rocks so not a big deal). Brought it up to them in a respectful manner and two of them came out of their house to scream at me, not even knowing what the conversation was lol. Needless to say my IQ dropped.
 
mb7299 said:
Ha your not the first person to recommend that to me, I actually put some rocks out there to mark the property lines and they stole them (river rocks so not a big deal). Brought it up to them in a respectful manner and two of them came out of their house to scream at me, not even knowing what the conversation was lol. Needless to say my IQ dropped.
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ah, so it is those kind of neighbors.
 
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