What's next?!?!?

[Fuddy1952]

This is sort of like the nuisance dog post.
This used to be 40 acre farm. Before I bought house a fellow buys most land, builds a huge house. He gives his daughter/husband 1/2 acre & build nice house. So we're in the middle on 2 acres in old house. We're all friends, it was bliss.
Couple years ago old fellow dies so daughter gets it, decides to sell big house and land. I should have bought it all...but I don't need 2 houses and my wife didn't like that great big house.
So... I bought 10 acres, professional people with 2 kids buy rest. At first it seemed fine, it's fenced, quiet, all's well.
Then they get dogs...always barking. I mention in a nice way, it stops for a week, now back. Couple days ago I see a road being put just over line up in woods!?
Today...Sunday...the country quiet is gone. Trail bikes, ATVs, people yelling, cursing up in woods. It's 2000ft+ from our house but it's LOUD...and ALL day.
I just finished having horse stable built, our first horse will not graze far from barn (noise). We've been here 40 years and I tried making it our dream place, garage, house, etc.
Amazed these are professional people. It's bad when your homeplace becomes he'll.
What can we do?!?!?

.

 

[kthompson]

First sorry for what has happened. Rudeness or lack of consideration abounds. Don't ever judge people by their occupation. There are good and bad in all. I would start out with checking to see if what ever development done is allowed and any noise restrictions by your county ordinances. You might have case in civil court but for everybody's sake hope that does not become necessary.

 

[CADplans]

As far as the dogs,,
I am right next door in Botetourt,,
There ain't no barking dogs in our county,, there is a law,,
Call the dog warden,,
ALL the dog barking stopped over 5 years ago around here,, IIRC,,

I was actually surprised,, it is really enforced,, here,,,

 

[k0ua]

Thats why I bought all the remaining vacant lots around me. And vacant they shall stay. I have had plenty of offers to sell them. But no. Ya gotta keep people out of your face. Best way is to own a buffer around your home place. The very best neighbors are no nearby neighbors. When the time comes, I will sell, and use the money to fund my nursing home stay. I hope it is short.

 

[95XL883]

FWIW, noise can happen without a yuppie neighbor coming in. Noise/sound is funny. There are places on my 40 that I can hear it while at the same time there are places I can't. Sound is affected by wind. There is a large state and national wildlife area that is about two miles away. The large waterfowl area is about five miles away. If the wind is from the north my deer hunting can be screwed the morning of duck season opener. (About five years ago, they vastly expanded how many could duck hunt. When I drove by in the dark, most of the duck boats had small lights, They were at most 50 yards apart. It was insane. Remember my ground is five miles to the southeast. The wind was from the northwest. It went from dead quiet at 31 minutes before sunup to being in a casino at 30 minutes before sunup. Literally the gun fire was at least 60 per minute for the first 15 minutes. I didn't see a deer that day. How no duck hunter got shot is beyond me. They have never allowed that type of density since.)

A couple of years ago, some yahoo a mile or so north of me must have built a shooting range. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, you could hear him with what was most likely an AR-15, going through 30 rounds as fast as he could pull the trigger. Way a few seconds for him to change the mag and he/she was at it again. I was so pi&&ed that year on the first Saturday of deer season; 30 minutes before sunup, he/she must have popped 15, maybe more, rounds into some poor deer. Over the last couple of years. his/her shooting has become more measured. (I am pretty sure it is the same person, different rifles have different sounds and this one sounds as it always has.). This last season it was one shot, wait a couple of seconds and a second shot.

About a year ago, a tract about a mile to the north sold. The new owner and some friends rode dirt bikes like mad the first weekend. They must have gotten injured because it has been quiet since.

If the wind is from the east, south or west, I hear very little.

This isn't much comfort to the OP. It does sound like his area has changed. Hopefully the yahoo's will grow up and quiet down soon. If the adjoining neighbor is part of the problem a friendly (keep it friendly) chat may help.

Good luck,

 

[Ken]

About 6 years ago (time goes so fast lost the exact time) we started to have a neighbor that would bring in an old dilapidated mobile home. then a school bus. ended up 3 M.H all parked into a square in a 2-acre piece of land. this included old cars and pickups. soon there were dogs barking and adults hollering profanity and kids screaming all day and into the night while dogs barked all night. I told my wife there must be 3 dogs per each kid.
I was asked to repair a large amplifier for outdoor school use. about sundown just going dark on the computer downloaded sound of bobcat squall and turned volume control up too full and played the sound. My dog came running got between my legs and the neighbor's only sound was doors slamming. no dogs Adults or children. The next day again noise returned to loud roar. so waited for sunset again played the recording this time twice. my dog figured out the sound and went and laid down. About 2 weeks went by with a lowered noise level then one day the trailers had been moved and later the bus was gone also. Never asked where they went but been nice now severaL years. another neighbor purchased the property.
This may be an idea for your noisy neighbors.

 

[Doofy]

I enjoy playing "Dueling Banjos" and "Mule Skinner Blues" at full volume over my outdoor speakers. Boy, does that sound carry well.

 

[Jstpssng]

I had one of those neighbors... a female "couple". They were a half mile away but on top of a hill, so the sound really travelled. They only had about an acre but also had a "puppy mill", about 40 dogs and a few other animals. They barely had money to feed their family let alone all of those animals. The kids also brought head lice into the school on at least one occasion.

I was talking to a clerk at the local store who was going to get a Husky puppy from them as a Christmas present for her daughter... "It's not fair for her not to get the only thing she wants." Knowing the history of the puppies from there I asked "Is it fair for her to get a dog that dies in a few months?" She didn't buy the dog. I was right but apparently word got back to them and I was on their "chit list" from then on out.

They brought home a beautiful black lab puppy and tied it out on a 6 foot chain. Over the course of the summer I watched that pup go from a typical spirited lab, to a broken rag on the end of a chain. It was the only time in my life that I've ever considered stealing something, but I couldn't do something like that without them knowing who and why. Instead I started driving 4 miles out of my way to get home so that I wouldn't have to see it.

One day they got turned into animal control who took all of their dogs, and they were told they only were allowed to have one pet. I always got the sense that they thought I had done it but if I had, they would have known who and why. I caught their friend taking wood from my pile once, on another occasion a squash plant mysteriously disappeared from my garden a few days after I planted it.

After a few years their house burnt and they moved away. I didn't start the fire, but it does show the power of positive thinking.

I now appreciate what I have more fully. I can leave the windows open at night and except for the occasional truck in the distance or maybe an owl hooting, it's quiet and peaceful again.

 

[Doofy]

There is nothing worse than bad neighbors except maybe hemorrhoids. Both are irritating.

 

[k0ua]

There is nothing worse than bad neighbors except maybe hemorrhoids. Both are irritating.

Both are really a big PITA