The city council of Canton, Ohio will vote on Monday to institute and new city ordinance to punish those that fail to mow their lawns to the city spec. First time offenders will be given a warning and and if they are sited for a second time....$250 fine and possible 30 days in JAIL!!!

Well...The armed fist of the state is at work again.

Just how much more of this BS will Americans lay down and take.

I hope like hell that the clowns in my city try this type of crap....I would make civil disobediance against this silly ass ordinance my primary occupation during the grass growing months.

Fo Shizzle Wrote:The city council of Canton, Ohio will vote on Monday to institute and new city ordinance to punish those that fail to mow their lawns to the city spec. First time offenders will be given a warning and and if they are sited for a second time....$250 fine and possible 30 days in JAIL!!!

Well...The armed fist of the state is at work again.

Just how much more of this BS will Americans lay down and take.

I hope like hell that the clowns in my city try this type of crap....I would make civil disobediance against this silly ass ordinance my primary occupation during the grass growing months.

I certainly hope your neighbor doesn't cut his/hers for months decreasing the property value of your house. Most normal cities have some sorrt of ordinance-nuisance laws. From what I just read, it sounds like they may need to make more similar laws for rusty junk cars and other trash from their yards. Of course, there isn't much you can do about it being in Ohio which in itself decreases property value.

RobertN Wrote:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:The city council of Canton, Ohio will vote on Monday to institute and new city ordinance to punish those that fail to mow their lawns to the city spec. First time offenders will be given a warning and and if they are sited for a second time....$250 fine and possible 30 days in JAIL!!!

Well...The armed fist of the state is at work again.

Just how much more of this BS will Americans lay down and take.

I hope like hell that the clowns in my city try this type of crap....I would make civil disobediance against this silly ass ordinance my primary occupation during the grass growing months.

I certainly hope your neighbor doesn't cut his/hers for months decreasing the property value of your house. Most normal cities have some sorrt of ordinance-nuisance laws. From what I just read, it sounds like they may need to make more similar laws for rusty junk cars and other trash from their yards. Of course, there isn't much you can do about it being in Ohio which in itself decreases property value.

I just found out that there is indeed an ordinace in my city covering this type of stuff. It entails several warnings and then the city will have your lawn mowed by a contractor at your expense(good luck collecting that) This is silly enough... but...NOT JAILTIME!! Damn...I cant believe anyone would think that someone should do time for lawn neglect.

http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=1444771

Fo Shizzle Wrote:

RobertN Wrote:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:The city council of Canton, Ohio will vote on Monday to institute and new city ordinance to punish those that fail to mow their lawns to the city spec. First time offenders will be given a warning and and if they are sited for a second time....$250 fine and possible 30 days in JAIL!!!

Well...The armed fist of the state is at work again.

Just how much more of this BS will Americans lay down and take.

I hope like hell that the clowns in my city try this type of crap....I would make civil disobediance against this silly ass ordinance my primary occupation during the grass growing months.

I certainly hope your neighbor doesn't cut his/hers for months decreasing the property value of your house. Most normal cities have some sorrt of ordinance-nuisance laws. From what I just read, it sounds like they may need to make more similar laws for rusty junk cars and other trash from their yards. Of course, there isn't much you can do about it being in Ohio which in itself decreases property value.

I just found out that there is indeed an ordinace in my city covering this type of stuff. It entails several warnings and then the city will have your lawn mowed by a contractor at your expense(good luck collecting that) This is silly enough... but...NOT JAILTIME!! Damn...I cant believe anyone would think that someone should do time for lawn neglect.

Well, I don't know...sure, it starts out as lawn neglect, next thing you know it's armed robbery and then a rap sheet a mile long. I've seen it happen.

cb4029 Wrote:http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=1444771

Yes...This is the just another example creeping Totalarifacism. Today its failing to water your lawn...Tommorow it may be failing to repaint your house...or...your damn shrubs look bad...or what ever damn thing some damn bureaucrat deems important.

Google....Pastor Martin Niemoeller...First they came

Fo Shizzle Wrote:

cb4029 Wrote:http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=1444771

Yes...This is the just another example creeping Totalarifacism. Today its failing to water your lawn...Tommorow it may be failing to repaint your house...or...your damn shrubs look bad...or what ever damn thing some damn bureaucrat deems important.

Google....Pastor Martin Niemoeller...First they came

Actually, I would suspect there is a law on painting your house. It might even be und er the nuisance law. This is what they are trying to avoid by having such laws:



http://www.ci.carrollton.tx.us/publicsaf...Grass1.JPG

If you have a house, Iwould bet you wouldn't want either of these houses next to yours(especially if you are trying to sell yours) because it decreases the value of your home. As for jail time, it does seem extreme but maybe like you kind of said, the current law wasn't working well. So maybe this is just an attempt to up the ante for not paying under lesser laws?

NIU007 Wrote:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:

RobertN Wrote:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:The city council of Canton, Ohio will vote on Monday to institute and new city ordinance to punish those that fail to mow their lawns to the city spec. First time offenders will be given a warning and and if they are sited for a second time....$250 fine and possible 30 days in JAIL!!!

Well...The armed fist of the state is at work again.

Just how much more of this BS will Americans lay down and take.

I hope like hell that the clowns in my city try this type of crap....I would make civil disobediance against this silly ass ordinance my primary occupation during the grass growing months.

I certainly hope your neighbor doesn't cut his/hers for months decreasing the property value of your house. Most normal cities have some sorrt of ordinance-nuisance laws. From what I just read, it sounds like they may need to make more similar laws for rusty junk cars and other trash from their yards. Of course, there isn't much you can do about it being in Ohio which in itself decreases property value.

I just found out that there is indeed an ordinace in my city covering this type of stuff. It entails several warnings and then the city will have your lawn mowed by a contractor at your expense(good luck collecting that) This is silly enough... but...NOT JAILTIME!! Damn...I cant believe anyone would think that someone should do time for lawn neglect.

Well, I don't know...sure, it starts out as lawn neglect, next thing you know it's armed robbery and then a rap sheet a mile long. I've seen it happen.

Well, the person with the property mght not be but as property values drop, the "less desirable" move in which will increase crime in the neighborhood.

We had a duplex at the end of the street here where the grass was 2 feet high. I simply called the landlord and told him to cut it or I'd call the city. He had it cut 3 days later. No big deal.

fsquid Wrote:We had a duplex at the end of the street here where the grass was 2 feet high. I simply called the landlord and told him to cut it or I'd call the city. He had it cut 3 days later. No big deal.

You bring up a good point. If I had a neighbor who neglected his property to such an extent that it caused problems...I would engage him one on one. I personally know all of my neighbors very well and are friendly will them. Im lucky to live in a small town where people still want to be neighbors. Its a shame that the sense of neighborhood has slowly eroded nationwide. I could not snitch on any of my neighbors for lawn neglect to the "authorities".

Hell...I believe I would hire someone to mow my neighbors lawn..or do it myself...before I subjected him to a fine or jailtime.

Fo Shizzle Wrote:Hell...I believe I would hire someone to mow my neighbors lawn..or do it myself...before I subjected him to a fine or jailtime.

+1

Here in California the majority of newer homes are in Home Owner Associations that specify what you can and can't do. Yard maintenance is certainly addressed as well as the color of outside paint, room additions, number of dogs, parking cars on your lawn, etc. It's all done with the intent on maintaining property values. Personally, I would never let my grass grow 2 feet tall and I'd be pissed if my neighbors had so little respect for me that would allow their grass to grow that high. BTW, tall grass attracts mice, rats, and other rodents.

Jail time is a little crazy. Out here the associations would send out letters telling you your grass was too high along with threats of what would happen if you didn't mow it. If you ignored the letter they would mow your lawn for you and put a lien on your house - and they'd win because the Supreme Court ruled that you do, indeed, sign away some of your personal rights when entering into a CC&R with a homeowner association - it's like living in a condo.

smn1256 Wrote:Here in California the majority of newer homes are in Home Owner Associations that specify what you can and can't do. Yard maintenance is certainly addressed as well as the color of outside paint, room additions, number of dogs, parking cars on your lawn, etc. It's all done with the intent on maintaining property values. Personally, I would never let my grass grow 2 feet tall and I'd be pissed if my neighbors had so little respect for me that would allow their grass to grow that high. BTW, tall grass attracts mice, rats, and other rodents.

Jail time is a little crazy. Out here the associations would send out letters telling you your grass was too high along with threats of what would happen if you didn't mow it. If you ignored the letter they would mow your lawn for you and put a lien on your house - and they'd win because the Supreme Court ruled that you do, indeed, sign away some of your personal rights when entering into a CC&R with a homeowner association - it's like living in a condo.

Yep...Freemarket solutions seem to work..even with bad lawn care. I fully advocate these type of collective associations. Much of free market theory is simply based on contracts and signed agreements between parties.

smn1256 Wrote:Here in California the majority of newer homes are in Home Owner Associations that specify what you can and can't do. Yard maintenance is certainly addressed as well as the color of outside paint, room additions, number of dogs, parking cars on your lawn, etc. It's all done with the intent on maintaining property values. Personally, I would never let my grass grow 2 feet tall and I'd be pissed if my neighbors had so little respect for me that would allow their grass to grow that high. BTW, tall grass attracts mice, rats, and other rodents.

Jail time is a little crazy. Out here the associations would send out letters telling you your grass was too high along with threats of what would happen if you didn't mow it. If you ignored the letter they would mow your lawn for you and put a lien on your house - and they'd win because the Supreme Court ruled that you do, indeed, sign away some of your personal rights when entering into a CC&R with a homeowner association - it's like living in a condo.

I have experienced the good and the bad of the Home Owner Associations. In Florida, the HOA was run by a group of retired people who couldn't stand the parts of the neighborhoods that had heavy children populations. They would be all over you for having a bike outside or anything. Also, they were real nit picky about stains on driveways, sidewalks, and any slight blemish on the outside of the house. Oh, and don't even think about parking a car on the street for more than 4 hours.

In California, the HOA has been great so far. They take care of all of the lawn maintenance for the front yards, that way everything looks good, and they don't get all in your business either. It is a much better situation.

GrayBeard Wrote:

smn1256 Wrote:Here in California the majority of newer homes are in Home Owner Associations that specify what you can and can't do. Yard maintenance is certainly addressed as well as the color of outside paint, room additions, number of dogs, parking cars on your lawn, etc. It's all done with the intent on maintaining property values. Personally, I would never let my grass grow 2 feet tall and I'd be pissed if my neighbors had so little respect for me that would allow their grass to grow that high. BTW, tall grass attracts mice, rats, and other rodents.

Jail time is a little crazy. Out here the associations would send out letters telling you your grass was too high along with threats of what would happen if you didn't mow it. If you ignored the letter they would mow your lawn for you and put a lien on your house - and they'd win because the Supreme Court ruled that you do, indeed, sign away some of your personal rights when entering into a CC&R with a homeowner association - it's like living in a condo.

I have experienced the good and the bad of the Home Owner Associations. In Florida, the HOA was run by a group of retired people who couldn't stand the parts of the neighborhoods that had heavy children populations. They would be all over you for having a bike outside or anything. Also, they were real nit picky about stains on driveways, sidewalks, and any slight blemish on the outside of the house. Oh, and don't even think about parking a car on the street for more than 4 hours.

In California, the HOA has been great so far. They take care of all of the lawn maintenance for the front yards, that way everything looks good, and they don't get all in your business either. It is a much better situation.

Good or bad...HOAs are voluntary situations...unlike this BS that is a govt. mandate.....Us Pirates would just make our neighbor.."Walk the Plank":cheers:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:Good or bad...HOAs are voluntary situations...unlike this BS that is a govt. mandate.....Us Pirates would just make our neighbor.."Walk the Plank":cheers:

Just as voluntary as living in a city with those ordinances. HOAs are only voluntary in the fact that you can choose what neighborhood you move into, just like you can choose whether you move to a city/town or onto unincorporated land.

Sounds to me that you're in favor of a legal entity that exerts force on a subordinate body just as long as it isn't called a "government". In states like California and Texas, HOAs can legally foreclose on your property if you don't pay fees, fines, or dues. Some HOAs can make rules that the homeowners' themselves don't get any say in.

Essentially, the only difference between some HOAs and municipal governments is that municipal governments are subject to Constitutional constraints while HOAs are not.

Some HOAs could be deemed a de facto government, so I wouldn't tout HOAs as a success of a free market. I would classify it as people constructing an organization to force group values onto all the occupants, or in other words, creating a government.

perunapower Wrote:[quote=Fo Shizzle]
Good or bad...HOAs are voluntary situations...unlike this BS that is a govt. mandate.....Us Pirates would just make our neighbor.."Walk the Plank":cheers:

Quote:Just as voluntary as living in a city with those ordinances.

Of course...You can choose to live anywhere....Only with government force can you be subjected to jailtime.

Quote:Some HOAs could be deemed a de facto government

Deem them what you wish...only the government can subject you to jailtime.

The overiding principle here is that HOAs are voluntary contractual agreements between property owners....which I fully support.
The government randomly imposes it dictates without your consent and steals your wages to inforce those silly dictates...If a HOA is in bed with the state...then this surely would be discovered by any prospective buyer during the due-dilligence process. At this point...it simply a matter of voluntary compliance....Buyer Beware.

Fo Shizzle Wrote:The overiding principle here is that HOAs are voluntary contractual agreements between property owners....which I fully support.
The government randomly imposes it dictates without your consent and steals your wages to inforce those silly dictates...If a HOA is in bed with the state...then this surely would be discovered by any prospective buyer during the due-dilligence process. At this point...it simply a matter of voluntary compliance....Buyer Beware.

How voluntary are HOAs if they are mandatory to move into a neighborhood? They are mandatory contractual agreements if you choose to live in that specific neighborhood. You can't live in an HOA neighborhood without being a part of the HOA.

You'd be hard pressed to find a judge who would sentence you to jail time for violating a mowing ordinance.

HOAs dictate their values, sometimes undemocratically and "steal" your wages by forcing you to pay dues and fees (a.k.a. taxes). If you refuse to pay these "taxes", then you get booted from the neighborhood.

There are undeniable parallels between HOAs and government. Being so anarchy-driven, how can you support such an imposing governing body? It seems quite hypocritical to me.

perunapower Wrote:

Fo Shizzle Wrote:The overiding principle here is that HOAs are voluntary contractual agreements between property owners....which I fully support.
The government randomly imposes it dictates without your consent and steals your wages to inforce those silly dictates...If a HOA is in bed with the state...then this surely would be discovered by any prospective buyer during the due-dilligence process. At this point...it simply a matter of voluntary compliance....Buyer Beware.

How voluntary are HOAs if they are mandatory to move into a neighborhood? They are mandatory contractual agreements if you choose to live in that specific neighborhood. You can't live in an HOA neighborhood without being a part of the HOA.

You'd be hard pressed to find a judge who would sentence you to jail time for violating a mowing ordinance.

HOAs dictate their values, sometimes undemocratically and "steal" your wages by forcing you to pay dues and fees (a.k.a. taxes). If you refuse to pay these "taxes", then you get booted from the neighborhood.

There are undeniable parallels between HOAs and government. Being so anarchy-driven, how can you support such an imposing governing body? It seems quite hypocritical to me.

Government uses "force" to make you comply with its dictates...You have NO option of escaping its grasp.
You have a choice of where to live and that does NOT have to be in a neighborhood that has covenants....This is not complicated. If you buy a home with a covenant...you must abide by its dictates or be subject to its penalties. I will concede that if members of the covenant try to strongarm the rest of the residents, that could be seen as a parallel to a governing force....but...You knew this could occur when you bought the property and are "free" to leave. You can not escape the iron fist of the state.

I bought a Scott reel mower this weekend for good times.