Neighbors Threatening to Sue Over Noise

[stevyboy]

Has anyone else had this issue? The location would be in Ventura County. The work is being done in normal hours (no earlier then 8am and no later then 9pm) during the weekends mostly.

The city inspector said "even if the everything is perfectly legal she can still sue for ruining her quality of life."

Has anyone else had to deal with a neighbor like this? Are they in the right and not allowed to make noise without a permit? I wouldn't say the noise is excessive either. The car is mostly built, the grinder gets used but not all the time and the Air Compressor gets used. Its more of making tabs and random parts at this point.

Thoughts? Any other threads to reference????

Can't afford a shop and don't want to move.

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

Do you have a homeowners' policy?

Pay her off, settle.

Metal fabrication is noise pollution in a residential neighborhood.

 

[43mod]

start a band or let someone practice in your garage a few times. ask them what they prefer .

 

[stevyboy]

No HOA. It's an older community where the homes were built in the 50s. The homes are close together but the garage is in the back yard of the house. Just seeing if she has any ground to stand on as far as a legitimate law suit.

 

[Ol' Curmudgeon]

How much you want to pay to find out?

If she presses suit, it's gonna cost ya one way or the other.

 

[y2kbaja]

Sacramento County the only work we can do on our cars legally is change the oil. Everything else is "major automotive repairs" can cannot be done in your driveway or garage. Even if the garage is closed. We have to keep our neighbors happy.

 

[5racer]

Sacramento County the only work we can do on our cars legally is change the oil. Everything else is "major automotive repairs" can cannot be done in your driveway or garage. Even if the garage is closed. We have to keep our neighbors happy.

wow that's crazy never heard of that

 

[skullver]

I live in Ventura as well. We have really cool neighbors though, so never had a complaint, if it did get too loud they would be neighborly and come over and let us know.

Apparently there are "acceptable noise levels" in associated "zones", according to this document. I know the link is for a specific project, but the study and information are very much applicable.

If it were me I'd probably try and come up with some sort of sound deadening.

Good luck!

http://www.cityofventura.net/files/community_development/planning/planning_communities/4.08 Noise.pdf

 

[stgil888]

If your neighbor really expects complete peace and quiet and is willing to go to great lengths to get her way, you're in a hard place. How much time and money are you willing to spend to win? Are you willing to stop using your garage for anything other than parking cars until this is resolved? It sounds like you have already gone well past the point where being considerate in the future might help.

Some neighbors will hate the fact that you are doing the kind of work that you're doing, even if you somehow make it silent. These people will work to make you stop or harass you until you choose to leave. Very hard to find a neighborhood in your area where you can do this kind of work at home.

I was about to start a thread about "apartment plus dedicated workshop versus house with garage" before I found your thread. It's something I go back and forth on all the time.

I had a situation like yours 6 or 7 years ago. Your choices are to move to somewhere more remote or to rent a commercial space.

 

[mebuildit]

Ask for a decibel reading. So is mowing your lawn louder than what you are doing?
I've been thru the same thing with my old neighbor. You have to have some sort of guidelines to consider it noise. Like I said, lawnmower, skill saw, weed eater, gas powered blower and so on. Noise is subjective, so if there is a decibel reading then you have something to work with, if you don't then it's all he said she said.

 

[mgobaja]

Ask for a decibel reading. So is mowing your lawn louder than what you are doing?
I've been thru the same thing with my old neighbor. You have to have some sort of guidelines to consider it noise. Like I said, lawnmower, skill saw, weed eater, gas powered blower and so on. Noise is subjective, so if there is a decibel reading then you have something to work with, if you don't then it's all he said she said.

I work in the landscape industry, and I have customers in certain cities that must use battery powered equipment if it is available, this is part of that cities noise ordinances. Try mowing a park with a battery powered mower

 

[ErikIrvine]

Some people suck, other people build and race cars. Bummer

 

[Bert is my name]

Get some lumber and foam board and enclose your compressor. A friend of mine built an enclosure with a couple angled baffles similar to a flowmaster and the compressor is almost silent.

 

[Bert is my name]

You could also build an enclosure for grinding. It will also help cut down on dust and filings.

 

[gwizz]

neighbor needs bigger problems of his own to deal with.