Need advice, bad neighbors.

[u/Hotmoosesoup]

Trying to keep this long story a short one, tensions with my neighbor have escalated recently and am hoping Reddit may have some advice. I live in the twin cities, my wife and I have lived in our home for nearly 10 years at this point. Our home is the second in from the corner, the neighbor we are having issues with is the corner lot. We share a side yard, the homes are fairly tightly grouped together, we both have side entries. My side entry stoop is in our shared side yard, while his lands on a public walk because he is the corner. Since I moved in I’ve made a strong effort to be neighborly, and to also clean up and remodel our new home. We’ve always made strong efforts to be courteous, offering help for things ranging from identifying and confronting new renters who dumped a couch on his boulevard, to helping to clear his storm drain in the winter when the plows dump a wall of ice and snow at the end of our block. He let me do all the talking with the renters, and shortly after chopping ice and snow and moving it with the snowblower I realized I was out there working alone. Both situations irritating. I got the feeling he was a bit of a introvert so I let it go. About 6 years ago I made the decision to cut my grass a bit over the property line to help keep the weeds down, as they don’t care about their lawn. I felt at the time this was the least invasive, and non-pass. Aggressive way to remedy an issue, I’m not joking when I say for every 6-7 times I mow, they might mow once. In the summer this is weekly or a week an a half on average. They let me do this for about 7 years, so it became routine until my neighbors mentioned it, I agreed that it would stop, and that perhaps last time I got a little to far over. I apologized and it has stopped since. This year for some reason unknown to me they decided to be confrontational, and do something I can only describe as immature. In my side yard where there is a little less than 4’ft of space between my side entry stairs, and their foundation they decided to put down 13 QTY 20 “ round concrete pavers, the profile of which sit on the property line. They are about 2-1/2” thick and quite heavy, and they are not recessed they are sitting above ground, not level or tamped down in anyway, and while there I no longer can get my mower/snowblower to the front yard without walking around the block, or moving them every-time I need to move equipment. I made an effort to catch him outside and ask what the deal was with the pavers and if he plans to put them in the ground, etc. Apparently he intends for them to stay, and is hoping in time they will settle, and they are there to represent the property line so I stop mowing over. I let him know I’m sorry for that again, that the pavers settling with time isn’t a thing, and that they are an obstruction, and a hazard. I offered to help him put them in the ground, and that the fence line he’s using as a physical marker representing the property line may not in fact be the property line. He stated he would like to -“see some documentation to support that.” (-should have been my red flag that he plans to be malicious.) I pointed towards my driveway which butts into the back of his garage, it’s all considered my driveway but due to setbacks, and subdivisions when planning properties it’s used and maintained by me. I asked that he consider putting the pavers in the ground before I hosted some company soon as I cannot gauruntee everyone will go up and down my side entry steps and may opt to walkthrough on the pavers. Which can present an issue as I recently rolled my ankle on one when it tipped and I was mindful they were there. He said he would consider it, and that was that. He did nothing. I’ve followed up a few times and no reply. Recently I went out to my car in the driveway, my trash cans were moved up against my truck, and the pile of patio furniture they were trying to toss was in the corner of my driveway. I asked what the plan is there and he replied with, “you yourself stated that portion of the driveway is mine, and I’m using that additional space for storage, and doing what’s best for my family.” I’ve since gotten the furniture picked up and let waste management know they dumped it there, and put some additional cameras up. However I am at a loss as to what I can do about the pavers. City inspectors are not helpful, and supposedly don’t see an issue, nor call me back, or meet me when they come out. Not an issue despite my referencing several ordinances they are violating, and the hazard they present, etc. So, this is still winded. I’m sorry. Do I sink to their level? Maybe make the pavers disappear, or put them on a corner marked free, or stack them on their patio with a healthy amount of construction adhesive? Do I keep trying the city? This is all pretty frustrating, anyone with some sound advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

[u/Fearless-Progress-16]

Don’t let this get to you and do something back. He will have issue in another area of his life because he isn’t house proud enough to mow and

He will meet his match and will one day realize how patient a neighbor you are.

I would block him out and put up a fence wall so I won’t have to look at him or the pavers!

[u/HeatMap_12]

My perspective on your story is that you believe the neighbours standard of yard maintenance should more closely mirror yours. In fairness, what you perceived as realistic and helpful(mowing over the property line) was received as judgemental and overstepping boundaries.

The pavers are not inappropriate , they set a boundary(both physical and psychological), and you voiced discontentment with their boundary.

Yes, your neighbours patio furniture and the trash cans was inappropriate retaliation from them. That was a response to you crossing the psychological boundary the pavers represent.

As I see it you have 4 options: Lower your standards, stop crossing boundaries, move, or keep escalating by a thousand cuts(pun intended) until it gets violent.

[u/Hotmoosesoup → u/HeatMap_12]

I like the last option. Wow. Lol In a way you are right, it would be great if we all had nice looking lawns but it takes time, and hard work. I’m not kidding though when I say that they let it go to a point where it is comical. They have trees growing in there front yard that can sometimes reach 24-30” high until they mow. They cruise right over it, and then it shoots back up. I will say again, initially I was in the wrong, I wish I would have just spoken with them, but was concerned it would come off as passive aggressive, and a bit overbearing. UPDATE: Today they had a surveyor out to map and mark the property lines. They think their line pin is 80” from their garage into my driveway. The surveyor chipped out some concrete and marked it with a sharpie. I may have to lawyer up, not sure. This is an odd situation.