Code enforcement...

dubbyx

What do you guys with trail rigs only do to get around "junk" vehicle laws. What about racecars and buggies and such?

I got my compliance inspection today on my back yard. It went well, although she kinda raised an eye at how I "technically" achieved what the city had asked of me. I moved the pinto to my parents' house and carefully camo'd it behind the motorhome and storage building. Can't be seen from front or back, so it's good (and right now I have it sold on eBay, just a matter of how much). The bug and the panel truck are sitting in my front driveway on my 20' carhauler. Since the trailer is registered, the cars are considered a "load" rather than junk.

I'm not planning on selling the panel, and if it has to sit on the trailer the rest of it's build, I'll do it. The officer told me the only way I could build it up was to have a shop outside the city limits, even though I told her my intentions at this time were to have a strip only vehicle. She did look it over and admired it saying it looked like a fun project. With it being an "off road only" vehicle, what kind of paperwork has to be done to keep my car on my property?

My 'burb and Olds got tagged today, so I have 10 days to get rid of them or get them into compliance (registered and inspected and in one piece). The Olds is going to get hauled off, the 'burb will be fixed.

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snick

Sounds like some nosey do good-er filed a complaint against you. (even if there not street legal) The city can't say anything about it unless it is parked on the street. So tell them to get lost. It is private property after all isn't it?
Now if you live in one of those " Neighborhood home association area's " that's another matter. Look at the sale contract of your home and see if there are any restrictions.

Dirty "OLE" Man

Man, in all my life (57) I have never heard of all those laws. I don't want to live there. Big Brother watches me too much now.

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Dirty "OLE" Man
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dubbyx

yeah, the no gooder is my next door neighbor... I had to call the cops out to get them to move a car on their daughter's prom night. Tried working through all the "nice" channels and all the underage, overly drunk kids decided to be funny and annoying. Well, their party got shut-down, a few MIP's handed out, and then they moved the car. They started calling people on me after that. First it was Animal Control about my dog, then it was the Code Enforcement office.

I've lived on this block for 30 years, the panel and pinto I've owned in their similar condition for 20 and 15 respectively. Never had a problem before. Hell, my 1-ton is sitting on the street in front of my parent's house with NO registration and NO inspection... and the lady just walked right by. No home owner's association, no special uppity neighborhood, no real hard looks by the officials.

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46stude

Most cities have some type of "inoperable vehicle" law in the books- whether its enforced or not.

In San Antonio, all you have to do to get code compliance off your back is prove the vehicle runs. Since the state requires you to have insurance, and since not everyone can afford insurace, your car just has to be able to start & run to be considered an "operable vehicle". SA can not force you to get rid of your vehicle soley on the basis that its not currently liscensed or inspected. So in the case of a trail only rig, SA would not be able to cite you- if its a running vehicle. Non-running vehicles & working on your vehicles are not allowed. I had a code compliance officer tell me that in the SA city limits, it would technically be illegal to change a flat tire in your driveway, since that is considered car repair. He said of course no one enforces that.

I'm sure there are differences from city to city. If you live somewhere that there's a homeowners association, then you have to abide by the rules in their books.

snick

[QUOTE=dubbyx]yeah, the no gooder is my next door neighbor... They started calling people on me after that. First it was Animal Control about my dog, then it was the Code Enforcement office.

I've lived on this block for 30 years,[QUOTE]

Well if they are going to be snots like that, really play hardball. File a harassment charge against them. If they are not to dense they will learn to leave a sleeping dog lye.

54inches

I agree with snick.

Fight fire with FIRE dubbyx!!!

I had a very similar problem with some people in my neighborhood. If you look real hard I bet you could find a reason to call the EPA.

You know maybe you saw them pour an oily substance onto the lawn in the back and you feel that it is ruining the environment......

Just make sure you are in compliance FIRST.

I had a boat motor on the side of my house for 2 weeks and my next door neighbor call johnny law on me.....well I called the health department on him every week for three months.......his yard is kept really nice....NOW


I would look into the law....why can't you have a vehicle in the back yard....in Lubbock of all places....I mean it's not like you are in a gated community in River Oaks or Highland Park or something....you said there were no deed restrictions....so tell them to take a hike....

Midnight_Crawler

I had the same situation with our code compliance inspector in our area and this is what they asked me to do.

If a vehicle is on the side of the road, it must have current licence plate, inspection, insurance and move at least once a week.

I can have my other vehicles on a driveway (concrete, gravel, rock, aspalth) with "NO GRASS" showing. Since vehicle is not on public road it can be on your front or rear of house as long as you can move it for the inspector if he/she ask. Meaning it is basically driveable. You don't need insurance, registration or inspection as long as it is on your property.

The only exception is if your neighborhood is in an association and then you are probably out of luck. They are real strict and have more rights than the city in most cases.

Anyway, this is what happens on my side of town (Kirby). I went to court last week to get two tickets dismissed because of grass growning between the rocks I laid for my jeep. I took pictures of grass removed and court dismissed ticket.

Good luck

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92 Wrangler YJ, Dana 60 front, 14 bolt rear, Chevy 350, SM465, 205 t-case, 39.5" IROC's, 103" Wheel base

mudnmyvayne

i keep a $8 offroad sticker on the windshield. Shows i use the rig for more than the neighborhood eyesore.

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4x4Freak

The code nazis will get you around here. One of my friend's jeep got tagged a few months back. It was non-op, but it looked complete, all tires aired up, etc., but the tags were out so they tagged it. The best part was that it was in the driveway at the back of the house.

I wont even start with the LPD.

__________________
Zach


Reality is an illusion caused by the absence of alcohol.

75 IH Scout II
79 Chevy K10
80 GMC K25
97 Chevy S10
05 Dodge 3500

Collect the whole set.

4x4Freak

Might check into registering the non-op vehicles as a trailer and put a towbar on the front.

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Zach


Reality is an illusion caused by the absence of alcohol.

75 IH Scout II
79 Chevy K10
80 GMC K25
97 Chevy S10
05 Dodge 3500

Collect the whole set.

xanthias

Get your rig or cars registered to start with. That's easy and they don't have to be street legal to get them registered.

The forms you need are here:

http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/vtrreginfo.htm?pg=form1

In particular, have a look at forms 61, 130U, 268, 270, 271, 272. Each form has an instruction sheet on the second page, so be sure to scroll down. You can see there are several ways to get your vehicles registered.

Heres a good titling and registration faq
http://www.dot.state.tx.us/vtr/vtrreginfo.htm?pg=faq

Then get yourself an OHV sticker, or just find a friendly inspection station and get them inspected. I don't recall Lubbock as being an emissions testing county.

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dubbyx

I got the engine ready to set back in the 'burb today, so that one will be good enough. Inspection's still good on it through July. Still registered till the end of the month.

I guess I'm just going to rent a storage unit and put the panel in it until I have space to work on it. It's always been my understanding here that they'll leave a car alone as long as it's covered. *shrug* Pinto's up to $28, maybe that'll get me the first month's rent and calm down a little to figure stuff out.

As far as the neighbors go, they havn't pulled anything new since I had INS show up last week. Havn't seen a few of them in over a week, and their driveway has been pretty empty. When the animal control officer was out, I showed them where they dump their cat litter box in front of my gate and gave them permission to put cages out.

They've disliked me since they bought the house originally 3 years ago. After they set their bid, I upped my bid on the house a couple times. We really wanted it, but weren't willing to pay $10k extra for it.

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Visit us at www.chunkydunkn.com

dubbyx

I've wondered about that myself. wouldn't hurt me to chip in either way...

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snick

One more solution, even though it will cost a little bit it will be a one time deal.
Put up an 8' tall solid fence in your back yard. the kind you can't see through. Then when the code crack monkey's come around they can't say crap. Because technically your stuff is inside your domicile.
you just have to love loop holes!

This is for code folks .