Re: Harassment from Illegal Business owner & Customers

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On 4/06/06, Sallie Mae wrote:
> We finally moved into the home of our dreams 5 months ago,
> only to discover that there was a business diectly across
> the street from it, in which all the Customers park their
> cars in front of my home instead of the business home. I
> addressed this concern with the business owner because I
> was confused as to why the front of her home was empty as
> well as her driveway if she was conducting a business out
> of it. I was told that this is the way it has been for 20
> years and it has never been a problem with anyone and if I
> didn't like it to put up signs. So I went to the Code
> enforcement office to see if I could legally put up signs
> without getting in trouble. I explained about the business
> and so fourth and they wanted to know the business name. I
> told them, they looked it up and discovered that the
> business was not Registered thru their office there for
> Code Enforcement told me it was an illegal business and
> should not be operating without a permit. They said they
> would send a letter to her informing her if she did not
> get a permit they would shut her down. Things got worse,
> We tried talking to her again and she sent a lawyer letter
> to us claiming if we talk to her or her customers they
> will file harassment charges against us. All because we
> needed the use of the front of our home and she would not
> allow it. Things have escalated to her customers saying
> rude comments every time we are out in our yard, things
> like " hurry up and get in thats the jerk giving her a
> hard time" " don't worry about them, they have no right to
> be here and that petition I just signed will take care of
> them" We have been told that we need to move by her people
> as well. We have been given the finger by her people
> several times in front of our 3 small children. Her car is
> in front of my home daily preventing me the use of my
> home, the police have been here several times, she calls
> them claiming she is blocked in when cars are near hers
> and they are not blocking her in. Code Enforcement has not
> Enforced her permit they told us we need to " Close our
> blinds and sip our tea, and ignore it, that they are just
> trying to bother us." In their own Ordinances it states
> that if a business is being a nusiance to an adjacent
> property they are suppose to take action and stop that
> business from continuing to run. They have not helped us.
> My children are unhappy we are unhappy , she is trying to
> run us out of the neighborhood and has told people she is
> trying to do so. She feels that she has a harassment case
> against us, becasue we are documenting the parking and
> getting licence plates of her customers for her illegal
> business. I was told by the Police that I could do so, and
> Code Enforcement. We have done nothing else. We don't say
> anything back to her people when they throw their
> comments, we just document it and, that is all we have
> done, oh and taken some pictures of the blocked fire
> hydrant and the blocked street. Nothing wrong there
> either.
> I don't know what else to do.

Don't worry about legal charges for seeking to enforce legal
rights or local ordinances. You are doing nothing outside
of the law and I'd guess the business is concerned because
they seem to be over a barrel. In my opinion, it's very
poor diplomacy to harass you instead of seek some solution
that addresses everyone's interests adequately.

If it's worth it to you, consult a lawyer or start bending
the ear of your local or state representative. The squeaky
wheel gets the grease, and this neighbor will get what they
deserve if they have no interest in a solution that works
for everyone involved.