Help with a neighbor issue please.

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’m sorry but your neighbours smoke is in no way going to permeate your belongings to the point where it would stink. That’s just not the reality.

Well granted I don't think it would actually cling to things and stick but if I have my crank out window open in our great room or are outside I can tell when the neighbor is doing laundry and we have a good distance between our houses. Some smells just carry through the air. In terms of living next to that be it owning or renting it'd be a nuisance for weed and might impact one's ability to open the windows or be outside.

It's like in my area we live close enough to the city's compost facility for yard waste and trees limbs (where they turn it into free mulch for city residents) most often on cold crisp nights you can smell it. It's not a gross smell (probably because it's not food compost facility) but not entirely pleasant either. But we were aware of that moving in, still though that could impact our ability to sell the house. You can be okay with weed and still get what impacts it can have just like other detractors out there.

 

[SirDuff]

I genuinely have no issue or judgement re: what others smoke, drink, etc. To each their own. But unlike a glass of wine or a beer, the scent of pot DOES affect other people if the person smokes next to their window with it open every night and you live very close to others.

And how would them putting up a fence (which is the OP is talking about) change that? There’s nothing in the OP about smelling them smoking.

 

[barkley]

And how would them putting up a fence (which is the OP is talking about) change that? There’s nothing in the OP about smelling them smoking.

perhaps this is the neighbor's first planting. when they pull it to dry, esp. if they use fans-if there's a open space between the drying spot and the o/p's house she WILL smell it. we have neighbors who grow/dry for personal use-everyone who drives by their homes can tell by the aroma in the air that their 'crop' has been harvested.

 

[SirDuff]

perhaps this is the neighbor's first planting. when they pull it to dry, esp. if they use fans-if there's a open space between the drying spot and the o/p's house she WILL smell it. we have neighbors who grow/dry for personal use-everyone who drives by their homes can tell by the aroma in the air that their 'crop' has been harvested.

Still doesn't answer my question.

Since it is not illegal to plant it, it just needs to be hidden (by a fence), the problem of smelling it when/if they smoke it or dry it or whatever, isn't the issue. It could be a potential future issue for the OP/OP's house, but the fact that smell might be an issue is not justification for reporting the neighbours for lack of a fence (as it has nothing to do with it - the presence or absence of the fence will not help/harm those smells).

 

[TwoMisfits]

Op, I'll join the side of report it.

Your state, by passing the law, obviously only wanted to have the product grown a certain way. Since it's a VERY recent law, there will be a strong desire to enforce it as written, so a simple anonymous call/letter/email to the code enforcement group should remedy the problem pretty immediately.

 

[TippyThomas]

Boy, I'm glad I live in the middle of nowhere and my neighbors are miles away.

 

[Christine]

Boy, I'm glad I live in the middle of nowhere and my neighbors are miles away.

That is a nice situation to have. You have the freedom to live like you want. Those of us who are close with our neighbors need to be respectful and follow codes/laws/ordinances. It really does help to keep the peace.

 

[JLTraveling]

Just to play Devil's Advocate here: I wholeheartedly approve of marijuana. I cannot use it for the same reason the OP can't--legal or not, our jobs don't allow it.

But, I realize that a lot of people out there, legal or not, do not approve of legalizing marijuana, growing it, etc. If I were selling my home and my neighbor had a lot of plants out front that were visible, I would be a bit worried about it. The perception of someone looking to buy in the neighborhood is that the occupants could be smoking the stuff outside and, given the closeness of many homes, people don't want to be around that. Many people (probably older generations or more conservative people) also falsely believe that weed-smokers are doing all sorts of other things too and the house may be deemed to just be an undesirable neighbor. It's just a reality of the perception right now for a lot of people. I think they will die down in the future, but for now, it hasn't.

OK, I'll give you that's possible. But my point is that a fair number of people won't like the OP's house itself either. Maybe the floor plan is too open or not open enough. Maybe the main bedroom is too small or the ceiling is too high or it's a 2 story and they want a 1 story or vice versa. Maybe they hate the paint color but they hate repainting even worse. Maybe it reminds them of the house their ex grew up in. There are SO many reasons someone might reject a house, I don't know why the OP would fixate on the next door neighbors as a potential problem.

And some buyers/renters would see the neighbors growing pot as an asset. Just as there are people who see weed-smokers as troublemakers, there are also people who see them as cool, laid-back, ideal neighbors, even if they don't smoke themselves. Or maybe they do smoke, and they prefer homegrown but don't have the green thumb to grow it themselves. So for every potential buyer or renter who would reject the house because of the neighbors, there are others who would welcome it. And I suspect the vast majority wouldn't notice or care.

 

[TippyThomas]

That is a nice situation to have. You have the freedom to live like you want. Those of us who are close with our neighbors need to be respectful and follow codes/laws/ordinances. It really does help to keep the peace.

I understand and agree, but it doesn't make me any less happy that I don't have to deal with it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So for every potential buyer or renter who would reject the house because of the neighbors, there are others who would welcome it.

At this point in time? I rather doubt that. It'd be finding a needle in the haystack of wanting to live next to someone growing weed. It's not the same thing as enjoying weed, smoking it yourself, not smoking it but not having a problem with it, etc. TBH I've been wondering how insurance companies deal with this in states where it's legal as someone, even a small time grower, could be considered an attractive nuisance.

Having "good" (I say that in quotes as it means different things to different people) neighbors is usually pretty important to people regardless of if someone keeps to themselves. You'd be harder pressed to find someone viewing a good neighbor as the one who grows weed at this point.

 

[Christine]

I understand and agree, but it doesn't make me any less happy that I don't have to deal with it.

Oh I'd be thrilled so you go on and be very happy! I'd love to be in your situation--I've had enough drama from some neighbors. I'm thinking at my age, 59, and my next home purchase will probably not be in the cards to be out on several acres of land, so those hopes are dashed. Just not practical for aging based on what I've seen happen to my family members.

 

[Christine]

At this point in time? I rather doubt that. It'd be finding a needle in the haystack of wanting to live next to someone growing weed. It's not the same thing as enjoying weed, smoking it yourself, not smoking it but not having a problem with it, etc. TBH I've been wondering how insurance companies deal with this in states where it's legal as someone, even a small time grower, could be considered an attractive nuisance.

Having "good" (I say that in quotes as it means different things to different people) neighbors is usually pretty important to people regardless of if someone keeps to themselves. You'd be harder pressed to find someone viewing a good neighbor as the one who grows weed at this point.

I agree. I don't think we're there quite yet, lol!

 

[JLTraveling]

At this point in time? I rather doubt that. It'd be finding a needle in the haystack of wanting to live next to someone growing weed. It's not the same thing as enjoying weed, smoking it yourself, not smoking it but not having a problem with it, etc. TBH I've been wondering how insurance companies deal with this in states where it's legal as someone, even a small time grower, could be considered an attractive nuisance.

Having "good" (I say that in quotes as it means different things to different people) neighbors is usually pretty important to people regardless of if someone keeps to themselves. You'd be harder pressed to find someone viewing a good neighbor as the one who grows weed at this point.

Clearly we move in very different circles. Among all the people I know, family, friends and acquaintances, from barely-adults to senior citizens, the vast majority (80% plus) would find someone growing weed to be a very acceptable/likeable neighbor. There are plenty of other things that would turn them off (can't really specify without getting political). Do they HAVE to live next to a weed grower? Of course not. But their perception (not wrongly, in my opinion) is that people who grow weed tend to make good neighbors, and if they're growing it, they probably don't fall into the myriad of categories of neighbors they would not like to have.

Literally the only people in my entire circle I can think of who would have a problem with it, to the point of actually not buying or renting the house, are the handful of family members who stopped speaking to me years ago over politics.

 

[luvnwdwgal]

If all else fails you can always grow your own, catch a buzz, and then it won’t bother you anymore.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Clearly we move in very different circles. Among all the people I know, family, friends and acquaintances, from barely-adults to senior citizens, the vast majority (80% plus) would find someone growing weed to be a very acceptable/likeable neighbor. There are plenty of other things that would turn them off (can't really specify without getting political). Do they HAVE to live next to a weed grower? Of course not. But their perception (not wrongly, in my opinion) is that people who grow weed tend to make good neighbors, and if they're growing it, they probably don't fall into the myriad of categories of neighbors they would not like to have.

Literally the only people in my entire circle I can think of who would have a problem with it, to the point of actually not buying or renting the house, are the handful of family members who stopped speaking to me years ago over politics.

It's not at all about running in some "circle" you think you run in. There's the actual real estate reality and at this point in time acceptance towards weed itself is much higher than it used to be, that acceptance isn't quite there for actually living next to it. You might find some pockets here and there of small communities but wide spread enough to confidentially say as you did "for every potential buyer or renter who would reject the house because of the neighbors, there are others who would welcome it." no sorry we're not quite there yet.

 

[_19disnA]

I would ignore what your neighbor is doing and mind my own business. Plant shrubs or get a fence installed if you don't want to see something next door. Confronting your neighbors about something you don't like probably won't go well and just result in everyone being angry. You aren't going to tell them how to live their lives anymore then you would want them telling you how to live yours. Speculating about what a future buyer/renter might like/dislike seems pointless. You have no idea if that person will even care/notice what is going on next door.

 

[JLTraveling]

It's not at all about running in some "circle" you think you run in. There's the actual real estate reality and at this point in time acceptance towards weed itself is much higher than it used to be, that acceptance isn't quite there for actually living next to it. You might find some pockets here and there of small communities but wide spread enough to confidentially say as you did "for every potential buyer or renter who would reject the house because of the neighbors, there are others who would welcome it." no sorry we're not quite there yet.

I'm wondering where I can find a source for this "real estate reality." Are there actually listed statistics somewhere? Or are you making assumptions based on your own perceptions and personal experiences? If there are actual documented statistics as to the percentage of people who would either enjoy or not mind living next door to weed growers, versus those who would reject a house because of it, I would like to see them. Otherwise, we're both just basing our thoughts on our individual lived experiences.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm wondering where I can find a source for this "real estate reality." Are there actually listed statistics somewhere? Or are you making assumptions based on your own perceptions and personal experiences? If there are actual documented statistics as to the percentage of people who would either enjoy or not mind living next door to weed growers, versus those who would reject a house because of it, I would like to see them. Otherwise, we're both just basing our thoughts on our individual lived experiences.

It's called NIMBY. I think you think I'm making a comment about people themselves, I'm not. Maybe you thought the "good" part of my comment was about qualities of people themselves but that's not it (haven't you seen the threads about neighbors?) You can't claim you have friends who wouldn't have an issue with it in hypotheticals. People are okay with a lot of stuff until they live next to it. And again I was responding to your comment about equals here. To find people who are equally okay with it, well we're not quite there yet. We might get there someday but until then whether any of us have any objection to it the OP has a valid concern over finding someone who is willingly living next to someone with weed plants (be it renting or buying).

 

[monsterkitty]

I live in CO and we've had legalized marijuana for years. However, it must be grown inside and in a locked area.

Looking at the Virginia law, I'm shocked you can grow it outside.

OP, the concern that I have for your neighbor's plants is that they are visible from the streets and that means children can see them. Without a fence, that means children can access them. This is why I would call code enforcement, not because I could see them, but because children can get to the plants. As soon as you say children have access to the plants, code enforcement will be there.

For those who hate the skunk smelling weed, if you have a neighborhood FB page, casually ask those who are partaking to change pot strains so that the neighborhood doesn't smell like skunk. We did that jokingly and our neighbors switched to a tropical-smelling strain.

 

[darnheather]

Jeez, just let it go. They're not harming you. Let them get high when they want.

As I said, I don't care that they are growing them or that they are smoking. I'm not a pearl clu

I’m sorry but your neighbours smoke is in no way going to permeate your belongings to the point where it would stink. That’s just not the reality.

It isn't about the smoke. The flowers stink now that they are blooming. However, it is about them being in the open. I am currently interning at the county prosecutors' office. If they thought for a minute it was my pot I would be fired and could be in trouble with the American Bar Association when it comes time to do my character and fitness. Why is it wrong to want people to follow the law?