Driveway By-Laws

[love2fishhave2work]

Hello

 

I am fairly new to the board but need some info from anyone who would know. I recently purchased an 18 foot aluminum boat with a 115 motor and trailor. I planned to keep it in my driveway during the fishing season, once i take delivery in a couple of weeks. I live in Thornhill in a typical residential neighborhood with neighbors on either side. One of my neighboors who learned about the boat today told me that it is a violation of the city by-laws to keep a recreational boat of that size in one's driveway. Up until today I never thought twice about it as I see many driveways with recreational boats in their driveway. My take on it is he just does not want to look at it and is being a ********. However, maybe he is correct. I will call the by-law office of the city in the next couple of days but i was hoping someone out there may have an answer for me sooner. Are there in fact by-laws that would prevent someone from keeping their recreational boat in the driveway.

 

Thanks for your feedback. I welcome all comments.

[Terry]

you bet there are bylaws about that, but don't know about Thornhill

 

most places.

it's a they only act on it if a neighbor phones in and complains bylaw

if your neighbors like you there is no problem, if not good bye boat

Edited March 11, 2007 by Terry

[fishdawg]

its the "I dont have anything better to do, so I am gonna poo-poo on your hobby that I really dont care or know much about" bylaw

[lookinforwalleye]

I believe someone brought up this before i think in Whitby and there was a by-law regarding boats being parked in the driveway, so you should look into it.

 

I know for us boat owners it seems silly that we can`t park our boats in our driveways but I can understand what the towns thinking is if they allowed boats then people would want to park their dump trunks and then their tractor trailers and before you know it your quite little street would look like the DVP at rush hour.

[love2fishhave2work]

Well that sucks the big one if it is the case. Something i never even thought about since i see at least 4 boats in my general area. Any suggestions on what i can do given that i want the boat close by so i can pick different bodies of water to fish?

[lookinforwalleye]

Well I would just park it in your driveway for the time being and see what happens like Terry said these by-laws are only acted on when a neighbour complains hopefully you have nice neighbours.

 

Do you have a private driveway?

[pikehunter]

I believe Burlington also has such rules but seldom enforced. I do think though that it only applies if you have a property where the rec. vehicle cannot be stored past the front of the house such as is the case in most every subdivision. If it can go beside your house or to the rear it is OK.

[love2fishhave2work]

Knowing my neighbor and how anal he is, i am screwed from keeping it at home. Maybe a house sale is in my cards for the future. I wonder how my wife will take it. In the meantime i need to figure out a plan B. Anyone know of a storage facility that houses boats in the Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Vaughan area?

 

Much appreciated.

[Joey]

Well if your neighbour "disappeared" you could use his garage

 

Joey

[danc]

In Thunder Bay you get fined if you don't have a boat in your driveway.

[Daplumma]

Just tell your neighbor that pretty much the boat can stay if no one complains and that everyone but him has said its no problem.Then ask him if he would like to be a problem....

Joe

[GbayGiant]

In Thunder Bay you get fined if you don't have a boat in your driveway.

Haha.

 

What a joke, I never knew that there were such laws, that's ridiculous. I don't know anyone that doesn't like the look of a boat and it's no bigger than the average vehicle. Man oh man you need a new neighbour and the politicians need to screw their heads on straight and find some laws that make sense.

 

Is there anything we can do nowadays without a law preventing it or slowing you down ? the system is mangled, I believe in law but some laws are just nonsense.

Edited March 12, 2007 by GbayGiant

[bigfish1965]

There are lots of municpal bylaws that are not only ridiculous, but likely illegal. Put the boat in your driveway. If you get a ticket for it, take it to court. In the interim, find out exactly what is legal and not legal. If they do not mention 30 foot inflatable gorrillas, put one of those in your driveway. Often times it takes a bit of silliness to show others their stupidity. Peaceful civil disobedience goes a long way at times.

I know in my town they had some silly provision about fence materials and some guy was put on the docket for council every single week to make the same speach asking them to repeal it. By law they have to give you an audience. Finally the town got tired of him and issued some 'revisions.'

[vance]

For crying out loud ,my neighbor came to me last year asking if it was alright to park his 57ft antique fire truck in his drive way and I said no way unless I get to drive it .

Now I have to drive his other truck in parades for him

Just ask your neighbor if he would like to go fishing and see what happens.

 

 

vance

[John Bacon]

I would suggest parking your boat in the driveway and see if he complains. If he doesn't complain, then you don't have a problem. In mean time check the bylaws to see if you can park it on your lawn, or anywhere else on your property.

 

I would also suggest that the you check the by laws to see if he is breaking any. If he is breaking any by laws then you may be able to work out a deal where you won't report him if he doesn't report you.

 

Some suggesting to check into are:

-Street parking - most places do not allow you to park on the street for more than 3 hours at any time of the day.

-Parking cars one behind another in the driveway. Many people who don't have a side walk do this, but you are usually not allowed to park within 33' of the centre of the road. Most people who park a car behind one another will be within 33' of the centre of the road.

-Parking in front of the house. This is common when people have a single car garage and want to park two cars side my side in their driveway. Generally the car cannot be parked in front of the house, it must be in front of the garage or to the side of the house.

-Plant by laws: evergreens on the boulevard are usually not allowed. Planting a tree on the boulevard is generally not allowed, it must be planted by the city. There are also height restrictions for shrubs close to the road.

-Clothes lines may not be allowed.

-Basement apartment - these are usually, but not aways illegal.

-There are also fence by laws.

 

You my find that he is breaking a by laws himself; if so, you may be able to convince him that it is not a good idea to start a "by law war". As mentioned previously, most by-laws or only enforced on a complaint basis. There are enough by-laws out there that there is a good chance that most people are breaking a few.

[Garyv]

Municipalities love to pass by laws. We don't have a driveway law about boats, campers etc but if someone uses a camper on their property thats a no. Trouble is the town is not pro active only reactive therefore someone has to complain in writing before they will act. They do this to protect themselves from constituent animosity.

 

Now as far as your problem....do you have a garage? Is one or two car? If it's a 2 car them you can most likely fit your boat in on an angle (I do it every summer season with mine ) and just leave the cars out. If the boat trailer combination is to long then look into a folding tongue trailer to see if that would work.

 

I like to leave my gear in the boat so pulling it into a secure area is a must. I watched to many episodes of the X-Files years back and I "Trust No One" To me a new boat on a driveway, especially if both you and your wife work is asking for some idiot to relieve you of your parking problem.

Edited March 12, 2007 by Garyv

[POLLIWOGG]

Sooner or later someone is going to do the math and figure out the heat coming of your paved driveway contributes more to global warming than your car and will pass a bylaw banning driveways .

[Mike the Pike]

Sounds like your neighbor is not so friendly. :Gonefishing:Take him fishing if he likes fishing Problem solved.Plan B move .Plan C make his life misurable

[carll2]

if you have a backyard with a fence at home id just store it out back..with a nice lock on the fence doors..that way he has nothing to complain about..or park it on your lawn lol its not considered your driveway

Edited March 12, 2007 by carll2

[Chuck Best]

If it is in the bylaws,there always ways around them ,while in your driveway ,hang planters off the boat and call it ART......lol....A guy I know was getting hassled by the town to clean his yard,he planted flowers in the pistons and hung planters from the handlebars and yippy no more hassles from the town......and if your not into that ,you could park it in my driveway(with the keys ,in case I had to move it .....lol)....TC and tight lines......Chuck....

[OhioFisherman]

Just ask your neighbor if he would like to go fishing and see what happens. LOL man overboard?

 

Some people got nothing better to do but whine about what their neighbors do, might be a little jealousy involved, you can afford a boat they can`t? They drive a Mercedes, but know everyone would rather look at the boat?

 

LOL nothing like green acres!

[snackpack5150]

In Cambridge they have a really stupid by-law which states if you don't have a double driveway,from April 1 to Oct 31 is the only time you can store your recreational vehicles. Otherwise a 2,500.00 fine!!!

 

Ken

[love2fishhave2work]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. GaryV, you are the man. I think that the angle trick may do it. Now i get to park it on the driveway to annoy my neighbor and then stick it into the garage at an angle when the by-law officer shows up. Brilliant.

[pikehunter]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. GaryV, you are the man. I think that the angle trick may do it. Now i get to park it on the driveway to annoy my neighbor and then stick it into the garage at an angle when the by-law officer shows up. Brilliant.

 

Now you're on the right track! :clapping: Still like the planter idea too

[David Chong]

I've lived in Thornhill for over 20 years and have had a 17-21' boat parked in my driveway for probably 18 years. None of my neighbours have never commented on it. If there is a by-law then I think that the only time that they would act on it is if you had a complaint! Good luck!

Dave