Working without a garage

[topher5150]

I know cities have different rules, and regulations but I'm guessing most places don't like having people having a lot of junk, and other projects piled up in their back yard. My question is for those of us without a garage, yet, has your city, township etc... been cool with you working on cars without a garage? I'm asking because last summer my neighbors in the duplex next to me got in big trouble with the city for fixing cars in their garage, among other things, and not giving the city their cut, and just before they got kicked out i caught one of them in my driveway taking pictures.

 

[niget2002]

I got yelled at by my city for having my car up on ramps longer than a week. Most cities have a regulation about non-running vehicles being visible from the street.

 

[topher5150]

I haven't asked the city about anything I guess I don't want them to get suspicious and make it worse for me.

 

[maxpower_hd]

My area has no issues with people working on their own cars. But different towns have different requirements around the number of unregistered vehicles allowed.

If running a business here you need a business permit from the town. And they will review and then either allow or deny the permit depending on the type of business, traffic, neighborhood, etc.

The town may also get involved if things get out of hand with junk lying around becoming an eyesore.

 

[topher5150]

It's just the body and frame everything else is either in the basement or my shed/hiding behind my shed.

 

[Kevin54]

This is the answer. ^^^
If you won't go in person at least protect Yourself by going to your cities website instead of this gj global knit of opinions instead of facts.

This is a protect yourself situation. Use the best tool.

Wait....WHAT????? I thought GJ was the Wikipedia for ALL knowledge What will a person do now?

But if you can't find it on here, go to FB and ask a question. Now that place has some EXPERTS

 

[ejabour]

This. Same applies in my city and I imagine that it is pretty standard. Same thing happened to me.

I got yelled at by my city for having my car up on ramps longer than a week. Most cities have a regulation about non-running vehicles being visible from the street.

 

[Kaizen]

This is the answer. ^^^
If you won't go in person at least protect Yourself by going to your cities website instead of this gj global knit of opinions instead of facts.
.

When I ask questions such as this I’m looking for life experiences. Exactly what op is asking. I like to have some idea what is behind the door before I kick it in. At this GJ members are always helpful and I know of no one spinning yarns


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[DFB]

Around here (and I'm rural too) as long as it has a valid registration/license plate you are good. My bud has had his truck up on blocks for way too long, procrastinating spending money to fix the trans but that's how he gets away with it.

There are limits on the amount of unregistered vehicles you are supposed to have, and ya it's 1. Good thing the neighbors can't see everything


Now at first I thought you asking about wrenching without a garage gosh I wrenched in street and backyards for years until I built my own house with garage.

I live in the Northeast and its ***** NOT to have a garage. It's either too hot or too cold or too wet or too much snow!

 

[Jazz1]

No problem in my city of course we can have campfires in the city as well bow hunt deer in the city
One councillor got a major hairy eyeball for recommending no parking of boats/trailers on front yard. It’s rare people do this but don’t single out folks who do this, usually their only option on THEIR property

 

[schaumi]

My old K5 Blazer sat on the lawn at the end of my driveway for 11 years. I finally donated it to a charity. That spot stayed empty for 3 months until I got a new truck and pushed my GTI into the old Blazer spot. It's been sitting there now for 2 1/2 years. No HOA in my area and none of my neighbors complain. There are people with old cars, boats, RVs, trailers, etc in their driveways on my street. My cars or truck will sit on jackstands for weeks if needed. Someday I'll build a garage in the storage spot!

 

[Road Wrench]

As a mobile mechanic, I've turned wrenches all kinds of places in various neighborhoods and towns without issue. The one place I thought was questionable (at the curb in a neighborhood of 250k houses), a cop stopped and asked what the customer had tore up now, and went on his way with a wave and smile. I know there are neighborhoods with hoas and popping the hood outside of a closed garage will get you wrote up, or so I've been told. I've never had an issue with working on cars in my driveway either, though evrrything has current tags, and nothing sits on jack stands for more than a day or two.

 

[NUTTSGT]

Did they get in trouble by the city, an HOA or the property manager ? If they were renting, maybe they just weren't paying the rent and got evicted but trying to save face told you another story. Many people will lie to cover their butts to not look bad.

 

[TomC750]

I have assumed most of the above posters live in the USA. I know I do, and this nonsense is all foreign to me. Glad I live where I do.

 

[junkyardwarrior]

Oh yeah...sorta long story so bear with me.

Moved to Arkansas when I was 12 and got bit by the hotrod bug. At 16 I started working for a local motorcycle dealer and a salesman there had this old Ford for cheap, 2 door. $50, I drove it home and dad and I made a project out of it. I still have it (43 now). Seems like yesterday. Anyway, the city we lived in passed several sets of codes and regulations that dealt with "keeping the city clean". More or less, you couldn't have any cars that were not tagged for more than 5 consecutive days in the same place, couldn't have any trailers within sight of the street, no campers, boats, the grass couldn't be any higher than 5". For many years they left us alone. One afternoon I was out mowing, mower ran out of fuel, I jumped in the truck and got a few gallons from the gas station, got back home, code enforcement was beating on the door. Said the grass was too tall and a mower was visible from the street. Tried to explain that it ran out of gas about 5 minutes prior and I had gas in the truck to finish up. Didn't matter to him. In the end I told him he was on private property and that he can leave at any time. To my astonishment, he did.

Couple years later the same guy came back and wrote me up for having a trailer visible from the street. I didn't pay it. This **** is just dumb. Basically, you can't do anything.

Then a few more years later I was at work and the same guy came in with a machine that they purchased from us, it needed repairs. That circle finally came around. In a couple months I finished the repairs and to my own defense it was a big repair (RTV transmission). His boss came back to pick it up with a big check. I talked to the his boss for a while about these codes and regulations that were set forth and mentioned how they are mostly stupid regulations that benefit only the city in the form of revenues, mentioned that I had an unpaid citation and that I wasn't going to pay it, and also mentioned that because of the stupid stuff I planned on moving OUT of the city as soon as I could. And I stuck to it. Now live outside town, far enough away that there's no concern of annexation, yet close enough to be near convenience.

Then there's another town South of here....my girlfriend's sister lives there, yuppie town (not that she is). Anyway her lawn mower wouldn't start and since I'm a nice guy I volunteered to put a battery in it at her place. She bought the battery and then told me to take the mower home, put a battery in it and then bring it back running. I'm like my goodness I can change it in less than 5 minutes here in the driveway. Nope. City law won't let you work on anything in a residential area, period. Her ex-husband had been ticketed before for CHECKING THE OIL on his pickup before work one morning. Is that not ridiculous? They call that "working on it". $75 fine. So yes, I had to take her riding mower home, 50 miles, spend about 2 minutes replacing the battery, then bring it 50 miles BACK to her place. I even mowed her yard (and that mower cuts like poop!) I wouldn't live in that town for nothing. If I had kids (and I don't) I still wouldn't live there, period, end of story....just the concept of them telling me what to do ain't gonna work.

I'm respectful of my "neighbors", and keep my place up without all the broken down Chevy trucks in the yard, but outside town, I mostly do whatever I want and when I want. Have built a 30x40 pole barn to work out of a few years back. No building permits required no hoops to jump through.

 

[2level]

Oh yeah...

Then there's another town South of here....my girlfriend's sister lives there, yuppie town (not that she is). Anyway her lawn mower wouldn't start and since I'm a nice guy I volunteered to put a battery in it at her place. She bought the battery and then told me to take the mower home, put a battery in it and then bring it back running. I'm like my goodness I can change it in less than 5 minutes here in the driveway. Nope. City law won't let you work on anything in a residential area, period. Her ex-husband had been ticketed before for CHECKING THE OIL on his pickup before work one morning. Is that not ridiculous? They call that "working on it". $75 fine...

Not buying it. Show us the ordinance/regulation.

 

[Magnum440d100]

My grandparents bought their house in 1983. It was RURAL! Known for horse country.

Then about 2009, we were annexed into city proper (against our votes). I got my house in 2011.

My house is on a dead end dirt road.

Now, comes the problems. I was parked across my OWN driveway facing the wrong way. I got a visit from parking enforcement. Seems one tire was on the line they call their property. Basically the telephone poles north are my property and south of the poles is theirs. So according to one pole I’m on my property and the other pole, I’m on their property. It should be noted that when we were county, we owned the street and property across from our houses. After annexation, we lost the street and the property across the street, sans compensation of course.

Anyway, so my friend in the same street had a car parked in front of his house. Been there for YEARS. It’s a landmark. Parking enforcement came to tow it. I hauled *** down there, .357 loaded and in my waist. Turned out the guy was a kid I went to school with. I told him “you still live on X street?” “Yeah my parents still do” “you’re still county over there. Like we used to be. Be very careful of what you do, or your street will turn to the same as here. County and now city proper.” He left shortly after that and they haven’t been back.

And that brings me back to the no garage part.

I have an awning on the side of my house I work under. I built a 8’ tall wooden fence around that part of the yard to hide it from prying eyes. I need to finish it, since about 10’ more should really be done, but I’m waiting to finish building a bigger/longer awning for more ease of moving around cars (concrete is only about 6’ wide.... makes getting bigger vehicles through there a pain in tha ***.

To avoid code enforcement issues, I don’t keep project cars outside the fence, which ***** because my fence line is even with my house, which is setback about 20’ from the street.... makes things a bit tough....

Pic kinda shows my “no garage” work area.

I just recently knocked down a bunch of honey suckle on the one side of my yard to be able to drive through that part into the back of my yard where the garage will be going. But for now, this awning will have to suffice....

 

[MushCreek]

Technically, in the state of SC, it's illegal to have an inoperable or unregistered vehicle unless it is in a four side building. It's buried in the residential building codes, and I suspect many states have similar rules. They even had ads on TV encouraging people to report violators. Apparently, it never caught on, as there are a LOT of said vehicles in SC.

 

[Jazz1]

Technically, in the state of SC, it's illegal to have an inoperable or unregistered vehicle unless it is in a four side building. It's buried in the residential building codes, and I suspect many states have similar rules. They even had ads on TV encouraging people to report violators. Apparently, it never caught on, as there are a LOT of said vehicles in SC.

That same law was applied and enforced in a very small town outside Minneapolis. That was EBay sellers reason for putting this truck up for sale.. Seller did not want to pay storage for how many years until he could get to restoration so I fixed the broken window and a few other things.

 

[logical]

Oh yeah...sorta long story so bear with me.

Moved to Arkansas when I was 12 and got bit by the hotrod bug. At 16 I started working for a local motorcycle dealer and a salesman there had this old Ford for cheap, 2 door. $50, I drove it home and dad and I made a project out of it. I still have it (43 now). Seems like yesterday. Anyway, the city we lived in passed several sets of codes and regulations that dealt with "keeping the city clean". More or less, you couldn't have any cars that were not tagged for more than 5 consecutive days in the same place, couldn't have any trailers within sight of the street, no campers, boats, the grass couldn't be any higher than 5". For many years they left us alone. One afternoon I was out mowing, mower ran out of fuel, I jumped in the truck and got a few gallons from the gas station, got back home, code enforcement was beating on the door. Said the grass was too tall and a mower was visible from the street. Tried to explain that it ran out of gas about 5 minutes prior and I had gas in the truck to finish up. Didn't matter to him. In the end I told him he was on private property and that he can leave at any time. To my astonishment, he did.

Couple years later the same guy came back and wrote me up for having a trailer visible from the street. I didn't pay it. This **** is just dumb. Basically, you can't do anything.

Then a few more years later I was at work and the same guy came in with a machine that they purchased from us, it needed repairs. That circle finally came around. In a couple months I finished the repairs and to my own defense it was a big repair (RTV transmission). His boss came back to pick it up with a big check. I talked to the his boss for a while about these codes and regulations that were set forth and mentioned how they are mostly stupid regulations that benefit only the city in the form of revenues, mentioned that I had an unpaid citation and that I wasn't going to pay it, and also mentioned that because of the stupid stuff I planned on moving OUT of the city as soon as I could. And I stuck to it. Now live outside town, far enough away that there's no concern of annexation, yet close enough to be near convenience.

Then there's another town South of here....my girlfriend's sister lives there, yuppie town (not that she is). Anyway her lawn mower wouldn't start and since I'm a nice guy I volunteered to put a battery in it at her place. She bought the battery and then told me to take the mower home, put a battery in it and then bring it back running. I'm like my goodness I can change it in less than 5 minutes here in the driveway. Nope. City law won't let you work on anything in a residential area, period. Her ex-husband had been ticketed before for CHECKING THE OIL on his pickup before work one morning. Is that not ridiculous? They call that "working on it". $75 fine. So yes, I had to take her riding mower home, 50 miles, spend about 2 minutes replacing the battery, then bring it 50 miles BACK to her place. I even mowed her yard (and that mower cuts like poop!) I wouldn't live in that town for nothing. If I had kids (and I don't) I still wouldn't live there, period, end of story....just the concept of them telling me what to do ain't gonna work.

I'm respectful of my "neighbors", and keep my place up without all the broken down Chevy trucks in the yard, but outside town, I mostly do whatever I want and when I want. Have built a 30x40 pole barn to work out of a few years back. No building permits required no hoops to jump through.

I hope you didn't actually haul a lawn mower 100 miles. Surely a house with a mower has a garage, back yard or somewhere hidden from the street. I mean, do it under a bedsheet or at the family dollar store on the edge of town 2 instead of 50 miles....you know there is one. Or risk the stupid fine....the whole story makes no sense.

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[DFB]

Ha that was a good story but some places are like that. Honestly here the Advanced Auto/Car Quest store is a part of the local supermarket plaza along with a dollar store AND THEY change out batteries right in the parking light. Install small incidentals like wiper blades and even run some diagnostic tests the have a cart they bring out. Hoods are up in the parking lot.... Geez I blew off a heater hose last week and was loosing fluid, fixed it was just a loose clamp and pulled in the for fluid I even got water from them to make a premix and refilled my system right there in parking lot. Yup a Redneck Repair Center

 

[mmb617]

I'm sure it varies depending on where you are. Around here as long as the vehicle has current registration no one will bother you. There are restrictions on unregistered vehicles but I'm not sure exactly what they are as all mine have valid tags.

IMO most problems are caused by ******* neighbors. If everyone minds their own business you shouldn't have trouble.

 

[bczygan]

There's the rules.....and then there's the reality.

Bill

 

[bad_idea]

This is Garage Journal. You are looking for DrivewayJournal.com

My folks owned a town house when I was growing up. I had a 79 Camaro in 2000ish that needed constant attention. I was allowed to park in the parking spot in front of the house (by my father) when I had to work on the car. Rest of the time the car was parked on the street. Changed a transmission in that parking spot. I swear that car spent more time on the stands than on the asphalt. Never received a complaint from the city.

Depends on your neighbors. Piss them off and they will snitch. Push it too far and the best neighbor will lose patience and snitch. Ideally your neighbor is a decent person and will speak to you before calling the city.

I have 7 cars now at my home. Three of them are not plated - one in the garage, one in the back yard, one in the driveway. Folks don't care out here, they tend to mind their own.

 

[theoldwizard1]

My suburb is pretty cool, if you are in your back yard and not visible from the street. That being said, I do all of my maintenance fully visible from the street. Never and issue, even if the vehicle is up in the air for more than 24 hours.

Having said this, if you have multiple unregistered/unlicensed vehicles in your back yard and the neighbors start complaining, I'm sure they will find a reason to make you "tidy up" !

 

[DFB]

There's the rules.....and then there's the reality.

Bill

 

[rsanter]

Often the city does not care till someone starts complaining.