Dispute between neighbors – this is a true story.
A city councilman in Utah, Mark Easton, had a beautiful view of the east Mountains until a new neighbor purchased the lot below his house and built a new home. The home was 18 inches higher than the ordinances would allow, so Mark Easton, mad about his lost view, went to the city to make sure they enforced the lower roof line ordinance.
The new neighbor had to drop the roof line at great expense. Recently, Mark Easton called the city, and informed them that his new neighbor had installed some vents on the side of his home. Mark did not like the looks of the vents and asked the city to investigate. When they went to Mark’s home to view the vents, this is what they found………………
HERE IS MARK’S VIEW NOW! ARE YOU MAD NOW, MARK?
Filed under: Brainless Pictures, From the Desk, On a Serious Side, Outrageous, Stupid people, WTF? | Tagged: don't get mad-- get even, neighbors feuding, WTF? |
Brainlessworld (brainlessworld.net) 
OMG !!! That is the funniest thing I’ve seen in a long time.
He should have kept his mouth shut, huh?
that is a great way to get even, no law broken there. God I hate politicians now more than ever. Way to go councilman.
[…] Don’t get mad – there’s always another way – get even!! [Brainlessworld] : Blame It On The Voices […]
To those of you who are siding with the homeowner who is NOT in compliance w/ordinances–if you hate laws so much, you’re welcome to live in WV, where you can have an unobstructed view of a trailer park, landfill, or worse.
Or try the beach in NC, where huge homes are obstructing views there.
I hope the homeowner giving the finger can’t sell his house someday; he’s the jerk in this situation.
Awesome 🙂 Abstract art representing a cactus is great too.
@hadenuf sorry, but you fail to put things into perspective. This isn’t about “he’s totally neglecting each and every law and has to fucking pay for it”, but “he failed to know the details of each and every law and has unintentionally broken a single one, which wouldn’t have harmed anybody wouldn’t it be for a grumpy neighbor and pea counter”.
Personally, I think pea counters have to make up for something.
I can see both sides. Although the councilman should have reported the “infraction” earlier (before the roof was complete), the offending homeowner (the one breaking the law) should ALWAYS check the local laws whenever there’s new construction. That’s just common sense. Your plans must be approved by the city and shouldn’t be deviated from.
I learned this the hard way, btw.
[…] So, this is kinda completely awesome. Some guy was building his house – sadly for him a) he built his house 18 inches taller than he was allowed and b) his house was in the view of a city councilman. Outcome? He had to drop his roof 18 inches at his own expense. Now granted, breaking the rules is breaking the rules, but still… 18 inches? Who even notices that? Happily for the internet, he seems to have gotten even by putting up this creative shutter arrangement right in line of said councilman. That’s totally what I’m talking about. Click through for some more pictures of the councilman’s view. […]
In reference hadenuf’s posting above, have you ever been to Northern West Virginia? That area is some of the most beautiful and pristine undeveloped land in the US and the views are absolutely amazing. I know a county where the locals were protesting to keep a radio tower from being built because the red flashing light would degrade their night sky.
The guy above was pissed because the urban sprawl growing around him was killing his view of the mountains. If the councilman liked his mountains so much, maybe he should get a new job, move out of town, and live in those mountains instead of being in town… he is living in Utah (or he could move to West Virginia). If the mountains really aren’t that important to him, then he might have to realize that he is now living in a town which will likely become a city and in a few years some developer will get the zoning laws changed a drop a high rise hotel on top of were those funny vents used to be.
Hey folks. The City Councilman was not only protecting his view, he was protecting the system. As a City Councilman, he had probably learned the expensive lesson that an ordinance that is not uniformly enforced may not be enforceable at all. And, compliance is a binary state – You either comply or you do not comply. Many a town has paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to find that de minimis violations wind up permitting a really bad violation to stand. The real key to being a City Councilman is that this guy knew that the other guy was violating the law – and how to solve the problem.
As for the finger, I bet it will actually enhance the home value because it will make such a funny story for the next home owner. And, the guy who built the roof vents is the one with the challenge, because most of the grown-ups I know will not be amused that their house is giving a neighbor the finger.
I doubt 18 inches makes a big difference for the councilmans view, what i know for sure is that it is always better to have a friend as an neighbour then an enemy.
I wonder what the councilman would have done if his brothers house was build 18 inches to high..
Wood said he would remove the vent cover art if he received apologies from his neighbors. When, a week later, Mark Easton “expressed to him that I am sorry for any discomfort that I have caused his family or him, and that I had no intent to do any harm to him when I called the city with my concern about safety,” Wood apparently found that sufficient and took down the controversial abstract “cactus.”
http://www.snopes.com/photos/risque/ventcover.asp
This is NOT about right and wrong – Mark Easton was just being a selfish ass trying to throw around his stuck up “I’m better than you” government title. He got what he deserved!
A bad neighbour is never happy even if you do nice things around. Bad neighbours have a common disease. An incurable disease! They are all alike. Very hostile!! White,Black,Latin,Asian;they are all the same. They behave like co-wives. Mr. Mark Easton did not like the obstraction from the 18 inch stuff,but that daily insult will create some 2 permanent ugly lines on his face.[from the sides of his nose down to his mouth!!] Lord help people with no commonsense. What will he do if the whole place is turned into an industrial park? He is just a sad little heart living in prison of jelous and hatred.God bless such people!
Just had wisdom tooth pulled,laughing and crying! I love it,too funny. Thanks.
[…] January 17, 2008 · No Comments https://brainlessworld.wordpress.com/2007/12/26/dont-get-mad-theres-always-another-way-get-even/1061/ […]
Brilliant.
It is amazing what a scorned neighbor can come up with.
He is hero of the day.
sounds like a classic case of “grass is always greener on the other side…until you get there”
=))
I’m bummed that he took it down. $25k is enough for me to be pissed forever!
OMG!!!! I loved it, Cool.
This is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time! I laughed too hard!
On the vents, did the owner pay cash, or did he use money provided by a local lender? Not all bankers have a sense of humor, especially when it comes to business relationships with local government. Like you said, there is always a way to get even…cost over runs, expensive legal proceedings, forclosure. Better to back off, act like adults, and settle out of court.
first thing anyone should do when they build is check local codes.
unless the guy greased someone that house would never have passed inspection so it would have had to be fixed anyways.
and when/if he had to sell, it would have to be fixed.
the guy that built the house, his contractors and architects are the ones that are in the wrong here.
building height requirements are there for a reason…what makes him feel he’s so special that he’s above the law that applies to everyone else.
easton was an asshole. 18 inches from that distance made no difference in terms of his being able to view the mountains. Naturally nobody would be happy to have any house obscuring their view of the mountains. However if somebody buys a lot where they can build a house what does he expect? If he wanted an unobscured view he should have bought the lot in front of him. He got exactly what he deserved and in fact , the “offender” taking down the finger for a mere lame apology does not compensate him for the financial losses and aggravation.
I love this one. Any update on whether it had to be take down?
He should have just planted some fast growing trees that would block the view totally, lol
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The guy with the stupid vents is an idiot. He (his builder) made a mistake and he created a stink when he got called on it. And anyone who takes this guy’s side is also an idiot. A pathetic, antisocial idiot loser.
And he accepted defeat by taking the vents out in the end. What exactly did he gain? If he’d made sure the house was built properly, this would never have happened.