She loved the quiet life, but when her neighbor decided to install a disruptive bright light that shone over into her home, she found a new way of blocking her neighbor out!
Quiet Life
About four years ago, she lived in a nice HOA (homeowner association) in a small Texas town. She really enjoyed her life there with only one neighbor over her backyard fence.
Relaxing Space
Her backyard, approximately 2 acres in size, had the other side butted up to a hay field. It provided a lovely setting for stargazing due to the lack of light pollution. The sky was perfectly clear.
Intrusive Light
Her perfect serene scene was disrupted when her neighbor decided to install an incredibly bright security light over their back porch. She had no idea why the sudden urge for such a blinding light; it wasn’t as though they had security issues.
Invasion of Privacy
The worst aspect of it was that the security light was aimed directly at the woman’s back patio and bedroom windows. There was literally the brightest glare, pouring in through her home. It was instantly annoying.
Overcoming the Issue
Initially, she tried to ignore it but felt as though she permanently had a spotlight on her. In the end, she resorted to using shades in the bedroom to block the excessive light.
An Uncomfortable Situation
However, out on the patio, it felt like having a powerful LED headlight shining in your face all night. Outdoors, there was no getting away from the horrid, intrusive light that made her feel like she was surrounded by the FBI!
Lack of Help
Desperate for a solution, she approached her HOA to discuss adding a privacy addition to her fence to increase its height, but they denied her request because it had already reached the 8′ maximum allowed height.
A Lost Cause
They also mentioned that there was nothing in the bylaws or regulations about bright lights, so they couldn’t help. She felt as though she’d been abandoned and put in an impossible situation.
A New Tactic
In an attempt to resolve the issue, she decided to take a diplomatic approach. It seemed that there was no available professional advice, so she didn’t have much of a choice, and it might even work.
Seeking a Solution
After three years of living as neighbors without much interaction, she was hardly a problem neighbor! She walked over to her neighbor’s house with $20 and politely explained the problem.
An Ongoing Issue
She asked if there was any way they could adjust the light or redirect it to alleviate the issue. She explained how dazzling it was and that she’d struggled to wind down with it glaring at her.
A Peaceful Resolve
She even offered to buy them a case of beer out of goodwill and suggested installing a new motion-sensing light! In her mind, she actually couldn’t have done any more to be a polite, good-natured neighbor!
False Alarm
Her neighbor initially agreed to point the light downward. That was a terrific result! She was satisfied with the resolve. But after a month, no change had occurred, and the light was still very much a problem.
Keeping Cool
Disappointed by the lack of progress, she paid another visit to discuss the matter politely. Now, she was a bit more frustrated but tried to ensure that she remained calm to get the best out of the situation.
Deal Is Off
This time, her neighbor said she had changed her mind. She liked the light in its original position and after giving it some thought had decided to leave the light on as-is. Not a good answer, as far as the woman was concerned!
Getting Creative
As diplomacy had miserably failed, the woman began researching fast-growing plants that could create a privacy barrier. It was the only thing she could think of that might prevent some sort of light blockade.
Studying the Law
She then delved into the HOA bylaws and city/state ordinances, looking for regulations about planting and potential repercussions for encroaching across the property line. The last thing she needed was a violation against her name!
A Clear Winner
After googling hundreds of plants, she eventually found that running bamboo, despite being invasive, would grow quickly, creating a wall that could hide her neighbor’s house and light. And she loved bamboo, so added bonus!
Home Sweet Home
With no restrictions against planting bamboo, she started planting her Golden Bamboo next to the fence. It grew so rapidly that she couldn’t believe it, and within a year, her neighbor’s house and intrusive light had disappeared from view. In its place was a beautiful, dense bamboo jungle!
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