Rachel, I'm so glad you posted an update as I've been wondering how things have been going for you this week. It's good to hear that most of your neighbors are working with you on your landscaping. Why does every neighborhood have one cranky soul who gets their jollies from making everyone else miserable? I'll keep my fingers (and toes) crossed that everything goes well for you with the historic district approval board. Hopefully they'll be pleased with your plans and realize that although you made a mistake, you're doing your level best to improve the property and the area property values. Best of luck and please post another update!

Sorry to hear about your troubles. It's so frustrating to have to deal with the town councils, etc. sometimes. I always feel so torn about it; we have our property which is our own little corner of the earth (and which we often pay dearly for) and then there are all these rules about what we can do with it. And I see why there need to be rules but sometimes it seems excessive.

It sounds like you are going way out of your way to do the right thing and I'm hoping that the historical committee will see that too. Best of luck to you and thanks for the update.

Just curious, what can the HDC do besides scold you? They can't exactly make you put the dead trees back :-)

thanks for the update -- I'm glad the neighbors have softened. I feel your pain, having previously lived in a historic neighborhood and having to wait HOURS for a simple approval to come up . . . .

The HDC could fine us, but the city planner feels like he'd rather us put the money into trees than pay any fines.

At least we won't have to wait hours. We will probably be just about the only things on the agenda.

if there are fines, make your contractor pay them. or take them off the bill. he should have known better. just accentuate the positive! good luck.

Hi Rachel..

I was reading your post to my husband, and the first words out of his mouth were, "She should sue her builder." I don't know if this is good advice or not. He's not a lawyer. But maybe the fines you are charged should at least be paid by your builder.

KA:)

Sorry to hear about these bumps in your road, Rachel! Still, the fact that most of the neighbors have calmed down and, in fact, are now working with you on your plans is really helpful. Plus, it looks like the hold-out curmudgeon will be mollified by a privacy fence. So that leaves the HDC as your biggest worry for the moment. Have you talked with any of the friendlier neighbors about how best to work with the HDC? Who will be making your case before that body? You, your builder? A landscaper? I ask because here in NYC, for example, homeowners in historic districts who are looking for the city preservation commission to approve exterior alterations, usually retain the services of an architect and/or builder who has a track record of getting plans approved before that body. If you've not already considered bringing in an outside "expert" to help you make your case with these plans, you might want think about doing that.

Good luck!

I could say a lot, but not sure you need any of it. Instead, I'll just send

(((((HUGS)))))

You never know what will happen with your neighbors. In my old neighborhood, we had some friends who had built on an interior lot. There was nothing behind them for quite a while. They got quite used to all their privacy when suddenly the lot behind them was staked out and a house was going in. They were pretty upset and did a lot of complaining. There was nothing they could do...until the soon to be new neighbors built a play house for their kids. It was adorable--quite well done, and a miniature version of the house they were building. Our friends complained to the neighborhood association--it was against the covenants to have anything like that without approval. Of course, there was a lot of bad feelings between the two families. They could see eachother from their kitchen windows--yet they did not speak.
Making a long story short...they ended up being best friends!! I mean really close friends. You just never know how things will turn out. I hope you and your husband end up with a similar ending.