Man with backyard collection convicted of littering

[The Straight Story]

Man with backyard collection convicted of littering


Rian White, who has a 6-foot-tall smiling hot dog in his backyard, became convinced the Town of East Hampton was after him last year, after he was served with a half-dozen summonses for littering, failing to have a certificate of occupancy for his makeshift shed and having an illegal sign.

His belief turned to certainty in October, he said, when the town sent a work crew to his yard in Springs, which was filled with years of accumulated collectibles. The crew came complete with a garbage truck and a big trash bin, and gave him a letter saying the cleanup costs would be added to his tax bill. "They had hazmat suits on," he said.

Town law gave the town the authority to clean up his property, although workers left his stuff alone.

But what really pushed him over the edge was what happened when a jury was being picked a week ago to hear his littering case. "The supervisor's wife and daughter were in the jury pool," White said.

...

White has been living in his modest house for 19 years, and said the only person upset about his eclectic collection - an iron stove, a boat, chairs, the hot dog statue, lumber, a tractor seat and assorted other things - was the grandson of a neighbor, who complained to the town eight or nine years ago. A former contractor, he accumulated a lot of wood, windows and other construction-related items over the years, with the idea of someday using them to build a house. Now, he plans to sell it all on eBay. "I wouldn't mind making some money," he said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/crime/ny-listat236009127jan23,0,116161.story

[Systematic Chaos]

1. That *does* sound like a lot of clutter, sorry to say.

Without pictures, there's no way to judge whether he's the victim of a conspiracy, or really does have a trash dump in his back yard.

:shrug:

[bunnies]

4. So that gives the town the right to invade private property?

I dont think so.

[nichomachus]

6. Bullshit

Try living next door to someone like this and see how you like it.

My elderly parents had a neighbor like for years. The place was a dump -- and I mean just like a landfill -- inside and outside.

The first time the city came in, they removed 45 tons of trash -- most of it from inside the house. Then, they let the people go back into the house. The city has had to clean it out four more times.

One time, after they had moved the occupants out yet again, my sister was over talking to one of the city officials in the yard. A guy from a contracting company came to bid on the cleanup. He went into the house and about three minutes later came running out, ran over to a bush, and started puking. The city worker said to my sister, "Yeah, that happens a lot."

People do not have a right to build a dump next to your house.

[Warpy]

9. Actually, I did.

I knew he was there when I bought the place. When people far down the street came around with a petition to get him to clean up his property (which was a working mini farm), I told them to go pound sand. I knew why had had all that stuff scattered around. He was using it.

Every one of his adjacent neighbors gave them the same advice, I'm happy to say.

I can see alerting the town if the "public nuisance" contains drums full of unknown substances or is a health hazard because of rodents or mosquitoes, but if a neighbor's junk pile offended me so horribly, I'd put up a fence.

I treasure neighborhood screwballs, junk collectors and folk art builders.

[Lucinda]

10. "I treasure neighborhood screwballs, junk collectors and folk art builders."

Me too.

[TahitiNut]

15. Me three. He's my favorite neighbor.

:thumbsup:

[8 track mind]

22. Me Too!!!

Colorful old chap to say the least. I'm an amateur machinist and he occasionally gets material/metal that i can use. Doesn't cost me much, i do some small engine work for the guy every now and then. Damn good neighbor to have!

on edit:

He's not to the point of it being a eyesore or danger to himself. He has everything somewhat organized. A tidy pack rat.

[TahitiNut]

24. "Tie Dye Tom" is a carpenter and handyman. He's the "Greenest" guy around.

Wood-burning stove ... hand wash ... air dry ... VERY little put out at the curb each week ... collects rainwater ... has a truck garden with all kinds of veggies ... composts. He's helped me do maintenance -- painted garage and front dormer. He snow-blowed my place last year (I gladly paid him) and this year (I got a snow-blower) we 'team up' to clear neighbor's front sidewalks and driveway aprons, etc. (I have sciatica that makes it very painful after a while.) We both believe in neighborhood and owner-operated businesses and 'politics is local' and being good to each other and our environment. No overwrought zeal or angry activism ... just doing the best we each can.

Born in 1957, Tom was a bit young to be part of the Hippie Generation of communes and such ... but he takes it to heart. Good guy. Here in muddle-class suburbia, he's a bit of an anomaly. He'd fit in more in a rural setting.

[DemBones DemBones]

23. Me four. Why do we all have to be the same?

Unless what someone has on their property is a health hazard to neighbors, it's the property owner's business.

[frylock]

11. here are your pics..

and this is bullshit.

[crispini]

12. That's NOTHING.

Good lord, some of my neighbors' houses look just like this. This case is ridiculous.

Now, I *do* think that some people who "hoard" can turn their backyards into dumps. Unfortunately we have one of those in our neighborhood too. She would go around and pick plastic bottles out of people's recycling bins and stow them in her backyard. She had rats. THAT's not 'weird and folksy,' that's just a health menace and a mental illness that needs to be treated.

[frylock]

18. i agree..

but this guy doesn't seem to fit the profile. i also like how it was just a *coincidence* that the sup's wife and daughter were in the jury pool.

[AlCzervik]

16. that's it?

i've seen way worse where i live.

[TahitiNut]

19. Good grief! That doesn't even warrant a second look. That's nothing.

Sheesh! :eyes:

[PVnRT]

25. That's "clutter"?

Give me a fucking break.

[hedgehog]

26. I told my daughter that that yard didn't look bad to me, and she answered

"Well, you're from Fulton!"

And referenced the fact that the Fulton City Council recently banned upholstered furniture (old couches) from people's front yards. (I think it's still OK to have them on a covered porch; the city council compromised on demanding protection from the elements.)

Our town had a big brouhaha last year. The Town Board had several people on it who were convinced that all it will take is a little re-zoning to make their land valuable to developers. Naturally, the said rezoning would effect their neighbors' land use!

I think the ag districts were saved and people are still allowed to install a house trailer, but all lawn tractors now have o be in a shed or garage!

[ozu]

30. nice

That hotdog statue is all kinds of awesome.

I want one for my living room.

[NJmaverick]

8. I would agree with your assessment

[spinbaby]

2. I've got one of those in my neighborhood

Among other objects, he's got a boat with a TREE growing through it. I wish the township would take an interest in making him clean up his act.

[bunnies]

3. Thats bullshit.

His land = his land. Period.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[frylock]

13. he doesn't live in a fucking HOA..

i saw your post, and it doesn't seem to apply in this case. not even close.

[pleah]

20. I agree.

[dysfunctional press]

5. as long as it doesn't cause an immediate danger to other people...

i do not agree AT ALL with cities/townships that go onto people's private property against the owner's wishes, to clean up "clutter". part of the same reason that i would NEVER choose to live anywhere that had a "neighborhood association".
people should have a right to live as they choose on their own propety, so long as it doesn't endanger another person's life.

[Gin]

14. sometimes construction materials and clutter attracts rats.......

[kristopher]

21. So do fields and woods...

Perhaps we should just pave everything and have done with all that yucky stuff.

[dysfunctional press]

28. often times they don't. and rats can be just as attracted by 'water features' in a garden

as well as by stuff that's stored in a garage.

so? :shrug:

[DS1]

17. And get rid of those damn Fraggles while yer at it!

[PVnRT]

27. So much for the inviolate right of private property

Yet another reason I would prefer not to live in a subdivision or anything like that. If it does not infringe on your rights or health, fuck off and mind your own business.

[Javaman]

29. As long as he's not cooking meth, constructing bombs, stock piling weapons

I could give a damn.

the problem with these tools that want this guy to clean up his yard is simple; they are control freaks who have very little lives and feel the need to control other people. period.

quite honestly, his yard looks pretty typical of most yards and guys like him usually are limitless resources of information regarding just about anything.

If I was stuck on and Island, he's the guy I would want to help me out. Him and Mary Louise Parker. ;) LOL

[surrealAmerican]

31. Anybody know this neighborhood?

If I had to guess, I'd say it's gone upscale in the last 19 years, and his neighbors think his place is bringing down their "property values".