Town says miniature Fenway Park signs in yard must be taken down

[Intrepidation]

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- Town officials in Framingham are trying to strike out a problem.

A replicated Fenway Park in a Framingham yard is causing quite a stir.

Ryan O'Connor, 18, the teen who built it, and his family are now going to bat for their ballpark.

The miniature Fenway Park used as a wiffle ball field is adorned with signs, including a three-by-four foot Mobil sign in centerfield.

"I don't know why anyone would complain; it's not a bad field of a public nuisance at all, and the Mobil sign, I mean we're not trying to be a gas station, we just want to have some fun in the summer," O'Connor said.

But seems not everyone's a fan.

Complaints from neighbors have resulted in an ultimatum from the city: Take down the signs or face being fined.

The signs violate a bylaw that states there shall be no sign larger than two feet without a permit. The signs adorning their make shift field violate that law.

Ryan's mother Toni thinks it's just ridiculous

"A lot of people wrote to the paper and said a bunch of signs around town are illegal and not to pick on a bunch of kids, it just doesnt make sense to me," said Toni O'Connor.

The signs, which were all donated by local businesses, need to be down by Tuesday, or the family will be fined.

Framingham city officials could not make anyone available to comment on the situation.

However, Ryan's friend Joe Hauck who maintains and helped build the field thinks he may have a solution to the problem.

"I think, the neighbors, we should all get together and go to the White House...me, Obama, the building commissioner, all just go to the White House and drink some diet coke and talk about it," said Joe Hauck, Ryan's friend.

http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO121162/

[Croc]

Is it in the backyard, a sideyard, or a front yard? If it's a backyard and not visible from the street, I don't see what the big deal is. If it's visible from the street, though, it would have a negative impact on real estate values, so I would have to side with the neighbors on this one.

[Camino LS6]

The pettiness of the herd strikes again.

[Croc]

The pettiness of the herd strikes again.

Can't agree. When people put a lot of money and time into their homes, they have a strong financial investment in them. If someone else starts interfering with that equity in a negative way, and there is a law on the books, they have every right to protect their long-term investment.

Frankly, that's pretty tacky for a front yard/side yard display, because of the signs.

[ShadowDog]

..then make the sign smaller and fit within the realm of the bylaw. Done? Done.

[Croc]

If it's in the front/side yard, I'd hope they're respectful enough to also fence it in or use arbor vita or something to hide it from the street, out of respect for the neighbors.

[bobo]

This reminds me a house in Woodland, CA, where the homeowner put a replica of a 1930's gas station on the side of his house in a residential neighborhood, without the issues in Massachusetts. While technically in violation of the law, the purpose of the Mobil sign is not to advertise a business or company. It's a shame the neighbors complained about it.

http://www.sacbee.com/livinghere/story/1922688.html

[pow]

It also reminds me of a house I drove by on Latigo Canyon Road in Malibu, CA:

It was a pretty surprising sight to see after 15 miles of twisty road. The surrounding scenery was incredible, too... something about those hills seemed magical and Lord of the Rings-ish.

[Croc]

It also reminds me of a house I drove by on Latigo Canyon Road in Malibu, CA:

It was a pretty surprising sight to see after 15 miles of twisty road. The surrounding scenery was incredible, too... something about those hills seemed magical and Lord of the Rings-ish.

Drive around Palos Verdes--even more so. Early morning when the sun is rising, or later evening, as the sun is setting and the marine layer is coming in are the most magical times.

[cletus8269]

a terrible shame that. <note to self... add piss and moan club to "trick" list this halloween... flaming bags of dog doody, check.>

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

The pettiness of the herd strikes again.

Exactly... Sounds like they're just jealous because they don't have a hobby.

America: "Land of the free -- FREE TO DO WHAT I TELL YOU TO DO"

Frankly, that's pretty tacky for a front yard/side yard display, because of the signs.

Opinion.

This reminds me a house in Woodland, CA, where the homeowner put a replica of a 1930's gas station on the side of his house in a residential neighborhood, without the issues in Massachusetts. While technically in violation of the law, the purpose of the Mobil sign is not to advertise a business or company. It's a shame the neighbors complained about it.

I plan on doing that someday. To use for my personal garage.

Edited August 12, 2009 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[Robert Hall]

Must not have a covenant in the 'hood.

[Croc]

Exactly... Sounds like they're just jealous because they don't have a hobby.

No, they are genuinely worried about the effects on their home equity as a result of this.

Opinion.

That may be true, but the fact is that something like this has a negative effect on real estate prices for the surrounding lots, and maybe even the majority of the neighborhood. "Classy," or at the very least, "not tacky" yard features would not do this.

[CSpec]

I think that as long as the neighbors don't mind, it's fine. But since they do mind, there should be a system in place to fix it. The Coase Theorem says that the optimum solution is the cheapest, and I think that just taking down the signs is cheaper than building fences or landscaping work.

[z28luvr01]

Take it down and burn it, says the Yankee fan.

[CaddyXLR-V]

No, they are genuinely worried about the effects on their home equity as a result of this.

That may be true, but the fact is that something like this has a negative effect on real estate prices for the surrounding lots, and maybe even the majority of the neighborhood. "Classy," or at the very least, "not tacky" yard features would not do this.

But the real question is, why would something so petty reduce real estate prices in the area?