While I am all for every citizen keeping their yard clean, tidy and in repair, I cringe when government feels that they need to step in and enforce “tidiness.” I recently received my property tax bill from Edison Township, New Jersey. Included along with the tax bill was a flyer “Township of Edison’s Quality of Life Improvement Initiative.” The first paragraph states:

Property ownership is a sizable investment. Therefore, it is important for home and business owners to protect their investment. Local ordinances require property owners to maintain their property in good condition. This is not only to protect the community from potential nuisances, but it also benefits property owners in reminding them of how they can keep their investment in good condition.

As I property owner, I do not need to be reminded by the township of how I can keep my investment in good condition. I believe that decision is up to me. The flyer is divided into different sections with telephones numbers at the end for violations. Now, the township does not specifically tell you to rat our your neighbors, but the intent seems clear. If you don’t like what you neighbor is doing to their property, call the number and report them.

Here are some of the items to help property owners “keep their invesment in good condition”:

• Garbage Storage and Pickup – containers must be located discretely on the property (what the heck does that mean?). You can place your containers out the night before pickup, but they should be removed from the street promptly after collection. I guess if you work, you should run home to make sure your garbage can is brought back in from the street before the garbage police fine you.
• Maintenance of Sidewalk, Curbs and Gutters – You are responsible for the maintenance of all sidewalks, curbs and gutters fronting public streets AS WELL AS those within the property. You must maintain the sidewalk in good repair (again, no guidance here). “Snow and ice must be removed from sidewalks with 12 hours of daylight after snow falls or ice is formed.”
• Fences – First, if you even want a fence, you need to get permission and a zoning permit. Second, you must comply with the zoning ordinance for fence building.
• Signs – Garage sale signs are ONLY permitted on your own yard and can’t be bigger than 2 feet by 2 feet and must be removed within 25 hours of the sale. Political signs are permitted temporarily and can be posted only 60 prior to an election of political event and must be removed withint 14 days after the event or election. They can not exceed 32 square feet.
• Noise Restrictions – Lawn mowers, construction equipment or other loud equipment can be used only between the hours of 7:00am and 10:00pm Monday through Friday. On Saturdays and Sundays only between 9:00am and 8:00pm. So much for getting up early on Saturday to mow your lawn because of the oppressive heat!
• Parking Restrictions – When snow has fallen and the accumulation covers the street, no vehicles are to be parked on any of the township streets. I guess you are out of luck if you don’t have a driveway (which is the case for some residents of Edison) or if you have numerous cars that don’t fit in your driveway. Maybe you could park in a neighboring town and walk home.

These are just a few of the restrictions governing our town. Of course, I am happy that my neighbors keep their property in pretty good condition. However, I know of a least one neighbor who spends everyday taking care of his property. I am sure that he doesn’t think that the rest of us are doing quite as good a job. What he believes to be “in good repair” may not be what my neighbors think. I wonder if there were be a number of new “reportings?”

Isn’t it great to live in the land of the free?