When your kids want a treehouse but minivan is life

"Long-Voyager" (long-voyager)
06/12/2018 at 17:30 • Filed to: Kids, treehouse, Minivan

Was planning on adding a spiral tube slide from the back, climbing ladder to the slider side, and a “sound machine” so the kids could pretend to be driving.

The neighbors and kids thought it was amazing. Sadly the village did not, even after trying to get an answer on doing this (to no avail, so we went for it), and ended up making me remove it.

DISCUSSION (41)

AestheticsInMotion > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 17:37

I wish we were neighbors.

CalzoneGolem > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 17:38

1. How did you get it up there?

2. Why would those heartless bastards make you take it down?

E92M3 > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 17:38

I was about to say, our HOA management company would call me before the day was over.

Long-Voyager > AestheticsInMotion
06/12/2018 at 17:40

Sadly the neighbors weren’t the problem, it was the “ritzy” people from the other side of town who happened to be in the area for a VFW cookout that had issue with it.

That’s alright, we have plans to build a wooden minivan replica to put in it’s place. It will be bright pink, with glow in the dark clearcoat, and there isn’t a damn thing they can do about it because there are no regulations on treehouses. Thinking “THSBTTR” will make a great license plate.

Long-Voyager > CalzoneGolem
06/12/2018 at 17:41

1. Friend with a boom truck.

2. Because the ritzy people across town had an issue with it the only time they’ve ever been on our side of town for a VFW cookout.

Long-Voyager > E92M3
06/12/2018 at 17:47

It was up for 2 hrs before the local cop showed up.

He then sat and BS’ed with us for the next hour about it and was extremely sad to have to give me the removal notice. He went so far as forcing the board to find a legit ordinance it violated before giving me the notice.

Would have been nice if they would have just given an answer before we did it and saved all the hassle, but no one could answer the question, nor could they find any reason not to.

AestheticsInMotion > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 17:47

I REALLY wish we were neighbors.

AestheticsInMotion > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 17:48

Also, how did you get the van up there? I’m guessing the body is still pretty heavy even stripped?

Long-Voyager > AestheticsInMotion
06/12/2018 at 17:49

Friend with a boom truck, took all of about an hour to get it done and lag bolted into the tree.

Long-Voyager > AestheticsInMotion
06/12/2018 at 17:53

What can I say, I don’t get even, I get revenge.........;)

Aremmes > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 17:55

So, did the board find the relevant ordinance? And wouldn’t another ordinance provide recourse for the board failing to respond to requests within a reasonable time frame?

That’s a good cop, FWIW.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 18:02

Top ten reasons to live out in the boonies

Spanfeller is a twat > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 18:03

Can an HOA bother you if you put up a perimeter wall?

Urambo Tauro > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 18:05

Sadly the village did not, even after trying to get an answer on doing this (to no avail, so we went for it) , and ended up making me remove it.

Something something better to ask forgiveness than permission?

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 18:29

Eh, I’ll be pro HOA here. That looks trashy AF.

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 19:59

Just a reminder that HOAs deliberately go out of their way to be dicks because since when did a HOA ever allow for anything fun

winterlegacy, here 'till the end > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 19:59

Get some fake wood grain paneling and make it look like a first gen Caravan.

BaconSandwich is tasty. > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 20:20

You need to do that!

E92M3 > Long-Voyager
06/12/2018 at 21:59

There’s a local guy that lives off a side road (not a neighborhood), that had a 70's Chevy C-10 sitting on his yard. Had been sitting there for probably 10 years. It was behind some shrubs so it was hard to even catch your eye, unless you’re an enthusiast. They built a new neighborhood about a 1/2 mile down the road, and they started complaining. They found an ordinance saying vehicles cannot be parked on grass.

So he cuts down the bushes, builds a huge planter like box out of landscape timber, and fills it with gravel. Then he welded up 4 supersized jack stand things to place the truck on, and has landscape lighting, lighting the whole thing up at night.

I’d love to have a beer with this gentleman.

Long-Voyager > E92M3
06/13/2018 at 07:11

That is awesome!

Long-Voyager > winterlegacy, here 'till the end
06/13/2018 at 07:12

I would never buy in an HOA neighborhood.

Long-Voyager > Aremmes
06/13/2018 at 07:13

They classified it under the junk/derelict vehicle ordinance.

Even though in the ordinances vehicles can be re-purposed for other things.

Long-Voyager > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)
06/13/2018 at 07:15

Almost like there’s this option your missing: Don’t worry about what’s in my yard!

Kinja'd!!!

Long-Voyager > Urambo Tauro
06/13/2018 at 07:17

Pretty much. Searched ordinances ourselves, talked to the village board, talked to the cops. No one could give us an answer, so we said screw it. They had 2 weeks of watching me get it ready to put it there that they could have said something, but nope, wait til we get done and get the equipment put away, then decide it’s an issue.

Long-Voyager > Spanfeller is a twat
06/13/2018 at 07:17

No HOA, no idea.

Long-Voyager > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles
06/13/2018 at 07:18

That is our next move. We have about 7 yrs left on our house. As soon as it’s paid off, we’re out.

Spanfeller is a twat > Long-Voyager
06/13/2018 at 07:23

Then who is bothering you? And could they bother you if you had a perimeter wall?

Long-Voyager > Spanfeller is a twat
06/13/2018 at 07:32

Being it could be seen over the wall, yes.

The people across town complained directly to village board members. The board members found an ordinance it violated to get it removed.

Spanfeller is a twat > Long-Voyager
06/13/2018 at 07:35

I mean, what about the back yard?

I think its ugly, but its not my business to dictate was is or isn’t. Unless you’re producing a lot of light pollution or sound pollution. In that case I’d go to the village board. But not for that treehouse!

Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now) > Long-Voyager
06/13/2018 at 08:49

I don’t, but if I was your neighbor I might. No need to turn suburbia into a salvage yard.

Aremmes > Long-Voyager
06/13/2018 at 10:05

If you feel inclined to do it, you could fight them on the re-purposing aspect. A chassis without a powertrain, suspension, and other running gear cannot be reasonably considered a vehicle — it certainly isn’t an automobile, nor could it be towed by another vehicle. Derelict vehicle ordinances usually exist to deter abandoned vehicles, which certainly doesn’t apply to your case since you made an attempt to make active use of the chassis.

Long-Voyager > Bman76 (hates WS6 hoods, is on his phone and has 4 burners now)
06/13/2018 at 10:06

Likewise, I talked to all my neighbors about it before doing so. All my neighbors thought it was an amazing idea.

That being said, a van on a tree for a kids playhouse looks far better to us than the neighbors with shit stacked behind their garages, or kids toys scattered around the yard, or old farm equipment rotting in the front yard, but all of those are totally fine.

Long-Voyager > Spanfeller is a twat
06/13/2018 at 10:10

No good place for it in the back yard and the backyard neighbors let their kids run wild, so I’d rather not deal with the liability. That’s why the kids new swingset went in the side yard away from them.

Long-Voyager > Aremmes
06/13/2018 at 10:17

I thought about it, but it just wasn’t worth it. I’ll just do one better since there is no regulation on treehouses: Build a wooden minivan replica to put in it’s place. It will be bright pink, with glow in the dark clearcoat, and there isn’t a damn thing they can do about it because there are no regulations on treehouses. Thinking “THSBTTR” will make a great license plate.

Aremmes > Long-Voyager
06/13/2018 at 11:53

Make sure to include provisions for the van’s seats in the “tree van”. Maybe even carry over the body panels from the van too. And don’t forget to post the indubitably glorious results here on Obbo.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long-Voyager
06/14/2018 at 15:46

Kinja'd!!!

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Urambo Tauro
06/14/2018 at 15:55

How I’d have rolled...

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long-Voyager
06/14/2018 at 15:56

Now, paint the tree stump bright red.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > winterlegacy, here 'till the end
06/14/2018 at 15:58

Politics as religion. I cannot imagine selling my home owning soul to an HOA.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Long-Voyager
06/14/2018 at 16:01

They could write one, pass it, find you in violation. Maybe better to let this one go. But definitely paint the stump.

Long-Voyager > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo
06/14/2018 at 16:04

It would be grandfathered in.

At least until we sold the house.