I had a concern in regards to alley exits and entrys. I
understand there’s a law that you can’t build a fence within so
many feet to provide visibility, yet some people grow foliage that
gets so high it’s as high as the fence. On a number of occasions I
approached the exit of a driveway and nearly hit a pedestrian. Can
we find out if people can have hedges higher than four feet at
entrances and exits of alleys? Thanks.
Hedges around alleys, driveways restrict visibility of motorists
“I had a concern in regards to alley exits and entrys. I understand there’s a law that you can’t build a fence within so many feet to provide visibility, yet some people grow foliage that gets so high it’s as high as the fence. On a number of occasions I approached the exit of a driveway and nearly hit a pedestrian. Can we find out if people can have hedges higher than four feet at entrances and exits of alleys? Thanks.”
Dear Concerned,
Red Phone contacted Don Dey, traffic engineer, who said there is no ordinance regulating visibility in and around alleyways and driveways, like there is for streets and intersections.
“You don’t want to block visibility,” Dey said. “But there is nothing that allows the city to tell the property owner what to do.”
So good caller, here’s to hoping the property owner notices the obstructed view and takes care of the problem. Otherwise, stay safe.
Return to sender, good caller
“I’m calling because I got such good results the last time I called. My daughter has a boyfriend I’ve never met or talked to and he’s kind of homeless and he decided to use our mailbox for his bank statements to come. I contacted Washington Mutual and they will do nothing about it. Why don’t I have the authority to prevent the illegal use of my mailbox. I would like Washington Mutual to stop this and they do nothing about it.”
Dear Stop This,
Red Phone will put on its Dear Abby hat for a minute. Now, if your daughter is dating someone you’ve never met or talked to who is kind of homeless – Red Phone’s not sure what ‘kind of homeless’ means – you, and she, have bigger problems than someone’s bank statement showing up in your mailbox once a month. On a more serious note, when the statement arrives, write in bold red letters, “Not at this address, return to sender.” Eventually, Washington Mutual will get the message. Good luck, good caller.
Scavengers steal recycling
“I was wondering how much was paid for these new garbage trucks and cans we got for our recycling. It was my understanding we got them because it would be easier to decrease the amount of stealing from our cans. However I’ve chased away four people from my can today, trying to take my recycleables out. Hopefully, we didn’t spend too much money and waste it because it really isn’t working as far as I can see. Maybe you can check and see if the numbers are holding up and if we’re actually getting more for our buck out of those recycling cans. Thank you.”
Dear Trashed,
This problem is not unique to Gilroy, according to South Valley Disposal and Recycling General Manager Phil Couchee.
To answer your question, the new program that includes the new carts and trucks was not created to decrease the amount of stealing. It was started to make it easier and more convenient for residents to recycle. And it has worked. According to Couchee, the amount of recycling in terms of pounds collected has increased 25 to 30 percent since the program began in mid January. The new program should make it more of a hassle for scavengers because now they have to go through unsorted recycling.
“It is a deterrent to scavenging, but certainly not preventative,” he said. Residents can call police if they see someone going through the carts because it is stealing. The recycling once placed in the carts, belongs to the disposal company. And, scavengers roaming neighborhoods often leave behind messes and are a nuisance.
So good caller, do what you got to do next time you see scavengers going through recycling.
