Shielding barn and arena from new neighbors, ideas?

[MSP]

After 15 years of being next to an empty lot I now have new neighbors beginning to build. They have 3 acres but have decided to place a telephone pole light and work shop on the property line near my barn and arena.

To say I am displeased is an understatement. The light was mounted so that it shines on my property and the barn. I am concerned about noises in the work shop spooking the horses while I or the kids ride.

They are motor heads so I am guessing the work shop is automotive in nature. My barn is about 58’ off the property line but my arena is inches from the property line. They haven’t begun to build the workshop but it could be 10’ to 50’ off property line depending on whether our deed restrictions are still valid.

So, what are my options to block light and reduce sound?

I was thinking that a line of trees like Leyland Cypress would block the light but I don’t know about sound. Anyone have any experience with what works and what doesn’t? How thick does it need to be?

In order to put in trees on the arena edge I will need to move back my fence and loose some length in my arena. This will cost me which is also very aggravating.

[GoForAGallop]

[QUOTE=MSP;7866469]
After 15 years of being next to an empty lot I now have new neighbors beginning to build. They have 3 acres but have decided to place a telephone pole light and work shop on the property line near my barn and arena.

To say I am displeased is an understatement. The light was mounted so that it shines on my property and the barn. I am concerned about noises in the work shop spooking the horses while I or the kids ride.

They are motor heads so I am guessing the work shop is automotive in nature. My barn is about 58’ off the property line but my arena is inches from the property line. They haven’t begun to build the workshop but it could be 10’ to 50’ off property line depending on whether our deed restrictions are still valid.

So, what are my options to block light and reduce sound?

I was thinking that a line of trees like Leyland Cypress would block the light but I don’t know about sound. Anyone have any experience with what works and what doesn’t? How thick does it need to be?

In order to put in trees on the arena edge I will need to move back my fence and loose some length in my arena. This will cost me which is also very aggravating.[/QUOTE]

Honestly, hearing random noises on the other side of the bushes will be scarier to your horses than taking a week to simply get used to the fact that someone now lives there. Maybe it’s the horse folks I grew up with, but I’d get a lot of rolled eyes if I complained about not being able to ride my horses because there might be noises from buildings.

For privacy, you can’t beat a wood fence. And it won’t take up much space.

There may be regulations about light pollution in your town, so that you can ask them to have the light off by a certain time. Or just be nice about it right from the get-go, and it will likely be no big deal. Perhaps they can re-aim it.

I’m going to nicely remind you that YOU could have bought that property, and chose not to. So you now have no right to be grumpy about the people moving in. Be nice to them, as it might be handy to have some gear heads nearby. It is much, much easier to get along with your neighbors than to start a war with them the day they move in…

[Highflyer]

I wouldn’t expect normal shop noises to upset your horses that much. Why not wait a bit and see if it’s an issue before you go nuts with moving fencelines and stuff?

[candyappy]

It will be safer if they can see what is making the noise. They will get used to the comings and goings of your neighbors pretty quickly. The lights and close neighbors may just prove to make things safer for your property. They have the fast growing windbreaks that you can plant if you need the privacy, but it won’t do much for noise if they are that close.

[SLW]

Will it be a dawn to dusk light?? If so, the light shining on your barnlot and arena is a safety benefit that you aren’t having to pay for. If it was shining in my bedroom windows I would have to speak to them about placement.

The noises, known and unknown, won’t be an issue once the horses get use to them.

For general privacy the Leland Cypress would be good. Why would you have to loose very much arena space to put a row of those in?

OP- I feel your pain. We’ve lived on our place for 21 years and had the whole darn corner to ourselves. The former neighbors catty corner to us- who’s property backs up to us- worked in the city. Beside us across a 12 acre hay field was another couple with grown children who worked in the city. No one was ever home during the week days and on the weekends it was limited activity. In the past 14 months both places sold, both were bought by retirees and both have youngish adult children who live in the city. Most weekends one or the other has the adult kids and grandkids out for the day or weekend. So now we have Gators and ATV’s zooming over the fields, target practice with various pistols and bonfires. 4th of July has become a pain in the butt. It’s taken some getting use to because I’m very content with my geezerhood status. None of it has bothered my horses. No way could we have bought those places with large homes and acreage but if something suitable comes our way we would move in a nanno-second.

[MSP]

Let me clarify a little more.

We asked to buy the property many times and we also asked him to give us first chance at it before putting it on the market. He promised he would! My new neighbor is a real-estate agent and she tracked him down and managed to talk him into selling over the course of 6 months, for far less then he told us what he would want. He just never gave us a chance to buy it and never put it on the market.

Automotive work shop noises… guys playing loud music, large block engines revving, sanding, grinding and compressor noise. Yes, I will wait to see how bad it is before I move my fence but the horses are not going to see anything if the noises are coming from inside a building.

I fail to see the logic of putting up a light and having 50% of it shining on your neighbor’s property. The light is like a street light, very tall, comes on at dusk and off at dawn.

And then finally, I foster rescue horses many are un-tame and I prefer to have quiet when working with them for my own safety. In general my peaceful home of 15 years has been disrupted and I simply can’t stand it and don’t want to see these people or their cars, trailers and lights.

Sounds echo around here and I really would like to find a way to minimize it.

[arapaloosa_lady]

[QUOTE=MSP;7866655]
In general my peaceful home of 15 years has been disrupted and I simply can’t stand it and don’t want to see these people or their cars, trailers and lights. [/QUOTE]

It sounds like you had a country retreat that is now being suburbanized.
Frustrating? yes
But you’re getting very angry over the potential of something irritating, which is not the way to build neighborly relations. Depending on how rural you are, there may be rules on light and noise pollution & you can insist on that. I think you’re just going to need to adjust your attitude, although that’s easier said than done.

Horses adjust pretty quickly to busy areas. Honestly, I think horses spook less when there’s lots of noise going on because they get so used to it - much scarier to have a deer jump out when everything’s been dead quiet.

Tall wood fences are easy enough to install for some privacy. I think spooky things are worse from behind a fence, though. Trees don’t do much more for noise, IMO, although they may do a little to deaden the sound.

[AmarachAcres]

I’m sorry you didn’t get a chance to buy the property, but I hear nothing about trying to talk to the new neighbors.

It sounds like you are already gearing up for worst case scenario. They probably know nothing about horses. Perhaps go over with a pie, welcome them to the neighborhood and find a way to breech neighborly concerns.

Say you would like to be a good neighbor to them and should you let them know if people are prowling around when you aren’t home? Oh, would you let me know if you spot a fence down or a horse out?

That can lead into a better understanding of each other.

[AmarachAcres]

[QUOTE=arapaloosa_lady;7866668]

Horses adjust pretty quickly to busy areas. Honestly, I think horses spook less when there’s lots of noise going on because they get so used to it - much scarier to have a deer jump out when everything’s been dead quiet. [/QUOTE]

I agree!

We live in a neighborhood with other horse properties and many non horse properties. Our neighbors without horses are fantastic about letting us know of upcoming events or if we have a fence issue, etc…

The kids zoom around on dirt bikes. Guess what? Out on a trail ride one wizzed past us and my horse barely blinked. I should thank those kids.

There are pros and cons to everything.

[js]

Give it some time and see how your horses behave. The security light is really a benefit in my book. I don’t see any issue with that unless it shines in your house windows otherwise, I would say that is a good thing. Wait it out and see how things go. Try being the good neighbor first, if its a garage and repair guys they might come in handy! Horses adapt well hopefully yours will.

[Chief2]

We have a landscape business, a race car repair garage, and a tour bus station alongside two sides of the barn. Lots of noise, and one garage burns wood for heat, so we also get lots of smoke. We have well over 40 horses on the property, some from rescues, and all adjust very quickly to the noise and smoke. I would say in less than a day they are fine.

Acoustically speaking, sound rises as it travels, so unless you insulate or soundproof that side of the barn, you are fighting a losing battle with this one. If that wall is already insulated (you can also cut styrofoam panels and fit them into the doors if you have garage doors to cut down some more noise) then that’s about the best you are going to get.

Visually, if you are looking at plants to help you out, I would second Leyland Cypress, or Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae. The latter come in sizes that can go up to 40 feet and will screen out just about any monstrosity. A friend of mine has a hedge of it separating her property from the neighboring farmers land, and it is fabulous! Another friend has a nice little farm house, and developers put in a 3-story monstrosity behind her backyard. It looks like something out of the Munster Family. She is ripping out her 20-foot arborvitae and putting in the Thuja Giants. I also know of someone who put in white pine along her property line to screen out a neighbor, which is lovely. The only downfall for you may be the whispering sound they make when the wind blows through them. If you have to ride by them to get to the trails, you may want to go back to the other plant choices, instead.

As for the light, I would gladly take the safety factor involved and not complain. We have that issue as well. While aesthetically not pleasing, it does light up the parking lot, and provide a beacon to aim for when bringing in the horses from deep in the pasture during a snowstorm. You have to live with it, though, not me. Maybe there is a shield attachment that can be added to that model of light to cast the glow downwards instead of upwards/outwards. Good luck!

[MSP]

The light really bugs me. I feel like I am living in the city now. I feel less secure like anyone can see the barn and it makes it more inviting for trouble. Funny that so many of you wouldn’t mind that. I am thinking hedge trees vs fence because I want to block the light. There is not enough room to plant anything between the arena fence and the property line, so fence would have to move. I know I am probably over reacting but every week there is something else and it is getting to be too much.

My husband and I are the only ones that have greeted them. Our neighborhood is mostly made of people who want to be left alone and keep to themselves. Ditto here! My first impression was not positive. She seemed pleased that she snatched the land out from under us. They believe their dogs should be free to roam, I informed them that I have chickens and cats. I’ll let them figure out what that means! Get the paint ball gun ready.

They love to show up to hang out on the land at about the time I ride. They drive by fast and have lots of family, sometimes 6 trucks all pulling trailers! The first time they came in with the full entourage one trailer had a fridge on the back. They park the stuff on the land. They are a hoot!

That part makes me laugh; just watching the red neck neighbors. See what they are hauling into the land this weekend! At least they can’t put a trailer on the property, bless their hearts. I may need to get heavily medicated to make it through this.

[Prime_Time_Rider]

Check with your local town or county regarding zoning ordinances. We once had neighbors with several abandoned vehicles on their property, including an old school bus. Fortunately, there were zoning ordinances that prohibited them parking non functioning vehicles on their property, and they were forced to have them all towed.

[alto]

[QUOTE=MSP;7866803]
The light really bugs me. I feel like I am living in the city now. I feel less secure like anyone can see the barn and it makes it more inviting for trouble. [/QUOTE]

There is a shield that can be placed on the light re-directing/blocking spillage into your yard, sort out where to buy one etc, then offer to have it installed.

(you may be able to approach your town/county about this but likely fastest to just do it yourself)

I must admit I’m surprised that your arena & your neighbor’s shop can be placed so close to the property line.

A thick hedge such as laurel will definitely help block sound, check what will grow fast & furious in your area (don’t forget the internal wire fence to block dog access).
Any physical wall barrier will help with sound, so consider your options.

A pond etc with waterfall/fountain will provide some white noise.

[back_in_the_saddle]

Berm with trees and shrubs.

[PeanutButterPony]

She’s in Mississippi. I’m surprised a single wide isn’t required. All this talk about zoning and restrictions is cute. Many places are still WFO with regard to rules.

MSP, I’m sorry that you’re saddened and frustrated by these changes.all those fussing at you deserve a poultry plant to move in next to them. So they can take a pie to someone and change everything.

[HungarianHippo]

You can spray the inside of the yard lamp glass with black high-temperature paint (like appliance paint). Paint just the side that faces the barn or other civilization. If you paint the inside surface, it’s not noticeable during daylight hours. And just paint the glass surface facing you (we did this for a yard light on our own property, to cut the glare toward the house.) But the light still spills out toward the barn.

Re: “All this talking about zoning and restrictions”–it’s not cute, it’s fact. Don’t live somewhere without zoning, and most certainly don’t live on a property too small to buffer yourself from others, if you can’t accept the consequences. There’s no pie-in-the-sky optimism about trying to make nice with these neighbors (pretty sure that die has been cast. It’s just that there is really no alternative, other than move to town, or buy more land as a shield.

And no, you won’t get the opportunity to put a poultry plant next to us-- because I research zoning laws. Our county has a mix of true large-scale farming, hobby farms, and in-town folks. They have a great publication called “A Guide to County Living”. In it the county makes clear that farmers work around the clock, make noises and smells that you may find objectionable. They spray chemicals, including ones that you may have allergic reactions to. And, I’ll quote the most important part: “The surrounding properties will probably not remain as they are, indefinitely. Check with the xxxx County Zoning Officer to find out how the properties are zoned and to see what future development properties may be in the planning stages.”
The overall message is do your research but then shut up.

[Chall]

You have a potential tractor repair, car fixing, horse trailer mending resource next door.
Bring cookies, ask them their opinion on the best hauling trucks, and how to fix windows on your trailer.
Fake liking them until you actually do.
Invite them over to look at the barn. You both love horses, you in the flesh, they in “horse power”.
Hand them the friendliest chicken to snuggle during their visit.
In short get them to buy into a personal interest in liking and protecting your animals.
This could work to your benefit in many ways.
Meanwhile, reinforce the fencing around the chicken coop, put flap doors into your back doors and escape places for your cats.

[JanM]

I understand what you mean about the light. I live in the suburbs, but where there used to be farm land. When they built the house behind mine, they turned on every light in the place, including the two corner security flood lights. They were aimed totally off the property, and the man who lives next door had to sleep in the living room, because his bedroom was flooded with light he couldn’t block out. I have it easier, because I have plantation shutters, but it still took some getting used to. I don’t see why people don’t aim their lights to light their own property, and I hope when they actually build you can discuss aiming of the lights with them, and they’ll fix it.

[kimkatsooo]

Kill them with kindness.

What is done is done. Yeah she might be happy to have “snatched” the land from you BUT you do not have to “feed” that happiness. Shrug and say something along the lines of “Yeah but that is how the cookie crumbles” as you hand her a plate of cookies.

When we moved in on one side of us we had a set to female neighbors. They called themselves “cousins”. They mostly stayed up at their house. Our house is at the back of our property. Their house is at the front of their property so LOTS of space between the two houses. They would go down to their barn every once in a while.

THEN they sold to a family! WITH 2 KIDS! A boy and a girl! Oh heavens! LOL The girl had a horse so was always down at the barn. We greeted them with a plate of cookies and our phone number as well as the names of our dogs so they could tell them to stop barking.

They turned out to be good neighbors. They did not bother us. We trade pet sitting and watch out for each others place. We did have to have a “talk” with the boy child about not teasing the dogs by banging the fence with a stick “But I was just playing”. We gave him some tennis balls to throw for them. All were happy.

It is NOT fun for a big change to happen. I KNOW BUT make the best of it. Be the better person and hopefully show them the way to good relations.

Good luck!

Kim