Privacy & the Upper story deck

[Daniel]

Gee, Susan, what are you doing in that back yard you don't want the neighbors to see?

What about building a roof (or arbor?) over the deck, with roll-down shades on the sides?
With such a narrow lot, the problem with planting a screen is reducing the lawn area even more, not to mention if it's dense enough your gonna create a shadow in the yard (and neighbors) and lose that grass.

[SchreiberBike]

When price is no object, there is usually a solution, but here the geometry doesn't leave much room to work. My first thought was searchlights shining outward from where you want to sit, so that anyone looking your way would be blinded. A more realistic possibility would be walls or at least trellises on the sides of the supports for the deck. With a southern exposure, that would afford a place for someone to expose themselves to the sun if that is the goal.

[tomsdesk]

Purchase and demolish center house.

Plant very big trees in center lot...lots of them.

Install gate from each backyard into new shared park.

[sorgesu]

Not good Tom. I'm the centre house

[bcoleman001]

Being a Landscape Designer, this comes up alot! We try to plant the biggest trees we can find in strategic locations to provide said privacy. A 48" boxed tree would be somewhere in the 16-20' (planted) height category depending on species and cost in the neighborhood of $2,500-$3,000 U.S. Careful pruning and maintenance is important as the trees continue to grow.

[Charlie__V]

Susan,

This would require cooperation/expense for neighbors(unless you or whomever picks up the tab)...but you did say money was no object!

Please forgive the crude alteration of your image, but basic idea is to have a privacy wall on one side of all existing decks.

My 2¢

Charlie

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[tomsdesk]

OOPS! :~)

[sorgesu]

Boyd I would love to know where you would place those tress strategically and how many?
Charlie what you describe is exactly what I mean by being against local by-laws. That is the obvious solution and of course not allowed.
Bruce I like your thinking. I was thinking along those lines as well. That is multi tiered.

The deck is not really usable as is because the neighbours are always staring at us sitting on theirs. My daughter complains that when she has friends over and they use the trampoline in the back yard they are looking down at her.

I think using the floor of the deck as "roofing" for the level directly below with sides build up to 6 feet would be within code and play havoc with the neighbours ill gotten ideas. But of course that doesn't allow for any sun. I actually have cedars planted all around a patio ared just below the deck at the moment. ( I rent out the basement and that is the tenants entrance as well as their patio. The Cedars' give them privacy.
I was thinking along the lines of creating an indoor swimming pool where the tenants are now with a walk out to a sun room that is under the deck ( no sun I guess) and stairs coming down from the deck to the backyard *( there are no stairs at the moment) to make the deck more usable I was thinking of placing poles at the corners with a crossbar that allows for some outdoor type curtains that could be pulled when entertaining or when occupying the deck ( do such curtans exist?)

Any way, even with the fictitious swimming pool in the basement and a walkout to the "solarium" any area beyond in the current grassy area is still exposed to prying eyes. I wanted some sort of mysterious garden with rocks, plantings, paths ( circling around since it is really a small area) and those strategic trees whereever they may need to be. Latticed roof over some areas???

Wouldn't it be nice to have money? Would an indoor pool in one's basement be feasible?

[juju]

I money wasn't a problem. Three words...

• Sell.
• Buy.
• Move.

[sorgesu]

okay money is a problem when it comes to moving. I don't want to move so fast again. Moving takes months out of one's life. It is harrowing. I would rather do anything other than go through another move. Clearly money really is an issue but I was hoping to come up with creative ideas for the property with no constraints and then see how to water it down or pick out the most important elements and do only those or simplify or something like that.

[tomsdesk]

Another way of looking at the problem, rather blocking the neighbor's view of you, is blocking your view of the neighbors...ie just enough so you are not so aware of them.

[sorgesu]

intersting point Tom. So my daughter can have her friends over, feel a sense of privacy and my neighbour wills still report to me on the pot-smoking.
..................... Just Kidding, my daughter's and ANGEL

[Ross Macintosh]

I can't understand why putting some visual screening at the side of your deck would be against any local by-law. I'd suggest taking a print of your drawing down to City Hall and calmly talk over your legal privacy options with a Development Officer. You can get an interpretation direct from the horse's mouth. If you aren't happy with what the horse tells you then go visit the Mayor. If you aren't happy with what the Mayor says then run for Mayor in the next election. Run on a platform of "Privacy for the People". You will likely win and then you can do favors for all your friends. Life will be good.

Regards, Ross

[sorgesu]

okay, I'm phoning tomorrow. Will let you know the outcome.

[Charlie__V]

@sorgesu said:

The picture says it all. There is no privacy either on the deck or on the lawn with these houses. Can you think of something that would work with the usual suburban bylaws and provide privacy for these houses both on the deck and in the back yard?. I know that we are not allowed fences that are taller than 6 feet and that is already what they are. I'm not sure but I don't believe we are permitted to build permanent structures on the side of the decks.Pretend that money is not object, I'm just conjecturing here for the fun of. Would I be allowed to plant fully grown pine trees on either side? I bet there are shadow casting restrictions. The backyards face South, BTW.
I'd be really interested in some really creative ideas. Don't spare the expense

Susan,
I was merely suggesting something that is common practice to my area.
Simply put,Privacy walls(No Glass/other) on ONE Side of each property.
Oh, and I know bylaws are usually such a riveting read, that you just can't put them down...do like I do, and read them in the "library".... wink..wink.
Seriously though, given your apparent setbacks you may already have a privacy wall requirement.....look for this in the bylaws.

I wish you the best in your endeavors.

Edit:
Susan....are your bylaws for a private community?...try contacting the ARB...ARC on this matter.

C

[tomsdesk]

I suppose yet another way to go is to fill your backyard with such offensive activities that your neighbors are searching the bylaws...think National Lampoon Vacation(s)!

[remus]

you could try putting up a lightweight trellis and then getting a creeper to grow up the side of the house onto the trellis. Quite a long term solution though

[bcoleman001]

Susan, can you post your model? If you can, I'll drop a few in and then figure out how to post it back for you.

[sorgesu]

The model is too big. I tried to simplify as much as possible. Hmm. Maybe with just one house. Let me see. Yup, that works. Here is the one house. Thanks much.

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upperstory_deck2.skp

[Stu]

Susan I think it's time to have a friendly chat with your neighbours and explain to them that every action [peeking at you on the deck] has a reaction [not necessarily equal and opposite]
And I'm sure there will be nothing in your local regulations about having a couple of six pounders on you rear deck.

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