Dumpster distress update

I brought my Dumpster fight to the City Council this week. I was darn nervous, being used to the other side of the microphone (listening, not speaking.)

Sigh. Council members seemed receptive, but when someone makes an emotional plea to them -- they always look receptive. I know them too well, having reported on the city beat for four years. Getting ordinances through moves at a snail's pace. I think eventually something will get done, but it won't be during our near triple-digit heat that ratchets up the whole smelly problem.

I think it went OK. I received some assurances that the council is working on my problem of having a Dumpster located 7 1/2 feet from my kitchen window adjacent to the too tall 30-unit, three-story Campus Station apartments. Vanguard manages the property for the Vern Hagen Revocable Living Trust, which reportedly is out of Colorado.

Earlier Tuesday, sanitation director Scottie Williams called and asked if I might be interested in mediation between me and the apartment complex management that insists their Dumpster be placed under my kitchen window. I told him I'd be happy to sit down and talk. It's my understanding that mediation is supposed to work both sides into a compromise. What can I even compromise on? The Dumpster needs to be moved to a less impactful portion of their rather large, overly paved lot. Period. There are plenty of options. They just need to choose one. Away from me.

The interesting thing is that to locate the Dumpster by my kitchen window, it's so far away from the apartments that according to city sanitation personnel, its residents are more likely to dump their trash in the Keys Apartment Dumpster, which is next door and closer. I guess I should be happy about that.

Norman's Council Oversight Committee is considering an ordinance with my proposals for setbacks for Dumpsters from residential neighbors. Also, they're considering changing the fence ordinances to help protect said residential neighbors.

But because this apartment complex has been around for awhile (1990 or so), it's quite possible it would be grandfathered, which leaves me in the same stinky place I was in before.

I feel like the apartment management has been trying mightily to force me out of my family's cute little house that's in such a lovely place close to Campus Corner. I'm trying to decide if I have the emotional energy to fight them and wait them out. I'm wondering if I'm always going to have problems with those apartments.

What they probably don't realize is that even if I move out, they don't get rid of me. Because I'm my mother's power-of-attorney, it's my responsibility to take care of the Park Drive property for the family, and it's value and quality of life. They have pissed off the wrong person, because I am not going anywhere when it comes to digging in and fighting them. I hope they're reading this.

Their irrational desire for retribution I think is rooted in my complaint about their falling-down fence (see picture at the right) when I first moved in -- doesn't make any sense. That fence had slats out, panels down and was a general menace to their residents and their neighbors.

In my opinion, they are the ones who have encroached on our property, with their oversized three-story apartment complex looking down into our backyard and completely obliterating any privacy we might have here.

To sum it up, Campus Station apartments have caused us no end of grief.
That includes:
• Sanitation issues and smell from their Dumpster
• Security issues from Dumpster divers
• Quality of life issues
• Noise issues - Dumpster is emptied between 6:45 and 7 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays and it vibrates my whole house
• Property values -- who wants to buy a house with a Dumpster 7 1/2 feet from the kitchen window. If we were to rent it, I'm not sure I would want a high-tolerance renter who would be OK with the noise, the smell and the view.
• Drainage issues

Fortunately, some of my friends have other ideas that might be effective and I'll be exploring those. I'll keep those close to the vest until I know if they'll work.

If you've gotten this far on the post, I appreciate it and hope I can count on your support.