The Neighborhood Agreement
This pattern is shaped by
Problem
When adjacent property owners have no framework for negotiating shared concerns — noise, trees, fences, drainage, views, parking — every issue becomes either a confrontation or a silent resentment. The absence of agreement doesn't create freedom; it creates conflict.
Evidence and Discussion
The most functional neighborhoods have informal or formal agreements about shared boundaries: where fences go, how noise is managed, what happens when a tree drops branches on the neighbor's car. These agreements work best when they're established before conflict arises — as part of moving in, not as a response to a lawsuit.
Therefore
in every identifiable neighborhood, develop a simple, written agreement — not a legal covenant, but a shared understanding — covering the most common sources of neighbor conflict: noise hours, shared boundaries, tree management, drainage, parking, and the process for raising concerns. Keep it short (one page), voluntary, and revisable. The agreement is a handshake, not a contract.