I have a neighbor gas station that constantly and fully blocks…

Hello, thank you for taking the time to reply. I've got a situation here that I have never encountered before on Just Answer; your answer is something that I already thought of almost word for word and if the answer was coming from an Ontario lawyer I could give it more credence and weight, but, I am just not sure what to do in this instance, because, I don't want to waste money on an answer I already knew beforehand, yet, I do not want to insult you in any way. Is it possible that you could refer me to an Ontario Just Answer lawyer and not be offended? Please let me know.

Hi Wendy, thanks for responding. I really need an Ontario lawyer to respond to my question because laws are different in every province. When I submitted my question I did not see any place to select an Ontario lawyer only and I sure hope that I did not offend the lawyer that gave his reply.

Best regards, Ed

Relist: Other. Hello, although the answer I received was professional, I was looking for an Ontario, Canada lawyer to respond to my question so that I may be apprised of the precise laws that apply to my case, as opposed to the generalized answer I received. I am most willing to pay for direct counsel pertinent to my question with answers given which apply directly to Ontario laws, but, apparently, as I have been waiting quite some time, it seems there are no Ontario lawyers available here. As I understand laws, there are different laws that apply to each province in Canada, therefore, I need a lawyer that is well versed in Ontario laws relevant to my question, so that I may feel reasonably confident that the answer I receive is accurate and legally relevant in my province and not just a generalization of the matter at hand.

Hi Fran-mod, in light of the fact that no Ontario lawyer has answered I would appreciate a refund.

Best regards, Ed

Hi Jim, yes, I would appreciate your help very much. Let me put together more details on what has happened recently and then I will post it here so you can reply with the latest information at hand. I am in Windsor most of today, but, when I return this evening I will post all of the current details. Thank you so much for replying and being willing to help with this matter. Ed

Hello Copperlaw, I’ll start by reposting my original question and add on from there then I’ll describe the most recent occurrences as they are tied in with the same property owner, Peter and Wanda Rempel of Parkdale Store and Service.

I have a neighbor gas station that constantly and fully blocks my private road with patrons cars and delivery vehicles, completely cutting me off from accessing the highway. There is only one access to the highway because I live on a cul-de-sac in Leamington, Ontario. It appears that the gas station/store/service garage have grown too big for this location. I have tried talking to the owners of this business, but, they just laugh in my face. The garage owner has attacked me in the past and his wife has used her store to spread totally false and salacious rumours about me. This garage works on the town's police cars and we were warned not to complain about the blockage problems or else because they were friends with the police. I love where I live, I'm happy here except for the constant roadway blockage. What can I do to get this road blockage problem legally resolved?

Already Tried:
Called police many times, spoke to mayor of town, written letters to the owner of the business, spoke out verbally when anyone blocked the roadway. Former Leamington police have been replaced by O.P.P. but I haven't tried anything with new police force yet, as, many O.P.P. vehicles are being worked on at this garage. Also, different mayor now so I may try pleading with the town again. It's almost like an old Billy Jack movie where the bullies are trying to knock me down, but, I keep getting back up.

Hi Jim, thanks for your reply. First and foremost, I just need to ask if you are affiliated with, friends or family of, or, legal representative for Peter and Wanda Rempel, Parkdale Store and Service atXXXXXand their tenants at 4 Lombardy Lane. Just need to know that to stay clear of conflict of interest in this matter.

The Rempels own and rent out a house, 4 Lombardy Lane, which is attached directly to their business atXXXXXand they are good friends with and/or family of the occupants of this house located immediately across the street from my property. Over the past 2 months the occupants and guests of this house have been blatantly parking on my property causing my vehicles to be blocked in so that I could not move my vehicles even on my own personal private property. It appears that the blockage was intentional because there is an empty and open lot immediately next to my property and there were open and empty parking spots in their own driveway. If someone accidentally parked in my driveway and I asked them to please move their vehicle I would have no issue with that if they move it asap, but, instead they take up to 45 minutes to move their vehicle and then when they come, under threat of police being called, they start uttering threats at me claiming that they have friends that will take care of me while staring at me in an angry fashion. I have had the same threat uttered to me by 3 people when they blocked my vehicle in the driveway. I have even had Lisa, the occupant of 4 Lombardy and apparent director of this blocking issue in my driveway come at me screaming in a provoking and intimidating manner on my personal private property. My wife, nor myself have never, ever done anything to provoke or incite such behavior. In fact quite the contrary, my wife and myself, have backed away, stepped aside and simply videotaped and or recorded or wrote down the bizarre criminal behavior of these people. Police do not take me serious when I speak to them most likely because I tend to become hyper, agitated and feel extremely vulnerable as a direct result of a mood and anxiety disorder which is a mental illness that I have struggled with for many decades. Directly as a result of the blockage issues on my property and on my road I have had to see my doctor who has prescribed additional medication that will help me sleep since the threats of “ I’ve got friends that will take care of you” was stated to me by Lisa and her guests. I have been feeling agitated, distressed and in constant fear that someone will come onto my property and hurt my wife, myself or my home or vehicles. I asked the police to press charge regarding the threats but they took no action in this regard, instead, they just told me to put up a fence and go into your house and be a good witness for police. Police also said get a lawyer and take them to court. I have been a good witness for police for many years and it seems like they just use what I tell them to have a good laugh with the Rempels. I do have video footage of Lisa coming onto my property, I have video footage of Rempel’s garage sending a goon over to intimidate me and I also have many, many pictures of my driveway and my road being blocked so that I have no access to the highway. My neighbors, who have lived on this road longer than myself, also have pictures of the road blockage, but, they are afraid to say anything, have given up on asking because the Rempel’s have just laughed in their faces when they asked to have the blockage cleared. I have had police here tell the Rempels private matters that only the police should know about and Wanda Rempel and her daughter Jenn have used their store to hurt me by spreading vicious and malacious false rumors about me to their patrons at the store.

Wanda Rempel has even told my wife when she complained about road and driveway blockage, “ Don’t bother calling police because they are all our friends.” I see many police vehicles at Parkdale Store and Service on a regular basis even today. The Rempels also park their vehicles and leave things like plows, tractors and cars being repaired on Lombardy Lane which further restricts our passage on Lombardy Lane.

I am getting older and weaker, therefore that makes me even more afraid of what these bullies could do to me, so, it would be great to find a means to stop this bullying by the Rempel’s and their tenants at 4 Lombardy and their police friends in a legal manner so that we can just get on with enjoying the beautiful area that we live in without having to be afraid of bullies and their police friends.

My wife and I just want free and clear passage on Lombardy Lane and in our driveway, with no obstructions and we want the threats and the intimidation by the bullies to stop.

Do you think that you can help with this Jim?

Note: we have just installed video surveillance cameras and bright motion detector lighting to help further protect ourselves and we are also installing a fence (which we don’t want) along our property. Also, are any of these extra expenses recoverable in a small claims court lawsuit? Can we hold the landlord, Peter and Wanda Rempel responsible for the actions of their tenants at 4 Lombardy Lane, because it is my gut feeling that Peter and Wanda Rempel are coaching the criminal behavior of the occupants of this house.

Best regards, Ed

Thanks Jim. Looking forward to your reply.

Ed

Hi Jim, thank you for your reply. I will not be able to give a full response to your reply until Monday due to the fact that my wife needs to share in my reply and she will not have any free time to study this matter until she is finished working Sunday evening. But, in the interim, please know that I consider your reply to be professional, well written, very informational.

Ed

Hi Jim, thanks again for your excellent reply. We have an appointment at the Leamington O.P.P. station tomorrow and we will get back to you after the meeting.

Sure wish that you lived close by as I would hire you immediately to represent my interests here.

Best regards, Ed

Hi Jim, have not forgotten you. Wife and I were on vacation and we are currently waiting for our meeting with a supervising officer. Right after that meeting we will be in touch to let you know where everything stands.

Best regards, Ed

Hi Jim, on Sept. 20th we finally met with a sergeant at the Leamington O.P.P. station to discuss the situation and he assured us that he would speak with the tenants of Mr. and Mrs. Rempel and tell them to stay off our property. We have also installed a 4 camera surveillance system and outdoor security lighting, as well as, 6"x6" post every 10 feet, with rope between the posts, on property line boundaries. This seems to have resolved one part of our problem which was the issue of having our personal vehicles being blocked in on our own property.

Now the bigger problem still remains where this business owner has patrons constantly blocking our access to the only exit to our road. My wife and I will be putting together a presentation to the town officials apprising them of not only our inconvenience when we are blocked in for up to 45 minutes, but, also to the extreme dangers presented when the tanker trucks block our road and cause patrons of this business to recklessly find ways around the blockage with near wrecks ensuing.

We also want to present pictures and info to the town regarding an air pump at the gas station which quite often causes road blockage because Mr. Rempel has the air pump located at the edge of the road instead of on his property where cars would be compelled to fill their tires on his property instead of on the road. There is no stop sign at this intersection to remind drivers to stop at this intersection. My guess is that the station owner felt that a stop sign would be an inconvenience so it was quietly left out of the plan, but, now we frequently witness near miss accidents when fast moving vehicles have to slam on brakes to avoid hitting the cars that had no stop sign to remind them to stop.

To have patrons and vehicles notice that they are parking on and blocking our only access to Seacliff Drive we would like the gas station owner to hire someone to paint white lines on the road to clearly illustrate the intersection and the width of the road and we would also like to ask that our road, Lombardy Lane, be designated a fire route since it is the only way in and out of our road.

Jim, can you see anything that I should be adding to this to make a better presentation to the town officials and should I make this presentation to town officials privately or bring it to a public town hall meeting. This Peter Rempel is a genuine and totally arrogant bully and I feel that taking the matter public may be the best way to resolve this problem, but, my wife feels that attempting the changes privately with the assistance of town officials might suit us better. I'm really not sure of what to do because this neighbor has acted in such a bizarre fashion in the past. Any suggestions?

Note, because this has been a lengthy thread of info to sift through, so, I want you to know that I will up the dollar amount given to you, significantly, once this matter is successfully resolved. Thanks again Jim and I will be in touch once I have more info.