diesel truck running next door all the time

OK, I need advice from the all-knowing beeb. The property next to my house is about an acre, there is a rental house in the front (changes tenants often) and the back part is rented to someone else, separately, apparently as a plant nursery. It is not a retail business, there is no signage, mostly just trees and palms in boxes. The back part of the property is gated, I never see who runs the plant nursery or see anyone there at all, and I don't know the owner of the property, they do not live there.

Recently, for about a month now, there is a diesel box truck on the back part of the property running constantly. It is loud, the noise is annoying, and it always seems to be running - midnight, 5am, we can hear it all night, and its running all weekend too. I don't know why it runs all the time. The properties are long and narrow so the truck is somewhat close to my house, and even closer to the neighbors on the other side.

What is the best way to handle this? It has been suggested to me that I call the sheriff, or the county (I am in a county area, not city zoning), and complain, but I am bit worried about repercussions if I piss off whoever is running the truck - I suspect they might be living in it or something, and I have NO idea who they are or what they are doing. I have dogs and horses, and the prior owners of this house told me their dog was poisoned by a neighbor, which makes me nervous about calling the cops on somebody next door.

Is there a better way to handle this? I am in Southern CA, and I have no real expectation that the people running the plant nursery speak or read English, nor is there really a good way to leave a note, otherwise I might try that approach. (I'd have to drive past the rental property in front and go a ways down a narrow driveway to get to a locked gate to leave a note.)

Any ideas on a graceful way to handle this? I don't want to bust anyone or get them kicked out or fined, I just want the truck shut off or moved.

 

The old banana-in-the-tailpipe trick?

 

They're powering something with it. Probably a cooler unit. Do they have electricity back there?

 

That's what I'm thinking. Maybe what your hearing is a loud diesel generator that is powering the sleeper cabin or some cooler/refridge unit on the truck?

Still, yes, that's annoying!

 

Grow a sack?

 

Are you in Riverside..?

 

tell em to buy a Honda generator.

 

Close, west side of SB county.

 

And do what? I never see anyone over there.

 

There is no visible separate generator. Just a shabby plain white box truck, it does have an AC unit on the front of it. I thought they were running it for AC, but it is in the 40s at night now, hardly seems necessary to run it all night...? I never see any lights or anything on. I can't imagine it is a generator, it sure does sound like the engine of the truck, it is LOUD.

I assume they don't have electricity back there.

Do you suppose they are running grow lights in there?

My whole yard smells like diesel fumes, hanging out in the backyard is like being in a commercial parking lot between the noise and smell.

 

That was my first thought.

 

It's Jesse yo.

 

Let's cook, bitch.

 

The way I see it, you have a few choices.

1...call the cops

2...leave a note, or talk to them.

3...lob a hand grenade over there...j/k

Have you talked to the neighbor on the other side of them yet..?

In the end, you have to do something, or live with the smell and noise.

If you call the cops, and are concerned about retaliation, i.e. them poisoning your pups, set up some cameras, just don't let them know they are on camera if they come close to your property..

And have some firearms just in case.

 

Camera is a good idea. Another thing I could do is call the county, it's a zoning violation.

 

Mobile meth lab.

 

Any idling laws in your area? Call the DEP.

 

Run an extension lead over there.

 

Awe that sucks man. I can't stand that smell.

I think the best solution is the call to local zoning/county so they can do a drive by.

And the camera. Hell, take some video with quality sound, and email it to the local inspector.

 

One important decision to be made when it comes to all these answers...and the fact that they basically fall into two categories:
1) Legal route
2) Illegal route
The decision needs to be made first, then decide your next step. If I rolled up to a complaint of an attempted arson or some purposeful damage to the diesel that's been running and found out the neighbor has called every agency on the planet and written eleventeen complaints on the victims...I'd be paying them a visit.