In a move that has car enthusiasts and property rights advocates up in arms, the town of Gilbert, Arizona, has implemented a stringent 15-day limit on inoperable vehicles stored on residential properties. This heavy-handed approach to “community preservation” is leaving residents fuming and questioning the extent of governmental overreach into their personal lives and hobbies.
Gilbert’s War on Car Enthusiasts: A Summary
Gilbert, a rapidly growing city with nearly 300,000 residents, is cracking down on what it deems “automotive blight” with a new ordinance that allows only one inoperable vehicle per property, and even that must be hidden from public view. The regulation permits residents to work on a single vehicle for no more than 15 days, with only three such periods allowed per year. Violators face steep penalties, including potential property liens and forced removal of their beloved project cars. This draconian measure has sparked outrage among car enthusiasts and raised serious concerns about individual property rights and governmental overreach.
The “Gilbert Gestapo” Strikes Again
It’s hard to believe we’re living in America when local governments start acting like the “Gilbert Gestapo,” dictating what law-abiding citizens can do with their own property. This isn’t about maintaining property values or neighborhood aesthetics; it’s about control, plain and simple. The fact that some residents are using this ordinance to report on their neighbors’ backyard activities is downright Orwellian.
Arizona wants to steal your stuff from your back yard. https://t.co/lmSNzIdBiL pic.twitter.com/kt4wgJLNtw
— Get Out & VOTE 🇺🇸 (@HoustonWelder) September 16, 2024
The town’s planning manager, Eva Cutro, tried to sugarcoat this assault on personal freedom by saying, “We want to keep the restrictions but centralize them, put them in the community preservation ordinance and add language directing people to chapter 42.” Well, isn’t that just peachy? They’re not removing the restrictions; they’re just making it easier for bureaucrats to enforce their will on hardworking Americans who dare to have a hobby that doesn’t fit into their picturesque vision of suburban utopia.
The Devil’s in the Details: Defining “Inoperable”
The town’s definition of an “inoperable vehicle” is so broad it could include your teenager’s first car that needs a new battery or your classic muscle car waiting for a rare part. According to the ordinance, if it’s “incapable of being legally driven or cannot be started/moved under its own power,” it’s fair game for the town’s enforcers. Even more ridiculous, a perfectly functioning but unregistered vehicle is considered “inoperable.” So much for that project car you’ve been saving up to get on the road!
“Is there a definition on what inoperable means?” Vice Mayor Scott Anderson asked.
Well, Mr. Vice Mayor, it seems the definition is whatever the town decides it to be on any given day. This vague language gives officials carte blanche to harass residents over vehicles that might simply be awaiting repairs or restoration. It’s a slippery slope that sets a dangerous precedent for property rights across the nation.
The False Promise of HOA Autonomy
Some officials have tried to placate angry residents by claiming that “The HOAs can set their own rules on this. They can have their own rules be more strict or less strict.” But let’s be real – when have HOAs ever been known for being less restrictive? This is just passing the buck and setting up another layer of bureaucracy for car enthusiasts to navigate.
“The HOAs can set their own rules on this. They can have their own rules be more strict or less strict.”
The reality is, this ordinance gives nosy neighbors and overzealous HOA boards even more ammunition to make life miserable for anyone who dares to have a project car or enjoy working on vehicles as a hobby. It’s a direct attack on American car culture and the right to use one’s property as they see fit.
The Road Ahead: Fighting Back Against Governmental Overreach
This isn’t just about cars; it’s about the fundamental right of Americans to pursue their passions and use their property without undue interference from the government. The citizens of Gilbert need to stand up against this blatant overreach and demand that their elected officials respect their rights as property owners and car enthusiasts.
If we don’t put the brakes on this kind of governmental intrusion now, what’s next? Will they start dictating how many plants you can have in your garden or how long you can leave your Christmas lights up? It’s time for the people of Gilbert to rev their engines and make some noise at the next town council meeting. Let’s show these bureaucrats that in America, we still believe in life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – even if that happiness comes in the form of a classic car project in our own backyard.
