5 Ways to Live Harmoniously with Your Neighbors

Mt. Lebanon residents enjoy tight community bonds that come from living in closely knit neighborhoods. But with the close proximity of homes comes a greater awareness of your neighbors’ actions. As we enjoy our yards in gorgeous fall weather, it’s hard not to notice that barking dog or those unraked leaves. Mt. Lebanon’s Community Relations Board (CRB) exists to help promote goodwill among Mt. Lebanon residents. To that end, the CRB emphasizes these five ways to live more harmoniously with your neighbors:

1. Get to know your neighbors. Wave hello and meet their kids or pets. Show up to your block party, or help initiate one. No reason to be shy: Many people chose Mt. Lebanon because they want to know their neighbors.

2. If a problem arises, (noise and unkempt yards are the biggest complaints), determine if this is an occasional oversight or an ongoing problem. If it’s really interfering with your quality of life, catch your neighbor in person to politely talk about it, or give them a call. Texting is impersonal and can escalate the problem.

3. If the problem still persists, build facts. Keep a log of when it happens and for how long. You don’t need to show the log, but you will be taken more seriously when you mention specific dates and times. Politely ask other neighbors if they are experiencing the same issue.

4. Reach out to Mt. Lebanon municipal authorities to determine if any perceived problem is an actual violation of municipal ordinances. There are specific rules regarding grass (no higher than 6 inches), shoveling snow (24 hours after a snowfall) and barking dogs (citations may be issued), among others.

5. If you have followed these steps, and you cannot reach an amicable solution, give the CRB’s mediation/discussion program a try. The CRB provides free non-binding mediation/discussion services to help neighbors whose disputes have reached an impasse. To learn more about the CRB mediation/discussion process, contact the CRB staff liaison, Robyn Vittek, vittekr@einetwork.net or 412-942-0922.