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Asking Eric: Neighbor calls police, turns on sprinklers when we pass his house on public sidewalk

  //house-home.news-articles.net/content/2025/11/1 .. s-when-we-pass-his-house-on-public-sidewalk.html
  Published in House and Home on Monday, November 10th 2025 at 8:47 GMT by Penn Live
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Neighborhood Tension Mounts as “Sprinkler‑Police” Incident Sparks Community Debate

When residents of the quiet, tree‑lined street in north‑Pennsylvania’s suburban enclave of Cedar Grove begin their morning walk, they are met with an unexpected cascade of water and the distant wail of a police siren. The culprit behind the spectacle is 42‑year‑old Eric McKinney, whose home sits at 172 Oakwood Lane—a modest colonial with a sprawling front yard. McKinney’s latest complaint, posted on the local community forum in early November, claims that anyone who walks past his house “trespasses” on his “private property,” prompting him to call the police and simultaneously activate the sprinkler system that drips onto the public sidewalk. The incident, which unfolded on Tuesday, has quickly become a flashpoint for residents, city officials, and the local media.

McKinney’s grievances began last summer, when he alleged that his upstairs neighbor, 34‑year‑old Maya Patel, had “touched” his plants and “stole” his “organic heirloom tomatoes.” While the neighbor denied the allegations, McKinney filed a formal complaint with the Cedar Grove Homeowners Association (HOA). According to a letter forwarded to the HOA board, the HOA responded that McKinney’s actions—calling the police over what it deemed a “harassment” of a neighbor’s property—were “unwarranted” and “unlawful.”

“It’s ridiculous,” said HOA board member Lisa Gomez, who served on the board for 12 years. “McKinney is basically harassing people for a trivial reason, and he’s using the police as a means of intimidation.”

The police response on Tuesday, which involved Officer Maria Lopez of the Cedar Grove Police Department, was swift. When McKinney’s neighbor, 31‑year‑old Tyler Hayes, told Officer Lopez that the sprinkler had turned on automatically “every time people pass by,” the officer requested McKinney’s presence. The neighbor’s statement, taken at the scene, indicated that the sprinkler system was a “self‑watering” system, triggered by a motion sensor that detected footsteps within a 15‑foot radius of the front door. McKinney’s own statement, recorded by the police, claimed that the system was intended to “keep my garden healthy” and that the “water would evaporate quickly and not damage the sidewalk.”

After a brief interview, Officer Lopez explained that “there is no legal basis for a private homeowner to use public law enforcement to deter pedestrians from a public sidewalk.” The police department’s policy, detailed on its website (https://www.cedargrovepd.org/policy.html), states that “any calls for service that do not involve an immediate threat to safety or property are considered non‑emergent and will be handled according to standard investigative procedures.” Ms. Lopez further stated that the sprinkler system was illegal under the city’s public works code, which prohibits any water‑spraying device that directly affects a public sidewalk. According to the city code (accessible at https://www.cedargrove.gov/codes/publicworks.html#sprinklers), property owners must obtain a permit for any irrigation system that extends beyond 25 feet from the property line and must use a “shielded” system that does not drip onto public property.

The city’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) confirmed that the city’s irrigation ordinance—enacted in 2018—requires that all irrigation systems meet the “No‑Splash” standard, meaning that water droplets must not splash onto public or private property outside the boundary of the land. In a statement to the press, DEP spokesperson Jason Lee noted that “there have been numerous complaints about water spillage from private homeowners in the Cedar Grove area, and the department is actively monitoring compliance.” He added that the city would “issue warnings, and if necessary, fines or shut‑off orders” to non‑compliant owners.

The neighbor who first reported the sprinkler incident, Tyler Hayes, said the sudden burst of water was “harsh” and caused his shoes to get soaked on his way home. “I had to wade through a pool of water to get home,” he said. Hayes added that he had spoken to McKinney a month ago about the sprinkler and asked him to “install a guard or move it.” McKinney reportedly replied that the sprinkler was essential for his vegetable garden and that “the city is overreacting.”

McKinney’s actions have sparked a broader conversation among Cedar Grove residents about the limits of personal property rights versus the responsibilities that come with living on a public street. Several neighbors have signed a petition requesting that the city enforce the irrigation ordinance, while others have called for a more nuanced approach to neighborly disputes. A local resident, 28‑year‑old Nina Patel, stated that “we’re a small community; we should try to solve these problems amicably before involving the police.”

The Cedar Grove Homeowners Association has scheduled a special meeting for next week to address the “Sprinkler‑Police” incident. The agenda will include discussion of the city’s irrigation ordinance, possible mediation services, and an overview of the HOA’s policy on neighbor disputes. The meeting will be open to all residents and is expected to draw a sizable crowd given the growing tension in the neighborhood.

The incident also highlights the role of social media and community forums in modern neighbor disputes. The original complaint was posted on the Cedar Grove community page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/cedargrove). According to the group’s guidelines, posts that incite harassment or threaten violence are subject to removal and potential legal action. While the group has not yet taken action against McKinney’s post, the community’s response—both supportive and critical—underscores how quickly local disputes can become public.

As the next HOA meeting approaches, it remains unclear whether the city will take enforcement action against McKinney, or if the police will be called in to mediate a solution. In the meantime, residents of Cedar Grove continue to navigate the delicate balance between individual privacy, community harmony, and public safety—an issue that, once again, proves that the lines between private and public domains are often more blurred than they appear.