We've shared disputes between neighbors that have raised a few eyebrows, but this one takes the cake.
Residents of the wealthy River Oaks neighborhood outside Fort Worth, Texas didn't know what to think when a massive World War 2 tank rolled down the street and stopped in front of lawyer Tony Buzbee's home. But for Buzbee, the tank's arrival is a proud moment more than a year in the making.
He bought the M4 Sherman tank for $600,000 overseas, and had it transported all the way to his multi-million dollar home. Buzbee has a special family connection to the tank, because it was present at the Normandy landings, just like his own grandfather. Buzbee himself was also a Marine.
"This particular tank landed at Normandy. It liberated Paris, and ultimately went all the way to Berlin. There's a lot of history here," the attorney told KHOU. But Buzbee admits he had a few other reasons for buying the tank.
"I told one of my guys "˜Lets get that tank it'd be really cool out on my ranch to blow things up and run over things,'" he explained to Fox 26. Meanwhile, the River Oaks Homeowners Association is declaring war on Buzbee over his unusual lawn ornament...
A letter to Buzbee from the Homeowners Association calls his tank a "safety issue" because it "impedes traffic" and is "causing serious concerns for neighbors."
But the lawyer has fired back, saying that while the working tank may be making his neighbors "uncomfortable," it's also "not violating any ordinance."
"If you're offended just lighten up," he says. "My goodness it isn't hurting anyone."
In fact, some of Buzbee's neighbors agree. River Oaks homeowner Ken Douglas told KHOU "I wish it was permanent. I think it's an asset if you can watch cars come up and slow down. You say to yourself 'wow, that's America.'"
While Buzbee does plan on hauling his tank off to his ranch in east Texas, he says he's in no rush to do so and won't be scared by the homeowners association. "The problem is there is no action they can take," he explained. "They can ticket it or they can try to tow it, but the truth is unless I decide to move it, it's not going anywhere."
Warning: this clip contains strong language.
"It was this particular type of piece of equipment that helped us win that war," Buzbee said about the vehicle. "And had we not won that war, this would be a completely different country, now we celebrate our freedoms and our right to speak, and our right to have a tank on our front yards."
What do you think? Would you let your neighbors park a tank on your street? Share this story and let us know!