Work gets underway despite Chevy Chase driveway dispute

Despiteobjections of homeowner on right, work underway on shared driveway in Chevy Chase
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

The Bobcat parked in front of Deborah Vollmer’s home on 44th Street in Chevy Chase, despite her opposition to her neighbors paving their shared driveway.

Work is underway on the joint driveway of Deborah Vollmer's home, on the right.
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

Deborah Vollmer has long opposed her neighbors tearing down a small home and building a larger one, including a two-car garage.

The family in home won every lawsuit to pave shared driveway, Deborah Vollmer still appealing
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

A court had ordered Deborah Vollmer to pay her neighbors’ legal fees and pay for half of the shared driveway.

Deborah Vollmer asks work crew to stop work on shared driveway. "This is my property. I don't consent"
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

Homeowner Deborah Vollmer says willing to get arrested to stop driveway. cruiser passed twice, w-o stopping
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

Despite the tension between neighbors, and years of court arguments, 聽there was no confrontation as work began on the driveway Deborah Vollmer shares.

Homeowner has permit to have driveway work, neighbor Deborah Vollmer asked workers "let the appeal be heard in court"
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

Deborah Vollmer lives in house on right. It's been 7 year fight over shared driveway w neighbors in house on left
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

Asked Deborah Vollmer since neighbor has won in court, can't they move on and live in peace?"
— Neal Augenstein (@Augenstein草莓传媒)

(1/8)

Share This Gallery:

CHEVY CHASE, Md. — Work is underway on the driveway project that has been the subject of seven years of contentious tension and court battles in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Paving crews erected a temporary fence on 44th Street, between Deborah Vollmer’s home and the newer, larger home that shares a driveway with Vollmer’s.

Vollmer first began fighting her neighbors, even before they tore down a smaller home and built a large one.

Vollmer has lost every lawsuit she’s brought against her neighbors, and the Chevy Chase Town Council has voted to allow the paving project to go ahead while Vollmer appeals her latest suit.

As the next-door neighbors looked on, declining to comment, 聽crews with jackhammers tore up the aging concrete driveway and grass median strip between the homes,

Vollmer, who grew up in the home, says the grass median strips are a strong part of the character of the neighborhood.

Standing on her own property, Vollmer called over, and asked the crew to stop their work, to “let the appeal be heard in court.”

The contractors continued their work.

In a statement to 草莓传媒, Vollmer鈥檚 neighbors, the Schwartzes, say they have had to go to court more than 16 times, and feel sorry for Vollmer. The Schwartzes spoke to 草莓传媒 on the condition that their first names not be used.

鈥淪he has cost her neighbors in the Town of Chevy Chase more than $50,000 in legal fees. Unfortunately, we have had to spend much more than that.聽 We love the neighborhood, (and) the house, and we hope that reason will prevail in the future and that we can live in peace as good neighbors,鈥� the Schwartz family said in the written statement.

草莓传媒’s Michelle Basch contributed to this report.