A man was ordered by the city to build a fence around his boat. He creatively responded by painting a mural of the boat on it.
Recently, a man named Etienne Constable found himself facing a unique situation with his local council.
Living in Seaside, California, he was ordered to build a fence around his boat, but he responded in a way that left many amused and impressed.
The man received a notice about his boat.
In July 2023, Constable received a notice from the city.
His neighbors had complained about his boat being parked in the driveway.
According to municipal codes, large vehicles like boats need to be hidden from view by a six-foot-high fence.
If he did not comply, he risked a fine of $100.
This regulation is common in many neighborhoods, where homeowners must follow strict rules to maintain a uniform appearance.
Constable had parked his boat, named “Might as Well,” in his driveway for four years without issues.
He enjoyed using it for fishing, and it was a big part of his life.
However, after the complaints, he realized he had to take action.
Man ordered to build fence around his boat responds to the city by painting mural of boat on it
Instead of simply building a regular fence, Constable decided to add a twist.
He constructed the required screen but painted a beautiful mural of his boat on the front of it.
The mural was photo-realistic and caught the attention of many in the neighborhood.
Constable explained his thought process, saying, “I’m not a rule-breaker, but I like to make a political statement as necessary as well as a humorous statement and a creative statement.”
“I thought, ‘This is ridiculous,’ and my first reaction was to leave a nasty, nasty message at the city hall,” he added.
“And then I thought, well, I might as well build a screen … I’ll do what they want, but I’m not going to do it their way.”
This idea allowed him to comply with the city’s order while also expressing his creativity.
His neighbor, Hanif Panni, painted the mural to engage with the community.
He stated, “I’m a big proponent of public art in spaces. It engages people in ways that reaching out and having conversations doesn’t sometimes.”
The mural received an overwhelmingly positive response.
Once the mural was completed, images of it quickly spread online. Many people found it hilarious and clever.
Constable was surprised by the overwhelming positive response.
“The reaction is extremely more than we ever expected, and we’re both just tickled about it,” he said.
Since the mural’s unveiling, Panni has received numerous requests from other neighbors who want similar artwork on their properties.
Officials have yet to respond to Constable’s mural.
As of now, Constable has not heard back from the Seaside officials regarding his mural.
He believes they are aware of it but feels confident in his decision. “It’s not like I’m hiding anything,” he remarked.
His creative approach turned a frustrating situation into a celebration of individuality and art.
This story is a fantastic example of how someone can take a challenging situation and transform it into something positive.
Constable’s actions demonstrate that creativity can shine even in the face of rules and regulations.
Social media reactions
In my town he’d find out he needs a permit for the mural and it would be red-tagged by code, one user said.
I’d happily live by this guy just to pitch in for any yearly fence maintenance. Love it! The second user wrote.
I don’t see how this is being “petty” at all. Its being ingenious and clever and super talented! I love it!!!! The third user commented.
Fantastic! Don’t tell me what I can have or where I can have it on my own property, another user said.
That’s my kind of pettiness. I would love to buy him a cup of coffee, someone wrote.