A California boat owner became a local celebrity after he decided to ask city officials to build a fence around his boat.
Etienne Constable of Seaside, California, has a boat parked in the dirt on his property. In July 2023, officials required him to build a proper driveway and install a 6-foot-tall fence to cover the boat.
In an interview with FOX News Digital on Monday, Constable explained that he “doesn't want to get into a private property dispute with the city,” but disagreed with officials that his boat was an eyesore.
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“There's some logic to the law about not owning old cars…and I thought, 'This doesn't look bad.' I don't know why they would threaten me like that,” he recalled. .
“I thought I had a First Amendment right to make any statement I wanted about any property I owned,” he continued. “So, yeah, just standing up for myself.”
Constable ended up building a fence as required by the city, but decided to have a little fun by commissioning a realistic mural on the building.
This art is definitely so realistic that at first glance it looks like the fence doesn't exist at all.
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Constable explained that they wanted to avoid installing an unattractive fence and opted for a more appealing look.
“I just thought, 'This is a creative outlet.' [as] “It's an artistic expression and it's open to many interpretations, and I think that's part of the beauty of it,” Constable said.
To make this idea a reality, Constable contacted a local artist named Hanif Pani, who happened to be his neighbor. According to a Facebook post on Saturday, the city of Seaside praised Constable and Panny's creativity.
“Beachside residents got creative by following city ordinances by hiding their boats behind fences,” the post's caption reads. “He turned lemons into lemonade and had his artist neighbor paint a surreal boat mural on the fence itself!”
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“The result? Optical illusion and lots of media attention,” the post continued.
Constable admitted that his stunt attracted more attention than he expected.
“I was prepared for any reaction, but I certainly wasn't prepared for this to be as widespread as it is…I didn't know how the city would react,” he said. told FOX News Digital.
“The city manager and acting police chief called me and said, 'Hey, you're funny. I'd like to high-five you. I'd love to meet you sometime. And if you ever need anything. ,please tell me.”
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Constable, whose community is just outside Monterey, said the attention he's received from locals has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Ninety-nine percent of everyone else in this community thought it was funny. [thought] There are some stupid laws written. Why do we torment each other like this for any reason? ” he said with a laugh.
If the constable didn't hide the boat, he would have had to pay a $100 first-offense fine, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Seaside Mayor Ian Oglesby for comment.
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