HOA wants us to remove part of our new driveway

[Otis Nice]

I live in an HOA community. I dont have any issue with it for the most part. It was irritating to ask for permission to put up a fence and one of the neighbors got pissy about it. Never met them and they come storming into my yard as the company was installing it and she goes "oh, so your putting in a fence too?! Where are the deer gonna go?!"

 

You can imagine my response. I turned to her and said 1st, you dont want my bulldogs running in/around your yard. They dont like you. 2nd, why do I have to worry about where the deer will go in a residential neighborhood? 3rd, nice to meet you?

 

I would've said, "if they come in my yard they'll end up on my plate. Which would you prefer?"

[HotCarl]

I live in an HOA community. I dont have any issue with it for the most part. It was irritating to ask for permission to put up a fence and one of the neighbors got pissy about it. Never met them and they come storming into my yard as the company was installing it and she goes "oh, so your putting in a fence too?! Where are the deer gonna go?!"

 

You can imagine my response. I turned to her and said 1st, you dont want my bulldogs running in/around your yard. They dont like you. 2nd, why do I have to worry about where the deer will go in a residential neighborhood? 3rd, nice to meet you?

 

haha this is comical, we back up to a park and the deer can do a standing jump directly over that park chain link fence, doesnt seem to stop them at all.

 

Carl, how much bigger is your new driveway exactly? are we talking like 6in wider than original or like an entire car parking spot?

[Mallard]

haha this is comical, we back up to a park and the deer can do a standing jump directly over that park chain link fence, doesnt seem to stop them at all.

 

 

 

Carl, how much bigger is your new driveway exactly? are we talking like 6in wider than original or like an entire car parking spot?

He posted it in this thread. It's big.

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1979314

 

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[Spidey2721]

hell pave your whole damn yard and put up a parking lot.

[carl1647545492]

Hey I might make a song outta that

[Cordell]

He posted it in this thread. It's big.

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1979314

 

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I have nothing useful to add, but I can see why the HOA is mad. Did you triple the size of the driveway? You more then doubled it. At this point you might as well put up a “fuck the HOA” sign.

[Geeto67]

First, fuck HOA's. Second, you say the covenant is tied to the title of the house when you buy it. But what about houses that were bought (built) before the HOA was formed? Do you still have to abide by their rules?

 

Yes, assuming that those covenants are still valid and not invalidated by subsequent law. Covenants are enforceable by law, basically your neighbors can just sue you directly if you violate a covenant.

 

HOAs prevent this by basically standing between the neighbors and sometimes acting as a go between so it doesn't devolve into the Hatfields and the McCoys. If your neighborhood was built before the HOA was formed and your HOA is voluntary, you don't have to join the HOA, but you still have to follow the covenants. The downside to not being part of the HOA is that the HOA will just sue you instead of one of your neighbors if you violate the covenant. By being a member you have the advantage of being able to work it out with the HOA before any real legal action is taken since there are laws that specifically require HOAs to have a complaint resolution process.

 

Does that answer your question?

[xlr8tn]

I have nothing useful to add, but I can see why the HOA is mad. Did you triple the size of the driveway? You more then doubled it. At this point you might as well put up a “fuck the HOA” sign.

 

That right there my friends is one big ass driveway. Haha. You planning on buying a helicopter?

[carl1647545492]

^ Yeah lol.

 

The driveway was a "consolation" for us not getting a actual garage yes so its big figuring we may need the space down the line.

 

Wife usually gets it right we called the Township to see if we could build on to the existing garage and it turns out we could have to the lot line if wanted,we didn't think we needed to call the HOA hence where were at.

 

So we will kiss some ass and play nice see if we can appease and move on.

[gillbot]

Neighbors possibly complained expecting a used car lot opening soon.

[Trouble Maker]

You'll have space in your driveway when you have people over instead of them parking on the road. And the same people who complained to the HOA about your driveway would probably complain about people parking on the road.

 

But yeah... I can almost see why someone complained, it does look like you are planning to setup an autocross in your front yard.

[TTQ B4U]

He posted it in this thread. It's big.

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1979314

 

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That is huge man. Not that I would care if I lived in the area but I do have some thoughts. Scale it back a bit and hide it. Go half as wide to the left and instead of cutting it into the tiny corner of grass by the sidewalk, move the edge closer to the house and line the whole thing with taller shrubs and put a nice planting bed of flowers in front of those shrubs.

 

That would not only hide it but it would look much nicer. As several noted, it looks like a parking lot, etc. Not sure if all that makes sense to you but it may be a worthwhile compromise within your situation.

[Trouble Maker]

I'll second what Tim said and had the same though, some trimming of the area and shrubbery will go a long way.

 

Go to the HOA with a proposal, lips puckered and a heart full of hope.

[Green Bastard]

Yes, assuming that those covenants are still valid and not invalidated by subsequent law. Covenants are enforceable by law, basically your neighbors can just sue you directly if you violate a covenant.

 

HOAs prevent this by basically standing between the neighbors and sometimes acting as a go between so it doesn't devolve into the Hatfields and the McCoys. If your neighborhood was built before the HOA was formed and your HOA is voluntary, you don't have to join the HOA, but you still have to follow the covenants. The downside to not being part of the HOA is that the HOA will just sue you instead of one of your neighbors if you violate the covenant. By being a member you have the advantage of being able to work it out with the HOA before any real legal action is taken since there are laws that specifically require HOAs to have a complaint resolution process.

 

Does that answer your question?

 

Yes, that does answer my question, thank you. It just seems shitty to me that you can have people start building houses around you then just decide what you can and cannot do with your property. Hopefully I never have to worry about it though.

[Geeto67]

Yes, that does answer my question, thank you. It just seems shitty to me that you can have people start building houses around you then just decide what you can and cannot do with your property. Hopefully I never have to worry about it though.

 

It is kinda. But I think I left something out that may not be clear.

 

There are two ways an HOA can form - at the beginning established and managed by the developer, or later formed by the residents. If it is the later kind, a majority (usually 60%) of the home owners in that neighborhood have to agree and join.

 

In that later case, There are limits to what an HOA can do. It can't enforce a restrictive covenant on your property that wasn't there when you moved in unless you agree to it (or the majority of residents agree and you don't object). Often that means that the HOA will get you to agree to abide to their rules when you become a member.

 

Sometimes you'll hear about people being "grandfathered" in to certain rules, meaning they refused to agree to those later covenants and thus have an exemption. So even if there is something that the majority of the people in your neighborhood agree to but you object to, you can fight it and maintain your right to not follow the restriction. This is why it is important for you to pay attention to any notices from your HOA and attend any meetings that come up.

[Robochan]

You hosting cars and coffee anytime soon?

[downingracing]

It is kinda. But I think I left something out that may not be clear.

 

There are two ways an HOA can form - at the beginning established and managed by the developer, or later formed by the residents. If it is the later kind, a majority (usually 60%) of the home owners in that neighborhood have to agree and join.

 

In that later case, There are limits to what an HOA can do. It can't enforce a restrictive covenant on your property that wasn't there when you moved in unless you agree to it (or the majority of residents agree and you don't object). Often that means that the HOA will get you to agree to abide to their rules when you become a member.

 

Sometimes you'll hear about people being "grandfathered" in to certain rules, meaning they refused to agree to those later covenants and thus have an exemption. So even if there is something that the majority of the people in your neighborhood agree to but you object to, you can fight it and maintain your right to not follow the restriction. This is why it is important for you to pay attention to any notices from your HOA and attend any meetings that come up.

 

GREAT advice!! We looked at two homes in a development before purchasing where we did. One was bound to the HOA and the other was not. HOA was formed after the original section was built and the owners opted out of everything. So they advertised the house as such and that was a big plus to us. Ended up going another direction, but that would have been the house to purchase over the one bound to the HOA (for us).

[HotCarl]

He posted it in this thread. It's big.

 

http://www.columbusracing.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1979314

 

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LOL holy shit i was thinking it was an extra foot or two so you could get out of your car easier, not a god damn landing pad.

[Otis Nice]

Should've taken it all the way to the road.

[Mitch]

LOL holy shit i was thinking it was an extra foot or two so you could get out of your car easier, not a god damn landing pad.

 

He's onto something here. Paint a giant H on it and tell them it's helicopter landing pad, bet that's not specified in the HOA.

[coltboostin]

He's onto something here. Paint a giant H on it and tell them it's helicopter landing pad, bet that's not specified in the HOA.

 

What an Epic turn of events...... lol

[smokin5s]

I was going to post saying the HOA was being picky as hell but I just saw your other post with image and holy shit that's a huge freaking concrete slab (that's what she said) It looks like you've gone almost to your property line.