This made the local news.

[blmitch5]

Originally Posted by MrUKToad

Meanwhile, in a suburban street in South Western Ontario....

Someone complained about our Airstream being on the driveway. He didn't complain to me, but to my neighbour who, ironically, had a 25' Trail Lite on his driveway. It seems that the complainer didn't like the look of the Airstream and assumed it to be a second-hand junker when in fact it was brand new. My neighbour patiently explained to the complainer that the Airstream was new and very expensive and the guy went away, apparently mollified. We checked the local byelaws (ordinances) and they say that we can have TWO RVs on our drive between the start of April and the End of October, but nothing over the winter months; I nearly went out and bought a second RV just to prove a point!

We can also keep an RV on our property all year if it's behind the back of the house but, sadly, we don't have access wide enough to allow that.

Lol. That would have been expensive but funny.

[DavidsonOverlander]

Originally Posted by blmitch5

Some people....
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...7206220&type=1

"My neighbour is storing an RV in his driveway." Wow, there's a classic First World Problem! Some people just don't know how good they've got it.

[Airtandem]

When I built my house, I turned the house 90 degrees on the lot. I park my AS beside the garage, technically this is my backyard. There has been several that have challenged me on the location of the AS. I told them to go and start legal proceeding, but they could not afford the counter suit. I showed them the legal paper from the city zoning and they backed down. These people had to move their TT due to the city ordinance. RV's,TT,boats etc cannot extend beyond the front of the house.

[TouringDan]

I like one of the comments to the original post "I wish that Airstream were parked in my driveway."

Dan

[SeeMore]

Seems many have an HOA story to tell. Luckily, mine has a favorable wrinkle.

The builder neglected to include the last three sub-divided lots in the rear of the original bulk land purchase in the covenants because he was keeping them for his own place. Yeah, the "good for them but not for me approach." What he didn't calculate sufficiently were the books for the build-out and subsequently went bust.

My place was 'his' and I had checked the rules before purchase knowing busy bodies get involved all too frequently in what you do with yours. The first week, a few of my new neighbors came by separately to tell me Pick-Ups weren't allowed; even in the driveway if visible. I kindly told them I was exempt and how to check the specifics about which lots were bound at the registrar's office.

Given all the room my multiple lots provided, I quickly expanded the driveway length and width to accommodate both my trailers and boats. I planted a line of 8' Leyland Cypress to block the view but it took a few years to fill in. Everyone was happy ten years later!

[wahoonc]

I am all for REASONABLE rule in a neighborhood, but what is reasonable to some maybe restrictive to others. I live on 38 acres that has become surrounded by suburban sprawl. One 3 sides of the property I have a reasonable buffer zone where the local military base bought the land for a buffer zone.

My biggest beef at the moment... we "subdivided" our lot for financial and estate planning purposes. Now one of my lot lines (even though we live 1/4 mile off the paved road is considered a "front" line and I have to have a 35' set back for any structures the land that touches that lot line is mine too. Sometimes codes make sense and some times they cost you money you shouldn't have to spend.

Aaron

[Jim & Susan]

Originally Posted by SeeMore

Seems many have an HOA story to tell. Luckily, mine has a favorable wrinkle........The first week, a few of my new neighbors came by separately to tell me Pick-Ups weren't allowed; even in the driveway if visible.......

This is screaming hilarious. I thought Georgia LAW required at least one Pick-Up Truck per household. That would be a little like telling a New Englander that the snow blower must be stowed or otherwise hidden from view at all times.


Merry Christmas everybody.

Jim

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by wahoonc

I am all for REASONABLE rule in a neighborhood, but what is reasonable to some maybe restrictive to others. I live on 38 acres that has become surrounded by suburban sprawl. One 3 sides of the property I have a reasonable buffer zone where the local military base bought the land for a buffer zone.

My biggest beef at the moment... we "subdivided" our lot for financial and estate planning purposes. Now one of my lot lines (even though we live 1/4 mile off the paved road is considered a "front" line and I have to have a 35' set back for any structures the land that touches that lot line is mine too. Sometimes codes make sense and some times they cost you money you shouldn't have to spend.

Aaron

That's an interesting Catch-22. Can you recombine your subdivision?

Ken

[Ag&Au]

I decided a long time ago that one of the worst mistakes someone can make is to buy a piece of property governed by a HOA. It stands for "Horrible Owners Anonymous". They seem to be able to twist the covenants and regulations on the fly to ban anything that any of the HOA board members don't like. Of course, if you are one of those busybodies who is always more concerned with what others do than what you do yourself, it is perfect.

I have more than trucks and trailers to worry about. I have a amateur radio license. If I wish to pursue that hobby to its fullest, I have to read every single letter of city and county regulations, plus any covenants in effect for the property. The FCC has passed regulations that restrict how much local governments can restrict amateur radio antennas, but it doesn't apply to HOAs. I guess they figure if you move there, you get what's coming to you.

In any case, I Believe that before buying any piece of property for any purpose, a person should take whatever time and effort it requires to determine any and all restrictions that are placed on its use. Also think of anything you might possibly want to do in the future.

That concludes this day's sermon.

Please stay tuned to see what inspires* me next.

Ken

*In this use, "inspires" is synonymous with "gets me PO'ed"

[Grrrwolf]

I've heard all the horror stories too, but a reasonable HOA can be a real property value protector. My take is that there must be a value; I'd rather not have sofas and burnt out vehicles in the yard like almost anywhere without the rules.

Our dues go toward nice clean common areas/pool/walking paths and several parties every year. We do have restrictive fence rules but are exempt from leash laws within reason. We are also allowed RVs on hard surfaces behind the front of the house but I only park here to load or do a little maintenance.

I almost choked recently when I heard a FL HOA was attempting to ban kids from playing in the streets. There would be unrest in these parts if that happened...

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Grrrwolf

I've heard all the horror stories too, but a reasonable HOA can be a real property value protector. My take is that there must be a value; I'd rather not have sofas and burnt out vehicles in the yard like almost anywhere without the rules.

Our dues go toward nice clean common areas/pool/walking paths and several parties every year. We do have restrictive fence rules but are exempt from leash laws within reason. We are also allowed RVs on hard surfaces behind the front of the house but I only park here to load or do a little maintenance.

I almost choked recently when I heard a FL HOA was attempting to ban kids from playing in the streets. There would be unrest in these parts if that happened...

I see "exempt from leash laws" as a negative, not a positive. And I am thankfully quite free of both HOAs and sofas or burnt-out vehicles in the yard (or anywhere else visible) in my neighborhood. There's a lot of distance between Stepford and Mad Max.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Grrrwolf

I've heard all the horror stories too, but a reasonable HOA can be a real property value protector. My take is that there must be a value; I'd rather not have sofas and burnt out vehicles in the yard like almost anywhere without the rules.

Our dues go toward nice clean common areas/pool/walking paths and several parties every year. We do have restrictive fence rules but are exempt from leash laws within reason. We are also allowed RVs on hard surfaces behind the front of the house but I only park here to load or do a little maintenance.

I almost choked recently when I heard a FL HOA was attempting to ban kids from playing in the streets. There would be unrest in these parts if that happened...

The stories I found the most silly are those few cases I've read about where HOAs were making residents remove flagpoles from their yards.

I do not dispute that HOAs provide a legitimate service for some. However that fact that it could change so easily if the wrong people are allowed to have power, cause me to choose to avoid the risk. I live within city limits and have found that the city regulations and enforcement satisfy my desires. However, a half mile from me is an area with a HOA that a friend lives in. He gets written warnings if he leaves his nice looking late model pickup truck in his driveway overnight.

Ken

[Rocinante]

Written warnings make excellent kindling for the fireplace.

[kscherzi]

The gal who takes the HOA complaints in my neighborhood also has a travel trailer. I call her ahead of of time and she's very understanding when I ask for a week to prep or clean. In the rest of the county Smith and Wesson run the HOA.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Airstream Forums mobile app

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Silvery Moon

Written warnings make excellent kindling for the fireplace.

There's an interesting approach I hadn't thought off. Go ahead and move into a place with a bunch of restrictions and then just ignore them.

Let me know how it works.

Ken