HOA and requesting amendment

[heavyhitter1k]

If you use this picture mark is as 'X' and 'Y' on the footprint dimensions so the HOA doesn't assume you are requiring a 10'x10' square structure. There might need to be restrictions on the size of the footprint, however.

I am sure they will want to limit the size of the footprint max, but yes the 10x10 was simply for an example. 9x10, 8x11 for example would be acceptable as long as the total footprint did not exceed a certain max sq footage. 8' height max seems reasonable thou.

 

[rockhopper46038]

Seems fine to me, but I really meant to enclose the pictures with your letter to the HOA board.

 

[jagee]

I am sure they will want to limit the size of the footprint max, but yes the 10x10 was simply for an example. 9x10, 8x11 for example would be acceptable as long as the total footprint did not exceed a certain max sq footage. 8' height max seems reasonable thou.

I would agree with you on the 8' and the limitation of total sq.ft...seems logical to me, but I am not on an HOA board, nor do I have an HOA in my neighborhood.

 

[heavyhitter1k]

Seems fine to me, but I really meant to enclose the pictures with your letter to the HOA board.

I know, and I will, just adding more info to my thread. In case im not clear on what I am thinking, lol.

 

[Westside]

OP;

looks closely at the HOA docs. There will be a procedure on how to amend the restrictions. Usually it has to be done at a HOA meeting where enough home owners are present to get a quorum and then a majority of the quorum has to vote for the change. There is your problem getting enough of the home owners in your neighborhood to agree you and actually vote for it.

 

[rvb]

here is what my HOA says if you are looking for some example wording:

Storage Sheds​

: Storage sheds must be constructed of wood with wood or vinyl siding material.If used, vinyl siding should be of same type used on the house. The shed shall match theexterior color of the house. The roof shall have similar color and style of shingles as the house.The shed shall be a minimum of 96 sq. feet and no greater than 168 sq. feet in size with amaximum height of 11 feet. It shall be located in such a way as to minimize its visibility from the​

street. The shed shall be well maintained.

why tie a fence to it? don't go in w/ a position asking for more regulations thinking you are compromising something.

-rvb

 

[hoosierdoc]

Or go underground with a buried schoolbus...

Wasn't that at the Waco compound?

 

[Thegeek]

Here's what you can do in most HOAs. Print a huge stack of proxies. Go door to door and talk as many people as you can into signing them. Then go to a meeting with a neighbor who likes you. Then you can make a motion, they can second, and be the majority vote on your own. Most HOAs are run by idiots who don't know Robert's Rules. If you can get the proxies, you can virtually own the place.

 

[heavyhitter1k]

OP;

looks closely at the HOA docs. There will be a procedure on how to amend the restrictions. Usually it has to be done at a HOA meeting where enough home owners are present to get a quorum and then a majority of the quorum has to vote for the change. There is your problem getting enough of the home owners in your neighborhood to agree you and actually vote for it.

The only current amendment to the HOA doc has signatures from other homeowners and mentions a 75% approval needed. So I am assuming I will have to get people to agree with me and sign, and then with required # of sigs I can get it voted on by board? Idk, that's partly why I am writing the board so I can find out HOW to do this. HOA doc is not very clear on HOW to get something amended.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Longer term: Run for HOA board... Or board president...

Choose not to enforce the shed thing...

-J-

 

[heavyhitter1k]

Longer term: Run for HOA board... Or board president...

Choose not to enforce the shed thing...

-J-

I would, only issue is I'm new to the HOA (just about a year now) and my age (Only 30 years old). Not sure how well people will take to either. Worth a shot thou! Not sure how active they are and how often they meet. Will look into it!

 

[Westside]

The only current amendment to the HOA doc has signatures from other homeowners and mentions a 75% approval needed. So I am assuming I will have to get people to agree with me and sign, and then with required # of sigs I can get it voted on by board? Idk, that's partly why I am writing the board so I can find out HOW to do this. HOA doc is not very clear on HOW to get something amended.

Your close. the geek is very close to right. I copied his post below. WIth my HOA I wouldn't even need the second. Just the required % of the homeowners.

Example: Let say your covenants say you need 75% of home owners to agree to approve a rule change and you have 100 houses in your neighborhood. then you would need 74 proxy votes (aka home owners giving you the right to vote on their behalf) then you can go in and do just about whatever you want. 74 homeowners because you would be the 75th.

Here's what you can do in most HOAs. Print a huge stack of proxies. Go door to door and talk as many people as you can into signing them. Then go to a meeting with a neighbor who likes you. Then you can make a motion, they can second, and be the majority vote on your own. Most HOAs are run by idiots who don't know Robert's Rules. If you can get the proxies, you can virtually own the place.

And usual YMMV and IANAL.

 

[Westside]

I would, only issue is I'm new to the HOA (just about a year now) and my age (Only 30 years old). Not sure how well people will take to either. Worth a shot thou! Not sure how active they are and how often they meet. Will look into it!

um most HOA's if you show up to the meetings they will put you on the board.

 

[TaunTaun]

Here are my recommendations.

Find the crappiest, most worn-looking, dilapidated shed as you can find. Find a night that the HOA council or whatever is meeting. Place shed on HOA leader's property. If their is a group, put a shed on each property. Immediately file a lawsuit against the HOA leadership for violating HOA Rules. Declare yourself Despot of the HOA and inform all residents that they now are under your rule. Put a massive fine on the former leadership and place a lein on their houses when they refuse to pay. Seize their homes and assets to pay for fine. Use one of their houses as a shed. Sell the rest, keep profits. Or if you don't want to sell them, make a video of you burning their houses down and mail the vids to their new addresses.

 

[churchmouse]

I only inculded the fence rule because thats how they passed the amendment to the "no inground pools" rule. Not sure if due to privacy or saftey, but I have a fence so im not too worried. I can remove that but not sure what is needed. Fence hides shed so to speak so yea.

I'm basically just wanting to store yard tools, rakes, shovels, push mower, and snow blower. So 6' height is fine with me and I figured they may be more apt to pass it if it doesn't peak so high. Idk. New to this HOA thing, as my previous home was just a street with houses and no rules. WHich is also why a house on my street had a playset on the FRONT YARD. SO I understand HOA rules to SOME extent...

I will only ask this.....Why did you move into an area with such restrictive rules....no in-ground pools, really. No sheds. We have 1 metal shed and one very nice wooden shed. It has a barn like desing and we hand built it.
I bet you can not have a boat or a camper on your lot as well????

Man, you are in a Gestapo area by choice. I wish you luck.

 

[heavyhitter1k]

I will only ask this.....Why did you move into an area with such restrictive rules....no in-ground pools, really. No sheds. We have 1 metal shed and one very nice wooden shed. It has a barn like desing and we hand built it.
I bet you can not have a boat or a camper on your lot as well????

Man, you are in a Gestapo area by choice. I wish you luck.

We can have in-ground pools as of late 2010, but there is a restriction that say you must have a privacy type fence in order to have an in-ground pool.
Love the home, had to trade off what I NEED in a home vs what I wanted etc. Price and school district were also big factors. I wanted a 3-car garage but my price range and area of town I wanted etc wouldn't allow. Had to really figure out what was more important. Yea, HOA is kinda sucky, but it keeps homes looking nice and keeps the value up I feel.

 

[mbills2223]

If it were me, I would not include details of your planned proposal. I would simply ask for details about the amendment process.

 

[Mr Evilwrench]

I lucked out on my HOA. Only thing I was looking for at the time was antenna restrictions, but those are moot anyway. They say no sheds, but that's been ignored so much already that you can pretty much do whatever you want.

My question is: what the heck is a "detached basement"? Is that something you can move around underground like that hole in Roadrunner? Is it somehow unsightly?

 

[Turf Doctor]

I am sure they will want to limit the size of the footprint max, but yes the 10x10 was simply for an example. 9x10, 8x11 for example would be acceptable as long as the total footprint did not exceed a certain max sq footage. 8' height max seems reasonable thou.

If you are trying to get the covenants changed to allow an out building, try to get something big enough worth while. I built a garage and it could only be a certain sq.ft. based on the size on my property per Hendricks County.

Also, if it is attached to your house changes weather it is considered an out building or detached structure. Something to consider.

You can never have too much garage / out building..

Hope this helps.

 

[hoosierdoc]

If it were me, I would not include details of your planned proposal. I would simply ask for details about the amendment process.

Good advice right there.