AARRGGHHHH!

CatNipped wrote:

I wouldn't think you'd have to get permissions for a wooden fence when 2 out
of 3 homes in the subdivision have one (and I've even see 8 foot ones, but
they must be friends of the people on he HOA)! We found out that the deed
restrictions document can be *purchased* from the HOA!

Hugs,

CatNipped

Well, that's just not fair. I know it would be crappy to end up making
other homeowners tear theirs down too, but I'd have to ask the city
code people why they could keep their fence, but you have to remove
yours.
Or do I have this wrong? Does city code have anything to do with it, or
is it just the homeowners' associaton?

Sherry

wrote in message
oups.com...


CatNipped wrote:

I wouldn't think you'd have to get permissions for a wooden fence when 2
out
of 3 homes in the subdivision have one (and I've even see 8 foot ones,
but
they must be friends of the people on he HOA)! We found out that the
deed
restrictions document can be *purchased* from the HOA!

Hugs,

CatNipped

Well, that's just not fair. I know it would be crappy to end up making
other homeowners tear theirs down too, but I'd have to ask the city
code people why they could keep their fence, but you have to remove
yours.
Or do I have this wrong? Does city code have anything to do with it, or
is it just the homeowners' associaton?

No. We have no zoning laws here in Houston - theoretically a porn shop
could open up right next door to your home. Which is why we have HOAs. And
it's purely arbitrary whom they cite and for what. I'm sure if we wanted to
we could complain about such and thus about our neighbors, but I would never
have dreamed of doing so. I still don't know why this is an issue which
suddenly has to be resolved in less than a week when the fence has been up
over a year!

I think I *will* start going to the meetings from now on, though.

Hugs,

CatNipped


Sherry

On Sat, 23 Jul 2005 17:19:20 -0500, "CatNipped"
wrote:

&)*()(*)#$%@#$*$ homeowners association!!!!

We received a registered letter today from a lawyer informing us that we are
in violation of deed restrictions by having a (beautiful) 8 foot high wooden
fence (that we've had for over a year and have heard not one peep from the
HOA about before the letter from the lawyer). We're told we have until July
31 to either remove the fence or be sued (and fined $200 a day for each day
of being in violation plus court costs and lawyers fees).

I'm floored. 75% of the houses on my block have fences that are half
falling down and rotting away, but they haven't been cited because they're 6
foot tall or under!!!!

OK, we can't just take the fence down - the whole reason we put the fence up
in the first place was because our homeowner's insurance said they were
going to drop us if we didn't fence in the spa (so trespassing kids wouldn't
drown and have their parents sue the sh*t out of our insurance company).

And less than a week to contract with a fencing company to come out and do a
major construction projects???? Please, it's the height of their season
(we'd be lucky to get someone inside of a month!!!).

Thank gawd my son and DH are both handy and own power tools. But I'm
sitting here near tears listening to them outside sawing our beautiful fence
off at 6 feet!

Who the *HELL* is it hurting because we have a tall fence???!! Nosy
neighbors who want to see me skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi (I would think
people would pay *NOT* to see that)!!!

Hugs,

CatNipped

I'm so glad that I live in the middle of nowhere and there's no HOA to
tell me what I can do and what I can't do.

Be sure to keep that letter in a safe place just in case you ever get
sued because some kid drowns in your jacuzzi.

Purrs and Hugs,

Nan

wrote in message
oups.com...


jmcquown wrote:

Who the *HELL* is it hurting because we have a tall fence???!! Nosy
neighbors who want to see me skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi (I would
think
people would pay *NOT* to see that)!!!

Hugs,

CatNipped

This is why I hate homeowners associations. I know the pros and cons;
maybe
you don't want a purple house next door to you. But a couple of extra
feet
higher on a fence doesn't hurt a soul. Keep that letter; you might need
it
in the future.

Jill

I agree. There *are* pros and cons, but some of them just get too
snooty to be real. There is one here that says you can't have a pickup
truck, unless it is in the garage at all times. Imagine! That means any
truck! Some of those trucks cost well over $30,000 and are pretty dang
sharp looking. That's way too snobby for me.
Sherry

Yep. Where my parents live they have an HOA. The rules say the garage door
must be kept closed at all times. Their garage does not face the street (in
fact most of them don't) so what does it matter? The rules *used* to state
only natural shades of paint on the homes - browns, beiges, some greens were
acceptable - until some much more wealthy folks started building. Now they
have *really big* bright pink houses! Huh.

Jill

CatNipped wrote:
&)*()(*)#$%@#$*$ homeowners association!!!!

We received a registered letter today from a lawyer informing us that we are
in violation of deed restrictions by having a (beautiful) 8 foot high wooden
fence (that we've had for over a year and have heard not one peep from the
HOA about before the letter from the lawyer). We're told we have until July
31 to either remove the fence or be sued (and fined $200 a day for each day
of being in violation plus court costs and lawyers fees).

I'm floored. 75% of the houses on my block have fences that are half
falling down and rotting away, but they haven't been cited because they're 6
foot tall or under!!!!

OK, we can't just take the fence down - the whole reason we put the fence up
in the first place was because our homeowner's insurance said they were
going to drop us if we didn't fence in the spa (so trespassing kids wouldn't
drown and have their parents sue the sh*t out of our insurance company).

And less than a week to contract with a fencing company to come out and do a
major construction projects???? Please, it's the height of their season
(we'd be lucky to get someone inside of a month!!!).

Thank gawd my son and DH are both handy and own power tools. But I'm
sitting here near tears listening to them outside sawing our beautiful fence
off at 6 feet!

Who the *HELL* is it hurting because we have a tall fence???!! Nosy
neighbors who want to see me skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi (I would think
people would pay *NOT* to see that)!!!

Hugs,

CatNipped



I know it's too late now as the damage is done by now but I would check
with your cities building department to see if any codes govern the
height of fence required around a pool or jacuzzi. Maybe check the state
as well.

CatNipped wrote:

wrote in message
ps.com...


CatNipped wrote:


Who the *HELL* is it hurting because we have a tall fence???!! Nosy
neighbors who want to see me skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi (I would

think

people would pay *NOT* to see that)!!!

Hugs,

CatNipped

It was probably one of your neighbors who turned you in. Kind of like a
neighbor we had behind us who would watch out the window, hoping I
think that the kids' ball or balsa airplane would go over her fence so
she could have something to gripe about.

Sherry


Probably. I don't understand people like that. DH and I are pretty much
hermits (computer geeks who seldom stick our noses out of the front door),
so it isn't that we've even interacted with neighbors enough to **** anyone
off!

Unless that's what ****ed them off! (Some neighbors aren't
happy unless they know all their neighbors' business.)


Hugs,

CatNipped

CatNipped wrote:

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...

On 2005-07-23, CatNipped penned:

&)*()(*)#$%@#$*$ homeowners association!!!!

We received a registered letter today from a lawyer informing us
that we are in violation of deed restrictions by having a
(beautiful) 8 foot high wooden fence (that we've had for over a year
and have heard not one peep from the HOA about before the letter
from the lawyer). We're told we have until July 31 to either remove
the fence or be sued (and fined $200 a day for each day of being in
violation plus court costs and lawyers fees).

I'm so sorry to hear this. But ... having an HOA, wouldn't you
typically get permission and check the rules before starting on a
project like that?


I wouldn't think you'd have to get permissions for a wooden fence when 2 out
of 3 homes in the subdivision have one (and I've even see 8 foot ones, but
they must be friends of the people on he HOA)!

Only HOA I ever had dealings with was when I owned a
condo/townhouse, briefly. I had no idea they had such
things where you own the actual lot on which your house
stands! In the case of a condo, it made sense, since the
association was responsible for maintaining the common areas
(roof, publc walkways, exterior landscaping, swimming pool,
etc.) for which we paid our monthly dues. However,
membership was part of the terms for purchasing the condo,
and any restrictions on structural changes we might make
were clearly spelled out in the purchase agreement.

We found out that the deed
restrictions document can be *purchased* from the HOA!

Aren't things like that supposed to be "matters of public
record"? (In which case they'd be on file with some
government agency.)

wrote:


jmcquown wrote:

Who the *HELL* is it hurting because we have a tall fence???!! Nosy
neighbors who want to see me skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi (I would think
people would pay *NOT* to see that)!!!

Hugs,

CatNipped


This is why I hate homeowners associations. I know the pros and cons; maybe
you don't want a purple house next door to you. But a couple of extra feet
higher on a fence doesn't hurt a soul. Keep that letter; you might need it
in the future.

Jill


I agree. There *are* pros and cons, but some of them just get too
snooty to be real. There is one here that says you can't have a pickup
truck, unless it is in the garage at all times. Imagine! That means any
truck! Some of those trucks cost well over $30,000 and are pretty dang
sharp looking. That's way too snobby for me.
Sherry

What about the ones that won't allow you to hang laundry in
your own back yard? Sure, most homeowners nowadays have
their own washer and dryer, but a lot of people prefer to
hang stuff outside to dry when the weather cooperates (also
it saves a lot of energy).

Oh, yeah: in s.FL.there are *all* kinds of codes/mandates (locking gates on
enclosures, restricted access, etc.) spelled out in the *county* (not HOA)
pool/jacuzzi/hot-tub statutes. I can't see where shaving 2 ft. off fence
will result in massive invasions of local children into your water. And as
for the "letter".....
as my dead sister (who was an insurance liability underwriter in CA) used to
say, there is *no defense* you can come up w/when faced in a courtroom
w/grieving parents your negligence caused......she called it "poor little
kid" mentality of juries, LOL.


"Rrb" wrote in message
news:4FAEe.19087$Eo.1431@fed1read04...
CatNipped wrote:
&)*()(*)#$%@#$*$ homeowners association!!!!

We received a registered letter today from a lawyer informing us that we
are
in violation of deed restrictions by having a (beautiful) 8 foot high
wooden
fence (that we've had for over a year and have heard not one peep from
the
HOA about before the letter from the lawyer). We're told we have until
July
31 to either remove the fence or be sued (and fined $200 a day for each
day
of being in violation plus court costs and lawyers fees).

I'm floored. 75% of the houses on my block have fences that are half
falling down and rotting away, but they haven't been cited because
they're 6
foot tall or under!!!!

OK, we can't just take the fence down - the whole reason we put the fence
up
in the first place was because our homeowner's insurance said they were
going to drop us if we didn't fence in the spa (so trespassing kids
wouldn't
drown and have their parents sue the sh*t out of our insurance company).

And less than a week to contract with a fencing company to come out and
do a
major construction projects???? Please, it's the height of their season
(we'd be lucky to get someone inside of a month!!!).

Thank gawd my son and DH are both handy and own power tools. But I'm
sitting here near tears listening to them outside sawing our beautiful
fence
off at 6 feet!

Who the *HELL* is it hurting because we have a tall fence???!! Nosy
neighbors who want to see me skinny dipping in the Jacuzzi (I would think
people would pay *NOT* to see that)!!!

Hugs,

CatNipped



I know it's too late now as the damage is done by now but I would check
with your cities building department to see if any codes govern the height
of fence required around a pool or jacuzzi. Maybe check the state as well.

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
...


CatNipped wrote:

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...

On 2005-07-23, CatNipped penned:

&)*()(*)#$%@#$*$ homeowners association!!!!

We received a registered letter today from a lawyer informing us
that we are in violation of deed restrictions by having a
(beautiful) 8 foot high wooden fence (that we've had for over a year
and have heard not one peep from the HOA about before the letter
from the lawyer). We're told we have until July 31 to either remove
the fence or be sued (and fined $200 a day for each day of being in
violation plus court costs and lawyers fees).

I'm so sorry to hear this. But ... having an HOA, wouldn't you
typically get permission and check the rules before starting on a
project like that?


I wouldn't think you'd have to get permissions for a wooden fence when 2
out
of 3 homes in the subdivision have one (and I've even see 8 foot ones,
but
they must be friends of the people on he HOA)!

Only HOA I ever had dealings with was when I owned a
condo/townhouse, briefly. I had no idea they had such
things where you own the actual lot on which your house
stands! In the case of a condo, it made sense, since the
association was responsible for maintaining the common areas
(roof, publc walkways, exterior landscaping, swimming pool,
etc.) for which we paid our monthly dues. However,
membership was part of the terms for purchasing the condo,
and any restrictions on structural changes we might make
were clearly spelled out in the purchase agreement.

The subdivision does also - there's a "community" pool and tennis court at
the front of the subdivision (you need a picture ID to use them).


We found out that the deed
restrictions document can be *purchased* from the HOA!

Aren't things like that supposed to be "matters of public
record"? (In which case they'd be on file with some
government agency.)

No, the HOA is a private association. They can't call the cops on you for a
too-high fence, but they can sue you is you are in violation of the deed
restrictions (and fine you $200 a day for every day you *stay* in
violation). I think it's one of the reasons the people who sold us the
house moved out - they got cited for having too many pine needles on the
roof and having a dented car in the drive-way.

There was one case of an elderly woman (like 70 years old or so) here in
Houston whose HOA *SOLD HER HOUSE FOR $100* because she owed $600 in HOA
fines. She finally got the house back again, but it took her 10 years of
legal battles and the people of Houston chipping in to buy her house back
for her (now you know why we immediately went outside to cut down our
fence!!).

Hugs,

CatNipped