Increasing covenants violation notices

I've lived here since 2006 and have noticed in the past few years a significant increase in covenants violation notices, both for myself and my neighbors. I've read that previously violations were only really ever issued in response to a complaint, but that most certainly doesn't seem to be the case any longer. I am admittedly not very involved in the HOA so I want to give them the benefit of the doubt. Does anyone know what changed with covenants enforcement and what the rationale for the change was?

 

I recall reading in the newsletter that they're stepping up inspections and they're only able to do this because they hired additional help. This is badly needed. Some houses on our street look awful with rotting trim, faded shutters, weedy yards and one still has Christmas tree lights up.

 

I sure feel the difference. We live here over a decade and we received lately several notices. First my son was a little proactive and put the trash out on the street on Wednesday at 3 pm, instead of 5 pm and I did receive a registered USPS mail, that I had to sign. I keep my trash bin outside (for as long we live here) in a hidden corner that you can only spot from a very specific angle from the street, if you look for it. That was another registered mail. I asked all my neighbors if it does bother them. They never noticed it.

I just received another notice about grapes we grow on balcony above garage. (Maybe we should bribe the inspector with some delicious grapes when they get ripe

But I would really like to know if you believe this is inappropriate? Please let me know.



Trimmed:

 

Plants? Did they suggest cutting it back or removing it? I would take plants (provided they're not growing out of the gutter) rather than rotten wood and trim on a house I share walls with.

 

This is grapevine, that grows from the ground and hangs over the rail at the master bedroom balcony. There is a bird nest inside now too.

 

Are you being asked to remove?

 

Is this in Broadlands? Trash gets picked up on Thursday - unless you meant to say trash out on Wednesday. Also, I knew they mailed the notices by USPS, but I didn't realize Broadlands sent the first notice by certified mail.

 

Sorry - I meant Wednesday.

 

It states: "Please trim and control vine above garage door". But I will have to ask what would be acceptable to them.

 

I believe HOA is NOT asking you to remove it at all. What they are asking you to do (my understanding) that they are asking you to cut it back and control (maintain it) above the garage door. I imagine that they do not want you to let it grow so long and so messy. I think they want you to make it visually appealing (Curb Appeal). If you cannot do that, I surmise they probably would want you to remove it all. They simply want you to make it clean and neat....Remember, they are looking to keep house values up at all times.

I believe after COVID, the HOA is probably trying to get people to return to maintaining their houses to keep the value of the houses (and that of their next door neighbors) up...its important when it comes to selling the house. Who wants to live NEXT door to a neighbor that does not do anything to upkeep their homes to the point that it will hurt the values of the surrounding homes when it comes to real estate sales?

Just a thought here....good luck trimming it back!

 

RobertD, I love that vine, it's reminiscent of the balcony gardens in Italy, looks amazing as is and I think an abundance of plants is totally in line with Broadlands being a community centered around nature.

A neighbor was cited for something similar - the letter said "Please keep property maintained in an attractive condition by removing vegetation growing on stone siding."

It seems like "attractive" is so subjective here - attractive to who?

 

Also be careful with any action you take on this - it is often illegal to disturb active bird nests.

 

You have the option to appeal this to the Board of Directors, which I recommend before you do anything. You can provide whatever documentation you want to support your position such as comments from this post in support of keeping it as is, the comments on Italian gardens are relevant as is the desire of Broadlands to be centered on nature. I also agree the comment isn’t about removing it as much as it is to do maintenance trimming. I would mention if the vines are producing grapes or not and if you have any active bird nests.

For disclosure, I am a member of the modifications sub-committee.

 

Sell your place and leave, this is no way to live. You have done your time...If you are the kind of person that doesn't like clowns telling you what to do, pack up and get out of Dodge, you will be much happier with life... Cheers.

 

This is a very common practice in parts of Europe. My extended family in Ukraine lives in a 9-story apartment building and they have managed to grow the grape vines up, balcony to balcony to at least 6 stories above. They train the vines to grow to each balcony and then up to the next. It is ingenious and amazing to see and yes, provides grapes year after year.

 

I would encourage you to attend the next Modifications subcommittee meeting meeting July 5th at 7PM. If you vine is violating any of their provisions, they will give citations. You will find the virtual meeting info in the Callender section of this website.

 

I actually looked up the design guidelines and didn't see anything that applied - the closest I could find was in the landscaping guidelines:
"No approval is required for the installation of plantings, including trees or hedges, unless a landscape or planting plan is required as a part of the review of another application."
and:
"Plant materials should be appropriate in character, habitat, species, size (both installed and mature), number and arrangement for their purpose and surroundings." which is of course quite subjective.

It seems like a lot of these violations are being issued under "Article 7, Section 7.2 (a) of the Declaration: Each Owner shall keep such Owner's Lot and all
improvements located on the lot in good order, condition and repair..." which is even more vague.

Which kind of gets back to the original question - what changed with these subjective guidelines that we now seem to be erring on the side of something being in violation vs. being acceptable?

 

Few years ago, a childhood buddy from India came to visit me. He brought a camcorder with him to document his travels. One evening, after dinner, he was showing us the recordings he made while visiting me. One of the recordings was while traveling on the road. I was dumb struck for a few seconds, didn't know what's going on. Everything look so beautiful, like a scene from an upscale Hollywood move, yet it was giving me a deja vu moment. Then I realized, it was Clairborne Pkwy. Beautiful wide roads, perfectly manicured curbs on both sides, beautiful and windy walkways, attractive streetlamps, and trees tastefully planted on either side. Not a single blade of grass out of its place.

We often dont realize how good we have it in this community. We have a beautiful community. Coming to the topic of subjectivity, if homeowners start doing things to their homes. which are not a common practice in the Neighbour hood, the community starts deviating and eventually, become like Sterling, In my opinion, Mods subcommittee so needs to consider the broader community wide uniformity also. From that perspective, subjectivity becomes desirable to some extent.

 

There are no shortage of homes in our neighborhood that needs some good maintenance work such as homes where driveways are sinking, front porch stoop and brick walkways are sinking, yards where there are excessive grass or weed growth…even homes that have excessive algae growth on side of their homes.

They deserve to have HOA going after them for non-compliance with HOA covenants when it comes to maintaining their property. No one wants to live next to a house that’s deteriorating!

 

This is a Covenants violation notice, not something for the Modification Subcommittee.
The HOA Board members are also the Covenants Committee.