HOA Question Of Bricks and Lawns

Quick question if anyone can answer -
if a resident wants to take a small section of lawn adjacent to a driveway, and replace it with bricks or pavers, does this require modification approval from the mods committee? Or does it fall under the "landscaping" loophole?

OK, quick side question -
I'm not sure how strict the HOA is about lawn maintenance... but you know how for some of the townhomes the front lawns are actually cut by a property line, is it expected by the HOA that the resident with the majority of the lawn maintains the whole lawn, or that each resident maintains the portion on their side of the property line? I hate HATE hate having to ask this but... well. Some neighbors....

Thank you.

 

Yes, it is considered an exterior modification and it hardscaping. Landcaping only refers to plant material - trees, plants, shrubs, mulch.

Not sure I understand your 2nd question. If the lawn is within your property line, you are expected to maintain it.

 

I think I can answer the neighbor...I mow the entire lawn and then the neighbor who has one strip of yard runs his mower over that one strip - it's really dumb but it gives him satisfaction. Our shrubs and flowers extend all the way to his porch and there's never been and disagreement about it.

 

KT - right idea. mamatothree, the issue is that the lawn in front of my house is actually cut 12 inches over from my neighbor's driveway by the property line, so that last 12 inches at the right edge of my lawn isn't actually "my" lawn. I was maintaining it out of courtesy, but yesterday my neighbor decided to enforce the property line by tearing out 8 of the 12 inches of their piece of the lawn and laying brick in it and then getting snarky about it when I asked them about it, and complaining about some overhanging plants on my property growing over their property line... ugh.... I understand it's their property, so I'm trying not to be too angry about their unneighborliness. But since they're enforcing the property line, I just want to be sure anything that may be out of sorts as far as HOA is concerned with that 12-inch strip of landscaping (and now, some likely unapproved hardscaping) isn't my problem just b/c the majority of that lawn area IS on my property. I hope this is making sense. I don't feel comfortable even mowing that last 4 inches of grass any more, since it's THEIR property.

And like I said, I wish I didn't have to be this way about it, but since my neighbor is, I feel I have no choice. I tried talking about it with them nicely, but since they had the work done without letting me know ahead of time, and got combative when I asked about it, I guess "nice" is out of the question.

 

oh Geeze...what a ridiculous thing for your neighbor to gripe about. I guess if he took the time to get to know you it might not be so bad.

 

Well they didn't complain until I did. I guess tit for tat.

The best part was walking away and closing the garage door while I was trying to talk with them.

It's no big deal, though... I don't like the evergreen shrubs anyway, thought about replacing them with flowers or some berrying plants (for the critters and birds to snack on).

(Do shrubbery changes need HOA mods? IIRC it's just trees thicker than 2 inches in the trunk, right?)

 

Roger the Shrubber: Oh, what sad times are these when passing ruffians can say Ni at will to old ladies. There is a pestilence upon this land, nothing is sacred. Even those who arrange and design shrubberies are under considerable economic stress in this period in history.

King Authur: Did you say shrubberies?

Roger the Shrubber: Yes, shrubberies are my trade. I am a shrubber. My name is Roger the Shrubber. I arrange, design, and sell shrubberies.

 

Well, I hope they have Mod Comm approval.....

 

Removal or replacing shrubs does not require an application...I am so proud of myself for not falling into the Monty Python trap..."What? This?...Merely a flesh wound"

 

um I believe it is pronounced Swhubbewiy!