Maybe he should have read the bylaws before buying the house.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.4d8a269.html
Frisco man says HOA won't let him park pickup on driveway
01:32 PM CDT on Monday, August 18, 2008
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA-TV (Channel 8)
[email protected]
If there's one thing Texans are serious about, it's pickups.
But a Frisco man says his truck is being targeted simply because his homeowners association doesn't think it's classy enough.
Jim Greenwood said he never dreamed his HOA would have a problem with his new Ford F-150 pickup. Then he received the first of three notices threatening him with fines.
"Mr. Greenwood, you're violating a subdivision rule that prohibits pickup trucks in your driveway," the notice reads.
Stonebriar HOA rules allow several luxury trucks on driveways, including the Cadillac Escalade, Chevy Avalanche, Honda Ridgeline and Lincoln Mark LT.
But most Ford, Dodge or Chevy pickups are restricted.
"It's very frustrating and confusing. It's hard to imagine how an HOA would try to dictate what type of vehicle you can drive and park in your driveway," Mr. Greenwood said.
Bill Osborn of the HOA board said the association also prohibits boats, trailers, golf carts and RVs in driveways.
"The high-end vehicles that are allowed are plush with amenities and covers on the back. It doesn't look like a pickup," he said. "It's fancier."
Mr. Greenwood appealed, claiming his Ford F-150 isn't much different from the Lincoln Mark LT.
"The response was: 'It's our belief that Lincoln markets to a different class of people,' " he said.
"Furthermore, one board member told my wife that if we don't like it, we can move."
HOA officials said that many Stonebriar homeowners own pickups but that they abide by the rules and keep them parked in their garages.
"A Chevy Suburban can be in the driveway," Mr. Greenwood said. "If we had a big Hummer, that could be in the driveway. If we had a Lincoln Mark LT, that could be in the driveway. But a Ford F-150 can't.
"That doesn't make sense."
McKinney Ford dealer Bob Tomes agreed. In Texas, he said, truck owners should have the right to park their pickups on their driveways – even in a gated community.
Maybe he should have read the bylaws before buying the house.
My neighborhood doesn't allow any type of vehicle to be parked in the driveways but unfortunately my truck won't fit in the garage.
The lots in my 'hood are all at least an acre in size and so I just move the truck around on my property a lot and I think the HOA must just think it's a service vehicle of some sort because I haven't received a notice yet.
Where do the lawn mower guys park?
+10000
People are lame sometimes.
I must be lame because I've always thought driveways were made to park vehicles. I'm assuming visitors must park in the street?
But yeah, you have to read the cons ution of the HOA before you buy a home. But we don't have one to worry about.
If he knew that prior to purchasing it then he is asking for it, but that is still a stupid as rule. I bet it would be cool for him to park a GMC Sierra there.
on the street
Most HOAs make the rule effective after a certain time, like midnight. Ours even has a rule that you can't keep your garage door open for more than half an hour...another one that I tend to ignore. I'm from Texas so my garage is basically the husband room and so I'm going to keep the door to my room open if I want to.
LMFAO - I would love to be in this guys' position. I would be cold and dead before I paid one cent of any fine they gave me for parking my own truck in my own driveway. People who abide by these rules and those who try to enforce them are the ones who are LAME.
I second that, what the is HOA thinking ? Sending out notices to cut ur lawn are fine, but parking a brand new pickup is not allowed in the driveway beacuse it's a ford ? These people have too much in time on their hands.
I think the HOA usually wins such cases if they go to court.
i guess the story doesn't say whether he just moved to the neighborhood or if he had been living there. Obviously he doesn't have a leg to stand on if he just moved but that doesn't mean it's not bull ...
and the reasons the HOA gives...
"The high-end vehicles that are allowed are plush with amenities and covers on the back. It doesn't look like a pickup," he said. "It's fancier."
"The response was: 'It's our belief that Lincoln markets to a different class of people,' " he said.
ok.... if I ever get really drunk one night and feel like being destructive i know what neighborhood to visit.
I guess my 1996 Saturn would not be welcome.
depends if it has rims or not
You think that's rough? My HOA doesn't allow me to leave the windows open when I walk aroundin the buff.
any HOA rules like that here in SA? Texas is indeed "Truck Country" and I have a Ford Ranger. I don't want to move to any of those communities
ing richers.
Personally, I think it's ridiculous. But the way our system works, if that rule was written and presented to him in contract when he signed that Homeowner's Agreement, then this guy has absolutely no case.
Anybody who has dealt with HOAs in the past knows that no matter how ridiculous their rules may seem, it's their responsibility to set them and they usually get away with it. The only way he is going to get his way is if he is willing to convince the entire board to change the rule, which is going to depend more on his persuasiveness and less on the legality of the situation.
Like Chump said, if he takes it to court, he's going to lose and probably pay an assload of lawyer fees in the effort. He'd be better off parking the truck on the curb and paying his fines, or moving to a different neighborhood and reading the contract a little better next time.
Nothing quite that bad.
Our HOA won't allow basketball goals visible in front of your house. You can have one, but you have to put it away in your garage and out of sight if you do.
They will also leave a lovely little notice on your door if you don't pull far enough into your driveway and are blocking the sidewalk with your car.
Hard to believe you have to pay money every month for somebody to make stupid rules for your own house.
no, before you died, you would already be on the street. we have foreclosed on homeowner's who don't abide by rules, nor pay the fines.
HOA's win almost all the time.
not really... drive to the neighborhoods where they don't have HOAs. people park their cars on the lawn, paint their house ed up colors and basically turn your place in a ghetto.
True story.
You two don't understand what a ing HOA is, do you? There is no fine. If you don't comply, they can seize and sell your house. Protest that.
The moral of the story is do your due diligence before you buy. They give you the rules. It's usually a thick binder. Read them anyway. If you don't like them, don't buy. They won't change the rules or make exceptions for you.
thats a gross exaggeration.
Not really.
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