"forest rangers are popping up two-at-a-time and are no longer friendly as they once were. They come on like drill sargents looking for something to fault you for."
That is because most of these people working in such positions as forest rangers, police, firefighters, security guards and oh yes, the friendly touchie feelie people at the airport checking for bombs on babies and toddlers are all ex-military folk who have come home from serving overseas in the mayhem where everything and everyone was labeled as a terrorist.
They were trained well, but they were not trained to know how to keep the job away from home, especially when their job is completed. They bring home that attitude, that increased suspicious prospective and do not turn off that part of the programing within the borders of the US.
Odd..isn't it. Well not so odd if you want to put into place a police state policy. They make the perfect keep the public in line enforcement task force.
RFB
A zombie is an animated body with no mind but only a single hostile desire to pursue a single mission with deadly persistence.
In other words, the very military attitude you just described.
An army of these things would be called a Zarmy
i'm in an apartment not an HOA but they can be as equally bad as an HOA. but in recent years i have seen what apears to be these HOA's just plain being overly intrusive and it really p@#$es me off. as such i am trying to think of ways that might help people in these situations put these people in their place.
It is the "gated community" mindset, where people with superior attitudes put up walls and gates to keep the riff-raff out, but also spy on each other to make sure that internal members are obedient to their made-up standards.
They are known as the gentry, and would very much like to have everyone else trucked away out of sight.
Many of the gentry are retarded because of in-breeding.
But everyone is a potential radio listener.
Growing up in Thousand Oaks, California; what seems like the birthplace of these control freak HOA's and their brown shirts.
Since the early 70's, homeowners have been told when, where and how on just about everything you can think of. Imagine getting your Depends in a bunch over the shade of white or the color of your neighbors car. One neighbor had an umbrella in his backyard for years without a single complaint. Then one day one of the kids bragged to a friend it was a satellite dish disguised as a umbrella. Within weeks there was a notice the umbrella had to go because it suddenly became unsightly. It was taken to city hall where the Mayor sided with the HOA and ordered it be removed.
The Mayor never mentioned he was on the take with the cable company. We had another guy put in jail for three months because the HOA did not like the way his yard was kept. Another neighbor got kicked out his own home over a TV antenna. Who would ever guess people would volunteer to live in such a dictatorship; where you are told when you can open and close your garage door, take out the trash or what color curtains you can have in your window.
These control freaks also turnout to be the neighborhood child molester all to often. Harper Valley PTA in real life.
Steve
www.RadioBrandy.com
"Many of the gentry are retarded because of in-breeding.
But everyone is a potential radio listener."
Rolling on the floor with that one! HAHAHAHA!!!!
I think you have an opportunity here for the LPH show, a worthwhile topic that deserves every bit of attention it can get.
Think they really know how to listen to the radio??!!
RFB
"Alex Jones reports that the wilderness is no longer a peaceful solitary place. According to his experience forest rangers are popping up two-at-a-time and are no longer friendly as they once were. They come on like drill sargents looking for something to fault you for."
Your right on about that. London or Laurel County is home to a section of the Daniel Boone National Forest and Ranger Rick now brandishes a gun and handcuffs. They even have a truck with a cage not for wildlife but for campers and park visitors that might get out of hand.
Trucks have green lights and the ranger station as far as i know has a holding cell to keep trouble makers until the Sheriff or London City police show up to take you downtown.
Best guess population count for London,Ky according to a Google search was 5,692. And yet the powers that be see it fit to have a branch of Homeland Security and the police have a helicopter. For What?? At one point the FBI had an office here, i am not entirely sure why they moved.
It is true that this city has a high crime rate and yet with all this law enforcement the crime has not stopped, oh no just the opposite.
Well i will step off the soap box i think i got carried away a bit.
I am aware of several horror stories regarding HOAs but here's one where the HOA is a positive. It is the HOA where I live. I knew of the CC&Rs when I bought the property and after living in neighborhoods where "anything goes" regarding property use I concluded that the CC&Rs is a positive for me.
I have been here for 23 years and have served as President, Vice President, and Secretary of our HOA so I know well how it functions. Our HOA includes 69 residences and this may be a factor for my experience since I once read that organizations above 100 members become difficult to manage.
Our HOA's primary responsibility is to maintain common property which here is about 15 acres of dedicated green space. Essentially this is just to make sure it is landscaped and mowed. The Officers also interpret and enforce the CC&Rs and as Vice President I was ex officio Chair of the Design and Review Committee. The biggest part of this was to review house colors and landscaping changes and there was never a problem with these issues.
No, this is not Utopia but it is an example of the utility of HOAs if they are managed properly. Our leadership has always been reasonable and easy going and I know of only one contentious issue with a resident which had to do with a tree limb on common property damaging his roof and this was settled amicably without lawyers.
During the last year our property values have increased 5% as demonstrated by tax assessments and sale prices.
Agreed that HOAs are not for everyone but at least mine has been of benefit and I haven't been deprived of any use of my property that I want. Perhaps this is because I studied the rules and found no problem with them before I bought the property.
Regarding the original post topic, all of the HOA Bylaws I have reviewed provide for changing the CC&Rs by majority vote of the residents. This is probably the only way to properly address an over restrictive covenant since the CC&Rs were accepted by the property owners when they bought the property.
Neil
It is important to realize that reasonable people can provide sensible and co-operative leadership. Your homeowners are fortunate to have you Neil.
I have a question that I have never heard asked or answered, so it is a good moment to bring it up. When a prospective home buyer becomes aware that there are restrictions that must be acknowledged at the time of purchase, is there a mechanism for negotiating a change over particular issues?
In today's real estate market it seems to me a buyer is in a power position.
"is there a mechanism for negotiating a change over particular issues?"
One would certainly hope that a compromise could be negotiated in a case by case basis. And yes your particular situation Neil sounds like that is how it should be with all HOA, addressing the needs of the whole but not totally shunting out those with special needs.
Suppose my driveway and my walkway and my porch required special construction to allow me access to the house I am thinking of buying, and this construction would not make my property "common" to everyone else.
Suppose I had a situation where alterations to the house would be needed and further increasing the gap of this "commonality"?
Isn't the idea anyway to have a community with the common interest of living in a peaceful place? Sure having it to be pretty and have that Andy Griffith 8 Is Enough prefect nothing can go wrong everything is sunshine and birds chirping world where everything outside of the walls is of no concern or slightest worry at the end of the day, why not, sounds like paradise.
However I think that kind of perfect neighborhood is more fantasy than those seen on the old tv shows they put on the big 3 each night back in the hey day.
It would appear that in order to live in just such a fake perfect world of a neighborhood, one has to give up things and restrain to certain things and not do these things and stick to a static regime of limited activity. And with some going Gestapo style inspections INSIDE your home...well what else can it be called than a mini-socialist collective?
Not knocking anything, but that sounds like a wonderful dream version of a FEMA or Nazi labor camp nightmare than a real world neighborhood.
Only difference between them and these "nice" collective neighborhoods are the fact that the fence and gate surrounding it is not chain link and barb wire and everyone inside has the choice to leave.
Maybe those of you who are in such arrangements (my sympathies) could come together and help Robert come up with a good plan that meets half way and satisfies both sides of the issue. What better advice than from a sitting VP of an HOA group who happens to frequent the same Part 15 hobby radio community and most likely has exchanged CQ's here and there across that great HAM land dial?
Just a thought.
RFB
In the 90s we were watching an episode of This Old House on PBS where a new couple found out the house they had just bought in Boston was being subjected to a hearing by the neighbor association because of some "non-complying" change the couple had made. The couple attended the meeting and she happened to be 9-months pregnant."
One of the busy body "trustees" declared, "She can't just come waddling in here and expect to change things."
His remark got shown on national TV and we could all see what a fool he was.
Fool rhymes with cool, and people like that think themselves quite cool because they have such a grasp on "the right way to do things." We common waddling people couldn't possible know.
Suppose with Robert's case, and him living in an HOA community or incredibly restrictive apartment complex, a creative solution is proposed.
Everyone likes trees right? Especially during the summer time. And more so if those trees are evergreen. Even better if that evergreen tree was artificial so no watering or trimming needed?
Why not build a reasonable tower structure disguised with the appearance of a nice evergreen tree or really cool forest pine tree (minus the prickly pine needles scattered about).
Or a flag pole, or use existing flag pole.
Isn't there room in this world for compromise? Or has it become to the point where everyone really does think there isn't enough room for people much less compromise?
I'm for the first option. And who knows, that nice fake tree/antenna just might add some improved beauty to the common goal of nice neighborhood.
Just another thought.
RFB
Carl asked: "When a prospective home buyer becomes aware that there are restrictions that must be acknowledged at the time of purchase, is there a mechanism for negotiating a change over particular issues?"
No, at least not here. The Restrictions are part of the deed to the property and cannot be separated. To negotiate changes would be similar to negotiating the property lines.
I don't do law but as I understand this the only ways to change the restrictions is either by majority vote (if so provided in the HOA Bylaws) or by civil suit where the court can rule against a restriction.
Another problem can be in the interpretation of the CC&Rs. For example, ours includes a statement "Only operational automobiles may be stored on the property." Given the popularity of pickups and SUVs there could be a problem if this is literally interpreted. The intent was to prevent junkers on concrete blocks from being stored. Interestingly, my wife and I have been appointed to review and propose revisions of the rules and this is one we are changing.
There is no restriction on antennas per se here but the wording of the restrictions could that "..all structures placed on a property must be approved by the Design and Review Committee" applies to almost anything which could include antennas.
Again, our HOA folks and neighbors are pretty tolerant. Our D&R approved a putting green in one owner's back yard but only after seeking comments from the immediate neighbors. I have found that discussing plans with neighbors before seeking approval helps a great deal since they will usually be consulted by the Committee. I did this before constructing my back yard shed and all went through easily. Maybe a similar approach to antennas would be a productive course of action.
Neil
there was bill in congress to extend PRB1 to CC&R's and i believe to an extent landlords. it failed. guess the bill had not much support from hams and HOA trade organizations had too much money to throw at political campaigns.
we need the bill reintroduced with some changes made.
maybe put a anti trust type ruling in it.
when a municipal area the HOA is located in requires all new subdivisions have an HOA by law then PRB1 SHOULD apply because then they have become by law in my opinion a defacto government.
also if the area you want to move to doesn't have an HOA within so many miles of the location that allows antenna's (IE Competition) then PRB1 should apply.
I hate to tell you HOA board members also read ham forums to see how hams are hiding antenna's which is why the flag pole ban came about due to hams hiding a long wire in them.
some even go as far as banning all RF emitting devices from your residence and actively enforce these restrictions.
no mobiles with attic antennas, walkie talkies etc.
im not shitting you. i am on an HOA forum and some of them have these rules.
"The Restrictions are part of the deed to the property and cannot be separated. To negotiate changes would be similar to negotiating the property lines."
How ridiculous! Who in the heck would agree to such CommandControl&Restriction HallOfArse crap?
Sure there aren't any leash requirements for each listed person living in their...umm that home?
"by civil suit where the court can rule against a restriction."
At least there is that..which is what I mentioned earlier. Everyone is entitled to due process so long as the stars and stripes fly.
This should be a good eye opener to anyone looking into purchasing a home. Moral...take a reading magnifying glass with you to the closing and read that fine print before committing yourself to something you will later regret.
Good grief.
RFB