TOLEDO, Ohio, June 16 (UPI) -- The mayor of an Ohio city where people were ticketed for parking in their own unpaved driveways defended the move as a law enforcement measure. Numerous Toledo residents living along Holland-Sylvania Rd. said they received $25 tickets for parking on an unpaved surface -- their own driveways, WTVG-TV, Toledo, Ohio, reported Tuesday. "I just can't reach into my magic box of tricks and get 5 or 6 grand to pave my driveway," said resident Charles Robertson, who received one of the tickets. http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2009/06/16/Mayor-stands-by-unpaved-driveway-tickets/UPI-68301245184359/ That's b.s., especially with the economy the way it is.
The city of Cape Coral (FL) used to ticket people for parking their trucks (cars and vans were allowed) in their own driveways. The ordinance has since been changed, but it was a weird law that was strictly enforced.
Here is another article in the Toledo Blade: http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090617/NEWS16/906170310 Also I know this mayor, he is a major fruit loop, he has always been missing a few screws.
My brother (Trackstar) got a $75 ticket for parking in his driveway. Small town cops. We'd had an incident with these idiots a few nights earlier. So they stopped by at 3:30am to leave that love note. Basically harassment after harassment. Basically the sidewalk runs about 10 feet from the street and cuts across our driveway. Just like every other driveway in America. None of our cars were parked in the yard, street or grass. But they nailed him because his truck was 'blocking' the sidewalk.
My HOA's bylaws state that you cannot park your vehicle for longer than 72 hours in your driveway, or else they will come and tow your car. The board member who knocked on my door to tell me this walked away with one less tooth and an extra black eye. No joke. I wasn't the only one either. Our street ended up filing a restraining order against the board from coming onto our street. It got messy. They were literally clocking how long people were parked in their driveways and calling the tow trucks at every hour in the night to come yank people's cars off of their own property. It's ridiculous.
there are some HOAs here that don't let cars sit in driveways or in the street overnight or they will be towed. It's mostly older retirement areas where they don't want parties or other things going past dark...
HOA are anti-American. I'm not saying we should get rid of them...we should just call them by their real name: Freedom Eating Gestapo. Those lousy bunch of f.e.g.s.
This is his 3rd (non-consecutive) term. He has had plenty of controversy, but he keeps getting elected.
I have heard about HOAs not allowing for cars in the STREET, but not in your own driveway? Thats seems illogical.....your own driveway? really? What do they expect everyone to park in a Garage? Heck, we have 4 legal drivers, and 4 cars, and only a 2 car Garage...so two stay in the driveway...crazy.
Of course its illogical. Its a group of people who decided property value is worth more than silly crap like freedom to do as you please on your own property.
Ok, but HOAs and their rules and covenants are voted on by the homeowners (if yours arent...move)...so what is the logic behind saying we dont want cars in a driveway? Street, fine...but driveway? Who would vote for this and again, what Logic or Excuse was used as justification and why did the voters pass it?
People, in resounding numbers and a significant amount of times, have proved time eternal, to vote the stupidest crap into existence, with a touch of remorse.
Please keep in mind, that my community was nothing more than dirt when the HOA was formed and ratified the CC&R's. These rules are buried DEEP into the 1.5 inch book of fine print and are supposed to be there, moreso for looks than enforcement. The problem is, the board members, who were NOT voted on originally, decided it was in all of our best interest to be the psuedo police and each had their own pet projects that they all harped on. The guy who took on parking, was literally knocking on people's doors at 3 in the morning telling them to re-park their car or risk getting towed. As I said previously, he did that to me exactly once. The street ended up getting a lawyer and filing a restraining order against certain board members from coming on our street. Those members have since been removed from "power." And I use that term loosely. In fact, that is the main problem. The majority of people have single family homes because they wish to have the personal freedom and ability to be left alone on their property. HOA's do the exact opposite of that when you get some crapstain who feels he is now some type of political figure. Another fun brightspot about our HOA. In order to do ANYTHING to your front yard, you are supposed to have it approved by the board. That means if you wanted to plant the flowers your kid gave your wife for Mother's Day, you have to get written permission from the HOA. They request not only a written letter explaining the modifications you intend to do, but also the EXACT location of where you will put said flowers and a to scale drawing of the entire front yard as it will look when finished. When I moved in, they, meaning the developers had done a horrid job of landscaping my yard. I wanted more lawn and different trees. I played by the rules and furnished everything they asked for. After waiting 2 months to hear back (and landscaping is kind of a seasonal thing), they rejected my proposal because, and I quote, "Didn't provide the exact degree of bend that the edge of our lawn was going to have going into the sidewalk." After blowing a gasket I, gave them exactly what they asked for as well as kindly telling them that time was of the essence (since adding lawn in the late fall/early winter was not an option), they continued to drag their feet for another month, at which point, I simply said screw it and did the whole thing without them. So what happens? I let the grass grow, and grow, and grow. I let the weeds grow, knowing full well someone was going to contact me. Then, it happened. I get a letter from the board telling me that I need to take care of my front lawn or risk a fine. I wrote back as kindly as I could and stated that I would approve their request to mow my lawn and pull the weeds, provided that, along with their letter, they told me EXACTLY which weeds and which blades of grass to mow and an accurate scale drawing of what my lawn would look like once I was done mowing it.
I hear ya....I am fortunate that my HOA is 12 homes (I know very very very small)...the point is....they exist for the benefit of all to follow, and that includes voting to change the ones you dont agree with by rounding up the votes. The 12 homes of my neighborhood allows for the ability to petition the board and request an annual hearing on any covenants or by-laws. It includes the right to seek 75% approval to modify and change said rules. We recently did just that....rewording rules to cover everything and anything we didnt agree with or think made logical sense simply because they were drafted by the builder at the time he established the community. Once the last home was sold and all 12 owners took over the HOA...we followed the rules, and changed what we didnt agree with and that also allows us to enforce (in the event of a sale and new owner) what we want our community to be. It works both ways...and 75% 9 out of 12 homes is what its going to take to change or modify again if anyone gets their panties in a wad. This was my first experience with HOA...but if I couldnt beat em, I would move.....so I in some way, beat them at their own game by joining them, and using their rules to my advantage. I am sure it would be a huge collective issue if it was say 1200 homes...but rules are there not only for your benefit once written, but more importantly for your beneift to change what you dont like and enforce what you do. There is always a way to PLAY by the RULES and use them to your advantage. Always! (And legally you purchased your house, and signed on the bottomline that you would adhere and honor the HOA bylaws and covenants)
My community is about 450 homes. The majority of which are dual income families. The HOA meetings are scheduled usually on a Tuesday around 2:30 p.m. Not exactly work friendly, and awfully convenient for those of us with issues. Nonetheless you are right. I signed the paperwork and thus, have to live with it. For the most part, its fine. However, I will NEVER buy a house again that allows HOA rules. It is simply a horrible idea in my mind and experience.