NOT my shop!!!! :(

[Ridgeback Guy]

Well, apparently I'm not supposed to have a shop in my garage! I just got a letter today saying that my vehicle must be able to fit in my garage and that Im' "not allowed to use my garage as storage or housing", and I have 15 days to move everything out of it, so I can fit my vehicle in my garage... This sucks! Now what am I going to do? First off, my truck (F-250) doesn't even fit in my garage when its empty, because the geniuses that designed the place didn't make it tall enough! Second, I'm not using it as storage or housing! Its a **** wood shop dang it!!!

I dont have any other place to put all my tools, and I cant sell them, I've put a lot of effort, money, and time into acquiring all this stuff! What do I dooo? My heart sank when I read that letter!

I hope it wasn't any of my neighbors that complained, I gave them lobster that I caught with my bare hands, and was planning on giving them all hand made gifts at x-mass to make up for the noise that I make.

 

[eddieq]

Homeowner's Association? What is the appeal process. If you mention that your F250 won't fit in the garage, will they tell you that you cannot park it at your house?

This is one reason why (if I can help it) I will never live someplace with a HOA.

 

[sparks19]

WTF? that's insane.

is there a number you can call to plead your case. it's your house. do you have a driveway that you park your truck in or is it on the road?

 

[Saeleofu]

This is one reason why (if I can help it) I will never live someplace with a HOA.

Definitely agreed. If I have my own house, I expect to be able to do with it what I want, not have some snobs telling me what I can or can't do, can or can't have, etc.

 

[JessLough]

oh no RG I agree, is there a number you can call? Explain to them that it is not being used for living. And can't have tools in there? What? Isn't that what a garage is for though? urgh that blows big time, I sincerely hope you can find a solution

 

[Ridgeback Guy]

Yeah, Eddie, I'm in a condo! This was the first place I ever owned, and if I can help it, I will never live in another place like it! I dont know what the appeal process is. What the letter states and I quote...."No garage, or no portion of a garage originally intended for the parking for an automobile shall be converted into a living space or storage area. Garages are intended for the primary use of parking and storage of motor vehicles and may not be used to store personal property in a garage and then park motor vehicles in the unassigned parking areas of the condominium."


My reply is, it has not been converted into living space, and it is not used as storage. My vehicle doesn't even fit inside when its empty, not to mention I am not taking up "unassigned parking, but simply parking in MY own driveway!!!

Anyways I don't think they will care, and I'm just not sure what to do!

 

[jess2416]

Oh that sucks major ones...

 

[smkie]

but your not using it for storage nor are you living in it..your working in it and those are tools! LIke every other male I have ever known..sighs what's wrong with people. ARE you suppose to keep them in your living room? No wait..that's my house

 

[Romy]

What I want to know is how they can force you to park your truck inside, when it doesn't fit? I don't know how it works either, but I would go to the HA office (do they have offices?) and ask how you go about filing an appeal, or having a hearing or whatever.

If they don't have anything written into the bylaws about vehicle size requirements, I don't think they can do anything about it.

Ha ha, I've always had a secret desire to get hundreds of lawn gnomes and flamingos, and blanket a HA neighborhood somehow, in some permanent fashion. Not sure how you'd make it permanent, but it would be fun times.

 

[Gypsydals]

What do you mean you are not supposed to use a garage to store tools and such? Hmm they best not be coming to my house cause thats ALL my garage is used for. Storing everything from tools, lawn mower, freezer, pet rabbit.
Tell them point blank, you have nothing in your garage that ANY other man doesn't have in his garage. And that your truck won't fit. That sucks that they are trying to pull that crap with you.

 

[GipsyQueen]

Wow. thats just wow. SO wronge in many ways. And I thought my neighbourhood was weird.

What would they do if you just don't do it. It is after all, your house and your property. Would they call the police, or would you have to pay a fee? Or would your neighbours just trample on your flowerbeds? Sorry, im not very helpful ^^

 

[LauraLeigh]

I feel for you, and hope you can work it out.... Having said that, be very careful what you say about your Truck not fitting.... maybe have a lawyer look over the "rules" first... I say this because we bought a very nice Conversion van several years ago and when we asked why he was selling it when we were looking it over, he sighed and said because he was not allowed to park in his drive all the time and had to be able to park in his garage, and the hightop on the Van clearly prevented that.

 

[GipsyQueen]

I feel for you, and hope you can work it out.... Having said that, be very careful what you say about your Truck not fitting.... maybe have a lawyer look over the "rules" first... I say this because we bought a very nice Conversion van several years ago and when we asked why he was selling it when we were looking it over, he sighed and said because he was not allowed to park in his drive all the time and had to be able to park in his garage, and the hightop on the Van clearly prevented that.

What do you do if you have more cars than can fit in your garage. For example if your child has a car and it doesn't fit?

 

[LauraLeigh]

What do you do if you have more cars than can fit in your garage. For example if your child has a car and it doesn't fit?

Where they live, all permanent vehicles must fit in the garage at night... it depends on the size of the garage, his is 2 car, so they can have 2... If you have 2 already, your child would not be able to have one that is a 3rd vehicle parked in the drive all the time..... I guess you could just do it, until like him, someone decides they don't like seeing an "extra" vehicle and it offends them and complains to the HOA....

I am so glad I live where I do.....


I have an Uncle who built a home in Calgary in a HOA subdivision, and the rules were crazy, they have a window in a CLOSET of a brand new home!!! Because they could not alter the look of the exterior of the plans, but were free to change the floor plan.... The also had to pick a different colour for the siding portion of the house because one of the houses beside them was already using it, and they had rules on that too:yikes:

 

[Puckstop31]

Oy Vey dude....


Good luck. And remember, it takes 36 muscles to frown, 16 to smile but only 4 to lift your hand and extend you middle finger.

Funnay aside... What happens if you cannot comply with their bullcrap?

 

[xpaeanx]

I agree with reading through the by-laws. you may be able to find a loop hole... But make sure you know the rules before saying anything.

 

[Pops2]

YOU can't win w/ an HOA. have a lawyer send your reply & check your rules & legal standing.

 

[Barb04]

Well if they want your truck to fit into your garage, tell them they have to build you a bigger garage because it can't fit into it. This is the craziest thing I've ever heard that you can't keep tools in a garage.

OK, how about covering the tools with a cover that looks like a car cover!

 

[ACooper]

HOA's are not my cup of tea either! I just couldn't handle being told what color my house could be, what type of shed I could have (or have one at all) fencing, sometimes even holiday decorations

Right now, we have FOUR teens at home, 2 of which have a vehicle........that means FOUR vehicles at our house! What would we do? The kids need their cars for school, work, and so on.........there's NOWAY we could shuffle them around :yikes:

Actually, I believe HOAs were started with good intentions to be sure certain things didn't affect other peoples property value............then like most "good intent" laws, they get blown way out of proportion by some anal freaks.

I hope you can get this sorted out RG, I think you might be in for quite an ordeal though!

 

[bubbatd]

Ridiculous !!!