Last week I wrote about how the HOA’s 5 person committee came out and walked around my property and asked questions about my request to have a cedar fence built for PRIVACY Lucy the puggle dog. In most neighborhoods, a 6 foot tall fence would be considered normal. Right? But here in Stepford, the highest fence you can build is a five footer. Yep. 5 feet. Which, coincidentally is the PERFECT height for walking on to a homeowners property and snooping peeking over their fence. Ya know, to make sure they aren’t breaking any community rules or anything. 🙂
If you can’t beat the crazies, join them, right? Or at least find a way to put up with them for two years until you can hightail it out of the neighborhood and live somewhere else.
Well guess what? They approved my submission for a 5 foot cedar fence. And, because the committee is so helpful, they are also going to compile a list of recommended plants for me to plant along the fence line to soften the area.
How nice.
It came to my attention immediately after the committee left that I forgot to submit the plans for my gates. In our previous properties we have had arbors over our gates {with wisteria growing up over the top} and I wanted to have the same ones built here as well. But I couldn’t find any in the neighborhood similar to the ones I wanted built.
Luckily, I found one similar downtown the other day and snapped a photo and then submitted the “plan.” It was approved.
Chino the Handyman’s fence guy is coming out this weekend to give us a bid. Looks like Lucy the puggle princess {okay, and me too} will get the fence after all.
Yee-Haw! Now I can have a real garden again. {Well, as long as nothing grows over 5 feet tall}
~Mavis
Read about more HOA Drama Here.
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Glenda says
Congratulations on the fence :).
The control freaks that spy on their neighbors every move will stay busy watching as you plant (LOL). Less than two years and you can move on. In the meantime, enjoy the planting.
Madam Chow says
What do you want to bet that as the fence goes up, someone will come up and ask if you were approved, and others will report you to the HOA?
Mavis Butterfield says
I will be staying inside while the fence is being installed so I don’t have to answer any questions. 🙂
Athena says
My goodness! I hope to never have to go through all this hoa bruhaha anywhere I live. I’m happy that we don’t have one bow and can do what we want. Good luck Mavis and I hope the bit of privacy this gives you will get you your happy place back!
Claudette says
Woo hoo! Time to start gardening! Lucy can help. 🙂
Brandy says
Waah. Our HOA is slightly better.. we have 6 ft. walls, their standard, and as long as they don’t see the offence (from the street!) it’s all good.
Tamara says
Congrats on the approval! I understand the original intention of hoas but think they are socialist inspired. Good luck! (I love the flamingoes peeking out!). In time, perhaps those snoopervising will feel some shame!
Jamie says
I have been a farm girl my whole life (I am in my late thirties and only lived in town for a total of 8 years). I understand the concept of HOAs, but I have to ask…..do these committee people not have jobs? Are their jobs the HOA committee? Are those paid positions? Sorry for all the questions, but who in the world has that much time on their hands. I just had to laugh at that part about the list of plants….how helpful of them. And do lumber yards actually sell 5′ fence in larger urban areas b/c where I live it is usually 6′ or the short decorative fencing. I find this whole thing and your posts very interesting and comical. Glad Lucy is getting a fence! 🙂
Charleen says
I used to work for an insurance office and had a lot of homeowners in HOAs come in complaining about the ridiculous requirements and rules and noisy neighbors. Most of the people on the snoopervising committees are retired professionals that couldn’t stop when they retired. (I’m not saying all but most in these particular HOAs). You couldn’t pay me to live in a neighborhood with one. I live in a very small town and that’s bad enough! (We are talking 4 blocks wide by 4 blocks long.)
anaika says
Hmmm. Granted, we live in Texas, but when someone comes onto your actual property without your permission (especially if they go to the back) it is call trespassing and the cops take it pretty seriously. They really should do you the courtesy of setting up a mutually agreeable time to meet and not just show up unannounced. Congrats on the fence, though!
karen says
I think in Texas, we are also allowed to shoot them when they do come on to our properties. LOL!
Kate says
Don’t know about your neck of the woods, but in my part of Texas, we see signs posted that say:
Trespassers will be shot.
Survivors will be shot again.
‘Nuf said.
Glenda says
Gotta luv Texas!
Katie C says
I want to live there!!!!
Jenn says
I live in N. FL and we have the same signs. Shoot first, ask questions later is my Hubby’s motto!
Pam says
I live in North Florida too. I have a fence, a locked gate and multiple signs warning trespassers. I also have a shotgun for the folks who want to climb the fence/gate or not read the signs. Send your HOA committee down to visit me Mavis……………….:)
Erin says
Unfortunately, I think when you sign the HOA agreement, you effectively give them the right invade your yard (but not the house itself).
Julie C says
LOL, some parts of Kentucky are the same way. Trespassing is not tolerated, especially in the smaller towns.
karen says
I bet if it takes more than a day to get the fence up, they will send you a nasty-gram telling you it isn’t per your plan. Or maybe you will get a note for the unsightly mess while putting the fence up. I bet someone come by to measure every board too. LOL
AshleyAshley says
In the event that plants that plants you want aren’t approved you could always put plants in pots, like the Wisteria in a pot near the fence behind the gate where if they were looking you might call a police officer and let them know someone is trespassing on your lawn and potentially a burglar…….if they so looked over your fence like a peeping time to see your wisteria were in pots not in the ground….just a thought.
Mrs. H says
Oh that’s good! 😀
Joanna says
I recall some ways that people got around fence height restrictions, such as building a berm, then putting the fence on top of that (2′ berm + 5′ fence gets you 7′ of screening), or building a 5′ fence, but then putting a foot or two of decorative detail on the top.
Lynn D says
Good idea!! I like that.
Katie C says
Plant some REALLY TALL privacy trees behind the fence, or put bushes in thickly that won’t allow them to get close to the fence!! Congrats on the fence! I’m certain it could be a selling point in two years 😉
Mavis Butterfield says
I think it will be a selling point too. 🙂
Janet says
I am so happy for Lucy to get out with you in the yard again and run around. She will be so happy! Yeehaw!!
Hang in there. Better days are ahead…
Lisa says
Keep them on their toes, Mavis!
Nick says
You might want to tell your fence guy to make the fence 4’11” tall. If he happens to make it 5’1″ you may start ww3 with the HOA
Mavis Butterfield says
Ha! I wonder if they really come out and measure.
Donna says
They probably will. I don’t live in an HOA, but our town is almost as bad. The Compliance Department walks the neighborhoods every week day and they do measure everything. My neighbor is on vacation. Yesterday, a Compliance guy was in the yard measuring the height of their grass to make sure it’s short enough. I think I’ll cut their grass today.
Ramona says
When we lived in Seattle and then Mt. Lake. Terrace we had to get a building permit for a fence. No we didn’t have an HOA but the city had a few restrictions.
Heidi Ho says
ARGH!!! I don’t know how you do it!!! I would not survive in an HOA like that… rules for every tiny little thing, and such snoopy neighbors… I need to just stick to living in the tulie bushes. 🙂
Katherine says
Congrats on the fence. A few well placed prickly/spiny plants and shrubs should deter anyone from being too nosey. It’s called defensive landscaping 🙂
Mavis says
That. Is. Awesome. Defensive landscaping. I’m using that!!
Cheryl says
I am really looking forward to seeing Lucy out and about again, I have missed her!
Chris says
Mavis,
Why spend so, so much time and money to do all these additions to the home and property when you’re staying such a short time in the house?
Mavis says
We had a plan from the time we bought it to do some renovations and then sell it. We’re careful about budgeting and doing improvements that we think will not only help it sell faster, but add additional value to the home. Plus, I always like to have a project!! 😉
Patty says
I bet this HOA committee has not had this much excitement in years! We affectionately call a nosy neighbor a “Kravitz”. Anybody remember the old nosy lady from the show Bewitched?
Maybe you should line the top of that 5 ft fence with your flamingos, to give you a little more height. That would probably throw the Kravitz Patrol into a total frenzy! I’d pay money to see that!
nancy says
Lucky you….Our HOA will only approve a 4 ft. high fence that they can see through. What’s the point? Good for you Mavis!
Leo says
I believe the HOA members “which are your neighbors”, get paid from all the funds they collect on fines & assessments, that’s why they’re so eager to annoy people for every little thing, their purpose is to create extra income for the “HOA”.
HOA is a MAFIA!!! without knowing the consequences I fell for it, now I have to live with it unfortunately, but I am trying everything possible to get out of this mafia forever!!!