Here is a dumb HOA rule...

[Papa Deuce]

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.

 

[ajk912]

omg, makes me so glad I don't have a HOA like that. Though I do wish we had one, because it annoys the crap out of me when the neighbors park in the street instead of in their driveways.

 

[Hercules10]

Gotta admit it is a stupid HOA rule. BUT he knew the rules when he bought the house.

 

[KirstenB]

We live in an HOA, and I like ours. In this case however, it's ridiculous to tell someone they can't park their own new, and working truck in their driveway. I can see them not wanting junk cars in plain sight, but that's a nice truck.

 

[monkeyboy]

is there a gun to his head to live there?

 

[aprilgail2]

omg, makes me so glad I don't have a HOA like that. Though I do wish we had one, because it annoys the crap out of me when the neighbors park in the street instead of in their driveways.

Why would you care if a neighbor parked in the street? Most people around us have 3-5 cars per house and only one can go in the garage and one can go in the driveway so where would you expect them to park their other 1-3 cars??

 

[Papa Deuce]

We live in an HOA, and I like ours. In this case however, it's ridiculous to tell someone they can't park their own new, and working truck in their driveway. I can see them not wanting junk cars in plain sight, but that's a nice truck.

That's my point, sort of... what if the "acceptable" brands of vehicles were a little older and rusty, or maybe damaged? That's OK? But a brand spanking new vehicle in not OK?

If I were him I would get a rusted out "acceptable" truck and put that in my driveway.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Gotta admit it is a stupid HOA rule. BUT he knew the rules when he bought the house.

Probably, but maybe not. The rules may have changed after he moved in...

 

[Conservative Hippie]

90% of the houses in my neighborhood use their garages as a storage room (or extra bedroom!) and park their cars on the street. It makes it very hard to drive up and down the street!

I agree with getting the nastiest looking Escalade you can find, maybe throw in a tacky paint job.

 

[JVL1018]

Why would you care if a neighbor parked in the street? Most people around us have 3-5 cars per house and only one can go in the garage and one can go in the driveway so where would you expect them to park their other 1-3 cars??

There is no overnight parking here, so no one can keept their car on the street all the time, but I park on the street during the day constantly.

I have a corner lot, my driveway and garage are on one street, the front of my house(and my front door) is on the other.
I am not schlepping all my groceries or whatever across the lawn from my driveway.
My garage is attached, but you have to go down some steps, open the door into the storage room, open the door into the basement, go through the playroom, up the stairs, through the living room and into the kitchen...so I am not taking my bags thorugh that way either, so yes I park in front of my house all the time, too.

ETA: Re:the OP
It's ridiculous, I don't have a pick up, don;t want a pick up, but I would never want to live where anyone told me what kind of car I could have.

 

[KirstenB]

That's my point, sort of... what if the "acceptable" brands of vehicles were a little older and rusty, or maybe damaged? That's OK? But a brand spaning new vehicle in not OK?

If I were him I would get a rusted out "acceptable" truck and put that in my driveway.

heh, heh....I like the way you think!

 

[Hercules10]

Probably, but maybe not. The rules may have changed after he moved in...

Boards are required to inform all members of new rules.

I agree with you. It's stupid/snobbish rule. But chances are he was aware of it.

 

[JR6ooo4]

Did the rule exist before the truck was purchased?

Mikeeee

 

[JR6ooo4]

That's my point, sort of... what if the "acceptable" brands of vehicles were a little older and rusty, or maybe damaged? That's OK? But a brand spaning new vehicle in not OK?

If I were him I would get a rusted out "acceptable" truck and put that in my driveway.

Doesn't matter. If there is not already a "No rusty vehicles" rule then there would be soon.

MIkeeee

In our communities no commercial vehicles can be parked in the driveway if they have any signage. And that is the whole town not specific subdivisions.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

What to HOA's like these do when you have guests over? I've never heard of the make/model of a car being restricted by an HOA. I guess there is a time limit on crappy cars in the driveway?

He does have other options besides moving though- sounds like he can just park in his garage.

 

[happygirl]

I don't think I could ever live in a HOA, I couldn't stand being told what I could or couldn't do on my property

 

[ICF]

Why would you care if a neighbor parked in the street? Most people around us have 3-5 cars per house and only one can go in the garage and one can go in the driveway so where would you expect them to park their other 1-3 cars??

not the person you quoted, but cars in the street are a pain. You must have REALLY small driveways / garages or REALLY big cars if you can only fit 1 in each. Around here, most all garages are 2 car garages and drives could fit at least 2 more....yet people still use the street.

Why would I care about that....

1. Makes it often difficult to get up and down the street if people have cars parked on both sides, even for a regular car.

2. Snowplows/buses have trouble getting through due to lack of space

3. Hard to see kids playing in the area

4. Generally makes a neighborhoods look bad (IMO) if there are cars everywhere.

 

[JVL1018]

not the person you quoted, but cars in the street are a pain. You must have REALLY small driveways / garages or REALLY big cars if you can only fit 1 in each. Around here, most all garages are 2 car garages and drives could fit at least 2 more....yet people still use the street.

Why would I care about that....

1. Makes it often difficult to get up and down the street if people have cars parked on both sides, even for a regular car.

2. Snowplows/buses have trouble getting through due to lack of space

3. Hard to see kids playing in the area

4. Generally makes a neighborhoods look bad (IMO) if there are cars everywhere.

We have some narrow streets here-not mine, but others in the town, and as I am driving, I often have to wait for one car coming from the other direction to pass before I can go through, and my husband is always muttering abotut he fact that a firetruck would NEVER get through when cars are parked on both sides of the street. (He's a firefighter)
It is a pain. I would always park in my driveway if it were in front of the house...but even then when you have people over they would park in the street. I have never had anyone park in my driveway, nor have I ever parked in a friend's.

We don't have buses driving through the town really, besides commuter buses on the main roads, so that's not an issue. As for snowplows, there is no parking when it's snowing, so that's not a problem either.

 

[ElizK]

I heard this story this morning. It made me fuming mad. What the heck???

But, since Chevy Suburbans are ok, I would mighty tempted to find the OLDEST running Suburban I could find to park in the driveway.

 

[Buckalew11]

Sounds snobby to me. I would move. I would not live in a place that told me that you could not park a certain kind of nice vehicle in the driveway. I can see an old clunker but not a nice truck. That really is a sad rule for people to live by. I cannot believe there is a whole subdivision/gated community that goes a long with that rule.