Greetings everyone. One of the worst parts of our job as board members is issuing by-laws violations and fines. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of one of those – and most of you haven’t - it’s likely you didn’t like it either. So, in the interest of everyone, we’d like to help you avoid receiving any fines or violations for as long as you choose to live at Moravian Meadows.
It’s simple, when in doubt, consult your copy of the condominium by-laws. Every co-owner in every unit should have received a copy of the condominium by-laws. If you didn’t, or you need a replacement, please contact the board immediately at 586-493-0591 and leave a message. You may also put in a work order and a copy will be delivered to you. Please note that we do charge for copying and collating copies of the by-laws. You can avoid copying costs by downloading a copy of the PDF version located at the bottom of the home page on the Moravian-Meadows.com Web site.
Our condominium by-laws are a legally binding contract, enforceable in a court of law, which you agreed to when you purchased your property. If you are unsure of the intent contained in the language of any by-law you are consulting, your board will be more than happy to assist you with deciphering it. If we can’t figure it out, highly unlikely, we will consult the condo association’s attorneys.
Most of the violations we issue are about dogs, parking and outdoor decorations. Rules concerning all three of these situations can be found in the by-laws in Article VI, Sections 5, 8 and 13, respectively.
Many people have no idea that they are in violation of a by-law, and when confronted with it, make the appropriate and permanent changes. If you’re trying to decide whether to hang that bird feeder, buy that bird bath, - both no-no’s by the way – or display more than the approved number of pots, please consult our condominium by-laws first. And by all means, if you want to attach something to the building, it MUST be approved. Submit your work order, with photos of what you want to attach. We would hate for you to spend a ton of money on something that has to be dismantled.
Finally, please do not assume that if YOU see someone who is violating the by-laws that WE have seen it too. We are a volunteer board and although we do walk and drive the property regularly, we are not omnipresent. That’s where you come in. It is your right as a co-owner to assist the board in protecting your property value. One of the main reasons people move to a community with a homeowners’ association is because it has rules and regulations designed to uphold property values. If you see a violation, and you’d like the board to address it, let us know. We do not, as a courtesy, name anyone who makes us aware of by-laws violations.
We all do our best to the follow the condominium by-laws. When a resident refuses to follow the by-laws and ignores violation notices and/or fines it makes it hard for all of us. Please know that this board is obligated to take action against consistent violations, up to and including legal action. We will not allow one or two “bad apples” to spoil it for everyone.
See you in the next post . . .
Cordially,
Ed Mroz
President, Moravian Meadows Homeowners Association
Board member Michelle Parnell contributed to this article.
Commentaires