The Arc of the Covenants

One of our community members bought his lot thinking he was free to come and go and do whatever he wanted with it, on it, around it. He had his access to his lot, a driveway, not from a common road, but a right-of-way that was not part of our development's community property. I spoke with the contractor, and he moved it. Prior to that he parked his 30 foot RV on a community road blocking a way in and out of the community. Never asked. Just did it. He was given time enough to build a flat spot and move his driveway and set his RV on the flat spot. No big deal, but shades of things to come. He needed water for his RV so without asking he helped himself, offering to pay. I decline his offer. Told him he could use my hydrant for water since he gave me a roll of ground cloth he "stored" on my property for several weeks. What bothered me was when my garage was closed up, and the circuit breaker turned off (my well was hit by lightening the previous year), he went INTO my garage and turned the breaker back on. Told me about it later. Not cool.

SHIPE HUNTING

So...long story short, when the new owner moved his RV in for the second year when camping is only allowed for a single year....unless you have broken ground to build your house I wandered over to remind him of the rules. He saw me standing there while he chewed up rocks with his zero-turn lawn mower, waving and under the mistaken impression I was simply enamored in his grass cutting skills. He eventually got the message that I needed to speak with him and rode over to where I stood arms folded and engine still roaring shouted, "What's up buddy?" I wanted to tell him that 1) I was NOT his buddy, in fact 2) I was not even his friend, but I motioned for him to turn off the mower.

I told him that until we had a copy of his house plans, and he had broken ground, his one year of camping was over. He tried to tell me he was not "camping" he was "working" but that was not the rules. "Working"....on his tan maybe, with his boat, two jet skis, a tent, an outdoor grill, not to mention the aforementioned RV. Then he tells me the covenants we go by are invalid, that they are not the ones on record at the courthouse. And MY garage was an illegal structure. How could I enforce covenants on him when I, the President was not following them, why should he. The covenants disallow building only a garage...unless you have a house. I have a house. On Lot #4. My garage is on Lot #2. Lot #3 belonging to a third party is between my two lots. Nothing in the covenants prevents me from having two lots, one with a house and one with a garage. Nothing says they have to be connected.

Next...just to piss me off further I can only assume, he tells me, "Everybody else I've talked with has no problem with my RV, only you. And YOU brought it up at the meeting. The annual meeting he failed to attend this year. Again. Well that was half true. The part about me bringing it up at the meeting. As President I make the agenda and it was an agenda item under old business since we were concerned the new owner might push the limits and show up with his RV again. Oh my. The half that was untrue? The everybody else he talked with. He has not talked with ANYBODY except me. Most of the rest of my membership (a dozen or more) have never MET him or TALKED with him. Well...he did manage to PISS ME OFF. I said this before I turned and walked back to my home, "Not only is that hearsay, but it's unmitigated BULLSHIT!"

I spoke with several other officers by email. Time to send a letter insisting he remove the RV in two weeks. Period. I wrote the letter, passed it my a member, the VP, and he made a few minor suggestions that made it a better letter. Now to copy it and send it. With no printer at the lake I headed to the library, printed two copies and waited for my VP to come to the lake, had him sign it Friday night and promised to get to a post office Saturday to mail it certified, return receipt. EZ PZ? Right. Except for one thing. Saturday was...move in day. Remember the little drama we had with that endeavor. Tune in tomorrow for more drama and suspense like you would never believe.