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#166
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garden police gone wild?
I guess I just never understood why you should have to "come to the
meetings,volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park," just to live in peace on your own property without someone else telling you how they think you should live. I subscribe to the live and let live theory of life. I find homeowners associations to be antithetical to the fundamentals of freedom in America. It took me two years to find a property that did not have some ridiculous CC&R's that I had to live by because of some control freaks who thought their way of life was the only valid one. Most people ruled by these organizations are not aware of the loss of their civil rights until after they have purchased the property and then it is too late. They are victims, no doubt. Unless you want to spend all of your free time in hostile meetings with people who are often irrational, emotion driven, and have a hidden agenda, then I suggest you take your time to find a property without any homeowners association organization. They only benefit the few at the expense of many. Not a good way to live life in my opinion. I long for the days when neighbors worked out their own problems with rational adult discussions and tolerance. From: Frogleg Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 12:56:39 GMT Subject: garden police gone wild? On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. |
#167
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garden police gone wild?
On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt"
wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. |
#168
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garden police gone wild?
I guess I just never understood why you should have to "come to the
meetings,volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park," just to live in peace on your own property without someone else telling you how they think you should live. I subscribe to the live and let live theory of life. I find homeowners associations to be antithetical to the fundamentals of freedom in America. It took me two years to find a property that did not have some ridiculous CC&R's that I had to live by because of some control freaks who thought their way of life was the only valid one. Most people ruled by these organizations are not aware of the loss of their civil rights until after they have purchased the property and then it is too late. They are victims, no doubt. Unless you want to spend all of your free time in hostile meetings with people who are often irrational, emotion driven, and have a hidden agenda, then I suggest you take your time to find a property without any homeowners association organization. They only benefit the few at the expense of many. Not a good way to live life in my opinion. I long for the days when neighbors worked out their own problems with rational adult discussions and tolerance. From: Frogleg Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 12:56:39 GMT Subject: garden police gone wild? On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. |
#169
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garden police gone wild?
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#170
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garden police gone wild?
....but you won't be able to repaint it red...
And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. |
#171
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garden police gone wild?
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#172
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garden police gone wild?
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#173
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garden police gone wild?
"Frogleg" wrote in message ... On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. So basically you are saying you do all these things to get your voice heard. Why is it set-up that way anyway? No wonder people don't feel like voting. Maybe they have lives and don't feel like having to join a fraternity and getting initiated. |
#174
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garden police gone wild?
On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt"
wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. |
#175
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garden police gone wild?
I guess I just never understood why you should have to "come to the
meetings,volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park," just to live in peace on your own property without someone else telling you how they think you should live. I subscribe to the live and let live theory of life. I find homeowners associations to be antithetical to the fundamentals of freedom in America. It took me two years to find a property that did not have some ridiculous CC&R's that I had to live by because of some control freaks who thought their way of life was the only valid one. Most people ruled by these organizations are not aware of the loss of their civil rights until after they have purchased the property and then it is too late. They are victims, no doubt. Unless you want to spend all of your free time in hostile meetings with people who are often irrational, emotion driven, and have a hidden agenda, then I suggest you take your time to find a property without any homeowners association organization. They only benefit the few at the expense of many. Not a good way to live life in my opinion. I long for the days when neighbors worked out their own problems with rational adult discussions and tolerance. From: Frogleg Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net Newsgroups: rec.gardens.edible Date: Sat, 03 Apr 2004 12:56:39 GMT Subject: garden police gone wild? On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. |
#176
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garden police gone wild?
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#177
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garden police gone wild?
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#178
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garden police gone wild?
On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt"
wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. There are many levels of garden and whatever they want to police folks. There are county and city regulations that most folks are totally unaware of, until some neighbor decides to complain about something. Here, Boise, Idaho, there are rules that state that no plants can be planted where they act as screen anywhere other than at the perimeter of the property, like a fence. And then only in the same manner as a fence, otherwise. no taller than 3' if there aren't spaces between the plants. 4' if there are spaces where people can see through. Everywhere else, no higher than 1' above grade. We also can't plant things within the easement that is the highway district's. My area is easy to determine since there is a sidewalk, There is a 5' area past the fence into my yard where we cannot plant trees, or build anything permanent in that area, or put anything that would be difficult to remove. So that covers the planting of stuff.. you can plant individual plants that do not form barriers .. so you can plant one tree that can grow more than 1' above grade, but you can't plant several in a row as that would constitute a screen. Then there are the annoying little rules that are usually not actively enforced in general areas, things like you can't have a trash can out over 24 hours before or after pickup date. You're not supposed to have your hose out if it's not in use, at all. Not supposed to have any yard care items or trash cans where they can be seen in the front or back yard. You're supposed to tote all of them back and put them in a shed. You don't have a shed? Get one, but make sure it conforms to the rules too. Now, those are general city codes.. and there are more. However what a lot of people seem to fail to find out or really understand at times is that many subdivisions have their OWN covenants which can be and usually ARE much stricter. They go so far as to tell you that you can ONLY plant certain plants, and some of them want no variation. They want all front yards to have the SAME plants and no others in them, and if something should die, they'd want you to replace it with a plant the same size as those in the yards around you. If you plant something else, you'd be told to remove it, if you didn't then someone else would remove it and you would be billed. You have to have ONLY the prescribed mail boxes, yard decorations, plants, paint/rock colors etc. Any variations and you will be chastised, told to fix it, if yo don't it will be fixed and you will pay and if you don't then you will be fined, or taken to court. You have to sign papers to this effect to get in. If you forget what you signed they'll remind you. It's a cookie cutter sub division and that conformity makes some people happy, and secure an no one should buy into such a community if they aren't of that mentality. Some people just don't read it or don't take it seriously! I really don't much like cookie cutter yards, and I annoy my neighbor to the east because he's anal retentive and my yard makes his butt pucker. ;-D I hope he loses sleep over it he's suck a jerk..not merely *my* observation! So, there are real "garden police" and there are those who merely self-appoint! ;-) Janice |
#179
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garden police gone wild?
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#180
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garden police gone wild?
"Frogleg" wrote in message ... On Fri, 2 Apr 2004 08:47:39 -0700, "Darwin Vander Stelt" wrote: ....but you won't be able to repaint it red... And they can then get you with one of those "run-down" laws. :/ "they" are ordinarily volunteer committees of your neighbors. Land use ordinances almost always benefit some and anger others, but the key to having the neighborhood you want is to participate. The squeaky wheels get to decide what the neighborhood looks like. You get the impression from reading some posts that some political gestapo imposes these ordinances from the top, and we little people are getting screwed. The truth is that land use planning and zoning is typically a very transparent process with lots of hearings etc. and only a few people care enough or have the time or ambition to participate. And all citizens must realize that the system is not necessarily corrupt just because their position does not prevail. The climate of "my adgenda at any price" including a willingness to lie to advance the adgenda pervades our civic life and it may eventually ruin us. Applause, applause. I have been working with (doing a web site for) a local neighborhood association. The membership is heavily weighted with participation by Los Ricos with waterfront property, and they *do* get their agenda acted upon. However,...a quarterly newsletter is distributed to 1,600 households just in advance of general meetings. At the last meeting, the attendance was 32 people, and about 150 families are voting members ($10/yr membership fee). The rest sit home and complain about changes the association has promoted or brought about. The quarterly general meetings and monthly board meetings are open to participation by anyone. Los Ricos definitely have their own interests in mind, but they *are* the ones who come to the meetings, volunteer to be on the board, do the paperwork for grants and activities, and hide the eggs and dress up in the bunny costume for the Easter Egg Hunt in the park. I did my share of complaining before I got involved. But Darwin is right. It does absolutely no good to take a 'victim' position when there are opportunities to change things through participation. So basically you are saying you do all these things to get your voice heard. Why is it set-up that way anyway? No wonder people don't feel like voting. Maybe they have lives and don't feel like having to join a fraternity and getting initiated. |
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