Inaction on Illegal Fence


This photo is of the undeveloped lot just east of 204 Barony Place Drive, in the Lakes at Barony Place, including an illegal fence.

The fence extends from the corner of the house at that address to a fence behind a line of houses on Lakemont Drive.

What's wrong with the fence? Some part of it blocks the Common Property of the HOA from the small lot that faces Barony Place Drive to the large unfinished lot between the backs of houses on Barony Place Drive and Lakemont Drive.

Two years ago, at the time of protests on Barony Place Drive, I was able to learn the ownership of the small lot. The HOA didn't even know that it owned it! It had been transferred to the HOA by the developer before the homes were finished, and I was told that a former Treasurer accepted it.

Why the Treasurer, instead of the President and the Secretary, following board action? We'll never know; he died in April 2021.

I alerted the HOA and the board to the illegal fence. What action have they taken in two years? Apparently, absolutely none.

There are 80 homes in the Lakes at Barony Place. Each pays $550/year to the HOA. That's a total of $44,000. Every year. In ten years that will be almost half a million dollars.

Which homeowner is responsible for the illegal fence? The builder of 204 Barony Place Drive installed the fence that attaches to that house. Did he build it only to the property line? When the fence of a house on Lakemont Drive was installed, did that fence company survey the lot and build only to the lot line? There should be an opening in that fence. How big? 8 ft.? 10 ft.? 12 ft.? 15 ft.?

The illegal portion of the fence needs to be removed, so that the landscapers can get to the Common Property between the backs of the houses. What if the weeds and wild growth back there catch on fire? 

Does The Lakes at Barony Place, like the Barony Place Neighborhood, not have a legitimate Voting Member? Did they ever have their first Annual Neighborhood Meeting and Election? Or a Second?

Why hasn't the board of the HOA or the Covenants Committee acted to open up access to that large area of Common Property?

If 80 property owners call the office on Monday morning before noon, will the HOA finally do something about its own property?

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