Citrus Growers Forum

mrtexas · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 12:56 am

Well the local Sienna Plantation, the development where I live, Stasi (landscaping committee) has approved my citrus tree planting along our back yard fence. Said they have to be 5 feet from fence and within 60 days. I measured and the mounds out there are 5 feet from the fence. I'll wait until spring to plant however. It'll be 10 flying dragon rootstock satsumas and some persimmon and other citrus trees out in the lawn. Oh, also have a bay laurel tree, pear tree, and a rio grande cherry out there too. Perhaps a white sapote in the future.

Ha, I had to pay $950 homeowner association fee for 2014. They have to spend it on something.

Millet · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 1:07 am

Great for you. I have never lived in an area where there was a homeowner association to govern what I could or could not due. Nor would I never ever buy property in such a location. However, each to their own. I'm sure you will be gracious and show us how it proceeds. It will be nice to see. Take care. - Millet

Radoslav · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 3:03 am

"Stasi" is the name of state security service (Staatssicherheit) in former german socialist republic aka East Germany.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi

MarcV · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 4:58 am

Radoslav wrote:

"Stasi" is the name of state security service (Staatssicherheit) in former german socialist republic aka East Germany.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi

I was thinking the same!

_________________
- Marc
https://www.facebook.com/CitrusGrowers

yuzuquat · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 10:22 am

Might understand if they were managing what outhouses etc you could erect and if you were planting a tree that might over grow public foot path but citrus on a dwarfing rootstock, seems to be going too far.

After all its an asset for the nieghbourhood and can be easily trimmed if needed. Wonder what local kids would say?

mrtexas · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 12:17 pm

All the Houston area new neighborhoods have homeowners associations. Nice pools but also can be excessively controlling.

yuzuquat · Posted: Fri 17 Jan, 2014 4:04 pm

Hopefully they will get more relaxed as they settle into role

GT · Posted: Sat 18 Jan, 2014 2:04 am

mrtexas wrote:

All the Houston area new neighborhoods have homeowners associations. Nice pools but also can be excessively controlling.

Phil,
not only in Houston... I just finished reading deed restrictions for a subdivision in Lumberton (!). That document contains a lot of interesting things on its 45 pages and, yes! each plant in the backyard (2+ acre lots) must be approved! They specify how many people may be living in the house and how many pets (and what kind) you may have. Even the minimum ceiling height (9' in the first floor and 8' in the second) and type of windows (those with bars inside) are specified. You would not be allowed to change a spark plug in the lawn mover according to that document! Something that drives me nuts. The funniest thing is that we are not eligible to buy anything in that subdivision since they require that all property owners must be US citizens. Shocked

Radoslav · Posted: Sat 18 Jan, 2014 7:56 am

GT wrote:

mrtexas wrote:

All the Houston area new neighborhoods have homeowners associations. Nice pools but also can be excessively controlling.

Phil,
not only in Houston... I just finished reading deed restrictions for a subdivision in Lumberton (!). That document contains a lot of interesting things on its 45 pages and, yes! each plant in the backyard (2+ acre lots) must be approved! They specify how many people may be living in the house and how many pets (and what kind) you may have. Even the minimum ceiling height (9' in the first floor and 8' in the second) and type of windows (those with bars inside) are specified. You would not be allowed to change a spark plug in the lawn mover according to that document! Something that drives me nuts. The funniest thing is that we are not eligible to buy anything in that subdivision since they require that all property owners must be US citizens. Shocked

Uff.., that sounds totally sick!
With all that NSA spying on people and all that checkpoints on airports, not to mention that one of friends nearly ended in cop hands when he wanted to pay for goods in one shop by cash not card during his visit in the US. And than this .. and we used to say that we lived in police state during socialist era ..., no way, ...this is ten times worse.

Millet · Posted: Sat 18 Jan, 2014 6:05 pm

Of course, a person is free to choose if they wish to live in an area controlled by a home owners association or not.

Tom · Posted: Sat 18 Jan, 2014 6:33 pm

The idea is that all the rules are supposed to help property owners homes maintain or increase in value. An excellent example would be the town of Celebration in or very near Disney World. It was very interesting to look at but I really got a weird feeling because everything looked the same and "perfect". If you saw the original movie "Stepford Wives" you know what I mean. It worried me so much I never saw the remake.

Most of those gated and controlled neighborhoods are very nice. It's just that some of us have a problem with an abundance of rules. I do like law and order. Maybe I'm more of a moderation in all things kind of guy.

My granddaddy thought it a great privilege to take a leak outside without having to flush ! He only went through the kitchen to get outside. He never cooked , washed dishes or ate in the kitchen. It was a different era. He died in about 1954.

Gated communities are great and I'm not "knocking" them. I could live there but sometimes I'd still have to get out in the real world at my farm ! Not having Mr Texas' climate, I'd need a green house hidden on my property or help looking after a high tunnel at the farm! That's about where I am right now.

Tom

_________________
Tom in central Alabama

mrtexas · Posted: Sat 18 Jan, 2014 10:09 pm

They control the look of the houses as well. No houses allowed with a big garage the major feature of the front of the house, the kind where you walk past the garage to get to the front door. Overall, very nice place.

mrtexas · Posted: Sat 18 Jan, 2014 10:10 pm

Radoslav wrote:

"Stasi" is the name of state security service (Staatssicherheit) in former german socialist republic aka East Germany.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stasi

GT · Posted: Mon 20 Jan, 2014 3:02 am

Radoslav wrote:

... And than this .. and we used to say that we lived in police state during socialist era ..., no way, ...this is ten times worse.

Well, actually, this is still not quite what we had in Russia before mid-80th. Laughing

I'm not gonna flood this thread with my memories of "good old times" though.

On a serious note, I understand the reasons behind most restrictions but not all. Seriously: "the owner must be either married or widowed..." - where does this come from? This is why we are not moving there - I like a bit more freedom. After all, can you imagine submitting plans to the architecture committee specifying locations of 60 citrus plants, 50 fruit trees/shrubs, and a compost pile in the backyard!? Laughing

I bet they would have a heart attack over that - it would simply be inhuman to infest such an upscale gated community with a crazy fruit grower (me). Laughing

mrtexas · Posted: Tue 21 Jan, 2014 1:33 am

GT wrote:

Radoslav wrote:

... And than this .. and we used to say that we lived in police state during socialist era ..., no way, ...this is ten times worse.

Well, actually, this is still not quite what we had in Russia before mid-80th. Laughing

I'm not gonna flood this thread with my memories of "good old times" though.

On a serious note, I understand the reasons behind most restrictions but not all. Seriously: "the owner must be either married or widowed..." - where does this come from? This is why we are not moving there - I like a bit more freedom. After all, can you imagine submitting plans to the architecture committee specifying locations of 60 citrus plants, 50 fruit trees/shrubs, and a compost pile in the backyard!? Laughing

I bet they would have a heart attack over that - it would simply be inhuman to infest such an upscale gated community with a crazy fruit grower (me). Laughing

Married or widowed, citizen, probably un-enforceable. They used to have deed restrictions on race as well. They are only enforceable by someone suing you anyway. Why would someone want to sue a nice guylike GT. (although with a very heavy slavic accent, endearing to me as my grandfather came from Mother Russia in 1917)

I've quizzed GT a couple times about the good old Soviet days. Quite entertaining! For those of you who don't know GT(Gleb) grew up in the USSR under Communism until an adult before joining us here in the Land of the Free.