HOA rules on gardening and landscaping (Atlanta: HOA fees, how much, houses)

[TerryJr]

It looks like we will be making the move to the Atlanta area. Most of the homes we are looking at have HOAs. I'm guessing the answer I'm looking for is dependent on which HOA you live in but... Do HOA rules restrict against gardening (vegetable) and landscaping in backyards? Also, are you restricted on what you can plant in your frontyard?

[lastminutemom]

Originally Posted by TerryJr

It looks like we will be making the move to the Atlanta area. Most of the homes we are looking at have HOAs. I'm guessing the answer I'm looking for is dependent on which HOA you live in but... Do HOA rules restrict against gardening (vegetable) and landscaping in backyards? Also, are you restricted on what you can plant in your frontyard?

It is going to vary way to much for anyone to answer this question.

You will need to check out each HOA's rules.

[ericsonga]

This is something that varies wildly between HOA's and neighborhoods. I would look over any documents very carefully before deciding. Some HOA's can overdo it just a tad.

[wilful]

Originally Posted by TerryJr

It looks like we will be making the move to the Atlanta area. Most of the homes we are looking at have HOAs. I'm guessing the answer I'm looking for is dependent on which HOA you live in but... Do HOA rules restrict against gardening (vegetable) and landscaping in backyards? Also, are you restricted on what you can plant in your frontyard?

Planting will usually not be allowed in your front yard if I assume you are talking about vegetables. Landscaping the backyard should not be problem but not sure what type of landscaping you are talking about - specifics please.

[ElleKaye]

Originally Posted by wilful

Planting will usually not be allowed in your front yard if I assume you are talking about vegetables. Landscaping the backyard should not be problem but not sure what type of landscaping you are talking about - specifics please.

^^^ This

In general, if you have a privacy fence surrounding the back yard and your "landscaping project" is legal and cannot be seen from the street, then there should be no problem. Landscape-wise, it's more about maintenance of what's happening in your front yard that's important and the side if you get a corner lot.

Keeping up the appearance of the property is not a big deal to me, but some of the more restrictive things bothered me. I didn't like the idea of only being able to take my garbage can to the curb during certain hours without possibly getting fined. I mean what do you want I should do? I will not be home between sun down to put it there and sun up to drag it back. I also had not intent of putting an above or below ground pool in my backyard, but I wasn't all that thrilled that I was unable to if the mood so struck me simply because it was not allowed and not for any valid detriment to the environment.

Another thing I disliked was the quarterly newsletter because if a home owner was late on the HOA fees, the name and address was listed like back taxes in the press. Now, I never had that happen to me, but I did have empathy for those who did. I mean who does that?

It seems to me that the purpose of HOAs is more about the resale value of houses than really establishing a home.

[MattCW]

It's time for a politician to stand up and introduce a bill limiting new HOAs in any jurisdiction to a certain ratio, 50% sounds reasonable to me.

[ATLTJL]

Why don't we just get a little more progressive in how much power we give HOAs like other states do?

I mean, I'm not against landscaping requirements. They generally exist to make sure trees stay in place and are not just cut down for no reason, but they also keep people from growing weeds and poison ivy and calling in "landscaping." Most rules are fairly reasonable, and even if you violate them, you are unlikely to get in trouble unless you do something eye catching.

BUT, I do think that certain things should not be allowed to be governed by HOAs. For example, did you know that in Georgia, your HOA can (and most do) forbid you from installing solar panels on your roof? I can't think of another state where an HOA can dictate this.

[taurus2000]

Like everyone has already said, the rules are different from HOA to HOA. Just get a copy of the convenant when you move in and you can see the rules and have them in writing in case anyone tries to bully you. I lived in a neighborhood with an HOA and we could do whatever in our backyards so long as it was fenced in...but the fence had to be a certain height, color, and style...a VERY expensive style. I just waited for my neighbors to fence their yards (small plots) then I just enclosed the area that my house had left...only about 6 feet.

[cully]

Your contract should be contingent on your obtaining the most recent purchaser's packet from the HOA...covenants.. CC&Rs and bylaws, the latest financial sheets slipped in, minutes, planned special assessments, etc. all by a certain date. Paid for by the owner. Then you review them and decide if you want to go through with the purchase by a certain date. You can write in any contingencies.

You can also find many HOA's CC&Rs and bylaws online on their website nowadays. Sometimes even meeting minutes. Sometimes you'll need to ask for a password for temporary access and they will sometimes give it to you rather than print a lot of stuff out. But you will need to know if there were any changes in those and also you need to see the latest on the other pages...financial, etc.

[ElleKaye]

Originally Posted by taurus2000

Like everyone has already said, the rules are different from HOA to HOA. Just get a copy of the convenant when you move in and you can see the rules and have them in writing in case anyone tries to bully you. I lived in a neighborhood with an HOA and we could do whatever in our backyards so long as it was fenced in...but the fence had to be a certain height, color, and style...a VERY expensive style. I just waited for my neighbors to fence their yards (small plots) then I just enclosed the area that my house had left...only about 6 feet.

Well played