Disappointed with deed restrictions HOAs etc

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

You are going to find that ANYWHERE here, not just in gated communities. As I explained before, there are building codes in Manatee or Sarasota counties - it is because of hurricanes. You are allowed to build, but you need permits for things of a certain size or type, or if it is attached to the house. This is reasonable.

That said, those "deed restricted" places don't even let you put a few ornaments outside let alone plant a garden or build any kind of structure, and I am assuming that is what you are referring to. We too, are outdoorsy people, I putter in my yard, my husband is building a car in his little garage. I have my outdoor lanais for my cats, and a little shed (pre-built and delivered, no permit needed for this one) plus a variety of garden "junk" in my yard. And my neighborhood is pretty nice and well-kept overall with the minimal restrictions. I think the best you can hope for is a happy medium such as we have here.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I don't mind permits. It's getting approval or permission from a HOA that I resent. Where you live sounds ideal.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by =^..^=

In some communities you would need to get permission to build "anything" on your lot. You would also have to explain what it is and what it's used for. My husband and I would be miserable trying to live under those conditions. We're both outdoorsy people who like to putter around in the yard and grow a garden. Maybe have a small pond or pool or fountain.

I built a pretty good size koi pond for my home in MD. I may do it again down here as well - maybe . It is a totally self contained environment, and I put in filters (a skimmer box), a 3 foot high water fall feature, an infer red light feature to help kill bacteria, and a biological well that helped break down the fish waste. It wasn't a lot of work to maintain. I have to clean out the filter every week or so, maybe more in the summer, and muck out the pond every other year. The fish are very attractive, and make great food for a big blue heron that would visit once a year or so. The first year I stocked it with about $1,000 worth of nice fish. After that heron showed up, I stocked it with small fingerlings ($5/ea), and they grew to be about 18" before the heron noticed how tasty they were looking.

People told me I could put a net over it, run monofiliment around it, and a 100 other solutions, but I enjoyed in its natural (although artificial) setting. I figured that everything else (if it was truly all natural) would happen anyway, so I accepted that birds need to eat too. Its a good hobby. It doesn't have to be expensive, and it is great to enjoy. There are a lot more hungry birds down here!

[SoFLGal]

Originally Posted by Big House

I built a pretty good size koi pond for my home in MD. I may do it again down here as well - maybe . It is a totally self contained environment, and I put in filters (a skimmer box), a 3 foot high water fall feature, an infer red light feature to help kill bacteria, and a biological well that helped break down the fish waste. It wasn't a lot of work to maintain. I have to clean out the filter every week or so, maybe more in the summer, and muck out the pond every other year. The fish are very attractive, and make great food for a big blue heron that would visit once a year or so. The first year I stocked it with about $1,000 worth of nice fish. After that heron showed up, I stocked it with small fingerlings ($5/ea), and they grew to be about 18" before the heron noticed how tasty they were looking.

People told me I could put a net over it, run monofiliment around it, and a 100 other solutions, but I enjoyed in its natural (although artificial) setting. I figured that everything else (if it was truly all natural) would happen anyway, so I accepted that birds need to eat too. Its a good hobby. It doesn't have to be expensive, and it is great to enjoy. There are a lot more hungry birds down here!

The raccoons are the main problem down here with a pond like that. They can get under and around nearly everything. My mom can't keep anything in her pond cause the coons just snatch them right out and eat them.

[Big House]

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

The raccoons are the main problem down here with a pond like that. They can get under and around nearly everything. My mom can't keep anything in her pond cause the coons just snatch them right out and eat them.

My pond was deep enough and big enough that the racoons never got the fish. I kept frogs in the pond too. The tad poles were good for helping to clean up the muck and stuff. The racoons would get them. I also always through in a few dozen snails. They would clean the pond liner and eat algae and stuff. Now they were a special treat for the racoons! They love escargot-sushi! I never acquired the taste. LOL I would put them in, and they would last a week or two before the racoons would find them. Then I'd wait, and add some more a month later - and the cycle would continue. I must say, we had some healthy racoons in our neighborhood!

But the pond was really great! The robins would bathe in the stream above the water fall every spring. Other birds of all kinds would stop by for a drink, so would rabbits, squirrels, chip munks, and deer. It was a reliable source for them. The animals and birds would come by at all times during the day, and the deer would generally come by right at dusk or early in the morning.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by Big House

People told me I could put a net over it, run monofiliment around it, and a 100 other solutions, but I enjoyed in its natural (although artificial) setting. I figured that everything else (if it was truly all natural) would happen anyway, so I accepted that birds need to eat too. Its a good hobby. It doesn't have to be expensive, and it is great to enjoy. There are a lot more hungry birds down here!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We went through a similar thing here with our 2 ponds, one 800g and the other 2,000g. Herons are a problem over a wide area. We finally did have to net our ponds. Other people give up and buy those cheap feeder goldfish at the pet stores and let nature take it's course. I sold the koi in preparation of our moving and removed the nets. They're now frog ponds.

[=^..^=]

Originally Posted by SoFLGal

The raccoons are the main problem down here with a pond like that. They can get under and around nearly everything. My mom can't keep anything in her pond cause the coons just snatch them right out and eat them.

Raccoons don't like steep sided ponds. They like them shallow or with a shallow area they can fish from. Plenty of hiding places for the fish also helps.

[Randy Forbes]

Originally Posted by gypsychic

You are going to find that ANYWHERE here, not just in gated communities. As I explained before, there are building codes in Manatee or Sarasota counties - it is because of hurricanes. You are allowed to build, but you need permits for things of a certain size or type, or if it is attached to the house. This is reasonable.

That said, those "deed restricted" places don't even let you put a few ornaments outside let alone plant a garden or build any kind of structure, and I am assuming that is what you are referring to. We too, are outdoorsy people, I putter in my yard, my husband is building a car in his little garage. I have my outdoor lanais for my cats, and a little shed (pre-built and delivered, no permit needed for this one) plus a variety of garden "junk" in my yard. And my neighborhood is pretty nice and well-kept overall with the minimal restrictions. I think the best you can hope for is a happy medium such as we have here.

I need to meet the husband...

That's my 2nd most important interest in life; I have to be building/repairing things made of metal, or I'm completely miserable.

Just ask Sue in Ohio (1st most important interest, incidentally) I can barely last through a two (2) week vacation without taking something apart!

Warning: better keep an eye on me and your cars in the parking lot at Marina Jacks.

I hope you can get your husband out of the garage for the night, as I'm sure that hearing a few stories from him about his project(s) will help to hold me over until I get back home...