On Wed, 10 Jan 2007 21:51:36 EST, jokerloco9@... said:
> The regs are probably in response to bikes taking up space outside,
> or people wanting an extra space outside for their bike, or because
> they can't park their car or bike in the garage because they got a
> bike(s) in there (or just a lot of personal junk).
Any other place I've lived, I'd agree with you. Here in this condo
complex in Irvine, it's a little different. I almost never see anyone's
garage full of junk. In fact, my roommate and I joke that everyone here
has two hobbies: paying for their oppressive mortgage and buying
clothes. There's no camping/diving/other hobby equipment anywhere in
sight. Few motorcycles. No motorcycles outside.
> Whether you agree or not, the vast majority of motorcycles are
> recreational vehicles. I suspect most of the people on the HOA board
> are non-motorcyclists: nevertheless, most people would think the
> larger bikes (perhaps over 1000cc) are more likely to be commuter
> bikes (I suspect that is largely true) and the smaller bikes are more
> recreational.
Today I learned that the [useless] patrol company is who suggested the
1000cc minimum and the HOA went along with it. We plan to attend the
next board meeting and see if it's not too late to have the rules
revised before they go into effect.
I'm not too optimistic as California civil code requires a 30-day period
from the time the rules are published to the time they go into effect.
A revision at this point in time would probably reset the 30 days and I
doubt they'd be willing to do that.
> The HOA probably believes that your bikes are recreational vehicles,
> when you should only be parking your car in your garage or on common
> areas. Perhaps you might want to go to a board meeting and find out.
> Have you been to a board meeting?
We're renters. I'm not sure that we're permitted to attend the HOA
meeting but we're going to try. Our landlord never attends. You'd
think that a $500k investment that needs a minimum of encumbrances in
order to successfully cash flow (if the rules limit your renter pool, it
impacts your bottom line) would warrant some attention each month. I
know I'd damn sure be at those meetings if I had so much skin in the
game. Then again, she squeezed out her $200k in equity already so she
probably couldn't care less if the place is rented. After all it'll be
worth a million bucks in a few years and the Permanent Renter Class will
be living in tent cities and Hondas. Right? (bullsh-coughcough).
I think part of parking problem here is due to the lower owner occupancy
rate due to everyone leveraging themselves to the moon and moving up the
property ladder. The occupants here are getting younger and there are
more people living in each unit (with more cars).
> Perhaps you might take a look at your personal situation. I assume
> you have a garage, and I suspect the minimum garage size 1 car is 8' x
> 18'. That is big enough for a car and a bike. My personal 2 car
> garage has 1 race car on a trailer, 1 drag bike, and 4 full size
> street bikes, and a full shop inside, with room to work. Perhaps you
> could rearrange the garage to make everything fit.
Nope. It's a normal size two car garage with cabinets at the rear.
We'd be looking at two Jeeps, the KLR, and a Serow. It might possibly
be done if EVERYTHING but vehicles came out of there. This is not an
option. Our living here is predicated on this condo being able to
accommodate us just the way it is now and we've been fine for 1 1/2
years. We're fighting to keep this place as our home.
> By the way, I think living in any condo, or PUD is foolish for just
> this type of B.S.
There's very little non-HOA housing in Orange County that isn't in a
ghetto. In fact, there's very little non-HOA housing here period.
RM
erik