10 replies to this topic

[camay2327]

Anyone being caught up in this???


http://www.news10.ne...x?storyid=38765

Beware the Tow: Folsom Condo Residents Angry Over Tough New Parking Rules

There are plenty of places to park in Folsom's Esplanade Circle neighborhood. But these days, most of those spaces along the condominium-lined street are remaining empty.

Several residents of the private condo community say they're embroiled in a feud with their homeowner association's board of directors after as many as 60 cars were towed out from under their owner's noses following a controversial change to the neighborhood's parking rules.

[Sonny]

Another example how HOA's make things worse.

[ducky]

I saw a similar new report on this, but it was at night and they had actually cornered one of the board members who wouldn't speak to the reporter. I couldn't help but wonder if some board member owns a towing company.

It seems ridiculous to have resident parking and only allow the residents to park there three nights a week. These weren't the rules the residents signed on for and were changed in November. I'm thinking there will be some board member changes. One poor guy had to park in a nearby shopping center just to make sure his car would be there to go to work the next morning.

Strange situation.

[MikeinFolsom]

I'm guessing there was a shady deal going on. I saw the interview of the "board member". I'm guessing he does not live in the neighborhood. Kind of like the Parkways. We're governed by a bunch of board member weenies that live in Serrano. They can take their hoity toity Serrano attitude and shove it.....if you ask me.

[lisasellshouses]

I'm guessing there was a shady deal going on. I saw the interview of the "board member". I'm guessing he does not live in the neighborhood. Kind of like the Parkways. We're governed by a bunch of board member weenies that live in Serrano. They can take their hoity toity Serrano attitude and shove it.....if you ask me.

wow...what a great selling point to potential buyers.....sure you can spend 200-400K to live here but you cant park...we dont live in SF...they should have made sure there was enough parking....are they conforming to city codes for enough parking

so what is to stop them from taking all the parking away?

so many parking...come on attorney...someone out there surely can take on this HOA...

I think HOA are doing stuff like this because they know that selling isnt the option available to most these days...so they are going to hold the screws to you now...

[Ahnold]

wow...what a great selling point to potential buyers.....sure you can spend 200-400K to live here but you cant park...we dont live in SF...they should have made sure there was enough parking....are they conforming to city codes for enough parking

A few points about the parking situation at Esplanade, from my perspective as a resident there:

1. Technically each unit includes a 2-car garage. I say 'technically' because the garages are a little small and it's challenging to get more than one car in them. Not impossible, but challenging.

2. The outside parking was originally intended for short-term residential use and for guest parking. What developed over time was people using their garages for storage and/or finding it hard to park two vehicles in them, so they started parking in the outdoor spaces long-term. It got to a point that often there was little or no guest parking available.

3. In addition, several exterior spaces are signed "No parking on garbage collection days" or something like that - because there is no other curb space for people to roll their cans out where the garbage trucks can reach them. A few people were ignoring those signs and got burned, apparently. One caveat - I can't say for sure that the garbage day parking regs have always been posted. The original owners were made aware of them but new ones may not have known.

4. The Board, rather than enforce the original conditions, modified the parking in the complex and converted about half the outside spaces to 'Resident' parking, and demands that all residents register their vehicles with the Association or face fines and hearings. Hello, Big Brother.

5. The towing occurred on a night before garbage day, apparently in the middle of the night, with no warning. Anywhere from 30 to 40 residents were towed that night, for both garbage night parking restrictions and other violations of the new parking regs.

6. I think converting some of the outside parking for resident use was simply the Board caving in to people that didn't want to/could not follow the rules. I follow the original rules - I made sure my car fit in the garage when I bought the place, and I park there every night. The convenient guest parking that was across from my unit when I bought is now resident parking, so now my guests are inconvenienced. And yet I still have to pay the same monthly fees as people that got their way... is that fair?

7. On the one hand I think people got what they deserved by violating the parking regs that they should have known about. But I don't think it was right of the Board to just launch into enforcement without some sort of notice or grace period.

It's just one bad decision after another from this Board, and I think they need to move on.

Sorry for the long read; hope it provides some perspective at least.

[lisasellshouses]

A few points about the parking situation at Esplanade, from my perspective as a resident there:

1. Technically each unit includes a 2-car garage. I say 'technically' because the garages are a little small and it's challenging to get more than one car in them. Not impossible, but challenging.

2. The outside parking was originally intended for short-term residential use and for guest parking. What developed over time was people using their garages for storage and/or finding it hard to park two vehicles in them, so they started parking in the outdoor spaces long-term. It got to a point that often there was little or no guest parking available.

3. In addition, several exterior spaces are signed "No parking on garbage collection days" or something like that - because there is no other curb space for people to roll their cans out where the garbage trucks can reach them. A few people were ignoring those signs and got burned, apparently. One caveat - I can't say for sure that the garbage day parking regs have always been posted. The original owners were made aware of them but new ones may not have known.

4. The Board, rather than enforce the original conditions, modified the parking in the complex and converted about half the outside spaces to 'Resident' parking, and demands that all residents register their vehicles with the Association or face fines and hearings. Hello, Big Brother.

5. The towing occurred on a night before garbage day, apparently in the middle of the night, with no warning. Anywhere from 30 to 40 residents were towed that night, for both garbage night parking restrictions and other violations of the new parking regs.

6. I think converting some of the outside parking for resident use was simply the Board caving in to people that didn't want to/could not follow the rules. I follow the original rules - I made sure my car fit in the garage when I bought the place, and I park there every night. The convenient guest parking that was across from my unit when I bought is now resident parking, so now my guests are inconvenienced. And yet I still have to pay the same monthly fees as people that got their way... is that fair?

7. On the one hand I think people got what they deserved by violating the parking regs that they should have known about. But I don't think it was right of the Board to just launch into enforcement without some sort of notice or grace period.

It's just one bad decision after another from this Board, and I think they need to move on.

Sorry for the long read; hope it provides some perspective at least.

thank you for the post, you cleared up quite a bit of misinformation that has been floating around, and I now see more of the issue...

...I think it is important to hear all the sides of the story and there are normally more than 2....

[tbird]

[quote name='lisasellshouses' date='Feb 27 2008, 02:24 PM' post='224173']
thank you for the post, you cleared up quite a bit of misinformation that has been floating around, and I now see more of the issue...

...I think it is important to hear all the sides of the story and there are normally more than 2....
[It's nice to have an opinion, but here are the facts...Section 4.4 of the Esplanade CC&R state: " Each owner and ocupant may park a passenger vehicle during the day and over night in any space designated for parking within the property. No parking space or other area outside the garages may be used for storing a vehicle. For purposes herein, storage means non-operational for 72 hours".

Now the board is attempting to prohibit the use of charcoal BBQs. What's next...everyone has to wear purple on Sundays? Now, there's perspective for you./quote]

[ambrno33]

I'm not surprised about the charcoal bbq's. Almost all apartment communities prohibit them because the insurance is so expensive. And a condo community is pretty much the same as an apartment community...someone has to have insurance for the outside of the buildings/property. I doubt it's the residents, since their insurance probably only covers the interior.

[Bill Z]

I'm not surprised about the charcoal bbq's. Almost all apartment communities prohibit them because the insurance is so expensive. And a condo community is pretty much the same as an apartment community...someone has to have insurance for the outside of the buildings/property. I doubt it's the residents, since their insurance probably only covers the interior.

That, plus the smog in the summer, I won't be surprised if in the near future, they start having no BBQ days just like they had the no Fireplace days this winter. Sounds like the HOA is getting a head start.

BTW, what is the current state of the parking & towing situation. I recall hearing they put a moratorium on the towing, but I also recall the residents were looking to get the HOA fired and file a civil suit. Anyword on these developments?!

[supermom]

Purple is a sign of royalty---wear it and be proud.

Charcoal BBQ's are yummy but dangerous.

Especially if BBQ'ing on a porch.

My place hasn't said we can't BBQ yet, But I wouldn't be surprised if they do.

Last summer when it got real hot out--they made everyone take their hanging plants off the porch--for fear of fires from BBQ's or ciggarettes.