thedrifter
05-27-09, 08:10 AM
JAMES RAGLAND
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 27, 2009
JAMES RAGLAND
As soon as I pulled up next to his "assigned" parking space, Frank Larison threw his arms up in the air, his 6-foot-1 frame frantically waving me to a "visitor" slot.
"No, no, no," Larison mouthed, his eyebrows leaping to the brim of his cap.
The last thing the 58-year-old Vietnam veteran wants is to get into trouble with his homeowners association.
Too late for that, I'm afraid.
Larison's already at odds with his HOA, which is threatening to tow his car if he doesn't remove what he calls his "patriotic" decals on the back windshield of his 2008 Chevy HHR.
"I've been trying to keep away," Larison said, explaining how he's maneuvering to keep his car from being hauled away. "But I can't stay gone forever."
I'm here to figure out what all the fuss is about, to wade into what appears to be yet another horror story involving an overbearing, if not overzealous, HOA.
No, this isn't as bad as the case of the Frisco homeowner who was threatened last summer with fines for parking his Ford F-150 pickup in his driveway, a violation of his HOA's rules requiring that non-luxury trucks be garaged.
Nor is it as troublesome as the tales of Texas homeowners who've faced foreclosure for not paying their HOA dues.
That's serious stuff. This one is ridiculous precisely because it's so, well, petty.
Larison roosts in a peaceful enclave of Lake Highlands condos with a name that belies the tension he's feeling – Woodlands II on the Creek.
To the naked eye, at least, none of the condos stands out from the others, which, I'm sure, is exactly the way the HOA wants things to be.
That's fine with Larison, who moved from an apartment in Irving to the northwest corner of Royal Lane and Skillman Street in Big D on July 4, 2001.
"I needed to get my own place," he said. "And I thought I'd have some peace and quiet."
For the most part, he said, he's had no major bones to pick with his homeowners association, other than a disagreement two years ago over a structural alteration to his parking space that caused the tail of his truck to stick out into the fire lane.
The disabled vet, who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, got that mess straightened out to his satisfaction: The bright red line denoting the fire lane was moved back to give residents more space to park.
After all that, Larison ultimately traded his pickup for a new gas-saving car, which, coincidentally, is the source of his current conflict.
About five months ago, he adorned the rear window of his black Chevy HHR with several decals, the largest of which is the eagle, globe and anchor, the official emblem of the U.S. Marine Corps.
There's also a diamond-shaped 1st Marine Aircraft Wing insignia and two other small window decals.
He's also got one sticker on his bumper that reads: "OORAH! It's a Marine Thing."
As proud as he is of the men and women who serve his country, and of his own 14 years spent in the Marines and Coast Guard, Larison didn't think much about his decals until he got a letter from his homeowners association.
The letter, dated May 18, stated that the Woodlands II board of directors "has observed that your vehicle has decal advertising on its exterior" in violation of a homeowners association covenant.
The directors then directed Larison to immediately remove the decals or "keep them covered with magnetic panels at all times when your vehicle is parked on the Property ... no matter for how long."
Then comes the bold-faced warning: "If you fail to remove the decals or cover them with magnetic panels upon receipt of this letter, your vehicle will be towed at your expense."
Beyond that, the letter warned, if Larison keeps "visible decal advertising" on his car on or after May 31, he could face "fines of $50" each time he parks.
The president of the HOA, who lives a stone's throw from Larison's condo, didn't return a phone call. Larison said a neighbor told him she's on vacation.
I did speak to a management company that handles the HOA's maintenance program, and all she would tell me is that this particular HOA is a "strict enforcer" of rules.
When I described the alleged infraction, the woman said, "That seems unpatriotic, doesn't it?"
Yes, it does.
And so far, the man who says he hates conflicts so much that he changes the TV whenever a violent scene appears is standing his ground.
For starters, he said, his decals aren't advertising anything. More than that, however, he believes he has a First Amendment right to sport military service decals on his car.
"I am a Marine Corps" veteran, he said. "I do support our troops. I'm patriotic. If that's wrong, if that's going to keep me from living here, well, I'm sorry."
Hooray for him. Better yet, make that "Ooh-rah."
Ellie
12:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, May 27, 2009
JAMES RAGLAND
As soon as I pulled up next to his "assigned" parking space, Frank Larison threw his arms up in the air, his 6-foot-1 frame frantically waving me to a "visitor" slot.
"No, no, no," Larison mouthed, his eyebrows leaping to the brim of his cap.
The last thing the 58-year-old Vietnam veteran wants is to get into trouble with his homeowners association.
Too late for that, I'm afraid.
Larison's already at odds with his HOA, which is threatening to tow his car if he doesn't remove what he calls his "patriotic" decals on the back windshield of his 2008 Chevy HHR.
"I've been trying to keep away," Larison said, explaining how he's maneuvering to keep his car from being hauled away. "But I can't stay gone forever."
I'm here to figure out what all the fuss is about, to wade into what appears to be yet another horror story involving an overbearing, if not overzealous, HOA.
No, this isn't as bad as the case of the Frisco homeowner who was threatened last summer with fines for parking his Ford F-150 pickup in his driveway, a violation of his HOA's rules requiring that non-luxury trucks be garaged.
Nor is it as troublesome as the tales of Texas homeowners who've faced foreclosure for not paying their HOA dues.
That's serious stuff. This one is ridiculous precisely because it's so, well, petty.
Larison roosts in a peaceful enclave of Lake Highlands condos with a name that belies the tension he's feeling – Woodlands II on the Creek.
To the naked eye, at least, none of the condos stands out from the others, which, I'm sure, is exactly the way the HOA wants things to be.
That's fine with Larison, who moved from an apartment in Irving to the northwest corner of Royal Lane and Skillman Street in Big D on July 4, 2001.
"I needed to get my own place," he said. "And I thought I'd have some peace and quiet."
For the most part, he said, he's had no major bones to pick with his homeowners association, other than a disagreement two years ago over a structural alteration to his parking space that caused the tail of his truck to stick out into the fire lane.
The disabled vet, who says he suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, got that mess straightened out to his satisfaction: The bright red line denoting the fire lane was moved back to give residents more space to park.
After all that, Larison ultimately traded his pickup for a new gas-saving car, which, coincidentally, is the source of his current conflict.
About five months ago, he adorned the rear window of his black Chevy HHR with several decals, the largest of which is the eagle, globe and anchor, the official emblem of the U.S. Marine Corps.
There's also a diamond-shaped 1st Marine Aircraft Wing insignia and two other small window decals.
He's also got one sticker on his bumper that reads: "OORAH! It's a Marine Thing."
As proud as he is of the men and women who serve his country, and of his own 14 years spent in the Marines and Coast Guard, Larison didn't think much about his decals until he got a letter from his homeowners association.
The letter, dated May 18, stated that the Woodlands II board of directors "has observed that your vehicle has decal advertising on its exterior" in violation of a homeowners association covenant.
The directors then directed Larison to immediately remove the decals or "keep them covered with magnetic panels at all times when your vehicle is parked on the Property ... no matter for how long."
Then comes the bold-faced warning: "If you fail to remove the decals or cover them with magnetic panels upon receipt of this letter, your vehicle will be towed at your expense."
Beyond that, the letter warned, if Larison keeps "visible decal advertising" on his car on or after May 31, he could face "fines of $50" each time he parks.
The president of the HOA, who lives a stone's throw from Larison's condo, didn't return a phone call. Larison said a neighbor told him she's on vacation.
I did speak to a management company that handles the HOA's maintenance program, and all she would tell me is that this particular HOA is a "strict enforcer" of rules.
When I described the alleged infraction, the woman said, "That seems unpatriotic, doesn't it?"
Yes, it does.
And so far, the man who says he hates conflicts so much that he changes the TV whenever a violent scene appears is standing his ground.
For starters, he said, his decals aren't advertising anything. More than that, however, he believes he has a First Amendment right to sport military service decals on his car.
"I am a Marine Corps" veteran, he said. "I do support our troops. I'm patriotic. If that's wrong, if that's going to keep me from living here, well, I'm sorry."
Hooray for him. Better yet, make that "Ooh-rah."
Ellie