are things complicated yet?

Solar Panel Survey Results! (Go on, admit you were waiting on this)

The Solar Panel Survey Of Doom closed on 3/31 and I have been ANXIOUSLY awaiting the results.  As it turns out, this neighborhood is not into voting.   Only 30% returned ballots.  I can't figure out if that means nobody gives a crap about solar panels or if the survey looked like junk mail and people threw it away.

I found a picture of the offending home with solar panels and....it's so not bad.  They are on the back of the house and they aren't weird looking at all.  Plus, once those trees get leaves on them you won't even be able to SEE the stupid things from the jogging trail behind the house, where this picture was taken.

His neighbor behind him had this to say:

"I don't believe that's right to his neighbors,” she said. “If he wants to do something like that, I think he should move into a field. We don't own our homes to make money off of them. That roof is becoming a moneymaker for him.""

Um, last I checked we were all hoping to make a little loose change off our homes at some point.  (Plus, how cool is this dude?  HE'S GETTING THE ELECTRIC COMPANY TO PAY HIM!)

I can't help but giggle since we're talking about the beautification (or lack thereof) on a ROOF.  A roof!  Roofs are ugly by nature!  They're not a flower bed!  They're not the Sistine Chapel.  It's shingles.  Please. 

Anyhoodle, here's the dirt.

***

What is your opinion on allowing roof-mounted solar panels on the homes?

473  Roof mounted solar panels should be allowed

202  Roof mounted solar panels should not be allowed

15    No opinion

If roof mounted solar panels are allowed, panels may be installed

222  On any side of the roof to maximize efficiency

276  Restricted to the sides and back of the roof and not visible from the front of the house

16  No opinion

176  Do not support any roof mounted solar panels

If roof mounted solar panels are allowed, panels may be installed

198  At any angle to maximize efficiency

288  Only parallel (level) with the roof and installed no more than 6 inches above the existing roof

24  No opinion

180  Do not support any roof mounted solar panels

If roof mounted solar panels are allowed, the maximum number of panels that may be installed on a roof are

44  Less than 10 panels

49  Less than 20 panels

34  Less than 30 panels

311  No limit to the number of panels to maximize efficiency

75  No opinion

177  Do not support any roof mounted solar panels

Would you support your next door neighbor installing roof mounted solar panels that are visible from your yard?

442 Yes, would support

213 No, would not support

35 No opinion

Would you purchase a house with roof mounted solar panels?

441 Yes, would purchase

190 No, would not purchase

59 No opinion

***

So, they're amending the bylaws to say that you can put up Solar Panels. The end.

Yep, we accidentally moved into a snobby neighborhood

Today this email shows up in my inbox.  Looks like our Home Owner's Association has a flair for the dramatics.

***

Solar Panel Survey Reminder and Facts

Date: 3/23/2010

On March 10^th, the HOA mailed a solar panel survey to every home in the community. The survey asked each household to vote on whether they would support allowing solar panels in the neighborhood or not. The HOA never issued an opinion to the community regarding solar panels, either in favor of or opposed to.

A decision will be made democratically by the community based upon the input received. To date, we have received input from 18% of the community. If you have not submitted your survey there is still time. The deadline is March 31.

 

Facts:

(1)   Some residents enthusiastically support solar panels and others are adamantly opposed. Each side has a right to their opinion.  

(2)   The HOA is required to enforce the governing documents (adopted in 1995) which states, “No projections of any type shall be placed or permitted to remain above the roof of any residential building with the exception of one or more chimneys and one or more vent stacks, without the written permission of the Architectural Control Committee.”

(3)   One resident has installed solar panels without HOA approval and without waiting on the survey outcome. The resident did not provide the requested information to the Architectural Control Committee. The resident’s installer failed to show up for a scheduled meeting with the Architectural Control Committee. The resident elected to install panels without approval and with full knowledge the HOA was planning to survey the community and would reconsider their request based upon the survey results.

 

The following is an excerpt from an email sent by this resident today:

Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 11:02 AM
To: 'HOA'
Subject: Ready to drop it?

 

We gave you EVERY chance to make this a positive news story for our community, instead you choose to make it a negative one.

Here is our peace offering:  Drop all the ridiculous lawsuits and agree to never bring it up again, pay us the estimated $5,000 in fees we’ve spent so far, and adopt a green policy NOW; then we will turn the media hype into a positive piece about how great our HOA is for adopting and promoting Green technologies, and how you endorse all our residents saving money & doing something good for the environment.

Otherwise we will continue fighting and defending our right to be Green.  Your choice.  We can only keep the media away for so long.

***

So.  A couple of things.

1) I can't believe the dude who sent this email thought it was appropriate to cut and paste an angry email from another resident into a neighborhood-wide email blast. 

2) I had no idea that Solar Panels were Such A Big Deal.

3) I love how this rebel resident feels like he's sitting on a story akin to Monica Lewinsky.  "We can only keep the media away for so long."  I also like how he put that part in a big font.

4) Last I checked, a "right to be green" is not included in the first amendment.

5) I'm going to go ahead and create a category for "HOA Drama" because I'm pretty sure there's more where this came from. 

6) I am totally going to drive around the neighborhood, find the solar panels and make friends with this dude.  He seems...spirited.

(PS Sorry for the weird breaks/spacing.  When you copy/paste into Typepad, it sort of breaks the editor.)