boats

There is a small group (10%) of owners in our community that would like to change our community document that would allow for boats, trailers and RV's to be allowed in our community overnight parking. The community document does not allow them at all. The HOA has looked the other way in the past uploading and offloading of the boats. This gated community in Florida that is more than a mile away from the nearest waterway. Does anybody have any experience with this issue? Is their any history of home prices declining? Who should incur the cost if they want to have a vote?
thx

William,
So many associations in Florida have to deal with this problem.
Our association in South Florida is surrounded by waterways and many of our residents have boats and some motorhomes as well. We have a covenant that no motorhome, RV, boat or trailer and other rec vehicles are allowed period. We are gated and the home prices are in the "hefty" range so price impact is very important. But we had some residents who, like you said, want to load, unload, charge batteries and clean their vehicles. So they presented the Board with a petition with the required 10% signatures, requesting the Board consider an amendment to the covenants.

We wrote that any and all recreational vehicles as described in the protective covenants, would be allowed to load, unload, clean and prepare such described vehicle in the driveway per ownership of the vehicle for a limited time. Such time will be from 3 pm of any single day to 12pm of that same day and limited to 1 time per 7 day period. Failure to follow this time frame will result in being considered in non compliance with this protective covenant and subject to fining procedures as allowed by the covenants and bylaws.

Of the 565 homes that this amendment was presented to, there were 68 votes in favor, thus it did not pass our 2/3rds votes to enact the amendment .
All that you can do is try. You may want different restrictions so write it to fit your community's needs.

William,

I forgot to add, if this does get to go before the membership for a vote, the amendment process comes out of your budget. It might be considered under legal as it will need to be proofed by your association attorney but you may have provision for it somewhere else. Perhaps office too because of letters, ballots, filing fees.