It alleged that our garden plants violated the neighborhood's approved landscaping palette.
I checked the governing documents.
The species listed in the notice were either expressly permitted or not prohibited by the relevant provision.
I sent a polite response with photographs and plant information.
The management office acknowledged the correction.
Three weeks later, another notice arrived.
This one concerned the watering schedule.
It alleged that our irrigation system was operating outside the approved hours.
I checked the controller's records.
The system hadn't run at the time described.
I sent the logs.
Again, the notice was withdrawn.
Then came a complaint about the height of the wooden garden sign.
A complaint about the color of our flowerpots.
A complaint about the visibility of the work truck.
And finally, a notice stating that our irrigation heads needed to be replaced under a new HOA water-efficiency initiative.
That last notice caught my attention.
It included a recommended contractor.
CanyonMark Landscape Solutions.
The company offered to inspect and replace residential irrigation systems for an unusually high fee.
The notice claimed that homeowners who did not participate could face additional compliance review.
I checked the documents.
The HOA could establish certain landscaping standards under its recorded declaration and properly adopted rules.
But the notice didn't explain why every homeowner was supposedly required to purchase services from a particular company.
I contacted the management office.
They referred me to Patricia.
I emailed her.
I asked for the governing provision, board authorization, and technical basis for the proposed requirement.
She responded with a single sentence.
Residents who respect our standards do not make every improvement into an argument.
I stared at the message.
Then replied.
I am happy to comply with valid requirements. Please identify the applicable provision and provide the supporting documentation.
She didn't respond.
Instead, a fine arrived.
Then another.
And another.
I challenged them through the association's procedures.
At first, I assumed the problem was a president who disliked being questioned.