The entire conflict should have ended there.
He said:
“I’m not turning into HOA Batman.”
Anna laughed so hard she coughed.
“Please never say that again.”
“I agree.”
She became serious.
“You okay?”
“Yes.”
“Police thing?”
“Officer was professional.”
“Cynthia?”
“Angry.”
“You?”
Daniel thought.
“More curious than angry now.”
Anna sighed.
“That is worse.”
She knew him.
Sunday morning, Daniel found an envelope under his front door.
No stamp.
Inside were photocopies of four HOA notices.
No note.
Two referenced amendments Daniel did not recognize.
One homeowner had paid $600 in accumulated fines.
Another notice threatened legal referral.
Daniel placed them on the kitchen table.
He made coffee.
Then did exactly what Anna predicted.
He opened his laptop.
Briarwood Estates had existed twenty-six years.
Most governing documents were digitized.
Declaration.
Bylaws.
Architectural rules.
Board resolutions.
Amendments.
Minutes.
Daniel started searching.
7.14-B.
Failed.
Easy.
Elaine's decorative-structure amendment.
Tabled.
Easy.
Then the anonymous notices.
Amendment 5.3-C.
No result.
Maybe older numbering.
He searched minutes.
Found proposal.
Parking restrictions for oversized personal vehicles.
Motion postponed.
Never brought back.
Yet one notice cited:
Adopted 5.3-C.
Daniel sat back.
Interesting.
Second.
8.2-A.
Storage structures.
Proposal introduced.
Counsel review requested.
No final vote in minutes he could locate.
Violation issued three months later.
Daniel made a spreadsheet.
He hated himself for confirming Anna’s prediction.
By noon, the doorbell rang.
Raymond Price.
Neighbor three streets over.
Sixty-four.
Retired dentist.
He held a folder.
“I heard you're checking notices.”
Daniel stared.
“I did not announce that.”
“Elaine did.”
Of course.
“Come in.”
Raymond placed papers on the table.
His issue involved a utility trailer.
Cynthia fined him $75 per day for parking it behind his side fence.
Rule cited:
Vehicle Visibility Amendment 4.9-D.
Daniel found the proposal.
Passed?
Yes.
But effective date?
Two months after Raymond’s fines began.
Daniel frowned.
“They enforced it before adoption.”
Raymond stared.
“You sure?”
“Not yet.”
“You sound sure.”
“I’m not.”
Daniel opened more minutes.
The board approved 4.9-D on May 12.
Raymond’s first violation dated March 7.