Strange legal situation. Paging city slickers and condo dwellers...

[xxaarraa]

Hello NESR,

I am looking for reactions / ideas / 'do you buy this' type of thoughts from you all.

Context - Some condo nazis ('Trustees') are cracking down on garage use and throwing the rule book ('Master deed') at the owners (me). Rule book says we can park 'licensed non-commercial passenger vehicles' only in the garage. My motorcycles and kendon trailer have blipped on their radar.

My strategy so far - hoping for feedback and ideas to bolster it.

• My two dirt bikes have ORV stickers, so I think I can say they are 'licensed' The language in the docs is gray - 'licensed non-commercial passenger vehicles' it doesn't say anything about what type of license. Any arguments I should be prepared for, if they don't buy that?
• I have two track bikes that are not plated. I am thinking of going the same ORV route for these as well, assuming I can get my hands on two more ORV stickers. The nazis aren't smart enough to verify VIN # etc. so I think I could pull this off Do you guys think that ORV would fly for street/track bikes as well? Any other alternatives?
• My kendon trailer is the biggest challenge. Master deed specifically says 'no trailers, snowmobiles...' I spoke to my lawyer, and he suggested playing the 'it's not a trailer, but an attachment to my SUV" card (sounds very silly, I know). It doesn't help that it's registered as a trailer with a trailer plate. Any way I can get a plate for a Kendon that doesn't say 'Trailer' on it? Anyone got any other ideas?

If you are thinking about saying "follow the rules!" I'll take it, touche. In most cases, I'd be inclined to follow the rules. But this situation is different (for various reasons) and I want to stand and fight. I am hoping for ideas or lessons learned by fellow sympathetic rebels who might have been in this situation.

[jwm2k3]

Pay them off with high end bottles of their favorite poison...

[Petorius]

You don't have to return license plates in MA when you cancel registration, do you? Pretty sure I had a stack of old plates in my garage until recently.

[jasnmar]

Ask them to produce a valid vehicle license.

Either the words in the master deed mean something or the words don't mean anything. If they mean something hold them to it. If they don't mean anything they can't hold you to them.

[e30addict]

Take the plate off the trailer and keep it in the SUV?

[Paul_E_D]

Ask for an exception due to the fold up nature of the trailer. My condo wrote me exceptions. Hopefully they like you.

[breakdirt916]

have reg's on the dirtbikes/reg the track bikes & if necessary slap a bicycle LED taillight & bolt on a $20 Chinese headlight on the bikes to make them look like street bikes...condo assoc. people can't tell the darn difference b/w a dirt bike and street bike...just say they're reg'd street bikes

park the trailer somewhere else until they stop checking, then park it in your garage again...

edit: although I do like what Paul outlined...it's not the law, just made up rules...see if they can make an exception

[Paul_E_D]

I have 5 bikes and a kendon in my carport! lol

[boosten lebaron]

Move?

[scubasteveRR]

I don't understand how you can be told what you can and can't keep in an enclosed garage, i could see if it was all outside and in plain site. Some of these Condo associations are crazy with their rules.

[aldend123]

I'm pissed off just thinking about this and I'm not even subjected to it. Is this a private garage? If so, it's ridiculous that they're trying to regulate what you keep in it. Do they allow a snowblower or lawn mower to be kept in the garage? Probably not since you probably have no need for them. What are the consequences for telling them to screw? Or what happens when you come to a point of disagreement? Like the debate on what 'licensed' means? I'm assuming you've already tried going the friendly route of 'I'm not that bad neighbor'?

If you're going technical, take the wheels and plate off the trailer, stand it up right and call it a garage partition? If you take the chain off the track bikes, do they become push-bicycles? Will the motorcycles fit in your elevator/stairs/front door? I'd be kind of funny if you could bring them to your living area legitimately - and so every Sunday, you'd wheel the bike out the front door.

Do people really see a trailer with two decent looking snowmobiles on it and go "oh no, can't live here. Has some bad elements"?

[e30addict]

Condo b.s. reminds of this pic. That and the fact I need a few hundred acres in the north woods so I can basically tell people to fuck off.

[jasnmar]

Can you park a bicycle in the garage? A skateboard? A pair of roller skates?

[SRTie4k]

Put a folding chair in the trailer. Ding, it's now a licensed passenger vehicle.

[nhbubba]

Condo b.s. reminds of this pic.

What's the pic about???

[markbvt]

It's situations like this that made me refuse to even consider any place with an HOA when I was looking at houses. Anyone trying to tell me what I can and can't keep in my garage can fuck right the hell off.

In this case, what can they do if you fail to comply? And is there a chance they'll be reasonable enough to see that your stuff doesn't violate the spirit of the rule, which is presumably intended to keep junkers, RVs, and such from spilling out of garages?

--mark

[e30addict]

What's the pic about???

Revenge.
Government said I can't install a garage door. Whatever - Album on Imgur

[AEG]

Revenge.
Government said I can't install a garage door. Whatever - Album on Imgur

More like defiance. I like it.

[Falko]

Find a 20+yo rusted out van on CL, get the picture. Show the picture of the van to the HOA jacknuts and let them know that will be replacing the trailer if they make you get rid of it.

[TheIglu]

+1

Give them "possible alternatives" to having a couple motorcycles out of sight in your garage.

I mean, having a really sweet caprice donk sitting in your parking space can only help the HOA realize the error of their ways, right?





- - - Updated - - -

Better yet, just get the biggest white panel van you can find and spraypaint TRUMP! all over it.

[Falko]

I was thinking something like....

[number9]

Revenge.
Government said I can't install a garage door. Whatever - Album on Imgur

Fucking Dutchies.

[Stromper]

Hang the trailer and the race bikes from the wall say its "ART" display not parked

Condos are very flammable he should be very careful... don't google

[sedanman]

My question is this. What is the penalty for non compliance? What can they do to you? Deny you access to the community swimming pool? You're at the track every weekend anyway. Screw them.

[Paul_E_D]

No, condo associations can fine you and encumber your property. Don't fuck with them.