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Useful Community Development: What's New
Here are the most recent important changes to our website, including new articles, visitor questions, and editors' answers. You'll also find links to significantly revised pages and time-sensitive or short items we want to bring to your attention. Sometimes we also add short items of interest, especially time-sensitive notes about conferences, webinars, or seasons.
Developer Revising Covenants
Visitor Question: We are in a subdivision of five lots. The developer sold the fifth lot to a charity that builds houses to donate to wounded veterans,
How to grandfather a room addition
Visitor Question: I bought my house in 1980. It has 3 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. Recently someone reported to the city that I had people living in my garage.
Civic Engagement Question and Answer Seeks More Involvement
This civic engagement question and answer page responds to visitor concerns about apathy, youth motivation, and the need for more robust citizen participation.
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Threatening behavior by code officers
Visitor Question: Three code officers came to my place, carrying weapons on the first visit. All of my permits are up to date. For zoning and planning,
Visitor Zoning Questions and Answers to Help All of You
This page allows visitors to ask zoning questions. Answers from the editors and possibly other visitors will appear in this hand-selected and edited forum.
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Restrictions for land conservation
Visitor Question: I'm selling a small piece of property which has a house on it. I'm also planning to deed a 2-acre piece of land to my sister. I am
Deed Restrictions Contradictory and Not Being Enforced
Visitor Question: Our Deed restrictions were written by the developer for lots consisting on no less than 5 acres in a rural area (zoned agriculture).
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Visitors Suggest What They Like About the Best City Plan They Know
Your idea of the best city plan you know about could help others determine what makes a good plan and how they can write one. Contribute here.
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Autumn Newsletter Ideas to Perk Up Your E-Mails or Print Newspaper
Many HOA or neighborhood association editors struggle to come up with new autumn newsletter ideas every year. This page gives some thought starters.
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Percentage of home owners needed to extend restrictions
Visitor Question: I live in a deed restricted neighborhood. In Florida what is the lowest percentage of owners needed to extend the restrictions? Ours
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HOA versus basketball goal
Visitor Questions: Q1. How can I get a provision for basketball goals changed from the deed? I asked my HOA and they told me they didn't know! Q2. I heard
Restrictions differ within the development
Visitor Question: Can the HOA restrict homeowners whose back yards face a street by not allowing fences, sheds etc., and not restrict other home owners
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Deed restrictions imposed for city code violations
Visitor Question: What authority does a city have to require a code offender to agree to a new deed with onerous restrictions and for how long? Editors
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Can Deed Restrictions Apply to Only Part of Subdivision
Visitor Question: We live in a subdivision that has had several of the properties excluded or removed from the deed restrictions/covenants over the years.
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