Had a discussion with the property manager when we were served a letter threatening a fine if we didn’t install grass. I tried explaining the perennial peanut and frog fruit weren’t weeds and asked him for alternative ground cover approved by the HOA, the response was “just grass” so this is were we stand. Maybe we’ll get more lawns flipping Florida friendly if we could actually have a consultant meet with other owners. I found his passive threats cute in the email
“I have not forgotten about your landscape concern and wanted to provide you with a detailed update.
I have reached out to the University of Florida for a professional consultation to evaluate the ground cover currently installed on your property. This review will help determine whether the existing materials comply with Florida guidelines for approved and sustainable landscape practices, particularly those applicable in South Florida.
As part of this process, we are requesting their assistance in identifying any vegetation on the property that may be classified as weeds or invasive species and therefore subject to removal.
Additionally, while Florida Statute 373.185 promotes water-efficient and environmentally sustainable landscaping, it does not override reasonable association requirements regarding maintenance, aesthetic standards, and the prevention of nuisance vegetation.
We are awaiting further input from the University of Florida and will need a bit more time to complete this evaluation. Once we receive their findings, we will provide you with clear guidance on any corrective actions that may be required.
Respectfully,
by Soup_Melodic
7 Comments
I don’t know how people put up with HOA bullshit, honestly. Good on you for pushing back and trying to do something useful 👌
Good luck. Doesn’t sound promising. Once the HOA decides you are not playing ball they rarely leave you alone. The next move will be to escalate and make things uncomfortable. At a certain point it will stop being about the grass and just be the HOA trying to punish you to prove a point. You may get lucky and get new board members. But even then it’s Florida. So the state is not on your side. God I’m so grateful I don’t have HOA. Their entire purpose is to make sure every house looks identical and make peoples life miserable if they don’t go along.
Do they have anything against pots?
oh god please let the University of Florida rip the HOA a new one over sustainable landscape practices
So, some FL HOA thinks a University has the resources to tell them what vegetation on a private lot is a weed or invasive???
Could this be a new University endowment pipeline?
r/BADHOA
University of Florida does a lot of horticulture and floriculture. If you get a good contact at the university you should be golden.
Post this in r/NativePlantGardening and you’ll get so much insight from people who have fought their towns and hoa over landscaping and grass!