Truck ban irks community member

Why is it that community associations don’t allow trucks or commercial vehicles to be parked in driveways overnight? This country is made up of small businesses that service these communities. It does not make sense that a homeowner can’t even have a pickup truck!

Many people decide to live in planned communities to have their own slice of paradise. They decide to live in a neighborhood with a certain look, amenities and lifestyle. Often the decision is made to ban commercial vehicles, and even, sometimes, all trucks. Each community is free to write its own rules, and you must read your community agreements to determine what rules you agreed to live by.

You have to follow your community’s rules because you agreed to do so when you moved in. You are bound by your agreement, not any particular law. If your documents ban commercial vehicles but allow passenger vehicles, you should be allowed to have a pickup for personal use, but not a work pickup truck. However, if all trucks are banned, you can’t have any pickup, no matter its use.

Remember to read your documents; sometimes the board or management com- pany is misinformed on what the documents actually say.

Also remember it is your community. So if you and enough of your neighbors want to change the rules, you can amend your documents, working with your board of directors to have a commu- nity vote to do so.

Short of that, if you are not a fan of the rules agreed to by your neighbors, you can move to a community more in line with your lifestyle.