Loveland HOA orders man to remove Little Free Library from his own yard
Loveland resident Russell Sinnett believed he was building community spirit and a love of reading with a Little Free Library — which would have been the 12th registered in Loveland — until his homeowners association demanded he remove it from his yard.
Earlier this year, Sinnett served as the lawyer for another resident who battled the Alford Meadows homeowners association. Richard Stevens fought with the association over nine decorative milk jugs, some planter buckets and an artistic rendering of an early American flag. When Stephens was ordered to remove them, he installed a 32-square-foot yard sign warning prospective buyers that they could become the HOA’s next target. In September, he took the sign down after the association promised it wouldn’t harass him again about the wooden pallet painted to resemble a colonial American flag.
In a letter from Trademark Property Management Group, representative David Rand informed Sinnett that the governing documents for Alford Meadows forbid an entire list of things such as storage buildings, fences, billboards, displays, greenhouses and more.
It does not specifically list a little library, but the letter states that these prohibitions are the reason he cannot have the library in his yard.
The neighborhood project review form outlines that the intent of the requirements is not to “hinder association members from freedom of choice” but to ensure their choices fit with the community and states: “An attractive and harmonious community is reflected in its property values.”
“I rephrase that to say, ‘Does it fit well within the character of the community?’ ” Sinnett said. “You bet it does.”
Little libraries come in all shapes, sizes and colors. Sinnett designed his to match his home. There are more than 50,000 registered worldwide, including 11 in Loveland.
Rand, in the letter, offers Sinnett the option to move his library “to a common area where it would still remain in the community and accessible to residents.” That location, Sinnett said, was outside a community pool less than two blocks away from its original location in his yard.
The letter did not detail why the library would be acceptable at the community location, and Rand did not respond to two phone calls from the ReporterHerald seeking information on the library situation.
Sinnett, a lawyer, didn’t want to give away his library. Nor did he choose to go to court to fight the denial or the $300 fine he was assessed. Although he thinks he would win, possible court costs ultimately would be passed on to the 388 homeowners within the neighborhood.
“My Little Free Library would become a $10,000 library that you own if you live in Alford Meadows, and everyone has a $26 stake in it,” said Sinnett.
“I’m not going to make my neighborhood pay to make a point.”
Instead, the dismantled library will sit in his garage until residents elect a new governing board for the HOA.
“I’m not trying to make a mountain out of a molehill, but this is the second time I’ve seen this HOA do something I don’t think a court would sanction, and it’s not right. … It’s not just my library. These people did it twice.”