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<p class="MsoNormal">Could the committee at least make some further interpretations of the Declaration provision or could the Board of Directors promulgate some further interpretations which may help to guide homeowners. If they are reasonable they might
eliminate some disputes. I find that something is better than nothing. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Douglas W. Scott<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Law Offices of Douglas W. Scott<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">Windermere Building<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">1810 15th Place NW, Suite 203<br>
Issaquah, Washington, 98027<br>
V. 425.392.8550<br>
F. 425-392-2829 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif""><a href="http://www.davisscottlaw.com/"><span style="color:blue">www.davisscottlaw.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"">From:</span></b><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif""> wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com [mailto:wsbarp-bounces@lists.wsbarppt.com]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Scott Thomas<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, October 25, 2017 5:59 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> 'WSBA Real Property Listserv'<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [WSBARP] HOA CC&R enforcement<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">HOA with dated covenants was written with restrictions on landscaping height, and separate view encroachment restrictions. The landscaping height restrictions seem fairly straightforward – homeowner merely measures the height of the vegetation
from some fixed datum. But the view encroachment restriction has got me to wondering. The covenants do not identify a formula or means of determining whether or not a particular view has been encroached upon. So property owners and HOA are left to cobble
together a means of enforcing the covenant in those situations in which vegetation is under the height limitation, but still grows to allegedly obstruct a view. Determining whether a view has been obstructed, and by how much, can be an interesting exercise
– is it appropriate to “measure” the view from a particular point of a deck or from a particular point looking out from a picture window? Or from a particular viewing height (the taller the observer, the less obstructed the view)?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The HOA has asked me if it is appropriate to delegate the authority to make these determinations to a committee, and let the committee develop its own standards, an idea that seems likely to result in arbitrary decisions. I am not sure
if the HOA is able to make arbitrary decisions without any guiderails, but I see continued arguments between neighbors in the future. How have others dealt with these kinds of issues?<o:p></o:p></p>
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