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spikerS
10-15-2014, 05:27 PM
So, this has been bugging me awhile. I have keep meaning to ask this question, but keep forgetting. I just remembered this, so here we go....

Developers put up these fancy community signs on the front lawns of people's properties, usually at the entrance to a neighborhood or what not, see the attached picture.

I was wondering, is there anything from stopping a person from dismantling the sign, or changing it, whatever? I know one neighbor of mine has modified his a bit, and I don't think he has gotten in trouble, but if it were on my property, I would want to take it down as fast as possible...

Thoughts?

TomcoPDR
10-15-2014, 05:34 PM
Maybe there's a caveat regristered against the title for easement for the sign

Hallowed_point
10-15-2014, 05:49 PM
Sledgehammer time! But jokes aside, Tomco is probably right. It's probably mixed in with the legalese purchase agreement. Once you've signed, it's your baby. Although.."accidents" can happen at night.

nobb
10-15-2014, 05:52 PM
Curious as well. Do they discount the lot?

spikerS
10-15-2014, 07:47 PM
some of them can be pretty fucking obnoxious...

speedog
10-15-2014, 08:31 PM
I suppose if a gun was held to one's head forcing one to purchase such a home, then one could take issue with such things. But if one has purchased such a home by one's own free will knowing that there is probably an easement or such on said property, then one probably shouldn't be bitching about community signs or such on said property.

Really folks, it's not like those signs weren't obvious when someone considers such a property and usually such properties are not the most desirable properties in those communities.

spikerS
10-15-2014, 09:00 PM
Originally posted by speedog
I suppose if a gun was held to one's head forcing one to purchase such a home, then one could take issue with such things. But if one has purchased such a home by one's own free will knowing that there is probably an easement or such on said property, then one probably shouldn't be bitching about community signs or such on said property.

Really folks, it's not like those signs weren't obvious when someone considers such a property and usually such properties are not the most desirable properties in those communities.


WOOOOOSsssshhhh

Sugarphreak
10-15-2014, 09:20 PM
...

mr2mike
10-16-2014, 09:28 AM
Start a home based business, insert sign over top.

darthVWader
10-16-2014, 10:31 AM
I would think after the Architectural Covenant for the area expires then it would be free game.

Hallowed_point
10-16-2014, 10:59 AM
Originally posted by mr2mike
Start a home based business, insert sign over top. Are you allowed to advertise a home based business in all neighborhoods in Calgary? I thought it had to be zoned for that usage but I'll admit I don't know much about that..still a renter.

I would hope that the home owner would receive a strata fee discount for the advertising.

speedog
10-16-2014, 11:15 AM
Originally posted by darthVWader
I would think after the Architectural Covenant for the area expires then it would be free game.

Does it expire though or is it rolled into the HOA rules/bylaws for that community?

codetrap
10-16-2014, 11:24 AM
Originally posted by spikerS
I was wondering, is there anything from stopping a person from dismantling the sign, or changing it, whatever? I know one neighbor of mine has modified his a bit, and I don't think he has gotten in trouble, but if it were on my property, I would want to take it down as fast as possible...

Thoughts? I asked Wife, (Real Estate Paralegal).. and she said this.. "The short answer is, you know it's there, there is probably some sort of easement right for it to be there, your lawyer probably told you about it, you "probably" are not suppose to modify it. Who would buy a house knowingly with a sign and then fight to remove it?"

ExtraSlow
10-16-2014, 11:26 AM
It's also possible that this is not on "your" property, but on the city-owned land adjacent to your property. I know at my place, my property line is about ten feet back from the sidewalk.

Tik-Tok
10-16-2014, 11:34 AM
Originally posted by codetrap
"Who would buy a house knowingly with a sign and then fight to remove it?"

The same type of people who buy a house 2 blocks from a rail yard, then fight to remove it.

Personally, it would be hard for me to not spray paint "All dead here" on the sign. Especially this time of year.

blairtruck
10-16-2014, 11:47 AM
Originally posted by ExtraSlow
It's also possible that this is not on "your" property, but on the city-owned land adjacent to your property. I know at my place, my property line is about ten feet back from the sidewalk.
been a surveyor for 15 years now. they are always on the property of the home owner.
i have planted many property posts in many new subdivisions. and these ugly things always land inside property. and can be giant and take up tons of space.
for example this one is on the owners lot completly. also with the 3 foot wide stone fence. if he has a wood fence he would have 2+ feet extra room on his lot. all down that side.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v203/BlairTruck/Untitled_zps114b4b31.png~original (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/BlairTruck/media/Untitled_zps114b4b31.png.html)

spikerS
10-16-2014, 12:11 PM
My thoughts are, I wouldn't want to buy a house with that on the property, but I would consider it if I could take it down say 2 years down the road.

This is just idle curiosity more than anything else.

codetrap
10-16-2014, 12:38 PM
Wife says you'd have to review what's on the title as to whether or not it was a permanent fixture on the property. My opinion is that it's unlikely you'd be able to removed it ever, kinda like those big green boxes, after all, the ones you've taken photos of are what, 23 years old?

Edit: Then again.. there is always that old axiom about forgiveness...

16hypen3sp
10-16-2014, 12:56 PM
I'd buy that Seven Oaks one... Both the house and sign look great.

speedog
10-16-2014, 01:02 PM
Originally posted by spikerS
some of them can be pretty fucking obnoxious...
215 Coventry Hills Drive NE - on the corner of Harvest Hills Boulevard and Coventry Drive NE.. I'd say the location of this home is as much of a problem (if not more) as the community signage out front - located on corner of the intersection two busy roads, constant road noise will always be an issue.

But back to the original issue, does anyone know if homes like this have a caveat or easement or something similar registered against their title for such landscaping features. I know in Evergreen that some homes with such features near their property actually have a smaller lot and the section of land that the feature wall/landscaping is on is a city owned piece of property but who knows if this is the case in every situation.

Case in point, my 60x110 lot has two green ash and two lilacs located within 10 feet of the city sidewalk at the front of my property and even though I own the land up to the sidewalk, I can not trim or prune those trees/bushes because they are city owned trees/bushes. The trees I leave alone but the lilacs I always trim to keep them tidy - I do know that in the aftermath of this September snowfall event that I had neighbors who were warned by the city to not be trimming/pruning similar city owned trees and that they could be subject to a fine. Maybe the same goes for features such as can be found on this property in Coventry Hills - someone must know.