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Article
and Video Courtesy of Channel 8 News
By Jeff Patterson
Published December 17, 2017
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 Watch
VIDEO
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When you drive through the Kings Lake subdivision in
southern Hillsborough County, you may notice nice homes, well-kept yard
and cars parked at odd angles across driveways.
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The strangely
parked cars are the result of an ongoing battle between
residents and the Homeowners Association.
“The community is saying that parking on county roads
that we live on is illegal, that according to our bylaws
that they have amended, that you are not allowed. That
you are not allowed to park on the county street,” said
LeRoy Vanek, who lives in Kings Lake.
Vanek contends his HOA has no right to enforce parking
regulations on county streets.
“We are not a gated community. These roads, we do not
have a CDD, these roads are owned by the county. They
are maintained by the county and governed by the
county,” said Vanek. |
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Stephanie Folckemer is another resident who is not
happy with the HOA enforced parking rules.
“In my opinion, this more points out that there is an issue in this
neighborhood. If I, coming in as a buyer, and saw all these cars parked
this way, it would be something that would deter me from wanting to buy
a house in here,” said Folckemer.
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Both Folckemer and
Vanek contend it’s just one HOA board member who is trying
to push the strict rule of no parking on the street.
Homeowners recently had an election to replace existing HOA
members.
They voted in new members who intend to change the parking
rules, according to Folckemer and Vanek, but the HOA
election results are being contested and the board member
who is at the center of the controversy is refusing to leave
the board.
A tow truck recently showed up to remove a car parked on the
street. |
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The tow truck driver was pinned in by angry residents and a Hillsborough
County sheriff’s deputy had to be called to resolve the situation.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Corporal Larry McKinnon says an HOA can
enforce parking rules, up to a point.
“What they are issuing is violations of an HOA, it has nothing to do
with Florida state statutes. It has nothing to do with county
ordinances, it’s therefore all completely civil,” said McKinnon.
Homeowners are now fighting the contested election and hoping to gain
control of the HOA to change the rules.
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