What is the name of your state?
Illinois, near Chicago
I'm looking more for a consensus than a legal definition. I assist an Condo Association Board from time to time in a limited way. Satellite has finally come to our complex and the you know what has hit the fan. We're all aware of the OTARD rules by the FCC.
To make this simple and focus on one issue at a time let me ask this this way instead.
In the end? To avoid legal battles and bitter enforcement fights? What is the consensus on allowing dishes for everyone? Does it work out for the best to assign an area for dishes that falls within common area definitions? What I'm asking for is does that work out as the best solution overall for everyone involved?
As it stands today those with balconies facing the right direction can't be stopped unreasonably. Ya ya common area vs. exclusive use areas. That eliminates half the unit owners right there without saying another word. Sooner or later as more dishes go up its going to start a discrimination war between the haves (or can have) and have nots no matter what due to location. In the grand scheme of things how have community dishes or an assigned area for dishes on common area property worked out in the end for other associations?
If the Board had its way they'd all be outlawed with zero exceptions. But the OTARD voids that argument. I see the board biting its face off to spite its nose for the way they're attempting to handle it. They're forcing people with their dishes (only 2 so far in a 96 unit complex) even a fraction of an inch over their balconies to move them inward. $300 in legal fees so far for the lawyer to write one letter. While totally ignoring drilling through exterior walls. Its clearly all about appearances for them while water, mold, mildew, bug infestations from drilling through exterior walls is being completely dismissed as irrelevant to their concerns. They don't like the way they look and hate them is saying it politely. They're fuming over it being forced upon them by the OTARD. They also are hiding the fact that satellite rules are up for revisions and are outright hostile to the idea of presenting this to the unit owners for their consideration or vote on the issue. The control freaks won't even open it up for debate.
Our complex is roughly 15 years old and our By-Laws do have references to no antenna's on balconies but the OTARD overrules that. I'd rather see an accomodation where this gets settled once and for all for everyone so the battles never start, the legal bills are avoided except for the minimal revisions to our By-Laws and a "best case" solution is found now instead of later after exerting excessive efforts and funds fighting what I see as a losing battle for the way they're going about it.
Does anyone know if a cable pre-wired condo from 15 years ago owns those interior cables or does the cable company own the interior cabling also? With community dishes or at least a designated area for dishes they could be routed into the units via the buildings cabling without drilling further holes through exterior walls.
I'm hoping for real world answers from people who've been down this road before to gain some insights into the pro's and con's of any solutions.
I assist the board with some matters so I have their ear. I'm actually on both sides of this issue searching for the best compromise where everyone wins something. But I need some cases as examples for them to take my idea under consideration. Otherwise? They don't want to hear anything about it. They want to keep it all their dirty little secret what they're up to. And I'm on the inside hearing all of this because of my helping them out when I can. That's where I see them causing more damage than the dishes potentially do done properly.
Thanks for any replies,
Nutt
Illinois, near Chicago
I'm looking more for a consensus than a legal definition. I assist an Condo Association Board from time to time in a limited way. Satellite has finally come to our complex and the you know what has hit the fan. We're all aware of the OTARD rules by the FCC.
To make this simple and focus on one issue at a time let me ask this this way instead.
In the end? To avoid legal battles and bitter enforcement fights? What is the consensus on allowing dishes for everyone? Does it work out for the best to assign an area for dishes that falls within common area definitions? What I'm asking for is does that work out as the best solution overall for everyone involved?
As it stands today those with balconies facing the right direction can't be stopped unreasonably. Ya ya common area vs. exclusive use areas. That eliminates half the unit owners right there without saying another word. Sooner or later as more dishes go up its going to start a discrimination war between the haves (or can have) and have nots no matter what due to location. In the grand scheme of things how have community dishes or an assigned area for dishes on common area property worked out in the end for other associations?
If the Board had its way they'd all be outlawed with zero exceptions. But the OTARD voids that argument. I see the board biting its face off to spite its nose for the way they're attempting to handle it. They're forcing people with their dishes (only 2 so far in a 96 unit complex) even a fraction of an inch over their balconies to move them inward. $300 in legal fees so far for the lawyer to write one letter. While totally ignoring drilling through exterior walls. Its clearly all about appearances for them while water, mold, mildew, bug infestations from drilling through exterior walls is being completely dismissed as irrelevant to their concerns. They don't like the way they look and hate them is saying it politely. They're fuming over it being forced upon them by the OTARD. They also are hiding the fact that satellite rules are up for revisions and are outright hostile to the idea of presenting this to the unit owners for their consideration or vote on the issue. The control freaks won't even open it up for debate.
Our complex is roughly 15 years old and our By-Laws do have references to no antenna's on balconies but the OTARD overrules that. I'd rather see an accomodation where this gets settled once and for all for everyone so the battles never start, the legal bills are avoided except for the minimal revisions to our By-Laws and a "best case" solution is found now instead of later after exerting excessive efforts and funds fighting what I see as a losing battle for the way they're going about it.
Does anyone know if a cable pre-wired condo from 15 years ago owns those interior cables or does the cable company own the interior cabling also? With community dishes or at least a designated area for dishes they could be routed into the units via the buildings cabling without drilling further holes through exterior walls.
I'm hoping for real world answers from people who've been down this road before to gain some insights into the pro's and con's of any solutions.
I assist the board with some matters so I have their ear. I'm actually on both sides of this issue searching for the best compromise where everyone wins something. But I need some cases as examples for them to take my idea under consideration. Otherwise? They don't want to hear anything about it. They want to keep it all their dirty little secret what they're up to. And I'm on the inside hearing all of this because of my helping them out when I can. That's where I see them causing more damage than the dishes potentially do done properly.
Thanks for any replies,
Nutt
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Unless the unit owners agreed to not use satellites I don't see this preventing them from it if they have access to exclusive use areas to use a dish. You've limited their choice of service provider down to one, Cable. What, did you retrofit buildings for cable? Are you speaking of apartments or condos? Cable doesn't carry all channels. HDTV is getting hot and Dish Network is suppose to be launching 1500 new HD channels this year. So far cable is lagging way behind and charging more for it. I don't see escaping dishes. And we've been with cable ourselves for the last 10 years here. The only long term solution I see is finding the best scenario for accommodation but still under board rules so it doesn't become a free for all dish farm growing like moss on one side of the buildings on patios/balconies.