Neighborhood rant...

[Motodrew]

Received a letter in the mail today from my condo property management that a complaint had been filed for violating covenant 4C: No obnoxious or offensive activitiy shall be carried on that may be a nuisance or cause disturbance. No sound that is annoying or unreasonably loud shall be permitted.

Desription of Violation: Black & white truck sits idling in parking space in early morning hours; disturbing surrounding neighbors. The Denver Police Department will be notified of any future violations.

I was furious. I have always been light on the pedal at all hours of the day when coming and going from my parking spot. I never rev or anything. Most the time I just idle in & out. I only warm it up for a few minutes in the cold mornings. I leave for work @ 6AM 3-4 days a week and I feel like I'm getting punished for working early.

I have factory headers (w/ air injectors), brand new catalytic convertor, and a flowmaster exhaust 1< 2 out the back. My parking is backed up to a large cement wall we share with the interstate. I feel that the interstate traffic is still way louder than my idling truck. However, i think my exhaust is reverberating off the cement.

I filed an appeal. I'm quite confident I'm not violating any noise laws. I'm still researching details for Denver. Thanks for listening to me bit$%. Ha.

drew

[Wrecker55]

Figures....that is the whole reason sold my house that had a HOA and moved to the country

[jhngardner367]

Seems that,if your vehicle is BELOW the legal db limit,the police can't do anything,nor can the association. It meets legal requirements,under the law.I'm sure it's a neighbor that has a beef. I beat one like that,by watching/recording other vehicles...found 16,including the manager,that were louder.Threatened to sue for harrassment,and I was never bothered,again!

[74 stepside]

I can see it from both sides, you and your neighbors. My neighbor across the street has a bone stock 92 c/k with flowmaster exhaust. I can hear his truck from the back of my house with the door and windows shut. The exhaust resenates and echoes. My rides do the same so I dont care about the noise because Im a gearhead and Im used to it. But as much as I hate to admit it, in worst case senerio you might have to swap your flowmaster for a quieter exhaust to keep the peace. At least while in an appartment, condo, or gated community.

[BMERDOC]

HOAs can bite me. Tried it, didnt like it.

[Motodrew]

Yeah i'm just renting from my friend who actually is the owner of the condo. I am trying to do this peacefully. I am trying to research the latest noise ordinances for Denver and someone to test the decibel level of my truck at idle. I work next to police station. May just walk over there and ask...

[JNJchev77]

HOA's are Nazi's!! Especially if the one complaining is on the board I'm in an HOA now, have an "RV" gate.... but I'm not allowed to park/construct anything that is 18" or higher over the fence!!!!???

If you're below the DB level, nothing they can do!!!!

Doing my time, then moving to a nice non-HOA neighborhood where people take pride in their home enough to pull their weeds without a friggin "letter"!!

[Dieselholic92]

That's one of the reasons I will never live within city limits. There always seems to be at least one person who doesn't have enough business of their own to mind so they have to go around stirring up s*** with other people. They probably wouldn't enjoy my 01 Cummins with a 4 inch straight pipe warming up for work at 6 in the morning

[Telecasterjoey]

Do a couple mornings with open headers. Then put your exhaust back on, it will sound a lot quieter then!
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[cory d]

flowmasters behind a catalytic converters make a rather odd sound. you could just try other mufflers. or get fancy and add another muffle rbehind it and put a cutoff in the middle, then everyone wins

[Motodrew]

Found the municipal code for noise ordinances in Denver county:

Sec. 36-8. - Motor vehicle noise.

Motor vehicles weighing less than 10,000 pounds, manufacturers gross vehicle weight have a maximum allowable sound pressure level of 82db at a measurement taken from 25 feet from the vehicle.

[Weasel Diesel]

Our county law here prohibits noise between 10pm and 6am above 60db,... Ummm, the average scientific db level of a normal conversation is 60db !! It all started with the Lumpty - Bumpty stereos in cars around here.

[Goldfinger]

I would just get it tested at the police station. have the proof and let her idle.

[Number21]

As others have said if you're under the maximum noise there is nothing anybody can do. My neighbor hates, I mean HATES my truck...and I make sure he hears it when I'm coming and going late at night. He's called the police so many times about so many stupid things they won't come anymore. We've already argued about the sound my truck makes, I made it clear there is nothing he can do, nor is there anything I will do.

[INSIDIOUS '86]

My apartment complex did the same thing to me. Problem was I know some hot rod clubs. So we had a twice weekly hot rod show in the complex to show the manegment and Prius loving neighbors that my truck really is quiet compared to the Harley's and rat rods that showed up. They threatened to kick me out but I had a sheriff come and test my truck with a db meter and I was legal. They could never PROVE that I had the car shows but they new I did. My last month there I found out who was complaining and parked outside their window and didn't bother starting up quiet. Always half throttle starts for the last month hahah
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[Motodrew]

I was reffered by the police station to an individual at the Department of Environmental Health of Denver. He strongly believes I am not in violation of any noise ordinances cause he has a 91 Chevy truck himself ('Merica!) and he has aftermarket headers and free flowing catalytic convertors. He assured me that my truck would not be in violation since his is not. He stated that the police can not write me a ticket unless my vehicle is lacking proper exhaust equipment which it does not. He was happy to provide his information for property managment if they had any further questions.

[Goldfinger]

Problem solved

[J Knight]

It sounds like you are totaly legal in all aspects of this. I would send a strong letter to the HOA that you are in compliance with all laws and if they continue to harass you that you will take legal action against them. $0.02

[74 stepside]

See, some cops are cool. Im you had a Harley and fired that up at 6am they would beg you to drive your truck. LOL

[J Knight]

Originally Posted by 74 stepside

see, some cops are cool. Im you had a harley and fired that up at 6am they would beg you to drive your truck. Lol

lol, x2

[vegas80step]

HOA's can be a pain... It's always one lonely a$$ person whos kids don't come over or call them... So with nothing better to do they LOOK for reasons to complain...

I had a HOA problem when I bought my place.. I would get a notice every other day. Weeds... It would take me 10 minutes to find the weed they were taking about...

and like someone said above it was one person on the HOA board... I tried to be a cool neighbor... I ended up running into him out side as he was leaving one day..

I told him that I didn't like the neighborhood, that I felt like neighbors should watch out for eachother... that it would be easy for someone to realize that he left his house the sames hours every day, and that his wife went to the same appointments every other week.. and their scary little dog wouldn't bite anything...

and I would hate to see someone burn his house to the ground, causeing him to lose everything he owns.......

I told him good neighbors would watch out for such things and make sure it didn't happen.. and good neighbors don't send a million HOA letters to eachother....

haven't got once since... lol...

[cory d]

i dont have to worry about any of this becaus ei kind of live out in the sticks. no one minds my dirtbike singin down the road at 12000 rpm and no one has said my truck is too loud. they draw the line at sparkler bombs though when it shakes their house

[Sillyoldman]

Roll it off of the lot and warm her proper then do a nice smokey burn out.

[77chevyinline6]

well if your in compliance will all the laws be sure to start your truck up about 10 min earlier everyday and leave it on high idle the whole time.

[71swb4x4]

The fact that you comply with local ordinance and laws has nothing to do with whether or not you comply with the HOA's rules. When your buddy bought the condo he had to agree to those rules. As a tenant you have agreed to the rules (probably indirectly). Their rules can be more strict than the city's ordinances. For example they may say you can't have a project truck sitting outside, but the city ordinance may not have such language.

While I agree that if you comply with the city's law on noise, their threat of calling the city probably is simply a threat, but they can still proceed with whatever the bylaws say will happen if they feel you are being too noisy. This could be a fine, towing the offending vehicle, etc. Read the HOA's bylaws to see where you truly stand.
Pointing out to them that you do comply with the city's ordinance may be enough to get you out of trouble, but it may not be.