Community Spirit

I live in a community where no commercial vehicles are allowed in our neighborhoods. We have one my husband has a job that provides him with a vehicle. This vehicle is a huge convenience for us. I drive our family vehicle and we only have one. With this commercial vehicle, the company pays for the gas, and it has every thing essential to my husbands job. My husband is on call very often and needs this vehicle at the drop of a dime. On Saturday it was parked out on the street behind our house, not in front of our house where the HOA will not allow it. A Frederick co deputy put a violation ticket on it. When I called the officer to find out why he told me "no commercial vehicles were permitted in residential areas" We have lived here for 9 yrs. I asked when this law went into effect and was told 3 or 4 years! I was shocked. This is the first time we were made aware of this and it was the first time the truck had been ticketed. My husbands truck was also the only one ticketed and there were other commercial vehicles out on the road.  Were are we supposed to park? This truck provides our families only income. I am a stay at home mom. I have noticed and have been paying attention, On purpose we brought the truck into our neighborhood and parked it in front of our home. Within 3 hrs there was a tow truck to tow it. There were 3 other commercial vehicles parked in front of there houses and none of them were bothered. I am glad they didn't have to pay the tow bill. I was told that by the HOA yrs ago that anything with lettering on it is considered commercial. OK we have police cars that live and park in front of there houses. Fire Chiefs and there vehicles are parked in front of there houses. Does that mean they can't park in the neighborhoods? If that is the definition then yes it should. Our vehicle is just as important to us as the emergency vehicles are to the people who drive them. I think that if we can't park on the street or in front of our houses then we should be able to park at the pool. Or have somewhere safe to put these vehicles that are not to far from our homes. There are at least 15 vehicles parked out on the street and then there are the ones that still park in front of houses. What are we to do? For now the only thing we can do so that we don't have to pay a tow bill is, I have to wake up at 3:30 am every morning, wake my four kids up get them all dressed and drive my husband down to my moms or his dads which is 20 minutes away, so that my husband can park the truck somewhere safe where no one will bother it and so it isn't towed. Then I have to come back home put my kids back to sleep then wake them up at 6:30 am to get them ready for school. How practical is that? It's absolutely ridiculous. And we shouldn't have to do it and what about the other guys who don't have a place around to go to. what is he to do?  Quit? Find a other job? Drive his personal vehicle? A Lot of these guys can't drive  there personal vehicles because all there supplies are in there vehicles. I even know some ppl who there company vehicle is there only vehicle.  I really do not see what the big deal is with parking in the neighborhood if there is room. I understand a 18 wheeler is a little inpracticle. These are not 18 wheelers we are asking to park. We pay our Hoa dues, and our taxes and should have the same rights as everyone else. I guess anyone who has a commercial vehicle will have to move. And with the market the way it is that is just as inpracticle.

I would look to why your husband's work truck is being targeted when other work vehicles in your area are not.  A quick "band-aid" may be to purchase a large magnetic sticker to cover the lettering so at night the contact info and company logo is no longer visible. Perhaps this would solve the problem if the truck is of normal size and the only violation being that had your husband's company logo and contact info is on the truck? 

We have an owner who works out of his home. He has a large van and uses his garage for work supplies. Up to this point it has never been a problem for any of the other owners. He has volunteered his time on the Board and served the owners.  If our association was to follow the exact letter of the By-Laws our association could have a case but we try to follow the spirit of the law look the other way... As long as it's not a problem for any of the other owners. Again my concern if I were you would be why are they targeting you only?