Utility trailers - safety first

HOA manager states a homeowner can't make repairs to a utility trailer while parked in the driveway, but state laws require trailer owners to maintain correct tire pressure, the trailer coupler (hitch mechanism), wires (the wiring circuits that stretch around the undercarriage of the trailer to operate stop and tail lights) and the lights including the light assembly and the light bulbs on the rear and sides (called marker lights) of the trailer. Annually, the h/o may have to add or remove a license plate, add or remove inspection stickers. How can any HOA document supersede the state and federal laws that make it unlawful to drive around with defective trailer safety equipment? Our residents are being threatened with $50 dollar fines if they are caught with a screwdriver in their hand around a utility trailer. This will encourage short cuts, shoddy repairs or even no repairs which can lead to accidents on the road or tickets from law enforcement agencies. The documents were written in the 1980s. The HOA docs are as yellowed as the degrees of the people enforcing them. Both seem very outdated to me. What can a resident do when a tire goes low and the security guard issues a $50 ticket?

Hi thanks for the quick reply. In a literal, sense one homeowner did not have a garage and the spring broke on the coupler (hitch) on the trailer, which required a repair where the trailer was sitting, in the driveway. It's easy to dismiss this in some instances but, just like a car, there are a few emergency repairs that must to be made before you can go dragging a trailer down the roadway to a repair facility. Sorry if I led you into an quick dismissal of my point without providing an explanation of emergency repairs.

Do your documents or approved rules state that there is a $50 fine for a first violation of this repair rule?

It would be difficult to argue that changing a license plate or replacing a bunred out bulb falls within the intent of a regulation aimed at restricting maintenance in ones driveway.

Once again we try to redefine the rules to create a reason they don't apply to me.

Satisfying state laws does not serve as justification to violate HOA rules. Have the work done in your gargage or in a local repair shop.

My guess he purpose of this rule is to avoid having people set up open air garages on the property where work is being done on a regular basis.

Like a back year mechanic sort of deal.

It was not intentioned to prohibit residents from putting on their new inspection stickers or license plates.

The rule is you can't perform work on your trailer. Don' now try to find a way to question whether this applies to you or the minimal work you now claim it prohibits. Commom sense would tell most of us the difference.

Unfortunately, common sense is not always present in those that are enforcing the rules.
Putting air into an obviously flat tire on one's car would hardly be considered maintenance or repair in any way that would be against rules. Yet the over-zealous enforcer may think otherwise and not hesitate to cite that as an infraction.

Thus the intent of the rule's existence needs to be considered, as with EVERY OTHER rule & regulation in HOA documents.

It's surprising to me that the issue with the trailer is the repairs being made - I would think for most HOAs, the issue would be more that the trailer is sitting in the driveway to begin with.

Just occurred to me, DaveM1, that you wrote that the: "HOA manager states a homeowner can't make repairs to a utility trailer while parked in the driveway."

The question is: what do your governing documents say? The driveway repair topic might be in your CC&Rs. An elaboration might be in your Rules & Regs. It'll help us reply if you quote exactly what your HOA docs say about this matter.