Tennis court lights

Started by MillardB • 10 replies • 704 views

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MillardB (Georgia)
Posts: 2

Posted:

We have a single family home neighborhood with less than 50 homes. Our HOA tennis court does not currently have lighting. And the homeowners who live adjacent to the court do not want lighting due to potential light pollution and evening noise. Our HOA covenants do not allow for lighting to be added without amending the covenant.

Approximately 25% of the homeowners actively use the courts on a regular basis. They are pushing for an amended covenant and the addition of light for evening tennis. This discussion and controversy is causing some hard feelings among neighbors.

My question is this: does anyone have any experience where your HOA added tennis court lighting some years after the neighborhood was built and existing homeowners moved in? If yes, what were the unintended consequences of the change...if any? Was the lighting ok at first but then later were hours extended and the lighting became a big issue? Or did it all work out OK?

I would appreciate any constructive advice. Thank you!

JohnC46 (South Carolina)
Posts: 14,265

Posted:

Mill

Adding lights would be a Capital Improvement and need to be paid for from such a fund and might well need a % of owners approving such. Check your docs for the % needed.

MelissaP1 (Alabama)
Posts: 13,836

Posted:

Here is a concept... Why don't the people whom are interested in having lights buy some temporary lighting for when they are playing? I am sure there may be some available lighting options out there. Maybe a solar charging if no outlets nearby. It's just temporary and are to be turned off or removed once done playing.

Former HOA President

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

MillardB,

The legal bottom line:
No amendment (adding tennis court lights as an item the HOA shall maintain) properly voted on and recorded with the count = no tennis court lights.

Elaboration:
The owners disgruntled about the lack of lights should be politely reminded that nationwide, the courts view covenants as a contract. Amendment of contracts is permitted only to the extent the contracts permit amendment. "A deal's a deal."

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

typo: replace "count" with "county"

KellyM3 (North Carolina)
Posts: 2,239

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MillardB on 02/14/2021 10:37 AM
We have a single family home neighborhood with less than 50 homes. Our HOA tennis court does not currently have lighting. And the homeowners who live adjacent to the court do not want lighting due to potential light pollution and evening noise. Our HOA covenants do not allow for lighting to be added without amending the covenant.

Approximately 25% of the homeowners actively use the courts on a regular basis. They are pushing for an amended covenant and the addition of light for evening tennis. This discussion and controversy is causing some hard feelings among neighbors.

My question is this: does anyone have any experience where your HOA added tennis court lighting some years after the neighborhood was built and existing homeowners moved in? If yes, what were the unintended consequences of the change...if any? Was the lighting ok at first but then later were hours extended and the lighting became a big issue? Or did it all work out OK?

I would appreciate any constructive advice. Thank you!

Millard,

If those tennis court users can generate a petition with the signatures that reflect a qualifying majority of votes to amend the covenants, it's certainly their privilege to present it to the HOA board.

The HOA board should take such a successful petition seriously IF the community support is there and install lights if a huge majority desires.

That said, if you know only 25% of the community uses the courts, then my bet is there isn't the sufficient support.

If there is sufficient support, the lights can be placed on a timer so that they aren't automatically turned on at dusk and off at dawn. One press of a button could provide 60 minutes of lighting with renewed presses activating the lights. Also, the HOA can establish evening hours and seasons of operation if it desires. There's no reasonable call for 24/7 tennis

BobD4 (up north)
Posts: 1,002

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MillardB on 02/14/2021 10:37 AM
. . . . Our HOA covenants do not allow for lighting to be added without amending the covenant. . . . .This discussion and controversy is causing some hard feelings among neighbors. . . .I would appreciate any constructive advice. Thank you!

I lived tennis once upon a time. But if there are already "hard feelings", they may be nothing like what might happen IF the immediate neighbourhood is close enough to encounter substantial interference from light proliferation & a wide range of noises. The noise might emerge not only from recreational but night-time League play & unauthorized non-tennis uses despite high fences & locked gates. eg evening basketball, skateboarding, hockey. And then there's noisier pickleball if the night lighting ultimately devolves to it . .

It could be expensive for example to erect noise-isolating berms as well as shields or shrouds on permanent lights. There may be no way to stop the noise of a tennis back-board / wall used for practice if one is added.

Temporary lighting tends to have logistical problems including that users quickly find it's usually poor unless it's high-mounted & intense.

Whatever the change, if a close nuisance is being introduced would you as a neighbour meekly accept it ?

MillardB (Georgia)
Posts: 2

Posted:

Thank you all for your comments. It is Always helpful to hear others thoughts.

As we all know hindsight is 20/20. What I would really love to hear about are situations where tennis court lights were added some years after homes were purchased. I can see that by establishing rules on evenings hours of use, etc., that this idea may seem like one that can easily be managed to everyone’s satisfaction. But as we all know things change over time, people ignore rules, people allow exceptions and there are likely to be unintended consequences a couple of years down the road.

Anyone with that experience, please share your thoughts. Did it all work out OK? Or was it a big mess with constant griping to the Board a few years in?

Thank you!

AugustinD
Posts: 5,144

Posted:

Quote:

Posted By MillardB on 02/15/2021 4:13 PM
I can see that by establishing rules on evenings hours of use, etc., that this idea may seem like one that can easily be managed to everyone’s satisfaction.

MillardB, do you care about complying with the covenants?

KerryL1 (California)
Posts: 14,550

Posted:

i don't recall such topics much, if at all, over the past few years here, Millard. Other issues very occasionally, but not lighting.

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