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Resident sues HOA over proposed parking rules; board backs down
By Cody Kitaura - Citizen Staff Writer
An Elk Grove resident two weeks ago sued a local homeowners association after its board of directors proposed several changes to the neighborhood’s parking rules. The board retreated a day later.
George Vilahu lives in Elk Grove’s Stonelake Community, located near Interstate 5 and Elk Grove Boulevard.
Earlier this year, the community’s board of directors proposed new rules that would require every resident to register his or her car with the homeowners association, as well as limit driveway and street parking to only those who have more cars than they can fit in their garages, even though the streets in Stonelake are public property.
Vilahu filed a suit on July 28 in Sacramento County Superior Court alleging the board held non-public meetings, took action on items without noticing the public, ignored a petition against the proposed changes and didn’t properly explain the changes to the public.
“The purposes and effects of the myriad rule changes have not been explained to members, and members have been confused and ill-informed as a result,” court documents filed by Vilahu state.
According to the Stonelake Community’s Web site, the board of directors called an emergency telephone meeting a day after the lawsuit was filed, and voted to not adopt the proposed changes to the parking rules.
Documents posted on the community’s Web site say that three of the five directors were included in the call, and that the public was provided “telephonic access.”
The posting said the board would meet at 6 p.m. on Aug. 12 in the Elk Grove City Council Chambers to “continue the discussion on parking issues along with the other rules.”
None of the five board members returned repeated phone calls and e-mails from the Citizen.
Vilahu declined to comment after the lawsuit had been filed, but in an earlier interview he took issue with the proposed requirement to register vehicles with the homeowners association.
“My main thing is, it’s nobody’s business whose car is in my garage,” Vilahu said. “I pay the mortgage – they don’t pay the mortgage. If I want to have my friend’s car in my garage all year long that’s my business.”
Vilahu said he has lived in Stonelake since 2001, and said the board should be focused on other issues, like yards overrun with weeds.
“They’re trying to make this like a (Thomas) Kinkade postcard neighborhood,” he said. “There’s a lot of other stuff they can be concentrating on.”
Shirley Ng, a Stonelake resident since 2004, said the board has a history of focusing on “petty” issues. She said there’s no need for additional rules regulating parking.
“I don’t think we have a parking problem,” Ng said in an interview before the July 28 lawsuit had been filed. “The streets are never crowded.”
To read court documents filed by Vilahu and minutes from the Stonelake Community board of directors’ emergency meeting, visit www.egcitizen.com.
George Vilahu lives in Elk Grove’s Stonelake Community, located near Interstate 5 and Elk Grove Boulevard.
Earlier this year, the community’s board of directors proposed new rules that would require every resident to register his or her car with the homeowners association, as well as limit driveway and street parking to only those who have more cars than they can fit in their garages, even though the streets in Stonelake are public property.
Vilahu filed a suit on July 28 in Sacramento County Superior Court alleging the board held non-public meetings, took action on items without noticing the public, ignored a petition against the proposed changes and didn’t properly explain the changes to the public.
“The purposes and effects of the myriad rule changes have not been explained to members, and members have been confused and ill-informed as a result,” court documents filed by Vilahu state.
According to the Stonelake Community’s Web site, the board of directors called an emergency telephone meeting a day after the lawsuit was filed, and voted to not adopt the proposed changes to the parking rules.
Documents posted on the community’s Web site say that three of the five directors were included in the call, and that the public was provided “telephonic access.”
The posting said the board would meet at 6 p.m. on Aug. 12 in the Elk Grove City Council Chambers to “continue the discussion on parking issues along with the other rules.”
None of the five board members returned repeated phone calls and e-mails from the Citizen.
Vilahu declined to comment after the lawsuit had been filed, but in an earlier interview he took issue with the proposed requirement to register vehicles with the homeowners association.
“My main thing is, it’s nobody’s business whose car is in my garage,” Vilahu said. “I pay the mortgage – they don’t pay the mortgage. If I want to have my friend’s car in my garage all year long that’s my business.”
Vilahu said he has lived in Stonelake since 2001, and said the board should be focused on other issues, like yards overrun with weeds.
“They’re trying to make this like a (Thomas) Kinkade postcard neighborhood,” he said. “There’s a lot of other stuff they can be concentrating on.”
Shirley Ng, a Stonelake resident since 2004, said the board has a history of focusing on “petty” issues. She said there’s no need for additional rules regulating parking.
“I don’t think we have a parking problem,” Ng said in an interview before the July 28 lawsuit had been filed. “The streets are never crowded.”
To read court documents filed by Vilahu and minutes from the Stonelake Community board of directors’ emergency meeting, visit www.egcitizen.com.
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