[BC] dishes/antennas and HOAs

[Xen Scott]

At 07:45 AM 07/04/2009 -0700, you wrote:
>The Sat. Comm. Act of 1997 changed all that.  HOA's MUST accomododate
>dishes and antennas which permit OTA reception.  Gone is the 18" dish
>limitation. (But there is a 1M limit on the roof and eve mounted dishes.)
>In fact, ISTR the Act also specifically addresses the conventional larger
>dish issue as well.

I was a pioneer in the battle to have TVRO satellite dishes in residential
areas, particularly those governed by HOA's.

In 1982, I sued the local government after they claimed my 10 ft. white
fiberglass satellite antenna was a structure that needed a building permit,
which they refused to issue.  I was also sued by a neighbor who claimed I
was in violation of HOA rules that required all TV antennas to be mounted on
the roof.  My 10 ft. antenna was on a pole in my side yard.  I also had a 
12ft. yagi TV antenna on the roof.  The judge ruled that my satellite
antenna was a TV antenna, not a structure, and did not require a permit.
He also ruled that the satellite antenna had to be mounted on the roof
as required by the HOA regulations for TV antennas.

I called the satellite antenna manufacturer and told them of my situation.
They sent me, at no charge, a smaller 6 ft. fiberglass satellite antenna, 
designed for roof mounting.  Since it was made of fiberglass, they said
I could have the replacement antenna in any of 30 colors.  They suggested
hot pink, which is what I chose.

Xen Scott