Practical_Antenna_Handbook_0071639586

C h a p t e r 3 1 : Z o n i n g , R e s t r i c t i v e C o v e n a n t s , a n d N e i g h b o r s 703
likely to establish a legal precedent that will be useful in future litigation of antenna
support cases.
Private Sector Restraints
In many parts of the United States it is becoming harder and harder to find “affordable”
residential properties with enough land to put up a reasonable set of antennas for the
high-Âfrequency bands. In many of those same areas, an increasing percentage of homes
for sale are located in planned developments or other clusters of homes having what are
collectively called restrictive covenants or CC&Rs (codes, covenants, and restrictions).
These covenants, by whatever name, differ from the zoning ordinances of the previous
section in that they are rules established totally within the private sector.
Note If at all possible, avoid purchasing a home or a building lot that is burdened with restrictive
covenants!
If you believe there is a reasonable supply of properties suitable for you in the area
you are interested in, you should advise any real estate agents you are working with
that under no circumstances are they to waste your time (and theirs) by attempting to
show you homes in CC&R developments. Furthermore, proponents of CC&Rs will be
quick to remind you that nobody is holding a gun to your head; your purchase of a
home is a classic case of an arm’s-Âlength contract freely entered into between “a willing
buyer and a willing seller”.
On rare occasion, the bylaws for a homeowners’ association associated with a development
may allow for petitioning the association for specific, individual permission
to do something generally prohibited. Whether the association directors or the membership
as a whole would ever approve your request constitutes a real gamble, and
your success will be highly dependent on such specifics as the topography of the development
as a whole and your unit specifically, the personalities of the individuals in a
position to decide, and your ability as a newcomer to present your case in a collaborative
way. In general, the odds of success are extremely low.
If all else fails, and economics or other compromises have led you to a towerless life
in a development community, all is not lost. Chapter 15 (“Hidden and Limited-ÂSpace
Antennas”) is written with you in mind!
Final Thoughts
Searching for a home is a complex process. Searching for a home that must also satisfy
your antenna requirements is substantially harder. Ask the author—he knows! Here are
a few suggestions for those readers who may be in the market for a new location:
• At the very beginning of your search, establish the minimum lot area and dimensions
you are willing to tolerate at the new location. Think about what
kinds of terrain are acceptable to you. (If your primary interest is VHF, UHF,
and/or microwave frequencies, life in a valley is probably not going to be very
satisfying.) Recognize also that your interests and requirements may broaden
or change with time.