HOA and Pool Issues

[orangeblossom]

I don't use our pool, but have been annoyed at some of the shenanigans of the HOA board.  Without setting it to a vote with the homeowners they moved the age from 18 to 21 to be in the pool to be in the pool without an adult.  Uh no, 18 is an adult they can go in the pool.   They switched it back after people were in an uproar at the last meeting.

Also at the least meeting many more people where there then usual due to a vague threat of possibly closing the pool. Again, not an option and certainly there are better ways to handle the pool.

I just got an email stating that you need to use your swipe card to get in and out of the pool, which I find to be a dangerous practice anyway.  I'm not a fan of people being locked in anywhere, and think needing the swipe cards from both sides is a bit much. Aside from that the pool closes at 8, so they're saying that if you're not out by 8:05 you will be locked in the pool area until the next morning. 

What in the world?  I can't imagine this is going to go over well and am not looking forward to the many clarifying updates that will come from the upheaval.

I admit there have been issues with kids and the pool, but seriously this is how you solve things.
 
Sometimes HOAs are good, and sometimes....

[mollybrown]

That sounds bizarre. Does the pool have any staff? At my neighborhood pools, the lifeguards throw you out at closing time and lock up. A decent compromise might just be hiring someone to come in for a few hours to monitor things and make sure that everyone is out at closing time.

[MrsManners]

That sounds completely against code. Double keyed locks are against code here because of the dangers of exiting during a fire or emergency.

Also, our minimum age is 12. I can't believe you have to be 18 for pool visits without parents.

[cjeanette]

I get the swipe in but why out??

[MrsManners]

We installed motion activated cameras at our pool because kids were scaling the fence after hours and vandalizing. We haven't had any issues the remainder of this summer.

[Deleted]

My guess is there have been complaints about noise, parties, etc after hours. This doesn't sound like the right way to solve that problem though.

[ddi741]

Wow, that all seems a little rediculous. When I lived in my condo, the HOA made the pool hours M-F 11-6, Saturday& Sunday 10-6. I worked 8-5 during the week so I never got to use the pool during the work week because it was closed before I got home. People complained but the board didn't give a crap. They were all retired so it didn't effect them.

[orangeblossom]

Jul 26, 2013 14:54:44 GMT -5 cjeanette said:

I get the swipe in but why out??

Who knows, but like others said, I can't believe it follows code.

It may be that they don't want people letting people in that don't belong, or parents dropping kids off and then coming back for them.

[orangeblossom]

Jul 26, 2013 14:33:26 GMT -5 mollybrown said:

That sounds bizarre. Does the pool have any staff? At my neighborhood pools, the lifeguards throw you out at closing time and lock up. A decent compromise might just be hiring someone to come in for a few hours to monitor things and make sure that everyone is out at closing time.

No real staff.  They have homeowner volunteers, and I think they may have some security there to make sure people are out at 8.

[orangeblossom]

Jul 26, 2013 15:01:05 GMT -5 ddi741 said:

Wow, that all seems a little rediculous. When I lived in my condo, the HOA made the pool hours M-F 11-6, Saturday& Sunday 10-6. I worked 8-5 during the week so I never got to use the pool during the work week because it was closed before I got home. People complained but the board didn't give a crap. They were all retired so it didn't effect them.

Wow, that's crazy that they made those the hours.  This is an example of an HOA Board on a power trip.  Like you said, it doesn't effect them, so why should they care.

[orangeblossom]

Jul 26, 2013 14:55:59 GMT -5 monsterz said:

My guess is there have been complaints about noise, parties, etc after hours. This doesn't sound like the right way to solve that problem though.

The pool has been an issue since it's been here, but you're right, this is not the right way to solve the problem.

It's like they act first and think later.

[msmerymac]

Jul 26, 2013 15:01:05 GMT -5 ddi741 said:

Wow, that all seems a little rediculous. When I lived in my condo, the HOA made the pool hours M-F 11-6, Saturday& Sunday 10-6. I worked 8-5 during the week so I never got to use the pool during the work week because it was closed before I got home. People complained but the board didn't give a crap. They were all retired so it didn't effect them.

Yeah, our pool is 11-8, which I can't really use due to work hours, and it's also not monitored. Nor is the gate locked. Supposedly you have to bring your seasonal pass with you, but I've never, ever had someone come around and check. I guess the posted hours are because they don't want people being loud and bothering nearby residents at night, but I've never been at the pool when its been rowdy, either. 

[ddi741]

In my friend's neighborhood, if you don't pay your dues you don't get a key to the pool - Makes sense. It's amazing to watch the parent's lift their kids over the gate so they can unlock it from the inside and let them in.
Way to be an example for your kids.

[jessesgirl08]

Wow. This makes me very glad that my HOA uses a pool management company.

[slug*bug]

Jul 26, 2013 14:55:59 GMT -5 monsterz said:

My guess is there have been complaints about noise, parties, etc after hours. This doesn't sound like the right way to solve that problem though.

My thoughts exactly.

So noone on the board realizes the potential safety issues that could arise by requiring cards to swipe out? I can't imagine that's going to fly with residents. Sorry, OP: your HOA board is ridiculous.

[MadamePresident]

Our neighborhood pool isn't too bad. We have to use a key to get in and out, but its an outdoor pool.

The association president is kind of a jerk. He yelled at people one day for drinking a beer in the pool. The people were not being disorderly or anything and didn't have a cooler with more beers, just one can each. He then had a letter sent out to everyone that they would be "trespassing" if they broke the rules.

[redheadk]

Whoa, this is nuts. Maybe it's because HOAs are the norm here and all of the pools are managed by other companies but we don't have any pool issues like this.

We do have pool tags and have to sign in with our tag number but it's not a big deal. The lifeguards open and close the pool. The hours are kind of weird (closed 12-3 most days) but they just tracked the times that people were at the pool for a summer and only staffed it for times that people actually used it. Kind of strange but it's not a big neighborhood so it saves a lot of money to not pay extra for lifeguards during hours nobody was using the pool.

[orangeblossom]

Jul 26, 2013 23:57:37 GMT -5 MadamePresident said:

Our neighborhood pool isn't too bad. We have to use a key to get in and out, but its an outdoor pool.

The association president is kind of a jerk. He yelled at people one day for drinking a beer in the pool. The people were not being disorderly or anything and didn't have a cooler with more beers, just one can each. He then had a letter sent out to everyone that they would be "trespassing" if they broke the rules.

Ours is an outdoor pool too, but there's still an issue of safety if you need to leave the premises immediately.  To me it's just too many "what ifs" to feel good about them doing this.

Was your HOA met with any resistance for having to use the key to get in and out?

Oh and your association president does sound like a jerk?  Trespassing for breaking the rules.  Give me a break.

[Deleted]

Jul 26, 2013 23:57:37 GMT -5 MadamePresident said:

Our neighborhood pool isn't too bad. We have to use a key to get in and out, but its an outdoor pool.

The association president is kind of a jerk. He yelled at people one day for drinking a beer in the pool. The people were not being disorderly or anything and didn't have a cooler with more beers, just one can each. He then had a letter sent out to everyone that they would be "trespassing" if they broke the rules.

if a glass bottle breaks in the pool area it can shut down a pool and cause the pool to be drained and cleaned. 

[Deleted]

Our pools are managed too. It makes the pools safer and cleaner. We scan our finger to get in and there is a gate attendant.

Kids over 12 can use the pool without a parent. Under 12 must be with a babysitter or parent over 16. The adult pool is for 21 up.

[MadamePresident]

Jul 27, 2013 7:37:41 GMT -5 @septimus said:

Jul 26, 2013 23:57:37 GMT -5 MadamePresident said:

Our neighborhood pool isn't too bad. We have to use a key to get in and out, but its an outdoor pool.

The association president is kind of a jerk. He yelled at people one day for drinking a beer in the pool. The people were not being disorderly or anything and didn't have a cooler with more beers, just one can each. He then had a letter sent out to everyone that they would be "trespassing" if they broke the rules.

if a glass bottle breaks in the pool area it can shut down a pool and cause the pool to be drained and cleaned. 

Oh everyone understands the importance of no glass, but these were cans.