Cypress Village HOA

dblatt17 · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 6

We moved in 2 years ago and our fence is a mess. After Ike, when many of us lost sections of our fences, I am constantly having to repair it whenever there is a wind.

The current design has the pickets too close together (on one side). The posts also weren't installed properly; too shallow and not enough concrete used. This is the fault of the builders. (ours was Brighton).

When we lived in Orlando, we had the eyes of 3 force 1 hurricanes come within miles of our house. Our fence was a decade old and still stool perfectly. The difference was that the pickets were staggered on both sides of the fence with about half a picket-width gap between them on either side. The gaps allowed the wind to pass through and it didn't act like a sail (like our current one does).

I would like to change our fence to use the staggered pickets on both sides style but it wouldn't be the same as everyone else. We are currently looking to have our fence replaced. Please allow us to change the style so that we don't have replace it again every time we have a thunderstorm.

I want someone to call me.

Also we need to have a list of the officers on this forum and the website with their addresses and phone numbers posted in case we need to contact them.

-Douglas Blatt
832-295-4995 (home)
407-340-3125 (cell)
dblatt17@yahoo.com

Rob · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 155 Location: CV Section 1

We request that you complete the Architecural Committee Request Form for your intended Fence re-design. You can find this form on the forum under "HOA Documents".

We will be posting soon all HOA Board of Directors contact information as well as reporting HCMS Management Company contact info.
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Rob Nunez

ChadHammons · Site Admin Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 127

I definitely feel your pain. I completely rebuilt my fence after IKE and used a full bag and a half of concrete with 4x4's 2 feet in the ground and 3 rails, etc etc... and yet my fence still blew apart in the storm a couple of days ago.

I don't think it's the fence design, though. I think a lot of it is the soil. My posts, even being 2 feet down with that much concrete still move around a LOT when the wind blows, and that enables the nails on the rails to come loose, and from there, the whole thing just blows apart.

Unfortunately, where I am (Hillock), there's just nothing to stop the wind. I think the only way to save fences from the wind would be go to a chain link fence. Also unfortunately, the deed restrictions are pretty specific with the fences, so that's not an option.

anyway, I think a lot of us are feeling the fence pain these days.

dblatt17 · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 6

Chad,

You actually are arguing my point. You are saying that the chain link fence design would help in the wind. The reason why that would do so is because the wind can go through it. Check it out on the web. The shadow box design actually does the same thing, but also provides privacy.

Our fence repair person is recommending what Qwikrete recommends which is sinking the posts as much as 3 feet down with at least a bag of cement (80 lbs). Actually our fence guy is saying he will put 120 lbs down there for each post. If the posts don't move and the fence allows the wind to pass through (somewhat) then the fence won't come down in a storm.

ChadHammons · Site Admin Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 127

Maybe arguing in a general sense, but really, it's completely different. The amount of drag or wind force from a 1/8" wire is a lot less compared to that of a 4" wide plank of wood.

In a light wind, the box fence, or alternating plank fence idea might save some force, but in high winds, the wind is still going to have to stop and make a 90 deg turn to get through the planks, and all of that force is going to be directed at the fence, regardless of which side of the rail the picket is on.

Good example... Got a friend who lives off of bailey whose subdivision does the alternating picket fence thing. In that last storm (what, a week ago?), two sections of his fence blew down completely. I lost a couple of pickets, and have a leaning section, now. It doesn't mean that one design is better than the other... They're both gonna blow down if the right wind hits.

Think about it in terms of % surface area... Unless we use something that has far less surface area facing the wind, it won't matter. Chain link or wrought-iron would reduce the surface area, but it would eliminate privacy, and be against the deed restrictions for our subdivision.

By the way, my friend with the alternating picket fence put his posts 4' down with 2 bags per hole. Didn't help. our soil just sucks around here.

ChadHammons · Site Admin Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 127

btw... it sounds like you might have someone getting ready to do the work, already... If it's going back like original, that's fine, but if you were going to try for the alternating picket design, I might wait on that...

The ACC process can take up to 30 days, so don't forget to account for some time there (usually doesn't take a full 30 days to complete that process).

plus, personally, I'm not sure how well it fits in with everything around it, and it would definitely be frustrating to put it up, only to have the ACC tell you to tear it back down, again.

Standridges · Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 22

I have been keeping up with this dialog....and it raised a question in my mind....who makes up our Architectural Committee? Is this appointed by the board of the HOA?
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James and Torre Standridge
3706 Mahogany Trail

ChadHammons · Site Admin Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 127

Right now, it is the board of directors. There has been a discussion about moving this to a committee appointed by the board, but really, we only get one of these every couple of months, so the board has just been taking care of them.

dblatt17 · Joined: 13 Aug 2009 Posts: 6

We are having our fence rebuilt the old way. I would have loved to get it rebuilt with the shadowbox design but realize I didn't ask the committee early enough or with the proper forms. I just wanted to put a bug in someone's ear that this design that we currently have is not good.

Oh, as I mentioned before, even though it doesn't have the same qualities for letting the wind go through it as a chain link fence would, our shadowbox fence in Orlando did just fine when the eyes of 3 named storms' (still at force 1 or higher category) passed within just a few miles of our house. Our fence there shook but did not get blown down. The gaps were large enough to let enough of the wind go through and not knock it down. People had a lot of damage after the storms there, but it was mostly shingles, windows, and trees, not fences. Here, nearly everyone lost their fence.

Rob · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 155 Location: CV Section 1

Thank you for your posts. The board will take these suggestions under advisement. I also am tired of rebuilding my fence.
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Rob Nunez

latishaodell · Joined: 10 May 2008 Posts: 72 Location: Cypress Village II

Yes thank you for posting this concern. We had our fence rebuilt only to have the storm in July ruin it as well as the one that occurred recently. Sad

UGH!

thebishop29 · Joined: 10 Feb 2009 Posts: 9

to bring an old post back to life, regarding fence design, I've been getting quotes as I would like to rebuild my fence this summer and every company has stated that our 'good neighbor' fence design costs slightly more than a normal one sided fence. Would something like a general 6ft cedar one sided fence with a 2x12 baseboard be something I would need to get approval on from the board?

Rob · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 155 Location: CV Section 1

The deed restirctions state that the fences must be uniform. I myself read this as asteticly (SP?). If your fence looks like all the others from a public view point, then the design can be varried on your yard side. All improvements should go through the HOA just to be safe and to be sure you have no problems down the line.
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Rob Nunez