Yard Responsibility Between Patio Villas
 

I saw the following posted in a FB group and I’m trying to get them an answer:

“Question on maintenance and enhancements to patio villa lots.

I see on the plat map the property lines go approximately halfway between each patio villa. However, when I see people maintaining or enhancing their lots, they don’t go to halfway between the homes. They go from one edge of their house to the edge of the next house. Basically each owner is maintaining a portion of their lot and a portion of the neighbor’s lot on one side of their home, while letting their other neighbor maintain/plant/enhance right up to the other side of their house. I can only assume it is being done as a means to keep things looking even between homes, but that means my neighbor would then have to maintain up against the other side of my patio villa.

Is this standard operating procedure? We want to remove the pine straw mulch and replace it with stone mulch, not removing any grass but will be installing edging between grass and the mulch, but if we do it according to the property lines on the plat map, we would only go half way between each house. We would also only mow the grass half way between each house. That would not be as visually appealing at all.

Is there an unwritten, but understood rule with patio villages that we will ignore the property lines and instead take care of the property from driveway to driveway instead of property line to property line, with the goal of uniformity?

Just trying to understand the proper and neighborly way to handle the yard care. This is not our main home, but an additional patio villa. Thx much in advance for helping to clarify.”

I don't know about patio villas, but courtyard villas have a sideyard easement inside the rear fenced in area, and a driveway easement outside of the fence. The deed restriction document clearly defines which neighbor maintains which part of the land. In some cases, you are required to maintain the next door neighbor's property and vice versa. Read your deed restriction or covenant document, which is available at "districtgov.org".

Yes. One is supposed to maintain the area between their concrete patio side all the way to the neighbors house. While the property line does go between the homes, it is nice that an owner can control the landscaping all the way to the next home on that side. Can make for a pretty patio area as opposed to having some nice landscaping on your half and grass/weeds to the next house.

You might want to ask the neighbor before you put stone up against his villa and get ARC approval also.

OP, this is not about being neighborly. I am almost certain that, if you read your deed restrictions, they will clearly define the maintenance requirements for you and your neighbors.

^^^ What he said.

And what I stated above was what was in our maintenance requirements on the patio villa we owned last year.

Yes. I live in patio home and I take care up to my neighbor wall to left of me which my front door is located. I do talk to my Nextdoor neighbors to confirm. What you want to do I can’t see any backlash from them.

Yellow paint would make for a nice demarcation line…. Not sure if “ Stone mulch” is allowed without ARC written approval and a Blessing from your neighbor..

Correct answers so far. Will only add that nothing growing - plants trees or flowers can touch your neighbors home and you need to allow enough area for vendors to walk through for electrical gas internet all buried under easement and power washing of home.

Villas
 

Exactly why after first visit I scratched Villas off the potential home site list. I am a controll freak and don't want someone else controlling what one side of my home looks like. That would be unacceptable. Sorry

Lack of reading or misunderstanding deed restrictions (covenants) is a major problem in TV. So many move here from free flowing no restriction homes to deed restricted homes without reading the covenants "before" buying. Then blaming everything on the developer.

Who is blaming the developer for anything?

Where did you get that from?

Ask the CDD

From past posts related to deed restrictions, blaming the developer instead of acknowledging ignorance of said restrictions.

Patio villa
 

In my neighborhood, each of us cuts lawn between homes, from his house to my house up to the driveway. At time Deans will grass trim both sides of my house. Happy situation.

It's not the CYV it's the patio villas that are a mess. Between the rocks, landscaping responsibility and your neighbor being an arm's reach away for a little more money you can have nice walls in your house.

As usual, common sense should prevail, but commonly, doesn't. I own two villa rentals, one a courtyard and the other a patio villa.

My patio villa neighbor doesn't do squat about controlling the bushes on the side of my house so that the meter reader can at least get access. It's all up to me. I just do what's necessary, as needed. Its also a rental and there is no gate, so I don't even bother asking.

With the Courtyard villa, it's a little tougher, since there's a gate, and you really ought to ask before charging through a gate into someone's back yard. But fortunately, they do a pretty good job of taking care of it.

I just wish I could get the crew on the other side to quit letting their dog poop on my rocks next to the gate on my side of the house. I periodically put a game camera there, and they'll quit for a while, once they notice they're being recorded. I guess with some people, that's about the best you can do, unless you're ready to create an enemy who lives next door.

Probably painting a mural on the side of a villa neighbor's house would not be a good idea.....

I believe they plan on doing that, but I’m trying to get other first hand experience info for them as well.

Thx. I have not seen that anywhere.

I live in a PV. You maintain the area on the patio side of your villa. You can put stone there without approval. Check your deed and restrictions..

It is definitely NOT an unwritten agreement. It is very clearly and legally explained in the Declaration of Covenants and Restrictions which defines the Side Yard Easements and explains the relationships between the Dominent tenement and the Servient tenement. You should have been given a copy when you purchased the villa. Even though your patio may be partially on your neighbor's property according to the lot line, you have control of the landscaping to their house within the guidelines stated regarding walls, attachments, etc. On our copy,, it is page 2 and 3. You definitely do not have to split your landscaping down property lines. This seems to work out for everyone as long as they know the rules, and doesn't seem to be a deterent to owning a patio villa.

That being said, it is always best to be kind to one's neighbor. Good luck.