Satellite Dish - Homeowners question on our rights?

Question

I checked and California law allows us to mount a satellite dish on our property. Our homeowners association can't tell us we can't have a dish because of the looks. If we have a view of the Southern Sky from our property we can have a satellite.

But then there's some gray area. We asked if we could install it on the roof or the wall on our place and homeowners said no. They said the walls and roof are not our property. We asked if we could have it on our patio and they said yes. But when we asked if we could screw it onto the patio floor they said we can not drill holes on the patio.

So... my thinking is that we can. Although we don't own the patio, we're able to put anything we want on it. By law we're able to put a satellite on our patio but to do so requires the tri-pod to be mounted to the ground with screws. The only way you can have a satellite is to screw either the satellite or the tri-pod into something.

What's your take? Does anyone know if we're legally able to do this?

We can't add a clamp to our railing. That was our first idea but he said it wouldn't work. We asked about leaving just the tri-pod without mounting it but he said since it's an HD dish if the wind blows it slightly or if we bump into it it will lose it's signal.

I believe (I need to look over all the paperwork tonight), we own the patio. BUT, the patio and outside area is maintained by Homeowners. We can put anything we want on the patio, but they're saying we can't modify any of the structure outside of inside walls.

Answer 1

Simple solution for you. Get a 6 block non-pen mount. These are the types you see sitting on flat roofs of businesses. They are a frame that is held down by gravity alone (6 cinder blocks).

Business tenants often have the same restrictions that you do. Many of them opt for this sort of non-penetrating mount. It isn't that expensive and requires no holes drilled into the surface.

Answer 2

Welcome to the Liberal Mecca of California. They say they want you to do what you like without Government intervention, but.....

If it is spelled out in your deed restrictions that you can not have objects such as these on your roof, then no. If it just say's that it can not be in site, then you must deal with that. Sometimes you have to legally challenge it.

If the dish is in your back yard, out of site, I can not see it being legal for them to complain at all.

The next question it would seem that is missing.
What type of dwelling is this?? House, Condo, Apartments?

IF it is a MULTI tenant dwelling, then you only own the living space. You do not own the building therefore it is NOT your property. This is the downside of living like bee's
You should be able to mount the dish with non-destructive clamps .

Answer 3

Clamp a 4x4 to the rail with a sufficient mounting surface on top of it. many people where I live do this and place it in their yards.

Answer 4

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Answer 5

The law allows you to mount it on YOUR PROPERTY. If the patio isn't your property, the law doesn't apply.

Answer 6

try using a bracket or clamp without the screws