# Loft ideas for restricted neighborhoods



## Rolling Thunder (Nov 14, 2013)

I live in a restricted neighborhood that only allows sheds or out buildings that are built out of the same materials as your house. Has anyone else experienced this and if so what did you do? I have a six foot privacy fence and was thinking of making a hidden loft. Any ideas, advice, and/or experience with these circumstances would be very helpful.

Thanks,

Allen


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## Revolution Lofts (Aug 7, 2008)

Well it really depends on how big you were thinking of going?

A small kit box won't be that visible over the fence but the noise will still be there. 

However, a large loft with a few sections will be visible no matter how hard you try. 

You can always get those 4 X 8 foot lattice pieces and put them around your loft and maybe let vines grow on them? That's what I'm planning on doing. However, I'm also planning to plant cedar hedges. At 6 foot high, they'll be over the fence within a year or two and then you won't really be able to see into my backyard at all.


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## mohammadredwan (Jan 14, 2014)

If you manage a room it would be great for Pigeon


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## TylerBro (Mar 14, 2011)

Just build a loft and side it to match your house ...


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## lg5555 (Aug 2, 2013)

*loft idea*

What do you currently have on your property? If you are willing to go small you can have just a few pairs. Here is a very small loft. http://www.pigeonracingpigeon.com/whats-new/tiny-loft-fascinating-pigeon-racing-method/

You can also use part of as an exsisting shed or gararge such as the corner or area by the window, for keeping your pigeons.


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

While stationed with the AF in Key West many years ago, I lived in base housing. I was restricted from building any shed or outbuilding in my back yard, but I wanted pigeons. I did have a nice, screened-in back patio with four foot high walls on all the way around and the rest was screened in. I also had friendly neighbors next to me and lived on the end unit.

To get around restrictions, I hauled in half a ton of pea gravel and lined one side of the patio, there for a garden area, and built a tiny 3x3x4 box loft that I had to sit down on the ground to get into. With a fly pen of equal size, it did nicely for a few shoe birds.

Now, I'm in a subdivision that restricts fowl to ten (they lump pigeons with chickens and I haven't taken the time to properly educate them on the distictions). In any case, my garage has a lean to shed that faces the back of the property and there's no neighbor back there. I am turning that lean to into an open air loft and plan a small closed air loft next to it. It's out of site to my neighbor on the right and there is a pine tree wall blocking view to my neighbor on the left.

I think it's a matter of looking at your property and seeing how sly you can be.


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## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

I know what you mean, but neighbors if close enough will hear the birds, and if you are found out, and they were to make you get rid of them, is it worth it? I mean some people can't have any, and they would have to get rid of all their birds. Not fair is it?


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## Zippy (Nov 20, 2011)

> I know what you mean, but neighbors if close enough will hear the birds, and if you are found out, and they were to make you get rid of them, is it worth it? I mean some people can't have any, and they would have to get rid of all their birds. Not fair is it?


I agree with this. I know it sucks but to get the birds, get attached and then have to get rid of them is worse than never having them. I hate homeowners associations, and would never move somewhere with them. So many people are charmed by the artificially perfect neighborhood, the idea of living in an upscale community only to find it oppressive as life goes on and interests grow into something that is not allowed. Better to dream of the birds and plan on relocating someday to a place where you can be truly free.


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## Shadybug Lofts (Mar 13, 2010)

I had a brother in law that lived in one of those places, no lawn orniments, nothing sitting in your driveway, everything had to be in the garage, no above ground pools, grass had to be mowed every week. How do they sell those homes?


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## wyllm (Nov 24, 2012)

Jay3 said:


> I know what you mean, but neighbors if close enough will hear the birds, and if you are found out, and they were to make you get rid of them, is it worth it? I mean some people can't have any, and they would have to get rid of all their birds. Not fair is it?


I have always refused to live in an area with a Home Owner's Slavery Association and choose to live outside the city and 45 miles from work so I can enjoy the freedoms of rural America.


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## Silver Wings (Jan 27, 2014)

Shadybug Lofts said:


> I had a brother in law that lived in one of those places, no lawn orniments, nothing sitting in your driveway, everything had to be in the garage, no above ground pools, grass had to be mowed every week. How do they sell those homes?


Fear! The fear of someone 'ruining' your 'investment'

BTW, court repeatedly rule that if one covenant rule is broken, the whole set of rules is void! Look for others who break minor rules... There's your 'BINGO' to birds.


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## benjemon (Mar 28, 2014)

I find those things to be so completely unAmerican and just thinking about it raises my blood pressure. I'm slowly developing some socialist tendencies as I get older, for the good of society etc, but jiminy-christmas HOAs are just passive-aggressive cults of the cliquish. 

I think you have to be careful, though, some are just effectively neighborhood associations which voluntarily enforce code and collect donations which they call dues, and some actually own part of your house. They may have absolutely no power beyond calling the city hall, and then they may be able to evict you from your house and sell it below market value against your objections. If you really want pigeons, $250 for an hour's worth of lawyer time might be worth it up front.

Frankly the worst case I've heard to date involved an HOA annexing a couple streets through some legal slight of hand, evicting and foreclosing on a young woman with two kids, all while her husband was in Afghanistan and out of contact because of combat. Ok, time for a metoprolol and mindless TV. I'm so pissed right now....


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