When Bill Pennock, executive director of the Sun City Community Association, encountered the advertising signs issue, he felt he was caught in the middle.
Pennock responded to a story in the May 30 edition of the Sun Day that reported that some residents object to restrictions on the placement of signs promoting housing sales or community activities on major intersections and other locations in the community. Covenants governing advertising of home sales prohibit signs being placed anywhere but on the property of the home for sale.
“For every resident who objects to restrictions on signs, there is at least one resident who objects to the signs being there,” Pennock said. “We hear both sides of this issue regularly. But until the association board and Pulte Homes agree to change the covenants, we at Wentworth Management have no choice but to enforce the existing rules.”
When residents signed on to buy homes in Sun City, Pennock explained, they agreed to abide by the rules that the original declarant, Del Webb, set up for the community. These rules, formally referred to as the CC&Rs, or Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions, were filed with the State of Illinois before the first resident came to Sun City back in 1999.
“These CC&Rs have to comply with a hierarchy of authorities, starting with federal law, then state law, than ordinances of the Village of Huntley,” Pennock said. “It is our responsibility at Wentworth to enforce these rules, which include the design guidelines that govern all aspects of property appearance.
“Pulte, which became the declarant in 2007, has given itself a waiver from the sign restrictions so it can place signs at various places to help complete its build-out,” Pennock said. “It has not extended this waiver to residents. Until this is changed, we will continue to enforce the existing rules, which prohibit open house signs at any location other than on the property being sold.”
Pennock offered a conciliatory note, however.
“The association board and Pulte are currently discussing and re-assessing the possibility of making changes to the covenants. These discussions are part of an overall effort to review the covenants and update them after 13 years of operation at Sun City. “This housing sign matter will be part of that review,” Pennok said.
Pulte remains the final authority on the covenants until it finishes its build-out and formally turns over all of its authority to the association board of directors, Pennock said.
“Until that happens, the only way the covenants can be changed is by action of Pulte management, or by a vote of two-thirds (or more than 6,000) residents, acting on formally drawn-up proposals for changes.”
Enforcement of the sign restrictions has extended to signs advertising estate sales at homes of recently deceased residents and to signs advertising a charity food drive in one neighborhood. Pennock said the restrictions also limit such signs to the property directly involved.
“I appreciate the feelings of residents trying to sell homes in a tough economy and trying to promote neighborhood activities,” Pennock said. “But we all live and operate in an association community where rules for the common good of everyone must be respected.”
