Posted on 11/30/2005 2:04:38 PM PST by apackof2
NOVI - After a massive show of support for a Novi family that was threatened with fines unless it removed a nativity scene, the subdivision's homeowners group late Tuesday "retracted the notice sent concerning a lawn ornament display.
Frank and Betty Samona were threatened with up to a $100-a-week fine if they didn't remove statues of the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph and other Christmas items. The Samonas planned to hire an attorney to challenge the order from the homeowner's association in the posh Tollgate Woods Subdivision, where homes are priced from the mid-$400,000s and up.
Kramer-Triad Management Group, L.L.C. of Ann Arbor, which helps manage Tollgate by doing the bidding of the association's board of directors, had threatened the Samonas with the fine before the family's plight rallied support from neighbors, the legal community and WRIF-FM radio station and its listeners.
"The Board of Directors of the Tollgate Woods Subdivision has retracted the notice that was sent concerning a lawn ornament display in the subdivision," the statement said. "There was no intent in the notice to denigrate the holiday spirit as displayed by the residents of our community. The homeowner that filed the original complaint has also rescinded the complaint. We have sent a letter of retraction and apology to the Samona family."
One of the Samonas' four sons, Randy, 28, said he had "no comment on the retraction until we get the letter." But, he said, "we have the right to express our faith."
The Chaldean family came to the United States from Iraq more than 30 years ago, said Joseph Samona, another son, "seeking a better life" and, partly, for religious freedom.
The decorations were set up "before Thanksgiving" and within a week, the family received a notice to take them down, the mother, Betty Samona said.
"Over my dead body, will we pay a (fine) or remove them," said Joseph Samona, 16, who attends Walled Lake Western High School.
Kramer-Triad had claimed the Samona family signed a homeowner's association agreement that included a section forbidding "outdoor art." It ordered the "nativity scene removed from your front yard." If not, the Samonas could have been fined up to $100 a week.
"We believe that homeowners should be able to express their religious or political views on their own property," said Wendy Wagenheim, the director of communications for the ACLU of Michigan. "If the homeowner's association went to court, it's questionable whether these regulations could be enforced."
One of the Samonas' neighbors, Elaine Palmer, said she didn't have any problem with the holiday decorations. "I'm in favor of it. I like it lot," said Palmer, who added that "I don't remember signing anything saying I wouldn't put up any outdoor decorations."
Another neighbor, Rosanna Ouellette, said Betty Samona is "very religious and really full of faith. The first year they put it up, we thought it was a bit much. But now, it's a part of Christmas."
Before he learned that the notice was retracted, Marc Fellhauer, producer of 101.1 FM WRIF's "Drew and Mike Show," said: "We totally encourage them to keep it up. We naturally offered to pay the fine. We also had many listeners call in who said they'd help pay any fines. There is overwhelming support on the Samonas' side."
Betty Samona said: "I will put up more decorations, no matter what."
Sheryl Walsh, community relations director of Novi, said: "The city (of Novi) has no ordinance against it (religious displays). We are a very culturally diverse community. We allow for everybody to celebrate their customs and religious beliefs."
FOR DISCUSSION ONLY
Good, the "Reason for the Season" display stays!
Scary that a HOA can take your freedom like that...
There's one house here with bad concrete deer wot look like oversized Chihuahuas, and another with bloody GNOMES.
I'm of the opinion that regardless of what a person signs or waives or what ever, they NEVER give up their Constitutional rights. Esp to an organization that is subject to the same Constitution.
Ah, yes:
the "Peoples Republic of Novi" is what my wife and I called the place, when we had the misfortune of (briefly) living there.
Hardly anything the folks around there would rather do than mind their neighbors' business.
I gotta go to class, thanks for your comments...carry on!
Ah, the annual 'Creche Menace' story; right on schedule.
They can't. They can only try if you let them. Take 'em to court...they will loose 99 percent of the time and can't afford to pay the lawyers.
That is pure Barbra Striesand! Neighbor peer pressure does the job just fine without a bunch of pseudo lawyers and power hungry board members dictating what color you can paint your home or what branchs you can prune from your trees,
That is pure Barbra Striesand! Neighbor peer pressure does the job just fine without a bunch of pseudo lawyers and power hungry board members dictating what color you can paint your home or what branchs you can prune from your trees,
Thanks for the article & ping apo2! and good for the neighbors with sense to recognize that Christmas decorations is really stretching "outdoor art".. disgusting that this sort of thing even comes up. Now if they had the musical/flashing lights that has been going around the Internet they might get more of a fight..
Not hard to see they aren't taking the freedoms here for granted, God bless them.
Sad that Arab Christians come here to escape the mad Mullahs and run smack into...mad control freaks.
LOL! Are you serious?! That actually bothers you?!
...whew... Our freedoms are in SO MUCH TROUBLE!
Just tell the fascists weinies that it's not a nativity scene, it's a tribute to a homeless family.
Thank you for the update ping. Always good to see people stand up to the neighborhood-nazis and win once and awhile.
Glad to hear that this family won the battle-what a ridiculous thing for an HOA to get their thongs in a twist over. Nazi HOAs are one of the reason we moved to the country-and our property values are as high or higher than comparable ones in the city.
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