Miinesota question about condo association:

[flushme21]

Thank you for reading,
I currently live in Minnesota, and recently have had my car towed out of my condo's lot because of "obstructing the plow's ability to remove the snow from the parking lot". Our bi-laws state that after a total snowfall of 2" or more has fallen, owners have to have their vehicle moved from the parking lot by 7am, or the your vehicle will be towed, and you will be responsible for the fee's. On a Monday, in December, after it had lightly snowed all weekend, I moved my car from the parking lot at 645am and moved it off the street back in the parking lot at 12:30pm. The parking lot had yet to be plowed, and the total snowfall the city had received was .81" over the pervious 48 hours, taken from "www.noaa.gov" An at 3:35pm my car was towed, because a plow had come to remove the snow in the parking lot. I am wondering if the association is in the wrong here and small claims court would be the way to go about getting the money spend back from what I had to pay the impound lot. Also wondering about having to have the car moved by 7am, and the rules of towing being enforced over eight hours later. Thanks and advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[sandyclaus]

Thank you for reading,
I currently live in Minnesota, and recently have had my car towed out of my condo's lot because of "obstructing the plow's ability to remove the snow from the parking lot". Our bi-laws state that after a total snowfall of 2" or more has fallen, owners have to have their vehicle moved from the parking lot by 7am, or the your vehicle will be towed, and you will be responsible for the fee's. On a Monday, in December, after it had lightly snowed all weekend, I moved my car from the parking lot at 645am and moved it off the street back in the parking lot at 12:30pm. The parking lot had yet to be plowed, and the total snowfall the city had received was .81" over the pervious 48 hours, taken from "www.noaa.gov" An at 3:35pm my car was towed, because a plow had come to remove the snow in the parking lot. I am wondering if the association is in the wrong here and small claims court would be the way to go about getting the money spend back from what I had to pay the impound lot. Also wondering about having to have the car moved by 7am, and the rules of towing being enforced over eight hours later. Thanks and advice would be greatly appreciated.

What do the bylaws say as far as how long the vehicles must stay out of the parking lot for plowing?

If you knew that the plows had not yet come through, then it would be unreasonable to expect to be able to park the vehicle back in the lot again before that happened. Of course, there is the argument that the snowfall had not exceeded the 2" requirement in the previous 48 hours, and as such, there was no violation of the rule requiring movement of the vehicle that caused the impound and tow fees to be incurred in the first place.

Then there's the argument that if you weren't required to move your vehicle to the street anyway, then why would you have done so?



If it were me, I'd fight it.