Fieveti -----
I previously have served as a Board Member of a Virginia HOA....which followed the guidelines set by CAI. Though Northern Virginia HOA's may quite differ from Texas HOA's and taking into consideration each HOA and Board of Directors conduct their business according to their own Restrictions and Covenants as well as their own dynamics in their communities, I would like to give you a few thoughts on dealing with your shed issue.
Our partictular HOA conducted an on-site check for every home that was For Sale ( the Seller had to register with the HOA office), to insure that the property was in compliance with the Covenants and at the time of the sale the purchaser must sign an acknowlegement for compliance of the HOA and receive a copy of the Documents as a buyer/resident. If your HOA does not conduct this "for sale" onsite check, or if there was a "history problem" concerning the property, then perhaps a neighbor or the architectural staff made a report and now that you are the new owner, they would like you to comply.
At this point...you have a letter stating "REMOVAL". That you are going to have a "due process" hearing with the Board is a good step. It will allow you to know and understand
what is required of you. It may simply be that you need to apply for approval of the existing shed, or it may be that the shed does not fit the criteria for shed allowances
( Rubbermaid may not be acceptable as a building material) and you will need to remove it and apply for a shed that is allowable if they do indeed allow them.
The Board of the HOA is there to help you.....and, even more importantly, they are charged with the responsibility to see that the community is maintained in the manner by which all the homeowners originally made the choice to live and buy there-----property values ! Once you understand that the HOA architectural guidelines are for your benefit and protection, you will easily accept that perhaps your shed may not meet those guidelines. Hindsight tells me that a HOA should not have let a violation go for years or thru sales without remedy. You, now being the new owner have to make the correction and that does seem unfair and it probably is. Perhaps after meeting the Board, you may like to sign up and volunteer for the architectural review committee work-----it is a tireless and thankless job many times....but as you walk around your neighborhood, you will enjoy knowing you are a part of what makes your community so wonderful to live in !
PS--- You might even suggest and volunteer to establish the "For Sale" property check like I explained above so that you can help other new buyer/neighbors have a more pleasant move in experience than you encountered.
Good Luck to you !
No, HG. I'm done.