Christmas lights can stay in Pingree Grove

Some Pingree Grove residents are accusing a homeowner's association of attempting to trample on their Christmas cheer by enforcing rules that bar decorations from common areas.

But while the management says rules are rules, it has softened its stance and let some of the decorations stand.

Gary Meyer has lived in Cambridge Lakes for six years and has always created an elaborate holiday display on the association-owned berm near his house. His scene includes blowup ornaments, lights on one particular bush and a snowman and Santa Claus laced with lights.

But association bylaws do not allow for decorations in common areas. Last week, management from the Cambridge Lakes Homeowners Association asked Meyer to take them down — Meyer says his display was never an issue with the management before.

Instead of following their wishes, he complained about the “by the book” managers on Facebook, posting messages on both his personal page and on the page for the Cambridge Lakes Association Accountability Network. The network was set up to help Cambridge residents deal with association issues.

“The Grinch is alive and well, the association just informed me that I am to remove all my decorations that are on the berm,” Meyer wrote. “ ... My grandchildren are heartbroken that the decorations have to come down. So much for the Christmas spirit, especially during these tough economic times.”

The association's guidelines say the association board must approve all decorations in community areas, said Steve Goodman, vice president of the company that built the subdivision and also president of the homeowners association.

The proper procedure would have been for the homeowner to go through the property manager, who then would consult the board.

“We're not looking to be difficult and unreasonable but ... we're looking for certain consistency,” Goodman said. “We want whatever is going on in the community areas to be tasteful. We will grant board approval if it's a reasonable request.”

Everyone who buys a home in the subdivision receives a copy of the rules that they sign in acknowledgment, Goodman said. He said he could not comment on whether the property management group was lax in cracking down on the rule previously.

“If Mr. Meyer is saying it was not enforced in the past, that doesn't necessarily mean that we shouldn't enforce it going forward,” Goodman said.

In the end, Meyer moved a couple of strands of lights from one bush to another other and the association let everything else stand.

“At least they saw the light, you might say,” Meyer said.

This was the latest bit of yuletide drama to visit Cambridge Lakes.

Last year, organizers canceled Santa's Landing, a holiday lights extravaganza that doubles as a fundraiser for the hungry, due to medical issues.

And in 2009, then-Village President Wyman “Clint” Carey pulled the plug on a holiday lights contest due to a lewd comment someone named “tinkle clause” posted to the contest's website that panned some of the designs and used the contest to create a rivalry between neighboring subdivision.