Bekken v. Greystone Residential Ass'n, Inc.

• Decision Date: 13 January 2017
• Docket Number: 2150365.
• Parties: Andrew BEKKEN v. GREYSTONE RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION, INC., and Greystone Architectural Review Committee
• Court: Alabama Court of Civil Appeals

227 So.3d 1201

Andrew BEKKEN

v.GREYSTONE RESIDENTIAL ASSOCIATION, INC., and Greystone Architectural Review Committee

2150365.

Court of Civil Appeals of Alabama.

January 13, 2017

Tom E. Ellis of Ellis & Bloom, L.L.C., Birmingham, for appellant.

Raymond P. Fitzpatrick, Jr., Birmingham; and H.C. Ireland III of Porterfield, Harper, Mills, Motlow & Ireland, P.A., Birmingham, for appellees.

On Application for Rehearing

DONALDSON, Judge.

This court's opinion of September 16, 2016, is withdrawn, and the following is substituted therefor.

Andrew Bekken appeals from the judgment of the Shelby Circuit Court ("the trial court") granting Greystone Residential Association, Inc. ("the association"), and the Greystone Architectural Review Committee ("the committee") an injunction to enforce residential restrictive covenants. Bekken argues that the restrictive covenants contain ambiguities; that the trial court should have applied the relative-hardship test before issuing the injunction; and that the affirmative defenses of statute of limitations, laches, and unclean hands applied in this case. We determine that Bekken's arguments fail to establish a ground for reversal. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment.

Facts and Procedural History

In July 2007, Bekken purchased a residence on Greymoor Road ("the property") in the Greystone subdivision ("the subdivision") located in Shelby County. The pool area and backyard of the property adjoins the Greystone Founders golf course around which the subdivision was developed. It is undisputed that the property is subject to the provisions of the "Greystone Residential Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions" ("the restrictive covenants"). The restrictive covenants were recorded in the Shelby Probate Court in 1990. The committee acts on behalf of the association in considering proposed plans to alter exterior features of properties in the subdivision and in enforcing compliance with the restrictive covenants. After purchasing the property, Bekken removed a wall enclosing the pool area on the property and made other improvements on the property.

On January 23, 2014, the association and the committee filed a complaint against Bekken in the trial court, alleging that Bekken had removed the wall enclosing the pool area on the property and had materially altered the landscaping on the property without the approval of the committee as required by the restrictive covenants.

The association and the committee initially sought declaratory relief and monetary damages in addition to injunctive relief and attorney fees. Bekken filed an answer generally denying the allegations in the complaint and asserting, among others, the defenses of laches, statute of limitations, and unclean hands. The claims for declaratory relief and monetary damages were later dismissed by the association and the committee.

On May 14, 2015, the association and the committee filed a motion for a summary judgment, arguing that Bekken had violated the restrictive covenants by removing the wall around the pool area, by expanding the concrete deck around the pool, and by altering the landscaping on the property without the approval of the committee. In materials filed in opposition to the motion, Bekken argued, among other things, that the action was barred by the six-year statute of limitations set out in § 6–2–34, Ala. Code 1975. The motion for a summary judgment was denied.

The trial court conducted a bench trial on October 21, 2015, and November 5, 2015, at which it received ore tenus testimony and documentary exhibits. The evidence established that the 2007 deed conveying the property to Bekken contained the notation that the conveyance was subject to "all matters of public record, including, but not limited to easements, restrictions of record, and other matters which may be viewed by observation." Below the reference to "restrictions of record," the deed states: "IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have hereunto set our hands and seals on this the 13th day of July, 2007." (Capitalization in original.) The restrictive covenants provide that all alterations to the exterior of a property located within the subdivision, which includes the property, must be approved by the committee; specifically, § 5.05 of the restrictive covenants provides, in pertinent part:

"5.05 Approval of Plans and Specifications.

"(a) IN ORDER TO PRESERVE THE ARCHITECTURAL AND AESTHETIC APPEARANCE AND THE NATURAL SETTING AND BEAUTY OF THE DEVELOPMENT, TO ESTABLISH AND PRESERVE A HARMONIOUS DESIGN FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND TO PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE VALUE OF THE PROPERTY, THE LOTS, THE DWELLINGS, THE MULTI–FAMILY AREAS AND ALL IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, NO IMPROVEMENTS OF ANY NATURE SHALL BE COMMENCED, ERECTED, INSTALLED, PLACED, MOVED ONTO, ALTERED, REPLACED, RELOCATED, PERMITTED TO REMAIN ON OR MAINTAINED ON ANY LOT OR DWELLING BY ANY OWNER OR MULTIFAMILY ASSOCIATION, OTHER THAN DEVELOPER, WHICH AFFECT THE EXTERIOR APPEARANCE OF ANY LOT OR DWELLING UNLESS PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS THEREFOR HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY [the committee] IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5.05(b) BELOW. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, THE CONSTRUCTION AND INSTALLATION OF ANY ... DECKS, PATIOS, COURTYARDS, SWIMMING POOLS, ... WALLS, FENCES, ... GARAGES OR ANY OTHER OUTBUILDINGS, SHALL NOT BE UNDERTAKEN, NOR SHALL ANY EXTERIOR ADDITION TO OR CHANGE OR ALTERATION BE MADE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, PAINTING OR STAINING OF ANY

EXTERIOR SURFACE) TO ANY DWELLING OR IMPROVEMENTS, UNLESS THE PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE SAME HAVE BEEN SUBMITTED TO AND APPROVED BY [the committee] IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE TERMS AND PROVISIONS OF SECTION 5.05(b) BELOW.

"(b) [The committee] is hereby authorized and empowered to approve all plans and specifications and the construction of all Dwellings and other Improvements on any part of the Property. Prior to the commencement of any Dwelling or other Improvements on any Lot, Dwelling or Multi-family Area, the Owner thereof shall submit to [the committee] plans and specifications and related data for all such improvements, which shall include the following:

"(i) Two (2) copies of an accurately drawn and dimensioned site development plan indicating the location of any and all Improvements, including, specifically, the Dwelling to be constructed on said Lot, the location of all driveway, walkways, decks, terraces, patios and outbuildings and the relationship of the same to any set-back requirements applicable to the Lot or Dwelling.

"....

"(iii) Two (2) copies of written specifications and, if requested by [the committee], samples indicating the nature, color, type, shape, height and location of all exterior materials to be used in the construction of the Dwelling on such Lot or any other Improvements thereto, including, without limitation, the type and color of all brick, stone, stucco, roofing and other materials to be utilized on the exterior of a Dwelling and the color of paint or stain to be used on all doors, shutters, trim work, eaves and cornices on the exterior of such Dwelling.

"....

"(v) Three (3) copies of a landscaping plan prepared and submitted in accordance with the provisions of Section 5.06 below.

"(vi) Such other plans, specifications or other information or documentation as may be required by the Architectural Standards.

"(c) [The committee] shall, in its sole discretion, determine whether the plans and specifications and other data submitted by any Owner for approval are acceptable. One copy of all plans, specifications and related data so submitted to [the committee] shall be retained in the records of [the committee] and the other copy shall be returned to the Owner or Multi–Family Area Association submitting the same marked ‘approved,’ ‘approved as noted’ or ‘disapproved’. [The committee] shall establish a fee sufficient to cover the expense of reviewing plans and related data and to compensate any consulting architects, landscape architects, designers, engineers, inspectors and/or attorneys retained in order to approve such plans and specifications and to monitor and otherwise enforce the terms hereof. Notwithstanding anything provided herein to the contrary, an Owner may make interior improvements and alterations within his Dwelling that do not affect exterior appearance and a MultiFamily Association may make interior improvements and alterations within any buildings or structures it maintains or owns that do not affect exterior appearance and, in each case, without the necessity or requirement that [the committee's] approval or consent be obtained.

"(d) [The committee] shall have the right to disapprove any plans and specifications upon any ground which is consistent with the objectives and purposes of this Declaration, including purely aesthetic considerations, any failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Declaration or the Architectural Standards, failure to provide requested information, objection to exterior design, appearance or materials, objection on the ground of incompatibility of any such proposed improvement with the scheme of development proposed for the Development, objection to the location of any proposed Improvements on any such Lot or MultiFamily Area, objection to the landscaping plan for such Lot or Dwelling, objection to the color scheme, finish, proportions, style of architecture, height, bulk or appropriateness of any Improvement or any other matter which, in the sole judgment of [the committee], would render the proposed Improvement inharmonious with the general plan of development contemplated for the Development. [The committee] shall have the right to approve any submitted plans and specifications with conditions or stipulations by which the Owner of such Lot or Dwelling shall be obligated to comply and must be incorporated into the plans and specifications for such Improvements or Dwelling. Approval of plans and specifications by [the committee] for Improvements to

...