We support homeowners to build tree houses which meet the current CC&R's and families with young children! We own a cabin and spend time in blue ridge estates so our young children can enjoy outside. Our only complaint in the last 8 years that we have owned there, has been the over reaching of the HOA.

I just retired from the position of Governing Board President of our local school district here in the Blue Ridge area of Happy Jack. I am in total agreement, let the "treehouse" or "playhouse" stay. This is the perfect place to raise children, does the current HOA Board feel they should be kept inside as if you were living in the valley. Our children need the time to explore, use their imaginations and have fun, isn't that why we all moved here to begin with? Leave the treehouse/playhouse where it stands. It's time for a new Board.

Hello Mr. and Mrs. Tyler. We had also received the DEMAND letter from John Steele requesting we remove our structure that was used for covering our wood, and above platform was used for the kids to play, which included steps and railing. John Steele was completely rude and demanded we had to go through a complete AC review. Please note we built ours in 2004, 11 years ago. After fighting numerous times with the board, we finally chose to just tear it down. I agree 100% with your petition to keep it alive. Our address is 4799 E. Starlight Drive

Why I do so many people want to kill trees. Please see this file by Virginia Tech 25 ways to kill trees. http://pubs.ext.vt.edu/430/430-210/430-210.html# I was surprised on how many members feel it is their Right to drive nails, screws and boards in a beautiful, living, breathing organisms called a trees. These beautiful trees, I believe should be protected and admired. Driving hundreds of nails and screws in these living, breathing organism is the death of 1,000 cuts to these beautiful gifts that required a 100 years or more to grow. Every nail penetrated into the tree's cambium level reduces the trees ability to lift water and allows bugs and diseases to enter the tree. Please visit Arbor Day Foundation http://www.arborday.org/index.cfm. see how important these living species are to us and the entire world. Yes, there are TV shows that have professional builders that build tree houses that meet all building codes. Please watch the treehouse shows and see the specialized hardware the tree house builders use so each tree only has a single penetration through the bark. Professional tree house builders do not drive thousands of nails into a living tree. We are all human beings and we have the ability to always do damage but we can also strive to do better. Please consider protecting and planting trees verse killing trees.

First off lets leave John Steele out of this, he's just the messenger. As a retired fire Captain with a large metropolitan fire department I can honestly say I have years of experience with structural firefighting and training with urban/wild land interface. The boards fire danger reasoning for these treehouses and forts doesn't work. This has been confirmed by our local Fire Chief. Yes, we all signed the C, C & R's but probably didn't read them word for word. If they need to be changed then we need to do it. And common sense needs to be on the top of that list. The majority of use come up here to relax, have friends and family time. This will and should include outdoor time with swings, forts and treehouses, it's part of this great outdoors. These structures should be up to certain structures and cosmetic standards, but they should be allowed! As long as these conditions are met our property values will remain the same or even go up. Not allowing will just drive people out or away, that could lower these values. We want a small shop and a small shed, but we can't have both. So we will have to find a loop hole. When I asked about a few of the homes that have 2 other buildings I was told they were "grandfathered" in. How is this possible when the C, C & R's should have been in place before anything was built here? We want and need an HOA, but it needs to work for the majority of the property owners not just the few on the board. It just might be time for a change. Allow the kids to play!!

We agree that if a tree house, play house or swing set, if built on your property, complies to the Fire Mgmt. Team, then, by all means why deny children the fun and recreation of such. Our next door neighbor in Blue Ridge Estates, built a "shanty" of a tree house 2 years ago, next to our property line. We were accused by the BOD that it was on our property. We do not have a cabin/or tree house on our property and the lot is for sale. The tree house is made of plywood and is rotten and unsightly, and surely a fire hazard. We wish the HOA BOD would make the neighbor take it down as it may hinder or prevent a buyer who may be interested in purchasing our property. Lot 99 Blue Ridge Estates, Happy Jack, Arizona

I agree with you whole-heartedly. I would not build on my land with this stuff going on. That's the reason we own in the mountains, so we don't have to deal with the strict rules of the HOA's in the city!

Interpretation of the CCR's by the current architectural committee & Firewise folks are out of line. Move to Sun City north equivalent if you want to regulate sheds, tree houses & play sets in the current manner/current board.