In most Fishers Homeowners Associations (HOAs) it takes a vote of at least 75% of the homeowners to make a change in the covenants or other rules.  The Fishers City Council, at the regular monthly meeting Monday, took the first step toward changing that for new neighborhoods in the city.

“We are requesting that for any new HOA that this just be a simple majority vote in order to make (a) change, to make it a little bit easier for neighborhoods to amend their covenants and restrictions through the years,” Director Planning & Zoning Megan Vukusich told council members.

Mayor Scott Fadness emphasized the city would not implement such a rule retroactively, this proposed ordinance would only apply to new development.  Councilor Pete Peterson emphasized any new city ordinance would require a 50% vote of homeowners, not 50% of the homeowners present for a meeting of the HOA.  There were many comments about how HOA meetings in many neighborhoods are sparsely attended and a quorum is often not present in order to conduct business.

Vukusich added this rule would not apply to the new developments along Florida Road, but the city could ask the developers to include the 50% rule in their covenants.

The Council only needed one vote to pass the ordinance on first reading.  The proposed measure now goes to the March 1st Plan Commission meeting for a public hearing.  The ordinance will be up for a final vote at the March 20th council session.