I don't know anything about Minneapolis in particular (except for MSP,
with which I am too well acquainted), but I recommend that you *insist*
on getting information about any CC&Rs and/or Home Owners' Associations
that pertain to the particular subdivision or lot in which you are
interested.

We bought a house in W. Michigan last year in a 30-yr old subdivision
with minimal CC&Rs (with no mention of antennas or transmitters), no
HOA, and underground utilities. Although most municipalities around here
exempt amateur radio towers/antennas up to 70ft from any zoning
ordinances (and the township in which we bought does not even require a
building permit for a tower to ensure that it is safe), all the newer
properties we looked at had draconian CC&Rs specifically outlawing
anything more than a small satellite dish mounted no more than a few
feet above the roof. You *must* check out the CC&Rs before signing
anything, as they typically "run with the land," are recorded at the
local "Registry of Deeds" (or whatever), and are enforceable even if you
have never seen them -- the CC&Rs for the property we bought were not
even made available at the closing (and even if they had been, that
would have been a little late to back out of the deal).

Alan AB2OS


On 04/19/04 08:45 am Cathy James put fingers to keyboard and launched
the following message into cyberspace:

I am planning to move to the western suburbs of Minneapolis soon, and
would like to know if there are any communities that I should
specifically "look at" or "avoid" due to restrictions on ham radio
antennas or other issues.

Even apart from ham radio issues, I prefer rural to urban, but commute
time to the areas on the west side of downtown is an issue preventing
me from being too far out. Mound is probably the western limit of
what I am willing to consider.

Right now I am looking at Mound, Champlin, and Maple Grove. My
realtor is generally helpful, but amateur radio is a mystery to her
and I do not think she is used to getting such requests.