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    The Greater Williamsburg area is an exciting place to live and work, especially because of the large number of entrepreneurs who have built businesses from the ground up. These entrepreneurs have taken their passion and made it their profession. Many of us want to take that step. Before you begin, you need to think of the type of business entity you want to form. Our attorneys have extensive business experience, from small one-person companies to publicly traded major corporations. Our attorneys are among the leaders in Virginia in the representation of Common Interest Communities. These communities are generally referred to as "homeowners associations," or "HOAs," and "condominium associations." In the greater Williamsburg area alone, we provide legal assistance to nearly 100 associations. Our attorneys have successfully prosecuted and defended a wide array of civil disputes involving community association covenant enforcement, commercial transactions, construction disputes, contracts, real estate matters, boundary line and easement disputes, employment matters, antitrust litigation, copyright violations, administrative proceedings, and estate issues. Real Estate law encompasses a wide variety of matters, and our attorneys have vast experience to assist you. Whether you need assistance with a commercial or residential closing, or you have questions relating to residential or commercial leasing, we provide experienced advice and counsel to our clients. Zoning law can be a complicated maze of statutes and ordinances. We have ample experience in successful applications for rezoning, variance, and special use permit requests. Finally, commercial and residential construction provide special challenges with respect to financing issues and the construction process. We serve as counsel to various financial institutions.

Pesticides, Fungicides, and Herbicides: Why do Virginia HOAs need to know the difference?

There are many issues that confront your common interest community as its board of directors and management company work hard to maintain the HOA. One issue that has recently come up is the need to be knowledgeable about the chemicals an HOA applies to its common areas.

The Property Owners’ Association Act in Virginia Code § 55-510.3 and the Condominium Act in Virginia Code § 55-79.80:01 both require that an association post notice of all applications of pesticide in or upon the common areas/elements. This notice must be provided by conspicuous signs placed in or upon the area where the pesticide will be applied, at least 48 hours prior to application. This blog post analyzes one particular question that an association should consider when applying chemicals to its common areas: What is a pesticide?

HOAs and pesticides

Pesticide is a broad term encompassing various products

At first glance the statutory requirement seems reasonable to give your community notice when applying pesticide. But what actually is a pesticide? Do herbicides count? Fungicides? Today’s gardener must seemingly be a part-time chemist to understand all the different chemicals on the market that are supposed to keep our flowers and plants healthy, our grass green, and the bugs away.

Fortunately, the EPA has offered helpful guidance on this matter. The EPA, through the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act controls the distribution, sale and use of pesticides, and the law is frequently being updated. On the EPA website, a pesticide is defined as “any substance or mixture of substances intended for preventing, destroying, repelling, or mitigating any pest.” Though often misunderstood to refer only to insecticides, the term pesticide can also apply to certain herbicides, fungicides, and other substances used to control “pests.” The EPA defines pest as insects, animals, weeds, fungi, microorganisms, or prions. Finally, the EPA notes that products that kill mold and mildew and some lawn and garden products, such as weed killers, contain pesticides.

The EPA guidelines, although not necessarily binding law upon HOAs and Condominium Associations, absent any other guidance, might be a good resource when a Board of Directors is faced with this issue. HOAs should make sure to communicate with their landscapers, gardeners, exterminators, or other professionals that may be applying chemicals to the common area. “Pesticide” is a broad term, and so it is important to understand the characteristics of the product applied. Your HOA or management company should communicate this information with its association lawyer in the ongoing efforts to stay in compliance with the law.

Tarley Robinson, PLC, Attorneys and Counsellors at Law

Williamsburg, Virginia

Our Summer Associate for 2014 is Christian Schreiber, a rising third-year law student at the William & Mary Law School. Christian contributed to this blog post.

 

John Tarley

John Tarley

John is the firm's managing partner and chairs the firm's small business, zoning, and litigation practice areas.

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Filed under: HOA, HOA litigation, John Tarley, Unit Owners Association by John Tarley

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