One of the most unusual condo dispute controversies ever to make local newspaper headlines caught the attention of our firm’s community association attorneys in early December. It involved a parking garage exit pedestrian-warning alarm at a St. Petersburg, Florida, condominium tower that can be heard for several blocks and has drawn a nuisance lawsuit from a unit owner of a neighboring building. The report in the Tampa Bay Times, which was followed by an editorial from the daily newspaper suggesting a simple solution, is sadly yet another example of an association ignoring an issue until it becomes a five-alarm fire, and then fanning the flames rather than easily and effectively putting them out.

The Times article focuses on Fred Sherman, who has apparently become extremely knowledgeable about the garage exit pedestrian-warning systems used by the buildings in his downtown St. Petersburg neighborhood. He demonstrates to the newspaper’s reporter that one has a voice that says “attention, vehicle exiting,” another has a light with a speaker that says “car coming,” and a third has a flashing device with some audio.