HOA Flooded My Workshop — So I Turned Their Golf Course Into Swamp
Chapter 5
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He whistled low. "That's bold.""They flooded my shop.""I know," he said. "I just hope you've got a lawyer."I did. Not a flashy one, just a local land use attorney named Carla Ruiz who'd helped me with zoning questions years back. I brought her every document I had: survey maps, photos of the flood damage, estimates for tool replacement, screenshots of county drainage approvals.She leaned back in her chair after an hour of flipping through papers. "They don't have an easement," she said plainly. "And if the pump house is fully on your parcel, you have every right to control access.""What about adverse use? Prescriptive rights?" I asked, repeating phrases I'd picked up during my midnight research.She gave a half-smile. "They'd have to prove continuous hostile use without permission. From what you're telling me, this was consensual. A handshake agreement isn't the same as surrendering ownership.""So I can keep it locked?""You can," she said. "But they're going to push back."Push back turned out to be an understatement.By the end of the week, the course looked stressed. Not dead, but struggling. Members were complaining that the greens were running slow. A few out-of-town guests had posted photos online comparing the place to late August in Arizona.Then the letter arrived: Cease and desist. Heavy legal language accusing me of unlawful interference, demanding immediate restoration of water access, threatening damages.I read it twice at my kitchen table, then slid it over to Carla. She didn't flinch. "We respond. Calmly."So we did. My letter was shorter. It included a detailed invoice for the flood damage to my workshop, complete with photos and replacement costs. It itemized 10 years of water usage based on estimated irrigation draw, calculated at standard commercial rates. It requested remediation of the drainage diversion and compensation within 30 days.The total number at the bottom was not small.When Russell called again, he skipped the pleasantries. "This is extortion."