Community roasts HOA president after he tries to forbid legal hot air balloon landing and regulate aviation: 'Residents are NOT allowed to let balloons land'

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Dec 5, 2025 8:00 AM EST

This HOA president finally discovered the limits to his authority.

This community happened to be located in an area where there were frequent hot air balloon landings. This became common practice, and everyone in the neighborhood was accustomed to these landings, provided that they were handled safely.

Apparently, one morning, there was another safe balloon landing on one neighbor's five-acre property. No one was harmed or disturbed, and therefore, no one thought anything of it… except for the disgruntled president of the local homeowner's association.

This grumpy individual decided that morning that for whatever reason, he was going to put an end to this practice. Without holding a meeting and administering a vote with the other HOA board members, this man proceeded to send an email blast to everyone in the neighborhood forbidding them from granting any balloon landings in the area from here on out.

This, of course, was a remarkable display of audacity on several levels. First of all, he didn't have the authority to enforce a rule that was not passed by the other board members. Second of all, and more importantly, he had no authority to tell the community to disregard federal aviation regulations. You can imagine how this ultimately went down…

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  • A blue, yellow, and red hot air balloon flies in a clear blue sky during daylight.
    via Aaron Burden

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Clearly, if this man took such issue with these balloon landings in an area where it was common practice, he should have considered resigning from the HOA board and leaving the community entirely. After all, it wasn't bothering anyone else, and he had no authority to enforce aviation proceedings that went way above his head (both literally and metaphorically)! Here's hoping that this outburst of his marked the beginning of the end of his tenure as HOA president.

  • "HOA president just told the entire neighborhood to commit a federal felony. Yes, really."

    So a hot air balloon legally lands on a neighbor's five acre property. Homeowner waves, everyone's chill. Balloons have landed here since it was a poop covered cow field 20 years ago.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • Then our HOA president blasts an email to the whole community saying: "Residents are NOT • allowed to let balloons land". "Residents should take steps to stop it"
    via that_is_fascinating
  • Cool cool... except interfering with an aircraft landing is literally a federal felony. Sixteen years. Massive fines. Handcuffs. Orange jumpsuit. The whole "your life is over" package.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • And HOAs have zero power over airspace. Zip. None. They can't even tell you what color to paint your mailbox without a small war, but sure, let's regulate aviation.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • And here's the kicker... she did this possibly without board approval, it likely won't even be covered by D and O insurance.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • Imagine nuking the entire HOA financially because you got mad at a balloon.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • I'm sitting here wondering what planet I live on. What would your HOA do if the president ordered hundreds of people to break federal law because she personally doesn't like floating rainbows with a flame thrower and a picnic basket safely landing on private property.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • Should she send a correction? Step down? Enroll in Aviation Law 101? I honestly need to know how far off the rails this is, because I'm starting to feel like an NPC in someone else's glitchy simulation.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • A mature man wears a gray blazer with his arms folded.
    via Charles Büchler

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • mafiaknight You should forward that email to the faa
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating We did.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating Update. First board member resigned... stating personal reasons and legal liability....next the president? Apparently the board does not believe that their Directors insurance is going to cover them.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating It's stupid that there is even an HOA in general.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • 4friedChckensandCoke What HOA covers a house that sits on 5 acres?? Is it some type of farm or land use HOA?
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating I'll get the rest of the comments and then send them the link
    via that_is_fascinating
  • RD_Life_Enthusiast I would start by sending this Reddit thread to everyone on your HOA mailing list. I love everything about this, and want to find out what the HOA by-laws have to say about anti-air missile batteries being deployed in the cul-de-sac.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating She is not a nice person. Now if balloons only had steering wheels
    via that_is_fascinating
  • unknownpoltroon Is she an asshole? Maybe you could work a deal with balloon guy to land in her yard next weekend?
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating We did
    via that_is_fascinating
  • Annual_Government_80 Send her notice to the FAA
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating If an aircraft needs to land for safety a 747 could land in the community. Probably not the best spot. But totally legal
    via that_is_fascinating
  • SkepticScott137 The concern about having a hot air balloon landing in a residential area is legitimate, regardless of how long it's been going on. Whether those landings are "legal" also depends on local laws. Just because it's not allowed to actively interfere with a landing doesn't mean that it's legal for a balloon to land any old place, even if it's private property and the owner is OK with it.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating That would only stop her from gett https://www.uniladtech.com/scien reduce-37-percent-smell-egg-fart-7
    via that_is_fascinating
  • Witty_fartgoblin Fart loudly, complaint quietly
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating Balloons don't have steering wheels and use the wind for control. They have been flying in the area for 30 years. I've seen them land in a coldesac. I'm always surprised how small of a space someone can land a 100 foot tall aircraft. They give land owners champagne. We have a grass airstrip on the south side of the community they aim for, but if the winds aren't right they land and have their crew ask for permission. Everyone is pretty happy with the balloons except for 2
    via that_is_fascinating
  • realbobenray I don't know much about hot air balloons, why was one landing in someone's yard? Is that where it took off from, or do they tend to alight at random?
    via that_is_fascinating
  • OP that_is_fascinating Welcome to Washington State just South of Seattle.
    via that_is_fascinating
  • EmploymentNo3590 Why is there an HOA for people with 5 acres of land?
    via that_is_fascinating

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