Opinion ID: 1255540
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Provisions of the Glenbrook Development Plan Affecting Ownership of Common Areas

Text: The CCRs, subdivision maps, and the Association's articles of incorporation were properly included in the development plan. The CCRs are crucial to determining ownership of common areas. They were drawn up and recorded before Glenbrook gained title to Parcel II and define four types of common areas. Section 2.13 of the CCRs defines Property Common Area as the area available for the common use and enjoyment of residents, including driveways, walkways, paths, parking areas, open spaces, planted and landscaped areas, and utility facilities. Initially, this category consisted of common areas within Parcel I. As portions of Parcel II are annexed, the Property Common Area shall be expanded to include the above defined areas within the property so annexed. Per section 2.14, Parcel II Common Area is that area available for the common use and enjoyment of Association members, other than General Forest Area or Recreational Common Area, including easements for use of certain property in Parcel II and to install utilities. Per section 2.15, General Forest Area is certain defined forest land within Parcel II, to the extent the right to use portions thereof was or is hereafter granted to the Association by Glenbrook. Per section 2.16, Recreational Common Area is certain defined recreational area within Parcel II, to the extent the right to use portions thereof was or is hereafter granted to the Association by Glenbrook. Recreational Common Area primarily included the golf course and beach areas. Sections 11.1 and 11.2 of the CCRs provide that Glenbrook has the right to annex to the CCRs portions of Parcel II to which it might gain title. As to ownership of common areas in Parcel I, section 5.1 provides: The Property Common Area shall be conveyed to and owned by the Association. Regarding the three types of common area in Parcel II, sections 6.1, 6.3, and 11.3 provide that Glenbrook has discretion whether or not to convey them or parts of them to the Association in the event Glenbrook acquires fee title to any of them. However, this discretion is qualified by section 11.4(c): The Common Area, if any, in each portion of the property annexed shall be conveyed to the Association. [3] The scheme under the CCRs can be summarized as follows. The Association was to own common areas within Parcel I. If Glenbrook gained title to land within Parcel II, it had discretion to annex such land to the CCRs. If it did so, all common areas within the annexed land had to be added to the Property Common Area and conveyed to the Association. The district court's judgments reflect this reading of the CCRs.