Opinion ID: 884874
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: facts

Text: ¶ 6 The Windemere Homeowners Association brought this declaratory judgment action seeking enforcement of a 1997 amendment to restrictive covenants on the Appellants' parcels of property near Big Flat Road in Missoula County. For purposes of reciprocal summary judgment motions, the parties stipulated to a written set of agreed facts. ¶ 7 The parties stipulated that all parties to this lawsuit own or have owned, during times pertinent to this action, residential real estate in Missoula County, Montana, and described on Certificate of Survey (COS) 1131. On February 17, 1984, a Declaration of Restrictive Covenants was recorded with the Missoula County Clerk and Recorder affecting lots 1 through 7 and 9 through 15 of COS 1131. Between 1984 and 1991, several transfers of development rights and amendments to the covenants were recorded, the validity of which was not questioned and which are not relevant to our analysis in this case. ¶ 8 On March 1, 1994, another Amendment to Declaration of Restrictive Covenants was recorded with the Missoula County Clerk and Recorder. Holders of over 65 percent of the acreage within lots 1 through 7 and 9 through 15 approved the changes, and thus validly modified the covenants. The 1994 Amendment bifurcated the effect and enforcement of the covenants so that the real property lying west of Big Flat Road in tracts 1 through 5 was separated from the tracts lying east of the road in tracts 6, 7, and 9 through 15. ¶ 9 On March 20, 1997, another Amendment to Declaration of Restrictive Covenants was recorded with the Missoula County Clerk and Recorder. This Amendment was approved by 74 percent of the owners of lots 6, 7, and 9 through 15 of COS 1131, and purports to modify the covenants and restrictions applicable to those lots. The 1997 Amendment created the Windemere Homeowners Association, Inc., and made the Association responsible for necessary maintenance, repair, reconstruction, and snow removal on Windemere Drive. The 1997 Amendment further granted the Association authority to reimburse the parties who had paid for the paving of Windemere Drive in 1996 and to assess tract owners for the costs of such reimbursement. The Association's unsuccessful attempts to collect on its resulting assessments for the paving of Windemere Drive culminated in this action.