Homeowners in a small Orange County neighborhood are taking steps to halt what they consider loud and unsafe events being organized and held by one of their neighbors. Last month, members of Scottland Estates, a collection of spacious properties and high-end homes, filed a lawsuit against the owners of F7 Blackstone Ranch, claiming events held there are in violation of neighborhood covenants.
The legal action was in response to large gatherings held over the past year at F7 Blackstone Ranch, including one event that organizers claimed on social media was attended by 2,500 people. That particular event, neighbors allege, created rows of cars clogging Scottland Drive, the 16-foot-wide private road leading to many of the properties, including the 23-acre F7 Blackstone Ranch.
What’s unusual about the situation at Scottland Estates is that the neighborhood may have legal ground to put a stop to the events. Neighbors allege the large events put on by F7 Blackstone Ranch, at 4501 Scottland Drive, are in violation of neighborhood covenants, specifically that the gatherings “constitute a nuisance and a prohibited use of property.” The North Carolina bona fide farm statute does not override private deed restrictions. If a property is governed by a subdivision’s Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions, or CC&Rs, the HOA or neighbors can sue to enforce a ban on commercial activity or farming…