Crestwood Heights Homeowners Association voted Tuesday to ban clouds from the community, citing long-standing aesthetic standards in the neighborhood’s amended covenants and a unanimous desire among homeowners for a “seamless visual experience.”
The board approved an addendum to the covenants, conditions and restrictions (CC&Rs) that defines “unauthorized atmospheric formations” as any condensation-based sky cover that does not match the community-approved palette of “Soft White (SW-100), Pale Azure (PA-200) or Selective Haze (SH-300).” The measure passed 6–0 after a 90-minute hearing in which residents reviewed sample sky swatches and heard testimony from an independent Atmosphere Compliance Consultant.
“Our neighborhoods represent a significant collective investment, and that includes the airspace directly above each lot,” said Marcy Delaney, president of the Crestwood Heights HOA. “Unregulated cloud formations have been linked to inconsistent natural lighting, impromptu umbrella usage at neighborhood barbecues and general visual dissonance. We are simply enforcing standards that protect property values and curb appeal.”
Under the new rules, any cloud observed within the community boundaries that exceeds “two percent deviation” from approved color and texture standards may be issued a Notice of Nonconforming Sky. Repeat offenses can result in fines up to $250 per square mile of overhead cover, mandatory contracting with a certified “cloud remediation provider,” and, in egregious cases, placement on the HOA’s Weather Watch List.
Crestwood’s Cloud Compatibility Committee — a three-person body formed after a resident petition last fall — released a 12-page report claiming that households in the neighborhood spend an average of 36 minutes per week adjusting outdoor lighting and decor to compensate for “mismatched celestial tones.” The report cites an independent survey of 312 residents indicating that 92 percent said they would “pay extra” for guaranteed, HOA-approved skies.
“We’re not anti-weather,” said Peter Lin, the committee’s chairman and a thirty-year Crestwood resident. “We’re pro-curation. When you purchase in a planned community, you expect a certain continuity of experience — down to how the shadows fall at 5 p.m. Cloud species that produce mottled, multi-layered shading were a common complaint.”
Local meteorologists expressed bemusement but said they would cooperate with the HOA’s requests. “We can’t control synoptic-scale systems, but there are proven techniques — cloud seeding, targeted heat plumes, reflective aerosols — that can influence microclimates over suburban developments,” said Dr. Halim Reyes of the Regional Weather Institute. “That said, efficacy varies, and there are legal and environmental considerations.”
A startup contracted by the HOA, BlueSky Solutions, offered a $249 “Seasonal Sky Plan” promising up to eight taming operations per year, a personalized “Cloud Profile Certificate,” and an app that alerts residents when approaching cumulus populations exceed aesthetic tolerances. BlueSky’s CEO, Amanda Trevitt, said the service is already in pilot programs in several communities.
Not everyone is pleased. “I never imagined I’d be fighting over something that literally floats away,” said resident Jorge Medina, who opposed the ban at the hearing. “If a storm rolls in, I don’t want to get a fine for my yard being impractical. This is about control, not comfort.”
The HOA’s legal counsel said they have reviewed state nuisance statutes and believe the amendment is enforceable under private contract law. A county official confirmed that as long as covenants are voluntarily agreed to at sale, local governments rarely intervene in HOA governance.
Board members said they are drafting an appeals process, including a “Variance for Transient Weather Events” form, and are negotiating with NASA to create an “approved precipitation” program for holidays and special events. In the meantime, Crestwood has posted eight official sky swatches at the clubhouse and scheduled a neighborhood-wide training on cloud identification next Saturday.