Facts vs Myths: Drone Usage by HOA

Setting the Record Straight 

This statement reflects an official, West Winds HOA (HOA) Board-approved communication issued under the HOA's governing authority and recorded in the Association's meeting minutes. As promised in our November 14, 2025, communication to members, the Board is providing factual updates to address misinformation circulating in the community.

MYTH: Drone Usage

Recently, claims have circulated online and within the neighborhood alleging that the HOA or its Board members operate drones for surveillance or enforcement purposes. These claims are false. Specifically:

• The HOA does not own or operate drones

• No Board member owns or operates drones on behalf of the HOA

• The HOA has never conducted or commissioned drone surveillance of residents or their private property

• The HOA has no policy or plan to use drones for enforcement or monitoring purposes

FACT: What the HOA Does Do

The HOA documents member property conditions for compliance purposes through these lawful methods:

• Visual observations & documentation taken from public areas (public parks, streets, sidewalks, etc.) where no privacy expectation exists under Montana law

• Member-submitted reports and complaints from concerned neighbors

• Publicly available imagery (e.g., Google Maps, Google Street View, real estate listings, and public records)

The HOA occasionally engages licensed professionals such as surveyors, maintenance providers, or content creators who may use various tools and technologies—including drones—as part of their standard professional practices. Any such use is limited to the contractor's specific scope of work (such as documenting public or common area property conditions or verifying property boundaries) and is not for surveillance of residents or private property.

The Impact of Misinformation

The Board is aware that false or misleading information about HOA operations and Board members has been shared through various channels, including door-to-door conversations, emails, printed materials, and social media. When such information circulates, it can have significant consequences:

• Damages the reputations of volunteer board members who serve without compensation to protect property values

• Creates unnecessary administrative and legal expenses that increase association costs for all members

• Damages community trust and neighborly relationships

• May decrease property values by fostering perceptions of conflict and instability

The Board encourages all homeowners to verify information through official HOA channels before sharing it. 

Moving Forward

To help ensure that all homeowners have access to accurate and verifiable information, the Board will continue to share Fact vs. Myth Updates via email and on the HOA website. These updates will reference verified records, governing documents, and applicable Montana law.

For accurate and official information, please refer only to the following authorized sources:

• Mailed and emailed communications directly from the Board of Directors

• Official HOA Website: www.westwindsHOAbozeman.org

• PayHOA Member Portal: https://www.westwindshoabozeman.org/paymybill

• Official HOA or Board Emails: contact@westwindsHOAbozeman.org or any address using the @westwindsHOAbozeman.org domain

• Emails sent via PayHOA with a FROM address of: West Winds HOA <mailer@payhoa.com>

---

FACTS: HOW THE HOA DOCUMENTS COMPLIANCE

The HOA uses multiple lawful methods to identify and document violations:

1. Visual observations & documentation from public areas

• Public parks, streets, sidewalks, HOA common spaces

• Where no privacy expectation exists under Montana law

• Taken by Board members, volunteers, or authorized agents

  
  

• Active neighborhood walking: Board members and compliance volunteers regularly and randomly walk through the neighborhood observing visible conditions from public areas and submit documented violations for Board review and processing

  
  

• Pattern documentation: Volunteers often document visible violations over time to ensure violation notices include evidence that a persistent and lasting pattern of non-compliance exists (not just a one-time occurrence)

  
  

• Urgent exceptions: When a violation requires immediate attention due to safety or severity (such as unsafe bonfires, vehicles blocking right-of-ways, operating vehicles in common areas, or prohibited parking on private alleyways preventing snow removal), documentation and prioritization are more immediate and timely

  
  

Important clarification on "private property" claims: Lot owners sometimes claim people are photographing their "private property" without consent. However, photography is being conducted from public spaces (streets, sidewalks, parks) documenting conditions that are visible to anyone.

Under Montana law, there is no reasonable expectation of privacy for property conditions visible from public areas. This is the same principle as how Google Street View photographs properties, real estate listings show homes, or neighbors can see your front yard while walking by.

2. Member-submitted reports and complaints

• Concerned neighbors reporting violations they observe

• Any homeowner can report visible violations

• All reports are investigated and verified

3. Publicly available imagery

• Google Maps and Google Street View

• Real estate listings and public records

• Other publicly accessible sources

A combined community effort: Enforcement is not just "the Board" but a combined effort of:

• HOA fiduciary duties: Board members and volunteers actively fulfilling their obligation to enforce CC&Rs

• Concerned neighbors: Community members submitting reported violations

• Verification process: All reports reviewed and processed by the Board using objective criteria

  
  

Processing all reports fairly: Whether documented and reported by a Board member, volunteer, or homeowner, all alleged violations are processed, prioritized, and noticed to owners based on objective criteria established in the Board's May 22, 2025 policy (including health and safety risks, severity, visibility, recurrence, timing, and overall community impact).

Verification of cures: Compliance volunteers or Board members may also inspect and document properties with active violations to verify that lot owners' claims of correction are accurate. This ensures violations are properly resolved before being closed in our system.

Important: The Board does not create violations—it responds to and verifies reported conditions using these lawful documentation methods. Many violations reported to the Board come from homeowner complaints, not Board-initiated observations.

This is standard HOA practice nationwide and is now official West Winds policy backed by Montana law and our governing documents.

---

Join Us for Direct Discussions

We invite all homeowners to participate in HOA meetings where factual updates about the HOA and its operations will be shared. This is your opportunity to hear directly from Board members and engage in courteous discussions about community governance.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact the Board directly rather than relying on secondhand information. Our goal is to maintain an open, transparent, and respectful community dialogue.

Sincerely,

Kitch Walker, President

John Stelly, Vice President

Linda Racicot, Treasurer

Mandee Arnold, Secretary

Dillon Fatouros, Assistant Secretary

The Board of Directors & Officers

West Winds Master Homeowners' Association, Inc.

www.westwindsHOAbozeman.org