FAQ – Lonesome Dove Ranch

If your question is not already answered here, please contact us and we’ll provide an answer.

Can I rent my house using services like Airbnb and VRBO?

In a word,”No”. The approved Amendment No 2, adopted in May 2019, under ARTICLE X, PROTECTIVE COVENANTS Section 1. Residential Use. states: No building or structure of any kind whatsoever other than a single family dwelling house, private garage, guest home, and related outbuildings shall be erected on any Tract. All buildings and structures shall be used for residential purposes only. All Tracts in Lonesome Dove Ranch are designated residential. No dwelling house or guest home may be leased for less than thirty (30) days, EXCEPT THAT any dwelling house or guest home that was being leased for less than thirty (30) days as of July 1, 2018 may continue to be leased until such time as the Tract is sold or transferred to a third party. When such Tract is sold or transferred to a third party, all such leases shall terminate and no additional leases for less than 30 days shall be allowed.

If you are renting your home as a short-term rental, you may owe the state some tax money. Here is a helpful guide to see if you are in compliance with the Montana State Tax Law.

Can I have solar panels installed on my house?

Solar Easement Rights, Passed by the Montana Legislature in 1979, prevents HOAs from banning rooftop solar systems. State law still allows HOAs the ability to influence where solar devices may be installed; as long as the placement of such devices does not significantly increase the cost of installation or significantly decrease the device’s efficiency.

70-17-301. Creation of solar easements. An easement obtained for the purpose of exposure of a solar energy device must be created in writing and is subject to the same conveyancing and instrument recording requirements as other easements on real property.

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 524, L. 1979.

70-17-302. Content of solar easements. An instrument creating a solar easement must specify at least:
(1) the vertical and horizontal angles, expressed in degrees, at which the solar easement extends over the real property subject to the solar easement; and
(2) any terms or conditions under which the solar easement is granted or will be terminated.

History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 524, L. 1979.

Homeowners are still required to submit a Property Improvement Request (PIR) Form BEFORE any work is performed. PIRs and Board approval are required for most external modifications to your home. Consult the ARC Page for more details.

How much are the association dues and how are they used?

Each homeowner is assessed an annual $100 Association Dues and a $100 Road Maintenance Fee per lot. Dues are for funding miscellaneous maintenance of common areas, document publishing, and providing professional services for the Association.

How much do Board members get paid?

Members of the Board of Directors, officers and committee chairs, volunteer their time. How about lending us a hand? We can always use the help and new ideas.

Is it true that I need approval to make any change to my house?

Yes. All modifications to the exterior of your home require a two-step approval.

First, from your local Architectural Review Committee (ARC); and
Second, permitting approval from Madison County, if applicable.

Our recommendation is to check with our Architectural Committee well before proceeding with any modification to the exterior of your property..

What gives the Board or some Committee the right to tell me what I can’t do with my house and my property?

Two documents actually, that you signed at closing, acknowledging your obligations to the CC&R’s, By-Laws and Rules and Policies of the Association;

The Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs), a document defining the Association and basic rules and standards for the Association’s Board and members. Membership is automatic and mandatory when you purchase a house in this community;
The Association By-Laws, Rules and Policies, which further define how the Association must be run.

These restrictions are not meant as an inconvenience or an invasion of a homeowner’s freedom, but rather as a means of maintaining harmony and property values in our community.