Why it matters

The 1976 'Restated Building and Use Restrictions' on the WIA website is an unsigned Word document converted to PDF in June 2009 — not a scan of a 1976 original. It has no signatures, no notary, no recording stamps, no liber/page number, no legal description, and doesn't even identify who created it. Until we verify what's actually recorded at the Oakland County Register of Deeds, we don't know if the document we've been told to follow is real, modified, or fabricated. The WIA bylaws also reference restrictions recorded October 23, 1946 — a different date from the 1946 plat recording — which may indicate a separately recorded instrument.

Steps

1. Pull the original plat at Liber 58, Page 2 from Oakland County Register of Deeds — restrictions were often printed directly on the plat in 1940s-era subdivisions
2. Search for any separately recorded restriction instruments — the WIA bylaws reference an October 23, 1946 recording date
3. Search for any recorded 1976 restatement — if it was never recorded, the enforceable restrictions are limited to the original 1946 language
4. Search for a recorded Section 9 assignment — this is the mechanism by which the WIA could have acquired enforcement authority, but no evidence of a formal written assignment has been found
5. Option A (easiest): Retrieve the title commitment from Peter's 2024 closing through Zillow (28110 Wildwood Trail, Title Order 6205-HL) — Schedule B lists every recorded encumbrance with liber/page numbers, which would immediately show what restrictions are actually on file
6. Option B: Check closing documents for 28488 Wildwood Trail (covenant deed at Liber 2086, Page 752)
7. Option C: Search the Oakland County Super Index online — filter by subdivision 'WOODBINE (L:58 P:2)' and document type 'RESTRICTIONS'
8. Option D: Visit or call the Oakland County Register of Deeds directly (1200 N. Telegraph Rd., Pontiac)

Why it matters

The bylaws are a Word document (BYLAWS.doc), unsigned in distributed form ('SIGNATURES ON FILE WITH MASTER COPY'), unnotarized, unrecorded. They were adopted by ~30–40 voluntary members out of 145 homes. They claim mandatory membership for post-2009 buyers, non-terminable membership, automatic membership transfer to new buyers, and tax lien authority for unpaid dues — none of which are legally possible for a voluntary association's internal bylaws. Baker claimed attorney review in a 2012 email but this has never been verified. The articles of incorporation (1953, never amended) contain no assessment authority, no lien rights, and no mandatory membership. The corporate purpose is to serve 'members of the corporation,' not all homeowners.

Steps

1. Confirm with an attorney that unrecorded voluntary association bylaws cannot create mandatory financial obligations on non-members
2. Request the 'master copy' with actual signatures — the distributed version has none
3. Request evidence of the attorney review Baker claimed in 2012
4. Compare the bylaws' claims against the 1953 articles of incorporation — the articles authorize nothing the bylaws assert
5. Document the specific provisions that overclaim authority: mandatory membership (Art. III, Sec. 2), tax liens (Art. III, Sec. 6), non-terminable membership (Art. III, Sec. 6), automatic transfer (Art. III, Sec. 5)

Why it matters

The board has been below its required minimum of 4 directors since 2018. The president currently holds three simultaneous positions (President, Treasurer, Director), violating the bylaws' prohibition on holding more than one office. The articles of incorporation describe the purpose as serving 'members of the corporation,' but annual reports now describe it as a 'Homeowners Association' — without any amendment to the articles.

Steps

1. Elect at least one additional director to meet the bylaws' minimum of 4 (board has had only 2–3 since 2018)
2. Resolve multiple-office violations — one person cannot hold President + Treasurer + Director simultaneously (Art. VII, Sec. 7 permits only Secretary/Treasurer combination)
3. Align the purpose description on LARA annual reports with the actual articles of incorporation ('members of the corporation,' not 'Homeowners Association')
4. Consider amending the articles of incorporation to accurately reflect the organization's current scope and activities

Why it matters

Continuing to assert mandatory dues and tax lien authority without legal basis creates liability risk and erodes trust. Several provisions may constitute unfair or deceptive practices under the Michigan Consumer Protection Act.

Steps

1. Consult with an attorney experienced in subdivision law
2. Remove or revise: mandatory membership claim, tax lien claim, non-terminable membership, automatic transfer provision
3. Align the bylaws with what the WIA can actually do: voluntary membership, voluntary dues, membership benefits conditioned on payment