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Fla. HOA Orders 'Dr. Who' TARDIS Replica Off Driveway

By Daniel Taylor, Esq. on January 09, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

A Florida family with a life-sized replica of the TARDIS time machine from the sci-fi TV series "Doctor Who" has been ordered by their homeowners' association to move the phone booth-style structure off of their driveway.

The members of the Moder family are huge fans of the cult-favorite British series, reports Tampa's WFTS-TV -- so much so that LeeAnn Moder's father spent about $1,000 on wood to build the replica TARDIS (which stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space) for the couple's wedding.

The Moders were married in front of the TARDIS and have since brought it to sci-fi conventions and parties. But when the Moders put the TARDIS in front of their house, they discovered that their neighborhood's homeowners' association was somewhat less enthusiastic about "Doctor Who."

Letter Demanded Removal Within 15 Days

After putting the replica TARDIS in their driveway, the Moders received a letter from their homeowners' association demanding that the TARDIS be removed within 15 days.

You can see the replica in this report by WFTS:

The Moders decided to abide by the HOA's request and move the TARDIS, but not before holding a "moving party" this week with their friends. Still, could the Moders have resisted the HOA's order to remove the TARDIS from their driveway?

Enforcement of HOA Rules

A homeowners' association is the governing body for so-called "common interest developments" in which owners agree to be bound by shared rules for the exterior appearance of their homes, the maintenance of common areas, and other neighborhood issues such as pets or noise.

Violations of HOA rules are usually addressed by a warning or a fine. In some cases, however, homeowners who fail to comply with HOA rules may face legal action to enforce the HOA agreement.

In this case, however, the Moders decided that the best solution was just to move the TARDIS to their backyard. In fact, they were already planning on moving it before they had even received the letter, the Bradenton Herald reports. "We love our neighborhood," David Moder said. "We weren't planning to go in and fight the [HOA]."

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