Originally posted on December 12, 2011 by Ryan

Breakwater Cove Condo. Ass’n v. Chin, No. A-1420-09T3, N.J. Super. Ct., App. Div., Dec. 2, 2010.

A unit owner at Breakwater Cove kept two birds in her unit. The association informed her that she was in violation of the master deed and her birds were a nuisance to other owners. The Master Deed provides: “No bird, reptile or animal of any kind shall be raised, bred or kept in any unit or anywhere else upon the property except that dogs, cats or other household pets are permitted, not to exceed two in the aggregate, provided they are not kept, bred or maintained for any commercial purpose, are housed within the unit and abide by all applicable rules and regulations. No outside dog pens, runs or yards shall be permitted.”

The association pursued alternative dispute resolution with a mediator in hopes of resolving the dispute. When mediation did not resolve the issue, the association sued the owner. The trial court sided with the association, finding that the owner’s birds did not qualify as “other household pets” under the master deed. The trial judge also determined that the birds were a nuisance based on testimony of other owners.

On appeal, the court determined that the pet policy in the master deed was ambiguous because it is reasonably susceptible to two meanings. The court held that based on this ambiguity, the covenant did not provide fair notice to unit owners and could not be upheld.

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