Woodbine Subdivision
A plain-English summary of the legal landscape.
Woodbine has two separate legal structures that get confused with each other. The subdivision has deed restrictions dating to 1946 — rules recorded with the county that bind every lot automatically, with or without any association. Separately, residents formed the Woodbine Improvement Association in 1953 — a voluntary nonprofit governed by its own bylaws, which bind only its members.
Over time, the WIA has presented itself as though it controls the restrictions, calling them "HOA Restrictions" on its website and describing itself as a "Homeowners Association" on state filings since 2008. This site untangles the key documents, what authority each one actually carries, and what options homeowners have.
Quick Facts
- Location
- Farmington Hills, MI
- Total Homes
- 140
- Subdivision Recorded
- 1946
- Current Dues
- $30/year (voluntary)
- MRTA Deadline
- September 29, 2027
Key Findings
Deed restrictions exist dating to 1946, with a 1976 restatement posted on the WIA website.
Whether the 1976 restatement was ever recorded with Oakland County is unresolved. If not, enforceable restrictions may be limited to the original 1946 language.
The original 1946 restriction text has not been located. It predates the Oakland County Super Index's digital records.
The WIA is a voluntary improvement association, not an HOA. It has no recorded authority to compel dues, place liens, or bind non-members. Since 2008, however, it has described itself as a "Homeowners Association" on its LARA filings — a self-description with no legal effect, but one that creates the appearance of HOA authority.
If the restrictions are enforceable, Michigan case law indicates the "residential purposes only" language would prohibit short-term rentals without any new covenant. (see case law)
A preservation notice must be filed with Oakland County by September 29, 2027, or Michigan's MRTA will permanently extinguish all deed restrictions.
This is the single most time-sensitive issue. Without action, Woodbine loses all covenant enforcement permanently.
Woodbine's Three Documents
An HOA's authority comes from one place: recorded deed restrictions that name the association and grant it specific powers. If that chain is broken — if the restrictions don't mention the association — then the association is just a club. In Woodbine, that chain is broken at the most fundamental level.
The only document that binds all homeowners
Restated Building and Use Restrictions (1976)
Recorded with the county in 1946, these restrictions attach to every lot and bind all future owners automatically. They cover residential-use-only requirements, building minimums, and nuisance rules. They say nothing about dues, assessments, or an association — and any lot owner can enforce them in court.
Defines the organization — does not bind homeowners
Articles of Incorporation (1953)
Filed in 1953 to serve "the members of the corporation." Never amended in 73 years. Contains no assessment authority, no lien rights, and no mandatory membership. The 2009 bylaws claim powers far beyond what these articles authorize.
Internal rules — binds voluntary members only
WIA Bylaws (2009)
Adopted by a vote of roughly 30–40 members. Claims mandatory membership for post-2009 residents and "tax lien" authority for unpaid dues — but bylaws of a voluntary association cannot create obligations that run with the land or bind non-members.