For years, I didn’t pay my LLHOA dues. And there’s a reason: I didn’t have a cabin on Lot 38. In fact, according to Missoula County at the time, I couldn’t build anything at all.
After I purchased Lot 38, I was informed it was classified as an unbuildable lot. I hadn’t known that when I bought it. Due to a Missoula County regulation, property owners with multiple lots couldn’t exceed 1,200 gallons of wastewater per acre across all their holdings. Since we owned three small lots totaling around 1.4 acres, that restriction made Lot 38 essentially unusable.
To make matters worse, I was told I couldn’t obtain water rights because of an ongoing lawsuit filed by the Avista Corporation in Spokane. The legal dispute prevented any new water rights from being issued during that period. So again—no building, no development.
Still, I tried to enjoy my property. I parked a trailer on the lot. But then came the phone call—from a Missoula County judge being properly ridiculous. I was told I couldn’t have a trailer, a tent, or even a campfire ring on Lot 38. Not only was I not allowed to build—I wasn’t even allowed to camp. And yet, I was still expected to pay property taxes. And according to the LLHOA spreadsheet from July 28, 2025, I was also still expected to pay LLHOA dues.
Imagine being told your property is unbuildable and essentially worthless, then being told you still need to pay taxes and association dues. It felt like I was being penalized for owning land I couldn’t use.
I share this because the spreadsheet listing me as “unpaid” during those years paints an unfair picture. It makes it look like I was simply negligent. But anyone in my shoes—faced with an unusable lot, legal barriers, and no recourse—would likely have made the same decision.
Thankfully, years later, things changed. The wastewater restrictions were lifted. I was able to obtain water rights. I began to invest in the property again, and I resumed paying dues.
My point is this: rules designed for city neighborhoods or dense subdivisions don’t always translate well to rural land ownership. When one-size-fits-all regulations are enforced without flexibility or context, they can cause real hardship. They can turn hopeful dreams of building a home into years of frustration and expense.
Also during this time period I lost my wife to cancer, had to leave my job to raise my then 3-year-old daughter, move back to Montana, and try to start a new. It would be nice to know what hardships others here on LL are going through that they won't pay LLHOA dues! Before we judge a neighbor based on a spreadsheet—or apply blanket policies that may not fit our land—we should take the time to understand the whole story.
Those who don't pay to maintain the road are making those who do, pay more.
Sincerely,
Bill Cory
Please go to the forum instead of emailing. To prevent bots from scraping mass emails via LLHOA, it's better to use the forum for comments, etc.
Here is the link: LLHOA Dues Discussion - Lindbergh Lake Community Forum