Waxhaw woman says family’s 70-inch cross was unfairly targeted by HOA

WAXHAW, N.C. (WBTV) - A Waxhaw woman says her family was required to remove a cross from their yard after their homeowners association said it violated community guidelines.

Megan Lloyd says the 70-inch cross has special meaning for her family. Her husband built it for their wedding a little over a year ago, and they placed it in their yard at Easter.

“It’s very important to us, and it felt like a good way to express our home,” Lloyd said.

The family planned to keep the cross in the yard, until they began receiving notices from the HOA asking them to remove it. After some back and forth, she said, the family received a letter saying the issue had been resolved.

But 11 weeks later, Lloyd said the board called her and her husband to a hearing about the cross.

Board members reportedly told the couple that the cross could be seen as a symbol of hate associated with the Ku Klux Klan. She said the comparison shocked her family.

“We were just stunned by it, because the cross does not represent any of that,” Lloyd said.

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In a letter to the Lloyds, the HOA said the cross was not “... in harmony with the general surroundings of the lot or with adjacent buildings or structures.” The letter also expressed concern that “... allowing a large cross to be displayed will be perceived as approval of a Christian Symbol.”

Lloyd told WBTV that she and her family disagree with the board’s decision, and believe they are being treated unfairly.

“Nowhere in there did it say you cannot express your faith, but according to them, we didn’t have that right,” Lloyd said.

Attorney Benjamin Karb of Kirk Palmer & Thigpen provided a statement from the Board to WBTV.

“The Board conducts its business in accordance with the Association’s governing documents and applicable law. Because this matter concerns an individual owner, the Board has no comment regarding the specific allegations or circumstances,” the statement read. “The Board recognizes that religious symbols can carry different meanings and significance for different individuals. What the Board can state unequivocally is that it does not condone hate of any kind.”

Lloyd said that she wants clarity on where the board draws the line on what is allowed, especially as the holidays draw near.

“Where is the line that states, ‘You can have this, but you can’t have this,’” Lloyd said. “‘You can only have it on these days, but you can’t have it on this?’”

Lloyd’s family plans to put the cross back up for the holidays, and hopes to work with the board to keep it in the yard.

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