For highrise buildings I agree that you should need approval to touch the utility infrastructure. I was referring more to HOAs for suburban blocks, which are e

For highrise buildings I agree that you should need approval to touch the utility infrastructure. I was referring more to HOAs for suburban blocks, which are extraordinarily common in the US. Many of them are obsessed about whether you can park your car in the driveway, what kind of car you're allowed to own, what kinds of plants you can plant in your front yard, the color of your house, modifications to the aesthetics of your house, and other stupid things. Welcome to the "land of the free".