The hoa views the ponds as necessary for water retention and only for that. Any sort of recreation is frowned upon, in/on the ponds in the neighborhood. Mine being the exception, as it is the only one that is not in 100% hoa ownership.
I know where you are coming from. I was a HOA board member when we lived in the suburbs. We had a detention pond with lots of points of view from the residents on how it should be managed. In the end, the BOD deemed it was functioning nicely as a detention pond, and that is all it should be.
Most HOA's are cheap and not willing to put forth money on "frivolous" projects. If you are doing the work of netting, culling, aerating and clean up free of charge, they should not complain. The HOA BOD has the final say, not Karen. Hopefully you can strike an agreement with them.
