Dear Resident/Property Owner:
As your elected Board of Directors, we are honored to serve the University Estates Homeowners Association in promoting the interests of all lot owners in University Estates. One way we do this is through the Architectural Review Committee (“ARC”). The ARC is a subset of the Board of Directors and is responsible under the Declaration for preserving the aesthetic and architectural integrity of University Estates.
According to Paragraph 4.03 of the Declaration, the Architectural Review Committee may adopt and promulgate architectural standards for the University Estates neighborhood to promote the architectural, structural, aesthetic, and environmental concepts of the original development. These standards are in addition to any architectural criteria, building restrictions, or use restrictions contained in the Declaration. After careful deliberation, the ARC is considering adopting the following four standards:
- Exposed foundation elements.All exposed foundation elements of a dwelling, house, or other building or structure shall be aesthetically pleasing, as determined by the ARC. By way of example only, exposed foundation elements may be covered with brick, stucco, or siding. Any exposed foundation elements covered with material of the same type, color, and design as the adjacent exterior walls of the dwelling, house, or other building or structure, as such material has been approved by the ARC, shall be considered aesthetically pleasing. The ARC may, but is not required to, waive any requirement to cover exposed foundation elements where the portion of the foundation elements exposed above finished grade is no more than 18 inches.
- Fill material.Any fill material exposed above finished grade shall be sodded or otherwise landscaped in an aesthetically pleasing manner, as determined by the ARC. By way of example only, exposed fill material may be landscaped with mulch, pea gravel, lava rock, or approved shrubbery. Fill material may be surrounded by a retaining wall and backfilled, but any such retaining wall shall be aesthetically pleasing, as determined by the ARC.
- Roof material.The roof of any dwelling or house shall be covered with dimensional shingles. The roof of any other building or structure shall be covered with dimensional shingles or other material approved by the ARC. Proposed shingles or other roof material shall be included as part of the ARC review procedure specified in Paragraph 4.05 of the Declaration.
- Existing trees.To preserve the character of the development as a wooded neighborhood, existing trees shall not be cut, removed, or otherwise destroyed any sooner than 6 months before the expected commencement date for construction of improvements on a Lot. Unless expressly authorized by the ARC or by any provision of the Declaration or other architectural standards promulgated by the ARC, only trees that interfere with the location of a dwelling, house, or other approved building or structure may be removed. Any tree whose mature height is equal to or greater than the distance from that tree to any dwelling, house, or other approved building or structure, whether on the Owner’s Lot or on an adjacent Lot, shall be deemed to interfere with the location of a dwelling, house, or other approved building or structure and may be removed. The site plan required by Paragraph 4.05 of the Declaration shall expressly note the proposed area to be cleared of trees, or, if an area will not be cleared of trees, any individual trees the Owner proposes to remove. The ARC may require replacement of any tree that is removed from a Lot contrary to the provisions of this paragraph.
The ARC would like your thoughts on the proposed standards. As the ARC will decide towards the end of March whether to adopt and promulgate these standards, please provide any comments you may have to any member of the ARC or the Board of Directors no later than March 27, 2017.
Sincerely,
The Architectural Review Committee and the Board of Directors of the University Estates Homeowners Association