Architectural review

Architectural review is the committee or board process that approves exterior changes. The committee only has the power the declaration actually grants, and some states require written, evenhanded decisions. Most CC&Rs say you can't change the look of the house — paint, fence, roof, landscaping, solar, a shed — without prior written approval from an architectural review committee (ARC), architectural control committee (ACC), or the board sitting as one. That committee is not a second city hall. It's a private body whose power is whatever the declaration granted, plus any statute that limits how that power can be used. Nolo's CC&R guide is full of the everyday list: paint color, fences, sheds, basketball hoops, clotheslines, satellite dishes, garbage-can screening. If you're planning a pool or an addition, the CC&Rs are the first stop, and the ARC application is usually the second. Skipping the application is how people end up with a removal order and a fine, even when the city already permitted the work. City approval does not replace association approval. Association approval does not replace a building permit. California Civil Code section 4765 applies if the governing documents require association approval before a member may make a physical change to a separate interest or to the common area.

This is general information from an AI helper, not legal advice. Confirm it against your documents and your state's law. If a deadline or hearing is coming up, talk to a licensed lawyer.