Norchester Home Owners Association
Architectural Policies
Why Do We Need Architectural Control?
"Maintaining a consistent and harmonious neighborhood, one that is architecturally and artistically pleasing, confers a benefit on the homeowners by maintaining the value of their properties."
Preserving "the aesthetic quality and property values within the community" is recognized by courts as an "important function" of a home owners association.
It is to the benefit of every Norchester Property Owner to adhere to the By-Laws and Deed Restrictions. An important part of the Norchester By-Laws and Deed Restrictions establishes Architectural Control. The original theme for homes in Norchester was to have natural colors, mostly shades of brown, tan, and white, without glaring exceptions to distract from the natural, harmonious beauty of the entire neighborhood.
Deed Restrictions can cover everything from the type of fencing, to the type of roof, or features in a home’s front yard. The HOA may regulate the color of paint applied to a home, and the style of windows that face the street. There is an Architectural Control Committee (ACC) that reviews all Owner requests for meaningful changes to the exterior of your home. The goal is not to meddle, it is to maintain a neighborhood aesthetic and harmony of style within the neighborhood.
Members of the Architectural Control Committee (ACC)
Carmi Sullivan
Don Cutter
J.M.Mandujano
Email to ACC
If you decide you want to make some changes to your home, then follow these steps.
Outline of steps to get your project implemented (Simplified Version):
1. Decide what you want to do
2. Provide plans that adequately describe what you want to do – get professional help if you cannot do this on your own
3. Fill out the ACC Form
4. Mail the form and the plans to Cathy Dunn using the address on the ACC Form
5. If you are not contacted within 30 days, contact Cathy Dunn (use Email form on this page)
6. If your request is accepted, stick to what was accepted
7. If your request was denied, communicate with the Committee
8. If you still have a problem, contact the Board of Directors
(The Full Version below is the controlling procedure.)
Asbestos caution note:
Some homes in Norchester built before 1980 may have used asbestos siding. If you are considering changes to the outside of your home, you should check for the presence of asbestos siding before doing any demolition. Asbestos siding is generally not a problem unless it is disturbed by removal or modification. Asbestos abatement should be left to professionals, not to a remodeling company. For more complete information on this subject, please refer to the following website: www.asbestos.com/abatement-guide.
Pertinent related information to be aware of -
Harris County Engineering Department - Permits Division
Did you know you need permits for development in unincorporated Harris County? This includes, but is not limited to, additions to your home, remodeling, placing fill material (i.e. dirt) on your property, placing a mobile home on your property, etc.
Skip the line and apply online. Please visit Harris County Permits Home Page (www.eng.hctx.net/permits).
Architectural Control Committee (Full Version)
The ACC is composed of three Members, who ordinarily are owners of homes in Norchester who have been Professional Architects, Engineers, or Builders, and who have had building experience. They are appointed by the Board of Directors.
An Owner planning an addition to their home must submit a completed Home Improvement Form to the Norchester Architectural Control Committee (ACC), a written and signed request for approval. The Owner’s request shall include Professional Architectural structural Plans and Specifications, and a Certified Surveyor plot plan. Actual samples of brick, shingles, and paint samples should accompany their request. If only minor repairs are proposed, manufacturer’s samples may be sufficient.
Unless the Committee’s approval of the project proposal is first obtained, work on any Improvement shall not be undertaken.
The proposed project shall be submitted on the “Home Improvement Request Form”, which can be downloaded from the web site, www.norchester.org, and ACC Form.
Once a project of improvement has been duly approved by the ACC, no material modifications shall be made to the approved plans and specifications; and, subsequent alterations, relocations, additions, or modifications shall not be made to the project, as approved, without an additional submittal to, and review and approval by, the Committee.
Although it is recognized that the Committee’s determination to approve or disapprove an improvement will, of necessity, be subjective to some degree; however, the members of the Committee shall strive to act reasonably and in good faith. Factors commonly considered by the Committee in reviewing proposed improvements include the quality of workmanship and materials proposed for the improvement project; the harmony of the proposed improvement’s exterior design, finish materials, and color with that of near-by existing structures; and the proposed location of the improvement in relation to existing Norchester’s Common Areas and other structures. Owners are notified as soon as their application is approved. An Owner may seek reconsideration of any Architectural Control Committee application rejection by a written request to the full Board of Directors within 15 days after a rejection.
The Committee may, on occasions, determine that a proposed Improvement or a component of it is unacceptable when proposed on a particular lot, even if the same or a similar improvement or a component has previously been approved for use at another location within the Subdivision. Factors such as visibility from roads, Common Areas, or prior adverse experience with the product or component used in construction of the Improvement, design of the Improvement, or its use at other locations within the Properties may mitigate against construction of the Improvement, or use of a particular component of it, on the lot involved in the Owner’s submittal.
Preliminary Application: To afford an Owner who is proposing to make substantial Improvements an opportunity to obtain guidance and comment from the ACC before expending substantial sums on complete plans and specifications, any Owner may apply to the Committee for preliminary approval of the proposed Improvement project. If contemplating building a new home, the proposed project shall include in the preliminary application a Professional Registered Architect’s set of Plans and Specifications, a Professional Surveyor’s plat, and the Owner’s proposed construction schedule.
Applications for preliminary approval shall be considered and processed as follows:
(i) Any application for preliminary approval shall be in writing and shall present sufficient detail to apprise the ACC of the general nature, location, dimensions, and contemplated exterior colors and finishes of the proposed Improvement.
(ii) Within 30 days after receipt of the application for preliminary approval, the ACC shall grant the preliminary approval only if the proposed Improvement, to the extent that its nature and characteristics are shown by the application, would be entitled to a final approval on the basis of a full and complete application. Failure of the ACC to act within 60 days after the submittal date shall constitute a preliminary approval.
(iii) Any preliminary approval granted by the ACC shall be effective for a period of 90 days from the date of issuance or such longer period as the Committee, in its discretion, may grant. During that period, any application for final approval that presents complete Plans and Specifications for the proposed Improvements, consistent with the provisions of the preliminary approval and are otherwise acceptable under the terms of this Declaration and by the Architectural Standards, shall be approved by the ACC.
(iv) In no event shall any preliminary approval of a proposed Improvement be deemed to constitute final approval authorizing construction of the Improvement. The purpose of the preliminary review procedure is to give the Owner a measure of security to proceed with the proposed Improvement project and to commit any funds to it. Final approval shall be based on a complete submittal conforming to the ACC requirements.
Final Application: Regardless of whether an Owner elects to seek preliminary approval of a proposed Improvement, every Owner, who seeks to undertake any work of Improvement, must apply to the ACC and to receive its prior approval. The application shall be in writing and shall contain all information that is necessary to reasonably evaluate the nature, design, location, and extent of the proposed Improvement. A completed ACC Form for the Improvement project completed with such additional information and material samples as the Committee may reasonably request, shall be submitted.
If the contemplated Improvement project is of a nature that does not merit extensive plans and specifications, the ACC may waive or modify any of the above plans and specification requirements on receipt of a written request from the applicant to do so.
Applications should be filled out with as much detail as possible. The ACC Form, supporting documents, and samples shall be submitted to the ACC via the instructions at the bottom of the ACC Form.
During the course of construction, representatives of the ACC shall have the right to inspect the jobsite to confirm that the Improvement project is proceeding in accordance with the approved plans and specifications. On the completion of any work of Improvements for which ACC approval is required, the Owner shall give the ACC a written notice of completion. Within 30 days thereafter, the ACC may inspect the Improvement to determine whether it was constructed, reconstructed, altered, or refinished in substantial compliance with the approval plans. If the ACC finds that the Improvement was not erected, constructed, or installed in substantial compliance with the Owner’s approved plans, then within the 30-day inspection period the Committee shall give the Owner a written notice of noncompliance detailing those aspects of the Improvement project that must be modified, completed, or corrected. If for any reason the ACC fails to notify the Owner of any noncompliance within 30 days after receiving the Owner’s notice of completion, the Improvement shall be deemed to have been constructed in accordance with the approved plans for the project.
If the Owner fails to remedy any noticed noncompliance within 30 days from the date of such notification, the ACC shall notify the Board in writing of such failure. The Board shall then set a date on which a hearing before the Board shall be held regarding the alleged noncompliance. The hearing date shall not be more than 30 days and not less than 15 days after the Board issued the notice of the noncompliance to the Owner, to the ACC and, in the discretion of the Board, to any other interested party.
