Community Beautification Standards

The following guidelines define community beautification standards that all Members of the Villages at Maxwell Creek HOA strive to maintain. While the intention is not to stifle creativity or personal expression, certain minimum standards must be established to ensure that no homeowner is treated unfairly or subjectively. These guidelines specifically address and expand the items listed in Article IV, Sections 1 and 2, and Article VI, Section 1 of the Covenants of the HOA.

Should there be a conflict between these guidelines and the Covenants, these guidelines take precedence only when they are less restrictive.

1. All yards must consist at a minimum of grass and garden areas. No artificial grass, plants or other artificial vegetation shall be placed or maintained on any Lot. Artificial flowers are permitted in pots, so long as they are not excessive. Yards may not consist primarily of dirt, rock, stone, cement, wood, plastic, mulch, or as a nature preserve.
2. All grass on a yard that is viewable from outside the property line must be no taller than 5 inches. Additionally, grass along any divisor should be no taller than the surrounding yard, and no edges may extend more than 1 inch past the divisor. Such divisors include, but are not limited to:
   1. Sidewalks
   2. Flower beds
   3. Garden areas
   4. Trees
   5. Fences
   6. Utility easements
3. A garden or flower bed area must extend along the width of the front of each home, and must consist at a minimum of bushes planted along the bed, each bush a minimum size of 5 gallons.
4. No weeds may be permitted to grow on any portions of a yard, flower beds, garden areas, or other similar sections of a yard separated by a divisor meant to create such an area that are visible from outside the property line.
5. Grass may not be permitted to grow in any flower beds, garden areas, or other similar sections of a yard separated by a divisor meant to create such an area that are visible from outside the property line.
6. All shrubs, bushes, ivy, vines, or other similar flora must be trimmed and maintained at a height no greater than the roof line of the home, or 10 feet, whichever is shorter.
7. The exterior of all homes must be in good condition. Brick, stone, cement, or other similar materials must be cleaned of any mold, mildew, or rust. Painted areas that are peeling, faded, rusted, or have other wear must be repaired.
8. All brick, stone, cement, or other similar materials on a home must be left in their natural state and may not be painted in any way.
9. All fences must be kept in good condition, and repaired or replaced when necessary. Wooden fences may be either natural or stained a shade of brown or other natural color. Iron fences may be either black or a shade of brown. Chain-link, vinyl, plastic, or other similar materials are not permitted.
10. All sheds or other storage buildings must have similar siding, roof, and colors of the home.
11. All exterior non-structural components of a home, including but not limited to gutters, siding, eaves, trim, doors, and shutters must be in earth-tone colors. Front doors of a home may be a color other than an earth tone, with prior Architectural Committee approval.
12. All windows on a home must be in good repair, including repairing broken or damaged glass, seals, trim, and screens.
13. No window-mounted air-conditioners, heaters, fans, filters or other similar equipment may be visible from the front of the home.
14. Materials such as newspaper, foil, sheets, or paper are not permitted after an initial six-week occupancy period has elapsed, however paper fan-folds are permitted as a permanent covering for accent windows. Recommended window coverings are two-inch blinds, shutters, drapes, or curtains.
15. Satellite dishes and other antennas must not be visible from the front of the home.
16. Trucks, trail bikes, recreational vehicles, motor homes, motor coaches, campers, trailers, or any other motorized vehicles other than passenger automobiles or pickup or utility trucks with a capacity of one ton or less shall not be maintained, parked, stored or in any way kept or placed on any portion of the Association Properties except in an enclosed garage, unless it is on a driveway in the rear of the property or if screened from view behind a solid fence located behind the building line. This restriction, however, shall not be deemed to prohibit commercial or construction vehicles, in the ordinary course of business, from making deliveries or otherwise providing a service to the Association Properties or for the initial construction by Declarant or other Owners.
17. Abandoned or inoperable automobiles or vehicles of any kind, except as hereinafter provided, shall not be maintained, parked, stored or in any way kept or placed on any portion of the Association Properties except in an enclosed garage, unless it is on a driveway in the rear of the property or if screened from view behind a solid fence located behind the building line. "Abandoned or inoperable vehicle" shall be defined as any vehicle that has not been driven under its own propulsion for a period of four weeks or longer.
18. Vehicles of any type may not be maintained, parked, stored or in any way kept or placed on any portion of a yard. Additional parking space must consist of a poured concrete slab, be adjacent to a pre-existing driveway, and may not visible from the front of the property.
19. No appliances, interior furniture, tools, carpet, toys, or building materials may be kept, stored, or otherwise placed on any portion of a lot which is visible from outside the property line. No fitness equipment, with the exception of permanently installed basketball hoops and backboards in the rear of the property, may be kept, stored, or otherwise placed on any portion of a lot which is visible from outside the property line.
20. Flags and flagpoles are considered a combined element and together must comply with Article IV, Section 1, paragraph c. of the Covenants of the Association. Vertical freestanding flagpoles are not permitted.
21. Exterior decorations specific to a particular holiday may not be displayed more than thirty days preceding nor more than thirty days following the holiday in question.

Failure to comply with the guidelines listed herein constitutes a violation of the Covenants of the HOA, which may be addressed and remedied at the sole discretion of the HOA according to the restrictions set forth in Article VI, Section 2.