Architectural Request Review Instruction Guide

Transcription

1 Architectural Request Review Instruction Guide Different Focus Different Tools Different Service Different Results Copyright All Rights Reserved Community Association Management, Limited P.O. Box Charlotte, NC For assistance, please call: or Or send an e mail to Csr@CommunityAssociationManagement.com Version

2 ARC Change/Review Process Prior to making exterior changes to their property, most associations governing documents requiree the homeowners to submit their request for approval by the Board or an Architectural Review Committee appointed by the Board. To assist in this process, we provide your homeowners with a standard architectural form that requests specific information on the proposed change. The form is available to homeowners via your association s website (located in the document library), or by contacting our office. 2

3 Receiving a New ARC Request A homeowner may submit a request for consideration in three ways. The request and supporting documents can be mailed to our office, faxed, or submitted electronically through your association s website. If the request is submitted to us via mail, the request and supporting documentation are imaged by our staff and attached to the owner s account as a permanent record. If the request is submitted electronically via your association s website, it is automatically added to the owner s account. To enter the request from your association s website, the homeowner will click the Submit ARC Requests link on the left side bar then select the New ACC Request button to begin the process. After picking the Type of Request from the drop down list, the homeowner must click the Browse button to upload the completed ARC Request form and other required documentation. Then after entering a description of the request, the homeowner will click the Submit ACC Request button and their request will be submitted for review. 3

4 After the request is received by our office, we review it at a high level to ensure that a minimum of required supporting documentationn is included. If not, we automatically deny the request and send a letter to the owner noting the missing items that are required for processing. The reason the request is denied is to ensure that we receive all relevant information to make a decision while avoiding the request being automatically approved under your governing documents ARC Guidelines. Viewing the ARC Request Once the request has been received, the Board or your designated ARC committee willl receive an notification. To access the new ARC Request, go to your association s website and enter your login information. Select the Board Member ACC Review link located under Board Overview available on the left side bar. Please note: Only board members or ARC committee members properly setup in our system will be able to view the pending requests. If you cannot view the Architectural Request Review menu item, please contact our office so that we may update the ARC committee directory. 4

5 Note: By default, only Open/Pending Requests will display on the right side of the screen. If you need to access Completed Requests instead, just click the circle to the left of that option and update the date range. Click the Refresh Display button to change the items being displayed. To view the details about the new ARC Request, click on any of the underlined fields associated with it. 5

6 The request details will display on the screen below the list of all Open/Pending Requests. The Note that the homeowner entered while submitting the request can be viewed. Our Property Manager or ARC Department has also entered a recommendation for your consideration. From the Attachment section, you can view the supporting documentation (e.g. ARC request form, plat map, photos, etc.) provided by the homeowner. To open the attachment, click the magnifying glass icon and select the Open button. Note: The homeowner may have entered the supporting documentation as separate files. Use the drop down arrow to the right of the file name to check for additional attachments and open each one individually using the magnifying glass icon. 6

7 Committee Review After reviewing the submitted request and documentation, use the ARC Notes section to communicate with other committee members concerning the request and to provide your recommendation. Enter a note in the New ARC Note field then click the Submit ARC Note button to save your comments. An e mail update will be sent to all ARC committee members to notify them of your input. They can also view your notes from the website as they review the request and add their own comments. 7

8 Decisioning an ARC Request After all committee members have had an opportunity to review and comment on the ARC request, the ARC Chairman or designated backup should enter the final decision into the ARC Response section so that the homeowner may be notified. Change the Status field to indicate if the request has been Approved, Denied, or granted Partial Approval. Use the Comments or Stipulations field to enter additional remarks thatt should be included in the response to the homeowner. Requests that are approved without conditions/restrictions do not require any elaboration and are typically noted in the approval letter as approved as requested. Generally, it is preferred that any approval with conditions, partial approvals, or denials include specific reasons for the denial or a list of conditions the Board/Committee wants met as part of the approval. For example, homeowners submit a request to paint all or a portion of the home in a color scheme that is inconsistent with the standards of the neighborhood. A denial would include the reason for the denial to let the homeowners know what other options are open if they choose to resubmit a request for a different color scheme. After the comments have been added, click the Submit ARC Response button to submit the final decision to Community Association Management for final processing. Once we receivee your 8

9 instructions, we will process the approval or denial letter with any conditions or instructions you provided and mail it to the homeowner within one business day. Note: We must always have an updated list of the current ARC Members and Chairpersons in order to grant access to this module. Auto Approval of Lingering Requests A decision should be made concerning each ARC Requests within a reasonable amount of time. Most associations documents say requests that are not approved or denied by the Board/Committee within 30 days are deemed automatically approved. To avoid this situation, you may deny the request if you need additional information prior to making the decision. To prevent unintended, automatic approvals of requests thatt are left with an Open status, an e mail notification will be sent to the Board/Committeee members when the auto approval date is approaching. 9

10 At that time, a final decision should be entered in the ARC Response section so that the response can be finalized and the homeowner notified. Note: If no response is entered by the auto approval deadline as outlined in your community s governingg documents, then the Status field will be automatically changed to Approved and the homeowner will be notified that they can proceed with the request as submitted. An e mail notification will also be sent to the Board/Committee members notifying of the auto approval. 10

11 Responsibilities of the ARC Committee The ARC committee (if one exists) is appointed by the Board of Directors and has limited authority. The committee can only approve or deny requests based upon the governing documents or the standards adopted by the Board of Directors. Any requests for approval that fall outside of this realm must be sent to the Board for a variance. The ARC may also include its recommendation to the Board for approval or denial. This allows the Board to review and render a final decision. Situations may involve additions to the house, or other major items not covered in the governing documents. The Board should review and decide if a precedent should be set by allowing the request. Requests may be denied for non payment of dues, violations, requirements of your governing documents, ARC standards & guidelines, or pure aesthetics. Neither the ARC nor the Board is responsible for reviewing plans to ensure that the owners are in compliance with setbacks, building codes, or any other ordinances. It is the homeowner s responsibility to ensure that all building codes are met, permits obtained, utility lines located, property lines and setbacks observed, etc. The Responsibility of the ARC Committee is simply to help maintain the overall look of the community by ensuring the standards or the governing documents are followed in respect to the proposed improvement. 11