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Association provisions often require that an application be submitted and call for detailed plans and drawings. Owners are typically also required to specify materials and colors to be used. Care should be taken that the rules themselves are sufficiently specific regarding these matters. Requirements that plans call for “similar or complementary colors and materials” to the home on the lot, or “style compatible with” the home are subjective terms: similarity and compatibility may be in the eye of the beholder. Since individual senses of style and color vary, it is better to require either that the specific color(s) of the home’s siding or trim be used or to specify a list of approved colors. You may also require that wood structures be stained to match the home’s trim or a uniform color association-wide. If there are size limitations on a certain type of structure, check that there are rules that apply to alternate types of structures, in order to avoid unintended consequences. An example is an association with a rule that limits the size of a roofed shelter over a patio, but is silent regarding open structures. Though the 400 sq. ft. shelter may be rejected as exceeding its 200 sq. ft. limit, there may be no grounds based upon size to reject an 800 sq. ft. pergola in the same location.