Welcome to Monterey Park HOA

The CC&Rs require prior written approval from the Architectural Committee for almost any exterior change to your lot or home. The purpose is to keep the neighborhood looking consistent and to protect everyone's property values — a change that looks fine to one owner may clash with surrounding homes. Approval helps make sure work is compatible in style, scale, color, and materials with nearby properties. Bottom line: if it changes the exterior appearance, assume you need approval first.

A lot of them. Common examples include:

• Fences, patio covers, decks, gazebos, ramadas
• Driveway extensions, accessory structures and sheds
• Exterior color changes, gutters
• Satellite dishes, screen and security doors
• Pools and spas, play structures, solar panels
• Landscaping changes, front-yard hardscape
• Outdoor lighting, any addition or alteration to the home

When in doubt, ask the management company before you start.

A few maintenance items are exempt:

• Repainting or re-staining in the same existing color
• Roof replacement with the same color and style
• Replacing a broken HVAC unit in the same or substantially the same location
• Removing a dead tree (but it's your responsibility to be sure it's actually dead)

Anything that changes the appearance does need a request.

Contact the management company to get the current architectural guidelines and application form. Your application must describe the work in detail, include any plans or drawings the Committee asks for (such as a plot plan for fences or driveway extensions), and include any applicable review fee.

The Committee makes a good-faith effort to respond within 30 days of receiving a complete application — confirm they actually received your submission.

Start as soon as practical. You should begin and diligently pursue the work within 60 days of approval, and all work must be completed within one year of the approval date.

No. ARC approval is separate from any permits or approvals required by the city, county, state, or federal government. It is your responsibility to obtain those, and an ARC approval does not mean your project complies with zoning or building codes. You're strongly encouraged to consult independent architects or engineers to be sure your work is safe and code-compliant.

Yes. Landscaping improvements require prior written approval and must be installed according to plans approved by the Committee. Front-yard hardscape (patios, walkways, retaining walls, decorative walls, fountains, etc.) needs approval, and rear-yard hardscape visible from neighboring property does too.

You need prior written approval to remove a live tree, unless it's very small — under 2 inches in diameter measured 2 feet above the ground. Dead trees can be removed without approval regardless of size, but it's on you to make sure the tree is actually dead.

All landscaping must be kept neat and attractive. At a minimum that means:

• Watering, mowing, edging, pruning
• Removing dead or dying plants
• Pulling weeds and noxious grasses
• Removing trash

Owners are also responsible for maintaining the strip between their lot and the street curb.

If landscaping wasn't installed by the builder, you have 120 days after becoming the owner to install landscaping and irrigation according to approved plans. Until then, the visible portion of your lot must be kept weed-free. If an owner doesn't landscape in time, the Association can do it and bill the owner.

Park in your garage or on your own driveway. Parking in the front yard (other than the driveway) is prohibited, and parking on the street within the community is generally prohibited. Vehicles too large to fit on a driveway may park on the street directly in front of the owner's lot during daylight hours only — at night they must be in the garage or off the property. No vehicle may block a sidewalk.

Not where it's visible. Boats, campers, RVs, ATVs, trailers, tractors, and mowers can't be regularly parked on the street, and on a lot they must be kept in an enclosed garage or screened out of sight. Larger vehicles (over 23 feet long, or over 7 feet high or wide) are prohibited unless parked in the rear or side yard where they aren't visible from neighboring property.

A guest's oversized vehicle may be parked on the owner's lot only while the guest is visiting, and never for more than 7 days within any 6-month period.

The Association has the right to have it towed at the vehicle owner's expense.

Yes, with prior written approval. Standard perimeter fencing must be black wrought iron or black aluminum, maximum 5 feet tall (brick or stone columns within the fence line are allowed). Chain link, split rail, wood, vinyl privacy, and dog runs are not permitted.

Several:

• No fencing is allowed in the front yard
• Side-yard fencing can't be closer to the street than the rear corners of the house
• Screen fencing around a patio, deck, pool, or trash area may be approved up to 6 feet
• A plot plan or survey showing exact fence location and dimensions must be submitted with your request
• Fences built over easements may have to be removed at the owner's expense

Containers can go out no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before pickup and must be brought back in by 9:00 p.m. on pickup day. At all other times they must be stored out of sight, screened from streets and neighbors. The trash service provider is selected by the Association.

Dogs, cats, and other common household pets are fine for personal (non-commercial) use. No livestock, poultry, exotic pets, poisonous reptiles, or aggressive dog breeds without proper training. The limit is no more than 3 dogs, 3 cats, and/or 3 of any other household pet (excluding fish). Pets must be leashed on Association property at all times, and owners must clean up after them.

Most signs need prior written approval. Exceptions include:

• One "for sale" sign no larger than 30" x 24"
• Political signs — which may be displayed from 45 days before an election to 7 days after, generally one sign up to 24" x 24" unless local ordinance says otherwise

Generally yes, but they're regulated and usually need approval. Solar collectors must be roof- or façade-mounted and screened from common or public view where possible. Satellite dishes and antennas have detailed placement rules designed to keep them out of sight from neighbors while still allowing a usable signal. Submit a request with a diagram showing size and location.

Temporary holiday decorations are permitted October 1 through January 31. For other holidays, decorations may go up one week before and must come down one week after.

Assessments fund the Association's common expenses — maintaining common areas, stormwater facilities, insurance, landscaping in rights-of-way, and general operations. Paying them is a binding obligation that comes with owning your lot.

If an assessment goes unpaid for 30+ days, late charges apply, the unpaid amount becomes a lien against your lot, voting rights can be suspended, and the Association can pursue collection including foreclosure.

Yes. After notice and an opportunity to be heard, the Board may impose fines (up to $100 per violation, and additional daily amounts can apply for ongoing violations). Unpaid fines become a lien just like unpaid assessments.

The Association is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors elected by the community. Regular Board meetings are held quarterly, and an annual meeting of all members is held on a date set by the Board.

The Declaration (CC&Rs), Bylaws, Architectural & Landscape Guidelines, and other Association documents are available through the management company's online portal at kuster.com.

There are three main documents: the Declaration (CC&Rs), the Bylaws, and the Architectural & Landscape Guidelines. If they ever conflict, the Declaration controls over the Bylaws and Guidelines. This FAQ is a plain-language summary only — always check the full documents for the complete and exact rules.