To determine which design standards apply to your lot/house, you need to know which section/phase of the subdivision your lot is located in. By using the subdivision maps, one can easily determine the appropriate section/phase and therefore find the correct design standards.
Design standards for Cave Creek (pdf)
Design standards for Sonora Springs (pdf)
You can download the following document here.
Policy 2020-001 (AC units)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant interpretation on determining the effective screening from “public place or adjoining lot” for Evaporative or refrigerated air coolers (AC units)
The DRC and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not compliant with covenants regarding effective screening of the AC units.
The covenants provide some guidance regarding compliance but additional clarification was required to ensure consistent application and enforcement. The DRC will use the following process to determine what is meant by the “public place or adjoining lot” in our covenants.
SPECIFICS: The existing property lines on each side of an identified property/residence will theoretically be extending past their sidewalk and across the street and past the sidewalk on the other side of the street. The area created by theoretically extending the property lines will be used as the “public place or adjoining lot” to determine if the AC unit(s) is effectively screened. No more than 4 inches of the AC units should be visible from the “public place or adjoining lot”.
Should more that 4 inches be visible the AC unit and residence is not in compliance with the Covenants.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
Policy 2020-002 (Solar Panels)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant interpretation on determining whether solar Equipment (Solar Panels) are in compliance with our covenants.
The DRC and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to ensure solar panels are installed in compliance with our covenants.
The covenants provide requires ensuring solar panels are not visible from the streets by having them kept in “enclosed structures” to the extent “reasonably” possible. The DRC will use the following process to determine compliance.
SPECIFICS: Visible from the “street” shall use the same criteria as per policy 2020-001. Solar Panel shall be hidden behind parapets walls if possible, by minimizing their slope. Some solar panels visibility can be minimized by ensuring the panels are installed to conform and match the slope of the existing roof. If possible, the trim of the panels should match the color of the roof.
The property owner will attempt to fully comply with this policy.
Policy 2022-003 (Residential exterior paint colors)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant/design standards interpretation on determining whether the proposed exterior residential (home) color is in conformance with our covenant/design standards.
SRSSOA covenant current language.
II H. All buildings constructed in the Subdivisions shall be frame and stucco, adobe, rammed earth or other such surfaces and material as many be authorized by the Design Review Committee. Brick and wood siding are not acceptable surfaces. Garages, carports and permitted accessory building shall conform in material and design to the dwelling to which they pertain. No metal storage building shall be allowed on any lot unless fully shielded and screened from view from any street and any other lot either abutting or otherwise. Only exterior surface materials in desert tone colors (including tones of brown, tan and rose), shall be used for any residence accessory structure, wall or fence. The construction of each building must comply with the New Mexico Uniform Building Code or the Building Code enforced by the City of Las Cruces.
The following language from the design standards:
The primary areas of concern addressed by these Design Standards are site development, Architectural character and landscape appearance, especially as these relate to harmonious relationships with the existing terrain and among neighboring homes. In general, the goals are to minimize harsh contrast in the landscape, to reserve pleasing and significant natural systems and to encourage architecture appropriate to this unique environment.
POLICY STATEMENT:
The Design Review Committee (DRC) and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not in compliance with covenants regarding the exterior surface materials in desert tone colors (including tones of brown, tan and rose). The DRC attempts to evaluate all proposed colors but will direct owners to select color in the brown, tan spectrum for their residence exterior color. All owners are asked to request approval from the DRC prior to initiating any change in exterior color for their residence.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
Policy 2022-004 (Satellite dishes)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant/design standards interpretation on determining action to be taken in evaluating the location and placement of Satellite dishes.
SRSSOA covenant current language.
8) ANTENNAE, EQUIPMENT, PIPES, UTILITY LINES, AND TRANSMITTERS.
A. Pipes for water, gas, sewer, drainage, or other purpose, and wires, poles, aerials, antennae, satellite dishes and other facilities for the transmission or reception of audio or visual signals or electricity, and utility meters or other utility facilities, such as solar equipment, shall be kept and maintained, to the extent reasonably possible, underground or within an enclosed structure and shall not be visible from the street. Any items that cannot meet these requirements shall be subject to the approval of the Design Review Committee. No transmission towers, or microwave equipment shall be erected or placed on the property.
POLICY STATEMENT:
The Design Review Committee (DRC) and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not in compliance with covenants regarding limiting the visibility of satellite dishes.
The DRC will recommend Satellite dishes shall be hidden as reasonably possible. This can be done by limiting the number of Satellite dishes per residence, removing visible Satellite dishes, placing them at the rear of the residence roof if practical or utilizing a color that blends in with the roof tile.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.
Policy 2022-005 (SIGNS AND FLAGS/PENNANTS)
Design Review Committee’s (DRC) covenant/design standards interpretation on what is approved by the Design Review Committee.
SRSSOA covenant current language.
9) SIGNS.
No billboards or advertising signs of any character shall be erected, placed, permitted, or maintained on any residential lot or on any building erected thereon, other than one (1) name plate of the occupant of any residence upon which his or her professional or occupational title may also be added, and provided no such sign or name plate shall exceed a size of one square foot, and no such sign shall be lighted. Provided, however, that permission is granted for the erection and maintenance of not more than one signboard to each building site during the course of construction of a new single-family dwelling and upon its completion, during the course of its initial sale, or resale, which signboard shall not exceed forty-eight (48) square feet. Notwithstanding anything herein contained to the contrary, nothing herein shall be construed to prevent the Developer from erecting, placing, or maintaining sign structures and offices as may be determined necessary by the Developer to promote sale and development of lots or properties within the subdivision.
10) FLAGS/PENNANTS
No flags or pennants may be used in the subdivisions on homes or lots without the approval of the Design Review Committee.
POLICY STATEMENT:
The Design Review Committee (DRC) and the SRSSOA board have approved and adopted this policy to uniformly and consistently determine if a residence is or is not in compliance with covenants regarding SIGNS, FLAGS/PENNANTS.
No signs shall be allowed, except as approved by the DRC. The DRC understands or believes that the initial intent of the Covenants was not to allow political signs (small candidate signs) that crop up during election times. The DRC to our knowledge (prior to 2022) has not enforced this provision of the covenants and anticipate not doing so in the future provided the signs are placed and removed in conformance with City policies.
If signs/flags/pennants are not approved, the DRC will require all residents to remove all unapproved signs/flags/pennants. This policy also applies to inappropriate or vulgar sign/flag/pennant as determined by the DRC.
The property owner will be required to take appropriate action to comply with the covenant.