EAGLE ROCK RESERVE
DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
ARCHITECTURAL REVIEW PROCESS
AND
DESIGN GUIDELINES
July 2009
Review Process and Design Guidelines
Table of Contents
Welcome 3
The Design Review Committee 3
Beginning the Planning of Your Home 4
Selecting Professional Consultants 5
Part 1 Review Process
1.A. Overview 6
Green Designs 6
Schedule of Submissions 7
1.B. The Design Documents 8
1.C. Submission of Design Documents and Initial Review 10
1.D. The Construction Documents 11
1.E. Building and Other Permits 11
1.F. Final Inspection 11
Part 2 The Design Guidelines
2.1 Building size and location 12
2.2 Site Grading and Berms 13
2.3 Foundation Elements 13
2.4 Retaining Walls 14
2.5 Exterior Walls 14
2.6 Log Homes 14
2.7 Roof Materials and Elements 15
2.8 Chimneys 15
2.9 Columns 16
2.10 Window Openings 16
2.11 Garages 16
2.12 Driveways and Parking Areas 17
2.13 Separate Structures 17
2.14 Lighting 17
2.15 Antennas and Satellite Dishes 17
2.16 Landscaping and Vegetation 18
2.17 Ponds 19
2.18 Fencing, Windbreaks, and Privacy Screens 19
2.19 Electrical Meters, Propane Tanks and Solar Panels 19
2.20 Outdoor Furnishings 19
2.21 Kennels 20
2.22 Fire Protection 20
2.23 Additions and Remodels 20
3. Appendices
A. Parcel Characteristics and Specials Conditions Table 21
B. Resources for Pond Construction 23
WELCOME TO EAGLE ROCK RESERVE
The Design Review Committee of Eagle Rock Reserve Owners’ Association welcomes you and your interest in building on the Reserve. It has assembled these Guidelines to assist you, your architect and your builder in planning your new home or planning improvements you may wish to make to existing structures on the Reserve.
Each Parcel owner automatically becomes a member of the Association upon purchase and is bound by the Covenants and rulings of the Eagle Rock Reserve Owners’ Association and, as may be applicable, rulings of the Design Review Committee regarding construction of buildings and improvements on the Reserve. The Committee and the Association have the right, authority and power to legally enforce the Covenants and Guidelines when it reasonably believes they have been violated.
We hope this manual will help you understand the covenants, procedures and architectural standards adopted by the Reserve. It will be modified from time to time to keep pace with advances in both building and materials technology as well as any changes to the Covenants or the evolving needs and desires of Eagle Rock Reserve Owners' Association.
Surrounded by open meadows, forests and mountains, Eagle Rock Reserve has a unique location and spectacular scenery. Close to town but at the edge of forested public lands, the Reserve has been planned for a limited number of private, high quality homes which maintain a harmonious interface with its open feeling and the natural beauty of its lands. Acting as a buffer between the uninhabited forests to the south and the rapid urban development of Bozeman, the owners of the Reserve wish to maintain its scenery, wildlife habitat, agricultural lands and natural beauty to the greatest extent possible while still providing the opportunity for high quality living and recreation.
Careful planning and cooperation among its residents are necessary to preserve and balance all these elements. A key element in maintaining the open appearance of the Reserve is the siting of homes. Home sites have been carefully selected to minimize their impact on each other and leave their best views unobstructed and naturally framed. However, no owner should expect a full unobstructed 360 degree view from any site.
The Committee recognizes that each parcel of land is unique as are the personality and desires of each owner. These Guidelines are intended to ensure compliance with the Covenants; ensure the preservation of the natural beauty of the Reserve; allow homeowners individual expression; retain the special aesthetic and recreational environment; and, maintain home values and the high quality established as the standard throughout the Reserve.
THE DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE
The Design Review Committee has been established in accordance with the Covenants of the Reserve. Its membership is elected by the members of the Owners' Association based on their interest, ability and experience. The Design Review Committee is charged with many duties concerning architectural control as described in Article 6 of the Covenants. These duties include the review and approval or disapproval of all design documents and plans for buildings and constructed landscape features; the establishment and publication of guidelines; and inspection of completed construction to determine compliance with approved documents.
In reviewing building documents, the Committee is guided by the Covenants, these Guidelines and the characteristics of each individual site with the objective of ensuring that improvements harmonize with the land and the setting and do not overly dominate them. The Committee is not responsible for determining the structural safety or engineering soundness of building design documents and plans or their conformance with required codes.
Any questions you may have concerning these Guidelines or the review process should be addressed to the Committee's Chair.
BEGINNING THE PLANNING OF YOUR NEW HOME
The timeline for each building project will vary, but, as a very rough rule of thumb, the design and approval process often takes a year or more to complete. Construction, once the design documents have been approved, usually takes at least a year. Weather is a major factor affecting construction and landscaping and cannot be predicted. Be sure to allow yourself ample extra time so that the process does not become more stressful than need be.
Before beginning the design process, we suggest that you acquaint yourself with the spirit of the Reserve and its amenities. Spend some time at your home site. Get a feeling for the daily and seasonal patterns of light. Think about the weather and its potential impact on your site and prospective residence. Pick out the special views and anticipate when you would enjoy them most. Remember, you may want to enjoy both distant views and closer, more intimate scenery. Think about ways to achieve both by taking advantage of your site's natural topography as well as designs and materials that will harmonize the building with its surroundings. Visit neighboring sites to become sensitive to the impact that one site and house may have on another.
Also, read the Covenants and these Guidelines again so that you are familiar with them. Be sure you are familiar with any special characteristics and conditions applicable to your site, particularly height restrictions that may be different than the maximum expressed in the Covenants. (See Parcel Characteristics and Special Conditions in the Appendix)
You will also find it useful to discuss your observations about the parcel with the resident General Manager. The Manager knows the property well and can be of assistance with information about special weather considerations and many other matters such as fire safety and potential areas for snow drifting.
At the beginning of the design process, schedule a meeting with the Design Review Committee, along with your professionals, so that it’s members can verify if your design ideas conform to established practice or not. They will also explain the concepts of the Guidelines to follow and how your house and driveway may best fit into your site. Committee members will share with you their experience gained from reviewing the design documents of many other houses in Eagle Rock Reserve.
The Committee has learned from experience that retention of design professionals, including an architect, is of considerable benefit to everyone in the planning, review and building process - and most particularly in the final results. Professional assistance is required for all owners for all development on the Reserve.
The most inappropriate and objectionable designs are typically those which result from attempts to reduce costs or save time by the use of kits or prefabs, modules and/or the adaptation of building systems or pre-drawn plans more suited to other uses, climates or terrain.
It is important that you share these Guidelines with your professional team during initial discussions of your building plans. This will ensure that both the owners and the professionals will understand the Covenants, these Guidelines and the review process. Do not forget that proper planning takes time. It is, however, well worth it.
Be sure to schedule enough time to accomplish the numerous reviews you will want with your professionals as well as allow 45 days for the Design Review Committee to do its work with respect to each submission. Design Review Committee members are volunteers who are busy with their jobs and families. They try to respond promptly to owners’ concerns and submittals. Maintaining contact with them throughout the project and keeping them informed will make it easier for them to anticipate your needs and respond quickly.
SELECTING PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANTS
You will require a surveyor, an architect, landscape architect, a builder, and, perhaps, professional engineering advice on soils and wells. (All sites will need a well and septic system.).
You should retain a surveyor as soon as possible so that a detailed topographic (contour) map of your site can be prepared. This map, or site survey, will be necessary for your design documents and both you and your architect will need it to start the planning and design of your home. The site survey must show the house site stake, contours of the land, existing roads and driveways, the boundaries of the three acre DRA (designated residential area), and the site's principal land forms, vegetation and scenery. An accurate survey will also be needed by your builder and for landscaping. Please see Part 1, Section B, #1, Site Survey, on page 8 for details.
The sooner you select an architect, the greater his or her contribution can be. The character of the site, the location of the house site stake, and the need to fit the house into the landscape without overly dominating the land or neighboring houses will greatly influence the design process. Proper design for weather protection, sun angles and the orientation of windows and overhangs is particularly important. Also, depending on the site and what is already known, your architect may need data and recommendations regarding underlying soils and their impact on the foundation design. If so, it may be advisable to retain a qualified soils specialist to take borings and make a soils report early in the design process. The soil tests are necessary in siting the septic system and well which must meet Gallatin County regulations.
The Manager will know which surveyor(s) and other professionals are familiar with the Reserve and will be happy to share this information with you. All of the professionals assisting you with your designs and, of course, your builder should be thoroughly familiar with these Guidelines, and, particularly, the section(s) which affect their services.
Part 1 – THE REVIEW PROCESS
1.A. OVERVIEW
The Design Review process attempts to follow the normal steps in the planning and building of any good quality private residence. The Design Review Committee focuses primarily on the Design Documents as described in these Guidelines on the assumption that the owner will complete the structure and landscaping to accurately reflect the Design Documents. The Committee expects an acceptable structure to follow from the approved documents.
With their combined experience and knowledge of the history of building on the Reserve, Committee members can anticipate problems and offer tried solutions. The review process, when followed, should not only prevent expensive false starts but also allow the owner and builder to make appropriate changes when needed.
The review process also applies to any improvements by Owners which have a visual impact on the Reserve, including but not limited to:
· Additions and accessory buildings;
· Decks, terraces, walls, fences, antennas, walks, paving or any other visible structures;
· Driveways and parking areas;
· All major land alterations, including grading, excavation, the building of berms, removal of major trees or other plantings, or any other alteration affecting the nature of the Reserve’s scenery, natural environment or operation.
· Major landscaping, mass planting for screening or plantings which may obstruct the views from a neighboring site.
Owners wishing to make such improvements will need approval of the Design Review Committee and should confer with the Design Review Committee to determine which elements of the Design Documents described below must be submitted with the proposal. Normally, the submittal of a descriptive letter, drawings, and materials samples is required. Seven copies of the letter and drawings are needed. Forty-five days are allowed for review by the DRC.
Additions and remodels must comply with the Covenants and guidelines for new construction. Total roof print of all structure(s) combined may not exceed 8000 square feet outside the forest and 5000 square feet in the forest.
1.A.1 “GREEN” DESIGNS
Consistent with these Guidelines, solar and energy efficient designs are permitted.
1.A.2 SCHEDULE OF SUBMISSIONS AND REVIEW PROCESS
The Reserve's Review Process consists of the following steps, which are explained in detail later in these Guidelines:
1. Informal on-site discussion with the Design Review Committee of house and driveway concepts and site character is strongly encouraged.
2. Submittal to the Design Review Committee of the Design Documents as described in the following section of these Guidelines.
3. Review by Design Review Committee of submitted Design Documents for no more than 45 days.
4. Review, for no more than 45 days, by the Design Review Committee of changes to design documents that may have been requested in a prior review.
5. Submission of the Construction Documents as described in Section 1.D below to the Design Review Committee.
6. Review by Design Review Committee for no more than 45 days of construction documents, landscape plan, exterior materials and color sample board, and schedule for work completion. (Approval is automatic if there are no changes from design documents.)
7. Notification by the owner to the Design Review Committee of completion of construction.
8. Inspection of the completed buildings, improvements and landscaping by the Design Review Committee and, if matters are satisfactory, notification to the Owners' Association of acceptance of the building/improvement(s) by the Design Review Committee (or a request by the Committee for any additional work to comply with the approved documents).
The Association expects that, under normal conditions, the building and basic preliminary landscaping should be begun and completed within (18) eighteen months from the commencement of construction as required by the Covenants.
1.B. THE DESIGN DOCUMENTS
The purpose of the Design Documents is to enable you and the Design Review Committee to review the appropriateness of your design in light of the Eagle Rock Covenants and these Design Guidelines. The Committee will review your design documents with close attention to their conformance with the Covenants and these Guidelines and will advise you of elements, if any, it feels need further modification or attention. There may be required changes and/or suggestions for your benefit.