Architectural Guidelines for Exterior Modifications and Site Standards

SINGLE FAMILY HOMES AND TOWNHOMES SITE STANDARDS

The information provided in this section covers standards for Aventura Isles. For additional information concerning specific neighborhood standards, please consult with the Architectural Review Committee.

Consult the governing documents for specific information on items not herein contained.

The Master Developer has provided a master neighborhood- grading plan in addition to other planning and implementation guidelines and procedures, in an effort to minimize alterations to the land and impact to the ecosystems. Care shall be taken to preserve vegetation, topography, and the natural grades and drainage systems. This philosophy must be followed at all levels of development.

All lot grading top of foundation elevations must be planted and constructed in accordance with the Aventura Isles master grading plan and the Miami Dade County lot grading ordinances. Any deviations from the master grading plans, for any lot, must be approved in writing in advance.

Prior to commencing clearing and construction, a silt fence must be installed on any lot that has a park, or any lake wetland, conservation area or common area.

All residents are advised that any excavations below 18” inches from the surface or penetration through ECs of permanent cover material must obtain and abide by the Aventura Isles soil excavation requirements (see Attachment B).

• SCREEN PLANTING EASEMENTS

Easements have been provided to buffer some adjacent roadways. No buildings. Fences, driveways or permanent structures shall be constructed within screen planting easements.

• TREE PRESERVATION

No trees in any lot may be removed without the express written approval of Association, its landscape contractor, and any applicable governmental agency. Express written approval from the Association must originate from the Board and Management companies. ARC approval DOES NOT satisfy this requirement.

Locations, sizes, and species of all existing tress must be shown on a lot surveys and building site plans submitted for Architectural review.

Miami Dade County’s preservation ordinance must also be followed. This shall require a permit be issued for each tree removal.

All single-family units must maintain a minimum of three shade trees on its property. No palm can be used to satisfy the shade tree requirement per Miami-Dade ordinance.

• LANDSCAPE ALTERATIONS

Aventura Isles is planted under a master landscape plan and all plants and their locations have been approved by a Florida Licensed Landscape Architect and Miami Dade County.

Plants and trees may not be removed, discarded or replaced without the written authorization of the Association. Should landscape need to be moved for a particular reason please submit a request to the Association with the following information:

1. Complete site plan of your lot.

2. Current location of the landscape affected drawn on plan.

3. Desired placement of the landscape shown on plan.

4. If plants or trees are to be substituted, include the common name and botanical name of the

substitution.

5. Miami Dade County has strict regulations on the types and sizes of the plants allowed to be

planted in this area. Please review the accepted plant list at the following location:

landscape-manual-adopted-2005.pdf 

Please be aware moving of landscape may also require the modification of the irrigation system at the homeowner’s expense.

All single-family units must maintain a minimum of three shade trees on its property. No palm can be used to satisfy the shade tree requirement per Miami-Dade ordinance. Additionally, the County requires that each single-family unit maintain a minimum of thirty (30) shrubs. Shrubs must contain a specific minimum of native plants. See Miami’s ordinances for specifics.

• IRRIGATION ALTERATIONS

All irrigation components including spray heads, underground piping, wiring, valves and pumps are property of the Master Association.

No irrigation component may be altered by any homeowner or private contractor.

Only the Association’s contractor is granted the right to modify the irrigation system.

Requests for modification must be submitted in writing with the following documentation attached:

1. Complete site plan of your lot.

2. Current location of components affected drawn on plan.

3. Desired placement of components shown on plan.

4. Types of plants spray are intended to cover.

The Association retains the right to have its own contractor modify or repair the irrigation system at the homeowner’s expense. The expense may include secondary repairs caused by initial damage to the system. 

No ARC involving and form of digging or irrigation changes shall be approved without written

confirmation from the Association’s irrigation contractor that the resident is working with the contractor with respect to irrigation concerns.

• COLOR SCHEMES

Approval color variations shall be within a family or range of aesthetically complementary and

compatible colors. The Architectural Review Committee shall also evaluate the proposed building trim colors and their relationship to the main field color.

Please contact Management for original color codes when necessary repairs or repainting of the original colors are needed.

• GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUTS

Approved Criteria: The gutters and downspouts must match existing colors division gutters.

• SCREENING AND BUFFERING

Water softeners, sprinklers controls, pool pumps/heaters, trash containers and other similar devices must be fully screened from view and not visible from roadways, adjoin property and common areas.

Screening or buffering may be accomplished through the use of walls and/or landscape materials providing 100% capacity.

• PATIO INSTALLATION SPECIFICATIONS

All proposed patio installation must be submitted to and approved by the Aventura Isles Architectural Review Committee prior to installation. (Sample form found in Attachment A).

The following information must be included with each submittal:

1. Two copies of a final survey with the house footprint indicating the exact location, size, and distance from side and rear property lines of the proposed patio.

2. The complete dimensioned construction details of the patio including: size, type and dimensions of the interlocking details, railings, seats, privacy walls and stairs.

Material Requirements: Patios must be of brick or unilock brick materials.

Color Requirements: Patios concrete or brick material colors should complement the house.

No patio construction can extend into a screen planting easement or required side setback. No patio shall be constructed within five (5) feet of a rear lot line. MDC requirements of the State of Florida regulatory agencies may be more restrictive than above. The more restrictive condition shall be enforced.

• ACCESSORY STRUCTURES

All accessory structures must be installed and maintained in accordance with Florida and Miami Dade code to include, but not limited, weather-related requirements.  All structures, to include swing sets, must be approved in writing by the ARC prior to construction.

The following items must be supplied for submittal to the ARC:

1. Two copies of a final survey indicating the location of the accessory on the home cite relationship to the existing house and all adjacent property lines; the survey must be drawn to scale and be fully dimensioned.

2. A color photo, brochure or scaled drawing showing what the new accessory will look like.

3. A description of the exterior accessory specifying materials and colors.

4. Two copies of a landscaping plan indicating the specific plants proposed as the landscaping

screening, including height and spacing at installation, height at maturity, quantity and species. Also indicate plant location on the final survey.

5. All plants must be approved by Dade County and ARC. Please go to warranty website for the link to Miami Dade Landscape Manual.

No free-standing structures similar to cabanas, tents, trellis, trampolines or Tiki Huts are permitted at any time.

• PLAY STRUCTURE AND SWING SETS

All play structures and swing sets must be placed in the rear yard and out of view from the street, for all standard rectangular shaped lots. Structures should be less than 10’ feet in height and should not create a nuisance to adjoin neighbors.

All approved structures must be securely fastened to the ground to prevent movement during high winds.

No storage of any kind may be made underneath said structures.

Structures must be properly maintained and in good appearance at all times. Play structures must be screened from the roadway view with approved natural hedging or approved fence material.

No trampolines are permitted.

Photo of structure must be submitted with application and exact location noted on the survey.

FLAGS

Freestanding flagpoles are not allowed. Only the American flag may be displayed on pole mounted on the front of houses. Flags may not exceed 3 feet by 5 in size and there shall be no more than one flag on any house.

• ANTENNAS & SATELLITE DISHES

All exterior antennas and all satellite dishes in excess of one meter in diameter are prohibited in

Aventura Isles. For satellite less than one meter in diameter, prior to installation, homeowners shall submit detailed plans to the ARC for all proposed installations, properly scaled and dimensioned, for review and approval. The ARC approval shall be consistent with FCC rules implementing Section 207 of the Telecommunication Act.

The requirements in Attachment A will guide the ARC and homeowners in planning and reviewing the sighting of all satellite dish and microwave antennas installations and are established to assure the safest possible location and operation of satellite dishes while preserving and enhancing reasonable and consistent aesthetic standards.

All antenna or dish structures must be mounted on the owner’s side of the house, no more than 10 feet from the rear-most corner and cannot overhang above common area property or the property of a neighbor.

• LIGHTING

Any exterior house lighting for aesthetic purposes shall be kept close to the exterior wall of the house.

Lighting fixtures shall be carefully oriented to avoid directing light towards adjacent property and the street. No light trespass will be permitted onto adjacent properties.

No color light sources shall be allowed unless seasonal or temporary in nature.

No light source is permitted in the grass of the property.

• POOLS, SPAS AND ENCLOSURES

All residents are advised that any excavations below 18” inches from the surface or penetration through ECs of permanent cover material must obtain and abide by the Aventura Isles soil excavation requirements (see Attachment C).

Pools and spas shall be located with respect to the main structure and relationship to the sun in both summer and winter. Features such as existing trees, noise from pool equipment and views from adjacent properties can seriously impact the usage and enjoyment of pools and spas and shall be carefully considered before final placement is selected.

Swimming pools shall not be above ground.

Pools shall be enclosed by a screened enclosure of bronze color and material that will be determined by the ARC. Mill- finish aluminum roofing is not permitted. The pool may be fenced with PVC or aluminum fencing and must meet local ordinances (please refer to Walls & Fencing on page 12). No aluminum roofing or sheet metal panels will be permitted.

Landscaping must be incorporated to help modulate and soften the overall appearance of the screened enclosure.

All pool and spa equipment may be required to be screened so that it is not visible from any street, common areas (lake) or adjacent property. Screening or buffering may be accomplished by the use of walls and/or landscape materials providing 100% opacity.

Pool enclosures cannot exceed one story and must be attached to the house and satisfy the Accessory Structure requirements.

Pool decks must comply with Patio requirements to include setbacks.

• TENNIS COURT

Said structures are expressly forbidden.

• WALLS AND FENCING

Retaining walls are not permitted.

All residents are advised that any excavations below 18” inches from the surface or penetration through ECs of permanent cover material must obtain and abide by the Aventura Isles soil excavation requirements.

ALL proposed fence installations must be submitted to and approved by the ARC prior to installation.

Rear and side yard fencing is limited to the following materials: white PVC fencing and bronze 4-foot aluminum fencing.

A few general guidelines will apply to all fences:

1. Fencing will be under capacity scrutiny of the Architectural Review Committee to comply with the design compatibility and shall be in keeping with the Architectural style and materials used in the neighborhood.

2. Fence color material will be standard for all homes as determined by the ARC.

3. Fence locations shall be submitted along with the Site Plan will not be approved without the fence locations.

4. Four 4’ foot bronze aluminum picket is allowed on the property line of lake and park lots only    6’ foot solid white PVC fencing is allowed on other lots at the ARC discretion.

5. Side yard fences will not be permitted within ten (10) feet of the front of the house. The ten (10) feet shall be measured from the front horizontal boundary of the structure, and adjacent homes not including the garage nor the covered walkway or porch.

6. Fences cannot be placed on the landscape easements. Fences may extend into utility easement at the owner’s risk.

7. Fence locations on comer lots may be further restricted due to side yard visibility constraints, side yard setback restrictions, and the location of homes on adjoining property. Comer lots will be handled on a case-by-case basis. You may request specific information on your comer lot setbacks prior to submittal of a plan.

8. Fences must be placed so the face of the fence is inside the property line. All fencing must be

installed with the horizontal railings on the interior, lot side of the fence.

9. Fences adjacent to sidewalks must be a minimum of 3’ feet away from sidewalk and have

landscaping in-between fence and sidewalk.

10. Refer to Attachment A for Fence Specifications.

• WATER HOSE CONTAINERS

Water hoses must be kept inside an approved container when not in use. All containers must be

approved through the ARC process. No container will be approved to be mounted to any structure. No container shall be placed on or over the zero lot line whereby any portion of the container trespasses on a neighboring lot.

• MODIFICATIONS NOT LISTED ABOVE

The Association, per the governing documents, maintains the right to set standards for all exterior modifications. Any item not expressly explained above may be denied or required to be altered to maintain the standard appearance of the Association. Additionally, any item deemed unacceptable may be denied per the governing documents.