Before we get to the nuts and bolts of Design Review, stop for a moment and think back to the first time you drove through Kissing Tree. What did you fall in love with? Was it the beautiful tree-lined streets? The beautiful landscaping?

Chances are, whatever it was you fell in love with, you realized quickly that Kissing Tree has a distinct look and an unmistakable sense of community.

Now fast forward 10, 20, even 30 years from now. What do you hope to see when you drive through your community?

Here’s where Design Review comes into play.

In short, Design Review maintains today and for many years to come, the Kissing Tree quality and community you fell in love with.

The individuality of your home is key to neighborhood character, but let’s face it, we all have different tastes and styles. The Design Review process provides consistency in the quality of all exterior home modifications, emphasizes the natural characteristics of the area, and supports the community vision.

The Design Review process not only maintains the vision of Kissing Tree, it also protects your home investment. The standards at Kissing Tree are deliberately high to help preserve the value of your home.

If you want to make additions, modifications, or improvements to the outside of your house, you will need to get prior approval from the Architectural Control Committee (ACC). Exterior modifications include landscaping, a pool, shade structure, solar panels, sunscreens, storage sheds, and outdoor lighting, to name a few.

It’s a collaborative process—the ACC works in partnership with residents to make the experience as smooth as possible for you.

Here are a few tips to consider before you submit a Design Review application:

• Review the Design Guidelines first, even if your vendor feels confident s/he knows them. Then contact kt-acc@coherelife.com if you still have questions. Reviewing the guidelines will give you more realistic expectations when working with your vendor. Even if your modification meets the guidelines, you still need review and approval from the ACC before you begin any work.
• Don’t assume you can make a modification just because someone else did. You may have noticed your neighbor made an exterior modification, but that doesn’t mean it was approved nor that it will work for your home.
• Plan a realistic timeline with your vendor. The ACC typically has 30 days from the date a completed application is submitted to review and provide a written response to the homeowner. Complete, clear, and thorough applications can be returned much sooner.
• It’s much easier to go through the Design Review process before you make a modification. We have had the unfortunate experience of residents making a modification based on the design guidelines, then having to remove the modification at their own expense.

The Design Review process is about finding that sweet spot where personalizing your home intersects with the established design guidelines and the greater vision of Kissing Tree.

Your Design Review one-stop-shop is on the Kissing Tree website:

Questions? Contact the Kissing Tree Design Review Coordinator.