Bexar County, TX HOA Rules: Architectural Review (2026)

Most master-planned communities in unincorporated Bexar County and the San Antonio suburbs impose an architectural review process through a recorded Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions. Owners must submit plans for additions, detached structures, pools, fences, paint color changes, driveway expansions, and landscaping modifications before starting work. The architectural control committee, which may be the board itself or a separate ACC, reviews applications against published design guidelines. Chapter 209 of the Texas Property Code imposes several baseline protections. Associations must make design guidelines available to owners on request and post them on the association website.

Committees cannot deny an application based on criteria not in the recorded guidelines. 018 requires associations to respond to a written plan submission within a reasonable time, and many CCRs adopted after 2015 specify 30 to 45 day turnaround. Decisions must be in writing with reasons for denial. Owners have a right to request reconsideration and, for certain categories like religious displays, solar panels, and flags, state law limits what the committee may restrict.