Lake County, CA HOA Rules: Architectural Review (2026)

Article 33 creates the Residential Design or "RD" combining district specifically to protect the external appearance of residential development and keep new construction compatible with a neighborhood's architectural character (Sec. 21-33, Section 33.1). The district is meant to be requested by an original developer, a homeowners association, or a substantial segment of an area's residents, and it layers "Residential Design-Construction Standards" and a "Courtesy Review" process on top of whatever base zoning district already applies.

Section 21-33.20, Homeowners Association Review, spells out how that courtesy review works. Any local architectural review committee, including a design or site-planning committee, that a homeowners association has established through recorded Conditions, Covenants and Restrictions can petition the Board of Supervisors in writing for a courtesy review of building and site plans, submitting a copy of the legal instrument that created its authority so the Planning Department can review it before the Board acts (Sections 33.22(a)-(b)). If the Board directs the Planning Department to extend courtesy review, the committee must give Planning and Building Inspection its members' names, phone numbers and addresses, designate an official contact, and keep that information current (Section 33.22(d)).

Once courtesy review is authorized, Section 33.23(a) requires that before the Planning Department issues zoning clearance for a building permit on any residence, guest house or garage, the owner, agent or contractor must provide either a letter from the committee acknowledging receipt of the plans, a letter approving, modifying or disapproving the structure, or a complete set of plans for transmittal to the committee. Proof of that transmittal gets permanently affixed to the building permit (Section 33.23(c)). The Planning Director can petition the Board to withdraw a committee's courtesy review status if it stops complying with the contact-information requirement, and the Board may then pull the privilege (Section 33.23(d)).