Salt Lake County, UT HOA Rules: Architectural Review (2026)
Key Facts
- Plan-review fee cap
- Actual cost only
- Rule notice
- 15 days, §57-8a-217(2)
- Owner disapproval
- 51% within 60 days
- Fire-resistant materials
- Protected, §57-8a-218
Summary
HOA architectural review committees (ARCs) in Salt Lake County HOAs operate under Utah Code §57-8a-218 (limits on rules and design criteria), §57-8a-217 (rulemaking procedure), and §57-8a-109 (cap on plan-review fees). Boards may adopt design criteria but cannot charge plan-review fees exceeding the actual cost of review, cannot retroactively divest an owner of approval rights vested under prior governing documents, and cannot deny plans solely because they include fire-resistant materials (important along the Wasatch Front WUI).
A rule or design criterion may not: ... (b) divest a lot owner of the right to proceed in accordance with a completed application for design review, or to proceed in accordance with another approval process, under the terms of the governing documents in existence at the time the completed application was submitted by the owner for review; ... (j) prohibit, unreasonably restrict, deny, or delay a plan or application due to the plan or application's inclusion of a fire-resistant material in an area with a heightened risk of wildfire.
Full Breakdown
Under §57-8a-218(1)(a), design rules must treat similarly situated lot owners similarly. Boards may adopt or amend design criteria only at a board meeting with at least 15 days' prior notice to all owners and an open forum, and copies of any change must be delivered to owners within 15 days after the meeting (§57-8a-217(2)). For emergencies posing imminent risk to common areas or owners, the board may act first and notify after (§57-8a-217(3)). A board adoption is disapproved if at least 51% of all allocated voting interests vote disapproval within 60 days of the meeting (§57-8a-217(4)).
Importantly, §57-8a-218 protects owners from rules that would: (a) divest a complete design-review application of approval rights under the prior governing documents; (b) force disposal of personal property that complied when acquired; (c) prohibit, unreasonably restrict, or delay plans incorporating fire-resistant materials in heightened-wildfire areas, directly relevant to foothill neighborhoods in Sandy, Draper, and unincorporated Salt Lake County WUI zones. Under §57-8a-109, an HOA may not charge a plan-review fee in excess of the actual cost of reviewing and approving the plans, and any denial must be in writing identifying each governing-document provision relied on and the specific noncompliant aspect.
Violations & Fines
Owners denied approval are entitled to a written denial specifying every governing-document provision relied on and the specific noncomplying aspect of the plan (Utah Code §57-8a-109). Overcharged plan-review fees can be challenged. Rules that retroactively strip vested design-review rights, or that block fire-resistant materials in WUI areas, are unenforceable. Remedy: petition for vote of disapproval under §57-8a-217(4), request a Utah HOA Ombudsman advisory opinion, or sue in district court.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my Salt Lake County HOA charge any amount for architectural plan review?
Can the ARC ban my plan because I want fire-resistant siding?
If I submitted a complete application before a new rule passed, am I locked into the new rule?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salt Lake County
Compare Salt Lake County to another location·View the Utah hoa rules overview
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