Jonesboro, AR HOA Rules: CC&R Enforcement (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Code of Ordinances Sec. 117-6(a)
- City role
- Not responsible for enforcing covenants
- Stricter-rule principle
- Higher standard still controls, privately
- Who enforces CC&Rs
- HOA or covenant parties, not the city
- City still enforces
- Its own zoning code (setbacks, uses, coverage)
Summary
Jonesboro's zoning code expressly states the city is not responsible for enforcing private deed restrictions or covenants, even though the more restrictive of a zoning rule or a private covenant otherwise controls, per Code of Ordinances Sec. 117-6(a).
(a)For the purposes stated in section 117-4, the city has been divided into zoning districts in which the regulations contained herein will govern:(1)Lot coverage;(2)The height, area, bulk, location, and size of buildings;(3)Open space; and(4)The uses of land, buildings, and structures. In their interpretation and application, the provisions of this chapter shall be held to be the minimum requirements for the promotion of the public health, safety, order, convenience, prosperity, and general welfare. Whenever these requirements are at variance with the requirements of any other lawfully adopted rules or regulations, the most restrictive, or that imposing the higher standards, shall govern; provided however, that the city shall not be responsible for enforcing deed restrictions or covenants.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 16).
Full Breakdown
Sec. ' A related provision, Sec. 117-5, confirms that the zoning chapter applies citywide to all land, buildings and structures within the corporate limits, underscoring that the city's regulatory reach is limited to its own code, not private HOA agreements layered on top of it. In practice, this means a homeowner whose subdivision has recorded restrictive covenants, such as HOA architectural standards, fence styles, or paint colors, cannot call city code enforcement to cite a neighbor for violating those private terms; the HOA (or another party to the covenant) must pursue that dispute directly, typically through its own governing documents or in circuit court.
The city continues to enforce its own separate zoning standards on the same properties, for example lot coverage, setbacks and use restrictions under Sec. 117-138, regardless of what a subdivision's covenants say, and where a private covenant happens to impose a stricter limit than the zoning code, Sec. 117-6(a) still requires compliance with whichever standard is higher, just not through city enforcement machinery.
Violations & Fines
There is no municipal violation or fine tied to a private covenant dispute; Jonesboro's code enforcement division and administrative officer under Sec. 117-31 have authority only over compliance with the zoning chapter itself, not with HOA deed restrictions or covenants, which fall outside city enforcement per Sec. 117-6(a).
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Jonesboro code enforcement cite my neighbor for violating our HOA's covenants?
If my HOA's rule is stricter than the city's zoning rule, which one applies?
Does the city zoning code still apply inside an HOA subdivision?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Jonesboro
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