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Architectural Guidelines New Home Construction |
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New Home Construction |
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| 1. | Explicit Prohibitions | ||
| The following are expressly prohibited in Wolf Laurel Resort: | |||
| ¡ | unfinished cement block walls, foundations, or retaining walls; | ||
| ¡ | vinyl or aluminum siding; | ||
| ¡ | reflective finishes EXCEPT for door and window hardware, house numbers, etc.; | ||
| ¡ | mirrored glass visible from the exterior; | ||
| ¡ | brightly-colored roofs; | ||
| ¡ | topping or other tree modification without ARB approval; and | ||
| ¡ | dumping of construction debris, trees/stumps/brush, etc. on vacant lots or Reserve areas. | ||
| 2. | Style | ||
| The standards and guidelines
discussed here are heavily influenced by the intent of the Developer to
maintain and preserve the natural character of the mountains. It is
also the desire of the Developer to see that those building forms become
part of the landscape. Therefore, native materials, colors and forms
are appropriate. Stone, heavy timbers, textured shingles, insulated
glass for viewing, wooden decks and muted earth tone colors help to
achieve these objectives.
Some structures and materials are difficult to assimilate into the mountain setting or may have a perceived negative impact upon surrounding homes. Owners and their architects are encouraged to develop plans, which help to integrate the home with the site in a traditional blending of man-made and natural materials. A "modern" house may be appropriate only if it can be integrated to the site through creative design. |
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| 3. | Building Size | ||
| Each one-story dwelling unit must exceed 1200 square feet of heated living area. Each multi-story dwelling unit must have a minimum of 1000 square feet of heated living area on the first floor. | |||
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Single Story: Minimum TOTAL living area = 1200 square feet. | ||
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Multi-Story: Minimum FIRST FLOOR living area = 1000 square feet. | ||
| Garages must fit the style of the residence. Garage doors should add character to the aesthetics of the residence. Accessory buildings such as tool sheds are discouraged. If approved, they must blend unobtrusively with their surroundings. | |||
| 4. | Building Height | ||
| Each building submitted for review will be analyzed according to site topography and views from adjacent roads and structures. Structure height shall be no more than 2 ½ stories in height and a maximum of 35' from the finished floor elevation of the lower level or crawl space to the peak of the roof. Variances for excessively steep slopes will be considered. | |||
| 5. | Setbacks | ||
| The following are typical setback standards that govern both horizontal and vertical construction elements with the exception of driveways and walkways. Building setbacks are measured horizontally from your property lines as follows: | |||
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Front Yard = 20 feet | ||
| ¡ | Road Side = 20 feet | ||
| ¡ | Side Yard = 25 feet | ||
| ¡ | Rear Yard = 25 feet | ||
| Setbacks may be modified to respond to unusual and actual site conditions (e.g. steep slopes, rock outcroppings, monumental trees). | |||
| 6. | House Orientation | ||
| Wolf Laurel has a variety of views
and climatic exposure. The buildable area varies on each lot, which
we hope will help to avoid regimentation.
When positioning the home on the lot, one should consider the following: |
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Preservation of major tree and rock outcroppings | ||
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Natural drainage features | ||
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Prevailing winds | ||
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Sun orientation NOTE: We are in a climate and at an elevation where shading of the summer sun is less critical than orientation to gather the warmth of the winter sun. |
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Driveway location NOTE: Efforts should be made to minimize disturbance. Meandering the drive to lessen the slope and to avoid cutting trees is recommended. Where practical, driveways should enter the property from the uphill side of the building. |
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| 7. | Driveways | ||
| It is the goal of Wolf Laurel to
limit the impervious cover of the ground to the minimum needed, especially
around existing trees. Accordingly, excessive areas for driveways
will be discouraged. All driveways and parking areas must be surfaced. Surfaces such as asphalt, gravel and concrete are recommended. Driveways must be located and designed to minimize the effect on adjacent property. Driveway connections must not block or divert roadside drainage. Damage caused by improperly installed driveway connections is the responsibility of the homeowner. See Appendix B(1) and Appendix B(2): Example Driveway Connection for additional information. |
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| 8. | Site Clearing | ||
| After the location of your home on
the lot has been approved by the ARB, limits of construction should be
determined and marked not to exceed the Construction Footprint.
Total alterations of existing vegetation for building and site
improvements are not to exceed 59% of the lot acreage. This includes
any decks, patios, landscaped lawns, new plantings, driveway, and the
house. Mitigation areas in excess of 50% are to be stabilized and
replanted with native plant species.
Any healthy trees outside the Construction Footprint which are cleared without permission must be replaced at a ratio of 2 to 1 (two new trees for each tree removed), and may be subject to fines or other remediation. Reforestation is defined as replacement of a like species, 4-inch caliper at three (3) feet above ground and verified to be a living tree one year from date of planting. Trees outside the Construction Footprint and eight (8) inches in diameter or larger at three (3) feet above ground level may NOT be removed without the prior approval of the ARB. Homeowners or contractors who cause or permit such trees to be removed without prior ARB approval may be assessed a fine of up to $100 per tree per day until reforestation has been completed and approved by the ARB in addition to other remedies available to the ARB to assure compliance. |
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| 9. | Grading, Drainage, Erosion Control | ||
| To preserve the development goals
of Wolf Laurel, site grading and alteration of existing drainage shall be
kept to a minimum. Any necessary grading shall maintain a natural
appearance.
Grading shall not encroach upon the drip lines of trees to be preserved unless tree preservation techniques such as tree wells are utilized. Heavy equipment or topsoil storage is not permitted within the drip line zones. Contractors shall only clear area to create a building pad. Homes shall be designed to work with existing grade. Retaining walls may be used to reduce areas that need grading or to preserve vegetation; however, they must reflect the architecture/materials of the house and be well integrated into the site. Walls of stone or filled with native stone or well-kept heavy timber are acceptable. Concrete block or poured concrete walls are unacceptable unless finished in a manner satisfactory to the ARB. Site work construction should follow acceptable practices as a method of controlling runoff and erosion. Runoff during construction must not cause damage to adjacent properties. Erosion control devices such as temporary silt fences will be required throughout the construction process and must be maintained in workable condition. In addition, there shall be no direct channeling of runoff into adjacent lots from home rooftops or other impervious surfaces. Diversion of runoff into existing natural swales and along property lines is encouraged. All soil areas that are disturbed during site work construction must be stabilized within 30 days of disturbance, then mulched and planted with indigenous species to return the site to its original condition to the extent possible. ALL DRIVEWAY SLOPES AND BUILDING PAD SLOPES SHALL BE HYDRO SEEDED IF SEVERE OR MANUALLY SEEDED IF NOT SEVERE WITHIN FIVE DAYS OF DISTURBANCE. |
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| 10. | Stump/Brush Removal | ||
| All excavated stumps and brush
must be removed from the site or burned. Any burning requires a proper county burning permit, and the Wolf Laurel Security Gate must be notified prior to any burning. Someone must be present to monitor burning at all times. All burning must be contained within the Construction Footprint. Burning must respect the rights of neighboring residences and must be discontinued if complaints are filed. State wide open burning laws regarding man-made materials are in effect, and can subject violators to fines of $10000. Burying debris is not permitted. Although burning is currently permitted, it is increasingly discouraged as air quality in western North Carolina continues to degrade. Contractors and homeowners are encouraged to remove excavated stumps and brush to collection sites in Mars Hill or Asheville, rather than burning them on-site. |
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| 11. | Foundation Finish | ||
| All houses must have native stone,
earth-tone brick or stucco foundations. Exposed concrete block or
continuous lattice will not be allowed. Stone shall be native
stacked stone or native stone veneer. In some cases, stucco may be required to be painted to blend with the final siding material color. Additionally, on extremely high foundation walls, a special design may be required to cover a significant portion of the foundation materials in order to create visual breaks and minimize the appearance of excessive foundation. |
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| 12. | Exterior Wall Material | ||
| Generally, the fewer materials and
colors utilized on the exterior of a house, the more cohesive the
structure becomes, contributing to the objective of fitting a house into
its natural surroundings. To the extent possible, stone native to
the area and in tones or earth colors should be utilized. The use of
more than one type of exposed masonry material can be used if tastefully
and proportionately used.
Because of their softer appearance and capacity to blend into the site, cedar, pine, cypress or redwood siding in a variety of configurations are recommended as exterior finishes. Vinyl and aluminum siding are not permitted. Wood shingles and solid logs are also allowed as an exterior wall finish, and various other materials, such as hard plank, may be used, providing that they satisfy the exterior color requirements and do not have a reflective finish. No reflective finishes should be used on exterior surfaces with the exception of hardware items. |
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| 13. | Windows and Doors | ||
| Windows shall be of sizes, types,
materials and designs appropriate for the architectural style of the home.
We encourage the use of appropriately designed expansive areas of
glass-view facades. While insulating glass is recommended in all windows and doors, no mirrored film or unusual tinting will be approved. |
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| 14. | Roofs | ||
| Because of the mountainous
terrain, roofs will be considered one of the most important visual
elements by the ARB. Roofs should be designed to reflect the
character of the slope of the land and be adequately pitched for shedding
water, snow and leaves. Steeper pitches (7 in 12 and above) are
required in order to visually settle the house into the site.
Overhangs should be considered for protection from sun and rain.
High winds in certain locations should be kept in mind. Wood shingles or shakes, composite shingles and sheet metal roofs are permitted. Metal roofs are subject to specific site, material and color approval. NO BRIGHT COLORS WILL BE ALLOWED. |
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| 15. | Chimneys | ||
| All chimneys are recommended to have native stone, or stucco veneers. Exposed pre-fabricated chimney caps are subject to individual review. All other materials are to match and enhance the style of house. | |||
| 16. | Skylights | ||
| Skylights will be considered for approval based upon their proposed location and number. They must be designed to be an integral part of the home. | |||
| 17. | Exterior Colors and Materials | ||
| Exterior colors and materials will be carefully controlled. Actual samples of the colors and materials desired must be submitted to the ARB for preliminary approval before any of the materials are installed. In general, white or very light colors, including exposed natural aluminum finishes, will not be permitted. Anodized and other corrosion-resistant finishes within a range of earth tones are recommended. After preliminary approval of color sample, an on-site color sample may be required. | |||
| 18. | House Number Signs | ||
| House numbering graphics should comply with the Wolf Laurel Declaration of Protective Covenants, Restrictions and Reservations Article 4.H. | |||
| 19. | Landscape Planting and Natural Vegetation | ||
| It is recommended that the
existing terrain be left undisturbed to the greatest extent possible to
preserve natural vegetation. While no trees over six (6) inches in
diameter may be removed without permission of the ARB, particular care
should also be taken to preserve the natural underbrush and ground cover
so that the likelihood of soil erosion is minimized. General
clearing of the site is not permitted. In all cases, the use of
naturalized or indigenous plant materials and informal site plans are
encouraged. All disturbed areas should be restored with grass, mulch
or plantings.
A SUCCESSFUL LANDSCAPE PLAN SHOULD BE ONE THAT VIRTUALLY ELIMINATES TIME CONSUMING PRUNING AND MOWING AND CREATES THE APPEARANCE THAT YOUR HOME HAS BEEN ON THE SITE "FOREVER". |
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