Architectural Board of Review (ABR)

Florida law requires every condominium association to have an architectural review board to ensure the appearance of the community remains consistent over time. Unlike a typical residential neighborhood in which homeowners are free to alter the exterior of their buildings as they see fit -- subject only to local zoning and building codes -- members of a condominium association relinquish that right. In exchange, they are assured their community will always have an appearance that is appealing and consistent throughout.

Ocean Village Guidelines

The founding documents of Ocean Village provide for the ABR. Here is an excerpt:

No building, structure, alteration, addition or improvement of any character (including but not limited to exterior painting and roofing), other than interior alterations not affecting the external appearance of a building or structure, shall be permitted upon the Parcels unless and until a plan of such structure, alteration, addition or improvement shall have been approved by the Clusters and the Architectural Board of Review as to the quality of workmanship and materials, color, harmony of external design with surrounding structures, location with respect to topography and finished grade elevation, its effect on the outlook from surrounding property, size, type, design, appearance, shape, and materials used and all other factors which will in the opinion of the ABR affect the quality of the planning and design and the improvements thereon. No construction shall be commenced and no land shall be graded except in accord with such approved plan or a modification thereof similarly approved.

Members And Meeting Dates

The members of the Architectural Board of Review are Rick Fiddler (co-chair), Tracy Jerabek (co-chair), Mike Benes, Juan Calliero & Richard Crowley. The POA Board representative is Jim Dobbin.

The Board meets in Aruba West at 1:00 pm on the second Monday. Please check the official meeting calendar on the Ocean Village website. The meeting schedule can also be found on community channel 901.

Owners who wish to call into meetings should use this phone number: 305-224-1968. Follow the prompts as directed. The Meeting ID is 817 1992 1264 and the Pass Code is 227.

Forms

Any changes, alterations, or additions to an individual unit or an entire cluster in Ocean Village must be approved by the ABR prior to the commencement of work. Failure to do so may result in fines or disciplinary action. Any alterations to the interior of a unit do not have to be approved by the ABR.

The proper form for requesting ABR approval is the one posted below. Cluster Presidents should let their management companies know what the correct form is and where to find it. Requests that do not use the proper form will be rejected by the Administrative Staff of Ocean Village.

ABR FORM - GENERAL June 2023.pdf

Frequently Asked Questions

What are common projects that need ABR approval? The ABR is only concerned with changes to the exterior of a unit, such as new windows, sliders, screens, and so forth. If it is visible to others, it requires ABR approval.
How do I get ABR approval? Obtain an ABR approval form from your cluster president or management company. Your president and/or management company will help you fill it out and provide the necessary documentation. When completed and signed by you and your cluster president, the request needs to be submitted to the admin office.
When do I need to file my request for approval? Applications must be filed with the admin office no later than noon of the Wednesday before the next ABR meeting. Applications filed later than that will be considered the following month.
How long does it take to get ABR approval? The board meets once a month all year long. All pending requests are considered and either approved, disapproved, or tabled at each meeting.
Can I get ABR approval via email? No. All applications must be in writing and submitted to the admin office.
Can I start work before I am notified my application has been approved? No. ABR approval is required before any work begins.
I got a verbal approval for my work from my cluster president, does that mean I can start work? No. All work must be approved by the ABR prior to the commencement of work.
I am painting the inside of my unit. Do I need ABR approval? No, the ABR is only concerned with changes to the exterior of a unit, such as new windows, sliders, screens, and so forth. However, the exterior color of your porch or lanai must be the same as the exterior color of your building if it is visible to people outside.
What documentation should I provide with my application? A full description of the work to be performed together with drawings to show where in the unit the work will take place will assist the board in reviewing the application.

Clusters

Clusters have special considerations that do not apply to individual units. Those concerns include exterior paint and trim colors, roof materials and colors, handrail colors, the color and appearance of catwalks, storm door designs and colors, and exterior lighting fixtures, among others. Before making any changes to the exterior of their buildings, cluster must file an application for approval with the ABR.

Signs

All signs in Ocean Village must conform to the design standards established by the POA. This includes the shape and color of the sign, the color of the supporting structures for the sign, as well as the font and font color.

Fences

The founding documents of Ocean Village prohibit any fences except those erected by the POA for security purposes. The intent is to keep our community open and accessible to all owners, renters, and guests.

In some instances, plantings such as bamboo or hedges have been used as a substitute for a fence. Such plantings are not permitted and may be removed by the administration at owner's expense. Signs that attempt to restrict access to a portion of a cluster's property will be removed by the administration at the owner's or cluster's expense if they are deemed to violate the prohibition against fences in the POA founding documents.

Patios

The ABR has established a policy for patios outside of ground floor units. Such patios shall be no longer than the lanai of the unit and no more than six feet wide. The materials for the patio must be approved by the ABR as to texture and color and any wood used within the patio or surrounding it must be pressure treated and rated for direct ground contact.

In each instance, the cluster president must certify that the proposed patio wlll be completely on cluster property and will not encroach on the property of the POA.

Landscaping

Owners and clusters are advised that there is a list of plants and shrubbery recommended for Ocean Village by the local representative of the University of Florida Extension Service. That information can be accessed at this link and includes a listing of invasive species that should not be planted in Ocean Village. Invasive plants must be removed in a timely manner upon notice from the administrative office. Failure to do so will result in them being removed by the maintenance staff at the expense of the owner or cluster.