Most Rancho Santa Fe homeowners don’t think much about design review unless they’re planning a remodel. But the first of two newly proposed RSFA Board resolutions could significantly change how decisions are made for our community’s shared spaces. Both resolutions will be approved at their meeting on Thursday, January 8, at 10 am. The second resolution shifting more Art Jury authority to Building Department staff is available here.
The first Board resolution creates a separate design review process for Association-sponsored (common-area) projects, different from the one homeowners must follow under the Protective Covenant (PC). While it may sound like a procedural adjustment, the shift affects oversight, transparency, and how Art Jury input is weighed. Material changes to the PC require member approval, yet resolutions are often used to reshape processes in ways that sidestep the spirit of the governing documents.
How Things Work Today
Under the PC, the design review process applies equally to homeowners and to the Association.
- The Art Jury reviews all projects and provides written guidance to help maintain consistent, high design standards.
- If there’s disagreement, the PC provides a clear appeal process, including mediation and, if necessary, a public hearing.
- To overturn an Art Jury decision, the Board must meet a very high threshold: a four-fifths supermajority vote and specific findings that the decision caused hardship, lowered community standards, or was influenced by bias.
These safeguards outlined in the PC weren’t designed to stall projects. They exist to ensure independent review, fairness, and community trust, especially when decisions affect the look and character of the Ranch. This is particularly true for the common use areas.
What the Proposed Resolution Would Change
The new resolution keeps the Art Jury at the table, but without the authority to influence outcomes when the Association is submitting its own projects. For Association-sponsored projects:
- The Art Jury may offer recommendations, but the Board is not required to follow them.
- If the Board disagrees, it may continue revising and approving plans without any appeal.
- The Art Jury must move an Association project through the building department process capping at three reviews – and preferably two.
- No appeal
- No public hearing
In practical terms, this allows the Board to accelerate a project through the design review process even if the Art Jury has unresolved concerns or does not support the design.
A Different Set of Rules
Homeowners would still be bound by the Covenant’s full design review and appeal process. The Association would not. That creates a two-tiered system:
- One set of rules for members.
- A more flexible set of rules for the Association.
Historically, the Covenant has treated design standards as a shared responsibility which is applied uniformly, regardless of who is proposing the project. This resolution would change that approach.
Why the Board Supports the Change
The Board characterizes the appeal process as “less appropriate” when it is both the applicant and the decision-maker. Rather than addressing efficiency alone, the resolution appears aimed at eliminating the possibility that Art Jury disagreement could alter or constrain the Board’s preferred designs.
Why This Matters
Common-area projects shape the Ranch just as much, if not more, than individual homes. The Art Jury process provide an independent check that helps ensure those projects reflect community-wide standards, not just preferred tastes and outcomes.
Many homeowners may reasonably ask:
- Should the Association hold itself to the same standards it expects of members?
- Should design disagreements about shared spaces be resolved openly or behind closed doors?
- Should long-standing Covenant protections be altered without a vote of the membership?
A Call to Engage
This proposed resolution, which will be voted on at the upcoming Board meeting, Thursday, January 8, at 10 am, represents a meaningful shift in how design oversight works in our community. Before it moves forward, homeowners may wish to share their thoughts with the Board.
Board of Directors email addresses:
- David Gamboa: dgamboa@rsfaboard.com
- Skip Atkins: satkins@rsfaboard.com
- Courtney Silberberg: csilberberg@rsfaboard.com
- Courtney LeBeau: clebeau@rsfaboard.com
- Joanne Marks: jmarks@rsfaboard.com
- Jeff Simmons: jsimmons@rsfaboard.com
- Mark Simpson: msimpson@rsfaboard.com
Healthy communities are built on transparency, consistency, and trust. Taking a moment to understand and thoughtfully respond to this proposed change helps ensure those values remain part of the conversation.