Woodland Bay

Short answer: yes—for most exterior and landscape work. The checklist opens §2.1 by stating “ACC Approval Required for all new construction and landscape plans.” [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 1 · L 4] The same page ties siting, vegetation, and buffer rules to ACC review through the bullet list ending with buffer path/tree rules [same · p. 1 · L 3–28].

Landscape / hardscape changes on existing homes: The 2009 Amendments say additions or changes to existing landscaping or hardscape (including fences, walls, ornaments, fountains, etc.) must be submitted on Application Form One, with possible formal landscape-architect review and a fee cited there [2009 Guidelines Amendments.pdf · p. 4 · text exported as one line—search “Application Form One” or “150”]. Related item-level rule example: lawn ornaments/bric-a-brac are “landscape improvements” requiring ACC review [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 18 · L 20–23 §10.4].

Remodeling and additions: Must adhere to the guidelines “as if” new construction, with explicit call-outs for skylights, solar, recreation, lighting, antennas, satellite TV, and new colors [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 13 · L 4–8 §4.20].

Digital submission: Form One states you will be notified by email how to submit electronic documents [ARC Submittal Form One.pdf · p. 1 · L 13–14]; Form Two repeats that all information must be submitted digitally and attachments be PDF or JPEG [ARC Submittal Form Two.pdf · p. 1 · L 12–13].

The buffer is defined as a 70-foot minimum setback from the full pond elevation contour on waterfront lots, with tree-preservation language in §8.1.1 [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 15 · L 2–4 §8.1.1]. Chapter 12 opens by stating that construction or modification near/in the buffer requires ACC approval first [same · p. 22 · L 4–5 §12.1].

Typically prohibited or restricted:

• No fence of any type in the 70′ lake-buffer zone; hardship owners may apply for a variance before installation [Fence Amendment 3-7-2014.pdf · p. 1 · L 1 (single exported line—search “70” and “fence”)].
• No grass or lawn in lake buffer areas [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 22 · L 20 §12.3 ¶1].
• Impervious items such as driveways and boathouses are prohibited in the buffer [same · p. 22 · L 21 §12.3 ¶2].
• Trees ≥3″ caliper in the buffer “will not be removed unless dead or diseased” per §8.1.1 [same · p. 15 · L 4]; trees ≥4″ caliper likewise restricted unless dead/diseased per §12.3 [same · p. 22 · L 23].
• Only an approved path to the lake inside the recorded buffer; trees not removed inside the buffer [same · p. 1 · L 27–28 §2.1 notes].

Examples allowed once ACC approves include dead/diseased tree removal, poisonous-plant removal, selective underbrush clearing, and shrub/ground-cover planting—listed under §12.2 [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 22 · L 14–18 §12.2 ¶4 subs. a–d], beginning with dead/diseased tree removal at [same · L 15].

Start with ARC Submittal Form One. The cover instructs you to submit the form and application fees only to Woodland Bay HOA, c/o Property Matters Realty at 201 East Main Avenue, Gastonia, NC 28052, phone (704) 861-0833 [ARC Submittal Form One.pdf · p. 1 · L 9–12].

You will be notified by email how to upload plans and other electronic documents [same · p. 1 · L 13–14].

Representative fee lines on Form One (still p. 1–2 of that PDF) include pre-submittal ACC meeting $300 [p. 1 · L 38], new-home architectural review $2,600 [p. 1 · L 40], landscape revisions / deck or porch $600 [p. 2 · L 13], change not needing a building permit $250 [p. 2 · L 14], garage/pool/spa/dock addition $700 [p. 2 · L 12], and other optional lines on the same page (additional plan review $250 at [p. 2 · L 10]).

New-build plan packages use Submittal Form Two after Form One is on file: “SUBMITTAL ONE MUST BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO SUBMITTING THIS FORM.” [ARC Submittal Form Two.pdf · p. 1 · L 10].

Written ACC approval before installation is required for fence/wall location, materials, size, and design; fences should curve where practical to spare trees; height limits, retaining-wall setbacks, and terrace rules follow §4.18 [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 11 · L 20–23 (section start) continuing through numbered rules to p. 12].

Primary View / lake visibility: Checklist §2.1 states fences or walls on waterfront lots must not substantially obstruct another waterfront lot’s Primary View [same · p. 1 · L 25–26].

70′ buffer ban on fences: Confirmed in §4.18 (“Fences are not located inside the 70 ft buffer”) [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 12 · L 4] and the 2014 amendment (hardship + variance path) [Fence Amendment 3-7-2014.pdf · p. 1 · L 1].

Visually permeable fences: Form Two’s owner checklist contains the “VISUALLY PERMEABLE FENCES” attestation block [ARC Submittal Form Two.pdf · p. 6 · L 8–11].

Variances: Upload the one-page Variance Request; review may take up to ten (10) business days with email notice from the review site [Variance Requestpdf.pdf · p. 1 · L 46–47] (submission instruction at [same · L 7]).

Written ACC approval first for dock, pier, boatslip, and seawall plans is required in §4.16 and again in Chapter 13; §4.16 heading and introductory obligation appear at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 11 · L 11–16 §4.16].

Design philosophy & roofs: §13.1 mandates ACC-approved plans, low-profile/open designs, bans enclosed or two-level docks/boathouses, and caps each dock/pier at one roof structure [same · p. 23 · L 2–9 §13.1].

Materials & pier zone: §13.2 begins at [same · L 10] with pier-zone location, clearing limits, submissions, materials, Duke Energy Lake Management flotation approval, etc. [same · L 10 ff.].

Lake-buffer walkways: §12.2 limits lake-access openings to 6 feet wide for walkways with ACC-approved materials [same · p. 22 · L 10–11]; separate §13.4 requires ACC approval before walkways through the buffer and protecting mature trees [same · p. 24 · L 25–27 §13.4].

Shoreline stabilization (rip-rap, seawalls, bio methods)—§13.3 starts at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 24 · L 10] and continues on that page.

HOA fee hook: Pool/spa/dock addition items tie to Form One’s $700 fee line [ARC Submittal Form One.pdf · p. 2 · L 12].

HVAC, meters, transformers, refuse, pool pumps, dishes, etc. must be screened from streets, the lake, and neighboring lots [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 17 · L 24–29 §10.1 (screen streets / lake / neighbors at L 28–29)] and HVAC must not be on the ground in front of / attached to the front wall per §4.11 [same · p. 9 · L 22–26].

Planting recipe: Two evergreen layers, 7-gallon minimum at back, full screen within three years, keep gear serviceable—checklist §10.1 continues at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 18 · L 1–8] (three-year completion at [L 4]) and echoes the screening header on [p. 17 · L 24–29]; Amendment 10.1 [ACC Amendment pool screening 10-2013.pdf · p. 1 · L 1 (entire paragraph—search “three years”)].

Pool pump / motor screening: Amendment requires masonry ≥8″ thick, ≥2′ above the noise source (min. = tallest equipment), materials matching the home, plant screening on the masonry, and ACC approval before install when paired with home plans [ACC Amendment pool screening 10-2013.pdf · p. 1 · L 1 (search “masonry surround”)].

Refuse: Containers must stay inside a building or behind approved screening except on pickup day—same Amendment paragraph near screening intro [ACC Amendment pool screening 10-2013.pdf · p. 1 · L 1 (search “Refuse”)].

During construction / tree-save areas: §8.3 requires blaze-orange ID, drip-line fencing, debris exclusion, and arborist involvement when grade changes threaten mature trees [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 15 · L 11–29 §8.3]; owner/ACC monitoring duties appear in §8.2 [same · L 8–9 §8.2].

Post-occupancy landscape edits: 2009 Amendments tie “additions or changes” to existing landscaping/hardscape to Application Form One plus possible consultant review/fee while stating replacement of dying/dead material is not subject to submission [2009 Guidelines Amendments.pdf · p. 4 · single-line extract—search “Application Form One” and “Replacement of dying”].

Lake-buffer pruning/removal: §12.4 (heading plus pruning rule) sits at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 22 · L 24–26]—lower lateral pruning only, topping barred; removal thresholds for ≥3″ and ≥4″ trees are in §8.1.1 and §12.3 respectively [same · p. 15 · L 4] [same · p. 22 · L 23].

New-build submissions: Form Two’s checklist block titled EXISTING TREE SURVEY (hardwoods >4″ caliper outside the home boundary, etc.) sits at [ARC Submittal Form Two.pdf · p. 5 · L 32–34].

§9.1 minimum plantings (shade/accent/evergreen counts, sizes, foundation shrubs, groundcover, seed, mulch) begin at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 16 · L 20–29] and continue onto [p. 17] with Schedule G referenced at [p. 16 · L 19].

§10.10 automatic irrigation mandates systems for front/side lawns (and visible rear yards on corners), encourages rain sensors and separate turf/shrub zones, requires head-to-head coverage, bans spray onto neighbor lots, and blocks trenching through septic drainfields [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 20 · L 1–11].

§10.8 lawn sod requires sod on all front yards and street-facing side yards, extending ten feet back from the front elevation [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 19 · L 11–15].

Exotic plant ban in front/side yards appears only in the 2009 plant-list amendment (single-line PDF export—search “Exotic plants”) [2009 Guidelines Amendments.pdf · p. 9 · L 1].

Satellite / microwave dishes—§4.12: General bar on unapproved roof/wall attachments opens at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 9 · L 27–30]; the 1 m DBS/MDS carve-out, roof-mount restrictions, camouflage/screening, setback band, and written ACC approval before install continue on [p. 10 · L 1–14] (approval language at [L 13–14]). Amendment 10.1 also requires ACC approval of dish location prior to installation [ACC Amendment pool screening 10-2013.pdf · p. 1 · L 1 (search “satellite”)].

Mail & newspaper boxes—§4.13: Schedule P conformance plus brochure/photo submittal appear at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 10 · L 15–18].

Driveways—§2.3: Section heading [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 2 · L 16]; brick/brushed concrete and 12′ width (except garage backup) at [L 27 & L 30]; 2′ side-lot offset at [L 25].

Street-facing garages: §4.5 bars garage openings on the front street without prior ACC approval [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 7 · L 1]; Form Two’s materials sheet includes “(Front Loading Not Permitted)” beside the garage door prompt [ARC Submittal Form Two.pdf · p. 4 · L 26].

§2.2 Building envelope / setbacks: Heading and “within the Building Envelope…” language begin at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 1 · L 29–30]; the restriction on improvements outside the envelope (with enumerated exceptions for docks/steps/chimneys) continues on [p. 2 · L 4–14]; default front 30′ / side 15′ setbacks sit at [p. 2 · L 15].

§4.2 minimum heated SF & variance band: Table header and story-type minimums at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 6 · L 11–16]; ACC may grant written variances up to 10% below those mins at [L 17–18].

§4.3 height: Two-and-one-half story cap (with ACC exception language) at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 6 · L 19–20].

§5.1 construction timelines: One-year completion from first grading (unless ACC-extended) plus 30-day stabilization if work halts at [Woodland Bay ARC Checklist.pdf · p. 13 · L 12–18].

Administrative variances: Variance form upload + “ten (10) business days” email turnaround at [Variance Requestpdf.pdf · p. 1 · L 7 & L 46–47]. A recorded side-setback overlay may appear in [Woodland Bay 20 foot side setback.pdf]—confirm against your lot package.