There are three possible types of geographical locations within Fountain Hills that may have organizations that are concerned with architecture: 1) Having your home located within an area that has NO architectural or aesthetic control, 2) Having your home located within the control of a Home Owners Association (HOA) or 3) Having your home located within a plat that is architecturally controlled by the Neighborhood Property Owners Association (NPOA).

I believe that the best of all of these is being in a plat where architectural evaluations are made by the NPOA. Why? – There are several basic reasons: 1) There are no dues, 2) Actions are only taken on a “complaint made” basis whereby the “problem” must be submitted to the NPOA’s committee of architecture by a home owner living in the area being affected before any action, after proper evaluation, is taken. [In other words, there are no “quasi-police” members driving the neighborhood looking for folks “breaking the rules”], 3) The members of the Board of Directors are elected by delegates representing each plat in the Association, 4) A general meeting is held each year and all members are permitted to attend all meetings and to serve in an elected office within the Association.

I have lived within a plat “controlled” architecturally by the NPOA for over 15-years. I have seen the NPOA “control” the painting of homes that were to be painted both bright pink and bright yellow as well as insist that another property owner maintain the weeds on their property.

Although some may feel that this is “none of anyone’s business,” without some control by some organized group, we find that unfortunately some people just don’t have good sense and sometimes do things that are detrimental to the entire neighborhood. Thank you NPOA.