Desert Ranches

What Desert Ranches's governing documents say

Desert Ranches is a single-family home HOA in Apache Junction, AZ. You own your lot and home, and the association maintains common areas (entry, private road, gated entry) funded by annual assessments. The rules cover home size, design, pets, parking, and leasing. Additional documents impose shared maintenance costs for a future adjoining subdivision and groundwater replenishment fees.

• Residential use & minimum home size: All lots are for single-family residential use only. The primary dwelling must be at least 2,000 square feet of living area (excluding garage, porches, patios), and a secondary unit must be at least 300 square feet. Mobile homes and RVs are only allowed during construction with a valid permit for up to 18 months.
• Architectural review: Any improvement visible from neighboring property—including structures, landscaping, fences, and exterior changes—must receive prior written approval from the Architectural Control Committee. Plans must be submitted; typical review for a new structure is about 10 business days. Metal buildings and metal siding are prohibited; neutral earth tones are required.
• Leasing & rentals: Owners may lease only their entire lot (no partial rentals). Written leases are required and must limit occupancy to no more than 5 unrelated persons or a single family of any size. The owner is responsible for tenant compliance with all rules.
• Animals: No sheep, roosters, pigs, hogs, or cattle are allowed. Chickens and goats in reasonable numbers are permitted, as are horses (subject to city code: 1 horse per 10,000 sq ft of lot). A reasonable number of typical household pets is allowed. Animals must not create a nuisance and must be contained on the lot or physically restrained off-lot. Horse enclosures must be at least 25 feet behind the dwelling.
• Parking & vehicles: Inoperative vehicles, trailers, motor homes, and boats must be stored on a lot and substantially hidden from view by a building, fence, or vegetation. Large commercial vehicles (e.g., semi-trucks, dump trucks, buses) may not park permanently. No racing or repetitive vehicle operation on property roads.
• Assessments & fees: Initial annual assessment is $360 per lot, payable monthly or quarterly. Assessments cover common element maintenance, insurance, reserves, and utilities. The association may levy special assessments with 60% owner approval. Unpaid assessments accrue 18% annual interest and late fees, and become a lien on the lot.
• Additional obligations (shared road & water fees): A separate recorded agreement requires lot owners to contribute proportionally to maintenance of Kenney Court (Tract C), a private road serving both Desert Ranches and a future expansion. Additionally, all lots are subject to a Central Arizona Groundwater Replenishment District covenant, which imposes an annual replenishment assessment and activation fee to assure water supply. These fees are in addition to HOA assessments.

Plain-language summary generated from the governing documents on file for this community. It may be incomplete and is not legal advice — read the full documents below or consult the official recorded versions.