The Courts and Ridges of Ashburn

What The Courts and Ridges of Ashburn's governing documents say

This is an architectural guidelines document for The Courts and Ridges of Ashburn, a planned community in Ashburn, VA. It applies to homeowners (single-family, townhouse, and patio home owners) and explains what exterior changes require prior approval from the Architectural Review Board. It is not the full rulebook — it does not cover general HOA operations, fees, or other covenants.

• Architectural review: All exterior alterations — permanent or temporary — require ARB approval. This includes changes to paint color, materials, landscaping, fences, decks, driveways, and even removal of trees over 4 inches in diameter (or 2 inches for flowering trees or broadleaf evergreens). Application must include a plat/site plan, signatures of four affected neighbors, start and completion dates, and detailed drawings. Decisions take up to 45 business days. Fines for non-compliance could be $10 per day up to $900.
• Fences: Front yard fences are not allowed. For single-family homes, fences are restricted to the rear yard (no farther forward than the rear plane of the house) and max height is 48 inches. Townhouse fencing must be 6-foot, board-on-board style in the rear yard only. Chain link fences are prohibited. Wood fences should weather naturally or be stained/painted a natural wood color; pre-approved colors are listed in Appendix B.
• Decks & patios: Decks must be in rear yards. Elevated single-family decks must be at least 9 feet from rear property line; elevated townhouse decks at least 5 feet from rear and 1 foot from side property lines. Ground-level patios must be in rear yards; single-family patios must be 9 feet from property line. Materials allowed: pressure-treated wood, composite decking, stone, concrete, pavers, or brick. Deck privacy fencing is only allowed to screen hot tubs or whirlpools.
• Pets & structures: Doghouses are allowed with ARB approval; dog runs are prohibited. Doghouses must be located to minimize impact on neighbors. Compost piles are permitted in industry-standard containers, must be at least 10 feet from property lines, and only in the rear yard.
• Landscaping & gardens: Vegetable gardens are allowed without an application if they are between the rear of the house and the rear property line, don't exceed one quarter of that area, are not on a grade over 5:100, and don't cause water damage. Hedges over 2 feet tall or 8 feet long need approval. Several trees may not be removed without ARB approval — live trees with diameter over 4 inches (measured 12 inches above ground), or over 2 inches if flowering/broadleaf evergreens. Lawns must be kept between 2 and 8 inches tall.
• In-home businesses: In-home businesses must not increase traffic, parking demand, or commercial visibility. No signs, no non-resident employees, no business equipment stored on the lot. Applications require neighbor signatures, details on deliveries, vehicles, and traffic impact. Final approval is by the Board of Trustees.
• Leasing & rentals: This document does not address lease terms, rental caps, or tenant rules. Check the full Declaration of Covenants for those restrictions.

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.