All houses and related appendages must sit on a concrete foundation, enclosed floor slab or crawl space. The finished floor height shall be a minimum of 30 inches above street curb. (Refer to Neighborhood Supplemental Guidelines for specific neighborhood exceptions). Garages, however, may have slabs on existing grade.

All foundations above grade shall be finished with brick, stone, stucco, or NCC approved veneer. Exposed concrete or concrete block foundation walls are allowed if covered with a parge coating which hides mortar joint lines. Decorative block must be in keeping with the architectural character of the house and approved by the NCC.

Every neighborhood has a minimum finished floor elevation from top of curb. Now there is a maximum of 6″ (inches) above the minimum requirement. There are other neighborhoods that must meet FEMA’s flood plain requirements and they are still the standard. Refer to Neighborhood Supplemental Guidelines for specific neighborhood details.

No Variance. Vinyl allowed

Wood Siding- All wood siding must be full profile and properly/fully finished. NO plywood, vinyl, or metal siding is prohibited on wall surfaces.

Soffitt & Fascia:  Must be wood or hardi.  See Supplemental Neighborhood guidelines for details.

Beam Wraps:  Beam wraps must be wood or hardi.  Stucco or metal is prohibited.

Awnings, canopies, and shutters shall not be permitted or affixed to the exterior of the residence without the prior approval of the NCC.

Exterior shutters, when used, should be an integral architectural feature. Shutter holdbacks (dogs) are required in specific neighborhoods (see supplement).

Shutters are encouraged on house facades visible from the street. Shutter material may be wood, heavy plastic, composite, or some preapproved aluminum and should be the full size of the window or in pairs when closed. Shutters may be louvered or batten in design and must be attached to the house using appropriate holdback hardware. If batten, the vertical battens must be of equal size. All battens must be fully detailed with routed edges. There is a minimum of two horizontal battens per shutter.

Faux shutters should be fully detailed and when installed in spaces wider than 24 inches, should have the detailed appearance of a pair of shutters closed. Bahama shutters are the exception to the rule with one shutter being the full size of the window. Faux shutters must be embedded in the wall surface. In brick applications, there must be a bottom sill course. Stucco or hardi applications must have a perimeter trim.

Windows should be of a size and design appropriate to the architectural character of the house. Windows should be approximately a 2 to 1 proportion height to width. Various styles such as a double hung, casement or awning are acceptable if compatible with the style of the house. Examples of acceptable window pane arrangements are 1/1, 2/1, 3/1, 4/1, 2/2, 6/6, or 6/9. There the first number is the upper sash and the second number is the lower sash of the window. These window configurations are required on all facades of the home. Windows may be prefinished aluminum, painted wood, clad wood or other approved material if sized, proportioned and finished to look like painted wood. Window screens are allowed but must cover both upper and lower sashes..

The Graywood recommended jamb trim is 4 inches wide measured from the edge of the trim to the edge of the glass. The 4 inch dimension is normally achieved by adding a brick mold or other trim to the window. In recent years the window manufacturers have produced a standard trim that measures 3 inches wide. Graywood will accept a manufactured window that measures 3 inches as the minimum width. The 6 inch trim reference at the head of the window is amended to 3 inches. Please see picture at end of the booklet for clarification. Non-shuttered windows visible from the street shall have a more decorative head and sill treatment.

All windows will be energy efficient thermal glass, warranted, factory units. Exterior storm windows will not be permitted. All window mullion will be permanent and constructed of full profile (minimum 3/4″ width, minimum 3/8″ projection) mullion bars. Pop out mullions will not be accepted. Mullion grid patterns must remain uniform from window to window. Exceptions must be preapproved by the NCC.

Assorted window styles will be discouraged on an individual home (i.e., cathedral fan arches mixed with the flat spring arches). Different color windows on a home is discourage and must be preapproved by the NCC. In no case will different color windows be allowed on the front or corner elevation of a home. Only custom, feature, view windows will be allowed to remain muntinless. Double hung windows (non TDL) will not be allowed. Windows should be recessed from the wall to provide a shadow line.

Windows should be clear glass. No reflective glass or reflective tinting should be used. Stained glass windows and Victorian style doors are not allowed.

Bright-finished or bright-plated metal exterior doors, windows, window screens, louvers, exterior trim or structural members shall not be permitted.

Arched and half-round windows are to be used only if they are indigenous to the architectural style of the house.

No variance.

Roof pitches and overhangs may vary as necessitated by architectural design; however, no flat roofs are allowed as a major structural element. A minimum 5 to 12 slope is set as a standard. Roof overhangs are recommended to protect from the sun, and along with trellises, will provide passive energy conservation. No mansard roofs will be allowed.

1. All roof stacks, flashings, vents or protrusions from the roof shall be painted deep gray or the same color the roof will be at maturity. Roof stacks and plumbing vents shall be placed on rear slopes of the roofs where possible.
2. Solar water heating panels shall be reviewed on an individual basis and approval based upon the visual effect to the surrounding area. Generally their use is discouraged.
3. Roofing materials, depending on the neighborhood, may be architectural dimensional composite shingles, cedar or pressure treated wood shingles or shakes, slate, tile or prefinished metal. Combinations of shingles and metal roofing may be allowed when appropriate to the architectural character of the house.
4. Roofing colors must be approved by the NCC.
5. Houses with pitched roofs of a minimum pitch of 9 in 12 and a maximum pitch of 12 in 12 are encouraged. Special cases will be considered by the NCC if in keeping with the architectural character of the house and neighborhood. Shed roofs for porches may have a lower pitch, but in no case will the pitch be lower than 3.75 in 12. Houses may have gabled, hipped, or shed roofs. House gables may be a full return Queen Anne return with the returns preferably capped in copper. Exposed rafter tails are allowed, but the design must be approved by the NCC.
6. Gable and decorative roof vents shall be in keeping with the architectural character of the house. Ridge vents, if used, must be of the “shingle over” design extended to the outer edge of the roof ridge. Tile ridge caps are allowed over dimensional roof shingles. Soffit venting visible from the street shall be of similar material to that of the porch or entry stoop ceiling and must be submitted to the NCC for approval.
7. Special metal roofing applications may be considered by the NCC when appropriate.

Single vehicle garages are not permitted, but if combined with a two car garage, a third single bay may be considered. Single bay garage doors are required in lieu of double width doors. All garage door designs must be approved in advance and must be consistent with the design of the home. All garages must be equipped with automatic door openers and should be kept closed when not in use. Fiberglass and masonite doors are not permitted on the exterior of the home. Generally, where lot frontages allow, side entry garages are required.

Garages shall be located and treated so that approaches to the house are not visually dominated by the garage. Detached garages are generally not encouraged, but if allowed, shall be in keeping with the architectural style of the house. Covered walkways are required between detached garages and houses.

Generally, garage doors facing the street are not allowed. Please refer to neighborhood supplemental guidelines for neighborhoods which allow for front entry garages. Where the garage entry is located adjacent to the front entrance to the home, the turnaround (auto court) must be enclosed and approved by the NCC.

Garage doors which face the street must be recessed from the main house structure, excluding the porch projection, a minimum of 3 feet and must be approved by the NCC. All 2-car front entry garages shall have two garage doors. The design of these garage doors should be in keeping with architectural character of the house. The use of single door 2-car garage doors may be allowed under special circumstances and with the approval of the NCC but are generally discouraged.

All front doors must be solid wood. Side and rear doors may be made of other material but must be submitted to the NCC for approval. Metal doors will be permitted for the side garage entries only. Metal framed sliding glass doors are not allowed. Lever handles must be approved by the NCC.

No variance. Chimneys that are exposed on the exterior of the home must be treated in brick, stone, or stucco and must be full foundation based.

Chimneys stacked above the roof line must be treated with brick, stone, or stucco in all cases.

All chimneys must be compatibly positioned and proportionately balanced within the home’s elevation(s).

Fully detailed chimney caps are required. Details are required and should be included in the initial home review plan submission. See the preferred chimney cap style in the “Examples of Preferred Construction” in the addendum section.

No variance.

Full architectural details are required for all decks and patios. Detailing of all patios and decks must be architecturally compatible with the home. Patios and decks shall be designed to serve as an extension of the house. Rails, pickets and underpinning must be painted white or to match the trim of the house. All deck flooring must be stained (light gray or color approved by NCC). Enclosed risers are required and must be painted.

Views to the underside of decks must be screened with underpinning (latticing or vertical slats, etc.) and/or landscape material large enough to provide screening upon installation. Decks more than 3’ above grade must have underpinning and plant materials.

Porch and covered entry stoop ceilings should be of wood bead board, v-groove or batten design with no visible perforation of joints.

Porch screening colors shall complement and blend with the house (Black or copper is preferred, green is not allowed). Aluminum framing and screen door may be allowed with prior approval by the NCC. Aluminum framing and screen door colors must be black or bronze only. No mill-finish aluminum will be allowed as a framing for a porch.

All houses must have a front porch or covered entry stoop. Decks, patios, and screened porches are allowed off the rear of the house.

Porches shall have a minimum projection of 8 feet. Covered entry stoops shall have a minimum front projection of 4 feet and a maximum projection of 6 feet. No porch shall exceed 12 feet in front projection. Porch floor treatments may include wood decking, brick, brick edged, and divided concrete, stone or tile. Composite materials for deck flooring is accepted, with approval of the NCC.

Front – 50′
Side – 15′
Rear – 25′
Special Rear Setbacks – 35′ on lots 1 through 22

No variance

Garages for at least two (2) cars are required along with a recommended two (2) uncovered spaces for parking. No on-street, overnight parking is allowed. Curved or offset driveways which prevent a direct view into the garage are preferable (see illustrations).

No curb side parking areas may be created by extending any portion of the street pavement.

All driveways will be concrete, asphalt, brick, stone, interlocking, concrete pavers or other paver material as approved. All colors and materials are to be submitted to and approved by the NCC.

Driveway aprons shall be a minimum of thirty feet (30’) from the face of the garage door.

All driveways and walks must be dimensioned and detailed on the site plan. Dimensioning must include all radii points. All curved drives must be constructed of true arcs. Short tangents or excessively curved driveways are not permitted.

Where possible, access to corner lots shall be from the least traveled street.

All driveway cuts shall be in conformance with local standards and approved by the NCC.

Every driveway shall provide positive drainage away from the house and garage.

Front walks shall be minimum width of four feet (4’) with five feet (5’) preferred. The use of special paving material such as brick, concrete pavers or stone is recommended. Entry walkways surface materials should be the same or compatible with the driveway or structure materials.

No variance

In general, fencing of yards is not permitted. Small sections of fence or wall will be considered for approval by the NCC in the following circumstances if the wall/fence material is architecturally compatible with the home:

1. Small enclosures for mechanical equipment.
2. Short sections of privacy wall/fence in courtyard areas.
3. Where required for structural, retaining conditions.
4. Temporary fences must meet certain criteria. Fences used as temporary barriers and for silt collection during construction around vegetation must be sturdy, at least three feet (3’) tall, and easy to maintain.
5. Fences are prohibited in utility easements, road rights-of-way and all temporary fences must be removed prior to issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
6. Permanent fences and walls are generally discouraged. No fence or wall shall be constructed unless the owner has obtained written approval of the NCC.
7. Although fences and walls are discouraged, fences to be utilized in connection with single family homes shall be used to define specific spaces such as private gardens, patios, pools and play areas, rather than delineating property lines. Privacy fences and walls in all cases shall be limited to small enclosures around the house.
8. Generally, fencing should be 3 feet from side and rear property lines to allow for positive drainage. See specific neighborhood guidelines for restrictions.
9. Privacy fences that are solid are allowed within 25 feet of the rear of the house. Wood privacy fencing is prohibited. Open fencing may be used beyond 25 feet but must meet the requirements of items 1 through 9.
10. Unless required by a Code Requirement, no fence will exceed a total of eight feet in height.
11. Fences and walls shall be architectural extensions of the house or other buildings and shall be composed of materials and/or colors to complement the house or such other buildings.
12. Chain link fences generally are not permitted and generally chain link fences will only be permitted within Graywood in very special circumstances (dog kennels) and only after receiving the prior written approval of the NCC. In the event a chain link fence is approved, it must not be visible from any common area, road, golf course or adjacent dwelling and must be black coated and heavily landscaped.
13. There shall be no property line fences along golf course frontage or lake frontage unless approved by the NCC. Golf course rear property line fencing must be a minimum of 10 feet from the course. All fence plans, designs, color, materials, and locations must be submitted and approved by the NCC prior to any construction.
14. Fence enclosures around pools should be in conformance with Calcasieu Parish regulations and/or other applicable local, State, or international regulations.
15. Generally, fences are discouraged on lots with golf course frontage.

No variance

To ensure that the overall beauty of the community is preserved and enhanced, the NCC has the authority to approve or disapprove landscape plans for individual residences.

The general approach to landscape design may vary based on existing vegetation, slopes, soils and the architectural theme of the home. It is important to establish a landscape theme that reflects and enhances the architectural character and responds to the natural characteristics of the site. The NCC encourages the enhancement and protection of natural vegetation as part of the landscape concept. Landscape materials should be selected and arranged so that they accomplish the following objectives:

1. Focus and enhance views and view corridors.
2. Enhance the entrance to the home.
3. Create outdoor spaces within the lot through the use of landscape beds.
4. Use of landscape beds with smoothly flowing lines and clean edges.
5. Large masses of similar landscape materials will always be more effective than using many different materials in the same area.
6. Use of plant materials for privacy will always be encouraged over the use of fences.
7. Use of color in the landscape year round.
8. If curvilinear beds are used, smooth flowing large radii should be used.
9. Visually soften the perception of structures and create scale in the landscape.
10. Buffer driveways and parking areas.
11. Screen adjacent properties by including both evergreen and deciduous materials as well as shade and flowering trees.
12. Screen utility areas, transformers, phone boxes, air conditioning units, trash enclosures, TV dishes, and other ancillary elements
13. Plant trees in groupings of one type and a minimum of three (3) trees per group, wherever possible.
14. Generally, shrubs and groundcovers should be planted in masses of one (1) type per mass and in sufficient numbers to create beds or ‘drifts’ of plants. Minimum bed width shall be four feet (4’) and shall vary for interest. The purpose of planting beds, particularly in the front yard, is to extend planting out and away from the home. A single row of shrubs planted around the foundation is unacceptable.