These are the questions most frequently asked of the Architectural Control Committee by Bella Vista Village Property Owners, their agents and contractors.   If you need more information, please contact the ACC directly.

Q. What is the legal structure of the ACC?

A. The ACC is a not for profit business, incorporated in the State of Arkansas.

Q. What is the ACC's relationship with the Developer?

A. Taking in consideration that the Developer authored the "Declaration and Protective Covenants," and the ACC is the only committee alluded to in "the covenants" there is a relationship between the two. The Developer, for the most part, takes a minimal day-to-day involvement in ACC activities.

Q. What part does the Developer play in ACC activities?

A. The Developer's role is that there are three persons appointed by the Board of Directors of Cooper Communities, Inc. who elect the Board of Directors of the ACC to terms of office as provided in the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the ACC.

Q. Where does the ACC get its authority?

A. This authority comes from Article XII of the "Declaration and Protective Covenants" of Bella Vista Village dated May 18, 1965.

Q. How is the ACC funded?

A. The funding to support the daily activities comes from permit fees. This fee structure pays for employees, vehicles, fuel and maintenance, insurances, etc.

Q. Will the ACC be disbanded since the "Village" is  incorporated?

A. No.

Q. Is the ACC a Property Owner?

A. Yes.

Q. If I register a complaint, will anyone know I was the one who complained?

A. No. Once the ACC is notified of a complaint, we officially become the complainant. This avoids confrontation between property owners.

Q. What can the ACC enforce, and how?

A. The ACC can only enforce violations of Building Codes and the Protective Covenants. One must understand the difference between the Covenants and a legal matter. The ACC cannot intercede in a legal issue between property owners. Attempts to resolve Covenant violations are done by letters, so as to maintain records. If arbitration between the ACC and a property violation cannot be resolved, then either the property owner's privileges are suspended or the ACC can file a lawsuit against the property owner.

Q. What can the ACC do about violations regarding a rental property?

A. The ACC contacts the owner of the property and proceeds in the same as the previous answer.

Q. What requires the approval and issuance of a permit?

A. Any alterations to the exterior of a property requires a permit. Including but not exclusive to room additions, fences, boat docks, seawalls, storage sheds, deck additions, patios, and driveway additions. Repainting, reroofing, deck board replacement, etc. require a permit although no fee is charged for standard maintenance projects.

Q. How much are permit fees?

A. Permit fees for a new residence are $1120.00 for the first 1000 sq. ft., then $.40 per sq. ft. for each square foot thereafter. Subcontractors must apply for their own permit.  Cost for subcontractors' permits vary with the number of inspections required ($40 each).

Heated/cooled room additions, including enclosing a deck up to 120 sq. ft., is $100.00 with each additional sq. ft. at $.40--plus any plumbing or electrical inspections at $40.00 per inspection. Fences, storage sheds, boat docks, seawalls, driveways, etc. are $50.00.

Q. What can I do on my property without a permit?

A. For the most part, you can perform any landscaping so long as there is no masonry, mortar, or concrete used. Otherwise a minimum miscellaneous improvement permit fee of $50.00 is required.

Q. Does the ACC have a survey of my property?

A. Most likely not. The ACC has a plot plan that was used to build the home, but one must be reminded that a plot plan is only a proposal drawing, whereas a survey validates the exact existing structure on a property. The ACC does not perform surveys.

Q. How much is my lot worth?

A. The ACC does not have lot values. You must contact a land appraiser or a realtor for lot values.

Q. Can I relocate an existing structure into Bella Vista Village?

A. This section is intended to regulate relocation of existing on site constructed structures proposed to be relocated to a site within Bella Vista Village.

Any existing structure being relocated onto a Bella Vista Village Property will be required to meet or exceed present, in place, codes and policies.

This includes, but is not restricted to compliance with all National Electrical Codes, all State Plumbing Codes and all Architectural Control Committee and Property Owner's Associations Policies and Procedures.

Prior to the structure being relocated onto any property located within Bella Vista Village, the owner of the structure must provide to the Architectural Control Committee a Registered Professional Engineer's certificate that the structure meets or exceeds all electrical, plumbing and structural codes in effect at the time the structure is to be relocated.

The purpose of this policy is to preserve the safety, health and welfare of the occupant(s) of the structure.