All developments in The Woodlands, whether they be as large or broad as a new home, an office building or commercial center, or as small as the picket fence in a resident's backyard or a new tool shed, follow strict guidelines.

Those guidelines, or standards, are what has given The Woodlands the design and look it has today.

Design standards in The Woodlands are created by three committees, the Development Standards Committee, the Community Standards Committee and the Development Review Committee.

The CSC and the DRC are both private committees created by The Woodlands Development Company, whose meetings and appointments are not made public.

The DSC is the lone public committee, and meets the first and third Wednesdays of each month at 5:30 p.m. at The Woodlands Township Offices, 2801 Technology Forest Blvd.

Hennie van Rensburg, director of covenant administration for The Woodlands Township, said the three committees meet on a bi-annual or annual basis to review the standards that have been established and possibly make amendments to them.

While the three committees are responsible for creating the standards, The Woodlands Township is charged with enforcing the standards, van Rensburg said.

In addition to the standards committees, each village has its own Residential Design Review Committee.

"Those are the committees that review applications for improvements to their properties," van Rensburg said. "They can only approve items that comply with standards. If something does not comply, they appeal to DSC, or the DRC."

In addition, residents can file complaints about their neighbors' home improvements or changes to the DSC, rather than go through their respective village design review committees, van Rensburg said.