“They have focused on the backyard, [asking,] ‘What can I do? Can I add a summer kitchen, a deck?,’” DSC Chair Arthur Bredehoft said. “The backyards are rediscovered. ‘Can I put up and approve a small office on my back patio?’ That is taking place throughout [COVID-19], that rediscovery.”
The DSC adopts and enforces standards for property use and maintenance in the township. The pace of requests before the DSC slackened during 2020-21, but many types of requests bore the stamp of the coronavirus pandemic, prioritizing at-home activities, Bredehoft said.
At the same time, many houses in the older villages in The Woodlands are now close to 50 years old, meaning some homeowners are opting to rebuild. That means adapting to changes in standards for new construction, he said.
As of May 24, a new set of standards was adopted by the DSC to adapt to both changes in trends and in building materials and costs, according to information from the DSC.
The new standards include new home construction guidelines for each phase of development, refined height restrictions for detached structures, standards for an outdoor living area with open air space, new fence designs, refined language for tree removal and replanting, and permanent seasonal lighting design standards, according to the DSC.
The complete 88-page development standards document is available on the township’s website.
Navigating the process
Bredehoft said the key for homeowners looking to renovate, rebuild or otherwise change their property is to work with township staff to ease the process. In many cases, there may be no need to go through the DSC to implement the changes, he said.
“The most important next step is contacting our staff,” Bredehoft said. “Talk to covenant administration and really discuss your project and map out a plan of action of what the steps are to get there.”
Instead of heading to the DSC, some projects will instead go before an elected board in each village, known as the residential design review committee, for immediate approval because they meet the requirements, he said. However, others will go before the full DSC for variance approval.
“Always reach out to your staff if you’re not sure,” Covenant Administration Manager Kim McKenna said. “There have been situations where someone didn’t know they needed to apply, so if you can go to the website, contact staff, if you reach out to us first, we can let you know.”
