Architectural Standards

Below are the architectural standards for the Watermark condominium community have the following purpose:

• to establish and preserve a harmonious design for the Watermark community
• to reduce misunderstandings when changes to the building are made by owners
• to protect the value of the property
• to establish a process for approval, and a reasonable deadline for resolving non-compliance issues

It is our hope that this additional information will be useful to owners when it comes time to replace a door or window or install hurricane shutters. We’re all very proud of the design appearance of our building, and appreciate everyone’s compliance and help in maintaining it.

The Board of Directors

Watermark Architectural Standards Policy

No owner shall cause any improvements or changes to the exterior of the building that may protrude through the walls or roof, or in any manner change the appearance of any portion of the building not within the walls of such PRIVATE DWELLING, without the written consent of the ASSOCIATION first being had and obtained.

[Page 12 Watermark Bylaws]

Each Board of administration shall adopt hurricane shutter specifications for each building within each condominium operated by the association which shall include color, style and other factors deemed relevant by the board…The Board shall not refuse to approve the installation or replacement of hurricane shutters conforming to the specification adopted by the board.

[Florida Statutes 718.113]

Specifications and Guidelines

• – Permanent Hurricane Shutters

The board has not only the legal right but a legal obligation to establish and enforce conformity standards for hurricane shutters with regard to style, appearance and color, and it reserves the right to order the removal of non-conforming shutter systems.

Permanent hurricane shutters may be installed at the option and expense of the owner with prior approval of the Board to ensure conformity to architectural standards. The only authorized hurricane shutter for the Watermark shall be a Rolladen-type roll-down shutter — automated or hand-cranked or both — that rolls up within a horizontal casing attached permanently above the window or door. Shutter roll-down blinds (or “slats”) must be horizontal and white, the basic white adopted by the shutter industry and not another shade of off-white. The canopy (or “hood), all posts, struts, supports and trim must conform to the existing exterior appearance in their shape, size, color and alignment.

Owners are prohibited from installing non-conforming hurricane shutters such as accordion shutters, Bahama shutters, screen panels and other permanent protection systems on the outside of the building that vary visually — as seen from ground level — from the authorized Watermark hurricane style. If in doubt, owners are strongly advised to visually compare the type they are considering with a photograph of the existing style before purchasing hurricane shutters.

• Before purchasing roll-down shutters, owners are strongly advised to take a color photograph of an existing Watermark hurricane shutter to the dealer from whom they intend to purchase hurricane shutters to ensure the correct color scheme.

If the dealer and/or manufacturer can provide the authorized style but for some reason cannot provide the prescribed color match, owners may be required to have the non-conforming parts of their new shutter(s) professionally painted within 30 days after installation, at their own expense, to make them color compatible. The manager will supply paint specifications upon request.

• – Front Doors

All front doors and storm/screen doors and shall be uniform in color and appearance. The front door may be either solid wood or fiberglass and must be painted to conform to all other front doors in the condominium. The current prescribed color of our front doors is Regatta Blue (Sherwin Williams 6517 or equivalent).

SW6517 Regatta Blue

• Do not try to match this website sample, as colors may vary from device to device, monitor to monitor. Check with the office if you need to touch up or repaint your front doors. The managers may be able to provide you with the paint. Or ask your paint dealer for this specific Sherwin Williams paint number or its equivalent.

Owners are prohibited from installing non-conforming front doors and storm/screen doors that vary in color and style from the authorized Watermark color and style. Doors will have uniform address plaques. Doors may have security door viewers (“peepholes”) that are antique bronze or bronze in color and that do not exceed 1 inch in diameter on the exterior face of the door. Doors may have tasteful decoration in keeping with a beach, holiday or seasonal theme, but the board reserves the right to require an owner to remove decorations that are controversial, or political, or deemed vulgar, or obscene or garish, or otherwise unsuitable or distasteful. When upgrading door hardware such as locksets, sideplates, striker plates and hinges, owners are strongly encouraged to do so with corrosion-resistant hardware that is antique bronze or brushed bronze in color. Backplates and sideplates of the same style, durability and colors are highly recommended for their added value and appearance.

All units must have a dark brown/bronze mid-view self-storing aluminum Larson storm/screen door, or a close facsimile such as Emco made by Anderson, that is outward-swinging and that viewed from the exterior walkway, has the same structural and physical appearance and the same color, a standard industry bronze (dark brown) frame and black or dark brown push-button handle.

• If in doubt, owners are strongly encouraged to visually compare the type they are considering with a color photograph of the existing style before making any purchase.

Because of architectural variations in our building, these doors may be hinged on either side to open in the manner most convenient to the owner. If there is no compelling reason dictating the hinge side, owners are strongly encouraged to have their storm/screen door hinged like those that are immediately adjacent. Kick plates and door sweeps need to be replaced occasionally; these should also be dark brown or bronze in color.

‘Mid-view’
Glass configuration

• Sliding glass doors

Because of the wide variety of sliding glass door upgrades available on the market, the association will remain flexible about setting specific standards for the make of replacement sliders. The color, however, must be standard bronze and any vertical struts must visually conform to the existing sliders throughout the Watermark. There are a number of replacement sliders available that that provide superior strength and design features such as hurricane-resistant glass. Hurricane-resistant glass is strongly encouraged. If you’d like to talk to some owners who’ve replaced their sliders recently, please check with the manager before committing to purchase a particular style.

• – Governance and Enforcement

The Watermark Condominium Association has responsibility for architectural conformity and, thus, is in overall charge of monitoring the premises, acting on complaints and enforcement of the adopted standards to ensure uniformity in appearance of the exterior of the property. Owners are required to submit to the Board for approval, or the approval of a designated representative or committee, a written request prior to making any change to the exterior of the buildings. The Board will work with owners in a timely manner to facilitate the change and ensure compliance to standards. The Board will update the condominium’s Specifications and Guidelines as warranted, and respond to architectural conformity issues. The board may designate a representative, an Appearance Committee or Architectural Control Committee to monitor architectural conformity at the Watermark and will consider recommendations from that representative or committee. The ruling of the current board shall prevail and supersede any decision of a past board to overlook non-conforming architecture. In all cases, the board – through the manager — will first attempt to resolve the issue privately with the owner of the non-conforming unit. A written notice of non-conformity will be given by the manager to the owner; if the unit appearance remains in non-compliance 30 days after the written notice, the board may publicly discuss the matter in an attempt to bring about a resolution. In all such cases, the non-conforming owner shall be informed in advance of any meeting in which the matter is on the agenda, and encouraged to be present. The board reserves the right to remove a non-conforming door and/or non-conforming hurricane shutter, and may replace it/them with conforming ones at the expense of the owner. In no case shall a unit be sold or conveyed with its exterior in non-compliance with the Watermark architectural standards spelled out above.