Know what authorizes the decision.
Our governance principles and practical questions. Legal anchors are identified separately below.
Find the actual provision.
Ask for the document, section, and current amendment behind a restriction or decision. Separate the written rule from a personal preference, an old practice, or a summary in an email.
Check who gets to decide.
Identify whether the decision belongs to the board, an architectural committee, or the membership. Look for the required approval process—not just a person willing to say yes.
Read the documents together.
Start with applicable law and the recorded governing documents, then examine authorized rules and guidelines. Do not assume that every provision is valid, that every statute overrides every document, or that the same hierarchy resolves every conflict.
One useful question to ask
Please identify the specific provision authorizing this decision and the record showing how it was approved.
Florida legal anchors
Florida § 720.303(1) addresses association powers under the statute and governing documents, including statutory limits. Read Florida Statutes § 720.303 ↗
For architectural control, § 720.3035 ties authority to the declaration or declaration-authorized published standards, including authority reasonably inferred from them. It also addresses equitable application and specific written reasons for a denial. Read Florida Statutes § 720.3035 ↗