Many communities require approval before you change the outside of your home: a fence, a shed, a deck, a pool, solar panels, a new roof color. In Communitrak you apply with an architectural request. Your community's leaders, or a review committee, look at it and approve or deny it, and you can follow every step on the request.
How much of this article applies depends on how your community has set things up. Some communities have one leader approve requests directly. Others have a committee vote, with deadlines, appeals, and work tracking. You'll only see the parts your community uses.
Check your community's architectural guidelines, usually found under Articles or Files, so you know what's allowed and what the committee will want to see. Common items are a description of the work, materials and colors, a site plan or survey, photos, contractor details, and when the work will start and finish.
In the main navigation menu, expand Requests and click Architectural.
Click New Request.
If your community requires an application form, you're taken to it. Answer its questions, attach what it asks for, and submit. Otherwise, fill in the standard form: a Title, the Project type if your community lists them, your household under Select Impact Area, and a Description of the work.
Check What this application needs, if it appears. It lists the documents your community asks for. Attach what you have under Attachments. You can still submit if something is missing and add it later.
Click Create Request, or submit the form. A form shows View my request when it's done.
Everyone in your household is added to the request and notified as it moves along. For the basics of comments, files, and statuses, see "Submitting and Tracking Requests".
If your community uses a committee, the request has a Committee Review card showing its progress: Sent, Ready, Voting, Decided. Depending on your community's settings, you'll either see votes as they come in, or only that the request is with the committee until the decision is published.
If your community lists required documents, the card shows them under Application checklist, or Still needed while something is outstanding. Many communities don't start the review clock until everything required is in, so the sooner it's complete, the sooner the committee is on a deadline.
Upload the document under Attached Files with Add.
On the checklist, click attach it next to the item.
Under Which file is this?, choose the file you uploaded and click Mark received.
Optional items have a mark received link of their own. If you mark something by mistake, click undo. Your community may also mark an item received, for example a document you dropped off in person, or decide it isn't needed for your request.
You're notified, and the card reads The committee needs more information, followed by what they asked for. The review clock pauses while they wait on you.
Answer with a comment on the request, by adding the files they asked for, or by editing the request. Any of these sends it back to the committee and restarts the clock, extended by the time you took.
When a decision is published, you're notified by email and in the app, and the request shows it:
Approved: You can go ahead.
Approved with conditions: You can go ahead, as long as you meet the conditions listed.
Denied: The request was turned down. The decision names the guideline it rests on and which part of your proposal doesn't meet it, and may say what changes would make it approvable.
Your community may also mail you a printed copy of the decision.
If you'd like to try again with changes, click Resubmit with changes. It starts a new application linked to the old one, so the committee can see what changed.
Changed your mind, sold the house, or want to redraw your plans? Click Withdraw on the request any time before a decision and confirm. It closes without a decision, and your property's record shows it as withdrawn, not denied. Once a decision is published there's nothing to withdraw; you can appeal or resubmit instead.
If your community allows appeals, a decision that can be appealed shows an Appeal card with the last day to file.
Click Appeal this decision.
Explain your grounds: why you think the decision should change. This is required.
Click File appeal.
Your appeal goes to the body your community has chosen to hear appeals, usually the board, and the card shows the date they have to decide by. Depending on your community, they either vote on it or hold a hearing.
Hearings: You're notified of the date and place, and reminded as it approaches. You may attend and be heard. Your community may also mail you a notice of hearing.
Postponing: If you can't make the date, click Ask to postpone and give a reason. The card shows how much postponement you have left.
Withdrawing: Click Withdraw this appeal and confirm to drop it. The original decision then stands, and it can't be appealed again.
You're notified of the outcome: the decision is affirmed, modified, or reversed.
Some communities set deadlines for approved work. If yours does, the request shows Work must start by and Work must finish by, with a tracker: Approved, Started, Finished, Signed off.
Click Work has started when you begin, and Work is complete when you're done.
You're reminded before each deadline and told once if one passes. A missed deadline doesn't cancel your approval in Communitrak, but your community decides what it means. If you need more time, ask in a comment; your community can extend the dates.
After you finish, a leader may inspect the work and record whether it was built as approved. If it differs, the request says what differs.
Committee members who live in your household can't vote on your request.
If you edit your request or change its files while the committee is voting, votes already cast stop counting and the committee looks again. That way an approval always matches the plans you actually submitted.
Architectural requests stay with the property. On your request, Property history shows earlier requests for your address, including ones from previous owners.
You're notified by email and push about requests for more information, decisions, hearings, and work deadlines, following your notification settings.
If you have questions or need help, chat with Communitrak Support from any page using the messenger icon in the bottom-right corner.
