The Environmental Control Committee (ECC) consists of volunteer BVSA members in good standing appointed by the BVSA Board of Directors, and is comprised of three committee members and two to three “associates” and/or “trainees.”
The ECC is authorized to review and approve or disapprove all proposed work and applications for grading, excavation, building and/or remodeling, painting, etc., of all houses and outbuildings and other improvements (including fencing) in our community. The ECC does not issue building permits nor do the ECC’s application and approval requirements replace or supersede Kern County building permit requirements.
The ECC concentrates on preservation, protection and enhancement of the quality of life in Bear Valley Springs by endeavoring to ensure that all applications are compatible with the C&Rs and the other BVSA Governing Documents.
The ECC staff, who are employed by the Association, are there to help you with all inquiries relating to ECC matters (submittals for various projects, complaints, ECC violations, etc.). If in doubt about when the ECC needs to be involved with a project you are doing on your property, please call one of our ECC staff members at 821-5537, ext. 222, 211, or 214 or email at ECC@bvsa.org.
Complaints can be made by filling out a complaint form and turning it into the Association office. The online ECC Complaint form can be found on this page or you may pick one up at the Association Office. The ECC Field Representative will then check on the complaint, and if found to be in violation, the ECC will send a Request for Cooperation letter to the Property Owner which begins the violation process outlined below.
Unfortunately, due to our BVSA Confidentiality Agreement, we are not able to disclose to you the outcome of your complaint.
Submittal forms can be picked up at the Association Office Monday through Friday from 8:30am-5pm and can also be found on this site under the Document Library under ECC Documents. Forms must be signed by the Property Owner and turned in with detailed plans, paint swatches, and plot maps, depending on the nature of your project. Our staff is always willing to assist you either in the office, or by phone at 661- 821-5537 X222 or X 211 or via email at ECC@bvsa.org.
Submittals received by Friday will be reviewed by the ECC the following Wednesday. Property Owners can call on Wednesday afternoon for the status and a letter will be mailed out the following day.
Because of the nature of the violation process, there are several reasons why it may seem like nothing is happening. It could be that the Field Representative could not find anything in violation of the ECC or BVSA Rules. It could be that a Request for Cooperation has been sent and the Property Owner has yet to respond, resulting in additional notices and ultimately Board Hearing, disciplinary actions, fines, etc. It could be that the Property Owner has requested and been granted an extension to comply. Due to the BVSA Confidentiality Agreement, we are unable to disclose if and at what stage another Property Owner is in this process.
When you receive a Request for Cooperation, you have several options.
The short answer is that we cannot tell you as complaints are filed anonymously. However, as an Association, we only average about 5 complaints per month. With over 3,500 lots and an average of 40+ violations per month, the majority of violations are written because of routine checks from our ECC Field Representative.
In short, yes! All of the above structures are considered accessory structures and do require approval from the ECC before construction.
If the structure will be 120 square feet or less, you will fill out the General Submittal form available in the Document Library under ECC Documents.
If the structure will be over 120 square feet, a Kern County Building Permit is required, as well as a deposit with the ECC in addition to the submittal. The deposit is $500 of which $200 is refundable upon completion and receipt of a signed off Kern County Job Card.
Submittals received by a Friday will be reviewed by the ECC the following Wednesday. Submittals can be turned into the BVSA office or emailed to ecc@bvsa.org.
Accessory structures must be painted to match the primary residence. They must also be at least 5 feet from the property line and at least 6 feet from any other structure. Accessory structures that will be used to house farm animals must be at least 50 feet from any residence, including your neighbors. A plot plan showing where the structure will be placed on the property is required as well as a photo/picture/plans/drawing of the accessory structure must be included with your submittal.
Questions? Email ecc@bvsa.org or call us at 661-821-5537 X222 or X211.
As Fall and Winter approach, we could experience storm and wind damage to not only our oak trees but other varieties as well. You do not need a permit to trim the excess branch that has broken off. If you wish to do any other oak tree trimming apart from the storm damage, you will need to submit for an oak tree trim approval. If you are just trimming mistletoe, no submittal is needed. However, if you will be removing major branches or an entire tree, you will need to complete a submittal form and receive approval from the ECC. These forms may be obtained at the BVSA office and are available in the Document Library on this site under ECC Documents. Of course, take any safety measures necessary. For emergency action tree trimming, approvals can be processed in 24 hours or less. For further information, please call the ECC Staff at 821-5537 ext. 222 or 211 or email us at ECC@bvsa.org.
Subtle earth tone colors that blend in with the natural surroundings are the goal. White, blue, gray with blue undertones, yellow, intense reds, oranges and some greens are not approved colors. Colors must also have a light reflective value (LRV) of 60 or less. The LRV has to do with the brightness of the color.
The ECC staff is happy to help you in determining the LRV of your desired color. We also have a book available in the Association office with a list of the colors that were approved from recent years if you would like help in narrowing down your color choices.
Our ECC Field Representative’s responsibility is to regularly monitor properties for compliance. It’s not a popular job, but a necessary one. There is a regular schedule that is followed so that over the course of regular intervals each area of the valley is checked. For most violations, the violation is documented with a photograph. The Field Representative verifies if Property Owners have complied with previous Requests for Cooperation. Inspections are completed for houses that are in escrow to make sure they are in compliance before an ownership change is finalized. Lastly, the Field Rep monitors and finalizes larger projects that require a deposit such as new home construction, remodeling, or building of accessory structures over 120 square feet to determine if the deposits are ready to be refunded. You will recognize the Field Rep as a white vehicle with the BVSA logo on the side.
The goal of the violation process is not to impose discipline in the form of fines or suspension of amenity privileges, but for compliance to the ECC and BVSA rules.
The ECC is comprised of volunteer Members in good standing. BVSA ECC staff members also sit in on the weekly meetings. This combination of volunteers and staff has helped the ECC to strive for consistency, increased knowledge of our governing documents, the ability to research previous ECC decisions, and effectively communicate with Property Owners.
There could be several reasons for a house that is painted an unapproved color. The rules on colors that are approvable have changed over the years and different Committees have interpreted the rules differently.
Due to the BVSA confidentiality agreement, we are not able to let you know exactly what is happening with any property except for your own.
ECC stands for Environmental Control Committee. The ECC’s goal is to preserve, protect, and enhance the
quality of life in Bear Valley Springs by ensuring that all residential lots are compatible with the C&R’s and
other governing documents. The ECC reviews any changes being made to the exterior of your lot including:
We also approve permits for Garage/Yard Sales and Occupation Permits. Lastly, we do send out Requests for Cooperation (aka violation notices) if there is something on your property that is not in compliance with the ECC or BVSA rules.
The goal of these responsibilities is to keep the properties in our valley blending in with the natural beauty of the surroundings, enforcing the rules of our governing documents, and maintaining a standard of living reflective on the value of all properties. The ECC Rules are available in the Association office or can be found on this site in the Document Library under Governing Documents.