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No more city HOA? This Florida town considers loosening rules for house colors

Currently, Palm Coast homeowners limited to Earth tones, light pastels

Imagine strolling down your street and seeing a rainbow of colors on every house.

This could soon become a reality in Palm Coast, as the city is considering changing its house color policy to give residents more freedom in their paint choices.

While this move could bring a splash of creativity to neighborhoods, it’s also sparking some debate.

Currently, driving around most sections of Palm Coast reveals a lot of tans and grays, with some other “city-approved” colors mixed in. This debate was sparked by a homeowner who faced some trouble for her bold choice.

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“Blue is a calming color for me, and my house is supposed to be calming,” said Mindy Melendez. “I got a ticket mailed to me saying that my house was not in code and I had so long to get my house in code.”

Melendez approached city leaders with the colorful idea they’re now considering, as the clock ticks for her to repaint. Some homeowners support her.

“They want to express themselves, how they feel the need in their house color because it’s one of the biggest investments you’re going to make in your life,” Melendez added.

Currently, homeowners can only paint their houses in earth tones or some light pastels within certain shades based on how much the color reflects light.

The city is now considering allowing shades of pinks, lavenders, peaches, and greens, but keeping a ban on brighter colors such as fuchsia, magenta, and oranges.

[FLASHBACK: ‘Starry Night’ house stirs controversy}

Some residents, however, would like to see regulations remain intact, fearing it could affect property values.

“We have to live with these people. If you get some person who decides to paint it a weird color, it affects not only your house but the whole neighborhood,” said one resident, Murray.

There are other homeowners in the city who have broken the rules, which is another reason city leaders want to update this ordinance—to clarify who really needs to repaint.

The next steps include the city attorney drafting a revised ordinance, which will be reviewed by a board and committee. Then, it heads to the city council, who can approve, deny, or request more changes. If it moves forward, two public hearings would be held before an official vote.

None of this applies to residents living in subdivisions with their own homeowners associations, as they have separate rules to follow.


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About the Author
Molly Reed headshot

Molly joined News 6 at the start of 2021, returning home to Central Florida.

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