The McCormick Ranch Property Owners' Association has published updated Rules and Regulations. They include one sentence that changes how a modern remodel can look from the street: "All black, gray, charcoal, slate, blue-gray, bright white, or other high-contrast roof colors will not be approved." Pavers get almost the same language.
Charcoal tile, slate-gray pavers and a near-white body make up much of what modern remodels look like across the Valley. In McCormick Ranch, that palette is now a design the association has said it will reject. For a seller planning a pre-listing renovation, or a buyer who wants to update an original 1970s or 1980s house after closing, the rules now decide the exterior before any contractor does.
What the rulebook says now, line by line
MRPOA links the current document on its Rules and Regulations page as "UPDATED RULES & REGULATIONS." The PDF carries the version string MRPOARRv_092026. An earlier 2026 edition, version MRPOARRv.2026.6, already had the roof and paver color limits, the brown construction screening and the repeat-violation fine. So these provisions have been building through 2026 rather than appearing all at once this fall. Here is how the current rulebook compares with the 2023 edition on the items a remodel touches first.
| Item | 2023 edition | Current 2026 edition |
|---|---|---|
| Roof color | Must be "compatible" with the neighborhood and complement the home's color scheme | Subdued desert earth tones only; black, gray, charcoal, slate, blue-gray and bright white will not be approved |
| Roof tile blends | Not addressed | Considered only if the overall look stays earth-toned and not predominantly gray or black |
| Pavers | Concrete and pavers permitted | Earth tones only; predominantly gray, charcoal, slate, blue-gray, black, bright white, stark red or orange will not be approved |
| Construction screening | Not addressed | ACC may require solid brown screening for major remodels, roofing and visible staging |
| Application photo | Photos of the structures being modified | Adds a current photo of the entire front, property line to property line; Google or MapQuest images not accepted |
| Repeat violations | Standard fine tiers | $2,500 per unapproved exterior change for a repeat by the same owner, at the same or a different McCormick Ranch property |
Roof and paver applications also now require a physical sample or the manufacturer's color sheet. The ACC can ask for more photographs or "neighborhood comparison information" to judge whether a choice fits.
The roof was the last open door
The paint rules barely moved. Both editions require principal colors in "subdued earth tones, generally muted browns, beiges, tans, and off whites," and both turn away bright whites with a light reflectance value above 74. The walls of a McCormick Ranch home were already held to a warm palette.
The roof and the hardscape had more room. Under the 2023 wording, a charcoal tile roof could be argued as "compatible" and approved on a case-by-case basis. Now the color list sits in the rule itself, so for gray tones there's nothing left to argue. The surfaces a remodel used to make look contemporary now have to match the stucco.
That shapes where the design budget should go. A new roof costs a lot, and nobody replaces one twice. On a home where the roof is due, picking the color has become a compliance decision as much as a design one. The same applies to a driveway or front courtyard repaving.
The calendar sets the schedule, not the contractor
The process has a fixed order, and the rulebook spells out each step.
- Sub-association first. Many McCormick Ranch homes also sit in a smaller HOA. MRPOA's general submittal list includes a sub-association approval letter where one applies.
- A complete MRPOA application. Paint colors and material samples have to be physically delivered to the association office before the cutoff. They can't be submitted electronically. Staff won't send an application to the ACC until every submittal requirement is met.
- The ACC meeting. The committee generally meets on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Complete applications received by noon on the Thursday before a meeting generally go on that meeting's agenda. Projects that need neighbor notification generally get reviewed about two weeks after submission.
- A written decision. The ACC acts within 30 calendar days of receiving a complete application. It can approve, deny, approve in part or table an application.
- The City of Scottsdale. The rulebook says association approval "does not eliminate the necessity of obtaining approval from the City of Scottsdale."
Yard and planting changes follow the same path, with one addition from 2026. Their plans can't be AI-generated. The rules say AI plans, elevations or renderings "may not be submitted as substitutes" for the required drawings.
Why those weeks cost more this fall
The approval window matters more because of the market it lands in. In September 2026, Scottsdale's citywide market had 4.57 months of inventory, a median of 75 days on market and a 97% sold-to-list-price ratio, according to the Scottsdale REALTORS September 2026 market report. That report covers single-family homes and condos across all of Scottsdale, with a median sold price of $950,000.
When homes take that long to sell and close below list, buyers have time to compare and room to negotiate. A seller who starts a pre-listing remodel without approval is adding weeks to an already long timeline. Picking a roof color the ACC can't approve sends the application back to the start. If the work goes ahead anyway, the rules say an unapproved project "may be required by the Association to be modified or removed at the Property Owner's expense." In this market, a remodel that sticks to the earth-tone palette and goes through review the first time protects the seller's timeline as well as their budget.
The fine that applies across properties
The fine schedule is the same as 2023 in most places. Unapproved construction starts at $500 and rises to $2,000 by the fourth fine. Unapproved paint or yard changes run $250 to $350.
The new provision is a footnote. If the same owner commits a repeat violation involving an unapproved exterior change "at the same or a different property within McCormick Ranch," the fine is $2,500 per change, "regardless of the cost of the change." That ties an owner's compliance record to every McCormick Ranch property they own. Investors, families who own more than one home in the neighborhood and anyone planning a second project here should treat approval history as cumulative.
Common areas follow the same palette
Common-area projects are moving in the same direction. MRPOA's Hayden Road project covers about 1.25 miles from Indian Bend Road to Via de Ventura and includes 144 new trees. The association says the work was planned under its master plan and permitted in the fourth quarter of 2025. In October, MRPOA reported that 12 more mature Aleppo pines along the Hayden medians are in decline, beyond the two already slated for removal. Replacement species are still being chosen, with the Board review scheduled for October 28.
The construction rules reach the same views. Screening and porta-potty rules apply to anything visible from streets, common areas, golf courses or the lakes. MRPOA's Spring/Summer 2026 Rancher newsletter says the rules "exist to protect the appearance and long-term value of McCormick Ranch" and apply to "all visible exterior changes."
Where a modern remodel still has room
Here, the exterior has to be built from earth tones. Paint must use a flat finish, with semi-flat or satin allowed on front doors, garage doors and wrought iron. Trim colors should be used "judiciously and with restraint," and garage doors should match the base or trim color. Shade structures go in rear yards only, in muted browns, tans, terracotta or clay.
In our design work, that pushes the modern effect toward what the curb doesn't see. Open kitchens, warm white oak, sculptural lighting, larger sliders to the patio and a well-planned backyard carry the contemporary feel. Out front, the house fits the street. A buyer touring a remodeled McCormick Ranch home in 2027 is likely to find a warm tan exterior with a fully modern interior. Remodels built that way avoid the approval problems a gray exterior would face.
Quick answers
Does the roof rule affect a roof I already have? The rule covers roof work submitted for approval, including removal, replacement and alteration. Any reroof or change needs written ACC approval before work starts.
Can I mix tile colors? Blends may be considered if the overall look stays a subdued desert earth tone and doesn't read as predominantly black, gray, charcoal, slate or blue-gray.
What does membership itself cost in 2026? MRPOA's published 2026 residential annual assessment is $265. The due date was February 13.
This post is general information, not legal or financial advice. Confirm the requirements for your property directly with MRPOA, your sub-association and the City of Scottsdale.
If you're weighing a remodel before selling in McCormick Ranch, or buying an original home you plan to update, Daynes Development can help you plan a design that works within the current rulebook, from the roof color to the backyard. Contact us to talk through your project.
