Scottsdale HOA Paint Colors vs City Code
Scottsdale HOA paint colors and City code answer two different questions. An association palette is a private rule. City light reflective value and Munsell limits apply in named overlays and in Historic Property review. They are not a citywide cap on every house. HOA approval does not mean you are finished with the City.
Does HOA Approval Mean the City Signed Off?
No. The City Home Improvement page says exterior painting in Environmentally Sensitive Lands and Historic Property zoning needs a Planning and Development courtesy review. The same page says subdivision CC&Rs can still govern the work and that the City does not enforce those CC&Rs. An approval letter from the association is not that courtesy review. A courtesy review is not a full building permit on that City list.
Where the Paint Limits Apply
| Rule set | Where it applies | Paint limit to plan around | City process |
|---|---|---|---|
| ESL overlay | About 134 square miles north and east of the CAP canal. Confirm the parcel. | LRV not greater than 35 percent. Munsell value and chroma not greater than 6. Some exemption parcels are checked at 40 percent. | Courtesy review for exterior painting |
| Foothills Overlay | About 8 square miles, generally Dixileta to Jomax and 56th to 96th. The City says it is applied with ESL. | Ordinance Sec. 6.1004.E: LRV not greater than 40 percent and Munsell value not greater than 6. The City overview page states 35 percent and chroma 6. | Confirm which overlay is on the parcel before you rely on 40 |
| Historic Property | Historic districts | No numeric LRV cap is stated on the Home Improvement page | Courtesy review for exterior painting |
| Other Scottsdale lots | Outside those overlays and districts | No citywide LRV or Munsell body-color cap in the sources above | The HOA may still control color. The City does not enforce CC&Rs |
ESL Paint Limits
The City single-family ESL plan checklist cites Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.1070.G. Exterior paint is held to a light reflective value not greater than 35 percent and to a Munsell value and chroma not greater than 6. The City may require color samples. Materials are supposed to blend with the desert and avoid high contrast. Reflective building materials are restricted.
That same checklist says parcels exempt under the 2004 ESL amendment, Sec. 6.1022.B, are checked at an LRV not greater than 40 percent instead of 35 percent. The form we read is revised November 2017. Ask Planning whether your parcel is on that exemption path. Do not guess from a neighbor.
Foothills Overlay and the 40 Versus 35 Difference
Sec. 6.1004.E of the zoning ordinance says no paint color shall have an LRV greater than 40 percent, exterior paint and material colors shall not exceed a Munsell value of 6, and reflective building materials are prohibited. That subsection does not state a chroma cap.
The City Foothills Overlay page, updated May 21, 2026, describes the area as about eight square miles and says the Foothills rules are applied together with ESL. On that page the paint notes say LRV not greater than 35 percent and Munsell value and chroma not greater than 6. Those sentences match the ESL standard more than Sec. 6.1004.E.
This is a reason to confirm the parcel, not a fight to pick a side from a blog. If ESL also applies, plan for the tighter 35 percent LRV and the chroma limit unless Planning confirms an exemption. If a chip is over 40 it misses the Foothills ordinance text as well.
Historic Property
Exterior painting in a Historic Property zoning district is on the City courtesy-review list with ESL. We did not find a citywide or historic LRV number on that page. Ask the reviewer what they need for your district. The association, if you have one, is still a separate file.
A Typical Lot Outside the Overlays
For an ordinary residential lot outside ESL, Foothills and Historic Property zoning, these sources do not show a City LRV or Munsell cap on body paint. The HOA or the CC&Rs can still limit color. The City says it does not enforce those rules. The ESL area the City describes is north and east of the CAP canal. If your parcel is not in that area, do not borrow the ESL number. Confirm the parcel if you are near the canal or in a historic district.
How to Check Your Parcel
- Read the City ESL overlay page, including the maps and the interactive landform map linked there.
- Read the Foothills Overlay page and its location map. The geography is limited. Being in north Scottsdale is not the same as being in that eight square miles.
- Ask Planning and Development Services at the One Stop Shop, 7447 E. Indian School Road. The Home Improvement page lists 480-312-2500 on the contact block and 480-312-7725 for application questions.
- Still complete the HOA architectural application. City staff will not file that for you and the City will not enforce it.
A Practical Sequence
- Confirm whether ESL, Foothills, both or Historic Property zoning hit the parcel.
- Pull the current HOA palette.
- Shortlist colors that satisfy the palette and the City limit that actually applies. When both overlays apply, plan for the stricter published number until Planning says otherwise.
- Sample on the sunniest wall and look morning, noon and late day.
- Submit the HOA package and the City courtesy review when the City requires one.
- Paint only after the approvals you need are in writing.
If the City Wants a Different Color Than the HOA
This is not legal advice and it is not a claim about a named subdivision. Confirm overlay status with Planning before paint is purchased. Keep the HOA approval and, when it is required, the City courtesy review in writing. For a dispute about who pays for a required change, talk with the association or a qualified advisor. We cannot clear City code for you and an approval letter does not prevent a later enforcement question.
Related Reading
Color process and community links stay on the HOA paint guide. The field service is HOA painting. 2026 color choices are in exterior paint color trends for 2026. The coating work is exterior painting.
Sources Checked November 6, 2026
- City of Scottsdale, Foothills Overlay overview.
- City of Scottsdale, ESL Overlay overview.
- City of Scottsdale, Home Improvement page, courtesy review and CC&R note.
- Zoning Ordinance Sec. 6.1004.E, Foothills property development standards, as published on Municode.
- City single-family ESL plan checklist citing Sec. 6.1070.G and the Sec. 6.1022.B exemption path. Form revision November 2017.
Resident forum posts about older ordinance numbers are a reason to verify your parcel. They are not proof of a citywide conflict and they are not the section numbers above.
Get Both Reviews Straight
Call (480) 841-0967 or request a free quote. We will help with the HOA samples and the paperwork. You still need the City review when the parcel requires it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does HOA approval mean I am safe with the City of Scottsdale? No. Exterior painting in ESL and Historic Property zoning needs a Planning and Development courtesy review. The City does not enforce HOA CC&Rs. Keep each approval that applies in writing.
Do Scottsdale LRV paint limits apply to every home? No. The LRV and Munsell limits we cite apply to ESL and Foothills overlay contexts, and Historic districts have a courtesy review without a citywide LRV number on the Home Improvement page. A house outside those areas can still have HOA color rules.
Why do Foothills sources say both LRV 40 and LRV 35? Sec. 6.1004.E states an LRV not greater than 40 percent and a Munsell value not greater than 6. The City Foothills page states 35 percent and a chroma of 6 and says the overlay is applied with ESL. Confirm the parcel with Planning before you rely on the higher number.
Who pays if the City requires a different color than the HOA approved? This page cannot assign that cost. Confirm the overlay before you buy paint, keep the required approvals in writing, and take a payment dispute to the association or a qualified advisor.