Title 33 – Property

Chapter 16 – Planned Communities

Article 1 – General Provisions

A. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit the outdoor front yard or backyard display of any of the following:

1. The American flag or an official or replica of a flag of the uniformed services of the United States by an association member on that member’s property if the American flag or a uniformed services flag is displayed in a manner consistent with the federal flag code (P.L. 94-344; 90 Stat. 810; 4 United States Code sections 4 through 10).

2. The POW/MIA flag.

3. The Arizona state flag.

4. An Arizona Indian nations flag.

5. The Gadsden flag.

6. A first responder flag. A first responder flag may incorporate the design of one or two other first responder flags to form a combined flag.

7. A blue star service flag or a gold star service flag.

8. Any historic version of the American flag, including the Betsy Ross flag, without regard to how the stars and stripes are arranged on the flag.

B. The association shall adopt reasonable rules and regulations regarding the placement and manner of display of the flags prescribed by subsection A of this section. The association rules:

1. May regulate the location and size of flagpoles.

2. May limit the member to two wall-mounted flagpole holders.

3. May limit the member to displaying not more than two flags at once.

4. May limit the height of the flagpole to not more than the height of the rooftop of the member’s home.

5. Shall not prohibit installing a flagpole in the front yard or backyard of the member’s property.

C. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit the indoor or outdoor display of a political sign by an association member on that member’s property, except that an association may prohibit the display of political signs as follows:

1. Earlier than seventy-one days before the day of a primary election.

2. Later than fifteen days after the day of the general election.

3. For a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election, later than fifteen days after the primary election.

D. An association may regulate the size and number of political signs that may be placed on a member’s property if the association’s regulation is not more restrictive than any applicable city, town or county ordinance that regulates the size and number of political signs on residential property. If the city, town or county in which the property is located does not regulate the size and number of political signs on residential property, the association shall not limit the number of political signs, except that the maximum aggregate total dimensions of all political signs on a member’s property shall not exceed nine square feet.

E. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit using cautionary signs regarding children if the signs are used and displayed as follows:

1. The signs are displayed in residential areas only.

2. The signs are removed within one hour of children ceasing to play.

3. The signs are displayed only when children are actually present within fifty feet of the sign.

4. The temporary signs are not taller than three feet in height.

5. The signs are professionally manufactured or produced.

F. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit children who reside in the planned community from engaging in recreational activity on residential roadways that are under the jurisdiction of the association and on which the posted speed limit is twenty-five miles per hour or less.

G. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit or charge a fee for the use of, the placement of or the indoor or outdoor display of a for sale, for rent or for lease sign and a sign rider by an association member on that member’s property in any combination, including a sign that indicates the member is offering the property for sale by owner. The size of a sign offering a property for sale, for rent or for lease shall be in conformance with the industry standard size sign, which shall not exceed eighteen by twenty-four inches, and the industry standard size sign rider, which shall not exceed six by twenty-four inches. This subsection applies only to a commercially produced sign, and an association may prohibit using signs that are not commercially produced. With respect to real estate for sale, for rent or for lease in the planned community, an association shall not prohibit in any way other than as is specifically authorized by this section or otherwise regulate any of the following:

1. Temporary open house signs or a member’s for sale sign. The association shall not require the use of particular signs indicating an open house or real property for sale and may not further regulate the use of temporary open house or for sale signs that are industry standard size and that are owned or used by the seller or the seller’s agent.

2. Open house hours. The association may not limit the hours for an open house for real estate that is for sale in the planned community, except that the association may prohibit an open house being held before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m. and may prohibit open house signs on the common areas of the planned community.

3. An owner’s or an owner’s agent’s for rent or for lease sign unless an association’s documents prohibit or restrict leasing of a member’s property. An association shall not further regulate a for rent or for lease sign or require the use of a particular for rent or for lease sign other than the for rent or for lease sign shall not be any larger than the industry standard size sign of eighteen by twenty-four inches on or in the member’s property. If rental or leasing of a member’s property is not prohibited or restricted, the association may prohibit an open house for rental or leasing being held before 8:00 a.m. or after 6:00 p.m.

H. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association shall not prohibit door-to-door political activity, including solicitations of support or opposition regarding candidates or ballot issues, and shall not prohibit circulating political petitions, including candidate nomination petitions or petitions in support of or opposition to an initiative, referendum or recall or other political issue on property normally open to visitors within the association, except that an association may do the following:

1. Restrict or prohibit the door-to-door political activity from sunset to sunrise.

2. Require the prominent display of an identification tag for each person engaged in the activity, along with the prominent identification of the candidate or ballot issue that is the subject of the support or opposition.

3. Prohibit a person who is not accompanied by a member or resident of the planned community from entering the planned community if the planned community restricts vehicular or pedestrian access.

I. A planned community shall not make any regulations regarding the number of candidates supported, the number of public officers supported or opposed in a recall or the number of propositions supported or opposed on a political sign.

J. A planned community shall not require political signs to be commercially produced or professionally manufactured or prohibit the utilization of both sides of a political sign.

K. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict the indoor or outdoor display of an association-specific political sign by a member by placement of a sign on that member’s property. An association may adopt reasonable rules regarding the placement, location and manner of display of association-specific political signs, except an association shall not do any of the following:

1. Prohibit the display of association-specific political signs between the date that the association provides written or absentee ballots to members and three days after the planned community election.

2. Limit the number of association-specific political signs, except that the association may limit the aggregate total dimensions of all association-specific political signs on a member’s property to not more than nine square feet.

3. Require association-specific political signs to be commercially produced or professionally manufactured or prohibit using both sides of the sign.

4. Regulate the number of candidates supported or opposed, the number of board members supported or opposed in a recall or the number of ballot measures supported or opposed on an association-specific political sign.

5. Make any other regulations regarding the content of an association-specific political sign except that the association may prohibit using profanity and discriminatory text, images or content based on race, color, religion, sex, familial status or national origin as prescribed by federal or state fair housing laws.

L. Notwithstanding any provision in the community documents, an association may not prohibit or unreasonably restrict a member’s ability to peacefully assemble and use common areas of the planned community if done in compliance with reasonable restrictions for the use of that property adopted by the board of directors. An individual member or group of members may assemble to discuss matters related to the planned community, including board elections or recalls, potential or actual ballot issues or revisions to the community documents, property maintenance or safety issues or any other planned community matters. A member may invite one political candidate or one non-member guest to speak to an assembly of members about matters related to the community. The association shall not prohibit a member from posting notices regarding those assemblies of members on bulletin boards located on the common areas or within common area facilities. An assembly of members prescribed by this subsection does not constitute an official members’ meeting unless the meeting is noticed and convened as prescribed in the community documents and this chapter.

M. An association or managing agent that violates subsection G of this section forfeits and extinguishes the lien rights authorized under section 33-1807 against that member’s property for a period of six consecutive months after the date of the violation.

N. For the purposes of this section:

1. “Association-specific political sign” means a sign that supports or opposes a candidate for the board of directors, the recall of a board member or a planned community ballot measure that requires a vote of the association members.

2. “Betsy Ross flag” means a historic flag of the United States that consists of thirteen stripes alternating between red and white stripes and thirteen five-pointed white stars arranged in a circle against a blue background.

3. “First responder flag” means a flag that recognizes and honors the services of any of the following:

(a) Law enforcement and that is limited to the colors blue, black and white, the words “law enforcement”, “police”, “officers”, “first responder”, “honor our”, “support our” and “department” and the symbol of a generic police shield in a crest or star shape.

(b) Fire departments and that is limited to the colors red, gold, black and white, the words “fire”, “fighters”, “F”, “D”, “FD”, “first responder”, “department”, “honor our” and “support our” and the symbol of a generic Maltese Cross.

(c) Paramedics or emergency medical technicians and that is limited to the colors blue, black and white, the words “first responder”, “paramedic”, “emergency medical”, “service”, “technician”, “honor our” and “support our” and the symbol of a generic star of life.

4. “Political sign” means a sign that attempts to influence the outcome of an election, including supporting or opposing the recall of a public officer or supporting or opposing the circulation of a petition for a ballot measure, question or proposition or the recall of a public officer.