ARB denies request to add darker house color to Wellington’s citywide palette

The Wellington Architectural Review Board on a unanimous vote denied petition 2026‑0006‑ARB, a request to add a very dark exterior paint option to the village’s approved color board.

Staff introduced the item as a resident request to add darker options to the standard color board, noting the trend toward darker exterior palettes. During discussion a contractor who said he represents 1050 Fairdale Way, Carl Save, said homeowner associations and the limited current palette leave many homes looking the same: “Every house looks the same now. It looks like Leisureville,” he said, arguing that homeowners should have more choices.

Board members and staff disagreed that a change to the village color chart was the right remedy. A staff explanation noted the code’s identical‑facade restriction applies to architectural elevation (color, material and design must all be identical to meet the prohibition) and that HOA rules often impose more restrictive color controls. Multiple board members said the proposed near‑black color was not compatible with the palette staff had assembled for Wellington and raised concerns about how the darker tone would read across neighborhoods.

After hearing no public comments in the opened public hearing, a board member moved to deny the petition. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

The denial is a recommendation to council processes where applicable; it ends the ARB’s consideration of that specific color addition. The board did not adopt new language for HOAs or change the village code during the hearing.