Solivita architectural review: driveways, walkways, pavers and patios
Solivita's architectural review rules for driveways and pavers
From the Solivita Community Association Architectural Review Requirements (November 22, 2013): '6.14 Driveway and Walkways. All replacement driveways and/or walkways must be constructed in the same style and of the same materials utilized by the original builder in the construction of the original driveway and/or walkway. All requests for the extension or modification of a driveway…' are reviewed by the ARC. The application form lists 'Driveway Reseal', 'Walkway', 'Patio/pavers' and 'Screen Enclosure' as items needing review, and pavers require a color sample or picture.
What we read in the requirements
| Topic | Requirement | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Replacement driveways and walks | Same style and same materials as the original builder's | 6.14 |
| Extensions and modifications | Reviewed by the ARC on application | 6.14 |
| Pavers, patios, driveway reseal, walkways, screen enclosures | Listed on the application form as items requiring review | Exhibit A |
| Samples | Requests for painting, roofing, pavers etc. must include a color sample or picture | Application instructions |
| Plans | The ARC may require up to three complete sets of plans; pools and structures need floor-slab and pool-deck elevations and a drainage plan | 5.2, 5.3 |
| Walls between back-to-back lots | 4-ft concrete block or solid concrete wall, stucco and painted to match, no closer than 5 ft to the rear line | Fences and walls |
| Appeal | Written request to the Board within 30 days of an ARC decision; the Board's determination is dispositive | Appeals |
| Exculpation | The Association and ARC are not liable for costs arising from approvals or denials | 16 |
How a Solivita job goes
Because 6.14 ties replacements to the builder's original material, a concrete-to-paver conversion is an 'extension or modification' request with a sample and a plan, decided case by case; a like-for-like concrete replacement is routine. Patios and paver additions behind the house are reviewed with a sample; screen enclosures are reviewed with elevations. Solivita is in Polk County, so the permit rules are Polk's (Polk County (unincorporated)), including the Paver Release Form if pavers reach the right-of-way. The HOA / ARC Packet Checklist builds the submission; city page: Poinciana.
Matching the original builder is the governing idea
Solivita's architectural requirements are built around consistency with the original construction. Replacement driveways and walkways are expected to be built in the same style and of the same materials the original builder used, and requests for an extension or modification of a driveway go through the review process. Requests involving paint, roofing, pavers, doors, awnings, shutters and similar items are expected to include a colour sample or a photograph.
The practical effect is that a like-for-like replacement is a simple application and a change of material or colour is a real one. Owners who want pavers where the builder used concrete are not excluded, but they are making a modification request rather than a maintenance notification, and the packet needs to reflect that.
What that means for an ageing community
Solivita's homes date from around 2000 into the 2020s, so its flatwork is young by comparison with the older Poinciana villages. The failures we see are specific rather than systemic: irrigation-driven settlement, a tree root under a walk, a utility trench that consolidated. Those are genuinely repairable, and a single panel replacement in matching material is both the technically right answer and the easiest one to get approved.
The place where owners get caught is colour. New concrete next to twenty-year-old concrete is lighter for about a year, which is not a material change but does look like one from the street. We note it in the application rather than letting it become a complaint, and where an owner would rather avoid it entirely, replacing the whole element is the alternative.
Questions we get about this
Can I replace my Solivita driveway with pavers?
Only if the ARC approves a departure from the original builder's material under 6.14; submit it as a modification with a sample.
Does resealing need approval?
'Driveway Reseal' is on the application form as a reviewable item, so yes.
Which county permits Solivita?
Polk County.
Can I appeal a denial?
In writing to the Board within 30 days; the Board's decision is final under the requirements.
Get a written estimate for your project
Tell us the size, the surface you have now and where the lot is. We visit, measure, check access and drainage, and send a written proposal. No pressure calls.
What changed in this update: 2026-09-11 — first published