Remodeling in The Colony: Approvals, Permits and Site Rules

The Colony at White Pine Canyon is a gated, ski-in community above Canyons Village in Park City. Remodels and additions there answer to two groups: The Colony's own architectural review, and Summit County.

The Colony's design guidelines go to owners through the HOA. They are not posted publicly. This guide covers what is public, what the county requires, and the questions to ask the HOA before your architect draws anything.

Why The Colony is different

Colony homes sit on the mountain, and some lots border ski runs. That shapes what a remodel or addition can do.

• Development envelope. Colony sales materials say every structure and site improvement except the driveway sits inside the lot's development envelope, and that decks, patios and paving count toward a coverage limit. An addition or a bigger deck has to fit inside both.
• Ski easements. A 2020 Summit County memo shows parts of some Colony parcels set aside for ski runs and lift easements, with the rights spelled out in the CC&Rs.
• Steep lots. Summit County requires a geotechnical report for lots with slopes of 15% or more.
• Trees. Colony sales materials say removing a living tree generally needs review approval.

The approval steps

Colony sales materials describe three review stages for new homes: pre-planning, conceptual review and final review. Final review cannot start until conceptual approval is in writing. Ask the HOA which stages a remodel or addition goes through, because smaller projects can follow a shorter path.

1. 1.
   Get the current guidelines

   Ask the Colony HOA for the design guidelines, the construction rules and any rules for your neighborhood within The Colony.

2. 2.
   Pre-planning

   Meet with the review committee early. Talk through the program, the site and how much of the lot the work will disturb.

3. 3.
   Conceptual review

   Submit the massing, character, grading and outdoor areas. Wait for written conceptual approval before final drawings.

4. 4.
   Final review

   Submit site, floor, grading, drainage and landscape plans with exterior material samples.

5. 5.
   Summit County permit

   Apply online with the approved plans. The county reviews additions, remodels, decks, roofing, windows and siding with separate checklists.

6. 6.
   Build inside the site rules

   Call crews in at the Gatehouse, park only on the lot, keep staging inside the limits of disturbance, and follow the HOA's construction rules.

Rules during construction

• Service providers must be called in to the Gatehouse ahead of time. The Gatehouse is staffed around the clock.
• No parking on Colony roads or shoulders. Park only in driveways or on the lot.
• During winter road restrictions, the HOA can turn away vehicles without four-wheel or all-wheel drive and snow tires, or approved chains. Plan deliveries around it.
• Summit County requires staging inside the approved envelope or limits of disturbance, waste in a covered dumpster, and snow kept on your own property.
• New outdoor lights must be fully shielded, aimed down and 3000K or warmer under Summit County's dark sky rules.

What to ask the HOA before you design

• The current design guidelines and construction rules, and any extra rules for your neighborhood
• Whether your project goes through conceptual and final review, or a shorter path
• Design review fees and any construction or compliance deposit
• Contractor work hours, seasonal limits and insurance requirements
• Where crews can park and stage, and how deliveries reach steep sites in winter
• Your lot's development envelope, coverage limit and any ski easement

How we handle it

We start with the HOA's current guidelines and your lot's recorded envelope, then plan the addition or remodel to fit inside them. We build review time into the schedule, file the Summit County permit with the approved plans, and run the site to the Gatehouse and parking rules so your neighbors never have a reason to call the HOA.

Common questions

Where these rules come from

We checked these sources in October 2026. The Colony's design guidelines are only available to owners through the HOA, so confirm every rule here against the current guidelines before you plan. Items marked as coming from Colony sales materials are secondhand.

• The Colony HOA: rules for guests and service providers
• Amended and Restated Development Agreement, Canyons area (Summit County, 1999)
• Summit County memo on Colony ski easements (2020)
• Summit County Building Department
• Summit County permit checklists
• Summit County Construction Mitigation Form
• Summit County dark sky lighting rules
• Colony sales team: designing a home in The Colony (secondhand)