Wayne has requested that his op-ed regarding the Board and the AECC’s recent denial of a property owner’s request for a standing seam primary metal panel roofing system be posted at bcmatters.org. Thank you Wayne for your research, discussion and experience on this subject. (Patricia)
Big Canoe AECC fails to be firewise and current with Guidelines Written by Wayne A. Huey, Architect
Introduction: I have a unique position as a Professional Licensed Architect for 40+ years which includes working for 6 years as Staff Architect for the POA and a member of the Architectural and Environmental Control Committee (“AECC”). I have continued to practice architecture with most of my clients in North Georgia.
Over 10 years ago I gave a presentation on metal roofing to the AECC when metal roofing was becoming very popular and affordable with new residential communities in the city as well as mountain communities. My intention was to prepare the AECC for what I considered fulfilling a portion of the AECC PURPOSE as defined in the Charter to develop guidelines which “. . . remain current and applicable with the changing construction environment.” AECC continues to ignore this portion of the Purpose with the present AECC Guidelines.
An example of how the Architectural and Environmental Control Department (“AECD”) and AECC fail to fulfill their PURPOSE can be found in the April 2021 Smoke Signals article titled: “Firewise: Help prevent forest fires: ‘stack the deck in your home’s favor.” The AECC Guidelines do not adhere to the Firewise Guidelines adopted by Wildcat Community, Inc. Noting that “non-combustible roofs are critical”, the Firewise Roofing Materials lists the following: Class A fire rated asphalt shingles, slate, tile and metal. Why would Big Canoe, the largest of the 4,500 house communities in the Wildcat Community organization NOT be firewise in AECC Guidelines? Big Canoe Guidelines are not current, and the AECC needs professional guidance to update and correct.
2018 Board approves Metal Panel Roofing: Another article found at Inside the Gates written by the AECD manager and titled, “Primary metal roofs for residential properties in Big Canoe” references “one house in Big Canoe with a standing seam primary metal panel roofing system.” The house referenced is my house shown in the photos below at 503 Grouse Gap Drive. 
I spent months going through a very difficult process with AECC after I received a 100% enthusiastic approval of the metal roof for my house by the 2018 Board of Directors. With the one time variance for my house roof, the Board intended to also make a change in the AECC Architectural Guidelines approving the standing seam primary metal panel roofing for future homeowners. An April 24, 2018 memo by the Board President to myself stated: “ . . . with the help of the AECC we now need to embark on a rule change that permits metal roofs of the proper quality and appearance. I’m grateful the Board was open minded about your proposal. It will be an important change and improvement for Big Canoe.” This failure by the AECC to update Guidelines as requested by the Board was also a failure to comply with the AECC Purpose (Charter). The good news is that we are thoroughly enjoying our new house with a metal roof completed in February 2019. The bad news is that AECD and AECC were not able to come up with a set of specifications for a metal panel roofing system to make the rule change requested by the Board for Big Canoe homeowners.
Current Status – 2021 Board rejects Metal Panel Roofing: Fast forward to 2021 when one of my architectural clients bought a house to remodel on Sanderlin Mountain Drive. With his experience and knowledge of metal roofing, my client went through a very difficult and disappointing experience with AECC seeking approval for a standing seam metal roof. AECC denied my client’s standing seam metal panel roofing request. On March 15, 2021 AECC presented to the Board during a closed meeting (without allowing my client to be present) and the Board reaffirmed the AECC’s decision with a statement: “. . . . not to change the current standards. Primary metal roof style that harmonizes with over 2700 existing homes is already allowed.”
This statement by the Board is unbelievable and substantiates how the AECC has presented the Board a representation that is so wrong!
The reference made to a “Primary metal roof style that harmonizes with over 2700 homes is already allowed” is a metal roofing called Gerard. Gerard is a base of metal coated with a material to look like asphalt and costs 4-6 times more than a standing seam metal panel roof. Why would any Big Canoe homeowner consider such a roof and why for over 10 years would AECC maintain they have a metal roof system that no homeowner in Big Canoe has or will purchase?
The AECC has also failed to research and/or report that the Gerard Metal Roofing (included in the AECC Guidelines) has been involved in at least two major lawsuits claiming defective product (leaking, discoloration, mold, fungus and/or mildew). The most recent lawsuit (Wyse v Gerard Roof Products, LLC) filed in January 2019 https://www.hfajustice.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/1.-Class-Action-Complaint1.pdf seeks class action status. The previous lawsuit (Willow Greene Homeowners Assoc. vs Gerard Roofing Technologies) was filed in 2013. http://45ijagbx6du4albwj3e23cj1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/WillowGreeneComplaint.pdf The AECC has misled Home Owners and the POA Board about the Gerard metal roof system.
These lawsuits are critical information that should have been disclosed. The AECC does not know or intentionally failed to reveal lawsuit information about Gerard. AECC convinced the Board and the Board reaffirmed the AECC’s decision for my client on the Sanderlin Drive renovation with misleading and untrue information about Gerard. The AECC represented to the Board that Gerard was Big Canoe homeowners only choice as a specified metal roof system in the Guidelines. Another question has to be asked about why would the Board make a decision without seeing what AECC refers to as their metal roof system? Is it true, as stated by the former Developer Board member, that the Board will accept whatever the AECC wants?
In addition to the blatant misrepresentations about Gerard metal roofing, the AECC told the Board of their intention to consider Matterhorn Metal Roofing for residential which was used on the Big Canoe Clubhouse as a replacement roof. Unfortunately that product has been discontinued. The following update was provided by Matterhorn Metal Roofing, owned by CertainTeed, LLC:
MATTERHORN® METAL ROOFING UPDATE
“Effective December 2020 CertainTeed LLC has made the decision to discontinue its Matterhorn ® Metal Roofing product line. As a company focused on our customers, CertainTeed is always in dialog with our contractor and distributor partners to understand how we can improve our product offerings and create maximum value. We have made this decision to focus our efforts on products that align to our customers, while supporting the business needs of our contractors and distributors.” https://www.certainteed.com/matterhorn-metal-roofing-update/
The POA Board should be very concerned about the clubhouse roofing with warranty and maintenance issues.
How can the AECD Manager and AECC Chairman Elton Gogolin retain any credibility on the subject after these constant misrepresentations of the facts and failure to review all information regarding metal roofing? Unbelievable. Even more unbelievable – the chairman and one other member have served on the AECC since 2012 contrary to the committee charter limiting service to two three year terms.
Response to the April “Inside the Gates” Article by the AECD Manager: Disadvantages outlined in the article are untrue due to misrepresentations and uninformed information.
Summary: All (7) disadvantages of Standing Seam Metal Roof Panels included in the article are not accurate and need to be disregarded. The article misrepresents metal panel standing seam roofing and fails to address the Firewise (a Big Canoe initiative) benefits of Metal Roof Panels as a roofing option. The POA Board (as well as AECC) has not treated my client fairly by: 1) Not allowing my client to be present on March 15, 2021 to represent self, 2) Not being fully informed by AECC about Gerard and standing seam metal roof panels, 3) Giving any credibility to the statement by AECC: “The Community is not ready for metal panel roofs. “
AECC’s conclusion and the Board’s agreement that the Big Canoe Community should only have a roofing material which looks the same for all 2700 houses is inconsistent with the AECC Charter and what is in the best interest of Big Canoe homeowners.
Conclusion: AECC has not been professional and knowledgeable which is not in the best interest of the Big Canoe Community. Without asking the community, AECC openly states that the Big Canoe Community is not ready for metal roofs. Further, AECC does not allow the Community to have a say in what they want in the way of residential appearance and materials.
The Board and the Community need to take action and object to the AECD and AECC’s past and return to the original PURPOSE where their responsibilities include “. . . . remain current and applicable with the changing construction environment.”
Major changes are necessary in the AECC for the future benefit of the Big Canoe Community.
Wayne A. Huey, Architect
June 18th, 2021
I agree with everything that you have stated in your post. An overhaul of the property standards needs to be done. In addition to your issues, a lack of enforcement as well as selective enforcement has been taking place in Big Canoe.
I agree as well. If voted on, I would vote “yes “ to metal roofing.
Thank you for this information.
Mr. Huey has provided well explained information on this topic that is so timely. If for no other reason, the fire safety involved makes this issue a no-brainer for our community!
How do we get this issue and the required criteria out to all the BC homeowners to understand and vote on? Now is the time for this to change.
The AECC should be assisting all owners . It seems the AECC is not adhering to their charter – resulting in negative consequences to property owners. BC should strive to be viewed as a leader in safety and environmental awareness. Wayne, thank you for your well presented piece.