The Architectural Review Committee has decided that a Villager’s off-palette paint job is “harmonious” with the neighborhood.

Michele Pedersen won the right Wednesday to keep the paint colors at the home she owns at 2869 Rain Lily Loop in the Village of Sanibel.

It was a hard-fought victory for Pedersen who had been ordered in June to repaint her house after the Community Development District 9 Board of Supervisors determined she had strayed from the approved color palette.

This home at 2869 Rain Lily Loop was painted the wrong color
The paint job at this home at 2869 Rain Lily Loop will remain after Wednesday’s decision by the Architectural Review Committee.

“I find these colors very harmonious with the neighborhood,” said ARC member Don Simson.

Michele Pedersen swatches
Michele Pedersen’s swatches

Pedersen had painted the home Kind Green and Interesting Aqua, colors that were eliminated last year from the CDD 9 color palette. The change came during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pedersen and her contractor, Steve Kling Painting, were not aware the CDD 9 board made a change to the color palette.

“She got caught in the process. There was no negligence on her part,” said ARC Chairman Irv Markley.

Pedersen was the victim of an anonymous complaint. The complaint was lodged after the paint job was finished. Repainting would have cost Pedersen thousands of dollars.

CDD 9 decided to update the color palette last year to head off “gaudy” paint jobs.

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