Typical ARC approval

Are patio string lights something that typically needs ARC approval, or does the the homeowner have the free reign to set them up in the backyard?

A Homeowner submitted an ARC request to install lattice that goes higher than the height of the block wall, and string lights that go from the house to the block wall. They pointed out my house as a reference, aaaaaannnnd, The PM didn't mention me by name, but mentioned that there may not be an ARC approval for the string lights. I did get an ARC approval a few years ago for the pergola. I have since added a sun sail shade. I needed a fourth support for the sail shade, so I dug a post hole and laid the post to support the sail shade. Two legs of the shade are attached to the house, one leg is attached to one post of the pergola. the remaining leg is the post I laid. I have the string lights strung around the perimeter of the pergola, then across one side of the sail shade to the post and ends at the house. Nothing was said about the sail shade, just the lights. Quite honestly, this PM is inconsistent with backyard things. Something that has been up for almost one year, does this PM do inspections, I don't think so.

Your violation is the sun sail shade, not the string lights....but to your question, I don't see the string lights being an ARC issue unless, somehow, those lights are affecting a neighbor's bedroom where the light illuminates their bed as they sleep (if the lights are on over night).

For the record, I think those sun shades are cool.

And, LetA, the shade was approved?

Which, this chaps my backside. This HOA does nothing about trampolines with vertical poles and screens that exceed the height of the blackball, but they take action against a ham radio operator that has a 23' tall ground mounted vertical antenna in the backyard. Go figure.. "shrug"