Community Rules and Regulations

These rules establish expectations for living in and using El Santuario. They apply to all owners, residents, tenants, occupants, guardians of companion animals, guests, and visitors, as applicable.

All residents must comply with the Ethical Vegan Covenant and these Rules and Regulations. Owners are responsible for ensuring that their tenants, household members, contractors, and guests follow the applicable rules and may be held responsible for their violations to the extent permitted by law.

The applicable obligations must be incorporated into the registered condominium documents and other binding agreements as required by Costa Rican law.

El Santuario is an ethical vegan community. The Ethical Vegan Covenant applies to private households, personal purchases, entertainment, clothing, personal-care products, companion-animal diets, and other relevant aspects of daily life.

Community meals, market products, community-funded purchases, and shared activities must comply with the Covenant. The Board of Directors is responsible for administering and enforcing these standards in accordance with the governing documents and applicable law.

El Santuario recognizes residents as guardians of companion animals, with a responsibility to act in their best interests.

• Any species legally permitted in Costa Rica may be considered, subject to applicable wildlife, conservation, animal welfare, and public safety laws.
• A maximum of two dogs per bedroom is permitted, up to a maximum of four dogs per villa.
• Guardians must provide appropriate nutrition, clean water, veterinary care, shelter, enrichment, and supervision.
• Companion animals must receive fully plant-based, nutritionally complete food appropriate to their species and life stage. Animal-derived food is prohibited, with no feeding exceptions.
• All companion animals must be sterilized (spayed or castrated) by a qualified veterinarian.
• Cats must wear a bell on a properly fitted breakaway collar to help reduce bird predation. Bells do not replace supervision or the responsibility to prevent harm to wildlife.
• Breeding animals or purchasing them from breeders or commercial sellers is prohibited.
• Dogs must be leashed in designated areas unless within a designated, secure off-leash area.
• Guardians must promptly clean up animal waste and prevent aggression, persistent barking, roaming, or disturbance.
• Companion animals must not harm or harass wildlife or enter protected areas in ways that disturb wildlife.
• Access to particular shared facilities may be restricted for legitimate hygiene, safety, or animal welfare reasons.

Guardians are responsible for ensuring their companion animals do not create unreasonable risks or disturbances for others.

Residents must inform their guests of the applicable community rules. Guests must respect the Ethical Vegan Covenant, quiet expectations, shared facilities, environmental protections, and the privacy of residents.

Residents are responsible for damage or disturbances caused by their guests to the extent permitted by law. Commercial activities and gatherings that materially affect other residents may require Board approval.

• Villas may be used as primary or secondary residences.
• Rentals must have a minimum stay of 30 consecutive days.
• Tenants must receive and comply with the applicable community rules and Ethical Vegan Covenant.
• Owners are responsible for ensuring rental agreements incorporate these obligations and may be held responsible for tenant violations to the extent permitted by law.
• Owners must comply with association registration and notification procedures for tenants and other occupants.
• Rental activity must not create unreasonable noise, security concerns, or excessive wear on shared facilities.
• New purchasers must agree to abide by the community's governing documents through the legally established purchase and registration process.

The community intends to record its applicable restrictions and obligations through the appropriate registered condominium and title documents. A Costa Rican lawyer or notary must confirm the proper mechanism and the enforceability of those provisions, including resale restrictions and any right of first refusal.

El Santuario is located in a natural jungle environment. Respect for neighbors, wildlife, and the surrounding environment is essential.

• Loud music and amplified sound are prohibited at all times.
• Persistent barking and other ongoing unreasonable animal noise are prohibited at all times.
• Residents must avoid unnecessary noise that disturbs neighboring villas or wildlife.
• From darkness until daylight, residents are strongly encouraged to keep voices to a whisper when speaking outdoors or near neighboring homes.
• Construction, maintenance, and landscaping work must take place during approved hours, except where emergency work is necessary.
• Outdoor lighting should be shielded, directed downward, and designed to minimize light spill into neighboring villas and forest habitat.

The clubhouse and common-area facilities are open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

All users must follow posted safety instructions, respect capacity limits, clean up after use, and leave shared facilities in good condition.

Pool, hot tub, gym, sports court, dining, and gathering areas must be used responsibly. Equipment damage, unsafe conditions, and maintenance issues must be reported promptly.

The Board may temporarily close facilities for repairs, maintenance, safety, or other legitimate operational reasons.

Vehicles must be parked in designated spaces, and emergency routes and pedestrian access must remain clear.

EV chargers must be used according to posted instructions. Communal golf carts may be used by authorized, appropriately qualified users for approved community purposes, including transporting groceries and supplies.

Users must return vehicles to designated locations, report damage, and follow charging and safety procedures.

Residents must take reasonable care of their villas and shared property.

• Hazards, damage, leaks, and equipment failures must be reported promptly.
• The association maintains common property as defined by the governing documents.
• Owners are responsible for private-villa maintenance and repairs allocated to them under those documents.
• Costs attributable to damage caused by an identifiable person may be recovered where legally permitted.
• Residents must not alter shared infrastructure, utilities, drainage, or landscaping without authorization.

El Santuario aims to minimize waste and operate as a zero-waste community wherever reasonably possible.

• Compost buckets will be provided, and a shared composting area will be available.
• Only materials approved for the community composting system may be deposited there. Meat, dairy, and other animal-derived food scraps are prohibited.
• Residents must follow the community's composting instructions and help keep the area clean.
• Residents must arrange and pay for lawful disposal of their own non-compostable garbage. The association does not provide garbage collection.
• Residents are strongly encouraged to avoid purchasing products that generate unnecessary waste, choose reusable or minimally packaged alternatives, and reduce single-use items.
• Waste, chemicals, oils, and other unsuitable materials must not be discharged into soil, drains, waterways, or composting systems.
• Shared gardens, orchards, greenhouses, seeds, and tools must be used according to the community's designated arrangements.

Planting, tree removal, pesticide use, and major landscaping changes in common areas require authorization. Forest, creek corridors, wildlife habitat, and protected vegetation must not be disturbed except as lawfully authorized.

Each villa must have its own individual septic system, designed, installed, operated, and maintained in accordance with applicable requirements.

Owners must maintain their systems and promptly address leaks, failures, contamination, or other problems. Septic systems must be professionally assessed and approved as required before installation.

The community's water source, treatment, storage, conservation measures, and maintenance responsibilities must follow the approved infrastructure plan. Residents must use water responsibly and report leaks or suspected contamination.

Property taxes and association insurance are intended to be paid through the association, subject to the final registered condominium structure and applicable law.

Owners must pay their allocated community fees, property-tax contributions, insurance contributions, and approved assessments by the required deadlines.

The association must provide transparent financial information, including the approved budget, fee calculations, common expenses, reserves, and any special assessments.

The monthly community fee is not guaranteed to remain fixed and may change through the approved budgeting and assessment procedures.

Owners are responsible for paying all properly assessed balances by their due dates.

The association may issue notices, pursue collection, recover lawful costs, and take other measures authorized by the registered condominium documents and Costa Rican law.

Where legally authorized, unpaid condominium obligations may lead to judicial collection and foreclosure proceedings against the relevant property. Foreclosure is not automatic and must follow the applicable legal process.

The association may not impose unauthorized charges or take enforcement action without a lawful basis.

The Board of Directors is responsible for administering these rules, reviewing complaints, determining violations, and applying lawful sanctions.

The process should include notice of the alleged violation, a reasonable opportunity to respond, a documented decision, and a review or appeal procedure.

Depending on the circumstances and legal authority, enforcement may include:

• Written warnings and corrective requirements.
• Deadlines to remedy violations.
• Recovery of authorized costs.
• Lawful fines or other permitted sanctions.
• Restrictions on shared facilities where justified and permitted.
• Legal proceedings or termination of occupancy where lawful grounds and procedures exist.

The Board must apply rules consistently, consider conflicts of interest, and handle complaints fairly and confidentially where possible. Retaliation against good-faith reports is prohibited.

No fine, eviction, forced sale, or other serious sanction may be imposed without a lawful basis and the required procedures.

Residents must report hazards, accidents, injuries, fires, and suspected contamination promptly. Emergency access routes must remain unobstructed.

The community will establish emergency contacts, first-aid arrangements, evacuation procedures, and incident-reporting practices. Pools, gyms, courts, electrical installations, and communal vehicles must be used according to safety instructions.

El Santuario is a residential community, not a medical facility. Residents remain responsible for obtaining appropriate medical care. Liability and insurance responsibilities are governed by the applicable condominium documents, insurance policies, and Costa Rican law.

The Board may administer these rules, coordinate maintenance, investigate complaints, and take actions authorized by the registered condominium documents and applicable law.

Changes to these rules must follow the approval process established in the governing documents and must be communicated to residents.

This document is a working draft. Before formal adoption, qualified Costa Rican legal counsel must confirm the enforceability of the rental restrictions, companion-animal provisions, liability rules, association payments, collection and foreclosure procedures, sanctions, and title-registration arrangements.