Board resolutions explained

What a resolution actually is

A board resolution is the tool your board uses to formalize one decision, not an ongoing rule. Approving a landscaping contract, setting the date of the annual meeting, or authorizing a specific repair are typical resolutions. Boards commonly use the words rule, policy, guideline, and resolution to describe related but distinct tools: a rule regulates ongoing conduct or use of property, a policy states an ongoing board position, and a resolution documents a single decision. A resolution does not change anything in the declaration or bylaws to be valid, it just needs to fall within what those documents already permit the board to do.

Where a resolution sits in the hierarchy

Every governing document ranks somewhere in a hierarchy, and a resolution sits at the bottom of it, alongside rules and policies. Federal and state law come first, then the declaration (CC&Rs), then the articles of incorporation, then the bylaws. A resolution that conflicts with anything higher in that stack is unenforceable to the extent of the conflict, no matter how recently the board passed it or how sensible it seemed at the time.

"It's important to note that conflicts or inconsistencies between these documents are resolved by giving precedence to the higher-ranking document."

Source: Understanding the Hierarchy of Governing Documents in a Community Association, Community Association Management (CAMS)

Resolution, rule, or policy: how to tell them apart

A rule usually governs ongoing conduct, like quiet hours or parking. A policy usually states an ongoing board position, like how the board applies a fine schedule. A resolution documents one decision and does not, on its own, create an ongoing rule for anyone else to follow. Whether your association treats these as formally distinct categories, each with its own required vote or notice, varies by state and by your own bylaws. Check your bylaws' definitions and adoption procedures before relying on the label alone.