In CXF and XMLSchema, we use both checkstyle and eclipse to enforce coding style and standards. There is technology to run this stuff from maven and to cause the maven-eclipse-plugin to configure it into eclipse.
There's no telling if the exact set of style rules in use there will seem attractive to the mahout group, but they do represent a potential starting point. CXF, which is a big, multi-module project, keeps the rules in a separate maven project and then uses that via classpath everywhere else. XMLSchema, which is a one-pom-pony, does it all in one place. Assuming any appetite for this at all, the problem is bootstrapping. The first time this is tried, it will call forth a big raft of picky complaints.
