August Board Meeting

Tuesday, August 13th, 2024 at 7pm 

ATTENDEES – Kristinia Myers, Kelly Fairbank, Sandy Mohler, Cyndi Hartman, Aaron Rider

AGENDA

EROSION

1. VCAP project updates
2. Adele has been in talks with Judy from Soil and Water Conservation District to maximize our rebate – she is trying to break our project into 2 with final submission on September 1st. – She has been contacted and hope to hear back soon.

TREE WORK

1. Tree behind 2276 slated for removal – morning of August 23rd
2. The row of 5 cars at the bottom of the cluster will need to be moved.
3. Tree inspection will take place the same day in the afternoon.
4. Board agreed last meeting to replace the poplar that was removed on the upper cluster island with another tree and replace the hemlock in the lower cluster with a pollinator garden facilitated by Rose Robinson at 2272.
5. Rose and Kristina met up to talk about her ideas in late July.  Rose has been in talks with:
6. Earth Sanga, Monarch Teacher network and Virginia Plant Nations Society
7. 12 ft diameter space; 2 types of milkweed; need to level with either a retaining wall or surrounding trench for drainage
8. Earth Sanga for seedling donations
9. Recommendations for tree replacement in upper cluster island
10. First year tree credit through Chris
11. Looking at placing the new tree on the west side of the island.  Sandy will work with Chris on a recommendation on type of tree and placement.

DESIGN UPDATES

1. Front sheds – pro bono architect at RA – No updates
2. Amber white –
3. Distinguishing if there is a difference in shades from one manufacturer to another

REPAVING

1. DRB decision about lower cluster island removal with conditions
2. Fire marshall update – no need to obtain a permit since the length of the fire lane will not change significantly.  The Fire Marshall (Michael Paruti  ::  assistant fire marshal/Engineer III  ::  ENGINEERING PLANS REVIEW BRANCH) requested that we send over the landscaping plan prior to construction and pictures of the island after the construction is finished.
3. Landscaping plan for lower cluster
4. Jen Ren, neighbor at 2245, has been commissioned by the board to design a feature for this space
5. First plan was submitted – replied back with a few suggested changes
6. More variety & some non-natives in the mix to increase flexibility for changes and add some tidier, showier blooms
7. Changes implemented – waiting for board to approve Wheelwright Plants_v2.pdf
8. Board approves the design and Kristina will submit to Reston Association.
9. Scheduling for repaving:
10. Taken off schedule for beginning of September.  Will put us back on when we get final approval from RA

LANDSCAPING

1. Concerns brought up with Chris
2. Address how close mulch is to trees – still seeing mulch mountains burying the base of the trees – Chris said he would talk to his crews about this – they shouldn’t be making mulch mountains around our trees.
3. Mowing – is it any better?  Still seem to be coming biweekly – Greenspace was supposed to be coming weekly and weren’t.  We need to figure out how we can get a credit for this.
4. Herbicide treatment letter is still arriving AFTER treatment.  It says specifically in the letter to keep children and pets off the turf areas for 3 hours.   Chris said he would work on this.
5. Soil testing updates?  Are other areas being tested?  Cost of treatment? – Christina will talk with Chris on these questions.
6. Front entrance – Starting to look shabby, talked to Chris about having his crew clean this area.
7. Will look at getting some bids on landscaping to see what is on offer and cost.

PET ISSUES

1. Signs
2. Signs have been placed.  Place a sign by Karen Bessle’s side yard.

ADDITIONAL ITEMS

1. Important Dates
2. Newsletter before the end of August
3. Repaving sometime in September
4. Covenants Outreach Event on Association Finance – August 26th at 6 pm – Christina and Kelly will be attending
5. Cluster clean up – Saturday, October 26
6. Hazardous waste – Saturday, October 12
7. Greendrop – Saturday, October 19
8. Roll off dumpster – October 26 & 27
9. 2025 budget proposal and review November
10. Annual Review of reserve study – review November
11. Intentions for 2025 – Aaron and Kelly are planning on another term.
12. Online payments? – No updates

FINANCIALS

NEXT MEETING WEDNESDAY, September 11th, @ 7 PM

Agenda

1. Board Decisions on Division of Labor for 2023
   Snow Removal (Mike Peyton)
   -Kelly will keep this for the coming year.
   Landscaping (Chris Hughes)
   -Sandy will keep this and will work on the DRB’s first before she dives into lower cluster redesign; she’s hoping to get others in the cluster included, particularly those who live near lower cluster.
   Garbage Pickup (Theresa Cunningham)
   -Jade or Joy-Decide who might like to pick this up at next meeting
   Concrete (Juan) –
   -Cindy will keep this.
   Dominion (watchlights)
   -Cindy will keep this, but is having trouble with hearing back from Dominion and may need a back up. (Note: Kristina followed up with Dominion on the lights that are out in front of 2220 and 2228; orders were put in and lights seem to be working now. Kristina will be backup in case Cindy needs help calling Dominion; Jade can backup)
   Legal (Chesapeake) – Kristina
   -Kristina holding on this one.
   Parking – keeping an eye on suspicious vehicles, trying to update cluster vehicle list
   -Jade will take this on.
   Tree Committee Liaison – contact with the tree committee (reports on tree trimming/removal updates
   -Jade or Joy can take on being the liaison
   Note: We need to be supportive of this group to ensure this group can move along at a steady pace.
   Community outreach
   -E-news
   -Facebook updates
   -Sign
   -Kristina will continue with this. (After Action: Request for Jade or Joy to help with bringing the sign for the neighborhood; Jade can help if shown where and what to do )
   Erosion
   -Kristina will continue with this.
   Parking Lot Repair/repaving
   -Shelve this one until we meet with Mason & Mason again
   House Exterior Redesign – Sandy
   -Sandy will hold onto this one, especially as we work through DRB’s.

2. Reserve Study
-Updates
Corrected numbers?
Waiting on updated numbers and Kelly is coordinating.
-Do we have a meeting date?
Not yet, TBD.

3. Next newsletter – to go out late this week or early next week
-Results of the annual meeting survey
-Electric vehicles charging stations
-Statistics
-Recruit for EVCS working group

4. Parking
-Reminders: Be a good neighbor and remember that we have limited parking; following the parking rules is a simple way to be respectful and considerate of all Cluster residents. We want to keep this simple and would like to avoid parking passes or towing unnecessarily.
-Park in your reserved space first, additional vehicles can go in any unreserved spot.
-Additional vehicles beyond 2:
-Lower cluster can park 1 or 2 additional vehicles by the Little Free Library, any more need to go on Olde Crafts.
-Upper cluster can park additional vehicles on Olde Crafts.

5. Garbage/recycling
-Reminders:
Include the garbage and recycling pickup schedule as well as yard waste pickup.
Glass cannot be recycled by Bates. Glass either needs to go in regular trash or Purple bins at the South Reston Park and Ride
Recycling cannot be put inside plastic bags and plastic bags need to be recycled at the grocery store.
Bulky, large items that cannot fit in your trash can should be reserved for Thursdays pick up. If you are unsure if your Bulky item (Ex. Mattress) can be picked up, please call Bates in advance to confirm their ability.

6. Design updates
-Stairs are COMPLETED! Huge, huge shout out to Sandy for organizing and constructing these stairs with the help of community members.
-Next design updates on the docket?
Upcoming next is finalizing the door DRB with Reston. Sandy is working to layer our DRB improvement requests to ensure we get all of the smaller (Ex. House Numbers) approvals finished before the larger, more complex redesign of the garbage bin enclosure.

7. Landscaping
-Issues?
No known issues at this time, per Sandy.
-Design plan for lower cluster island?
Sandy is hoping to do this in tandem with some lower cluster residents later this year.

8. Erosion
-Contact a few companies about erosion work behind 2250-2254, possibly 2258-2262
After Action: Kristina will be following up with a few companies to look at this. (Note: She would like to be able to potentially apply for the Fairfax Water Grant to help with this cost, if our grant is accepted. Application due date is around May 15th. )
-EV charging stations
Received legal advice from Chesapeake Law Group
-The important points were:
Right to charge act of 2020 does not mean that Wheelwright cluster has to approve individual chargers for reserved parking spaces since these spaces are not owned by the homeowner but rather the cluster
The articles of incorporation in our bylaws would need to be modified before we could install common use chargers on our common property

Discussion– Any objections to amending our by-laws for this?
Sandy- Until we know specifically what we, as a cluster, know what we want to do with EV charging stations, I think we should hold on amending by-laws.
Cindy-Do we understand what an individual homeowner putting in their own charging station would mean for the community? We should make sure we know how to write that up in the by-laws.
Kristina- Agreed, the by-laws need to be updated, but let’s reach back out to the Chesapeake Law group to be sure we understand how to actually modify our articles of incorporation and what this means long term.
Sandy- Maybe it’s not the worst thing to hear what is happening in other clusters and understand how other clusters are making these changes over time. In order to create more ironclad and intentional rules in our by-laws, maybe we learn from other clusters’ mistakes and hold for now? We have a lot we’re working on now in the cluster and this doesn’t seem to be the most pressing item we’re facing.
Kristina-Agreed, let’s see what happens with the other clusters who go forward.
Sandy-Agreed, let’s see what happens and how the Reston Association is handling this. We can benefit and save some money for our cluster this way.
Cindy-Agreed, let’s enjoy the benefit of the cumulative knowledge that Reston Association is getting on EV Charging Stations as other clusters are working on.
Decision– We will hold on amending by-laws for now while we watch for additional progress on this from Reston Association and other clusters.

9. Treasurer Laptop and QuickBooks Need
-We need to appropriate money for a new Wheelwright Cluster Laptop, at minimum, as the previous one has died, and ideally a new cloud-based Quickbooks annual subscription for treasurer’s use. If we update to the new Quickbooks, Kelly has agreed to transition previous Quickbook information and will manage this transition for the Cluster.

Decision: Board members agreed to move forward with the laptop now and get remaining board member approval on QuickBooks subscription via email before the next board meeting.
After Action: Kelly will order new laptop
After Action: Jade and Joy will provide feedback on Quickbooks Annual Subscription via email.
AdHoc Agenda Item
After Action: Kristina will follow up with our Legal Council and Reston Association to confirm what specifically we need to put on our towing enforcement signs should we need to resume towing regularly.

Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason – updates?
   • Came out last week and did the inspection. We should get the report shortly
2. Watchlight by 2228 – K. Reese reported it was blinking
   • Cyndi needs to get the number for the pole and will call soon
3. Trees
   • Trees planted in front of 2230 and 2261
   • After some back and forth with JL, they agreed on a 10% discount.  Vote to move forward with tree work.
     • Approved
   • Update on tree trimming companies?
     • No update
4. Design updates
   • Update on clarification whether those without Trex Staining can stain deck a natural color and about clear staining?
     • Erin needs to check with Megan
   • Garbage Bin enclosures – time to set date with Satish?
     • Erin sent an email saying a new RA DRB member is an architect and is willing to donate time
     • Sandy will follow up
   • Door colors and style
     • Trying to submit before annual meeting but also trying to get other DRB items finalized first
5. Landscaping
   • Issues?
     • No recent complaints
   • Concern that some areas that were treated with grass aren’t growing well
     • May need to start even earlier next year
     • Not sure grass being put down is doing what needs to for the amount we are spending. We may need to look into a company that comes out to water after seeding.
     • Would spring be better? Possibly but grass that germinates in the spring isn’t as hardy as grass that is germinated in the fall
6. Parking 
   • Formal request to move Cyndi’s space
     • Email sent to resident at 2227 regarding moving car in the spot Cyndi wants for her reserved spot.  Haven’t gotten a response.
   • Do parking spots in the upper cluster need to be relooked at? We will discuss this during the annual meeting
7. EV charging stations
   • EV charger meeting at RA Wednesday, November 9th.
     • Charge Up Fairfax – program that is being rolled out by Fairfax County to aid common interest communities in installing chargers
     • Pilot program where 2 or 3 clusters in Reston will be the “guinea pigs” for this program from January through March of 2023.  Full roll-out of program after July 2023 in which all HOA’s in Fairfax county will be eligible.
     • HOA Exploration phase – it will be incumbent upon the HOA to review governing documents – Identify Possible Charging Locations – Survey residents – review funding options – submit predevelopment worksheet.
     • If selected, Charge Up Fairfax will begin Engagement phase including engineering site evaluation (paid for by county).
     • If feasible, then HOA would go into implementation phase – select general contractor and build.  Charge Up Fairfax would rebate up to ⅓ of cost or up to $5,000.
     • Since public funds would be used for installation of chargers, the stations would need to be open to the public, not just residents.  Restrictions and heavy fees for outsiders could be set up.
     • Engineering considerations – where are transformers in neighborhood.  Proximity to charging space is ideal.
     • RA also looking into installing stations on some RA spaces throughout Reston – probably Walker Nature Center.
     • County is also putting a lot of charging stations in public lots all around county.
     • Estimates are ~$10-30,000 for EV charging station.
     • My understanding from Erin and also Cam at the meeting is that because our parking spaces are all on common property (our cluster owns every inch of the parking lot), individual residents could install their own chargers on their reserved parking spot but:
       • Would need to submit the application as co-applicants with the resident and board
       • May need to get clarification from lawyer on who has ownership
       • Do we have extra spaces to accommodate?
8. Cluster Clean-Up (Saturday, Oct 22nd)
   • Turn out?
     • Not as many as the spring but still a good turnout
   • Stair project update?
     • Going well. Support members need to be cut but half have been installed. Sandy will be out Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.
9.  Annual meeting – December 5th
   • Get thoughts on parking/reassigning spots
   • Hoping to have walkthrough done with Satish/talk with RA DRB
   • Board openings
   • EV Charging Stations
   • Design Guidelines
     • Redesign of sheds
     • Decks and ability to put roof/privacy sides/mosquito netting enclosure
     • Fences – post caps
     • Light fixtures
     • Storm Doors? Need to update language
10. Other items:
    • Speed bump – negative/positive feedback
      • none
    • Pet garbage stations?  Would we be interested?
    • There are also ones without the garbage can attached if we just wanted to provide pet waste bags
      • Good idea, need some metrics and cost
      • Are there services that remove the trash and restock bags?

Financials

Next meeting Monday, December 5, 2022

Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Repaving parking lots – asphalt alternatives
   • Benjamin Phillips – update – recommends against TrueGrid
   • Will wait until reserve study is done to make any decisions

2. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason – updates?
     • No updates. 
   • Still planning onsite visit this month?
     • Have not heard if this is still happening. 

3. Speed bumps
   • Feedback so far?
     • There is positive feedback and it seems to be slowing people down
     • Drivers seem to be more conscientious. 
     • Haven’t noticed any increase in road noise
     • 2248 homeowner mentioned that she thought the speed bump was too severe. Explained that the reason for the one we chose is so that it can be removed. 
     • When the speed bump is at an angle from shifting it can be a little more jarring

4. Concrete
   • Completed this week.
     • Traffic cones will be picked up

5. Watchlight by 2260 – still strobing?
   • Cyndi called it in

6. Trees
   • Walkthrough was Monday 10/10
   • Update from Mike?
     • 2215 – thinks that taking the limb off would not be good for the tree and thinks that the branches would not cause property damage
     • Steve’s tree – will put in quote
     • Dead tree  in woods – bottom of cluster – very large oak that is dead – by Nathan’s house that recommends topping off
     • Big tree behind Mike’s that is on our side of stream
     • Behind 2217 – it was cut down, 25 ft spar, push it over
     • Tree that is dripping sap near 2254 may need to be pruned. The tree seems to fit the spot well but may need to be maintained more.
   • Trees to plant: 
     • Eastern Redbud in front of 2261- the Red bud is the one that would go in the small peninsula by 2261 – 25 gallon (which I believe would be somewhere around 6-8 feet tall) – $339
       • Approved for $339
     • The Red Maple would go by 2228/2230 and there are a few choices:
       • Frank’s Red: Taller at maturity (50′ high and 40′ wide) Grows faster and is pyramidal. 2″ caliper bnb (balled and burlapped) $300 (I believe this would be 10-12 feet tall at the start)
       • October Glory is smaller (30′ high and 20–25 round) and rounded.  2″ bnb is $380 (also, probably 10-12 feet tall)

• Possibly a 2.5″ caliper tree of either maple but he’s not sure he can move it and will only know once they see it.  It’s probably around 12-15 ft tall.  It would be an additional $150. 
• Sandy suggested the larger 2.5” caliper version of the October Glory
  • Approved for $530

4. Do we still want to reach out to other tree companies for smaller tree trimming?
   • Sandy will look at other companies and get a few bids

7. Design updates
   • Comprehensive deck, door number, ac unit updates were approved by Reston – awesome job, Sandy!
     • Waiting on clarification on if those without Trex staining can stain their deck a natural color and if clear stain is approved
   • Garbage Bin enclosures
   • Door colors and style

8. Landscaping
   • Issues?
     • 2246 owners – were their issues resolved
       • Chris reached out and resolved their issues to their satisfaction

9. Parking 
   • Sandy repainted parking space for 2270 and 2274 residents
   • Formal request to move Cyndi’s space
     • Concern that the snow will be pushed there during plowing because it is near the drain. It could potentially block the space. 
     • Will need to reach out to the owner of the car currently in the spot.  
     • Will follow back up on approval during next meeting
   • Put signs on 4 cars that are not registered with the cluster.
     • One person registered their car
     • One car has not moved and the note placed on their car has not been moved. Will need to decide what action to take. 

10.  EV charging stations
    • Started working on putting together some guidelines
      • Working to get clarification on whether the spot is owned by the Cluster or by the homeowner. 

11.   Cluster Clean-Up (Saturday, Oct 22nd)
    • Set up coffee in front of LFL (Kristina will stay until ~10 am)
    • Redo stairs in lower cluster
    • Plant more bulbs?  Lycoris squamigera or Magic Lily?
      • Need to order
    • Tree removal?  Tree trimming (tree behind 2258)
    • Cluster cookout
      • Set up in the lower cluster
      • Food for cleanup
    • Schedule county voucher and roll off dumpster

12. Other
    • Manhole was broken and shifted in lower cluster. The county said that they have fixed it. 

13.  Other Important Dates
    • Hazardous waste pickup – last weekend
    • Green Drop (schedule u-haul) – this Saturday, October 15
    • Annual meeting – December 5th
      • Get thoughts on parking
      • Hoping to have walkthrough done with Satish
      • Board openings

Financials

Next meeting Thursday, November 10th

Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Repaving parking lots – asphalt alternatives
   • Kristina reached out to get a quote and answers about TrueGrid Paving System
   • Benjamin Phillips of Phillips C&C – waiting for a date for a zoom meeting

2. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason – updates?
     • The site visit will be in October

3. Speed bumps
   • Speed bumps have arrived and been installed by Kayleen and Kyle.
   • Feedback so far?
     • They do move some when big vehicles go over them
     • The noise seems to be fairly low
     • Will keep in current position for now
     • What does drilling them in do?
       • It is possible to still remove, but it will damage the asphalt

4. Concrete
   • Update on scheduled work?
     • Revised proposal was sent for under $4k with the promise of the extra piece of concrete near 2226 and 2228

5. Watchlight by 2260 – is this light having issues?
   • It is intermittent and will go on and off

6. Trees
   • Tree committee – Mike told me that Peter at J&L wanted to wait until fall for the walkthrough because he is super busy right now and recommended waiting on the work until discounted winter prices start anyway.
   • Current tabulation of trees for inspection
     • Most urgent:  tree that was struck by lightning behind Karen’s house – this tree is scheduled for removal with J and L  date?
     • Large oak in front of 2254
     • Elm tree in front of 2248
     • Tree with heavy low branches behind 2258
     • (new) Dead tree behind 2242 (Steve emailed about it on 9/3) – Mike mentioned wanting to do diy removal during cluster clean up
       • During the walkthrough we will ask for an expert opinion on if we can take care of it ourselves. We can also try get an on the spot quote and execution of when taking down tree behind Karen’s house.
   • Trees to plant: 
     • Order in September or October
     • Red maple in front of 2230?
     • Eastern Redbud in front of 2261
   • Reaching out to other companies for pruning/trimming of smaller trees – after walkthrough

7. Design updates
   • Decks DRB – 
     • Scheduled for Tuesday 9/13/2022
   • Garbage Bin enclosures – Still need to schedule with Satish?
   • Door colors and styles
     • Sandy is working on the proposal
   • 2261 inquiry about staining
     • They should be good to apply a clear coat. If they are interested in other color options, more may be available after the meeting on the 13th. 

8. Landscaping
   • Issues?
     • 2246 owners are unhappy because their flowers have been damaged the last 2 times that the landscapers came through
     • Sandy will follow up with Chris
   • Fall grass treatment
     • Deadline was Monday 9/5
       • Need to figure out what cluster areas need to be treated

9. Erosion
   • Area behind 2243-2251 (to be aerated and seeded with other common areas around the cluster but to come out of erosion budget.

10. Parking 
    • Repainting parking spaces (2270 and 2274) – update?
      • Possibly next weekend (9/17) if the weather is good
      • Will need to buy yellow paint
    • Put signs on 4 cars that are not registered with the cluster.
      • Gave option to put sheet in LFL or email the board
      • Have not heard back from anyone

11.  EV charging stations
    • Email received from homeowner thinking about purchasing EV
    • Perhaps we should think about putting together some of our own guidelines based on what Reston already has for homeowners interested in their own charging stations
      • Kristina will work on drafting up basic guidelines

12.   Cluster Clean-Up (Saturday, Oct 22nd)
    • Either redo benches OR redo stairs in lower cluster
      • Stairs should take precedence. They are more of a safety issue
    • Plant more bulbs?  Lycoris squamigera or Magic Lily?
      • Can plant around the cluster
    • Tree removal?
    • Cluster cookout
      • Set up in the lower cluster
    • Schedule county voucher and roll off dumpster
      • Email sent to Bates and to the County

13.  Other Important Dates
    • Hazardous waste pickup – October 8th
    • Green Drop (schedule u-haul) – October 15
    • Annual meeting – December 5th
      • Get thoughts on parking
      • Hoping to have walkthrough done with Satish
      • Board openings

Financials

Next meeting Thursday, October 13th

Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Design updates
   • Decks DRB – waiting for review date 
     • Sandy will follow up to see when we will put on the schedule
   • Garbage Bin enclosures – Still need to schedule with Satish?
   • Stucco update has been approved by RA
     • There was some back and forth over some of the language, but it is approved
   • Door colors and styles
     • This has been started but the focus is on finishing current projects first. 

2. Repaving parking lots – asphalt alternatives
   • Kristina reached out to get a quote and answers about TrueGrid Paving System
   • Heard back regarding companies in our area that have installed TrueGrid. 
   • Talked with Benjamin Phillips of Phillips C&C
     • He has installed truegrid a few times
     • He would like to setup a video call where we can discuss things and ask questions

3. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason – updates?
     • Have not heard anything since sending back the questionnaire. Kelly will follow up

4. Speed bumps
   • Update on purchase of removable speed bumps?
     • Will purchase on the week of 15th

5. Concrete
   • Update on scheduled work?
     • Have not heard back with multiple follow up emails

6. Trees
   • Tree committee – date for walkthrough? Still needs to be scheduled
   • Current tabulation of trees for inspection
     • Most urgent:  tree that was struck by lightning behind Karen’s house
     • Large oak in front of 2254
     • Elm tree in front of 2248
     • Tree with heavy low branches behind 2258
   • Trees to plant: 
     • Order in September or October
     • Red maple in front of 2230?
     • Eastern Redbud in front of 2261
   • Reaching out to other companies for pruning/trimming of smaller trees – after walkthrough
     • Tree by 2259 is growing over the sidewalk. Will reach out to homeowner to look into pruning the tree

7. Landscaping
   • Issues?
   • Fall grass treatment
     • Sandy reached out about prices. Chris says he has prices for next year
     • Sandy is ready to send out the prices to the cluster. 
     • Last day to fill out the form is September 1st

8. Erosion
   • Area behind 2243-2251
   • Some grass is growing – will add to common area seeding and aeration and pay with erosion budget
   • We still have some left in the bank for erosion – do we want to do another hill for the fall cluster cleanup?  2250?  2258?
     • Save for the spring cleanup so that we can buy from RA and get native plants
     • Will do more research about how to handle the erosion since it is a steep hill

9. Parking 
   • Homeowners at 2270 would like their parking space moved to the very end – how to make this happen
   • Homeowners who did not have cars registered – 2 left – trying to get in touch with these homeowners
   • Sign on car that has no known owner

10. RA Board, Cluster, & Committee event –
    • invited chairs from each RA Board Committee, Advisory Committee, the Design Review Board, as well as one (1) representative from each RA Cluster or Condominium Association on Monday, July 18.
    • Enforcement of cluster standards
      • Can have a walkthrough by RA once a year
      • They are heavily reliant on the complaint system
        • Complaint can come from the board or an owner not on the board
        • If the homeowner does submit a claim, copy the board so that the board is aware of the situation
        • If a complaint is filed, the homeowner can request a copy of the complaint and the person who filed the complaint will be listed on it
          1. The board could also do walkthrough and cite
          2. If that is a route the board would like to take we should wait until all of the guidelines are updated. Some people may be holding off on updates because they knew a new standard is coming
    • Community forum
    • Reason for increase in dues every year is largely the pools.

11.   Newsletter
    • Fall Lawn care
    • Cluster Clean up – date October 22
      • Fill more spots in the asphalt to get us through the winter. Still have some materials leftover from spring
      • Work on the benches
      • Plant more of the purple flowers in the neighborhood. They bloom at a nice time and seem like they may be more deer resistant than some of the other flowers
    • Hazardous waste pickup – date October 8th
    • Donation? October 15
    • Other topics?
      • The street light near 2260 has been out for 2 months
    • Maybe mention the annual meeting? December 5th

Financials

Next meeting Thursday, September 8th

Thursday, July 14th, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Design updates
   • Decks – Waiting on Kristina’s signature and then the application can be sent
   • Garbage Bin enclosures – Schedule a walkthrough for Sunday with Satish
   • Door colors/styles – Will be part of next DRB update
   • A/C Units – Waiting on Kristina’s signature and then the application can be sent
   • House numbers – Waiting on Kristina’s signature and then the application can be sent
   • Stucco update:
     • (Addendum to last meeting’s notes) The Board has applied to Reston to remove the cement siding stipulation in the cluster guidelines that states “that stucco panels not be attached to concrete blocks”. This will allow end units to use cement siding stucco panels on their third side.
     • Will be decided on the July 19th Reston DRB meeting

2. Repaving parking lots – asphalt alternatives – Kristina reached out to get a quote and answers about TrueGrid Paving System
   • Would still need to contract with a paving company – the company would mill the old lot (all layers to my understanding) and truegrid would go down on top of the milled surface.  Angular clean wash gravel would fill the holes in the grid.  
   • The grid can be snow plowed using a rubber tip blade or keeping the plow slightly above the surface
   • Electrical infrastructure could be put into place with TrueGrid
     • Run utilities with concrete footers and cut grid to fit or put right against.
   • Cost is less clear.  Truegrid gives you an estimate of what the grid costs – for us, it would be roughly $15,630.62.  Milling?  Gravel?  Installation?  The website says the cost is comparable to laying asphalt.
     • Currently inquiring about companies in our area that are familiar with installing TrueGrid.
     • Do they have companies that they work with or that they recommend?
   • Damage to any square of the grid could be replaced (because they come in interlocking squares)
   • 20-30 year longevity listed on website

3. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason – updates?
     • Kelly filled out a questionnaire they provided

4. Speed bumps
   • Ami Pape, lawyer, emailed back replying that there are no regulations that require us to put up any special signage for speed bumps.
   • Kayleen obtained cost:  The street measures about 23 feet across. Depending on how much we want to cover, with a cost of $134 for a 36 inch segment the cost are as followed:
     • 21 feet (7 segments) = $938
     • 18 feet (6 segments) = $804
     • 15 feet (5 segments) = $670
   • Go with 21 feet so that it covers enough of the road
   • Speed bumps will be placed near the front of the neighborhood by the island near 2218 to start. Will move as needed to find the best spot.
   • 

5. Concrete
   • Cyndi obtained updated quote including upper cluster sidewalk by 2228 – cost?  
     • Top of the cluster near the bus stop needs to be done
     • Spot near 2226 and 2228
     • Cost is $3895
       • For one square by 2226. Want to verify it would stay that way if two needed to be  replaced
   • Vote
     • Approved

6. Trees
   • Tree committee – date for walkthrough?
     • Cyndi will send email to the Tree Committee to set up date
     • Need to look at tree behind Karen and Sandy’s house since it was struck by lightning
   • Current tabulation of trees for inspection
     • Large oak in front of 2254
     • Elm tree in front of 2248
     • Tree with heavy low branches behind 2258
   • Trees to plant:
     • Red maple in front of 2230?
     • Eastern Redbud in front of 2261
   • Reaching out to other companies for pruning/trimming of smaller trees – after walkthrough

7. Landscaping
   • Issues?
     • Emailed Chris to find out when weeds between cracks will be sprayed
     • Sandy will be reaching out for grass treatment
     • After the landscaping company puts down pesticide treatment they then send an email hours afterwards. Would prefer earlier notice so we know to stay off while it dries
   • Lower cluster mulch island
     • Sent picture to Chris
     • All kinds of plants and weeds are taking over
8. Erosion
   • Area behind 2243-2251
   • Some grass is growing but it is still muddy

9. Parking compliance
   • Updates on walkthrough
     • Most cars have been accounted for at this point including some question marks that were on our list from the last walkthrough
   • Still need to address the ones that we haven’t been able to figure out.
   • At the annual meeting we will ask if people are having regular parking issues
   • If it is an issue then we can add it the guidelines and have more leverage over making sure people don’t take up too many spaces

10. Summer events?
    • COVID is making an unfortunate comeback in our area and may want to wait for cluster sanctioned activities until fall (or when transmission falls again)

11. RA Board, Cluster, & Committee event –
    • invited chairs from each RA Board Committee, Advisory Committee, the Design Review Board, as well as one (1) representative from each RA Cluster or Condominium Association on Monday, July 18 from 6:30-8:30pm.  If the President of your Condo/Cluster Board cannot attend, they are welcome to designate an alternative representative to attend in place.
    • Kristina will attend
    • RA is asking for budget requests and suggestions:
    • 

Financials

Next meeting Thursday, August 11th

Thursday, June 9th, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Q&A with Erin Gable, covenants advisor, RA 
   • Garbage Enclosures
     • Highlights from last meeting with Erin
     • Ultimate goal should be to design a structure that would allow the most people in the neighborhood to be compliant with the design standard.
     • Erin’s concerns with the current design is the decorative screen at the top and front of the enclosure (the uncertainty of  materials being available for replacement long term as well as the style not really matching mid-century modern Reston may prove to be an uphill battle in getting approval – “any grid shaped design may work better than a lattice design”)
     • Door overhang cover
   • Decks
     • Currently, RA guidelines approve trex on floor and cocktail railing regardless of cluster guidelines.  Other options/colors would require a drb review.
     • Sandy is working on applications for decks, moving AC units, door colors, door styles, and house numbers.
     • The Board has applied to Reston to remove the cement siding stipulation in the cluster guidelines that states “that stucco panels not be attached to concrete blocks”. This will allow end units to use cement siding stucco panels on their third side.

2. Repaving parking lots – asphalt alternatives
   • While Erin had not heard of approval for asphalt alternatives for parking lots, she felt like more environmental, sustainable alternatives might be looked upon well by Reston. https://www.truegridpaver.com/parking-lot-alternatives/
   • The Board believes this is worth looking into more. More research is needed on 
     •  Are small patches needed to fix it? 
     • Would the cost be more? 
     • How does it work with snow plowing? 
     • Is there a recyclable material alternative?

2. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason vs. PM Plus
   • Mason and Mason – 
     • There is a possibility of needing special engineers
     • A visual evaluation of each street is put into a format that identifies names, quantities, cracks, full depth repairs, former quality of work, and other deficiencies.
   • Both seem like good companies. However, Mason and Mason came highly recommended by the lawyers. 
   • Kristina motions to choose Mason and Mason for reserve study with a cost up to $2700. Approved

3. Speed bumps
   • Additional things to consider:  https://emspm.com/speed-bump-regulations/#Everything_You_Need_to_Know_About_Speed_Bump_Regulations_on_Private_Property
     • Other things to consider
       • Possible slow down of emergency vehicle
       • Increased air pollution. You have to brake at the speed hump and then apply gas to get going again
       • Increased noise level
     • The speeds bumps we are looking at are temporary so if they don’t work out we can always remove them
   • Good to move forward with the option Sandy provided?  Cost?  Vote?
     • Kayleen to put together costs. Also need to hear back from lawyers to see if other signage is needed.
   • Email sent to lawyers

4. Concrete
   • Updated quote including sidewalk in front of 2228?
     • Have not been able to communicate with the contractor due to missing each other’s calls.
   • Emailed Jill about sidewalk in front of her house
     • Waiting to hear back

5. Trees
   • Check in with tree committee about scheduling walkthrough
     • There is not a walkthrough planned currently. 
     • We will need to look at the tree in front of Jill’s house. It is messing with the sidewalk and also dropping branches fairly consistently. 
   • Kelly Clark complained about the tree leaving sap on her car
     • Talked with Bill and Nina about the tree. They said it’s not terrible and the worst part is the birds. If the tree was replaced they would still have that issue. 
     • There is the option to possibly move the reserved parking space over. However, they may not solve the problem since they have two spots and tend to park in both spots. But they also don’t want to replace the tree because she likes it. 
     • There is also the option to potentially move Kelly’s reserved space away from the tree since the tree has caused issues with the paint on her car.
     • Also need to consider the future impact of the tree. It is an elm and they can grow to be very large so it may outgrow that space quicker than we would like. Even if we don’t remove it for the sap issue, we will be fighting the size of the tree at some point. 
     • What is the process of getting a healthy tree removed? If it is under 4 inches we don’t have to get approval. But we could also make the case that the tree isn’t fit for the space and will cause issues in the future. We will replace it with a tree better fit for the space. 
     • Is it possible to move the tree to a different location in the neighborhood?
     • Any tree we replace it with, to hold the aesthetic and shade, will need to be a 7-15 foot tree. 

6. Landscaping
   • Issues?
   • Lower cluster mulch island?
     • At a minimum weeding is needed. 
   • Weeds in cracks and curb debris?
     • Were they sprayed? There seems to be more weeds than usual. 
   • Trimming smaller trees in the neighborhood
     • The Tree committee needs to walk around and make sure everything looks healthy and good. Then we can figure out which one needs to be trimmed.
   • Planting new trees – area by 2230 and 2261
     • 2261 – Interested in getting an eastern red bud. It is the same tree that is in front of 2216 and is a good tree for small spaces
     • Need to look into replacing the tree that was taken out in front of 2228. A red maple is an option. 
     • We should wait until the fall to plant since they seem to survive better that way.

7. Parking compliance
   • Updates on walkthrough
     • There were some cars that the board was unable to determine which house they belonged to.
   • Next steps – letter on cars
     • We will leave a note for the cars that aren’t registered to let them know that if they aren’t part of this neighborhood they need to move their car or they will be towed.
     • There are still cases of cars parking in the lower cluster and walking to other neighborhoods.

8. Summer events?
   • Ideas?
     • Mid summer cookout?
     • Watermelon party?
     • Food truck?
     • Yard sale?
     • Pot luck
     • Kona food truck

Financials

Next meeting Thursday, July 14th

Thursday, May 12, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Community updates

1. Q&A with Erin Gable, covenants advisor, RA
   • Garbage Bin enclosures 
     • Garbage Enclosures
       • Board – The garbage enclosures are too small for more modern units and for the proper circulation needed for them. We need to address changes that need to be made to the guidelines. 
       • Erin – Hiring an architect is a good idea if the board deems it necessary or if there is someone in the neighborhood that is willing to volunteer their time. This is a good idea because it will help to keep up the look of the house for something that is needed. 
       • Board – The goal would be to have the architect look around to see what design will get the most people in compliance as possible. For the HVAC we need to enlarge them for space but we still may also need them to be open for the proper airflow. The draft idea shows about 3 feet open at the top with a decoration.
       • Erin – There isn’t anything like this in Reston. That’s not to say it is not approvable., but there may be concerns about materials and upkeep and maintenance. Making it larger won’t be an issue. The only possible issue is the decorative screen. However, Wheelwright has a mid century contemporary architecture. So doing something outside of that could be detrimental to the character of the neighborhood. There are options to keep in the style and the feel of the architecture of the community. There can be decorative options, but it should match the style of the neighborhood. Any grid shaped design would probably fit better than a lattice design. 
     • Door Overhang Cover
       • Board – We would also ask the architect to come up with a plan to cover the door areas of houses. We want an option to cover the overhang that doesn’t include plastic being hung up under or over but also allows for proper drainage.
       • Erin – Reston has a couple of communities with the open board cover but not a lot of alternatives to that, such as the plastic on top or underneath. A permanent solution will require a full DRB with a panel review. 
     • Decks
       • Board – We have been working on options to update the decks to include Trex or other composite material. As well as options for staining the tails to match the natural weathered wood. What kind of options are there for that?
       • Erin – Based on the RA guidelines you are allowed to have composite boards on the floor and the cocktail rail of the deck regardless of the cluster guidelines. For the stain color there are multiple options that you can look to adopt. The standards could be written to say composite material is allowed for all elements so that no stain would be needed. Or it could be written that the deck can be composed of all wood or a combination of the two. Then add that decks must be constructed and stained to be one color, or give the option for composite decking and leave the wood to weather naturally. 
     • Design Guideline Compliance
       • Board – Have other clusters redesigned their exteriors, and if they have what would you suggest in terms of compliance? Would we say here is what we are approving and we need everyone to be compliant in a certain amount of time or that when you are making substantial updates that is when you need to make this change?
       • Erin – When you change your exterior design elements, the way that you enforce compliance is either by putting a deadline on it, or when you are at a stage where you need to redesign or when you sell you need to comply with the new design or if there is substantial repair and replacement of the structure. More flexibility is typically preferred. 

2. Repaving parking lots – asphalt alternatives
   • Board – Has the RA ever considered asphalt alternatives?
   • https://www.truegridpaver.com/parking-lot-alternatives/
   • Erin – It is not currently on anyone’s radar but it could be good to get the environmental group on this. RA doesn’t own a lot of asphalt spaces other than small parking lots so this isn’t something that comes up very often. However, alternatives to asphalt and alternative parking materials is “Reston” sounding. Look into it but don’t spend the money on getting a bid. See if it looks practical and if it is meaningful to us as a cluster.
3. Reserve Study
   • Mason and Mason has a focus on the asphalt which is definitely a concern for our neighborhood. 
   • It is a 20 year prospectus vs a 30 year prospectus that the other 3 companies offer
   • PM Plus reserve even gives the option of a 50 year prospectus and would meet with you 3 times before charging extra.
   • For Mason and Mason, if they need to call an engineering specialist that is billable above what they are giving us as a proposal. Whereas the other 2 have specialists on staff and if they don’t it will be at their expense. 
   • Reserve advisor has other Reston clients and are familiar with the area
   • Mason and Mason didn’t include that but basically said our reserve doesn’t have anything to do with the other neighborhoods. 
   • Between Mason and Mason and PM+
   • What exactly is included in the asphalt report from Mason and Mason?
   • Landscaping and erosion may be an extra specialist which is a big issue in our neighborhood
   • Kelly to reach out to see how likely it is for mason and mason to have to go out and get specialist outside of the scope
4. Speed bumps
   • Good to move forward with the option Sandy provided. We have considered the possible noise impact on the new speed bumps but think it is important for safety. It is not a permanent speed bump so if it is too loud we can try to find a better place for it or remove it entirely if it is too much.
   • We will determine the cost and then will vote. Also recommend speed bump signs. May need to ask lawyers how much signage is needed and what regulations apply
5. RA’s last meet and greet
   • Meet & Greet – Site Lighting – this past Monday, May 9th.
     • It is a county change to have sky friendly lights that do not send light into the atmosphere. 
     • It doesn’t impact our cluster as much as it does other clusters that have shoebox lighting. Those are outdated and will need to change their entire fixture. We have the colonial style. The new fixture will not have panes.
     • Cyndi asked a question about how bright the light is for the community. No panes could be ok with  lower lumen light. 
6. Concrete
   • Walk through date?
     • Sidewalk by the bus stop that is sunken
     • Looked at the area in front of Jill’s house where the sidewalk has been humped by the root system of the tree. Tree root system will need to be worked on. Is it worth it to save that tree especially when we constantly have issues with the tree?
     • Look to add in the area by the light pole near Kristina’s house. There is a dip and it will pool with water
7. Pets
   1. There has been an increase in pet droppings not being picked up throughout the neighborhood. 
   2. It is within the Fairfax County Laws that all dogs need to be leashed at all times and also must be picked up after. 
   3. Violation of these rules can lead to impoundment of pets and incursion of fines. Neighbors also have the option to call animal control when these rules are not followed. 

Financials

Next meeting Thursday, June 9th

Thursday, February 10, 2022 at 7PM via Zoom

Attendees: Sandy, Cyndi, Kristina, Kayleen, Kelly, Antonella

Community updates

Design updates

1. Doors/Decks/AC unit DRB’s –
   • Where are we?  What is the goal?
   • No changes since last meeting. Work is still being done on the DRB. 
2. Deck enclosures, exterior light fixtures, house numbers
   • Where are we?  What is the goal?
   • Working to finish the Doors/decks/AC units and then will shift focus to these items.
3. Architect for garbage enclosures
   • Timeline? Satish sent a proposal and picture of what he was envisioning for the enclosures.. It has a translucent panel over the walkway and opens up the shed. There are possible concerns with snowfall weight and drainage. Also if the size needs to be increased to help with airflow.
   • Satish wants to get together with Sandy to walk around and look for free. Then he would charge $85/hr with an estimated hours of 40, the total would come to $3,400. 
4. Speed bumps – Kayleen
   • Received initial information package. Will get a quote for one and two speed bumps. If we just do one it would most likely be near the little free library. If we do 2, then one would also be added near the front of the neighborhood. 

Parking Lot

1. Resurface, Inc. – received bid

JW22-0023 Wheelwright Cluster HOA PROPOSAL 0222.pdf

2. From Burt at Pavement Design, LLC:

The cost for the pavement evaluation is $3,000, the cost for management is $2,500.  The management includes the bid package sent to contractors with specifications for the work as we found during the evaluation process.

After receiving the bid results back from the contractors we will send you the bid summary and discuss the results with you..  Once a contractor is selected we will meet with the contractor and yourself and representatives from your association for a pre-construction meeting at Wheelwright Cluster.  The work will be discussed, areas and boundaries identified and marked, dates and times for the work and answer any questions anyone may have.   A final inspection of the completed work with the contractor and yourself.

Also, regarding preparation for electric charging installations:

Yes we have installed many conduits under the asphalt pavement or concrete sidewalk or concrete curb and gutter for future use for both electric and irrigation systems.  We install them and cap them off, then mark the locations.

We work with Marriott International across the country and all the hotels are beginning to have electric stations, however the car manufacturers are the ones that are installing the parking stations, we assist in planning the location and if work is taking place and conduit is needed we have the paving contractor do the installation.

• They were recommended by another cluster. While it may seem like hand holding it helps to ensure that a capital expense this large is taken care of properly and will last. Kristina will get more information on what is included in the $3,000 evaluation cost. 

• When looking at quotes and evaluations for milling and paving the whole 4 inches,it seems as though doing the 2 inch mill is standard. The bottom 2 layers typically last longer than the top.

3.Reserve Study – parking lot inquiry? Will circle back next month

Reserve Study

Mason and Mason, Capital Reserve Analysts, Inc – company recommended by our law firm Kelly wants to take one more month to research before making a final decision

Electric Car Charging

1. Falcon group (advisors) – ~$5000

2. Cluster standards

3. Planning for the infrastructure when we redo parking lot

4. Tax incentives

5. RA – guidance packet for clusters

6. Who wants to field this? Cyndi

7. Reserve study

8. Is there an option to add spaces in the medians and cut out some of the space that is just mulch?

Tree work – Cyndi

Large oak in lower cluster removed and stump has been grinded

Trees whose branches have suffered from the weight of snow – Chris?

Trees near the path to the woods have some trees that are almost touching the ground. Is this something landscaping could take care of or would we need JLL to handle it?

Landscaping – Sandy

Bus path Chips have gotten blown away and need to be put down and plumped up. 

Getting the neighborhood into parking compliance

Last newsletter urged residents to become compliant

Next step – will send email directly to people who have not registered their cars with the cluster.

Dominion – watchlights – Cyndi

2233 light – has it been repaired? Been addressed

From Meghan:  

Unfortunately the upshot is that the conversation surrounding Dominion owned/operated site lighting installed on cluster common ground is still evolving. Specifically, the Zoning Ordinance modification that was adopted by the County’s Board of Supervisors last year directly impacts the type of fixtures and light sources that clusters can use and Dominion is in the process of converting many of Reston’s older watch light fixtures to more modern LED light sources, as you mentioned Kristina. Basically there are several major changes afoot and it is still unclear how Dominion needs to work with cluster associations to ensure that lights are repaired, installed and maintained in conformance with both Reston’s Design Guidelines and applicable County requirements.

That’s a very long winded way of saying that Staff doesn’t have a solution to the blinding replacement light problem right now. I can tell you that we are digging in and working on engaging all of the necessary players in order to get some answers as quickly as possible; please stay tuned for updates via outreach events (Zoom calls) and newsletter updates on this topic over the next few months. In the meantime, following are a few informational links that may be of assistance. Thanks for reaching out and we will be in touch!  Meagan

Dominion Outdoor Lighting Webpage

https://www.dominionenergy.com/virginia/products/lighting-fixtures,

Fairfax County Zoning Ordinance

Outdoor Lighting Standards | Planning Development (fairfaxcounty.gov)

Snow plowing -Kelly

Erin Gable (Wheelwright Covenants Advisor) has offered to attend a board meeting

When and What topic(s)

• Parking and electric parking could be a good topic. We could also do a board meeting that is light but is about tying up the ends that we need help with. 

• Another option is to have a one on one type conversation with Erin and the cluster on questions they have

• Another option is to have Erin give input on design guideline changes and ways to apply them
• Board or whole community

Cluster Clean Up will be on April 30th. 

Financials

Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 7 pm via Zoom

Attendees: Kelly, Cyndi, Kayleen, Kristina, Sandy, Karen

Community updates

Board Responsibilities – assigning tasks for 2022

1. Snow Removal (Mike Peyton) – Kelly
2. Landscaping (Chris Hughes) – Sandy
3. Garbage Pickup (Theresa Cunningham) – Kayleen
4. Concrete (Juan) – Cyndi
5. Dominion (watchlights) -Cyndi
6. Legal (Chesapeake) – Kristina
7. Parking – Kristina
8. Tree Committee Liaison – contact with the tree committee (reports on tree trimming/removal updates) – Cyndi
   1. Tree committee members – Mike Pendleton, Jeffrey Cai, Kerry Wingell
9. Community outreach –
   1. E-news – Kristina
   2. Facebook updates – Kristina
   3. Website maintenance – Kayleen
   4. Sign – Kristina
10. Erosion – Kristina
11. Parking Lot – Kristina
12. Design updates – Sandy

Annual Meeting Review

1. The community overwhelmingly voted for an increase in dues of $25/quarter or $100/year.  Most homeowners also wanted to keep homeowner lawn care as is currently provided by our landscaping company.  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Myaun5dGGZbjxgrcF0b1YZJPswWA7GylCiXSfaMcVo4/edit#responses

2. Reviewed new siding colors with the community.  Since then, the board approved a new form that homeowners can submit when applying for a siding color change.  Wheelwright Cluster House Color Change DRB.pdf

The link has also been added to the Design Updates tab on the website

3. Doors/Decks/AC unit DRB’s There is no set time frame yet, but  doors and Ac units have priority. Decks will be worked after. 
4. Deck enclosures, exterior light fixtures, house numbers Sandy will get with Meghan and Erin to talk about these and what they think Reston will approve and determine if our plan needs to be adjusted and discussed with residents. 
5. Parking lot – next step is to get a quote from Resurface, Inc.
   • Also need to decide if we want to go the route of muddling through this on our own or hiring an outside company to contract with us to manage the process (i.e. Pavement Design, LLC)
   • Talked with Burt Hall. Seems like this company will be a good idea in helping us determine our needs. They charge $3k to do an assessment to see what your parking lot needs. They will also get quotes and give a 10-15 year plan.
   • It could be beneficial to have someone who has experience in parking lots instead of the board trying to run it when we don’t have the expertise. We want to make sure that we are getting our money’s worth and get quality work and that we have a subject matter expert
   • Could be a money saver in the long run if it ensures the work is done properly.
   • Doing the reserve study first may be beneficial in getting the estimate of aging and life of parking lot
6. Reserve study
   • How many companies have we received quotes from? 3
   • Do the services offered differ between companies? Haven’t done a comprehensive comparison but at a glance they all seem pretty much the same. Price wise they are in the 2k range, 3k range, 4k range
   • We should go with least expensive not only because of price but because it is the one Chesapeake (our cluster lawyers) recommended to us
   • Kelly to put together what service they provide in their study and reach out and ask about what is included with parking lots. Determine If it is a major part of study and if we can expect them to lay out a budget for us and do an assessment.
7.  Items that were discussed and also referred to in survey
   • Trim options – namely white because of cost and ease of use
     1. People aren’t interested at this point
   • Hiring architect for garbage enclosures
     1. Majority say yes, Sandy will reach out
   • Parking permits
     1. Not enough of a push to go the parking permit direction. However, parking will be on top in the next newsletter. We will give people a date to have cars registered with the cluster within the next 4 months.
   • Speed bumps
     1. Kayleen will look into removable speed bump options
   • Results of survey https://docs.google.com/forms/d/191EX925Z4OyECiZLfiuvgWgZLd2GzePJrCxm8oLd7yQ/edit#responses

RA Meet and Greet

A copy of the presentation can be found here.

The whole meeting was on electric car charging. Falcon Group came out and they are private contractors that act similar to parking lot advisors. They  help clusters navigate the evaluation of installing electric car chargers. There is a new VA law that allows a resident to put in a car charging unit and governing bodies can’t prohibit you from doing that. However, Reston has put into regulation what they consider appropriate charging stations. If a cluster doesn’t have set charging station standards then whoever is the first to put in a unit usually sets the standard. Even if we aren’t prepared to finance charging stations as a cluster, we should look into the available options and create cluster standards on what they need to look like. 

Reston has prohibited people from stretching cords across sidewalks and installing level 3 charging stations. They must have wheel bumper stops and balusters to protect the unit. There are also specific heights and other parameters. We can add additional requirements to the units that can be used. 

There needs to be guidelines for if someone wants to install something in their reserved space and possibly require them to carry insurance on it. If you are an independent homeowner putting a station in your spot, all the cost comes from you including egress issues for if a spot isn’t directly in front of the house. 

If we decide to tackle this as a cluster and what we need in the future, they recommend we put in place all of the conduits and infrastructure that needs to run underground when paving. Much of the expense in installing charging units comes from digging up roads and sidewalks and then repaving. Running inexpensive conduits for future electrical needs may save us money in the long run. Parking lots last 20-30 years and the reliance on electric vehicles may change drastically by then.  We may need to talk to an independent group who works with communities about how to navigate electrical charging and where the power supplies will come from. 

Falcon Group said their average budgeting cost for a feasibility study is $5k. There are some tax credits available and a $30k government tax credit that we could apply for. Dominion also offers some savings. Falcon Group estimates about $11k for getting the site ready and $4k for equipment. Some money has been put into the infrastructure bills coming down the pipeline which could help. There may also be solar options to address car charging and utilizing solar power for this. They said there are some commercial structures but not usually available for residential use.

There are lots of power and electrical line upgrades that will have to be considered and planned for; this will affect all levels of electrical infrastructure – individual, cluster wide, and on up. Existing power lines that are run throughout our community are not necessarily sized to handle all 65 homes in our cluster each having their own power charging station. This could also look cluttered and be more infrastructure and individual homeowner expense than we actually need as a cluster.

If we decide to pursue adding community chargers, we should go with one company for all charging devices. Having one company allows you to have a more integrated system. This can also lessen the overall power demand on electrical lines. We need to look at the rules we would set for communal car charging and guidelines about how long you can leave your car there. Also, how to get in contact with someone who has left their car there too long. Reston has said they are working on putting together a guidance packet for clusters. Included in this packet will be polling questions to ask residents about car charging; which should help get the conversation about electric car charging started.

The Supervisor for Fairfax County is looking into options for creating money for electric charging in Fairfax County.. 

Upcoming tree work

Work for Monday is the last of upcoming tree work. We will put out extra communication to get the word out to make sure cars are moved (update: this was rescheduled for Friday January 28th due to inclement weather)

Getting the neighborhood into parking compliance

Dominion – watchlights

Light by 2233 still going on and off

Have not heard back from Erin yet regarding Dominion’s watchlight new design without the glass panes – will check back in with her

Snow plowing

Were we going to inquire about common area sidewalk treating and shoveling for 2022? We did and are not able to contract to have the common sidewalks shoveled with our current contractor.

Financials

Thursday, December 9th, 2021 at 7PM via Zoom

Attendees : Kristina, Sandy, Kelly, Cyndi, Kayleen

Expedited DRB Form

RA no longer requires the DRB form for siding color changes. There is still value in including the board and to verify that changes are being made properly and following the guidelines. Sandy has set up a form that gets the main information required for color changes and also requires homeowners to sign off that they understand the guidelines and timelines for their project.

Forms can be approved by the President or Vice President. A time stamp will be used to verify the first come first serve basis of the form. A spreadsheet will also be created to help verify when forms were submitted and that no two adjacent houses are approved for the same color.