HCA WINTER 2012 CLEAN-UP UPDATE

IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTE
Residents should NOT attempt to clear or dig into areas around high voltage pad-mounted transformers.  It can be extremely dangerous.  Only professionals coordinating with Dominion Power should perform such work.

NOAA NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST
  SATURDAY DEC 1 ... mostly sunny, highs in mid 50s
  SUNDAY DEC 2 ... partly sunny, highs in upper 50s

CLUSTERWIDE GENERAL TASKS
  Clean debris from Common Areas behind patios
  Clear tree debris clusterwide
  Cut and remove ivy growing on trees
  Stack debris near paths and streets for removal
  Meet your neighbors

BLOCK 1 SPECIFIC TASKS
  Coordinate with Director Michael Smith, 11513 Maple Ridge

BLOCK 2 SATURDAY TASKS
  Meet 9:00 a.m. with Director Blake Travis near 11575 Maple Ridge
  Remove tree and other debris from behind rowhouses

BLOCK 2 SUNDAY TASKS
  Meet 9:00 a.m. with Director Blake Travis near 11575 Maple Ridge
  Remove Block 2 streambed tree and other debris and stack along paths
  Till former Bradford Pear tree locations in rowhouse parking islands
  Trim bushes and stack tree debris along connector road

BLOCK 3 SPECIFIC TASKS
  Meet 8:30 a.m. with Director Zerrin Turner near 11500 Hickory Cluster

RESTON HISTORY SPECIAL PROGRAM NOV 29

Thursday, November 29, 2012
7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Reston Community Center Lake Anne
Lake Anne Village Center
1609A Washington Plaza
Reston, VA 20190

Space is limited.  Admission is free.  Donations to Reston Museum are welcome.

For more information contact Reston Museum at (703) 709-7700 or visit restonmuseum.org.

HCA TREE ACTION PLAN UPDATE

On November 19, the Reston Association Design Review Board (RA DRB) approved an HCA application for removing 20 specific trees throughout Hickory Cluster due to their potential endangerment of people or property.  See the Trees page of this website for specific tree photos, locations, and descriptions. 

Included in the approval were typical RA DRB stipulations for cutting stumps flush to the ground or removing stumps completely, and for removing all debris from the property or cutting and neatly stacking fireplace-sized logs.  Work will start as soon as possible.

HCA SWINGSET UPDATE

Reston Painting & Contracting, as directed by the HCA Board, recently removed both the Block 3 swingset demolished by a falling tree during the June 29 storm, and the aging Block 1 swingset.

Replacement of the Block 1 swingset with a new solid cedar replica began this week.  Block 3 swingset replacement will follow.  HCA Director Ralph Youngren FAIA and TWC Management Agent Kim Hendon are working closely with the contractor.

AAA HOLIDAY SCHEDULE UPDATE

AAA will pick up recycling and trash as usual on Monday, November 26 rather than on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 22.  AAA will remove Christmas trees on Wednesdays, January 2 and 9, 2013.  Trees must be at the curb with all trimmings removed, and trees taller than 8 ft. must be cut in half.  After Friday, January 11, AAA will remove trees with regular trash.  For additional information, see the AAA holiday schedule link on the Resources page of this website.  As always, please do not place recycling or trash items outside until after dark the night before pickup.

HCA FALL 2012 LEAF + DEBRIS REMOVAL UPDATE

Blade Runners scheduled Fall 2012 initial leaf removal for no later than November 14.  In addition, they plan to remove a number of storm-downed trees and tree debris throughout the cluster, including at the Maple Ridge Road and Hickory Cluster entrances, prior to November 14, again on November 19, and tentatively again following the planned December 1-2 Fall 2012 Cluster Clean-Up.

RA REALTOR TOUR NOVEMBER 14

Realtors are in a unique position to recommend Hickory Cluster to new buyers, to help Hickory Cluster homeowners get top dollar as sellers, and to influence Hickory Cluster property values ... up OR down.

It's in OUR best interest for Realtors to understand and tell others about the many reasons why Reston and Hickory Cluster are great places to live.

So to help RA sell Reston and Hickory Cluster, RA invited local Realtors to see and hear more about both communities on Wednesday, November 14.

This one-day event will begin with tours of the RA Nature House and "world-renowned Hickory Cluster, one of Reston's three original neighborhoods, with 90 homes designed by award-winning architect Charles Goodman." 

More than 70 Realtors plan to tour Hickory Cluster in two groups, the first starting at 10:00 a.m.

Realtors will then attend a free informational luncheon, and hear why Reston is the model for communities across the globe.  They will hear about the impact of updates to the Reston Master Plan and see what's happening with the construction of the Wiehle Avenue Metro Station.  Chuck Veatch, Reston's first real estate agent, will be the keynote speaker.  The RA Covenants Team will also give tips on how to explain neighborhood design standards to prospective buyers and sellers.

So it's time to clean up those messy carports and funky front porches.  Stash the trash cans that shouldn't be stored out on sidewalks, plazas, or otherwise visible to the public.  And scrub the algae and mildew off those patio walls and architectural concrete beams.  Please do your share before Wednesday morning, November 14.

Because when Hickory Cluster looks good we ALL benefit.

HCA TREE ACTION PLAN UPDATE

For current status of all trees in process, see the Trees page of this website.

HCA also recently requested contractor recommendations and estimates for possible clusterwide trimming of trees that appear to be in direct contact with and potentially damaging to private residences. 

For general information on related community and resident issues and responsibilities, see the November 2-3, 2012 Washington Post Real Estate Section article entitled "Who's Responsible When a Tree Falls?" by Washington, D.C. attorney Benny L. Kass.

Tree Action Plan Phase 2 to address additional higher risk trees clusterwide has been discussed but not yet approved by HCA.  It could include those trees that may require more detailed inspection and professional testing using the industry standard Instrumenta Mechanic Labor GmbH (IML) Resistograph System from Germany to measure and record tree wood conditions.  HCA contractors recently used Resistograph tools on a newly identified higher risk Block 1 tree to document suspected hidden problems and to provide clear evidence for removal approval.  If established and HCA approved, Phase 2 could begin in 2013.

Visit this website for future action plan updates.