HCA FALL CLUSTER CLEAN-UP DEC 14-15 POSTPONED

Due to continuing very cold, wet, and snowy weather conditions forecast for this coming weekend, December 14-15, HCA unfortunately must postpone this semi-annual event until early Spring 2014 when outdoor temperatures are warmer but not too warm, and before Common Area vegetation fills out and become less accessible.  Until then, HCA encourages Members to remove and stack tree debris near footpaths, remove vines from trees, and clear overgrown brush during other fair weather days.  New dates will be announced on this website.  Contact the HCA Director(s) for your Block for more information.

HCA ROAD STORM SERVICE UPDATE ... ROUND 2

From Blade Runners Monday early afternoon:  "We did not get the higher temperatures and rain as forecast.  This has created some unwanted residue on the roadway.  The treatment from last night will help to melt this off over the next 3 hours. There are likely to be small amounts of re-freezing tonight.  We would normally be performing touch-ups to these areas today but we must prepare for the storm tomorrow.   Roadway plowing:  Will begin at 2 inches tomorrow.  Ice Control:  None planned until after plowing."

NOAA NWS forecast for Fairfax County as of 12:30 p.m. today:  Monday night ... slight chance of rain, then snow, sleet likely, slight chance of rain and freezing rain after midnight.  Tuesday ... morning snow and sleet, then chance of afternoon snow, accumulation 3-5 inches.

HCA ROAD STORM SERVICE UPDATE ... ROUND 1

From Blade Runners midday Saturday:  " ... This storm is scheduled to drop 1-2 inches of snow in the region between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Sunday.  In the afternoon we are scheduled to have ice accumulations of up to 1/4 inch.  Roadway plowing:  None planned unless we reach 2 inches. ... "

UPDATE from Blade Runners midday Sunday:  " ... Please be advised due to the change in forecast we are planning on a Magic Salt roadway application for all communities.  Trucks will be through this afternoon and into the evening. ... No plowing is being scheduled."

See this website Emergencies page for related contact information, including contacting TWC for emergency fallen tree removal.

UPDATE Monday morning:  There is now a single-car passage space cut through the large fallen tree branch in the Block 1-2 guest parking area.  TWC was notified of the overall problem earlier this morning.  Maple Ridge Road appears to passable mushy ice.

HCA FALL CLUSTER CLEAN-UP DEC 14-15

HCA Members are encouraged to join the Board of Directors on Saturday and Sunday, December 14 and 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to remove fallen tree debris and stack it near footpaths, to cut climbing vines choking cluster trees, and to clear overgrown brush from Hickory Cluster Common Areas.  Temperatures should be cool enough to work hard in protective shirts and pants without overheating, Fall leaves have just been removed, and stacked tree debris will be removed within the following few weeks.  Weather permitting, please join us to help improve the cluster grounds and meet your neighbors.  Contact the HCA Director(s) representing your Block for more information.

HCA SEEKS DIRECTOR FOR JAN-MAY 2014 TERM

A 1993 HCA Articles of Incorporation Amendment states that "In the event of ... resignation ... of a single director, that Director's successor shall be selected by the remaining members of the Board and shall serve until the next members' meeting ... at which meeting an election shall be held to fill out the unexpired term. ... ."

Recently a member of the volunteer HCA Board of Directors resigned for personal reasons.  To give all HCA Members an equal opportunity to fill the vacant position, the Board invites prospective candidates to attend the next HCA meeting on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 and express their interest.  The Board will select the new Director at the Wednesday, January 15, 2014 monthly meeting, and will hold a clusterwide election for the two years remaining of the three-year term at the May 2014 Annual Meeting.

Serving as a Director means doing more than just attending monthly meetings and voicing opinions.  It involves many additional hours reviewing budgets, proposals, contracts, and other documents; collaborating with other Directors, neighbors, consultants, and contractors; taking hands-on responsibility for leading projects; and making difficult decisions to effectively manage a non-profit corporation.  If you have the passion, commitment, and experience, here's your chance to help maintain and enhance Hickory Cluster quality of life, architectural integrity, and property values.

HCA BLOCK 2 REPLACEMENT TREES @ DEC 5

On Thursday afternoon, December 5, an HCA contractor will plant five new trees in Block 2 parking lot peninsulas to replace five problematic Bradford Pear trees removed earlier this year after numerous resident complaints about fruit-stained cars, because they posed increasing falling debris risk, and because RA identified them as trees to avoid.  HCA selected Natchez Crape Myrtle, Lagerstroemia 'Natchez', as replacements.  To help the contractor complete his work, and to protect your property, HCA asks affected Block 2 residents to park their cars in other unassigned spaces away from the central parking peninsula planting areas.  Contact HCA Director Blake Travis for more information.

GOODMAN TRUST AUCTION @ DEC 7

Hickory Cluster Architect Charles M. Goodman, FAIA passed away on October 29, 1992 at the age of 85.  His widow, Dorothy S. Goodman, followed him on February 25, 2013. 

The Dorothy S. Goodman Trust will make approximately 60 lots of furniture and artwork from the Goodmans' personal collection available at a public auction starting at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 7, 2013, at The Potomack Company, Alexandria, Virginia.  Items from other sources will also be available.  Registration is required to bid.  Each winning bid will incur a 17.5% fee in addition to 6% Virginia sales tax.

Pre-sale viewing is available on Saturday, November 23 starting at 10:00 a.m. and will continue through the morning of the auction.  At 2:00 p.m., John Burns of Hollin Hills and the U.S. National Parks Service will lead an informal presentation and discussion on Charles Goodman and his influence on local architecture.  At 3:30 p.m., Professor Oscar Fitzgerald will lead a discussion on the Goodman collection Danish Modern furniture.

This personal collection does not appear to include architectural drawings, photographs, and other material from the architect's professional practice.  Dorothy Goodman donated that collection, including more than 7,000 drawings and renderings covering more than 700 projects from the 1930s to the 1980s, to the U.S. Library of Congress in Washington, DC, as the Charles M. Goodman Archive in 2001 where it remains today.

However, it appears that some of the furniture and artwork to be auctioned did furnish The Charles M. Goodman House in Alexandria, and some are shown in 1957 Alcoa Care-Free Home promotional photos.  The Goodman-renovated farmhouse and glass pavilion addition were added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on May 28, 2013.  A Hollin Hills Alcoa house is located at 7801 Elba Rd.

Note of caution to prospective buyers:  The auction company indicates that for at least one if not more of the Goodman Trust lots to be auctioned, " ... attribution ... is based on family oral history and we cannot provide additional documentation."  In addition, and according to the auction company Terms and Conditions of Sale, " ... Neither the Auctioneer nor The Potomack Company nor its representatives is responsible for the accuracy of any printed or verbal communications or descriptions. ... ."  So, if you want a document that certifies your item as Goodman-designed and/or Goodman-owned with perceived added value over and above the same generic item from your neighborhood yard sale or weekend flea market, such a key document is not available from either the auction company or the Trust.  Unfortunately, that makes proving specific Goodman provenance difficult now and in the future, and may decrease the market value of these items.

RA LAND SWAP MEETING NOV 21 MAY IMPACT HCA

Reston Association will hold the second of two hearings on a controversial land exchange proposed by the Lake Anne Development Partners LLC (LADP) as part of their proposed Lake Anne project.  The swap will enable LADP to develop currently-wooded land into a public parking facility to support Lake Anne Village Center businesses.  Background information, including maps and an extensive redevelopment project timeline, is available on the RA website.  The meeting starts at 6:00 p.m. at RA Headquarters.

This land swap may impact Hickory Cluster because at least one alternative suggested by other concerned Lake Anne area residents is for LADP to build the commercial parking area, possibly a multi-level garage, on land near the government services Lake Anne Office Building with access to North Shore Drive directly across from Maple Ridge Road and Hickory Cluster.  This could increase already congested traffic and parking in the immediate residential area.

UPDATE ... During the November 21 RA Board of Directors meeting, LADP Manager David Peter stated that they evaluated almost a dozen LAVC retail parking options, but a possible site adjacent to the Lake Anne Office Building was not viable.  In addition, Lake Anne of Reston Condominium Association (LARCA) President Rick Thompson indicated that LARCA also did not favor that option and instead supported the LADP plan as proposed.  After many public comments and much discussion, the RA Board voted to enter into a revised, non-binding Letter of Intent with LADP to exchange land as part of the proposed redevelopment project.

HCA NOV 20 MEETING @ RESTON MUSEUM

The HCA Board of Directors typically meets in November at the Reston Community Center Lake Anne. 

However, because the Rose Gallery was already booked for November 20, the meeting will take place instead at the Reston Museum in Lake Anne Village Center and is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m.

RELAC: CHECK INSIDE CUT-OFF VALVES IN NOVEMBER

From Reston RELAC President Mark Waddell recently:  "We will be draining down the system this month and doing repairs.  The system will be completely drained all of November.  This will allow homeowners to schedule work on their RELAC systems.

There are many homes where cut-off valves do not work.  Some are still original valves.  We recommend that you have these valves checked.  If you have an emergency these valves need to be able to close.  Please contact your HVAC service provider or call Reston RELAC Service Division at (703) 349-3301 or mark@restonrelac.com.  We can provide all RELAC repair services. 

Reston RELAC will provide updates on repairs and improvements to the RELAC system and a report on this year's operation before the end of the year."

When the RELAC system is de-pressurized and drained this month, homeowners can also drain their inside pipes and coils.  But as previously noted, and to avoid burst coils during winter months from furnace heat, always leave the return valve open.  Contact Reston RELAC for more information.

UPDATE ... RELAC system pipes will be refilled on December 15, 2013.  Homeowners should request and complete individual RELAC system repairs before that date.  Contact RELAC President Mark Waddell at (703) 349-3301 or mark@restonrelac.com for more information.