RA SPECIAL MTG ON RELAC EXEMPTIONS @ JUN 12

The RA Board of Directors will hold a Special Meeting on Thursday, June 12 starting at 6:00 p.m. at RA Headquarters to determine the conditions under which the RA Covenants Committee may grant temporary RELAC service exception permits to Members bound by Section VI.2(b)(15) of the Reston Amended Deed as currently allowed by RA Property Use & Maintenance Standards Resolution 15.  The meeting agenda includes an Issue Overview, Member Comments, and discussion and action on possible changes to the resolution.  HCA Members may be impacted by discussion and actions at this meeting and may attend to provide related comments, subject to RA speaker pre-registration and time limitations. 

UPDATE ... On June 12, RA Directors unanimously passed a related motion, as follows:  "President Knueven, seconded by Director Thompson, moved to approve the proposed revisions to Use & Maintenance Standards Resolution 15; Air-Conditioning Service Covenant Reasonable Accommodations; thereby delineating the conditions under which the Covenants Committee may grant temporary exemption permits to Members bound by Section VI.2(b)(15) of the Reston Deed, as amended."

RELAC PUBLIC MEETING @ JUN 10

Reston RELAC LLC will host a public meeting from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 10, 2014 in the Rose Gallery of the Lake Anne Reston Community Center to review 2013 RELAC air-conditioning system operations and improvements, the company long-term vision, and plans for additional improvements.  Local Energy Alliance Program (LEAP) representatives will also discuss their partnership programs and plans.

RESTON MASTER PLAN PHASE II OPEN HSE @ JUN 7

Fairfax County will sponsor a public Open House to provide information on Phase II of the Reston Master Plan Special Study.  Phase I focused on commercial growth and redevelopment primarily surrounding the new Reston-Wiehle Ave. Metrorail Station.  Phase II will be focused on possible options for preserving, improving, or redeveloping existing Village Centers and mature neighborhoods like Hickory Cluster, and on development of the commercial area north of Baron Cameron Ave.  The event will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 7 at United Christian Parish, 11508 North Shore Drive.

LAVC LANDLORD CLOSES JASMINE CAFE

For 25 years, acclaimed restaurant and catering Chef Eduardo Faubert served imaginative, seasonal, New American cuisine, daily and during special fixed-price multi-course holiday dinner nights, both indoors and al fresco, in cozy and understated Lake Anne Village Center surroundings.  Christmas carolers and jazz guitarists performed there often, local artists displayed their work, and Founder Robert E. Simon Jr. and many HCA Members were regular customers.  But Jasmine Cafe at Lake Anne, and its delicious chocolate mousse dessert, are no more. 

Chef Faubert bought the property in 1988, expanded and then reduced space, sold it in 2012, and continued on as a tenant of current owner Jaleo Corporation.  Then extensive and lengthy Lake Anne plaza fountain repair work during the last prime outdoor dining season fatally cut into Jasmine revenues, as did long and cold winters.  The promise of higher rents from Lake Anne redevelopment, and other personal circumstances, all contributed to this sad loss of yet another popular Lake Anne small business.  Without warning, Jaleo posted "No Trespassing" and other signs on Jasmine's windows, and chained the front doors shut last month.   The former G Sushi take-out restaurant also closed in July 2011 due to a landlord dispute.  The Lake Anne Coffee Shop has been on the market since March, and investors recently purchased the nearby Lakeside Pharmacy where Cafe Lakeside closed in February. 

HCA POWERWASH BEGINS MONDAY MAY 12

Mr. Spray will powerwash the Common Area Block 2 rowhouse rock wall and plaza concrete on Monday, May 12, at 9:30 a.m., Block 1 on Tuesday, May 13, and Block 3 on Wednesday, May 14.  Members should remove all personal items from the plazas and possibly relocate parked cars.

RELAC RESTARTS MAY 8 + PUBLIC MEETING

From Reston RELAC LLC President Mark Waddell:  "RELAC is ready for the season and we will start cooling operations this Thursday, May 8, 2014. ... Our second year of ownership begins on May 30 and we are planning a public meeting at the RA facilities at the end of this month.  As soon as RA gives us a day that their conference room is available we will announce the date.  This meeting will detail the improvements we made last year, planned capital investments for this year, re-evaluation of flat rate fees, and much more."

HCA COMMEMORATIVE SIGN IN PROCESS

The HCA Goodman Fund is proposing a privately-funded interpretive and commemorative sign honoring Reston Founder Robert E. Simon Jr., renowned Modern Architect Charles M. Goodman, FAIA, and the realization of their Hickory Cluster visions 50 years ago.  Goodman Fund Chairman Richard Speier worked closely with HCA Vice President Ralph P. Youngren, FAIA on the project.  HCA reviewed, suggested revisions, and approved the sign on April 16.

The sign will be located on HCA Common Area behind 11512-16 Hickory Cluster near the central footpath intersection.  It will feature photos of Simon and Goodman, an early Hickory Cluster site plan, and a classic Reston Historic Trust 1960s image of Block 3 Goodman Houses, allowing the reader to also see the same homes as they are now.  It will be supported by a strong metal frame anchored into concrete footings, and is similar to those used by the National Park Service.  The overall image and text composition was created by Member and MW Studio artist Margo Wolcott, and will be reproduced in a damage-resistant porcelain material.  RA DRB will review the proposed design at its May 6 meeting starting at 7:00 p.m.  Members may attend and provide comments.

UPDATE ... On May 6, an RA DRB panel unanimously approved the HCA Goodman Fund commemorative sign as proposed.  Next steps are final design and production.

RA / RELAC REFERENDUM GROUP FORMED

RA Amended Deed of Dedication Article VI.2. Use and Maintenance of Property, (b) Restrictions on Use, (15) Air-Conditioning Units, states:  "In any residential Cluster in which central air-conditioning service is available to the Lot line, no individual air-conditioning units of any type shall be permitted.  This covenant may only be amended or revoked by at least a two-thirds vote of the Category A Members of all residential Clusters on the service."  Although not specifically mentioned in the Deed covenant, the referenced central air-conditioning service is currently provided by Reston RELAC LLC, a private, for-profit, regulated public utility with no RA or HCA financial affiliation.  For more information on RELAC, see the RELAC page on this website.

Free From 15 is a group of Reston residents seeking a referendum vote revoking this RA covenant and allowing current RELAC customers to freely choose, purchase, and install whatever air-conditioning system they prefer, as do all other Reston residents, subject to RA Design Review Board review and approval.  The group will meet April 30 and every other Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. in the Lake Anne Village Center.  For more information on Free From 15, visit the Free From 15 website, or contact John Hunter at john_hunter@icloud.com.

HCA ANNUAL MTG + DIRECTOR ELECTIONS @ MAY 17

HCA and TWC are finalizing details for the HCA Annual Meeting to be held 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 17, 2014, at the Rose Gallery in the Reston Community Center at Lake Anne.  The meeting this year was scheduled one week earlier because of the early Memorial Day holiday weekend.  TWC will mail additional information to all HCA Members soon.

Two current and one open Director positions are up for 2014 nomination and election.  HCA encourages interested Members in good standing to provide statements of interest and qualifications to TWC as soon as possible, but no later than 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 16, 2014, and to indicate if you would like that information posted on this HCA website.  Or you can choose to be nominated at the Annual Meeting itself. 

Serving as a volunteer 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 A/C HEAT PUMP RULES MEETING @ APRIL 16

To limit visual, acoustic, and financial impacts of residential mechanical equipment on neighbors and property values, Reston Association publishes and enforces Cluster Housing Guidelines for air-conditioning, heat pumps, and solar collectors.  To provide more specific protections within Hickory Cluster, HCA is again proposing the initial draft of  General Resolution 16.

As required, the proposed new resolution was read into April 17, 2013 HCA Board of Directors meeting minutes.  Following First Reading, they were published April 27, 2013 on this website.  Discussion of the resolution was then tabled to review new Fairfax County noise rules in process, and to possibly accommodate other equipment types. 

Public Discussion and a Hearing on the new proposed resolutions will now be at the April 16, 2014 monthly Board of Directors meeting at TWC Association Management, 397 Herndon Parkway, Suite 100, Herndon, VA, 7:30 p.m.  The Board may also vote to enact the proposed resolution at this meeting.  HCA Members may attend and provide comments.