HCA ROAD STORM SERVICE UPDATE

From our snow removal contractor Perfect Landscapes Account Manager this morning:  "As of right now it appears that the winter weather we are expecting this evening and overnight is going to be minimal with an expected accumulation of a dusting  to possibly 1". My thought now this morning is that plowing will probably not be necessary. A good pre-treatment of ice melt may. I will be monitoring the situation during the day and will keep you updated of our plans. ... "  From the NOAA National Weather Service Hazardous Weather Outlook for Reston, VA at 1:25 p.m. today:  "... This Afternoon: A chance of snow.  Cloudy, with a high near 34F.  South wind around 6 m.p.h.  Chance of precipitation is 40%.  Tonight: Snow, mainly before 4:00 a.m.  Low around 27F.  Light and variable wind becoming north 5 to 9 m.p.h. after midnight.  Chance of precipitation is 80%.  New snow accumulation of around an inch possible. ... "  UPDATE ... From Perfect Landscapes at 4:03 p.m. today:  "... There has not been a change in the winter weather forecast. Because the temperatures will remain cold tonight and through tomorrow I have made the decision to treat the paved areas of the cluster with ice melt overnight. ... "

HCA POND FOOTBRIDGE WORK @ JAN 9-23

From the WSSI Stream Restoration Project Manager late yesterday:  " ... We finally have the permit in-hand for the bridge and nearly all the pieces.  We expect them this week so the plan as of right now is to begin on Monday (January 9, 2017) with the removal of the old bridge.  Looks like the bridge will be closed for about 2 weeks. ... "  The original Fairfax County bridge permit expired because of lengthy pre-construction funding delays and WSSI resubmitted required documents to obtain a new permit.

HCA ROAD STORM SERVICE UPDATE

From the NOAA National Weather Service this afternoon for Fairfax and Loudon Counties:  "Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect from midnight tonight through noon Saturday. ... Snow and sleet accumulation of less than 1/2 inch with 1/10 inch ice glaze.  Periods of snow and sleet will overspread the region after midnight tonight then change to freezing rain before dawn Saturday morning.  Freezing rain will change to rain by noon Saturday. Hazardous travel is expected due to icy roads and walkways."  Because expected rain will melt the limited amount of snow and ice, and also wash away ice treatment, contractor Perfect Landscapes advised yesterday they do not plan to treat HCA streets during this storm.

HCA STREAM RESTORATION UPDATE

Project Manager WSSI confirmed late last week that streambed reconstruction work was substantially complete by December 1, and that additional new erosion control planting is scheduled to start mid-December 2016.  In addition, footbridge removal and replacement will be delayed pending Fairfax County re-approval of an expired permit within the next few weeks.  Full completion, including clean-up of the staging area, is now planned for February 2017.

HCA LEAF + DEBRIS REMOVAL UPDATE

Contractor Perfect Landscapes advised today that they plan to provide third and final contracted 2016 leaf removal services midweek next week, and as early as Tuesday, December 20.  Their crew will also remove and chip fallen tree debris recently collected and stacked near footpaths by Members, and deposit as much resulting chipped material as possible on the HCA North Shore Dr. dirt emergency and maintenance vehicle access road adjacent to Block 3 to replace similar mud control surface material typically blown away during leaf removal. 

HCA FALL CLUSTER CLEAN-UP @ NOV-DEC

HCA Fall Cluster Clean-Up will run from the remaining days of November 2016 through the third of three planned leaf removals in mid-December.  During the Clean-Up, we encourage Members to remove vines from tree trunks and branches, remove debris behind rear row houses and carriage houses, stack fallen tree debris near footpaths, and remove personal property stored on nearby Common Areas.  The HCA grounds maintenance contractor will remove the stacked debris in mid-December as part of the final leaf removal.  However, Members should not otherwise remove invasive species English Ivy from HCA Common Areas because it provides inexpensive ground cover that controls soil erosion.  Be careful to avoid Poison Ivy and similar plants.  Contact individual Directors to coordinate special projects.

HCA HOLIDAY TRASH + RECYCLE SCHEDULE 2016-17

The Republic Services website advises local residential customers in their updated Northern Virginia holiday schedule, as follows:
THANKSGIVING DAY, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2016
- No trash pick-up on Thursday, November 24
- Service resumes on next normal pick-up day, Monday, November 28
CHRISTMAS OBSERVED, MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 2016
- Normal Monday morning trash and recycling service provided
NEW YEAR OBSERVED, MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 2017
- Normal Monday morning trash and recycling service provided
CHRISTMAS TREE / YARD WASTE PICK-UP
- Wednesday mornings, January 4 and 11, 2017
To prevent local raccoons and other animals from opening curbside bags and spreading trash on Common Areas, and to help maintain the appearance of the cluster, please place trash out for pick-up no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening before scheduled pick-up.

HCA LEAF REMOVAL STARTS @ MON NOV 14

Perfect Landscapes advised HCA that the first of three HCA Fall removals will start on Monday, November 14.  The second removal will be just before the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, and the third removal before the Christmas holiday weekend, weather permitting.  Based on RA guidelines, the contractor plans to blow and then remove leaves from HCA meadows, planters, flowerbeds, and plazas  rather than relocate them into the streambeds.  HCA will post more information here when available. 

HCA TREE RISK ASSESSMENT UPDATE

The HCA Board of Directors recently engaged a certified Independent Consulting Arborist with more than 40 years of experience who assessed and documented the failure likelihood, target impact, and risk rating of all high risk trees he identified first hand during site walks throughout 18 acres of Hickory Cluster Common Area, including several trees reported by Members.  Trees on private property were not included and are the responsibility of individual homeowner Members.  The Arborist marked with rings of yellow/green tape those trees that require the most immediate deadwood trimming, structural support cabling, or complete removal.  PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THE MARKING TAPE.  It will be used by bidding contractors to identify, estimate, and perform work on those trees during January-March 2017 to take advantage of Winter reduced pricing.  Once the Arborist completes his report, the Board of Directors will review the recommendations, approve work subject to available funding, and obtain RA DRB approvals as necessary.  UPDATES ... The Independent Consulting Arborist assessment report, assessment summary, and assessment map, including Group 1 trees approved and funded for action by HCA Directors on December 21, 2016, are now available for public reference.  RA DRB approved removal of 16 live Group 1 trees on March 7, 2017, in addition to 14 dead or invasive species trees that did not require RA approval.  HCA also approved and funded immediate trimming of eight additional Group 2 trees on March 15, 2017.  Work on 17 Group 3 trees is pending HCA cable or remove decisions and funding for late 2017 or early 2018 action.  Contact project lead HCA Secretary Michael Poss for more information.

HCA COMMON AREA ENTRANCE ENHANCEMENTS

HCA Directors at the October monthly Board meeting continued ongoing discussions and agreed on a new uniform landscaping plan to enhance both the Maple Ridge Road and Hickory Cluster entrance Common Areas.  The Member advisory team, Perfect Landscapes designer, and project leader Director Blake Travis collaborated after the meeting to revise the plans and reduce proposed costs to fit within an agreed maximum budget.  HCA then signed a contract to include regular maintenance for the first year, and work will begin following RA DRB approval of a related HCA tree removal application.  

Affected Neighbors will be notified in advance and asked to remove any private property from these HCA Common Areas before clearing and planting.  Future improvements will include other similar hardscaped and landscaped areas clusterwide.  

UPDATES

A three-person RA DRB panel will discuss the HCA tree removal application and related landscaping plan as agenda item No. 5 during its Tuesday, December 6, 2016 public meeting at RA Headquarters, 12001 Sunrise Valley Dr.  Agenda items may be called earlier or later than announced, so interested Members should arrive no later than the 7:00 p.m. meeting start time.  

On December 6, 2016, an RA DRB panel of three approved an HCA application for removal of a single Dogwood tree and replacement with three new Dogwoods at the Maple Ridge Road entrance, and advised that related planned entrance enhancement planting was an internal HCA issue not subject to RA review or approval.  However, the panel requested confirmation that planned Liriope was not an RA-designated invasive species before HCA proceeds further.  

On February 21, 2017, the full RA DRB heard additional Member comments and voted to support the DRB panel December 6 decision that allowed the HCA project to proceed.