LAKE ANNE FELLOWSHIP HSE FINAL PUBLIC MTGS

The project team will make final presentations to both RA DRB and the Fairfax County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors starting this week.  Additional public comments will be allowed at these meetings, but site and building conceptual designs are already substantially complete.  Adjacent townhome schematic building site and elevation concepts now include numerous revisions based on extensive public meeting feedback from Hickory Cluster former Block 3 Director Ralph Youngren FAIA, Block 2 Director Michael Poss, and Block 1 Director Michael Smith.  Updates below are current as of October 31.

RA DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEETING
@ 7:00 P.M. TUE SEP 18
From a letter dated August 28, 2018:  " ... The Applicant will present materials prepared by the Applicant's architect and civil engineer representing the final layout and architecture of the senior multi-family building and the single-family attached dwelling units.  It is anticipated that this meeting will be the final meeting before the Design Review Board prior to the public hearings schedule in October. ... "  DRB approved the conceptual site plan and massing in July.  DRB also approved related September 18 meeting submission items.

COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION
@ 7:30 P.M. THU OCT 4
COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
@ 3:30 P.M. THU OCT 15
From a Legal Notice dated September 13, 2018:  " ... to approve the PRC plan and to permit residential development.  ... to amend the proffers, conceptual and development plans ... previously approved for senior housing to permit an independent living facility and single-family attached units and associated modifications to proffers and site design at a density of 46.3 dwelling units per acre ... ."

RA DESIGN REVIEW BOARD WORK SESSION
@ 1:15 P.M. FRI OCT 26
From a letter dated October 5, 2018:  " ... the Applicant will present a sample board of exterior colors and materials, architectural elevation drawings, and other site development details ... ."

RA DESIGN REVIEW BOARD MEETING
@ 7:00 P.M. TUE NOV 13
From a letter dated October 26, 2018:  " ... materials (presented during the October 26 Work Session) will be revised in accordance with the discussion at the work session and presented to the DRB for a final decision ... ."

Previous project updates are posted below.  Official presentation materials are available on the project team webpage.

RESTON HURRICANE FLORENCE IMPACTS

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam declared a State of Emergency as the storm strengthened and the possible path was extended up from the Carolinas into Virginia and the DC area, as reported Sunday in the Washington Post.  Past storms have followed similar clockwise paths.  NOAA images updated as noted.

Based on NOAA predictions, inland areas may experience prolonged heavy rain and tropical storm force winds of 39-73 mph. depending on distance from the storm center.  Experience in New York during 2012 Hurricane Sandy indicated that all standing trees risk falling in 70 mph. winds.

RELAC A/C 2018 SERVICE STARTS EARLY

With outside daytime temperatures warming up to the 80-90F range this week, Reston RELAC will begin service to HCA and other customers early again this year.  According to RELAC President Mark Waddell yesterday, system preparation has been underway for two weeks, testing is in progress today, and home chilled water should be available tomorrow.  For future service information, visit the official RELAC website.  For more information on the RELAC system, see the official HCA webpage.

HCA ANNUAL MTG + DIRECTOR ELECTIONS @ MAY 19

The HCA Annual Meeting will be held at 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Saturday, May 19, 2018, in the Rose Gallery at the Reston Community Center Lake Anne.  TWC will mail meeting information, Director nomination forms, and Proxy absentee vote forms to all HCA Members in late April or early May.  HCA will also post the 2018 meeting packet on this website.  Members in good standing with no past due balances may vote or be elected. 

Two current Director positions are up for nomination and election this year for full three-year terms.  HCA encourages interested Members in good standing to provide Nomination Form statements of interest and qualifications to TWC as soon as possible, but no later than 1:00 p.m. Friday, May 18, 2018, 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. 

UPDATES ... May 8:  As of today, neither Vice President Lauri Swift nor Director-At-Large Blake Travis have declared their intentions to seek re-election.  However, both Block 3 Members Sean Joyner and Sarah Teagle recently provided HCA with candidate self-nomination forms.  For more information, click on their linked names above.

Volunteer Directors of this non-profit, non-stock corporation are tasked by the original 1964 HCA Articles of Incorporation with maintaining and improving the Common Areas; enforcing covenants and restrictions; and assessing, collecting, and disbursing funds; all for the benefit of the property and peace, health, comfort, and safety of residents.  Directors typically review budgets, proposals, and contracts; collaborate with other Directors, neighbors, and consultants to make critical decisions; and may provide hands-on project leadership.  Directors must meet at least quarterly, but usually meet monthly.  At whatever level, HCA welcomes your participation.

HCA REGULAR MEETING LOCATION CHANGE @ MAR 21

Fairfax County advised that all county facilities, including RCC Lake Anne, will be closed today due to the snowstorm.  As such, the typical HCA Regular Meeting site at RCC Lake Anne will be unavailable tonight.  However, Cafe' Montmartre, located nearby at 1625 Washington Plaza North in Lake Anne Village Center, will be open and graciously agreed to host the 7:30 p.m. meeting instead in the relatively quiet northeast corner of the restaurant.  HCA will post this notice on the RCC Lake Anne main entry door redirecting attendees to Cafe' Montmartre.

HCA ROAD STORM SERVICE UPDATE

The NOAA National Weather Service this morning predicted up to eight inches of snow in the Reston area from today through early Thursday.  Our snow management contractor reported this afternoon they " ... will be providing snow and ice management services to the cluster as required."

RA HCA CLUSTER INSPECTIONS @ MAR 23+

In 2008, RA conducted visual exterior inspections of all 90 HCA Goodman Houses as requested by the HCA Board of Directors.  This resulted in a clusterwide flurry of home clean-up and repair that improved overall cluster appearance and property values for many years thereafter.

In 2018, RA will perform exterior visual walkthrough inspections of Hickory, Waterview, and Burchfield Woods Clusters, as requested by respective Boards of Directors, and according to RA schedules. 

HCA specifically requested in 2018 that RA focus on a limited number of less comprehensive Goodman House exterior items with high visibility property value impacts for which existing condition corrections are reasonably achievable by homeowners.  However, RA advised that its staff teams will perform inspections according to established RA processes, RA standards, and RA checklists used throughout Reston, without HCA-requested limits. 

Assistance for exterior home repairs may be available from RA Helping Homes, an on-going community service project, to eligible HCA Members who are who are elderly, disabled, or financially challenged and are unable to make those repairs through their own resources.  In 2016, RA Helping Homes provided assistance to four Reston homeowners.

For more information and most recent updates and revisions, including 2018 product equivalents and recommendations for 1993-98 HCA Cluster Standards colors, paints, and concrete beam coatings, see the dedicated HCA RA Cluster Inspections webpage. 

UPDATES ... April 24:  For more information about RA violation letter items cited, contact RA Covenants Advisor Vern James.  April 23:  The March 2018 v1.0 "color palette" paint and coating product equivalents reference page RA provided in April 19, 2018 violations letters is an early version, it contains errors later corrected in the March 28, 2018 current version, and HCA asked RA on March 29 to replace it.  The current version is available on the HCA Governing Documents page on this website.

HCA SPRING CLEAN-UP @ MAR 1-31

The HCA grounds maintenance contractor will begin Spring 2018 flowerbed and planter mulching and clean-up, plaza blowing, and tree debris removal next month in preparation for seasonal weekly mowing.  In addition, HCA Spring 2018 Cluster Clean-Up will be held March 1-31 to prepare for March 23+ HCA RA Cluster Inspections, and plaza power washing is also being planned.  During this period, HCA encourages Members to remove personal property stored on nearby HCA Common Areas, remove debris around Goodman Houses, stack fallen tree debris near the central RA footpath or HCA streets for contractor removal, and cut or remove vines from tree trunks and branches.  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 HCA Directors to coordinate special projects.

LAKE ANNE FELLOWSHIP HOUSE UPDATES

August 28:  FH requested a 7:00 p.m. September 18 DRB Final Design Approval meeting.  The FH project team has posted these and previous presentation materials, including proposed schematic building and landscape plans, to a dedicated project webpage. 

July 31:  FH requested a 6:00 p.m. August 21 DRB Work Session to discuss proposed site plan revisions and new townhome architectural designs.
 
July 24:  HCA received the RA DRB July 17 full Board meeting decision letter.  Revised FH townhome concept is for 36 units.

July 2:  Next FH presentation at RA DRB is 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 17 for approval of a site plan and general building massing, hopefully with June 19 DRB townhome feedback. 

May 29:  FH notified HCA of a 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 RA DRB public meeting to request approval of a site plan and general massing plan at RA Headquarters. 

May 4:  The project team notified affected HCA Mermbers via letter of a 12:00 noon scheduled work session with RA DRB on Friday, May 25 at RA Headquarters.  Previous sessions were open to the public.  Also,  the applications are currently scheduled on October 4 before the County Planning Commission and October 16 before the Board of Supervisors. 

April 13:  RA announced today that the Tuesday, April 17 DRB working session with the Fellowship House redevelopment team at RA Headquarters is scheduled for 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., one hour earlier than the normal DRB 7:00 p.m. start time.  In addition, a video of the April 6 redevelopment team informational presentation to RA DRB is available online.  Several HCA Members and Directors attended the April 6 meeting. 

March 29:  The snowstorm-cancelled March 20 RA DRB information session is rescheduled for Friday, April 6 from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. at RA Headquarters.  In addition, a working session is scheduled for the regular Tuesday, April 17 DRB meeting also at RA. 

February 27:  The project team verbally reported that the next community outreach meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15 at Lake Anne Elementary School for HCA and Lake Anne Condo residents, and Fairfax County distributed formal notices on March 7.  In addition, the project team mailed Affected Party notification letters  on February 27 to HCA Members advising of the 7:00 p.m. March 20 DRB informational meeting at RA Headquarters with a direct public link to related DRB general presentation slides and Phase 1-3 initial architectural, landscape, and site drawings.  From that DRB meeting material, HCA distilled selected Phase 3 slides and drawings specifically relevant to adjacent HCA Block 1 Affected Neighbors.

RA announced February 16 that the New Lake Anne House LP project team will provide an informational presentation to the full DRB on Tuesday, March 20, 2018.  The February 2018 RA Reston Development Tracker also noted related events:  Fairfax County Staff Report available July 4, Planning Commission hearing July 19, and Board of Supervisors hearing July 31.  In addition, the team selected an undisclosed prominent home builder with Fairfax County experience as developer of up to 70 four-story single family homes to be built immediately adjacent to HCA Block 1 within four years. 

The project team recently surveyed and marked the HCA shared property line with tall wooden stakes and pink marking tape, and marked trees with metal tags and colored tape.

HCA / RA / COUNTY PROHIBIT SHORT-TERM RENTALS

Several years ago, an Airbnb short-term rental of a Hickory Cluster Goodman House caused an uproar from nearby neighbors and much discussion and legal research by the HCA Board of Directors.  In response to similar situations throughout the community, more recently Reston Association established a Home-Sharing Policy based on current Fairfax County rules and Zoning Ordinances, summarized as follows:  " ... Reston has a duty to its Members to enforce the covenants and restrictions put in place to preserve the character and serenity that has made Reston the community it is today.  As the County has now officially determined that short-term rentals violate the Zoning Ordinance, Reston has a duty to enforce the covenants incorporating the Zoning Ordinance and to take action against Members in violation thereof. ... "  To align with current County and RA policies, and to protect very limited HCA Common Area parking from transient tenant "free parking on premises" impacts, HCA Directors agreed during the January 2018 Regular Meeting to prohibit unauthorized HCA short-term rentals.  HCA Members can file formal compliance complaints with Fairfax County as advised in the notice above, or in writing with RA or HCA.  UPDATE ... March 20:  The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors authorized public hearings for proposed new zoning rules on short-term lodgings, such as those offered through Airbnb, VRBO and Flipkey.  Please note the following dates are subject to change:  Planning Commission Public Hearing on May 3, 2018 at 7:30 p.m., and Board of Supervisors Public Hearing on June 19, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.  For more information, see the recent County press release.