The Fairlington Meadows Buildings and
Grounds Committee is composed of Meadows residents who volunteer to serve on
the Committee. The Committee operates under the leadership of a chairperson
or co-chairs who are elected by the full Committee. The chairperson works
collaboratively with the Meadows Board of Directors liaison and with the
management company’s representative to advise the Board of issues and needs
related to buildings and grounds within the village.
Roles and Responsibilities of the Buildings
and Grounds Committee
- Meetings. Regular meetings are held
monthly and advertised in advance through the association’s newsletter
and on the www.meadowsindex.htm web site. Due to vacation and
holiday schedules of members, the July, August, and December meetings
are optional.
- Membership. Residents who are interested
in issues related to buildings and grounds are encouraged to become
members of the Committee.
- Decisions. The Committee makes
decisions by majority vote or consensus, whichever the Committee agrees
upon.
- Funding. The Committee’s funds are
allocated by the Board of Directors. Any allocated funds which are not
used in a given annual cycle are carried over to the Building and
Grounds Committee’s reserve fund.
- Grounds Maintenance Contract.
When considering the renewal or replacement of the grounds contractor,
the Committee will advise the Board of Directors in advance and work
with management to provide input into bid specifications in an effort to
obtain competitive bids for the grounds contract.
- Arborist. The Committee makes
recommendations to the Board regarding the employment of an arborist or
other plant specialist to provide expert advice on plant, tree, lawn,
shrub, or other grounds-related issues.
- Care of Lawns, Trees, Shrubs.
The Committee will work with the representative of the contractor on
seasonal treatments for lawns, trees, and shrubs to ensure their
maintenance and health.
- Grounds Plantings. The Committee
will solicit requests from residents for items such as plant removals,
replacements, and additions. Committee members may also make
recommendations for landscaping. All requests submitted by residents
must be in writing. The Committee will conduct an assessment of each
request, usually during a “walk around,” to which the grounds contractor
may be invited. Proposals for spring and/or fall plantings must be made
in a timely fashion to ensure planting at the proper times. Residents
will be advised by the Committee of the action taken on their requests.
- Upkeep of new plantings. Residents will be
advised of new plantings and asked to assist in their care. Proper
watering techniques will be explained.
- Tree pruning/removals. Periodic
assessments of pruning needs will be made as a result of recommendations
from the village arborist or suggestions from the Committee, the grounds
contractor, and residents. Tree maintenance will be conducted at the
appropriate time for the individual plant. Residents affected by pruning
or removals will be notified of such work through the management agent
and/or the newsletter.
- Common Property. The grounds are common
property and fenced-in patios are limited common property. Common
property and limited common property are subject to the Fairlington
Meadows Rules of Conduct which are a part of the Bylaws. See
meadowsindex.htmimages/FairlingtonMeadowsResidenceManual.pdf.
Residents of units with fenced-in patio areas may landscape that space,
as provided in the By Laws and Rules of Conduct, which states: “You may
plant what you wish in your patio, but if it grows above the fence line
the Board can require you to remove it or trim it back. Determine the
projected size of a plant at maturity before planting to avoid the
problem of it spreading into other patios or into the common areas
later.” See Section 8 of the Rules of Conduct for additional planting
guidelines. All other areas are common property and may not to be
altered by residents.
- Plantings in Common Areas.
Written approval from the Board or its designee must be obtained prior
to planting any tree or shrub, enlarging any mulch or flower bed,
establishing any new bed within the common areas, or hanging flower pots
on fences, and such approval must be exercised within six months. Any
plant, tree, shrub, or flower planted in the common areas automatically
becomes common property and comes under the jurisdiction of the
Buildings and Grounds Committee. Any private beds that are not
maintained by the resident will be removed, and the area restored to
grass. Flowers may be planted in existing mulch beds adjacent to one’s
own unit without permission, providing they are harmonious with existing
shrubs and are maintained in a neat and orderly state. Residents may not
plant vegetables in the common area beds in the fronts of the buildings.
Vines, whether they originate within the patio or elsewhere, are not
allowed to adhere to the privacy fences nor to any exterior building
surface.
- Flower Beds. Residents who desire to
maintain a flower bed adjacent to their unit must submit a request in
writing to the Committee. The Committee reserves the right to remove the
bed if the resident does not maintain it to community standards.
- Individual Resident Plantings.
Residents who would like to plant a shrub or perform landscaping on
common property at his/her own expense must receive permission from the
Committee in advance. Anything so planted automatically becomes the
property of Fairlington Meadows.
- Vegetables. Vegetables are permitted to
be planted inside fenced-in patio areas only. They may not be planted in
the front, side, or rear of the units or on any other common property.
These Guidelines are governed by the
Fairlington Meadows Rules of Conduct, which can be found in their entirety in
the Resident’s Manual, at www.meadowsindex.htm, or obtained from the
management agent.
Please use the forms below to request
changes to "Flower Beds" and/or "Landscaping"
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