MewsNEWS - October 2003

Message from the President

“Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season”[1]

As a native of Florida and gulf-coastal resident for 34 years, chance encounters with hurricanes seemed a part of everyday life. In fact, most Floridians I knew thought the risk of a hurricane was simply the price you paid for living in paradise (the same view was applied to heat, humidity, mosquitoes, alligators, etc.). However, I’ve always secretly felt that the real reason for this casual attitude toward these major storms was not because of a diet rich in sun and citrus products, but because the chances were always greater that hurricanes would hit some other part of the state rather than where you lived.

Each time a storm passed I can remember the entire community breathing a collective sigh of relief while at the same time harboring a sense of indebtedness towards the community that took the hit. It was as if they paid the check to Mother Nature for the rest of us. With the passing of Isabel, residents of Fairlington Mews were blessed to have suffered no major structural damage, few felled trees and virtually no disruption to water and electricity service. Others within the Fairlington family of communities were not as lucky however, for they experienced significant power outages.

Further out, communities within Northern Virginia and the DC Metro Area suffered major disruptions to their daily lives for more than a week. I was pleased to hear numerous stories of Mews residents who opened their homes to others Fairlington residents who were without electricity. It is this type of community spirit that helps make the Mews a special place we should all be proud to call home. Now that the storm has passed and we have gone on with our daily lives I encourage all of you to continue to count your blessings and remember that it will be a long time yet before life gets back to normal for the coastal residents of Virginia and North Carolina.

In September, the Board of Directors met in an Executive Session to discuss our thoughts and goals for the coming year. As I have mentioned in the past, one of the primary areas we need to focus as a Board is in the area of communications. We are committed to improving communications at the Mews in a variety of ways.

First and foremost, we will commit to developing a means to give the residents of the Mews more accurate and advanced notice regarding any projects that may affect them. Secondly, we are asking Management to provide the Board with weekly copies of all work orders from the Mews. We plan to divide them up and contact each resident who submitted a work order and verify that the work has been completed in both a quality fashion and reasonable timeframe. As a means of holding ourselves accountable to change, we will be circulating a survey to all Mews residents in early November. It is our goal to circulate the same survey in May of next year and report the findings at the Annual Meeting. The Board is committed to enhancing life here at the Mews and it is important that we here from you.

I mentioned in the last Newsletter that with the recent election of David Biette to the Board, David will be stepping down as Chairman of the Recreation Committee. I am pleased to report that Ann Timmons will be taking over as Chairman of the Recreation Committee. Many of you already know Ann through her work on the Committee and I’m sure that you share my support for her. David will serve as the Board Liaison for this committee. Have a safe and happy Halloween!

[1] Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season, Jimmy Buffet, A1A ©MCA Records, 1974

Rob Stewart

President, Fairlington Mews

rstewart78@yahoo.com

Click Here, Dude!
Fairlington Web Site Resources

Many of you already have visited and made good use of this Community web site - www.fairlington.org. Here are some helpful links:

· Mews Handbook http://www.fairlington.org/mewshand.htm

· Board Minutes/Newsletters

http://www.fairlington.org/mewsindex.htm

· Virginia Condominium Act http://www.chadwickwashington.com/community/va.pdf

Volunteers

Work

Landscape Committee

With the recent removal of the beautiful, large oak tree in Court 2 for safety concerns, as well as other tree damage from Hurricane Isabel, we appreciate and value our trees and their significance to our community now more than ever.

Not only do they enhance an especially beautiful setting, but they also add color and character with each season. Trees offer shelter from the sun’s heat and buffer the cold winds of winter. They also afford homes and security for our bird and squirrel populations, adding a homey feel to our neighborhood. Mature trees act as buffers to the noise and air pollution from King Street and I-395, as they release oxygen while taking in carbon dioxide for energy, cleaning the air in the process.

With these thoughts in mind, the Mews Board of Directors approved in September a landscape committee proposal to contract with Bartlett Tree Service to begin a long range plan for the care and maintenance of our trees. Every tree in the Mews will be mapped and assessed as to type, health, condition, and approximate age; the study will also make recommendations for pruning, thinning, and proper fertilization. Also, the study will recommend appropriate trees for replacement when we add to our tree population.

In October we began installation of contracted fall plantings for the Mews community under the direction of Environmental Enhancements. There were installations in almost every court. In some areas it was necessary to move or remove some plantings, but we are hopeful that the final picture will be pleasing to residents.

A second pruning of shrubs by Community Landscape personnel occurred in October. Pruning in areas marked with red reflectors will be done if the resident requests such work; otherwise such marked beds are maintained by the resident.

If you are one of residents who received new plantings close to your unit, we would request that you keep an eye on them for watering. If plant materials begin to wilt, or if it has not rained or snowed in a while, please water. Newly planted shrubs and trees need one inch of water per week as long as the soil is not frozen. Please make sure that your downspouts are directed away from the base of the shrubs as they do not like wet feet!

The Committee usually meets monthly. Contact Brenda Camenzind for dates and times. Residents are encouraged to join this committee. If you have questions, comments, or concerns about the Mews landscape, please contact Brenda Camenzind, committee chair, at 703-671-1677.

Landscape Committee/Fairlington Mews

Brenda Camenzind 703 671-1677

Recreation Committee

In spite of some questionable weather towards the end of the pool season, a number of people enjoyed the cooling waters of the pool through the 14th of September. World Pool once again did a wonderful job managing the pool and we are grateful for the hard work of head lifeguard, Jen Gardner, and her colleagues.

Our third annual Labor Day weekend picnic was quite successful. Long-time Mews residents met recent arrivals and shared a bountiful potluck picnic on the green adjacent to the pool.

To end the summer season, a number of dogs, large and small, turned out with owners in tow to take the final dip at the Second Annual Dog Swim and Pool Closing. Everyone seemed to have a good time!

Photo by Adam Strach

Ann Timmons and Joanne Herman have agreed to chair the Recreation Committee for the next year. David Biette will be the board representative to the committee. Roger Taylor has agreed to take care of tennis, and Shannon Watson will start a new subcommittee on social events.

Questions? Problems? Please address any questions to the Recreation Committee, in care of Ann Timmons, e-mail MewsRec@biette.com, or telephone 703-820-9589. The Committee will refer issues to the board of directors as necessary.

Board

Minutes

Highlights

Complete, detailed Mews Board Minutes can be found on the Fairlington Web Site at the Mews Home Page:

www.fairlington.org/mewsindex.htm

May 29, 2003

Seth Low, Treasurer, presented three versions of the FY 2003/ 04 budget, including one submitted by management. After lengthy discussion, it was determined that budget discussion would continue in a separate “executive session” on May 29.
Tom Corbin submitted final plans for the landscaping of the medians on S. 34^th St. to be completed by Arlington County as part of the Neighborhood Conservation Plan. The Mews board voted unanimously to approve and accept these plans and responsibility for continued maintenance of the islands.
David Biette, chair of Pool/ Recreation committee, reported the opening of the pool.
Tom Corbin presented a schedule of deadlines for the submission of “Mews News” articles.
Jennifer Birtwhistle, chair of Stairwell Committee, reported all contracts had been signed and work on hallways would begin soon.
Josh Winicki, chair of the ad hoc trash committee, resigned due to relocation.
Sher Opal provided additional information about the sewer line relining project. and requested that the board formalize the conditional approval previously granted to proceed with the work. Approved unanimously.
Board approved management’s request for insurance coverage for the coming year. Approved unanimously.
Sher Opal presented the board with a request from the landscape committee to approve the use of remaining, available funding before the end of the 2003 budget cycle since there would be no June meeting to approve expenditures. The board agreed “conditionally” to approve the use of such monies provided the committee submit in a timely fashion, a plan (via email) detailing use of such funds.
The board unanimously approved Sher Opal’s $800 proposal from DEC to clean all carriage lamps in the Mews.

July 29, 2003

· Nancy Brobst addressed the sidewalks in Court 9 and the drain that was installed in the yard in front of her unit. She was concerned about the lack of communication prior to the drain’s installation and the fact that the drain did not work. David Baker and Gene Gurney had submitted a report to management regarding the drainage problems in the court. Sher Opal will meet with the engineer and the contractor who did the work to see if the latter has the can complete the work properly; she will also see that landscaping around the drain area is properly completed. Gretchen Martin asked that homeowners in Court 9 be involved in the process, and that the board be informed on what ultimately will be done.

· Penny Glass reported for the Landscaping Committee that due to problems trying to get contractors to submit bids, the unpredictable weather, and other time commitments, the Landscape Committee was unable to spend its entire 2002-2003 budget, and asked, as did Gordon Avery in a separate statement, that the remaining $4650 be carried over to the 2003-2004 budget year.

· David Biette reported for the Recreation Committee on the success of the Fairlington FINS swim program, one week of which was held in the Mews in July. He reported that he had found someone to look after tennis, and that several social events were planned, including a dog swim for the last day the pool is open. Laurie Olivas expressed concern that the basketball hoop was too close to the flower beds.

· Ron Patterson reported that the newsletter was held to include the results of the Association’s election, and would be out imminently.

· Sher Opal said that the work on the stairwells had begun the previous week and would not be completed until the week of September 2nd. She said that the delay had been reported in the newsletter. She said that roof replacement will be coordinated with Seal Engineering, and that the foreman of the painting company had contacted homeowners to coordinate the painting of front doors.

· Discussion of the management contract and the outline for committee roles and responsibilities was deferred until the September meeting.

· The board voted to remove the dying large tree in Court 2 as soon as possible. Replacement of the tree was referred to the landscape committee. It deferred discussion of the proposed hardscape in Court 9 to a future meeting, and approved spending $3,130 for the proposed hardscape in Court 5. David Biette asked that neighbors be notified of the hardscape installation before any work is started.

· Carriage Lamps. Sher explained the difficulties that Courts 10 and 11 had with the carriage lamps and discussed two proposals to replace the lamps in Court 10 and half of Court 11. The board asked that she get another quote for Court 10 and for all of Court 11 and submit a photo of the proposed lamps for review.

· The board approved spending $800 to re-evaluate all of the roofs in the Mews to see if the current replacement schedule is still appropriate. There has been some leaking reported in the asbestos roofs which are not scheduled to be replaced for a while.

· The board asked management to provide a copy of all work orders with dates of request and dates of completion.

· Sher Opal said that she would monitor the replacement of the sewer lines in Fairlington Green before work would continue in the Mews. The board had committed $16,500 at the contract signing and we would at least get that amount of work done. She added that she did not want to inconvenience residents while the work was done.

· The board instructed management to provide a list of homeowners to the Arlington County Commissioner of the Revenue. This has been done regularly in the past.

September 23, 2003

· Seth Low recognized the efforts by management to send out a flyer before the hurricane to advise residents on what to do to prepare for potential damage.

· Brenda Camenzind presented the landscaping plan for the community and explained what would be done in each court and in the open areas. The board recognized the significant commitment of time and effort on the part of the committee and their dedication to the beautification of the Mews.

· There was much discussion on the drainage issues in the Mews. Because of the drain problems in Court 9, the Board recommended that the sewer relining scheduled for this court be done as soon as possible, to minimize the digging and disruption to that court.

· There was discussion about replacing the parking lot signs. Replacement of some of the carriage lamps was discussed, with a suggestion that the Fairlington Historical Society make a non-binding recommendation. Concrete repairs will be done in the spring; the roof replacement schedule will be reconsidered; the snow removal contract was renewed.

Text Box: Variances Approved September 23rd meeting

1. The board approved a request by Melanie Russell (4534A South 36th Street) to build an alcove in the kitchen for the refrigerator.

2. The board approved a request by Steven Irmo and Susan Yackee (4636 South 34th Street) to combine two bedrooms in a Dominion, and to remove the front entry hall closet.

3. The board approved a request by Judith Guerny (4654 South 34th Street) to remove a holly tree in front of their unit.

Timely

Tips

By Sher Opal

Management Agent Representative

Completed Projects:

Restriping of Parking lots and exterior painting of Courts 1-6.

New Updated Roof Replacement Schedule presented to the Board September 23^rd.

Projects in Process:

Masonry repairs are slow, with many rotten wood repairs found during the painting of Courts 1 - 6.
Roofing Replacements for three roofs in Court #6 is in process.
Stairwell Refurbishment: In process of completion. Mailboxes installed, new door knobs on stairwell doors, initial painting completed, pending touch up painting and scheduling of remaining unit doors to be painted. Carpet has been installed and fire extinguisher boxes scheduled for September 24^th. Our maintenance contractor is in the process of installing the new light fixtures, kick plates, door knockers and door stops.
Sewer Relining Project: Year 1 of 10 in process – You may see piles of dirt on the property when these lines have been relined.

Upcoming Projects:

Replacement and rewiring of carriage lamps in Courts 10 & 11.
New Parking Lot Signs under consideration

Q & A.

Whom should I call about storm damage?

If you lose your electricity or a street lamp is damaged, call Dominion Electric to report the outage: 1-888-667-3000
If a street tree falls or is damaged, call Arlington County at 703-558-2222.
For damage to streets (ex. pot holes), back up/clogged storm or sanitary sewer lines call Arlington County 703-228-6555.
If a common area tree falls or is damaged, call the Community Manager, Sher Opal at 703-848-4339. Also call for clogged common area storm drains.
If you have water intrusion in your unit, you may have a structural crack in your foundation, which is the owner’s responsibility to handle. If your window wells fill up with water and water comes in your unit (good idea to have covers on your window wells) you may call Sher Opal to investigate. 703-848-4339.
To report other damage, such as, roofs leaks or gutters repairs, you may leave a message on the maintenance hotline number 703-848-4325. You may find that the gutters will not handle the large amount of water. No need to call in a work order. Roof leaks will be investigated during normal working hours/weather permitting.
If there is an emergency, such as a fire or personal injury, call 911.

We ask that you do not put out any trash if you know there is a storm coming or immediately following a storm. The trash company may not be able to enter the property if trees are down or etc.

Check to see if you have a phone that does not need electricity to work. In the event of a power outage, cordless phones or others that require electricity will not function.

Remember to bring in the house any furniture, pots or etc. in your patio or secure them so they do not blow around and damage person or property.

RESTATED FROM NOTICE FLYERED COMMUNITY ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2003, REGARDING HURRICANE ISABEL.

Reminders -

Watering, Winterizing, Satellite Dishes, Commons Areas!

Watering Newly Planted Shrubs

When there is less than one inch of rain a week, the newly planted shrubs need watering by residents. Watering well around each shrub every week to ten days (when there is no rain) will help them become establish. They need water until the weather turns cold and the ground freezes. Keeping them watered protects the Mews’ landscape investment.

Winterize Outside Spigots

Don’t forget to winterize your outside spigots before winter arrives. Shut off the valve inside your unit; turn on the outside spigot to drain.

Satellite Dishes

Remember that Mews Rules and Regulations require a variance before a resident installs a satellite dish in his/ her patio area. Dishes must not be higher than the fence and should not be visible from outside the patio. Failure to follow these rules may result in assessed penalties by the Board of Directors.

Items in Commons Areas

Garden equipment, furniture, bicycles, trash, empty flower pots, etc. are not to be stored in the commons areas adjacent to a residence. The hallways in all “B” buildings must be kept free of any items to prevent violation of Arlington County’s fire regulations.

Trash Collection Reminders

Most Fairlingtonians appreciate the beauty and order of the community scene, but some Mews residents infringe upon the community’s beauty by continuing to abuse and violate trash collection rules as established in the Mews Condominium Handbook (Section 5, Part G).

It is a rare occurrence not to find bags of trash, garden debris, or other inappropriate items left after daily trash pick up or on Sundays. Residents are reminded that the Board of Directors has and will continue to levy penalties on residents who abuse the trash policy. Please read and heed the reminders given below.

Normal household waste and garden debris secured in plastic bags are to be placed on the front stoop by 7:00 am Monday through Saturday.
Dirt, rocks, oil, cement blocks, flammable or hazardous materials, propane tanks, carpet, lumber, and house paint are not to be placed out for regular, daily trash pick up. Residents must make special arrangements to have such items removed or take them personally to the proper Arlington County waste site.
Large/ heavy items such as “furniture, major appliances, and building materials” are collected at curbside only on the first Saturday of each month.
Residents must make special arrangements for any special “large item” pick up other than that for the first Saturday pick up. (The number for Jeffrey’s trash service is listed on the last page of this newsletter.)
Plastic, metal, and glass recyclables are collected on Tuesday.
Secured newspaper bundles are collected on Wednesday.
The Board of Directors may levy penalties for each trash violation.

If you miss the scheduled pick up or accumulate trash during the day, please keep it inside or on your patio until the next day’s pick up. No one wants to see the street curbs and sidewalks littered with unsightly trash.

Fall Gardening Tips

Through routine border and patio maintenance, the gardener saves time and makes the fall clean up easier. Regular elimination of spent plants, pruning of overgrown items, deadheading, and weeding keeps the garden looking neat and eliminates the major fall clean up later.

As you remove overgrown annuals, put in some spring bulbs in the annuals’ spot. Bulbs are readily available now from catalogues or nurseries. Planted in clumps of multiples rather than in rows, bulbs provide color from late winter well into the spring.

Daffodils are generally planted 4 to 6 inches; tulips, 6 – 8 inches; and smaller bulbs 2 – 3 inches in depth. Try some of the more unusual bulbs to dress up your area, and remember squirrels like all bulbs except daffodils. Spraying with rodent repellant (always follow the product’s directions) before planting bulbs will protect them from rodents.

Plant mums for instant color.

Now is a good time to consider the garden’s “bones”, or foundation plantings. What is left after you have removed the annuals and cut down the perennials? Do you have any evergreens, deciduous shrubs with interesting growth/ bark patterns, grasses, or ground cover to provide winter interest? Why not add some plantings with berries to provide seasonal interest? Perennial grasses and sedums provide reliable winter interest.

The garden’s “bones” should contain a variety of heights. Rather than using only low growing plants, consider adding some “spiky” material to keep the eye busy. Some evergreens can be successfully grown in pots to dress up the winter patio. Small boxwoods make attractive winter container plantings either used alone or mixed with herbs such as rosemary and sage.

As you put your patio plantings to bed, add a thin mulch to unify the area. With routine maintenance, careful selection of plant material, and unifying mulch, your patio will be attractive even in winter!

Pruning spring flowering shrubs at this time will remove their buds for spring flowering, so do not prune!

Gardening fans will want to check out the magazine Virginia Gardener Magazine which has many features just for this area. There is a website www.vagardener.com.

Featured Mews Resident

Frances Kerns

In June of 1976 my husband I moved into Fairlington Mews from Washington, D.C. Actually, I should say he moved me into the house and left immediately for a job in Saudi Arabia.

We had looked at Fairlington the year before when he began talking about going to the Mideast but felt the prices were too high! Little did we know. But we liked the location and the fact that it would be possible to get to shopping and church on foot if necessary. Of course, I knew nothing about getting around in Northern Virginia and felt almost as if I had been left in a foreign country. The streets had no apparent pattern, the same street would abruptly become something else and then pick up again later with no warning - all very confusing. And I still am not too good when I get into North Arlington.

I remember thinking how terribly quiet it was out here - it was almost frightening. I was alone in a 3-level house, I didn't know a soul and it was QUIET. In D.C. we had lived in an apartment house just off Connecticut Avenue and about a half block from a fire station plus with a bus route in front of the building. Of course, we now have more traffic through Fairlington and lots of fire engines run past my house, but it is still pretty quiet late at night.

I served on the Mews Board of Directors for seven years and have also been on various committees over the years. These things are good ways of getting to know people and learn how things work.

When I first moved to Fairlington I met a number of people who had lived here when it was a rental community and had liked it so well that they bought units when it converted. That was certainly a good endorsement. I have now lived in Fairlington longer than any other place and plan to remain here. There have been changes, of course, but the things that were reasons for moving here are still here - trees and more trees, lots of lawn space, being part of a community, getting to know people who would probably stay around for a while, easy proximity to shopping, public transportation, etc. and now that we have been named a Historic Community, most of that will remain.

^Highlights

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