WHERE DO WE LIVE?

We live in a row house. Well, in a way. But many row houses are right on the street and have few niceties around them, such as trees and shrubs, grassy areas, playgrounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, and varied settings in relation to the streets. My parents briefly lived in Fairlington in about 1952, and the brick Fairlington buildings stood out awkwardly, looking more like a housing project (which they were in the World War II years) than a place of gracious living. Well then,

We live in a park. That certainly captures the feeling of being away from businesses, garish signs, traffic, and the congestion of the city. It also captures the feeling of being able to walk or jog in the evening along lighted walkways and past interesting flower beds an grassy vistas, feeling both safety and peace. For quite a span in every direction, there is the aspect of "a village in the city." Happily, professional ground crews deal with the lawns in the spring and the falling leaves in the fall. Not bad, but not the whole story. Well then,

We live in a condominium. That literally means co-ownership: living together. More than with individual separate homes, we are interdependent and create one another’s environment. There are many compromises and tradeoffs. We get planting and maintenance of the grounds; enjoyment of common areas, playgrounds, pool and tennis courts; professional oversight of the roofs and exteriors of the buildings; attention to maintenance of property values and parking lots, etc. But we are restricted in the colors we can paint our front doors and the types of windows we can have. Our Bylaws place many restrictions on how our units can look and what we can do on the grass, which would not be true in our little place in Falls Church. We also have to abide by group decisions with which we may or may not agree. With almost 300 units in the Mews, it is like living in a very large family.

Thus – we have to accept the tradeoff of having our trash picked up late some days or paying more and perhaps having higher condo fees.

Thus – we can’t appreciably change the external appearance of our units.

Thus – if we want to preserve our investment in the tress and plantings around us, which have been neglected, we will have to go well over budget for landscaping. This will put our budget appreciably in deficit, and almost certainly require higher condo fees (see item below under Board meeting).

Where do we want to live?

• Large trees in individual backyard patio areas must be maintained so they do not damage the buildings, fences or intrude on neighbors’ areas. The Board agreed to apply a rule of reason in this regard but will respond to complaints in individual cases.



• It was noted that several TV satellite dishes have recently been installed on roof areas or in backyards where they can be seen above the fence. After discussion, the rule against such installations was reaffirmed, and letters will be sent to those concerned.



• "No exterior antenna, satellite dish, or other device for the transmission or reception of radio or television signals or any other form of electromagnetic radiation shall be permitted without the prior written approval of the board of Directors or its designee."



• The Building and Grounds Committee has been very active and presented a report requesting replacement plantings where overgrown shrubs have been removed, as well as consultation by an arborist. A goal was articulated of developing a multi-year landscaping program. Discussion revealed appreciation of the Committee’s efforts and concern over the likelihood of a substantial budget deficit. Authorization was voted for $6,365 in plantings and for a preliminary meeting with an arborist. See the B&G Committee’s report below.



• On November 16, there will be a lawn spraying for fertilization alone, a process, which has been routine for years.



• One condominium was foreclosed and repossessed by the Association for prolonged non-payment of fees.

• Creating a mulched bed of liriope around the oak south of the pool.
• Creating a mulched bed of perennials and shrubs around the large oak in Court 15
• Installing three flowering trees in Court 15.
• Replacing the removed shrubs in Court 15.
• Planting holly trees and grasses in the commons area between Courts 8 and 9.
• Creating a mulched bed of liriope in Court 11 to prevent erosion.
• Landscaping the entrance sign at S. Wakefield and King Streets.

• Adding new wood chips to the "tot lot" near the pool.
• Removing selected overgrown trees/shrubs in several courts.
• Providing perimeter control of overgrowth on the King Street/95 fence.
• Grinding stumps from earlier tree removals.
• Pruning/removing selected trees (including "weed" or volunteer trees).
• Removing ivy from masonry structures.

Fairlington Historical Society

Residents interested in becoming a member of the Society may contact Ron Patterson at 703-931-0687 or ronaldp755@aol.com. Membership fees for the 2001 year are: Charter (voting) members, $10, annually; Associate Member, $10; Corporate Member, $100; Honorary Member (selected by the Board), no fee. Membership forms may be obtained from Ron or from Fairlington’s web site—www.fairlington.org, under "What’s Hot" on the home page.