WORDS FROM THE RIDGE. S PRI NG 2015 FRHOA PO Box 493, Sterling, VA Phone Messages: info@forest-ridge.

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1 NEWSLETTER FOR RESIDENTS OF FOREST RIDGE S PRI NG 2015 FRHOA PO Box 493, Sterling, VA Phone Messages: info@forest-ridge.org Web: From Your HOA Board Forest Ridge Common Areas Caution The HOA Board appreciates the intent of homeowners wanting to help by mowing the common area lawns or landscaping in common areas. However, we request that you do not do these things. As a community we hire a landscaper who provides these services and is properly insured. If you mow or landscape the common areas and get hurt our HOA insurance will not cover you. You truly do so at your own risk. Please use and enjoy our common areas for what they are intended for and leave the maintenance to our hired and insured company. Disposing of Yard Waste Please bag your yard waste and dispose of it properly. Do not dump it into our common areas. In addition to being unattractive it can provide a nice home for breading ticks and mosquitoes. Be a good neighbor and follow the HOA rules. Free Fire Wood for Residents When the HOA has trees cut down on neighborhood common grounds property the policy is to leave the trees in place on the ground and not remove the stumps. This saves a lot of money since it would more than double the Common Grounds budget. Residents are permitted to remove these trees for use as firewood. Please do not drive vehicles onto common grounds it can result in damage to areas that the HOA must spend money on to repair. Contact the HOA Board if you have any questions. With the warmer weather our children will be playing outside again please keep your speed down when driving through the neighborhood. An Invitation for Volunteers to Support the Architectural Control Committee (ACC) Database The FRHOA ACC records and correspondence are generated and maintained on an automated self developed database application. We are looking for a Forest Ridge volunteer to help maintain this database. Knowledge of databases, HTML and PHP are required. If you are interested in working with the FRHOA/ACC on this database application please contact Linda at admin@forest-ridge.org. The HOA is in contact with the Virginia Department of Forestry to develop a forest management plan to help better maintain our common area grounds and trees. Please come to the board meetings for further details. Trees, Trees, and More Trees And Not Enough Money to Care for Them We would like your input. The recent wind storm, a possible tree disease, and very wet conditions have caused a lot of damage to our trees and increased tree maintenance costs for the HOA. We have already used almost half of our tree budget this year and there is a lot more that needs to be spent. Our primary purpose in spending money on trees is to keep our community safe. Large damaged trees pose a risk to homes and families. It appears we may have more tree maintenance to do than we have money to do it. Please contact your board with any ideas/ suggestions, constructive criticism or comments on how we can handle these increased costs of cleanup and trees. Contact s and numbers can be found on the last page of this newsletter.

2 PAGE 2 A few notes from the Forest Ridge Architectural Control Committee (ACC) As the Spring weather is approaching, this is a good time to work on our homes and yards. In this article we are highlighting some of the areas that need attention to be in compliance with our FRHOA guidelines. We look forward to seeing the results of your work. Fences (option to hear from homeowners) Current ACC guidelines require that fences be natural in color, 50% open, and no higher than 4 feet (48 inches) to preserve an open, natural environment. We have had numerous requests from homeowners who want to build taller and/or more private fences. The reasons include more privacy and to keep pets from jumping the fence. We would like to hear from all homeowners who have a preference in this area to keep the current guidelines or to allow for a larger variety of fence types. You can let us know your preference by (info@forest-ridge.org), leaving a phone message ( ), by attending one of our FRHOA meetings (held the first Thursday of each month at 7:30pm in the library of the Forest Grove Elementary School), or by U.S. mail (PO Box 493, Sterling, VA ). We included this information request in the Fall newsletter and we heard about an equal number of requests to keep the current rules or to allow 6 foot and privacy fences. Please remember to get your ACC application approved before putting up a new fence. Mildew & Mold on House Siding Weather has had an impact on most areas of the country the last few years, and we certainly can see the effects within our own community. When you drive throughout Forest Ridge you will notice that a significant number of homes have cleaned off the mildew and mold from the siding really looks nice. However there are still some with an accumulation of mildew and mold on the siding and elsewhere. The good news is that it can be easily removed by the homeowner with some elbow grease and some dishwashing liquid, a power washer, or you can call a professional to resolve the problem. The FRHOA ACC asks for your cooperation to eliminate the unsightly green that we can't seem to escape. Yard/Driveway & Mailboxes Upkeep Yard upkeep includes keeping yard mowed and weeded to include curb and driveway, picking up trash, yard debris, and newspapers, removing dead shrubbery, maintaining fences, and storing trash cans / recycle containers out of sight. (See article on next page on trash cans and recycle containers.) Maintaining property including your mailbox in a neat manner results in an attractive neighborhood and keeps property values up also. Clean curb gutters also allow water to flow freely to the drain. House Shutters, Garage Doors, Trim and Foundation House shutters, trim, garage doors and visible foundation properly maintained and painted can have a significant impact on the appearance of a home. The FRHOA ACC has been made aware that a number of homes in our community need attention in this area. Please take time this Spring to inspect these features of your home and take appropriate action (repaint/ replace). Please note that the removal of shutters from a home is a violation of the FRHOA Architectural Guidelines. Also, a change in color or type of shutter requires the approval of the FRHOA-ACC. Repainting with the same color does not require approval from the ACC. The link to the FRHOA ACC Guidelines is listed here for your information and reference Commercial Vehicles & Ladders Our FRHOA guidelines state that we do not allow trucks and/or commercial vehicles to be stored or parked on any of the lots within this subdivision, nor shall any trucks and/or commercial vehicles be parked on any of the streets of this subdivision. The term truck is defined as any vehicle with a payload in excess of 0.75 tons; or having tandem axels; or having a license plate designating it to be a truck. The term commercial vehicle is defined as any truck, van or vehicle with visible signage; or ladders, tools, or equipment affixed anywhere on the vehicle. Common Areas Grassy and wooded common areas are for the enjoyment of all the community, not for the dumping of grass clippings, leaves, branches, and litter. Please bag grass clippings and leaves for collection and put litter in the trash.

3 PAGE 3 Trash Cans & Recycle Containers Proper storage of trash cans and recycle containers keeps them out of sight except for the days (and evenings before) of a pickup by your trash company. Our metric for keeping trash cans and recycle containers out of sight is that they cannot be seen by a person standing in the street in front of the center of your house (see diagram). If a person in that position cannot see you trash/recycle containers then you are in compliance with the FRHOA/ACC guidelines. If a person in that position can see your trash/recycle containers then you are in violation of the guidelines. The storing of these containers in front of the house or garage is a violation. The acceptable placement of the trash/recycle containers is where they are not visible by a person standing in the street in front of the middle of your house (see diagram). The preferred placement of the trash/recycle containers is in back or on the side of your house hidden from view with shrubbery or a structure that matches the color of your siding (see diagram). The ideal placement of the trash/recycle containers is somewhere out of sight such as inside of a garage or elsewhere in your backyard hidden from view - by shrubbery or if against the wall of your house a structure that matches the color of your siding (see diagram). Suggestions to Help Hide Outside Trash Cans Lattice: Lattice is one of the easiest options for hiding trash cans. The material is inexpensive and attractive. You can buy prefab lattice or you can easily construct a lattice surround for trash cans using two-by-four boards as the posts. Attach the lattice to the posts around three sides of the trash can. Leave the other side open or build a gate in case you need to wheel the trash can out of the area. Growing climbing vine plants on the trash can surround dresses up the lattice and helps further hide the trash cans. Lattice work and a door under your deck can sometimes work. REMEMBER TO FOLLOW ACC RULES AND GET APPROVAL. Bushes: Bushes or shrubs offer a natural barrier for the trash cans. The bushes blend into the landscape, adding more greenery to the area. Choose a bush that grows high enough to conceal the trash cans. Note both how tall the bushes grow and how wide. Choosing a bush that is easy to trim allows you to control the size of this live trash can barrier. Evergreen bushes are ideal for a year-round barrier. Flowering bushes can add a visual interest and pleasant smell to the trash can area. Keep in mind the amount of sunlight in the area when choosing appropriate shrubs.

4 PAGE 4 The Sterling Foundation The Sterling Foundation is the HOA for Sterling Park, or as close to it as they can be. They are dedicated to improving the quality of life in Sterling Park, and its surrounding communities. And Forest Ridge is part of that surrounding community. The Sterling Foundation takes responsibility for mowing and doing quarterly clean-ups along Sterling Blvd. As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization they are all-volunteer and rely on the community to make things happen. They used to get funds through the Recycling Program over at Park View High School but that has changed so they now rely on memberships. Visit for more information and to support them. Next Blvd. Clean-Up is scheduled for April 11th When Should You Take Your Holiday Decorations Down? Admittedly this winter has been a challenge so some homeowners were delayed taking down their holiday decorations because of the weather. But please be a good neighbor and remove your holiday decorations in a timely manner.

5 PAGE 5 Common Area Cleanup Costly for Neighborhood Your HOA board has approved a $3300 cleanup of the two common areas on Crestview and Fillmore. Unfortunately, this is not the first cleanup of these areas. Individuals continue to dump leaves, yard waste, chain link fence, boards, chunks of cement, trash, fireplace & fire pit ashes, and all sorts of other materials that have no place in our common areas. This unsightly dumping serves to bring down our property values, welcomes more dumping and can get us in legal jeopardy with both Fairfax and Loudoun County. In some parts of our common area, the continued dumping of yard waste and leaves can be measured in feet from the ground. It is estimated that the leaves from dumping have piled so high that the pile heights are 3 to 4 feet from the ground. This dumping is choking out any chance of new growth of plants or trees and makes it hazardous to enjoy and maintain our common grounds. Please do your part to not dump, and if you feel comfortable, discuss not dumping with your neighbors, especially if you see a violation on your street. Your neighbors may not be aware of our guide lines r egarding the dumping of yard debris. You can report dumping violations to our FRHOA by ing commongroundsdumping@forest-ridge.org or calling our hotline at If you wish to remain anonymous you can. This is part of your HOA s continued effort to clean up the common areas and it comes with a heavy price tag so please do your part to not dump in the common areas. Forest Ridge Common Areas Need Your Help Dumping damages these natural areas. Short Term Damage: Ferns, wildflowers and tree seedlings are smothered and killed. Even mature trees can be damaged when debris is piled against their trunks. Piles of debris remove vital food and shelter for the many creatures that live in our woodlands. Warblers, thrushes, owls, chipmunks, foxes, flying squirrels, salamanders, turtles and butterflies are just a few of the animals that call our neighborhood home. Long Term Damage: Natural areas that cannot maintain and regenerate a diverse plant community are more vulnerable to stresses, such as erosion, disease, insect pests, fire and invasive exotic plants. This is some of what we have to clean up in our common areas Most trash companies offer yard waste as part of the same contract for waste pickup. Holiday trees do not belong in our common areas and most trash companies offer pickup for those as well. Also, please remember to bundle tree branch debris that you put out. Loose debris is a hazard to walkers, and large bits and pieces often get left behind on recycle pickup days.

6 PAGE Holiday Decoration Contest Congratulations to the Winners! First Prize Winner ($100) Pin Oak Ct Second Prize ($75) Tamarack Lane Third Prize ($50) Deerwood Court Foxes and Chipmunks and Deer, Oh My We live in a beautiful forested neighborhood. Along with those lovely wooded common property areas and our yards filled with many trees and plants comes wildlife. That means residents have to deal with things like foxes, coyotes, skunks, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and cats. It is possible to live in harmony with this part of nature. Remember, it s their neighborhood too. If you do not want them in your yard there are some simple things you can do to deter them. It doesn t always work but it can help to varying degrees. Repellents like Scoot and Get Off My Garden are safe, proprietary mammal repellents and are available online if you can t find them at garden centers and hardware stores. Many area stores carry deer repellents. It s a matter of trying products to see how they work for you. We all know hostas are deer candy so if you have them in your yard expect deer. Newsletter Feedback What do you like about our neighborhood newsletter? What do you not like? Are there things you would like to see included? It is currently published April 1st and September 1st and your input is always welcome. Suggest article topics. Submit your own articles. It exists for your benefit. Please send feedback to news@forest-ridge.org

7 PAGE 7 Please do not park half in your driveway and half on the sidewalk. We want to make the neighborhood livable for everyone. Bad parking behavior makes life difficult or frustrating to pedestrians, neighbors, individuals with handicaps, etc. Make sure that you always park safely, legally, and considerately. For information on joining the FRHOA Neighborhood Watch visit: The Loudoun Pet Pantry Helping to keep pets in loving homes by providing food supplies for families in need The Loudoun Pet Pantry is a partnership between The Humane Society of Loudoun County, Loudoun County Animal Services and Loudoun Interfaith Relief. Pet food donation boxes are located throughout the county. Volunteers pick up the donated food, make kits for cats, small dogs, and large dogs, and they are delivered to Interfaith Relief to be distributed to pet families in need. Bags of dry cat and dog (small and normal kibble) food 3 to 10 lbs Cans of cat and dog food - any size (Small bags of dry food are needed the most) Visit for box locations or if you would like to organize a pet food drive

8 Forest Ridge Homeowners Association PO Box 493 Sterling, VA PRSTR STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 274 DULLES, VA If your name does not appear as the current lot owner, please call the phone message line with the correct information MEETING INFORMATION Meetings are held at Forest Grove Elementary School ACC Meetings: First Thursday of every 7:00 PM Board Meetings: First Thursday of every 7:30 PM (Meeting dates, locations and times are subject to change.) A little madness in the Spring Is wholesome even for the King. ~Emily Dickinson Forest Ridge Neighborhood Contact Information FOREST RIDGE HOMEOWNER S ASSOC. CONTACTS (703) Option 1 General Option 2 Trees Option 3 Architectural Control Resale Packets Option 4 Request Annual Option 5 Assessments Common Lawn Option 6 Care or Mike Neighborhood Hebert Watch Coordinator thewatch@forestridge.org Neighborhood Watch Homeowners Association s Website Architectural Control Committee acc@forest-ridge.org (ACC) news@forest-ridge.org Newsletter Submissions resale@forest-ridge.org Resale Packets assessments@forestridge.org Annual Assessment questions Subscribe to the FRHOA info@forest-ridge.org distribution list TREES The FRHOA Newsletter is printed and mailed out twice per year, in the Spring and the Fall. To place an ad, submit an article or comment, send an to news@forest-ridge.org or call the FRHOA hotline at Business Advertisements: Full Page - $100 Half Page - $50 Quarter Page - $25 Business Card - $15 trees@forest-ridge.org Homeowner FOR SALE classifieds are free. The newsletter is distributed to all owners and renters within the Forest Ridge development. The FRHOA Board reserves the right to reject any ad, article, or classified. Editor: Juanita Easton IMPORTANT NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH CONTACT NUMBERS Report an Emergency Local Law Enforcement To Report Traffic Violations To Report Parking Violations and Expired Decals To Report an Overcrowding Housing Situation To Report Noise Complaints To Report EPA Violations and Non-Emergency Fire Hazards To Report Sidewalks/ Roads in Need of Repair FAIRFAX COUNTY Emergency LOUDOUN COUNTY Non-Emergency (703) (703) Traffic Division (703) Zoning Enforcement (703) Sgt. Bill Nugent (703) Deputy Keith Wills or Deputy Mike Swope (703) (703) (703) (703) Sheriff Non-Emergency (703) Fire Marshal (703) (703) Commonwealth of Virginia, Department of Transportation (703) 383-VDOT (8368)