Minutes of Carriage Lawn Board of Directors Meeting of 5 Apr, 2011

I. Meeting called to order at 6:36 pm.

II. Attendees:

a. Gay Ashley, President

b. Dave Armstrong, VP/Secretary

c. G’Ann Zieger, Treasurer

d. Mary VanMullekom, Member-at-Large

III. Board waived the reading of the minutes of the previous meeting.

IV. Meeting Topics:

a. Open Forum:

i. A homeowner asked about the status of Verizon’s FiOS installation. The board reported that although main lines and junction boxes had been installed in the community, no lines had been installed to individual homes and calls to Verizon had been unsuccessful in determining when the installation would be completed.

ii. A homeowner asked about getting additional playground equipment, a park bench, and a fence installed around the playground. The board advised that they were receptive to these requests, but wanted to ensure equipment met necessary safety standards. The board has requested a playground safety inspection and would ask the inspector for suggestions for additional equipment. [Action Brian: schedule playground safety inspection; determine options/cost for fencing the playground.]

iii. A homeowner expressed concern about the size of the openings in the community’s storm drains and asked about the feasibility of installing grates to protect children from slipping or climbing through the openings. The board agreed to investigate further. [Action Brian: check with Fairfax County to determine cost/feasibility of installing gratings on storm drains.]

iv. A homeowner asked about the feasibility of getting lighting installed at the mailboxes. The board reported they had extensively investigated several options, including solar powered lighting and utility-powered lighting, but had not found an acceptable, cost-effective solution. The Postal Service would not permit mounting lighting on the mail boxes and for free-standing lights, pulling underground cabling would be cost prohibitive and the solar-powered solution did not appear to offer either sufficient light or an acceptable design. The board is open to further consideration if a homeowner can identify a solar powered light that would be suitable.

v. A homeowner asked about having the snow removal contractor clearing accesses to the mailboxes. The board reported they had observed this problem and had asked Mow Cow to clear these areas in the future.

vi. A homeowner asked if the board could help identify young people in the neighborhood who could be hired to clear personal driveways and sidewalks. The board agreed to investigate how best to publish this information (Facebook, website, newsletter, etc.).

vii. A homeowner asked about an ARB violation he had received for his small bagua mirrors and cited the religious and cultural significance as the reason he desired to retain them. (See board’s decision in Executive Session).

viii. A homeowner asked about where he could purchase the driveway lamp crossbars. The board advised they were available from Home Depot (Model 7782-01B) for approximately $4.00.

ix. A homeowner reported that his neighbor had encountered a situation where his vehicle was about to be towed for parking on the line dividing between his two assigned parking spaces. The board agreed that since the homeowner was assigned the two spaces, the board would advise the towing company not to tow a vehicle parked across two spaces assigned to the same homeowner. [Gay has action to inform Henry’s towing]

x. Open forum concluded at 7:06pm. Board resumed business in executive session.

b. Bagua Mirrors. The board reviewed photos of the home in question and noted that the mirrors were very small (approximately 3” in diameter), and except for one mirror mounted on brick, the mirrors were mounted on the home’s front windows and were barely noticeable. Unlike most bagua mirrors, this homeowner’s mirrors were not mounted on ornate plagues; they were mirrors only. The board agreed that small mirrors mounted on the windows or on the wood framing surrounding the garage would be acceptable, but that the mirrors should not be mounted on brick or stone surfaces and should not be mounted on bagua plaques in any location on a home’s exterior. The board agreed this item needs to be clarified in the ARB Guidelines.

c. Financials. Board discussed maturing CDs and agreed with GHA’s recommendations for rolling over these investments.

d. Pet Waste and Trash Receptacles. Brian noted that three new pet waste stations had been installed at the main entrance, playground, and storm water management pond along with two new trash receptacles at each end of the playground visitor parking. He also reported that the pet waste contractor would be emptying the trash every Wednesday at a cost of $10/receptacle ($50/week).

e. ARB Inspection. Brian advised he would be doing the community inspection in the next few weeks. Violations will be listed in a single letter to homeowners. Brian also informed the board that he will continue to report violations as he identifies them, or they are reported to him, through the course of the year.

f. Paint samples. Board members discussed collecting color chips from various manufacturers to help clarify acceptable colors for decks and exterior trim.

g. Signs. Brian reported that fire lane signs cannot be removed and a single sign at the community entrance cannot be used in lieu of signs throughout the community. Dave reported that he had photographed all of the community’s “no parking” signs and that there were surprisingly few that were so faded that they needed to be replaced. Brian will examine the “no parking” and speed limit signs and swap or replace those that need to be replaced. The board agreed to fund replacements up to $2,000.

h. Lighting for Entrance Sign. Brian will contact an electrical contractor regarding restoration of the entrance sign lighting. He will also look at what may be required to duplicate the community sign on the east side of the main community entrance.

i. Planting. The board asked for recommendations/quotes from Mow Cow for doing plantings in the flower beds at the community entrances [Action Brian].

j. Volleyball court. Brian suggested it would be relatively easy to restore the community’s volleyball court. The net posts are in place and appear sound, Mow Cow could clean and restore the sand pit, and the board could authorize the purchase of a volleyball net. The board was in favor of this suggestion but no funds were authorized.

k. Delinquent accounts. The board discussed those homeowner accounts with significant balances due and current collection activity.

l. Driveway lighting. Dave took action to put together the process that the board had agreed to via e-mail for identifying, repairing, and fining homeowners who fail to repair their driveway lights.

m. Change to billing date. The board discussed changing the billing date, but deferred the decision to later in the year.

V. Meeting adjourned at 8:20pm.