Don’t forget to winterize your property!

Shut off the interior valves to your outside faucets, then open the outside faucets to allow excess water to drain.

Never turn your heat below 60 degrees, even if you go away; your pipes may freeze.

The 2002 Fall Planting Project has been successfully completed. Any resident who would like to request new shrubbery or trees for the Spring 2003 Planting Project should contact Chuck Edwards in writing at 3460A-1 South Stafford Street.

If you are interested in joining the Fairlington Meadows Building & Grounds Committee, please feel free to attend the following upcoming meetings:

January 8; 2003

and/or

February 5, 2003

Share Your Holiday Spirit

The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect upon the past year and make plans for the new one ahead. It is also a perfect opportunity to volunteer some time and energy to one of the many worthwhile organizations in the area. Below are two such groups that are seeking assistance this month:

New Hope Housing is requesting volunteers to help wrap and deliver gifts, assist with holiday parties during the month of December, or assemble and deliver food baskets to their post-shelter families. Call Grace Pazdan at 703-733-2293.

United Community Ministries seeks volunteers to assist in the distribution of holiday gifts to local families December 19-21. Volunteers will escort parents through a gift room and keep tables stocked with gifts. Call Sue Kelley at 703-768-7106 (ext,326).

As with any community, the bylaws and covenants and restrictions of Fairlington Meadows exist to provide guidance for residents and help to ensure a safe and pleasant living environment.

All residents receive an information packet that contains detailed information on the “dos and don’ts ” when they move in. Your court chairperson (see list on p. 3) and the Meadows property manager or on-site maintenance supervisor (see directory on p. 2) can help to clarify any of the regulations, answer questions you may have, or – if they don’t have the answers – direct you to someone who does.

Below you will find the answers to some of the most commonly asked questions:

Trash Collection- Trash is collected Monday through Saturday, with the exception of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Trash should be securely tied and placed near your front stoop between 6:00-8:00 a.m. It should never be left out overnight.

Oversized Trash Items- Move-in boxes and over-sized items are picked up on the first Saturday of each month. These items should be placed at the street-side curb no earlier than 24 hours ahead of time.

It is possible to schedule an individual pick-up of oversized items at other times by calling Steve Coombe, on-site maintenance. The charge for this service is a minimum of $25.00.

Recycling- Recycling bins are placed at the court entrances on Tuesday evenings and emptied on Wednesday mornings. Items to be placed in the bins are aluminum and steel cans, plastic, and mixed glass, Newspapers (in paper bags or tied securely with string) and broken-down corrugated cardboard should be left on the ground near the bins. If a holiday falls on recycling day, items will be picked up on the next regularly-scheduled trash pick-up day.

Pets- When outdoors or in common entrance ways, dogs must be kept on a leash at all times. Dog owners are required to clean up after their pets. Not only is this a condominium rule, it is an Arlington County ordinance.

As a consideration to your neighbors and for your pet’s own safety, it is also recommended that residents do not allow their cats to roam freely through the neighborhood.

Parking- Most courts have one assigned off-street parking space per unit, the number of which corresponds to the unit number (399-740). Other courts have reserved, but unassigned, parking (again, one space per unit); these require the use of hanging permit tags. Additionally, certain courts on South Stafford Street are within an area of “Zone 11” parking. Check with your court chairperson to see which applies to you.

When parking in the courts, park squarely within your space, so your neighbors also have room to
park. Some courts have off-street “visitor” spaces. Please instruct your guests or any contractors, etc.
you engage to park in a visitor space, your assigned space, or on the street.

Cars parked illegally (parallel to or behind other cars, in the entrances) are subject to towing. Residents are responsible for calling the towing company (see directory on p. 2) if someone is parked in their assigned space. Driving or parking on the lawns is strictly prohibited as it damages the grass and tree roots.

Sewers- Fairlington sewers were constructed of terra cotta in the 1940s and are very fragile. Please do not dispose of grease, facial tissue, hair, dental floss, baby wipes, diapers, raw vegetable peels, or feminine hygiene products in the toilets or drains. Even products labeled “flushable” should not be placed in our sewers – toilet paper and human and pet waste should be the only things flushed down the toilets. If you retain the services of a maid or cleaning company, please make them aware of this to prevent a costly (and disgusting!) sewer back-up in your own unit, and possibly those of your neighbors.