GMFHOA Architectural Controls Committee (ACC) Annual Update regarding house and yard maintenance:

1 – Lawn and yard maintenance: maintain your yard. Our Association documents state that: Lots and yards shall be maintained in a neat and attractive manner. Except for flower gardens, shrubs and trees, all open areas shall be maintained as lawns. Lawns must be regularly cut and neatly maintained.

The condition of the sidewalks and curbs is each homeowner’s responsibility along their property lines. Keeping the area looking good also prevents incursion of growth that will eventually deteriorate the concrete. If you have a sewer intake in this area also keep the grass and weeds out of the inlet area to ensure flow of storm water.

Trees overhanging sidewalks need to be trimmed back to 7 feet over the sidewalk and any bushes or shrubs need to be trimmed back off the sidewalk.

2 – Condition of your home: proper maintenance both preserves the value of your home and the appearance of our neighborhood.

3 – Storage of trash bins: our Guidelines require that trash and recycling bins not be stored in the front of the house, especially in front of the garage.

4 – Basketball back boards are not to be left in the street. The streets are owned, operated and maintained by the VDOT.

My suggestion is that you go walk along the sidewalks bordering your house. Ensure that you can see both edges of the sidewalk and (or) the curb along the road; if not you have work to do. If any plants, bushes or trees come near you or make you move to the other side of the walk you also have work to do.

Then go out in the street and look at your house: consider if you were thinking about buying that house.

Then turn around and think about buying that house and looking at your house every day.

If either of those considerations would make you hesitate to buy or ask for a reduction in asking price then you have work to do.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns please contact me or any member of the ACC. We will be happy to discuss and help.

Please contact me by phone or email if you would like me to come to your house and discuss any of these issues.

All Association documents, policies and procedures and necessary forms can be found on our Association website (gmfhoa.org).

Contact information for the ACC and Board of Directors is also on the website if you have any questions or concerns.

Fred Knowles

GMF HOA ACC Chairman

703-426-8204

ACC1@gmfhoa.org

Safety Reminders

• The speed limit on all roads in our neighborhood is 25 MPH. With a neighborhood full of young children and pedestrians, please keep this in mind. Also, please also come to a full stop at the few stop signs in the neighborhood. Many drivers roll through the stop signs.

• When the car in front of you is turning, be courteous and wait for them to turn before proceeding. Many drivers pass on the left and right, which is both dangerous and illegal.

• While it’s great that many people enjoy walking in GMF, if you’re walking in the roadway, please stay well to the curb side for safety. And, drivers should stop for pedestrians crossing the streets, not zip around them.

• When someone is pulling into or out of a driveway, stop and wait for that car instead of zipping around them. This is not only dangerous, but also rude.

• Bicycles should only be ridden on the street and not on the sidewalks. When not being ridden, bicycles should not be left on the sidewalks where they block the walkway for pedestrians. If children are at your house and their bikes are out front, please be sure their bikes are in your driveway or on your lawn, to avoid blocking the sidewalks.

• Please be sure to park cars all the way in the driveway to avoid blocking the sidewalk. If they don’t fit, please use the street.

General Tidying Up

• Cardboard / Recycling:  Please flatten all cardboard boxes that are to be recycled. Trash removal companies are unreliable at best; when boxes are left out on the street for days at a time, it’s unpleasant for your neighbors to see, day in and day out. All boxes that do not fit into the recycling bin should be flattened.

• Yard waste:  Please do not put yard waste bags out until the night before the pickup day. Bags that are not picked up in a timely manner tend to disintegrate if they get wet. If the bags break, the trash disposal crew is not going to clean it up — it will be your responsibility.

• Trash Bin Storage:  Our HOA rules require that trash bins are not visible from the street. They can be stored in the garage or placed around the side of the house in a spot where they cannot be seen.  Please put away trash and recycling bins the day that they are emptied!

Thank you in advance. If we all observe these reminders, our neighborhood will be safer and will appear cared for and tidy, which is good for the entire community.