Minutes from 9 December 2020 FLC HOA Board Meeting

The Fair Lakes Crossing Home (FLC) Owners Association (HOA) Board of Directors (BoD) convened via Zoom videoconference beginning at 7:10 PM on 9 December 2020 to take up matters requiring attention.  During the COVID pandemic, as a public announcement, meetings dates are being posted to the community calendar on the website with instructions for participation to allow for neighborhood involvement. 

Attendance:  4 of the 5 members of the FLC HOA Board were present: Ajay Ganji (President), Kevin Nawroth, Clarence Hunter, and Pete Mattes.  No community members attended.

Two new items composed the agenda:  (1) Consideration of the VDOT request for an easement in support of the I66 construction project; (2) Removal of Dead Trees within the HOA-administered common spaces in FLC.

Board Action:

  1. The HOA BoD first recapped the business from the 16 November meeting for follow through:
    1. Winter 2021 Snow Removal Contract:  Mr. Nawroth reported that the snow removal contract with Shenandoah is signed and in place.
    2. Estimate on dead tree removal on HOA land:  Agenda item for this meeting.
    3. Previous BoD study to determine feasibility of constructing tennis courts:  Mr. Mattes reported that he had found no record of a study in correspondence since joining the board.  He will continue to engage with former BoD members, Capital Management Corp. (CMC), and Ms. Peacock (BoD legal advisor) to determine its status and report back at a future date.
    4. BoD routine meeting schedule:  The BoD voted unanimously to meet on the 2nd Wednesday of each month.
    5. Maintenance and update of documents related to the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) and other HOA business:  Mr. Nawroth will continue his research into what is required to update these documents pursuant to BoD decisions and report back at a future date.
    6. BoD response to VDOT Easement settlement offer:  Agenda item for this meeting.
  2. The first agenda item for the HOA BoD was the VDOT offer of $15,000 for permanent easement rights to a slice of HOA administered land that provides access to the I66 expansion project work.  The BoD has been considering this offer and weighing it against forcing VDOT to pursue eminent domain proceeds and take full possession of the land.  The concern as expressed by the BoD’s legal advisor is that the HOA retains liability for anything that may happen on the land if easement rights are granted vice being relieved of liability in the event of an eminent domain takeover.  In the BoD’s judgement, the opportunity for liability is small given the size of the parcel and is similar to liability currently being accepted by the HOA.  After discussion, the BoD voted unanimously to accept the VDOT offer for a permanent easement.  Mr. Ganji will contact Ms. Peacock and notify the VDOT representatives of the BoD decision.
  3. The second agenda item for the BoD was the topic of removal of dead trees that threaten damage to homeowner property from HOA administered land.  Two homeowners (4747 and 4749 Cochran Place) have contacted the BoD to request that three dead trees with potential to impact their properties be removed.  Mr. Nawroth has worked with CMC to develop an estimate from The Greenery in Fairfax specific to those trees.  However, the BoD is not certain whether the HOA has authority to remove any tree on its land.  The County has on several previous occasions conducted tree removal events under its authority and the BoD is unclear where these authority lines are.  Mr. Ganji will contact Peyton at CMC to clarify which trees the HOA has authority to remove.  Mr. Nawroth will follow up with CMC to obtain an estimate to consider all HOA land and trees that would need to be removed throughout the neighborhood for consideration by the BoD.  The BoD voted unanimously that both these actions will be completed by and discussed at a special BoD meeting on 16 December to ensure action can be taken prior to winter snow/ice events.
  4. Two additional topics were brought before the BoD by Mr. Ganji:
    1. Installation of pet waste bag dispensers in the neighborhood.
    2. Installation of bike racks at the school bus stop(s) to allow children to ride to the bus stop and lock their bikes while they are at school.
    3. The BoD supported Mr. Ganji developing these ideas with more details and bringing them back before the BoD at a future meeting.
  5. No further business was conducted.  The BoD adjourned at 8:10 PM.