The Heatherlea Buzz

1^st Quarter - 2005

2005 Parking & Recreation Permits

In early March all residents will receive the 2005 Parking and Recreation Permit package.

The package will contain an application for parking & recreation permits, guidelines for the use of the swimming pool, and barbeque grills.

All residents must return their parking & recreation permit application to receive permits for 2005. Each application must be accompanied by a current state vehicle registration containing your Heatherlea Condominium address. If you are new to the community and this document does not contain your current address, you must provide a utility or credit card bill that contains your Heatherlea address. If you are a new owner, you must provide a copy of your settlement statement (HUD-1), and if you are a tenant, you must provide a copy of your current lease.

Applications with all accompanying documents may be delivered to the Association Office by hand during regular business hours (M – F, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM), through the drop box located just to the right of the Association Office front door, by fax to (703) 820-9763. Or for your convenience the Office will be open from 6:00 – 8:00 PM on Thursday, April 14^th and on Monday, April 18^th.

Remember, your 2004 permits expire on April 30, 2005. Vehicles with expired permits are subject to towing, at owner expense. Should your vehicle be towed, it will be located at Community Towing, (703-525-0550), 4000 N 5^th Street, Arlington, and the cost of retrieval is $80.

President’s Comments

By Jim Shelton

The winter season is coming close to an end and Spring is just around the corner. Bulbs have been poking out of the ground in hope of an early end to the winter storms. Spring is a time for assessing the property for landscaping enhancements, preparing the pool for its season opening, and planning the annual yard sale. This year, the property will also be assessed by a certified engineer to ensure that our Unit Owner’s equity is being allocated according to the estimated life of the Replacement Reserves. This engineering assessment is a standard procedure for condominium associations, and a necessary process for ensuring that we are planning properly for the future.

In the next couple of weeks, the Parking & Pool Pass applications will be sent to all residents. These must be filled out and returned, with appropriate documentation as mentioned in an earlier article in this newsletter, in order to receive the 2005 parking and pool passes. The sooner you send your application in, the sooner you will receive your passes.

Also included in this package is a Bylaw Amendment proxy. Please read the proposed amendment, select your choice, sign and return it with your application. This will ensure your right to vote at the Annual Meeting. As this was an issue brought to the Board by Heatherlea Unit Owners, we need everyone’s support on getting this issue resolved. It has been on-going for the past five years (my tenure on the Board). If you have any questions regarding the proposed amendment, please contact the Association Office at (703) 931-0400 for clarification.

We look forward to seeing you all at the next board meeting (March 15) of the Heatherlea Condominium Association!

Insurance or No Insurance? There Should be no Question!

Do you have a condominium unit owner’s insurance policy (an HO6) with your trusted insurance company? Do you realize that you need one to cover your personal effects in your condominium? What kind of policy does the Heatherlea Condominium Association have, and what does it cover?

The answers to these questions can be answered through a not so uncommon scenario. Let’s say that a second or third floor unit has an overflowing toilet, washing machine, sink, dishwasher, water heater, or bathtub that spills out a large quantity of water. The law of gravity would indicate that the lower floors would be impacted with an unpleasant indoor shower that could cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to the structure and to personal items.

The structure would be covered by Heatherlea’s Master Insurance Policy, once the $2,500 deductible is paid by the owner of the water source. Damages to all, the structure

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and personal items (yours or your neighbors) are the responsibility of the unit owner whose property caused the

damages. Personal items are not covered by the Association’s Master Policy. Only a personal condominium unit owner’s policy would allow for recovery of the “insurance appraised” value of personal items inside the unit.

It is important to note, that in the last five years, there have been water damage claims, and one fire damage claim where condominium unit owners or renters did not have a unit owners or renters insurance policy that would have allowed them to recover their losses. In cases such as these, the payment for losses are all out-of-pocket.

(Coldwell Banker Ad)

Where I Live!

By Jim Fitch

I hate the 7-11! It sits there every day and mocks me. “Going to save a little extra money this month, huh? Not even stopping by for a paper? You live right next door, don’t you? Oh, and by the way, how’s that diet coming?

It, of course, knows I live next door and it, of course, knows my diet is coming along quite badly, but that doesn’t stop it form laughing at me. It wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t open twenty-four hours a day, or if it didn’t contain within its four walls every conceivable snack food known to man, packaged in containers just big enough to whet your appetite, but too small to satiate. You always have to go back for more: ranch dressing for one and a half salads, or nine inch pizzas that shrink to three when cooked according to directions. And some of that stuff has to be illegal.

“Hot Pockets?” What are even in those things? I saw a commercial that said they were a good healthy alternative for “when you’re on the go.” Well, I am on my couch, and from what I can tell they contain no actual food products, but are some sort of petroleum based substitute that GM was planning to use in its new hybrid car line. I tried to feed one to my brother’s dog, and it sniffed at it and walked away. When a dog won’t eat a Hot Pocket, we need to stop and take account.

We need to ask why we go to that 7-11 on Wakefield? Is it the prices? A box of donuts is something like $7,054! Is it the convenience? If you have to get a refill on your toilet paper –the ones with 27 sheets per roll—every day, is it really that convenient? Is it the cigarettes? They never have what someone asks for, and even if they do, they have to go to the back and rummage around for an hour. And, all the while the line is getting longer and longer and those damn taquitos are spinning and spinning, and you may as well get out of line and get a can of Red Bull because that is what everyone else is doing. I don’t even know what Red Bull is!

When you finally get up to the cashier, the counter is always covered with glazed products, all in easy to open boxes. I guess we are supposed to think –in our Red Bull induced stupors—that we brought all these boxes up to the counter and are supposed to pay for them. I don’t, but I’ll take a candy bar, and that DVD by Jim Carey in “The Mask” for $9,000.

The mocking continues.

Winter Paw Care

Winter time can be a rough time for a dog’s paws. Cold and wet temperatures paired with de-icing chemicals can make a dog walk an unpleasant experience for your dog. A few helpful hints can prevent any painful results from the winter elements.

§ Inspect paws after walking in areas treated with salt and other de-icers.

§ Check between toes and examine the foot pad for cracks in the skin.

§ Look closely at any inflamed areas for splinters, embedded gravel, etc..

§ Always wash paws with warm water after winter outdoor play and walks.

§ Never let your dog chew away any lumps of ice or snow sticking to its paws or hanging from its fur.

§ After washing, apply Vaseline or Bag Balm to foot pads to soothe irritated paws.

§ Apply Vaseline again just before outdoor play or walks to protect the paws.

§ Cut long hair growing between the pads on each foot.

§ It is important to keep your dog’s nails trimmed all year long, but absolutely critical in winter.

§ Well-made boots can keep a dog’s paws warm and dry in rain, ice and snow and protect them from the harmful effects of salt and de-icers.

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For more details on Winter Paw Care, and hints on getting your dog accustomed to wearing winter boots, go to Sandy Moyer’s article at: www.bellaonline.com/articles/art26066.asp.

Your Unit’s Value?

2004 was an excellent year for real estate. Heatherlea had 21 units on the market, and the sold prices ranged from a low of $212,000 to a high of $381,000. By model, the average sale price was:

§ Cambridge: $238.690

§ Dorchester: $305,833

§ Fairfax: $337,661

§ Regency: $381,000

Real estate assessments in Arlington County increased by 18% in 2004, so be prepared. The County Board will set the tax rate per $100 of assessed value on April 16. Tax payments will be due in two installments –the first due by June 15 and the last due by October 5.

(Long & Foster Ad)

Association Email & Web Site

Email: heatherlea@association-offices.com

Web Site: www.heatherlea.org

Condominium Living – Reminders

Individuals who move into a condominium receive sets of documents that provide the ‘Rules & Regulations’ for living in a condominium environment. Once moved in, those documents get filed away and, often, residents forget some of the most common rules and considerations.

Trash

Regular household garbage is picked up on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Trash, securely tied in trash bags, helps prevent rodents, and should be placed near the mailboxes of your courtyard between the hours of 7:00 AM and 9:00 AM.

Trash placed out for pickup at any time other than those noted above, run the risk of a “Trash Violation” notice and a potential assessment of $50.

Recycling

The Association participates in a recycling program through our trash contractor. The contractor places recycling bins at designated areas throughout the property on Tuesdays. These bins are for plastics, glass and mixed metals cans. There is no need to separate these items; commingling is appropriate. However, the bins are not be used for newspapers, or other printed materials.

Newspapers and other printed materials such as catalogs, phone books, magazines are to be bundled, either in paper sacks or tied, and placed next to the recycle bins; not in them.

Pet Ownership

Heatherlea abides by Arlington County guidelines with respect to pet ownership Both of these documents remind all of us, and pet owners in particular, that all pets must be secured by a leash and under the control of the owner or other responsible person at all times.

Pet owners are also responsible for adhering to the “Poop and Scoop” policy of the Association. This policy is in effect 24/7. The Association has provided doggie pots, which not only provide bags but receptacles for disposal of poop at several locations throughout the property. Picking up after your pet assures neighborly relations, as well as helping to alleviate a food source for rodents, particularly rats.

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Pet owners are also reminded that Heatherlea is fortunate in having two pet exercising areas within walking distance. One is located across South Arlington Mill Drive at Four Mile Run, and the other is across South Walter Reed Drive at the intersection of South Walter Reed and South Arlington Mill Drive.

A Vision for Four Mile Run

By Aileen Winquist

An exciting process is beginning to create a Master Plan for the lower section of Four Mile Run. Local resident input is needed to develop a vision for the future of Four Mile Run.

The lower portion of Four Mile Run, from I-395 at the upstream end to the mouth at National Airport, was channelized in the 1970’s following several floods in the area. Since the completion of the flood control project, the channel has safely conveyed the high storm flows through Arlington and Alexandria. However, the concrete channel lacks the beauty and environmental habitat of a natural stream channel.

In 2000, Congressman Jim Moran secured a $1 million appropriation for Arlington and Alexandria to fund the development of a master plan to transform the lower portion of Four Mile Run. The goal of the planning effort is to restore the habitat and environmental features, recreational opportunities, aesthetics, and urban form of the flood control channel. Staff from Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, the Northern Virginia Regional Commission (NVRC), and the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) are working together, with a citizen task force and a nationally recognized team of consultants, on the Four Mile Run restoration effort.

A citizen task force was appointed in the summer of 2003 with members from each jurisdiction. The task force will lead a significant public process for the master planning effort, and will help examine project alternatives, gather public input, and make recommendations to the jurisdictions working on the plan.

If you are interested in finding out more about this process, please contact Aileen Winquist at (703) 228-3610 or awinquist@arlingtonva.us, or view the project web site at: www.novaregion.org/restoration.htm

Escaping to a Warmer Climate?

When you are preparing to leave town, either on vacation or on business, please remember a few things regarding the care of your unit while you are away.

1. Most Important: Leave a key with a neighbor, and let your emergency contact person or your neighbor know where you will be. You may also notify the Association Office staff to let them know who will have access to your unit. Unfortunately, many emergencies occur when residents are away.

2. Make sure that your thermostat is set no lower than 60 degrees. This will help to prevent frozen pipes. Cabinet doors where pipes are located (kitchen & bathroom sinks) can be left open, as well.

3. Turn the water supply to the toilet and washing machine off while you are gone. Toilet and washing machine supply lines are often responsible for a flooded unit.

Identity Theft Awareness

We hear a lot about identity theft, and in today’s world one cannot be too cautious in protecting their person or their important documents.

Here are a few ways that you can protect your identity:

* When next ordering checks, omit your first name. Have only your initial and last name put on them. Should your checkbook be stolen, the thief will not know how you sign your checks, but your bank will.

Never have your social security number printed on your checks. And if you feel a telephone number is necessary, use your work number.

* When paying credit card bills, do not put your complete credit account number on your check; use only the last four digits. The credit card company knows the rest of the number.

* Make a photocopy of the contents of your wallet. Copy both sides of your driver’s license, credit cards, Social Security card, and other important documents. Place this

copy somewhere safe with easy access. If you do this, you have a record of account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel.

* Should you become a victim of a stolen wallet or purse, immediately cancel your credit cards, file a police report, and notify the three national credit reporting organizations. These organizations will place a fraud alert on your name

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and Social Security number. The phone numbers for credit reporting organizations are:

§ Equifax 1-800-525-6285

§ Experian 1-888-397-3742

§ TransUnion 1-800-680-7289

§ Social Security Fraud 1-800-269-0271

10^th Annual Walk for the Animals

By Betty Scott, Heatherlea

It’s that time again! On Saturday, May 14^th (rain or shine), the Animal Welfare League of Arlington kicks off Arlington’s Neighborhood Day with the 10^th Annual Walk for the Animals to help homeless animals in our community. Last year, with nearly 500 walkers and 300 dogs, they raised more than $40,000.

The three mile loop walk will begin and conclude at Bluemont Park in Arlington. Dogs are invited to accompany their owners, but for their safety, cats and other pets should be left at home. There will also be plenty of pre- and post- walk events.

Visit the League’s web site at www.awla.org to download an entry form. Form a team. A registration fee of $20 is required for each pre-registered walker. And each registered walker will receive a free T-shirt and bandana. Children under six are admitted free; $5 for children ages 6 – 12. Special prizes will be given to the top pledge earners.

Heatherlea’s Racing Strip

Did you know that Heatherlea has several daily races that are held on South 28^th Road? On any given day, or night, you can sit along South 28^th Road and watch a variety of cars driven by a diverse set of people attempting to break the “speed record in the smallest distance.” There are speed limit signs posted, but they do not seem to care. After all, no one on the property has been hit, and there have not been any accidents reported, yet.

Several years ago, the Board of Directors took the advice of residents and did not replace the annoying speed bumps when the parking lots were resurfaced. The residents wanted to regulate themselves, and not be bothered by a speed bump that could cause harm to their vehicles. Speed bumps that were successful in slowing people down!

The question now is “Should speed bumps be put back on South 28^th Road?” How many times have you tried to park, and have someone riding your tail and give you a dirty look once you are out of their way? How many times have you seen someone speed by as you are walking to or from your car? When will someone, a pet, or something get hit while in the path of a speeding car?

Those are all questions that we would not have to answer if people would just obey the speed limit signs, and be courteous in a close neighborhood environment.

This article was written to look at a serious situation, and to get people thinking about the safety of pedestrians and property. Speeding, and options for solving the problem, will be discussed at the next board meeting.

The Heatherlea Buzz is Your Newsletter!

So far, the Association’s Board of Directors are the major contributors to your newsletter.

This newsletter is yours! Do you feel adequately informed about Association issues? What would you like to see published within the pages of The Heatherlea Buzz? Would you like to contribute an article; a “Letter to the Editor”. We are always looking for resident involvement and support.

Let the Association Office know if you wish to become involved. You may contact The Heatherlea Buzz via email to heatherlea@association-offices.com, an article or letter dropped off at the Association Office, or mailed to Heatherlea at 2733 South Walter Reed Drive, Arlington, VA 22206.

2005 Board Meetings

Held at 7:00 PM in the Association Office

March 15 July 27 (Annual Meeting)

April 26 August 30

June 7 October 4

Spring!

It’s almost here…