Guidelines for Property Maintenance

At the May Board Meeting, the board voted on Guidelines for Property Maintenance. These guidelines also incorporate Fairfax County and RA guidelines and several newly adopted guidelines for Forest Edge Cluster Association.

​GUIDELINES FOR PROPERTY MAINTENANCE AND USE
 

1. The overall appearance of homes should be of good repair.   This means, for example, no peeling paint, missing roof shingles, unsecured gutters, rusted light fixtures, etc.
2. Trash and recycling bins must be stored out of view, such as behind a fence or hedges, or in the shed.
3. A fence is required around the air conditioning unit, unless it is in a fenced back yard.  
4. Landscaping does not need approval from the Design Review Board (except for walk ways such as brick or stone surfaces and steps) but yards that blend in with surrounding homes are appropriate.
5. Plantings, especially English ivy and other ground covers, may not extend beyond property lines.   These destroy the grass areas maintained by the lawn maintenance contract and add to the cost of our contract.
6. Overgrown limbs projecting onto the common sidewalks must be pruned.
7. Plantings should be neatly trimmed and free of weeds.
8. Grills are not permitted to be stored in front yards, unless they are behind a fence.
9. Front yards or patios should not have excessive quantities of lawn furniture. 
10. Mailboxes must be accessible and free of overgrown plantings.
11. No playground equipment such as plastic slides, basketball hoops, bikes or scooters should be stored in the front space, unless behind a fence.
12. Any furniture or ‘junk’ items being stored must be in a back yard, not visible from the street. 
13. Clotheslines are not permitted, nor is hanging of items such as towels, on fences. 
14. Bags of garden supplies such as soil, mulch, or fertilizer should be stored in the shed or back yard or behind a fence.