Return to List February 15th Email Blast
Posted on Feb 15, 2010
Landsdowne
3949 Pender Drive, Suite 205
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Ph: 703-385-1133
Fax: 703-591-5785
Monday, February 15, 2010
Happy Day After Valentine's Day, Landsdowne.
We hope you had the chance to spend the weekend with loved ones and friends! Yes, it really was a weekend without snow! Who knows what the rest of winter will bring? With luck, we have seen the last significant snow for 2010. Trace to 3" forecast today! What's up with that? We are pros now -- 3" is nothing.
A few reminders:
- Wednesday, February 17th, 7:30 pm is our monthly HOA/Board meeting. Everyone is welcome. The meeting is held at the Kingstowne Center for Active Adults next to the library in the Landsdowne Centre. This is your time to see how the business of Landsdowne is conducted, to ask questions, to share concerns, and to gain the most current community information.
- Unfortunately, there will be no postings on the marquees until they are accessible. We regret this, but presently, the marquees remain buried under many feet of snow. Volunteers willing to help clear them are appreciated. They will be back in use shortly.
- Some residents said they did not have updates during the snow. That is incorrect. Several notifications were sent through Connect and directly from our website (www.landsdowne.org ). Please take a moment to register at both locations and to encourage your friends to do so, too. We can't reach them if they aren't signed up.
- Sunday, February 21st, 1 pm -- Pane e Vino Ristorante in Lorton. Make new friends. Enjoy a new restaurant. This is our monthly dining out event. RSVP is needed. Everyone is welcome. Please visit the website for details. Please plan to join us.
Now for the snow recap. We all experienced frustrations with the multiple snow falls. At times it was disheartening to shovel our parking spaces, only to be plowed in once again with the next plow pass. Some returned home to find their spaces filled with snow and felt it was the Association responsibility to shovel them out. By far, most were complimentary, patient, assisted each other and some offered constructive suggestions for implementation in future snows. Neighbors helped neighbors community-wide. A very few became extremely self serving and complained about the snow piles, suggested the snow was dirty, and demanded that piles on common ground near their homes be moved -- at Association expense. It was truly an education in human nature. Here is the reality of sn ow removal in Landsdowne.
- Our total budget for snow removal is $18,000 to cover 21 streets and courts and roughly 5 miles of roadway. The December snowfall cost $12,962 for removal.
- One cubic foot of snow weighs in excess of 20 lbs. A good math problem would be to compute the actual amount of cubic feet removed from Landsdowne during these last snows (or even in just one large snow pile).
- The snow contract is structured (as is the industry standard for this area) for removal of a 3" to 4" snowfall. One truck, one back up truck and a skid loader are dedicated to our community if needed. The pool parking lot is the repository for sand and ice melt for our community. In a perfect world, with a standard snow fall (4" standard -- no ice -- plowing only) we should be cleared within approximately 8 hours.
- The snow contract scope of work calls for removal of snow by plowing and/or piling of one drivable lane on each street only -- as well as freeing fire hydrants and mailboxes as quickly as possible after a snow fall.. This process is complicated by cars parked on both sides of the street in townhomes, and the same on many single family streets. A plow pushes snow to the street sides. We do not have the right to dictate what type of equipment our contractor has (a straight blade v. a prow blade, for instance).
- The contractor is permitted to place snow on common ground, and if needed in unoccupied parking spaces. We regret when this happens but in a snow such as those we just experienced, it happens. Our contract does not call for shoveling out individual parking spaces regardless of how snow gets there.
- Our snow contract does not call for shoveling of community sidewalks.
- There is no additional service being offered at this time to clear parking spaces or to remove snow mounds still in the street or on common ground. Kids of Landsdowne (and adults, too) -- grab a shovel every day. Even 1 or 2 shovel fulls every day will help reduce the size of the piles and allow for quicker melting. How about making next Saturday a shovel out Landsdowne party day? We challenge everyone to participate.
- Markers have been ordered for fire hydrants. Installation will be as soon as possible.
- In heavy snow falls, trash may not be picked up on a normal schedule. If your trash remains at dusk during a snowfall, odds are the trucks are not coming. Please bring it back inside and check the website for updates.
- Do you want to see true talent? Take a walk to Morning Glen Court. Rob Markward has created a life size whale out of the snow. Talk about making lemonade from lemons. It is beautiful! Pictures also on our website.
When the last of snow is finished for 2010, we will reassess the process used -- and make determinations what may be appropriate to add to future contracts with the resources and funding we have available to us. Any additional services above those contracted would require additional fees be paid to Landsdowne or funds removed from other cost centers or both. Adjustments will be made in such areas as Landscaping, Events and the Pool for the remainder of this year. There must be equipment and manpower available by the contractor. We are willing to entertain suggestions for additions to our services -- but please understand there would be a price attached. All constructive suggestions are always appreciated ( landscaping@landsdowne.org ).
Spring cannot get here soon enough.
The Landsdowne Board of Directors
Are you registered for ArmstrongConnect? ArmstrongConnect provides an easy and helpful way to access pertinent information about your community and your account. For more information and to register, send your name and address to register@armstrong.net . Please share this information with any neighbors that may not have received it.
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