Leewood Homeowners Association

Quick Links:

Bulletin Board

In The News

Interesting

Traffic Jam

From The Board

Welcome to the Leewood Homeowners Association Website

Our association is online to provide you with a wealth of information, services and opportunities and to share ideas and information. This will enable our members to receive news and announcements, access important association documents, forms and much more.

Feel free to click around to discover something new about Leewood, the association services and events offered to you by your Leewood Homeowners Association (LHOA).

We hope you'll take advantage of this service. Your input and suggestions will be appreciated.

LHOA Board Meeting Tuesday, January, 10th, 7:30pm

Your LHOA board meeting is a great opportunity for our members to voice concerns and learn something new about our community. All members are invited to attend and speak in an open forum. The meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Philip’s School across Braddock Road. The agenda will be posted online for you to view as soon as it is submitted.

_____________________________________________________________________________

November edition of the Leewood Times is Online

The newest edition of your community newsletter is now online, along with every past edition. Viewers can access the newsletter by clicking here, and if interested, you can view the archive of articles by clicking here.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Christmas Tree Recycling - Last Pickup Wednesday 1/11/12

The last christmas trees collection will be wednesday 1/11/12. Please put your tree out the night before after dark, free of all tinsel and decorations. Please do not place trees in plastic bags.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Leewood Homeowners Association Urgent Notice Page

The Board uses five main methods to communicate with our homeowners

- Sign boards by the mailboxes
- Door to door deliveries
- The Leewood Times Newsletter
- Individual mailings...

And now the Leewood.us LHOA Urgent Notice Page.

In an effort to keep the homeowners more informed, we have created an URGENT NOTICE page on leewood.us.

We will replace the home page with the URGENT NOTICE page when necessary and all current and past notices will be available all the time at...

http://www.leewood.us/index911.htm

_____________________________________________________________________________

NATIONAL NIGHT OUT August 2 - A Huge Success!

America’s Night Out Against Crime

Leewood's National Night Out 2011 was a another successful event with many homeowners in attendance. The Leewood National Night Out Cookout was held on Tuesday, August 2nd from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and nearly 100 people gathered in the common area next to 5288 Bradgen Court. Hamburgers, Hot Dogs, Turkey Burgers and Dogs were grilled thanks to Bob & Lynda Flynn. Chips & Drinks and plenty of sweets were on hand as well.

The Fairfax Fire department along with the Fairfax Police were there meeting our neighbors. McGruff the crime dog was a big hit with the kids as you can see from the picture above.

It was a great combination of new residents and long time homeowers. Thanks to everyone who dropped by to socialize and enjoy a summer meal in the company of friends and neighbors.

We are in the process of gathering all the pictures and will post them here. If you have any pictures that you want to post, email them to webmaster@leewood.us. Check back soon.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Leewood Reserve Study is online

At the Direction of the LHOA Board, Reserve Advisors, Inc conducted a Precision 20/20 Full Reserve Study of the Leewood Homeowners Association. This 39 page Reserve Study is a budget planning tool that identifies the current status of the reserve fund and stable and equitable Reserve Funding Plan to offset the anticipated future major common area expenditures.

Click Here to view the Reserve Study

_____________________________________________________________________________

Leewood Financials are Online

Leewood tracks their financial health via monthly statements that are presented at the board meetings and yearly audits by an outside accountant and are online for you to view. Just posted your you to check out is the LHOA Reserve Funding Plan and Cash Flow Analysis. Click here for links to the financial statements that we have retained. All 2007-present Financials are in Adobe® Portable Document Format (PDF) and can only be viewed with Adobe® Reader®. More >

_____________________________________________________________________________

Online Index of Articles

Did you loose your printed copy? Are you looking for a past article? We have created an index of all past and present articles from the Leewood Times. All artcles are listed alphabetically with a link to the online edition. Members can view it online in Adobe's Portable Document Format (PDF) with Adobe Reader.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Fairfax To Raise Property Tax Rate, & Fees to Fund Services

The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a higher real estate property tax rate, new vehicle registration fee and increase in the quarterly sewer service charges in order to avoid deep cuts to services next year.

The supervisors voted 7-3 on a final version of the budget at an April 27 board meeting.
The county spending plan will restore several programs that were initially cut by Fairfax County executive Anthony Griffin. The supervisors have added money back in to keep bathrooms open at several county parks and athletic fields for example.

The Board of Supervisors was able to avoid some of the more drastic budget reductions proposed by Griffin because Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and the Virginia General Assembly restored $61 million in funding to Fairfax County Public Schools, according to county Chairwoman Sharon Bulova (D-At-large).

As part of the overall budget package, the Fairfax supervisors voted in favor of an increase of five cents in the local real estate property tax rate to $1.09 per $100 of assessed property value. The local stormwater service rate will also rise from one cent per $100 of assessed property value to 1.5 cents per $100 of assessed property value.

The two rate increases will be offset in a decline in home values for many Fairfax residents. The average property tax bill in the county is expected to be $26.93 less than it was last year.

As part of the budget likely to pass, Fairfax would also charge a new vehicle registration fee, $33 for most cars annually. County residents would also pay an increase on sewer service fees from $4.50 to $5.27 per 1,000 gallons used, raising the average sewer bill by $60.

According to Bulova, the increase in the sewer service charge is largely to help the county come into compliance with federal government mandates regarding clean water.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Emergency Planning Guide

With the severe weather in our part of the country over the past year, we thought it would be helpful for you and your family to have information on planning for an emergency.

Has your family discussed how you will handle a large-scale emergency? What if you are at work, your spouse is stuck in traffic, your children are in school and you can't communicate with each other? Will everyone know what to do?

There is no way to completely plan for every emergency, but there are steps you can take to make sure you are prepared for different emergency scenarios. More >

_____________________________________________________________________________

All Past Articles from 2007-Present Archived

Ever wonder what happened to the old articles from the home page? Don't worry we saved them and created a page for you to read them all over again. Click here for the archive of articles written since 2007. Keep in mind that some of them may be outdated and the links to pages outside of our website may have changed.

Archive of Articles link

_____________________________________________________________________________

Transforming Tysons Corner

By 2050, Tysons will be transformed into a walkable, green urban center based on a plan approved by the Board of Supervisors that updates the land use plan and zoning ordinance for Tysons. The Board also adopted 20 follow on motions to guide progress. The plan envisions Tysons as home to up to 100,000 residents and 200,000 jobs by 2050. It will become a 24-hour urban center where people live, work and play — instead of a sprawling suburban office park.

Because the plan was designed to take advantage of the four new Metro stations coming to Tysons in 2013, 75 percent of future growth will be within a half mile of these stations. Many offices and homes will be a three to six minute walk from the stations, allowing people to get around on foot, bicycle, bus or Metro. For more information, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpz/tysonscorner/

_____________________________________________________________________________

Information on How to Adopt a Pet in Fairfax County

Fairfax County Animal Shelter, 4500 W. Ox Rd., makes pets available for adoption by residents of Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties, as well as Vienna, Fairfax City, Falls Church and Alexandria. More pets can be seen at www.petharbor.com. Animal viewing and adoption hours are noon to 7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. The shelter is closed on holidays. For information, call 703-830-1100.

The Humane Society of Fairfax County offers animals for adoption. Call 703-385-PETS (7387) or visit www.hsfc.org for information.

_____________________________________________________________________________

MAJOR TRAFFIC PATTERN CHANGE SCHEDULED
I-495 NORTH LEFT EXIT TO I-66 WEST TO CLOSE

On or about Sept. 30, Exit 49C, the left exit from I-495 north to I-66 west will permanently close to traffic. Drivers will be required to use the existing right exit ramp, Exit 49A, I-66 west. The right exit ramp will have two lanes to accommodate the additional traffic.

Motorists will need to be in the right lane on I-495 north as they approach the I-66 interchange to access Exit 49A, I-66 west. The merge point onto Exit 49A, I-66 west has been relocated to just before the I-66 overpasses.

The closure of the left exit ramp is necessary to shift traffic to the new Beltway outer lanes and allow progress to begin on a new HOT Lanes access ramp that will be built in place of the existing left exit for I-66 west.

Please use caution in this area as a new traffic pattern will be in place. This work is part of the Capital Beltway High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lanes Project.

For more information, click here for the I-495 north ramp to I-66 west fact sheet.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Introducing Traffic Jam Mobile

Leewood is a great place to live, but let's face it, the construction and traffic are not. How many times have we left the house or office only to only get stuck in bumper to bumper traffic. There are plenty of websites dedicated to helping you keep informed about the traffic in our area and we have created a mobile - friendly webpage with helpful links you can use to take some of the stress out of traveling on the area roadways. We hope you bookmark it to your device and it helps you avoid getting stuck. More>

_____________________________________________________________________________

Northern Virginia Construction Highlights

In June, VDOT began the first of several planned spot improvements to add capacity on I-66 west inside the Beltway. The first is between George Mason Drive/Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street. It is scheduled to be done in December 2011.

- This summer, VDOT finished widening I-66 in both directions out to Route 29 in Gainesville.

- Construction will begin early in 2011 on an interchange at Route 29 and Linton Hall Road in Gainesville. The project, scheduled for completion in summer 2014, will remove a long-standing bottleneck.

- VDOT plans to repave 6.5 miles of I-66 from the Beltway west to Route 50, with scheduled completion by fall 2012.

- VDOT is launching a study of topics that include greater transit service along the corridor, tolling, traffic management options including high-occupancy vehicle and high-occupancy tolllanes and localized improvements on I-66 from the Beltway west to Route 15. A draft environmental impact statement on options should be ready by June 2012.

Base realignment

- Two highway projects near Fort Belvoir are well along. VDOT opened a two-mile extension of the Fairfax County Parkway. I-95 is being widened for six miles between Route 123 and the Fairfax County Parkway. A fourth northbound lane opened in December 2009. A fourth southbound lane is scheduled to open soon.

- Work continues on ramps and interchanges that will open up access between the parkway, I-95, and the federal bases as thousands of additional employees arrive.

The Future

- A total of 78 projects will be underway next year in Northern Virginia here are just a few.

- Intersection improvements are planned at Route 29/Gallows Road, Route 50/Courthouse Road, the Fairfax County Parkway's Fair Lakes Boulevard interchange and Route 28's Wellington Road interchange.

- Construction at Wellington Road began this summer and is scheduled for completion in fall 2012.

- Construction at Fair Lakes Boulevard begins this fall and is scheduled to take three years.

- Construction at Gallows Road is scheduled to begin in early 2011 and be done by mid-2013.

11th Street Bridge: The new bridge rising in the Anacostia River is the District's biggest transportation project, and several important developments are scheduled for 2011. This spring, a new segment of southbound DC 295 should open. Then in the fall, the two new freeway spans under construction between the old bridge spans should be completed. A little over a year later, the new local span is scheduled to be done.

Intercounty Connector: The connector highway also made the list for 2010, because project managers had hoped to open the first segment of MD 200 in the fall. But after half a century of on-and-off planning and construction, what's another short wait? We're pretty confident that drivers soon will be paying the tolls to use the connector between I-270/370 and Georgia Avenue.

Dulles Metrorail: Drivers will encounter major detours on I-66, the Dulles Toll Road and side roads that intersect with Routes 7 and 123 in Tysons Corner. Most of these will occur overnight, but commuters should expect to see lane closings and congestion throughout 2011. Some Metrorail service disruptions will occur at the East and West Falls Church stations as work continues on connecting the new line to the Orange Line. The first phase of construction to Reston is scheduled to be done in 2013.

I-66 West: The widening of the westbound interstate inside the Beltway for two miles between Fairfax Drive and Sycamore Street is scheduled to be done by the end of the year. This is the first of the "spot improvements" welcomed by long-distance commuters but unpopular in Arlington County.

Telegraph Road interchange: The final part of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge project, this construction will narrow northbound Telegraph Road to one lane between the ramp to the inner loop of the Beltway and Pershing Avenue until the summer 2012. The connection from Pershing to northbound Telegraph Road will be closed, and cars will be detoured via Eisenhower Avenue and Holland Lane.

I-66 pavement: This spring, work will begin on fixing one of the worst stretches of highway pavement in the region, along I-66 from the Beltway to Route 50 in Fairfax County. All work will be done between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. to minimize impact on traffic. The project will continue through 2012.

New York Avenue: The rebuilding of the bridge over the railroad tracks north of Union Station was delayed during 2010, but it's getting underway now and will continue into 2013. In the first phase, through the winter and spring and into the summer, one of the six lanes along this half-mile stretch of New York Avenue will be taken away by construction. At rush hours, there will be three lanes in the peak direction and two in the other direction. Starting in the summer, two lanes will be taken away for about two years. This will leave two lanes open in each direction, and project managers think it will result in traffic delays of 15 to 30 minutes.

14th Street Bridge: The rehabilitation project that has required lane closings and lane shifts on the northbound span since it began in spring 2009 is scheduled to end this fall.

Fairfax Parkway interchange: This summer, a six-month detour for Fair Lakes Parkway traffic is scheduled to begin as part of the Fairfax County Parkway interchange project. In November, county parkway traffic will be shifted to new northbound and southbound ramps to allow for the reconstruction of the parkway over Fair Lakes Parkway and Monument Drive. The project is scheduled to be done by the end of 2013.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Virginia Proposes I-95 HOT lanes

The proposed a 29-mile project between Garrisonville Road in Stafford County and Edsall Road, just north of the Beltway. VDOT said construction could begin as early as spring and probably would take three years to complete.

The new environmental assessment covers a 46-mile route that also ends at Edsall Road but begins about a mile south of Route 17 (Mills Drive) in Spotsylvania County. That southern portion could be built later and is not a part of the current program.

The HOT lanes corridor is in the median of I-95 and consists of a two-lane reversible, limited-access express route from the southern end to just north of the Prince William Parkway interchange (Exit 158). There, it would expand to three lanes, ending at the Beltway, with a transition to the I-395 high-occupancy vehicle lanes and general-purpose lanes near the Edsall Road interchange.

The I-95 HOT lanes would connect with the 14 miles of HOT lanes under construction on the western side of the Beltway, which are scheduled for completion at the end of next year. The operations would be similar. Drivers who don’t meet the carpool requirements would be charged a variable toll, depending on the level of congestion. But the I-95 proposal has generated much more debate than the Beltway route. The Beltway program involves construction of four new lanes. The I-95 plan partially replaces the HOV lanes.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Travel-time signs coming to I-66

Starting next month, Northern Virginia drivers will see new electronic message signs displaying estimated travel times to certain destinations. These are similar to the travel time displays that drivers now see on Maryland highways, but the ones scheduled to begin operation Aug. 15 on Interstate 66 between Gainesville and the Capital Beltway will be the first from the Virginia Department of Transportation.

This will be a two-month pilot project. If VDOT rates the program a success — if the system provides good estimates and drivers find them helpful — it will be expanded to other Northern Virginia Interstates and eventually to highways throughout Virginia.

Here are the three initial locations for the travel-time signs:

— Eastbound I-66, just east of Route 28, displaying travel time to the Beltway.

— Westbound I-66, just west of Route 50, displaying travel time to Gainesville.

— Westbound I-66, just west of Route 7100, displaying travel time to Gainesville.

The travel times will be displayed weekdays from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. and weekends from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Guide to the Capital Beltway

The editors of the Leewood Times have created a guide that gives you everything you need to know about our fine Capital Beltway I495. There is extensive information on the history of the highway, and helpful links to LIVE traffic cameras, construction updates and the Dulles Metro Project. More >

_____________________________________________________________________________

A Call for Volunteers

The Board is looking for volunteers who can do research on various projects and prepare feasibility studies with recommendations on which the Board can make decisions. One project that comes immediately to mind is the feasibility of locking mailboxes. We would like to have the pros and cons of any individual project laid out with all of the costs surrounding the project. Anyone who is interested should contact either Rose Weber or Janet Rourke.

They can be reached at the email addresses in the Leewood Directory or at Secretary@leewood.us or President@leewood.us.

_____________________________________________________________________________

LHOA Board Meeting Minutes Online

In an effort to keep the membership informed, The LHOA Board has posted every meeting minutes online dating back to April 2000. In addition to the minutes, association members have access to the agenda and topics discussed each and every month. Once the previous minutes are voted on and approved for the record, you can find them by using the "Administration" Tab on the top left side of your screen and following the "minutes" link or by clicking here.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

American Disposal Services Offers New 64 Gallon Container

American Disposal Service is determined to increase the amount of refuse that is recycled. Through thier Single Stream Recycling program, it is easier than ever for each person to do their part for the environment by recycling. They now offer a larger 64-gallon recycling container to make it easier to for our residents to recycle. Not only can you recycle more but you can also recycle larger items like cardboard that won’t fit into smaller bins.

They offer a reduced price for Leewood residents. The cost for the 64 Gallon wheeled container is $75.00. To order your container, please call (703) 368-0500. A $5.00 processing fee is charged for any payment over the phone, and there is no charge for payments made by mail. They accept Visa & Mastercard as well as personal checks. For more information, visit www.americandisposal.com or Click Here for thier Newsletter on Single Stream Recycling.

Top of Page
_____________________________________________________________________________

Recycling & Cleaning up Broken Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Many people are unaware that a broken compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) can be hazardous. While CFLs are energy efficient and generally safe to use, be aware that, if broken, you must take special care in disposing of them. Mercury is a silvery liquid metal identified by the atomic symbol Hg. Mercury. CFL bulbs get their energy efficiency from the mercury they contain. However, you must take extreme care when cleaning up a broken bulb because mercury can be fatal if taken in large enough amounts. We have created a page with helpful information on recyling these bulbs and tips you can use in case you break one in your home. More >

Top of Page
_____________________________________________________________________________

What To Recycle and What to Throw Away

Top of Page
_____________________________________________________________________________

Appliance Removal Information

Special Scheduled pickup for appliances is every THURSDAY. Removal of ferrous metals/white goods such as stoves, washers, dryers, hot water tanks and other bulky metallic items need to be called in 24 hours in advance for scheduling.

There is a charge for removal of appliances. Click here for the FAQ about trash.

Refrigerators, freezers and air conditioners must have refrigerants removed and tagged by a certified technician before they are collected. There is an additional charge for removal of these items.

Special pickups such as furniture, mattresses and other non-metallic household items will still be collected on Fridays. White goods are taken to a separate disposal site where they are recycled. Keep in mind recycling white goods is environmentally friendly. Recycling these items conserves energy, natural resources and reduces air and water pollution.

If you would like to schedule a white goods/appliance pickup, please contact American Disposal Services’ Customer Service Department at 703-368-0500 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

_____________________________________________________________________________

How to Navigate the Website

As you can see we have general categories on the top left hand side buttons. If you float your mouse over them you will see what sub-categories are in each of the groupings. This is by far the fastest way to explore the site.

How are things organized?

In the Administration category we have the minutes, agenda, financials, etc. Governing Docs contains all the manuals and papers distributed to you in case you have misplaced your manuals or simply want to search within the documents online. In the Architectural category you will learn about the ARC, find the forms you need and view the approved color chart for any exterior paint projects.

Articles on home improvement are linked from either the Home Repair category or under News, Recent Web Articles. Our newsletter the "Leewood Times" is indexed by both date of issue and past subject matter. Not all past newsletter articles are in the subject matter index, only those deemed to be of enduring interest. Our Leewood Links are subdivided into categories to make them easier to access.

We Have Our Own Search Engine (below)

On the bottom of this page you will see a search box. You can use this to search for articles particular to our site. If you are trying to find an article on parking, for example, enter parking into the search box and go. You can further refine your search by typing board minutes parking if you just wish to find the minutes that refer to parking. You will get less hits, but it refines the search considerably. A list of pages that contain the search terms you entered will be displayed. Just click on what interests you and off you go!

SEARCH OUR SITE

Leewood.us – The Official Website of your LHOA

The website you are viewing is the official website of the Leewood Homeowners Association. It is important to understand that all information on this website, minus the message board, can be trusted as fact and not the opinion of the writer. Our goal is to provide our members with information about Leewood and the community, not to express views.

While we value the interest in our community and our association, we in no way endorse any other website that uses our name and the opinions of their authors. Be cautious of the validity of the content that is provided elsewhere and accept no imitations.

Click for printer friendly page