February 2015 Newsletter

February 2015 Vol. 37, No. 2
Annual Meeting March 25
The Annual Meeting of Fairlington
Villages is scheduled for
Wednesday, March
25 at 7:30 p.m. at
Abingdon Elementary
School. All unit owners
are encouraged to
attend.
This is our yearly
“State of the Association”
meeting. The Association’s
auditor will
report on the condo’s
finances in fiscal year
2014, and we will address major
North Fairlington News
February 2015
North Fairlington
March
25
Condo Standards and Variances
– What You Need to Know
This is the first in a series about obtaining variances from
condo standards. Future articles will discuss the variance
process and roles of the Variance Committee and the Board
of Directors, and standard and other variances.
Thinking about remodeling? Is it time to replace
your HVAC? These are two of the most common
reasons that Fairlingtonians need variances. If you
are a first-time condo owner, or have not had this
kind of work done before, you may not be aware that
advance approval from the Association’s Board of
Directors may be needed.
Many owners plan remodeling projects like the
removal or relocation of a wall. It’s great when owners
invest in their homes, renovate, and upgrade.
However, the Association has an obligation to assure
that structural changes don’t cause damage to any
owner’s property, including yours, or to common
property. The variance process is the vehicle for that
assurance.
Whether you are using a contractor or are thinking
continued on page 4
programs, accomplishments, plans,
and issues.
Homeowners will
have an opportunity
to ask questions of the
Board of Directors and
Management.
Directors representing
Wards 2, 4, and
one At-Large Director
will be elected. Candidates
were required
to submit petitions to
the office no later than
Jan. 30. The Board will certify the
News
Historic Fairlington Villages
1
www.FairlingtonVillages.com
candidates at the Feb. 5 meeting.
Later this month, owners will receive
a mailing about the meeting,
detailing procedures for voting in
person, by proxy, or online. Even
if you can’t come to the meeting,
please make sure you vote your
proxy.
A reception at the community
center will follow the Annual
Meeting, giving residents a chance
for informal discussion of neighborhood
issues with your neighbors
and Board members.
Resolve to Go Green in 2015
Ph o t o b y Ca r o l Be l l
All these paper items are recyclable.
It’s not too late for resolutions. If you have resolved
to be more green in 2015, two key ideas are to reduce
water use and recycle more. See the article about
water conservation
starting on
page 3, and read
on here for tips
about recycling.
Fairlington
Villages
residents have
the benefit of
weekly curbside
recycling pickup.
In the past
few years, plastic,
glass, metal,
tin, aluminum,
paper, and cardboard
placed out for recycling have composed more
than a third of our overall waste.
We could still recycle more, however. For example,
continued on page 3

2
North Fairlington News
February 2015
NFN Responds… on Trash Violations
An occasional feature in response to resident questions. You can send
your questions to the editor at comm@fairlingtonvillages.com
Despite the fact that curbside office issues some 8–10 violation
trash pickup is provided six letters each month. Owners receiving
the violation letter have the
mornings per week (6–9 a.m.),
some residents persist in putting opportunity to present their case
their trash out after pickup, in the to the Board of Directors, which
evenings, or on Sundays. It should makes the decision to impose a $50
go without saying, but we’ll do it assessment or not.
anyway: Trash put out after pickup Why does the Board vote to
hours, at night, or on Sundays is impose some trash violation
often spread around by squirrels assessments but not all? Each
and birds and it attracts rats. It case is unique. Most people pay
is irresponsible and an unsightly the fine and do not violate trash
degradation of the curb appeal rules again. On occasion, though,
and value of our homes and community.
mitigating circumstances, in light
an owner presents special and
We take trash violations very of which the Board decides not to
seriously, and the management impose the assessment.
Save Water, Save Budget: Water
Conservation Tips
The yearly Association budget
highlights for many residents
the single largest expense facing
Fairlington Villages: water. For the
average Fairlington
unit, $525 of the
yearly Association
fee was directly attributable
to water
and sewer costs
in fiscal year (FY)
2013. At county
rates of $4.10/1000
gallons (water)
and $8.94/1000 gal
(sewer), this means
that the average unit
consumes around
110 gallons of water
every day. While this figure includes
water used for landscaping,
there is still much residents can do
to conserve. This article examines
ways to conserve water that not
only can save the Association
money, but will also directly save
you money in unexpected ways, all
while helping reduce our impact
on the environment.
The first place to start is the
bathroom, where most household
water is consumed:
• Replace shower heads with a
low-flow model. The newest
ones use 1.5 gallons/
minute or less, all
while delivering the
luxurious pressures
we demand.
• Check your toilet
for leaks. Simply
place a dye tablet or
a few drops of food
coloring in the tank.
If color ends up in
the bowl without
flushing, repair is
needed.
• Check for leaks in
the sink and shower. One
drip every second means
five gallons per day!
• Plug your sink drain to rinse
razors instead of running the
water with each stroke.
• Consider upgrading your
toilet. The newest models
are more powerful than their
water-wasting predecessors,
saving water while avoiding
Watch for
Community Survey
About every two years, The
Fairlington Villages Board of
Directors periodically surveys all
owners and residents to gauge
satisfaction with condo amenities,
services, operations, and activities
and to give everyone the chance to
highlight priorities and offer new
ideas.
The series of community surveys
administered over nearly
three decades also provides a very
useful picture of Fairlington’s
changing demographics and
needs. The Board uses the insights
gleaned from survey results to
inform a range of planning and
budget decisions, so please take a
few minutes to offer your input.
You’ll find the survey in your
annual meeting materials, along
with instructions for completing it
online. The deadline for submission
is March 25.
clogs. Dual-flush models can
save even more.
• Take showers instead of
baths. Filling the bathtub
requires up to 70 gallons of
water.
• Consider upgrading older
faucets to newer models
with aerators.
• When washing your hands,
turn off the water while lathering
with soap.
After the bathroom, the kitchen
is another place with conservation
opportunities:
• Avoid washing dishes by
hand. Modern dishwashers
not only save time and effort,
but use less water than
washing by hand.
• When washing dishes by
hand, use basins instead of
letting the water run. Fill one
basin with wash water, and
another with rinse water.
continued on page 3

Recycling
continued from page 1
cardboard boxes are visible every
day in regular household trash.
With the increase in online shopping,
the cardboard box industry
is booming. To save a few trees,
flatten your
boxes and hang
on to them until
recycling day.
Nearly all
plastics can now
be recycled. Our
trash contractor
advises residents
to think
beyond the obvious
food-related
items, such as water bottles and
margarine tubs. Old plastic toys
are commonly seen in regular
trash, but they can be recycled.
In the paper and cardboard category,
remember to recycle tissue
boxes, paper towel and toilet tissue
cores, cereal and cracker boxes,
junk mail, and catalogs.
Even bikes and wagons can be
recycled. If you are not certain
about an item,
go ahead and
place it out for
recycling (except
items noted
in the next
section as never
OK) – unacceptable
items will
be sorted out
eventually.
Recycle:
• Only when you see the bins
out (Tuesday afternoon –
Wednesday morning)
• In the bins: ONLY commingled
glass, plastic, and
metal/tin/aluminum
North Fairlington News
February 2015
3
• Next to the bins: Paper tied
with twine or in paper bags
and flattened cardboard
boxes
NEVER OK: Fluorescent light
bulbs, paint, batteries, and hazardous
materials
What if you are ready for recycling
before Tuesday afternoon or
did some serious online shopping?
If you can’t wait, you can drop off
recycling at Arlington County’s
24/7 facility, less than two miles
away from Fairlington Villages at
South Four Mile Run and Columbia
Pike.
Both Arlington County and the
City of Alexandria also offer recycling
for electronics and hazmat
(paint, pesticides, etc.). Find details
at http://recycling.arlingtonva.
us/ and http://alexandriava.gov/
Recycling.
Water Conservation
continued from page 2
• Soak your pots and pans. No
need to scrub and rinse over
and over – let the detergent
save effort and water!
• Wash fruits and vegetables
in a pan instead of running
water over them.
• Use your refrigerator to
thaw frozen food. It is safer
and uses less water than running
the tap.
• If possible, toss food scraps
in the trash or compost
them, rather than using
water to run the garbage disposal.
When you do use the
disposal, run enough cold
water to clear the drain.
Outside:
• Use a nozzle on the hose to
wash your car instead of allowing
the hose to run.
• In gardens, select drought
resistant plants.
• Water plants during cooler
times of the day to limit
evaporation.
• Use drip irrigation, such as
soaker hoses.
• Water deeply and infrequently;
this encourages
deeper root growth and
hardier plants.
• Water only the plants in your
homes and gardens that
need it, not the grass. During
dry periods, our turf goes
dormant. While it may look
dead and brown, the grass is
still alive, patiently waiting
for the next rainstorm.
As a final bonus, every gallon
saved not only reduces the financial
burden on the Association, but
it may also directly benefit you.
Because our units are fully electric,
water heating can get expensive,
and every gallon saved has a
significant impact. What kind of
impact? At Dominion’s highest
summer residential rate of $0.085/
kWh, each gallon of water heated
costs approximately $0.0108. The
winter rate of $0.075/kWh is just a
little lower.
One cent per gallon may not
sound like much, but the savings
add up. For a family of four, taking
daily showers 5 minutes long,
moving from an older 2.5 gal/
min showerhead to a 1.5 gal/min
showerhead saves $73.20 every
year (half year at summer rate,
half at winter). Not bad for a $15
shower head! Similar savings can
apply to dishwashers and laundry
machines, which may help offset
the expense of upgrading to newer
models.
While we ask residents to do
their part saving water, the Association
is also hard at work
identifying ways to save. Using 96
separate meters, the Association
monitors for unusual water usage
patterns that can indicate a leak.
Many leaks are located 6–8 feet
continued on page 7

4
North Fairlington News
February 2015
Activities Around the Village
Game Day Party Feb. 1
North Fairlington will sponsor a
Game Day Party in the community
center on Sunday, Feb. 1, with
doors opening at 6 p.m. The game
will be shown on a huge screen
with our LCD projector. We’ll provide
the beer and snacks. Whether
you’re interested in the football
game or just the commercials, we
hope to see you there!
Abingdon School Expansion
Listening Session Feb. 10
On January 13, the Fairlington
Citizens Association (FCA) hosted
a listening session on the proposed
expansion and renovation of
Abingdon Elementary School. Arlington
Public Schools (APS) staff,
Aji Robinson, presented the four
design concepts currently under
consideration and FCA’s representatives
on the county’s building
and facility planning groups heard
the reactions, ideas, and concerns
of Fairlington and Courtbridge
residents who live closest to the
school.
FCA will host another listening
session at the community center on
Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. For more
information, see the FCA website
http://www.fca-fairlington.org/
and the Arlington Public Schools
website http://www.apsva.us/
moreseats/abingdon.
It’s a date!
In case you missed it
– see the January 2015
newsletter (available
on our website) for an
insert with a full calendar
of 2015 activities
Variances
continued from page 1
about doing the work yourself, your first stop should
be the management office. Our staff knows a great
deal both about the structure of Fairlington’s buildings
and about the various kinds of renovations that
owners have successfully made. They can help you
avoid common problems and expense and navigate
the process. When you discuss work with contractors,
be sure to let them know that your home is a condominium
and any changes are subject to condo rules
and may require a variance.
In HVAC replacement projects, variances may be
needed for several reasons. Newer and more efficient
heat pumps and compressors are larger than those
originally installed in the 1970s. They take in more air
and cycle on less frequently, thus saving energy. But,
they take up more space and sometimes have to be
placed differently in the common space outside multiunit
buildings. Sometimes new condensate lines and
other connections need to be made from the outside
of the building. These require a variance because you
don’t own the exterior – that is common property –
and the Association has an interest in making sure
that anything that changes the exterior look and feel
of the community or necessarily damages the brick
and mortar is reviewed for acceptability.
So, go ahead and plan! But be sure to leave at least
30 days in your project schedule for processing any
needed variance, and stop at the office for guidance
and the variance format.
When you’re ready to start the process or to preview
the requirements, you can find the Variance
Request Form as a fillable PDF on our website under
Forms.
Game Day
Party
Sunday, Feb 1
Doors open at 6pm
Watch the game
with fellow
Fairlingtonian
football
fans!
Like us on Facebook to see
information and photos of
Fairlington events
Follow us on Twitter
@NFairlington
for reminders and updates

Manager’s Corner
Holiday Decorations
January 15 has now come and
gone, so holiday decorations
displayed in accordance with the
seasonal exception for a variance
are no longer permitted. Decoration
of the common areas of multiunit
buildings or shared porches
beyond the holiday season is only permitted based
upon an approved “Request for Decorating Common
Areas Approval Form”. There are exceptions for doormats
outside of your unit door and for decoration of
your unit door, provided there are no alterations or
penetrations to the door, jamb, or other parts of the
building. If you have questions, please refer to the
Standard Policy for Decorating Limited Common
Areas and Shared Common Areas.
Maintenance Tip
Back-to-Back Kitchen Drains – Sewer backups and
drain stoppages are among the most difficult maintenance
problems we have in Fairlington. Most unit
owners have come to understand the importance of
reporting a sewer backup to Management promptly
to help mitigate the damage they can cause. Did you
know that many of the drain stoppages, particularly
in kitchens, may be common area problems, and
therefore need to be reported to Management? If your
kitchen is “back-to-back” with the kitchen in the unit
next to you, it is likely that the drain lines from both
kitchens connect into a common line on their way to
the main sewer lines. Why is this important? Because
snaking a line like this from one unit, without access
to the next-door unit, may result not in a cleared
drain, but simply in draining your stoppage into the
next-door unit. When your kitchen drain is clogged,
check with your neighbor first, to see if they share the
problem, before simply contacting a plumber to snake
the drain, and above all, call the office.
Insurance – Following are a few reminders about
the Association insurance policies.
The Property Coverage includes the unit interior
walls; the original floors; original fixtures; and original
permanently installed items in the kitchen and
bath such as cabinets and countertops, sinks, commodes,
bathtubs, and showers on a replacement cost
basis. It does not cover any building upgrades such
as wallpaper, carpeting, upgraded flooring, cabinets,
countertops, or built-ins that have been added or
upgraded by unit owners over the years. It also does
not cover any of the unit owners’ or renters’ personal
property. The policy is subject to a $10,000 deductible,
Management Office
Location
Fairlington Villages
A Condominium Association
3001 South Abingdon Street
Arlington, Virginia 22206
North Fairlington News
February 2015
Hours
8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday
Closed Sundays and federal holidays
5
Communications
Telephone: 703-379-1440
Fax: 703-379-1451
General Info Email: office@fairlingtonvillages.com
Service Request Email: service@fairlingtonvillages.com
Website: www.fairlingtonvillages.com
Staff
Colin A. Horner
John Williams
Miguel Galvez
Mark Johnson
Erin Moran
Suzanne Delaney
Mary Lou Abreu
General Manager
Assistant General Manager
Facilities Manager
Operations Manager
Administrative Assistant
Receptionist
Receptionist
Emergency
After Hours Emergency: 703-600-6000
Patrol Service
To contact security duty officer, call 703-930-7282.
If the officer does not answer, the phone will page him/
her. If the officer does not call back within 10 minutes,
call again. Security hours: 8 p.m.-4 a.m. nightly.
and the unit owner may be responsible for that deductible
under certain provisions of the resolution on
Insurance Claims – Deductible Responsibility.
As a unit owner or renter, you should have your
own personal insurance policy to cover the following
items that are not covered by the Association:
• Your personal belongings – furniture, clothing,
computers, jewelry, etc.
• Building additions or alterations – Have you
added new carpet or a new kitchen? Any
upgrade from the original construction is your
responsibility.
• Loss Assessment Coverage – to protect your
responsibility to the condominium in the event
of an assessment, including an assessment for
the deductible portion of a claim.
• Personal Liability Coverage – to protect you if a
person is injured on your property.
• Loss of Use Coverage – provides coverage for
expenses to relocate to a hotel during the period
when your unit repairs, resulting from an insur-
Colin A. Horner, General Manager, CMCA ® , PCAM ® continued on page 6

6
North Fairlington News
February 2015
The News is published by
Fairlington Villages,
A Condominium Association
Board of Directors
President, At Large Director
Terry Placek 703-671-7550
placekterry11@gmail.com
Vice President, Ward 1 Director
Cindy Kunz 703-578-4895
cynthia.kunz@kunzandcompany.com
Secretary, At Large Director
Andi Dies 703-836-3323
Treasurer, Ward 3 Director
Harold Reem 703-845-8659
hnreem@comcast.net
Ward 2 Director
Todd Delp
tsdelp@gmail.com
Ward 4 Director
Tom Dillon
thomasmdillon@gmail.com
Ward 5 Director
Philip J. Brown 703-637-9152
PBrownBoard@pjb3.com
Ward 6 Director
Bob Tetro
tetrobob@gmail.com
At Large Director
Anne Wasowski
aw4fair@gmail.com
Committee Chairs
Activities: Vacant
activities@fairlingtonvillages.com
Communications/Technology:
Carol Bell
comm@fairlingtonvillages.com
Grounds: David Rose
grounds@fairlingtonvillages.com
Parking, Security, & Traffic:
Kim Malinowski
parksec@fairlingtonvillages.com
Pools: Ellen Varley and Paul Emig
pools@fairlingtonvillages.com
Tennis: Peggy Bultman
tennis@fairlingtonvillages.com
Variance: Wayne Keyser
variance@fairlingtonvillages.com
follow us
Like us on
Facebook
@NFairlington
Comments, articles, and letters
are welcome. The deadline for
submissions is the 10th of each
month. Please deliver or email
materials to the management office.
The editor reserves the right
to edit submissions.
Board Meeting Agenda
Thursday, February 5, 2015
The following is the preliminary agenda of the Feb. 5, 2015 Board of
Directors meeting. The Board invites residents to review the agenda,
contact a Board member with concerns or suggestions, and attend. The
meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at the community center.
I. Homeowner Forum
II. Presentation: Arlington Public Schools representative will discuss
the Abingdon School expansion
III. Call to Order
IV. Establishment of Quorum
V. Approval of Minutes – Jan. 7, 2015
VI. Old Business
VII. New Business
A. Trash Violation – 4703 S. 29th St.
B. Certification of Candidates
C. 2015 Election Panel Director Members
D. 2015 Election Panel Non-Director Members
E. Masonry Repair Contract
F. Auditor Engagement for FY2015 and FY2016
VIII. Management Action Items
IX. Reports
1. Officers’ Reports (President, Vice President, Secretary, and
Treasurer)
2. Committee Reports
3. Management’s Financial Report
4. Management’s Administrative Report
5. Maintenance Reports
6. Operations Report
7. Work Order Response Log & Violation Log
X. Establishment of Next Board Meeting – March 4, 2015
XI. Adjournment of Meeting
The agenda and the management report are available for review in the
management office. The Board packet is available for review beginning
on the Thursday before the meeting.
Manager’s Corner
continued from page 5
ance claim, are performed.
The Association Policy does
not provide that coverage.
• Please consult your own
insurance professional for
advice as to the limits and
additional coverage that are
best for you.
New Security
Patrol Hours
Effective Feb. 1, 2015
8 p.m. to 4 a.m.
(previously 5 a.m.)
Owners:
Watch your mail
in late February
for the
Annual Meeting
materials,
and attend
on March 25
or submit
your proxy.

Board Notes
The Board held its regular meeting on January 7, 2015. The following are highlights.
A. Trash Violation - 4813 S. 28th
St: Mr. Brown moved to impose an
assessment of $50 for a trash violation.
Passed 7–0.
B. Variance Request – 2820 S.
Abingdon St., C-1 – Store Bicycle
in Common Area in the Rear of
the Building: Ms. Dies moved the
Board approve a variance request
to store a bicycle in the common
area in the rear of the building, in
accordance with the specifications
outlined in the attached variance
request. Passed 7–0.
C. FY2013 Audit Acceptance:
Mr. Reem moved the Board accept
the attached draft audit for the
fiscal year ending September 30,
2014. Passed 7–0.
D. Patrol Service Contract: Mr.
Brown moved the Board authorize
Management to renew the
North Fairlington News
February 2015
7
Contract with Securitas USA. Inc.,
for patrol services as specified in
the attached offer dated December
10, 2014. January 1, 2015 – December
31, 2015; Hourly rate of $21.58;
Projected annual cost – $63,359.
Also, effective Feb. 1, 2015, the patrol
service hours will be 8 p.m. to
4 a.m. (previously 5 a.m.). Passed
7–0.
Maintenance Notes
Rain Gardens Completed – One
new rain garden was completed
in early December (behind Pool 4,
4858 S. 28th St.) and a second garden
(behind 3069 S. Buchanan St.)
was doubled in size.
Special thanks go to the
Grounds Committee volunteers
who assisted the staff in planting
the native plants in both locations.
Our rain gardens are part of
Arlington County’s Stormwaterwise
Management Plan designed
to protect the Chesapeake Bay. The
county contributed 50 percent of
the total project cost.
Trees Planted – Fifteen new
trees, awarded to Fairlington by
Arlington County’s Tree Canopy
Fund, were planted in December.
Two additional trees will be
planted in the spring.
Exterior Railings – Installation
of hand railings on all building
porches was approved by the
board in December and work began
in January.
Sewer Line Back Ups – Two
sewer backups occurred in December,
one caused by flushing
disposable wipes and the other by
drywall mud.
February
Board of Directors
Meeting Date Change
to Thursday, Feb. 5
Water Conservation
continued from page 3
underground and cannot be
detected on the surface by visual
inspection because they are small
“pinhole” size openings in the
water pipes. These small leaks
typically occur where the main
water pipe enters a building as
it goes from building to building
underground. For example, in the
past year, Management discovered
two leaks at 2815-2829 S. Abingdon
Street and 4811-4819 31st St. S.,
each capable of losing up to 4,000
gallons, or $52, per day. Repairs
of each leak therefore saved about
$19,000 per year.
These efforts by residents and
Management have led to significant
The Buchanan Street rain garden.
reductions in water usage and
expenses. Despite a 3.5 percent rate
increase by Arlington County on
May 1, 2014, and a 2.3 percent increase
by the City of Alexandria on
October 1, 2013, we have reduced
our actual water usage by 6 percent
in the past year, which means
a lower overall bill of approximately
$500 per unit each year
for water and sewer. Bear in mind
that the Association also budgets
conservatively, and collects slightly
more than the actual amount billed
for water and sewer.
— Nick Kokkinos, Communications/
Technology Committee Member
Ph o t o b y Gu y La n d

8 North North Fairlington News
February Fairlington 2015
News
Fairlington Villages, A Condominium Association
3001 South Abingdon Street
Arlington, VA 22206
Presorted Standard
U.S. Postage PAID
Arlington, Virginia
Permit No. 559
8
North Fairlington News
February 2015
Sunday
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Meetings held at the community center unless otherwise noted. Please call the office to confirm.
Friday
1 February
Game Day Party
2
Play Group
3 4 5
NEW DATE:
6 7
6 pm
10 am – noon
Board Meeting
7 pm
8 9 Play Group 10 Abingdon 11 12 13 14
10 am – noon School Expansion
Grounds Committee
7 pm
7
Listening Session
pm
15 16 Presidents’ Day 17 18 19 20 21
Variance
Committee 7 pm
OFFICE CLOSED
Trash WILL BE
Picked Up
Parking, Security,
and Traffic
Committee 7 pm
22 23 Play Group 24 25 26 27 28
10 am – noon
Communications/
Technology Committee
7 pm
1 March
2 3 4 5 6 7
Play Group
10 am – noon
Board Meeting
7 pm
8 9 Playgroup
10 am – noon
10 11 12 13 14
Grounds Committee
7 pm
Saturday