May 2015 Newsletter

2North Fairlington NewsMay 2015Condo Standards and Variances: Outside[This is the third in a series about obtaining variances from condostandards. Previous articles discussed variances for home interiormodifications, the variance request process, and roles of the VarianceCommittee and the Board.]Is spring inspiring you to thinkabout greenery and blooms? Isyour green thumb itching to plant?Looking for shade protection?Fairlington has many dedicatedgardeners and many commonspace areas that have been beautifiedby residents’ efforts.If you want to plant inside yourpatio fence, you probably don’tneed a variance as long as yourplantings grow no higher than thetop of the fence. But if you wantto volunteer to plant anywhereWhat You Need to Know About Fairlington PlumbingAs an owner or renter in Fairlington Villages, youmay have chosen to make your home here partlybecause you like the character of our 1940s buildings.Along with our vintage structures we have vintageplumbing. To avoid problems, here are a few things toknow about Fairlington plumbing, with informationprovided by Facilities Manager Miguel Galvez:• One feature of our structures is back-to-backkitchen drains in many buildings. A number oftownhouses and some apartments in multi-unitbuildings have two units sharing a kitchen sinkdrain. If the drain becomes clogged, special careis required to clear it without damaging thedrain or a neighbor’s home, since a plumbingsnake can go through to the next unit. If you areunsure whether you share a kitchen sink drain,call the office for details, and always call the officeif you have a clog in a shared kitchen drain.• A multi-year program of sewer relining hasadded years of usable life to our older sewerlines, but care is still required. Sewage backupsinto residents’ homes have occurred – anunpleasant experience. Please do not flushtampons, sanitary napkins, diapers, disinfectingor baby wipes, paper towels, rags, or fabricsoftener sheets. Also, never put down kitchenor bathroom drains: cat litter (it clumps in thedrain), grease, artichoke leaves, coffee grounds,corn husks, or large volumes of rice or otherfoods that cannot be ground by garbage disposalor will go through and then stick together.• Water heater locations are sometimes a sourceof uncertainty for residents of multi-unitoutside your fence, on commonproperty, you should ask the officefor advice on your plans.The Grounds Committee reviewsrequests for things like newor expanded planting beds adjacentto buildings or for planting aspecific tree or shrub, and in somecases the Variance Committee mayneed to rule on the plan as well.The variance process is designed toensure that any alteration of commonspace grounds is appropriateand consistent with our landscapestandards and aesthetics.Factors include placement andtypes of trees and shrubs, for example,to make sure that these arenot planted too close to buildingsand will thrive in our soil and climate.Other factors include designof any new beds for drainage awayfrom buildings so that new plantingand any necessary wateringdoes not result in intrusion damageto anyone’s home.Fairlington is your community,and you can expect constructiveand friendly help from the officestaff, and from the Grounds Committeeand the Variance Committee.buildings – the water heater can be inside theunit, in attic common space, or in a basementstorage area.• Each Fairlington home has an individual watershut-off valve, which is located next to the waterheater in townhomes and first level apartments,and may be in a basement common areaor storage space for B & C level apartments.Any questions about our plumbing can be directedto the management office.Annual MeetingPh o t o b y Gu y La n dBoard member Philip Brown talks with Abingdon PTACo-President Jen Davies about the plans for the AbingdonElementary project.