Minutes from CWCA Fall Meeting 2024

October 1st, 2024

Welcome, Call to Order – 7:00 (Lizzy Conroy)

Introduction of Acting VP – Richard Elliott, and Expanded Board Support

• · Vote on appointment to fill the vacant position of Vice President.
  • Richard introduced himself. He and his wife, Gail Clements, have lived at 1441 Laburnum St since 1990. Richard retired two months ago and is looking forward to working more in the community.
  • Lizzy stated that Richard will be doing a deep dive into the by-laws – reviewing and proposing updates
  • Susan stated that those who have paid their dues are eligible to vote. Susan confirmed post meeting that all members who attended are current on their dues.
  • VOTE – to elect Richard as Acting VP – First, second, and all in favor of motion, none opposed.
• Lizzy introduced Afshan as assistant to the secretary. Coordinating with block captains, Afshan will work on the directory in the near term and cover other duties over time.

Treasurer’s Report – 7:05 (Susan Garrahan)

• Budget Report
  • $5700 collected in dues
  • Small snow expense in winter of ‘23/24 – $6500
  • Oktoberfest – $400
  • Insurance – $1500
  • Meeting and other expenses – $300
  • Total – $8700 appx.
  • Cash on hand – $29,000 appx.
• Quick Vote on Dues
  • Discussion of dues amount to propose included:
  • Snow removal est for 2025 – $9000
  • Oktoberfest – the Board agreed to a higher budget for the party this year, in part because we have underspent on a more scaled down party the past two years. (See further details about party plans, below.)
  • Print Directories – CWCA will now have to pay to print directories: $3.50/directory to avoid a new approach from the sponsor: email advertising of their choice sent periodically to all our members (as a means to cover printing cost)
  • Member asked how the snow contract is structured. What is the unit of measurement? We did not have a snow co-chair at the meeting to confirm the method, but time and materials are components.
  • Susan moved that we charge $20 for upcoming fiscal year dues (October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2025) to account for the additional directory and insurance expenses. John David Second. The majority voted “yes”.
    • Richard Elliot (VP) mentioned that people can pay more if they would like.
• Balance Management Proposal
  • Susan previously proposed an approach to ensure our reserve funds do not increase needlessly. She suggested a ceiling of $30K
  • Our balance is slightly under that level, so we deferred the discussion to a future meeting IF the reserve exceeds $30K
• Update on Enhanced Financial Oversight
  • Susan proposed selected oversight measures to ensure good financial stewardship: 2 people regularly reviewing books and 2 people approving large checks. She will work with the VP to review bank statements, invoices, budget to actual performance, etc.
  • A Member asked about interest-earning options for the reserve. Susan noted CWCA is currently an unincorporated civic organization with minimal income and minimal state and federal filing requirements. The Board will investigate the pros and cons of incorporation and generating interest income – including state and federal filing requirements – then recommend whether to incorporate or not.

Lizzy provided updates given by Bierman’s Supervisors Office on:

• Downtown McLean Revitalization (Not discussed, but including notes from Supervisor’s office)
  • On September 26, the Board appropriated $500,000 from the County’s Economic Opportunity Reserve (EOR) fund to be used by the McLean Project for Arts towards construction of their Arts and Education Center in the retail space in the Signet condominium building, located on Elm Street and Beverly Road. The MPA retail spaces includes 5,000 SQFT of interior space, plus 1,700 SQFT outdoor patio. The Center will include exhibition galleries, teaching space, ceramics studio, and a café with events space. The Board established the EOR in 2015 fund for strategic investment opportunities that could foster economic growth in the county.
  • McLean Central Park- Completion of the renovation is expected in October. The project scope includes replacement of the park’s playgrounds with new, accessible equipment partially funded by community donations, a new pavilion, and improvements to or replacements of walkways. The pavilion will be open to the public and available for private rentals and will serve as a performance venue for the McLean Community Center.
• Tysons Casino – Dave Fitzgerald will share update in Board announcements [later in meeting]
• Connect McLean Sidewalk
  • Two remaining walkway projects in the CWCA area: Kirby Road Walkway (Mori to Chesterbrook) and Chesterbrook Road Walkway Southside (Maddux Lane to 41st). Connect McLean meets with County staff quarterly to receive updates and the next meeting is scheduled for October 9. Connect McLean members are Betty Ende, Nancy Trainer, Dan Nichols and Betty Yu.
  • Betty Ende asked Shannon Zazulia (who has impacted property on Chesterbrook) to talk about status of property acquisitions. Shannon shared that they are still negotiating with the county on the scope of the easement purchase for their property on Chesterbrook Road.
  • Betty said the county has access to some property to put in sidewalk, but it varies by property (see notes below on land acquisition progress). She also noted that the county will be concurrently replacing the stormwater pipe at N. Albemarle to alleviate issues with flooding and that work has to be done before the sidewalk can be completed. There will be disruption on Chesterbrook Road for a while.
  • 
    Here are the updates from the October 9th Connect McLean meeting which were not available at the time of the CWCA fall meeting:

1. 1. 1. The Kirby sidewalk from Chesterbrook to Mori is 60% complete and is scheduled to be finished by the end of November 2024.
      2. FCDOT has combined the three remaining sidewalk segments on Chesterbrook (TPP 107, 239 and 240) into one project which will result in 3,200 linear feet of sidewalk on the south side of Chesterbrook starting at Maddux Lane and ending at 41st street. In September 2024, VDOT approved the final plan.
      3. As Shannon discussed, FCDOT is working on right of way acquisition estimated to be finished by winter 2024. They have acquired property rights from 22 of the 26 affected properties.
      4. Utility relocation will take place from winter 2024 to winter 2025. FCDOT will coordinate these relocations with the Little Pimmit Stormwater Project. It is hard to pin down the utilities on their relocation plans but Connect McLean will do its best to try to keep the Chesterbrook Woods community apprised regarding planned lane closures.
      5. The Construction Contract Bid Award is planned for winter 2025 with construction completion in the fall of 2026.

• Stream Restoration
  • The Little Pimmit Run Tributary at Woodland Terrace Stormwater Project is located between Forest Lane and North Albemarle Street with drainage improvements at the intersection of Chesterbrook Road and North Albemarle Street. Staff are currently working with utility providers on utility relocation which will begin Spring 2025.
• Airplane Noise
  • Supervisor Bierman is meeting with area residents that have expressed interest in joining the Noise Working Group and expects to appoint a representative soon.
  • Aaron Game on Dahlia Court delivered report:
    • Point 1: There were several changes made to the way planes navigate our area, including a change to use consolidated GPS routes made this summer. A key point is these GPS and route changes were to the incoming flight paths. 
    • There are 3 or 4 departing flights that fly over our houses in the 5-6 am window. This could get worse with new slot expansion at DCA.
    • It doesn’t have to be us vs. Palisades. We can work with them on fixing departures and they have expressed public interest in also working on departures and arrivals. They have a website w/ good information on some of these issues. (https://www.planesoverthepalisades.com/)
    • Plan course of action; Try to understand what changes are impacting departures and causing more air traffic over our areas.

• • • We did get the short end of the stick on the incoming flight path changes that now uses GPS, but that’s not the bulk of the noise we are hearing. The noise is departures.
    • There is also a North/South flow imbalance for departures [70% of flights going north out of DCA] are over us.
  • Point 2: Informal meeting of residents: Meeting [7:30 pm Oct 17^th] 1532 Forest Ln @ Kathleen Delaski’s house.
  • Point 3: Airnoise.io We need people to start filing complaints. It’s 60 dollars per year to file unlimited complaints at the push of a button that takes almost no effort. It’s free if you’re willing to file fewer than 30 complaints per month and willing do it by clicking a button on a website as the planes fly over instead of pressing a button. These complaints are reported to the DCA Community Working Group (see point 4) and monitored by the FAA. Without these complaints, we will be ignored.
  • Point 4: DCA Reagan National – Community Working Group: There is an open seat for our area. This group has real power to affect change, and we need to fill this slot quickly. In addition to point 3, this group is how the Palisades representatives were able to make changes. This group meets quarterly. (note: Kathleen DeLaski has been appointed to serve as a representative on the DCA Community Working Group.)
  • Neil Ende shared the history of the flight noise battle – positioning and number of flights in and out of DCA. Appeal to Congressman Don Beyer and both US Senators from VA

• County Leaf and Trash collection
  • Vacuum leaf collection will begin the first week in November. A schedule will be posted to the vacuum leaf website by October 14. For county updates, subscribe here: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks/recycling-trash/leaf-subscribe
  • Susan noted that while the recent County Trash collection survey is future forward and long-term policy oriented, there could be some changes in the next couple of years that impact CWCA, such as the County exiting both the trash pick-up and leaf vacuuming business.

Pimmit Run Protectors Update – 7:45

• Will Shiffman, Laurel Catlett-King – Parcel A, end of Grady Randall Court – beautiful trail access point to Pimmit Run. [Lawsuit filed by landowner/developer against local homeowners to try to remove restrictive covenants that prevent development of this property]. Attorneys are now moving forward. Things are moving along. Plaintiffs hired new counsel. County intervened to say no to development, but they may change their mind. Hearing in November. Trial – June 2025. Discovery ongoing. Soliciting donations for legal defense fund. Non-profit.
• The parcel is ideal for hiking, enjoying nature, and providing a natural buffer between neighborhood and GW Parkway.
• PRP plan to host social events and hikes in the cul-de-sac
• Follow the Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565747103223

Committee Reports – 7:50

• Website – Beta for the new CWCA website (Shannon Z., Webmaster)
  • chesterbrookwoods.org
  • If you remember something on the old site that you don’t see on the new site, please let Shannon know. Working on integrating link to online directory. Will update dues info. Direct link to PayPal included. Will link to Light Up Chesterbrook or other neighborhood or group events.
  • Member asked about where to find a list of recommended local contractors/service providers. Susan suggested the HoodPlayDates Google Group.

• Social – Oktoberfest – The Halloween Party is Sunday Oct 27th, from 3-6pm on the Laburnum Street Cul De Sac
  1. We will have plenty of games, face painting, a moonbounce and live music
  2. Costumes are encouraged for kids, adults and dogs, and there will be a Kids Costume Parade at 4pm
  3. We will have BBQ catered by Mission BBQ, and thus request RSVPs via the survey that was sent in the invite so we can plan headcount
  4. If you’d like to bring something, please bring dessert, or a beverage.
  5. We are requesting volunteers to help with games, check in, and moonbounce, please reach out to cwcafallfun or mazzmc5
  6. The moonbounce is sponsored by Lizzy Conroy and the music is sponsored by Cabell Fooshe, if anyone else would like to sponsor a game or food or beverages, please reach out to the planning committee!
     
     
• Environmental Committee – 10 min (Betty and Neil Ende)
  • Tree Champions Program. This year CWCA Tree Champions will be planting 20 native shade trees at 16 households during the first week in November. The trees planted last year are doing well and we had four households order trees again this year! There is interest in ways to encourage even more households to plant new trees, with suggestions posed that the Committee will consider.
  • Neil – Please contact the committee cwcaenvironment as soon as possible if you know of infill development about to start, since that is the best time to try to preserve trees.

• Security Committee – 5 min (Cabell Fooshe) – Fairly quiet these days. Cabell called Officer Goldman at Dranesville office. Outside of our neighborhood: Falls Church – breaking into Honda’s stealing airbags, also Priuses. FFX County – putting ladders up to second floors, access via unlocked windows. Please slow down in the neighborhood. Joe Drodge asked about contractors blocking the roads periodically, and the twisting turn at Forest and Woodley/Crestwood.
• Pineapple Patrol – 5 min (Bonny Sadler)
  • Handed out 15 bags this year.
  • If you see a new neighbor, connect with Bonny to drop off a bag with a small plant or cookies to welcome neighbor
  • Bonny needs help putting Welcome bags together and delivering! Please contact her at bonnycsadler
• Snow Committee – 5 min (Board – Susan)
  • Susan reminded everyone that Co-chair Ed Grady previously resigned. She noted Co-Chair Steve Sunderhauf would also like to resign. We are grateful for their valuable service on neighborhood snow removal over many years!
  • Please consider volunteering for this important role – a service our residents highly value. If you can’t volunteer, talk to your neighbors to see if one of them may be able to volunteer. Interested parties should let the Board know by emailing chesterbrookwoods@gmail.com

Announcements – 8:25 (Board)

• Summary of where Tysons Casino proposal stands and Federation Update (Dave Fitzgerald)
  • o Sen Marsden – wants to bring bill back to next gen assembly session
  • o Comstock has donated millions to campaigns of senators who support casino
  • o No Casino Coalition – started in Reston and has grown
  • Sign electronic petition here https://nocasinocoalition.org/petition
  • Needs 10,000 signatures on petition
  • To Board of Supervisors – we do not want a casino in FFX County
  • 3 hard no’s on Board, including Bierman and need 3 more
  • Background on social, economic, and community downfalls of commercial gambling
  • There will be a community town hall meeting at 3pm on Oct. 27 at McLean HS, headlined by Sen. Boyston, but this is taking place during the Oktoberfest party.
  • Current site is not currently zoned for a casino. Gen. Assembly (Q1) would need to pass the bill, gov. sign, and then have a county referendum. If referendum passes, then we move to zoning

• Fairfax County Federation of Citizens Associations
  • Advocacy with county officials and in Richmond
  • Survey has gone out (open until Oct. 7) – which issues to take to Richmond, casino issues
  • Federation’s website to locate survey. www.fairfaxfederation.org
  • Reviewing the County Budget
  • Dave is a Federation Board member and chair of their environmental committee

The meeting concluded with a vote to approve the proposed budget: Motion to approve, seconded, passed.

Dec. 14 – Light Up Chesterbrook

Adjourned – 8:35