| Several residents have reported seeing mice or rats on
or near their property this year. This is, of course, very disturbing. An
inspector from the Fairfax County Health Department has visited the Farm
and is currently assessing the problem here and issuing citations to residents
who need to take steps to remedy situations that draw rodents.
Rats and mice are especially drawn to the following food sources:
• Trash and garbage in plastic bags
• Spilled or discarded food
• Kitchen scraps
• Pet food
• Pet feces
• Flower bulbs and seeds
• Bird seed spilled on the ground
• Food from low-hanging feeders
According to information distributed by the Health Department, to control
rodents, you MUST remove their food, shelter, and entry points to your home
or other buildings.
Clean Up — Eliminate Food Sources
Remove all rodent food. Trash and garbage should be stored in a rodent-proof
container, such as a trash can with a tight-locking lid.
Trash cans and dumpsters should be cleaned regularly and their doors and/or
lids should close tightly. Prevent bird seed from falling to the ground.
Piles of wood, furniture, and other yard debris should be removed. Grass
should be cut low to the ground. Plants, bushes, and branches should be
trimmed away from the home or building. Pet waste should always be picked
up and disposed properly.
Rodent Proof Your Home and Buildings
Holes larger than a dime and cracks larger than the diameter of a pencil
should be sealed to prevent mice and rats from entering your home or other
buildings. The gaps around pipe and wire chases should also be sealed. All
doors, including the garage door, should have weather stripping. Tight-fitting
crawl space doors and vent covers should be in good repair. Check periodically
around your home and other buildings to correct problem areas.
Neighborhood
Watch Helps Prevent Crime in our Community |
| Like so many suburban
areas, Fairfax County enjoys a low incidence of crime — one of the
primary reasons most families choose to live in the suburbs rather
than in urban areas, where crime rates are often markedly higher.
And we are fortunate that Franklin Farm and its surrounding area have
some of the lowest crime rates in Fairfax County. Of the crimes in
our district, significantly more are property crimes — larceny, theft,
and burglary — than personal, violent offenses, according to Fairfax
County Police Department. So, we take comfort in the fact that our
community is a secure, comfortable place in which to live and raise
our children.
We don’t want to become complacent about our safety, though. We need
to continue to remain vigilant about crimes that can, and do, threaten
our property and loved ones. Otherwise, we could allow a fertile environment
for crime to take root and grow.
This is the concept behind Neighborhood Watch programs, which are
referred to by the National Crime Prevention Council as “one of the
oldest and most effective crime prevention programs in the country,
bringing citizens together with law en-forcement to deter crime and
make communities safer.”
Joining the Watch – No Time Commitment Required
Unlike many Neighborhood Watch groups, the Franklin Farm Neighborhood
Watch does not physically patrol the community. It is, instead, made
up of residents who are trained to watch for, and report, unusual
or suspicious activity that could signal or lead to crimes — and they
do this during their normal daily routine.
We encourage as many residents as possible to become involved by taking
the short, one-and-a-half hour training session. No additional time
commitment is required, only a willingness to become more aware of
your surroundings and report suspicious events. By having more neighbors
involved, we increase the number of eyes and ears that are watching
for, and preventing, crimes in our neighborhood. If you or a household
member is interested in participating in the training, please contact
the Franklin Farm Neighborhood Watch at FF.NeighborhoodWatch@gmail.com.
Recent Crime Trends in Our Area
The following are some crime trends in our district that we should
all be watching for. If you have specific information about, or witness,
similar events, call the police non-emergency line at (703) 691-2131.
• A number of reports have been made of vehicle windows
being shot out, possibly by a BB gun. Vehicles were parked on several
streets within Franklin Farm, and incidents occurred mostly in the
late evening.
• There has been a rise in vehicle tampering and theft from vehicles
in the past few months. Incidents are occurring in early evening
and late night hours. Police have increased patrols but encourage
residents to “make their cars boring” by not leaving items of interest
visible and removing equipment like GPS systems. And, above all,
make sure doors are locked!
• Residents have witnessed individuals traveling door-to-door during
the daytime, turning doorknobs to check for open doors. Some of
these individuals were also leaving advertising flyers in the doors
as they went.
• As spring and summer approach, be increasingly aware of theft
from open garages. Thieves steal equipment and even the contents
of garage refrigerators. Be diligent about closing your garage when
you are not nearby to keep an eye on your property.
Please try to be extra alert in watching out, not only
for your own property, but for your neighbors’ as well. Look out your
windows more often. If you hear your dog barking, find out why. If
you see a vehicle that doesn’t belong, let the police investigate.
Help us all prevent crime and keep our community safe.
— The Neighborhood Watch
|
| Franklin
Farm Tennis Is Back! |
| Welcome to the 2008
tennis season at Franklin Farm. This season Franklin Farm
Foundation is working with FirstServe Tennis (FSTA)
to offer tennis programming from ages 4–adult. FirstServe Tennis is
Northern Virginia’s leading outdoor tennis management company dedicated
to offering high-quality tennis programs in a fun, friendly and supportive
environment featuring small class size.
FSTA teaches at a 4:1 ratio for adults and Little Shots (ages 4–6)
and a 6:1 ratio for children/youths (7–18). FSTA classes are small
in size to enable its coaches to pro-vide differentiated instruction
to each student. FSTA does not teach “seminar-style” group lessons;
each student in the group receives individual feedback, which, in
turn, fosters mutual learning.
Signup for spring and summer programs is already under way. In the
spring, classes meet one day per week, and classes begin May 3.
Six camp weeks are scheduled for the summer. Each camp meets Monday–Thursday.
Friday is a rain makeup/option-play day. Camp weeks are June 23–27,
July 7–11, July 14–18, July 21–25, July 28–August 1, and August 4–8.
Children may participate in one or more camp but cannot sign up for
a partial camp one week and the remainder another week. For more information
on programs or to sign up, contact Gregg Deinhart, Managing Partner
of FirstServe Tennis, directly:
Gregg Deinhart, USPTA
E-mail: gregg@tenniseveryone.net
Phone: 571-217-1684
Internet: www.tenniseveryone.net
|
You
and Open Space |
| Periodically, issues are brought
to the Open Space Committee regarding the improper use of open space
by residents. We hope this article will provide a frame of reference
for the use of open space, so it can be enjoyed by everyone.
There are 182 acres of open space or common ground in Franklin Farm.
This area belongs collectively to the owners of the 1,777 homes in
the Farm. Some of these areas are mowed on a regular basis, while
others are intentionally left in a naturalized state for those interested
in plants and wildlife.
The preservation of these lands depends primarily on the cooperation
of each Foundation member. In many areas throughout the Farm, the
common ground borders private homes. In some cases, the owners of
those homes extend the care of their own lawns to include open space.
Unfortunately, there are some homeowners who use the common ground
as a depository for their yard clippings, firewood, or other personal
items. These practices detract from the beauty of our open space.
Please be aware of the following standards. Any plants or flowers
planted in open space become the property of the Foundation. The appropriate
process for donating plantings to the Foundation is detailed in the
Architectural Standards & Guidelines. Use of common ground
for storage of firewood, furniture, or other items, is considered
an encroachment of open space. Additionally, lawn debris dumped in
open space is in violation of Foundation policy.
If and when these instances are brought to the attention of the Open
Space Committee, homeowners will be required to remove those items
and restore the common ground to its original condition.
If you are encroaching on open space, please correct the situation
and help preserve the full beauty of our common grounds for all the
residents of Franklin Farm.
|
How
to Address Neighborhood Concerns
Nuisance Issues — loud noise, toys left in your yard, overgrown
grass/bushes
• Speak with the neighbor (at least twice is recommended).
• Notify the Foundation office either by e-mail (foundation@franklinfarm.org)
or phone, 703-620-6230.
• If noise issues are causing a disturbance, call the non-emergency number
for the police, 703-691-2131.
Health Code Issues — pet droppings not picked up in yard, excessive
garbage pileups, and rodent infestation
• Speak with the neighbor and request item(s) be properly discarded.
• Call the Fairfax County Health Department at 703-246-2300.
• Notify the Foundation office either by e-mail or phone.
Criminal Activity (non-emergency) — substance abuse, vandalism,
graffiti
• Contact the non-emergency number for the police, 703-691-2131. This may
need to be done repeatedly to establish a case, and all neighbors who are
affected should call individually.
• Document the activity (notes, pictures, video). This may need to be done
repeatedly to establish a case. The more neighbors involved, the better.
• Contact 911 when you witness criminal activities (burglary, breaking
and entering, domestic violence) in progress.
Abandoned Cars — outdated inspection stickers and/or license plates
or inoperable vehicles
• Notify the Foundation of the vehicle, including type, license plate number,
location, how long it has been there, and owner/suspected owner (if known).
| Three
Ways to Pay Your Assessments |
The
Franklin Farm Foundation has changed banks. The Foundation’s new
bank is Community Association Banc (CAB) headquartered in Phoenix,
Arizona. This change was undertaken because of excessive fees charged
the Foundation by its previous bank for services to handle assessment
payments and the Foundation’s other financial transactions. CAB
is a division of First National Bank of Arizona and was established
to serve the needs of organizations like the Franklin Farm Foundation.
We anticipate savings of over $7,000 per year with the change to
CAB. The change to CAB will affect your payment of quarterly assessments
in several different ways which are explained in detail below.
|
| Please
note the new mailing address, effective as of January
1, 2006:
Franklin
Farm Foundation
P.O.
Box 61388
Phoenix,
AZ 85082-1388
|
| QUARTERLY
STATEMENTS
You will still receive quarterly assessment statements; however, your
payments will now be mailed to CAB in Arizona. There is a change from
the prior payment procedure in that you now will be asked to tear
off a coupon from the statement to be sent to CAB along with your
check.
If an account is in arrears, the Foundation will adhere to the collection
procedure detailed in Policy Resolution 9G, Procedures Relative to
Collections and the owner will receive late fee notices from the Foundation.
Quarterly assessments are payable and due on the first day of January,
April, July and October. Please allow sufficient time for your payment
to reach the lockbox in Arizona in a timely manner to avoid a late
fee charge. The back page of the “Almanac” provides you with the quarterly
assessment schedule. It is necessary to continue whatever process
you currently use to pay your assessment for the December 15, 2005
assessment billing. If you are mailing your check, please tear off
the payment stub and mail it with the check to the Arizona lockbox,
using the pre-addressed envelope. This assessment is due January 1,
2006 |
|
ELECTRONIC
DEBIT
Electronic debit began April 1, 2006. Those wishing to participate
can pick up a form at the Foundation office or online on our Web site.
With the submittal of the completed authorization and voided check
to the Foundation, an owner is enrolled for the automatic withdrawal
that will be made for the quarterly assessment payment due immediately
following enrollment and for all future assessments.
Future Electronic Debit Enrollment: The Foundation must be in receipt
of the authorization form and voided check thirty (30) days before
the assessment is due to ensure ELECTRONIC DEBIT enrollment for the
upcoming quarterly assessment. Please contact the Foundation Office
to sign-up now for the convenient electronic debit or to answer your
questions.
Electronic Debit and a Future Assessment Change: Any variance in the
quarterly debited amount adjusts automatically with the approved yearly
budget. Annually, this information is published in the August Almanac. |
|
CREDIT
CARD OPTION
The change to CAB as the Foundation’s Bank also allows you make your
assessment payment by credit card. Please be aware that CAB will charge
you a fee of an additional 8% of the assessment to use this service.
Credit card payment of assessments can be accomplished by accessing
CAB’s Website at www.cabanc.com and following instructions there.
Credit card payment may be useful to avoid late fees if you have forgotten
to pay your assessment to avoid the Foundation’s imposition of the
$35 late fee. |
|
The Franklin Farm Foundation - 12700 Franklin
Farm Rd - Oak Hill, VA 20171
Phone: 703-620-6230 Fax: 703-620-9021
E-Mail: foundation@franklinfarm.org
Map of Franklin Farm Map
of the foundation office
Top of the Page
| Notice and Disclaimers |
Minimum Browser Requirements |
