| A summer's worth of fun awaits Franklin Farm residents
at the pool! Resident registration is ongoing, and it is not to late to
sign up.
To register, mail or bring your (1) completed registration form,
(2) $175 payment, and (3) required family photos
** to the Foundation office, 12700 Franklin Farm Road, Oak Hill, VA 20171.
Call 703-620-6230 for information.
** Photos can be e-mailed to foundation@franklinfarm.org.
Entrance
Medians Get a New Look |
|
Check out the new landscape
designs for the entrance medians at West Ox Road and Centreville Road.
The trees and shrubs recently planted there are compatible with those
seen throughout Franklin Farm and were chosen especially because of
their color, size, and durability in the face of heat and fumes from
passing cars.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature and the West Ox and Centreville Road
widening work have damaged the trees in the medians over the years,
and plans have been in the works for some time to give the entrances
a fresh new look.
Sincere thanks go to the members of the Open Space Committee
and to the Virginia Department of Transportation
(VDOT) for their advice and assistance during the process.
|
| Watch
Out for Deer on the Road |
| Did you know that Virginia had the eighth highest
total number of deer-vehicle collisions in the United States over
the 2007–08 time period?
According to Drive Smart Virginia, an estimated 54,000 (54,135) drivers
have collided with deer. These issues are not isolated to rural areas
of the state. Fairfax County has a very active deer population,
and, particularly at this time of year, police urge motorists to drive
cautiously.
Deer are especially active from pre-dawn to mid-morning and from dusk
to early evening — right about the time when many Fairfax County residents
are going to and from work or school. So, remember
the following safety tips:
-- Be aware of posted “Deer Crossing” signs. They are placed in areas
known for high deer traffic.
-- Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles; they may not work.
-- Drivers should use their high-beams when there is no on-coming
traffic for a better view of the edge of adjacent woods and fields.
-- Do not swerve to miss a deer. This could cause
you to lose control of your vehicle, strike a tree or another vehicle
or to overturn. Those types of accidents result in far more fatalities
than auto-deer crashes.
If you cannot avoid hitting a deer:
-- Slow down and grasp the steering wheel firmly with both hands.
-- Take your foot off the brake at the time of impact so the front
end of your vehicle will lift up and enable the deer to go under the
car, rather than over it – reducing the danger of it crashing through
the windshield or windows.
-- If the animal is injured or killed, report the collision through
the county’s non-emergency line at 703-691-2131.
|
Encroachment
on Open Space |
| Periodically, issues are brought
to the attention of the Foundation office, the Board of Trustees,
and 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, and, unfortunately, there are some homeowners
who extend their property into open space and 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
Administrative Resolution 38.
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
(see Policy Resolution 6A: Common Area Use and Management Policies).
If and when these instances are brought to the attention of the the
Board of Trustees, the Foundation office, or the Open Space Committee,
homeowners will be required to remove those items and restore the
common ground to its original condition at their own expense.
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
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