JUNE 2015

HOLLIN HILLS BULLETIN

11am: Fourth of July Parade

Decorate your bikes and wagons in red,white, and blue or put on your walkingshoes and join our festive communityparade down Paul Spring Road. If youdon’t plan to be in the parade, pleasecome out along the parade route andcheer the participants.

The parade starts at 11am at the cor-ner of Rebecca and Paul Spring Roadsand ends at Voigt Park, the site of ourpicnic. If you wish to be in the parade orif you have any questions, please contactKathy Seikel (seikel.kathy@gmail.com).

Please note that parts of Paul SpringRoad will be closed to cars between 11amand noon to accommodate the parade.

12 noon-2pm: Our Annual Picnic

Our beloved community Fourth of JulyPicnic is a long-standing Hollin Hills tra-dition. Join us from noon to 2pm atVoigt Park, which is located at the cornerof Paul Spring and Rippon Roads behindthe Hollin Hills Pool. The Civic

Association provides hot dogs, beer, andsoda. Attendees are asked to bring salads,side dishes, or desserts to share—enoughfor eight people.

As in prior years, the Mount VernonCommunity Band will provide patrioticmusic. We also will have pony rides, a bikedecorating contest, the blueberry bake-offcompetition, and lots of games and races.

This is the one community event thatbrings everyone together—new, current,and former members. Newcomers whohave not yet joined the Civic Associationand residents who need to renew theirmembership can do so at the picnic.

Please note that there will be no raindate for the picnic.

Before, during, after: Lots of help needed

If you are able to help with this event(and many hands are needed for manyjobs such as set-up, clean-up, and judg-ing the bakeoff ), please contact BarbaraJacobs at pnbjacobs@verizon.net or 703-660-6342.

—Barbara Jacobs, CAHH Social Chair

Proving that thekids aren’t the only ones who can have fun in theparade, the HollinHills Lawn ChairPrecision DrillTeam strutted itsstuff at a recentFourth of Julyparade.

QUESTION:IF YOU’RE NOTA CAHH MEMBER, WHY DID YOU GET THIS BULLETIN(THE ANSWER’S BELOW)

WHY EVERYONE GETS A BULLETIN IN JUNE

All Hollin Hills households receive theJune Bulletin during the annual CivicAssociation (CAHH) membership drive(currently underway), even if they are notCAHH members. Our goal is to remindforgetful members to renew and to convince every non-member to join.

You will find a copy of the membershipform enclosed with the Bulletin’s paper version, or go to www.hollinhills.net todownload the form or to join on line.

Whether you are renewing your membership or joining CAHH for thefirst time, you can be assured that yourmembership dues are a good invest-ment. Benefits of membership include:• a yearly digital subscription to theBulletin, our community newsletter, • a current hard copy of the alwaysuseful HH Directory plus regularelectronic updates, • participation in the July 4thPicnic and Parade, the Oktoberfest,the annual Winter Potluck, andother neighborhood social events.

Membership dues also help main-tain the beauty and cohesive characterof our unique and historic communityby providing funds for:• supporting the enforcement ofour architectural covenants,• caring for and maintaining themore than thirty acres of HollinHills parks and common areas, • paying for insurance as well as forthe other operating expenses of theCivic Association.

GET READY FOR OUR BIG ANNUAL 4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION

?

CIVIC ASSOCIATIONOF HOLLIN HILLS (CAHH)CAHH OFFICERS

President Gus Matson 768-3797Vice-President Patrick Kelly 768-2497Treasurer Susan Kuhbach 768-8154Secretary Barbara Southworth 721-0734Membership Betsy Damitz 721-2002

DIRECTORS-AT-LARGEPool Laura Kistler 768-4161MVCCA Michael Plotnik 660-6272Social Barbara Jacobs 660-6342 Parks Bob Kinzer 768-4048

CAHH COMMITTEESARCHIVIST Judy Riggin 765-3025

Historian Scott Wilson 765-4471(Also see “˙4 Hills Archives” below)

DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE (DRC)Chair Frank Collins 660-6525Members John Burns 660-9763

Christine Kelly 768-2497Roger Miller 768-2095Ken Wilson 768-5838Patrick Kelly. CAHH Liaison 768-2497

HOLLIN HILLS POOL COMMITTEEChair Rebecca Bostick 768-2240

PARKS COMMITTEECo-chairs Claudia Crowder & 731-4488

John Crowder 732-0068

HOLLIN HILLS BULLETINPublished monthly since 1951 by the CAHH. The material in this publication does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the CAHH Board or the editor.Editor Barbara Shear 660-6543Editorial Assistance Andrew Keegan 660-1004

Deadline is the 15th of the preceding month. Articles generally should not exceed 500 words. Send your submission in the body of an email or as an attachment to barbshear@verizon.net.

If you cannot produce computerized copy, please find someone to submit it for you. As a last resort, type or print it clearly, leave in basket to right of front door, 1820 Drury Lane, and inform editor at 703-660-6543.No material will be accepted over the telephone.

Distribution: To replace a missing paper Bulletin,contact Eleanor Fina, 703-768-3174. To correct/change address, contact Betsy Damitz, 703-721-2002.

HOLLIN HILLS ARCHIVESThe Hollin Hills Archives are part of the Special Collections and Archives of George Mason University. To contact the SC&A staff with research questions, use the following:• For a general description of the Hollin Hills archives contents, go to http://sca.gmu.edu/finding_aids/hollinhills.html.• For questions about collections, hours, usage, duplications, or directions go to http://sca.gmu.edu/using_sc&a.html.• Other contacts: phone 703-993-2220, fax inquiries 703-993-8911, email speccoll@gmu.edu.

WWW.HOLLINHILLS.NETCalendar of community events and information about our parks, the Design Review Committee, the National Historic Registery, and more.

Page 2 • The Hollin Hills BULLETIN • June 2015

QuickTakesARRIVALS & DEPARTURESIn June we bid a fond farewell to SandyPoole and Blaise de Franceaux, long timeresidents as well as realtors extraordinaire.Over the years they sold many homes in theneighborhood—some more than once.Sandy and Blaise were always generous sup-porters of the Hollin Hills house tours andanniversary celebrations.

They have now decided to relocate tobeautiful Asheville, North Carolina. Whiletheir new home is being built they will beliving in their house on the Outer Banks.We wish them safe travels and a happy lifein their new home.

ART SHOW OF PAINTINGSAND FOUNTAINSAn exhibition of the work of Hollin Hillsartist Barbara Godwin will be held on June20 and 21, right here in the neighborhood.In her own words:

“Fountains exist to play with water andlight, to make music and rest the soul.

My paintings, made of color and light,have been stored in the dark, incubating.They are now ready.

Please come see my work.”The show will take place on Saturday, June20, 4-8pm, and Sunday, June 21, 11am-3pm, in two Hollin Hills houses: 7501Range Road, (corner of Range andRebecca), the home of Chris and MeganContakes, and 2402 Elba Court, BarbaraGodwin’s home.

COMMUNITY YARD SALEThe third annual Hollin Hills CommunityYard Sale was held on April 25, on a glori-ous day of sunshine and the hottest day ofthe year so far.

We had a great turnout, with several"regulars" (now after three years they'veearned the title) and many new participants

setting up shop in the Hollin Hills Poolparking lot. There were lots of young entre-preneurs this year, as well, selling lemonadeand toys and doing games. As usual, it wasa great day to meet neighbors and makesome space at home.

—Friederike Ahrens

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARYA reminder that the Democratic PartyPrimary will be held on June 9. Registeredvoters in our area vote either at BryantSchool (Bucknell precinct) or at HollinMeadows (Kirkside precinct). There will beno Republican Party Primary held inFairfax County this year. Additional infor-mation can be found at www.fairfaxcoun-ty.gov/elections/upcoming.htm.

THIS COULD BEYOUR LAST ISSUE OFTHE BULLETIN

As usual, there will be no July 1Bulletin. The next issue will be acombined summer issue thatwill come out in late July, witha July 10 submissions deadline.

Only paid up CAHH memberswill receive the summer issue.

Our regular schedule willresume in September, with an August 15 deadline.

It is important to differentiate betweenone-time settlement of a structure andseasonal movement. One time settlementoccurs after construction, as the groundunder the structure adjusts to the new loadsimposed on it. Settlement should be negligi-ble, but it can be significant and last for manyyears. Considering the age of Hollin Hillshouses, most settlement falls into the season-al movement category. Many houses inHollin Hills, particularly in “new” HollinHills, sit on what is colloquially called“marine clay.” The volume of this type ofclay varies with moisture content. Moisturecontent change is typically seasonal: the clayshrinks in the summer as it dries out andexpands in the winter and spring as it is re-saturated with water. In slab-on-grade houses,the effects usually manifest as sticking orstuck doors, wall and ceiling crack (particu-larly at door ways), foundation cracks, win-dows cracks, and out-of-level floors. In someinstances, the foundation, which supports theexterior walls and roof, moves differentlyfrom the slab, which is the floor. I have seencases where the floor has settled several inch-es, either leaving the interior walls hangingfrom the ceiling with a big gap between thewall and the floor; or the wall drops with thefloor, leaving a gap between the wall and theceiling. Gaps also often occur between thechimney and the rest of the house. As thechimney/fireplace mass is so heavy, it oftensettles more radically than the rest of thehouse. In some instances, there is a gap bigenough to put your hand through in summerand then, the gap closes to nothing in winter.Severe drought can cause the settling issues tobe unusually noticeable.

Slab-on-grade houses There are two approaches to remedy theproblem for a slab-on-grade house.

The less expensive, but perhaps less effec-tive, approach is to try to keep the soil mois-ture content under the foundation constantthroughout the year. Large trees can removeup to 100 gallons of water per day from thesoil. Thus, trees should be kept away from thefoundation. The larger the tree, the farther itshould be from the house. If the branches areclose to the house, then so are the roots. Alarge tree may remove much of the water

under one area of the house, causing that sec-tion to settle, while the rest of the house set-tles comparatively less. It is this differentialsettlement that causes the cracks and otherproblems. If the whole house went up anddown uniformly, there would be no problem.

Physically watering the foundation dur-ing dry periods can also be done, but gaugingthe right amount of water to use is difficult.Running a soaker house around the perime-ter and letting is run is probably the best wayto get an even distribution of water. Wateringtrees regularly that are near the foundationwill also help replace the water being removedby the trees.

Keeping excess water away from the foun-dation during the rainy season can also bebeneficial. Gutters and downspouts need tobe kept clean and in working order, and thewater needs to be carried far enough awayfrom the house that it will not soak into theground around the foundation. Where prac-tical, an impervious barrier can be installed atground level or just below, sloping away fromthe house. This will prevent rain from soak-ing in during the winter, and prevent mois-ture from evaporating out of the soil in thesummer. A layer of plastic covered in mulchor gravel can serve, but may not be practicalgiven landscaping considerations.

Houses with full/partial basements These houses have a whole different set ofmarine clay problems and solutions. Do notwater your foundation if you have a base-ment, unless you dream of an indoor pool.

The other alternative is to install an engi-neered solution. This means extending thefooting supports deep enough to be below thelayer of soil with seasonal moisture variation.

Generally, this depth is four to five feet. In theold days, this “underpinning” involved dig-ging down in sections below the footings andpouring new concrete footings below theexisting footings. This work is very laborintensive, disruptive to landscaping, andquite expensive. It also only supports the exte-rior walls, not the slab.

Newer technology uses helical piers. Theseare basically big steel screws (6-10 feet long,and a foot or so in diameter) that are driveninto the ground around the outside of thefoundation with a hydraulic driver (often abobcat loader). The piers are driven into sta-ble soil, then the pier is mechanically attachedto the concrete footing. The piers usually areinstalled every 4 to 10 feet along the founda-tion depending on the situation. A hole hasto be dug for each pier/foundation connec-tion, so again, this process is disruptive to thearea around the house. The piers can also bedriven down to support the slab, but thismeans holes in the slab (and thus your floor)on a grid of every 4 to 6 feet. So one ends upneeding completely new floors. It is impor-tant to note that underpinning part of ahouse may not work. The underpinned partwill cease to move, but the rest of the housemay continue to move, so cracks will stillform at the joint between the underpinnedarea and the non-underpinned area.

Underpinning a whole house is a projectthat is in the tens-of-thousands of dollarsrange. Thus, given the cost, attemptingsome of the easier remediation solutionsmight be a best first step. Most HollinHillers have learned to live with some seasonal movement as part of the cachet ofour community.

—Robert Fina

June 2015 • The Hollin Hills BULLETIN • Page 3

HELP! I THINK MY HOUSE IS MOVING

How to deal with foundation problems in

Hollin Hills houses

GARDEN COMMENTS The last time I saw a box turtle I brought himhome. He ate several strawberries and most of a small tomato. I filled a bowlish sort of plate with water and put him in. He cooled his feet and then put hishead down to drink. When he was finished, he took a long careful look at meand then climbed out of the water and went under my deck. That was the lasttime I saw him. He was just passing through.

There used to be many turtles and toads. Now there are three frogs who have come to live in my ponds. I love to hear their low contemplative comments.

If only, if only those of us who live in this lovely wooded natural place would give up chemicals, we would find again these interesting creatures. Imagine weeding your garden and finding a turtle or toad watching, sheltered under a leaf, feasting on bugs who, after all, don't eat much on account of being much smaller than the deer. —Barbara Godwin

Page 4 • The Hollin Hills BULLETIN • June 2015

Dear Friends,You may have heard through

the grapevine that we are movingto be closer to children and

grandchildren, destination Asheville, NC.As we make final preparations for ourmove, we want to take this opportunity tosay goodbye to our beloved community,Hollin Hills. We have always felt a deepconnection to the spirit of this neighbor-hood, the wonderfully unique architec-ture, and the special people who live here.

Sandi tells the story that when she firstmoved to Alexandria, her realtor nevershowed her Hollin Hills, and when shediscovered it she knew she wanted to livehere. When she became a realtor herself,she vowed to always be an advocate for theneighborhood, and in 1984 she boughther first house here, on the corner PaulSpring and Rippon. A few years later, we

moved together to our home onBeechwood, where we've been since 1986.The home on Paul Spring is nowMcCalley Park!

We were blessed to know many of theoriginal pioneers who first populatedHollin Hills. Their feisty spirits live on inour memory as some are now gone. Whenwe first moved here we were the youngergeneration, but now we realize we are the"elders" of the community, and we hopethat we have passed on to the "youngers"the devotion that we learned from thosewho came before us!

So, many thanks to all who havebefriended us, both personally and profes-sionally (in many cases, both). We admitthat it is with a heavy heart that we leaveyou. Carry on caring so deeply about yourenvironment, the natural and the architec-tural. Carry on Pub, the easiest cocktail

party ever invented. And carry on all ofthe traditions of Hollin Hills that make ita wonderful blend of modern and old-fashioned values that we will alwaysremember. So long, and hope we see youin the Hills of Western NC!

Best wishes,Sandi Poole and Blaise deFranceaux

A GOODBYE LETTER TO HOLLIN HILLS

A SECURITY CHECK LIST, BUT NOT JUST FOR VACATION TIMEVacation season is a good time toreview some common sense homesecurity tips that should also be followed all year long:

• Lock all doors and windowswhen away (at work, on vacation,running errands) and also at nightwhen you are sleeping.

• Lock all interior doors leading to the main house including base-ment and garage doors.

• Exterior lighting, flood lights,motion detectors, lamp posts all deter intruders.

• Trim bushes around windows.

• Don’t leave valuables in plainview, for instance, leaving yourpurse sitting on a table next to adoor or window.

• Secure tool sheds, easy sources ofladders and other tools for gainingentry into your house.

• Be conscious of open secondstory windows, decks, or othermeans that criminals could use toclimb to a second story.

• Get to know your neighbors andwatch out for each other.

• Report suspicious persons or activities. The non-emergencypolice number is 703-691-2131.

—Laura Wirkkala

The following is rated MA-14(mature), so cover the kids’ eyesIn the 1950s, when Bob Davenport wasbuilding Hollin Hills, there were variousareas of his tract that were not suitable forbuilding. Some areas were in flood plains.Some areas were drainage-area culverts,designed to divert water running off thehills. The dimensions of at least one areawere wrong. Davenport decided to givethese lands to the community via theorganization that would become the CivicAssociation. These left-over scraps of avery large, 20-year building project nowconsititute the parks of Hollin Hills.Fairfax County is delighted not to have todeal with them. They are open to the pub-lic, and the public—including many peo-ple from Hollin Hills—does use them.Today, parks-related expenses—to dealwith trees, bridge maintenance, grassmowing, and liability insurance—are thebiggest cluster of expenses for the CivicAssociation. We spend about $27,000annually in parks-related costs.

Okay, here comes the mature part. Theparks-related costs are community costs.We really don’t have the option of not pay-

ing them. To you folks who have beenunhappy with the Civic Association or theDRC at one time or another and have quitbeing members, I ask you now to pleasereconsider why you are not members.Some things we just need to do, if we wantto think of ourselves as MA-14 people.

2016 House & Garden TourAt the spring meeting of the CAHH (itwas really fabulous, by the way, for thoseof you who weren’t there), we decidedthat we would have a House & GardenTour in the spring of 2016. A number ofpeople have volunteered to work on thecommittee, and I appreciate their eagerwillingness. If you ever have had a secretlonging to have your house or gardenadmired by twelve hundred or so com-plete strangers (although I believe thebiggest contingent of home tourists arepeople from Hollin Hills who cannotresist seeing what their neighbors havedone with their bathrooms!), think aboutthrowing your hat in the ring. Send mean email, and get on the list. You canalways back out later.

—Gus Matson

FROM THE CAHH PRESIDENT

U.S.MAILU.S.MAIL

At the May meeting ofthe Hollin Hills Book

Group, we talked aboutSaffron Sky, by Gelareh Asayesh. While livingin the USA with an American husband, agood job, and surrounded by all the conven-iences of the Western world, Asayesh decidesto travel to Iran, where she was born andspent most of her childhood. There, she findsin her large, extended family the warmth andemotional security her life lacks in America.Age-old customs and rituals give stability, butlife is not easy, especially for women under thestrict rules of the Ayatollah. When she returnsto America she writes, “I am convulsed by thecontradictions of my life, straddling a fissurebetween two worlds that are immeasurablydistant. My mind is always whispering …Pickone side or the other.”

The chapters jump back and forth in time,which makes it a little hard to follow thecourse of her life. She writes well and recordswith great honestly her feelings and emotions.One can only wish for her that her dream

comes true when she writes in the Prologue:“Suspended in illusion, I saw my past meldingwith my present. The boundaries of space andtime were erased. My life felt whole.”

Our group has read a number of novelsabout the immigrant experience in which thecharacters have difficulty adjusting to life inAmerica. This is a non-fiction memoir wherethe author is a professional journalist andseems very well adjusted to life in America,but still has a part of her that longs for theprivileged childhood she enjoyed in Iran. Inwriting about her trips back to Iran, she givesbeautiful descriptions of the mountains anddeserts. This is one of a number of books theFairfax County Library provides to bookgroups. It puts a human face on the people ofIran and their way of life in present time.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday,June 10, at 2pm, at the home of Anne Parke.We will discuss The Newlyweds, by NellFreudenberger. Guests and new members arewelcome to attend. —Elisabeth Egghart

June 2015 • The Hollin Hills BULLETIN • Page 5

BOOKREPORT

MUSICMANPack your picnic basket for this years’ concertsin the parks. Links forsome concert calendars: – www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/– www.vpis.org/event.php?id=109 – www.arlingtonarts.org/venues/lubber-run – www.viennava.gov/index.aspx?NID=879

Here are highlights from nearby parks aswell as some indoor events for June throughmid-July. Free unless prices are quoted.• Wed., 6/3, 7:30pm, Lee District Park: TheThrillbillys (rockabilly), www.thethrillbillys.com• Fri., 6/5, Sat., 6/6, 7:30pm & Sun., 6/7,3pm, GW Masonic National Memorial:Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic withAlexandria Singers: Weber: Concertino forClarinet and Orchestra, a Beatles tribute, and Rogers and Hamerstein selections,www.wmpamusic.org• Sun., 6/7, 7pm, Fort Hunt Park: NationalConcert Band,www.nationalconcertband.org/• Wed., 6/10, 7:30pm, Lee District Park: ThePietasters (ska), www.thepietasters.com• Thu., 6/11, noon, Smithsonian Museum ofAmerican History: US Air Force Strings,www.usafband.af.mil Fri., 6/12, 5-8:30pm, National Gallery of ArtSculpture Garden: George V. Johnson, Jr. (jazzvocals), http://myspace.com/georgevjohnsonjr• Fri., 6/12, 7:30, Grist Mill Park: TheGrandsons (roots rock)

• Sat., 6/13, 7pm, St.Aiden's Episcopal Church:Focus Concerts, Bother Sun (folktrio) and Jerry Breeze (singer/song-writer) $15 advance, $18 at door,www.focusmusic.org• Sat., 6/13, 7:30pm, Baird Auditorium:Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, TheBig Band Pioneers $20 member, $18 Seniormember, $25 non-member, www.smithsoni-anassociates.org/ticketing/landing/smithson-ian-jazz-masterworks-orchestra.aspx• Sat., 6/13, 8pm, Lubber Run Amphitheater:La Unica (world music rock), www.launica-music.com• Mon., 6/15, 8pm, Lubber Run:Metropolitan Chorus, www.metchorus.org• Wed., 6/17, 7:30pm, Lee District Park:Veronneau (acoustic world jazz), five timeWAMMIE winner, www.veronneaumusic.com• Fri., 6/19, 8pm, Lubber Run Amphitheater:US Army Blues (big band jazz),www.usarmyband.com/blues/the-us-army-blues.html• Sun., 6/21, 7pm, Fort Hunt Park:Mandoleers, www.mandoleers.org• Fri., 6/26, 5-8:30pm, National Gallery ofArt Sculpture Garden: Marty Nau (jazz saxo-phone), www.jazzconnect.com/martynau/• Wed., 7/1, 7:30pm, Mason District Park:

Lena Seikaly (jazz vocal), www.lenaseikaly.com• Wed., 7/8, 7:30pm, Lee District Park:Rocknoceros (kid's rock) • Sat., 7/11, 7:30pm, Baird Auditorium:Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, TheLegacy of Horace Silver, $20 member, $18senior member, $25 non-member,www.smithsonianassociates.org/ticketing/Sun., 7/12, 7pm, Fort Hunt Park: PotomacHarmony Singers, www.potomacharmony.org/• Mon., 7/13, 7:30pm, Grist Mill Park:Seldom Scene (bluegrass) www.seldom-scene.com

—Tony Jordan

RECOMMENDEDCARPENTRY, REPAIR, PAINTING: It isour pleasure to recommend with no reserva-tions Entropic Remodeling, (Brad Furmanand crew) for carpentry, repair and painting.Brad has many years of experience caring for,remodeling, and painting homes in HollinHills and nearby communities. Our jobincluded a lot of repair as well as painting thewhole house. Brad saved us funds when hewas able to professionally rebuild and refinisha broken door that I was sure we were going tohave to replace. His skills and eye for detail areexcellent. He and the crew were neat andnever left a mess. You can reach him at orbafurm@gmail.com or 703-201-6797. —Bev Knapp and Cindy McElroy

RUG CLEANING: Smart Choice Cleaningin Springfield, 703-455-1440. No hiddencharges, no high-pressure sales pitches; just anhonest breakdown of price, ($3 a square foot)when they measure the rug, and a $50 dis-count for first time customers. Most impor-tant, my rugs looked and smelled like new.Be forewarned, however: there is a pick-upand delivery charge that can total half of thecleaning charge. Mention my name, WendyKilpatrick. I’ll get a $25 coupon and, as a firsttime customer, you'll get a $50 discount.—Wendy Kilpatrick

CLASSIFIEDSSUMMER HELPER: Our granddaughter,Phoebe Bredin, who just graduated fromVirginia Tech, will be living with us thissummer starting June 4. She will attend classTuesdays and Thursdays until 3pm, but isavailable at other times for a variety of‘helper’ jobs including but not limited to:house sitter, babysitter, dog walker, partyhelper, garden worker, etc. Last year she alsohelped organize a resident’s electronic filesand did a deep cleaning of another’s porch.She has a car and will run errands or shop foryou. Contact her directly: 703-402-7197 orbredinp@gmail.com. —The Shears

CIVIC ASSOCIATION OF HOLLIN HILLS 1600 Paul Spring Rd., Alexandria, VA 22307

Page 6 • The Hollin Hills BULLETIN • June 2015

The Design Review Committee (DRC) met onMay 12 with the following members in atten-dance: Frank Collins (chair), John Burns, ChristineKelly, Roger Miller, and Ken Wilson.

The following three projects were approved byunanimous consent, with Roger Miller abstaining:• Allison Elder, 7710 Elba Road, received approvalfor an in-kind roof and backyard shed replace-ment/reconstruction.• Brian and Christine Hooks, 7207 Rebecca Road,had submitted plans for a patio and pool fencereplacement in the rear of their home which weredeemed in compliance with design review guidelines.• Roger Miller, 2200 Popkins Lane, had submittedplans for a roof and gutter replacement that conforms to the design review guidelines.

The following four projects were also present-ed and acted upon:• Kerry Himes and Patricia Komara, 1933 MarthasRoad, received unanimous approval for their plansto rebuild a back yard shed in compliance withdesign review guidelines. • David Matthews, 2103 Marthas Road , presentedplans for a privacy screen on the west side of hishome. The plans were approved unanimously withslight modifications to the proposed design. • Jane Scharankov and Jeff Heyer, 7325 RebeccaRoad, presented plans for a split-rail fence that they had replaced at their home. They asserted compliance with DRC guidelines indicating thatthey were replacing an in-kind, historical fence (that pre-dated the DRC guidelines). A motion

was passed unanimously toapprove the fence as an in-kindreplacement of a deteriorated existing fence. Thehomeowners expressed their intention to grow wildrose bushes and grape vines to cover the fence overthe next few years.• Darren and Jan Pogoda, 2105 Martha's Road,presented preliminary plans for an addition on theeast side of their home. The committee was support-ive of the plans and looks forward to having thePogodas return for approval once their plans aremore complete.

The next meeting of the DRC will be held onWednesday, June 10, at the Sherwood Hall Library.

—Patrick Kelly, CAHH /DRC Liaison

DESIGNREVIEW

A project with problemsOn May 4, the Planning and ZoningCommittee (P&Z) of the Mt. VernonCouncil of Citizens Associations joined theTransportation Committee to hear a presen-tation by John Thillman detailing plans todevelop land at 8800 Richmond Highwayjust south of the Sacramento Center andnorth of the IMP Building. Years ago, thiswas an amusement park; now a boat repairbusiness is the most obvious feature.Thillman, an expert environmentalist, alsospoke on this subject at the April meeting.

The property includes a sensitive streamthat flows under Richmond Highway. Theproposed development of almost 69 market-rate townhouses would be difficult becauseof the stream bed, the lake behind the prop-

erty, and the need to link to the bridge underhighway. In addition, access would bethrough an existing drive into theSacramento Center where only right turnsare permitted, and the planned widening ofRichmond Highway would leave a numberof townhouses uncomfortably close to highvolume traffic.

Cell tower alternative Many remember the long battles over wherecell phone towers might be placed.Neighborhood rejections were common.Recently, Verizon has taken the lead in pro-posing the placement of about 140 antennasmounted on telephone poles. They wouldextend a few feet above the poles and wouldrequire only relatively small equipment

boxes near the base thatcould accommodate several carriers.

North Hill information meetingThose attending the North Hill informationmeeting on May 28 heard a project briefingand had an opportunity to provide feedbackon the proposal to build 329 rental units onNorth Hill. In 1981, about 48 acres wereacquired by Fairfax County using Federalfunds. In 1991, 15 acres in the southern partwere used for the present Woodley HillsEstate. Over many years, Hollin Hills resi-dents have voiced varying strong views aboutthe undeveloped property remaining. Themeeting was held too late for a report on itsresults to be included in this Bulletin.

—Burt Kronstdt

PLANNING&ZONING