2006 News
2005 News
2004 News
2003 News

2006 News

Minutes from the 2006 Annual Carriage Gate Cluster Association meeting are available.

Recap of Annual Cluster Cleanup and Picnic

The Annual Cluster Cleanup and Picnic was held on Sunday, May 7, 2006. Many thanks to those who participated and helped sweep up the sand from the parking lot!

The picnic was a success, and the rain held off long enough for everyone to get something to eat from the grills. It was a nice opportunity to meet new neighbors and catch up with old ones. There were many excellent side dishes and desserts to enjoy as well!

Police Officer Katy Fernbacher attended and let the kids (and a few adults who are kids at heart) check out her squad car. Officer Fernbacher spoke to the group for a few minutes and also gave out frisbees and pedestrian reflector strips to the kids.

2005 News

The following issues of interest to all Carriage Gate homeowners were discussed at the 1/31/2005 board of directors meeting:

Exterior Paint Colors

The approved exterior paint color palette for Carriage Gate homes is in need of updating. Many of the original colors from Martin-Senour and McCormick have been discontinued and those brands are not readily available locally. Over the next few months, the board will be developing a new palette of colors and brands carried by local establishments like Home Depot.

Chimney Supports

The board received a notice from Reston Association that several homes in the cluster have chimneys that are supported by wires, which are not within the Reston Association design guidelines. RA has asked the board to work with affected homeowners to find a more acceptable solution to securing chimneys. We will be conducting a walk-through of the cluster to determine which homes are affected.

Exterior Changes

Most exterior changes to homes in Reston, including paint colors, storm doors, windows, and light fixtures, must be done in accordance with standards established by Reston Association, with input from the Cluster. Cluster guidelines can be found in the disclosure packet each homeowner received when purchasing their home. Please check the guidelines before making any exterior changes. Reston Association conducts inspections from time to time and can require replacement of any changes that do not meet guidelines and can levy fines for noncompliance. If you need information on Carriage Gate design guidelines, contact Merrie Hahn at 703-860-0737.

Trash Placement

Trash should not be placed at the curbs until the evening before or the morning of a scheduled pickup. Please consider the use of covered trash cans or heavy-duty dark colored trash bags to reduce the scattering of trash by crows and other pests. Always close bags securely. All cans should be removed from the curbs by the evening of a scheduled trash pickup day.

Snow Removal

Fairfax County regulations require homeowners to clear snow from the walkways adjacent to their homes following a snowfall. The cluster contracts for removal of snow from the driving lanes of the parking lot, however each homeowner is responsible for shoveling their own walks and parking spaces. Please be conscientious-don't simply dump your snow into your neighbor's spot for the neighbor to clean! Also, if you know that a neighbor is ill or out of town, then please help them out, too--we all depend on maintaining our safe, friendly community!

If you have questions, comments, or would like to volunteer on any of these issues, please do not hesitate to contact a board member!

2004 News

Parking Lot Painting and Curb Staining Takes Place June 24
Posted: June 17, 2004

On Thursday, June 24, Dominion Paving will be painting the parking lot lines and reserved numbers and will be staining the curbs to mark fire lanes. All cars should be removed from the cluster parking lot by 9:00 a.m. on Thursday morning. The parking lot striping paint dries virtually as soon as it is applied, so residents can expect to park their cars in the lot by the time they return from work that day. The yellow fire lane stain on the curbs takes longer to dry, so be careful of touching those areas.

Please park the cars that you would normally leave parked in the lot during the day on Twin Branches. All vehicles must be removed by 9 a.m. or they will be towed at the owner's expense. If your car is towed, please call 703-691-2131 to get information on how to retrieve it.

A late afternoon trash pickup on Thursday, June 24, has been requested from AAA Disposal Service. Please try to minimize the amount of trash you place outside for pickup on that morning and ensure that your trash is placed in such a way that it will not interfere with curb staining.

If you know of neighbors who are currently away from home and/or will be away on June 24, please contact Merrie Hahn at 703-860-0737. If you will be away from home on June 24, please make arrangements for moving your car prior to your departure.

Drainage and Slope Stability Study Completed
Posted: March 6, 2004

Recently, the Carriage Gate Board hired an engineering consultant to evaluate the drainage and stability of wooded slope areas in the cluster. The consultant submitted a report to the Cluster Board.

2003 News

Venomous Snake Found in Cluster
By Linda Goudreau

On September 27, 2003, a homeowner was walking their dog and stepped right over a baby snake lying on the sidewalk at the South end of the Cluster.  I have since talked to RA, and tentatively identified the snake as a northern copperhead. 

The bad news is that copperheads are venomous, although the particular venom of this species is not a nerve agent, like with rattlesnakes. This is not the type of snake whose bite is deadly to humans. Rather, the bite affects the tissues and can be quite painful, but there is no record of any deaths in Virginia from a copperhead bite. Given the small size of children and pets, there is somewhat greater risk. Even so, there are no reported deaths of children from copperhead bites in Virginia.

The good news is, copperhead snakes have lived here in South Reston basically forever. They have been living right here all this time, whether we have seen them or not. They are shy and seek not to bite, but to hide.  They eat small rodents, crickets, etc., and do not want to waste their venom on a large target. They are all around us, particularly inhabiting the Twin Branches Nature Trail area in Reston. 

They are normally a minimal risk to local humans because of their reticent nature. The large amount of rain this season has made them seek higher ground for their winter hibernation spot, and so we may see more of them than we usually would. This doesn't make them more aggressive, but it is wise for us to watch for them in rocky areas, especially where there is some sun, and give them space.  Let us enjoy, yet be wise, about our opportunity to coexist with some of nature's residents here in Reston.

If you have any questions, you can call our local snake expert at RA at 703-435-6552. Also, some useful links follow. You can also call Linda Goudreau, at 703-395-0984.

Links:

http://fwie.fw.vt.edu/VHS/snakes_of_virginia.htm

http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wildlife/publications

If you have any questions, drop us an e-mail.

Last Updated: 10/04/2006