Happy New Year!

We’re entering a new year with optimism and anticipation. While the past year brought challenges and changes, it also brought opportunities and silver linings. Many of you discovered or rediscovered our many nature trails, wildlife, and conservation areas — some with new furry family members as new additions to the community! In 2021, we expect you will begin to see accelerated improvements to the community amenities you have come to enjoy, such as our pool facility and landscaping. We have big plans in store for this year!

New SFMC Community Manager: Welcome, Darnell Robertson!

Through the challenges and lessons learned of 2020 and the significant projects on the horizon in 2021 and 2022, the Board determined that the community would get great value from a dedicated community manager (the previous contract with SFMC was a “portfolio” style, meaning our community manager was responsible for multiple communities).

The Board is pleased to introduce Darnell Robertson, who began as our new dedicated community manager in December 2020. Darnell comes to us with over 30 years of community management experience, and he has hit the ground running! You will likely see Darnell driving and walking through the community multiple times per week, overseeing our contract services and getting familiar with our common areas. Be sure to say hello when you see him out and about in the community — maybe strike up a conversation about his interests in Star Trek and Star Wars, or challenge him to a Rubik’s Cube challenge!

We would also like to extend a special thank you to our out-going community manager, Tracey Schaefer, for all of the time she dedicated to our community through some of the most trying months we have experienced.

New Community Manager Contact Information

Darnell Robertson (SFMC)

*Please replace Tracey Schaefer’s information with Darnell Robertson’s

2021 Pool Projects:

With planning and research help from the new Pool Committee, we are reinvesting the 2020 pool season cost savings and other available funds in the pool facility through a couple of major projects that are scheduled to kick off this winter, weather and site conditions permitting. Please excuse the construction starting in the coming months while we:

  • Replace the full pool deck and fence to address several settling and integrity issues;
    Install an additional sun shade (to replace the splash pad area which does not drain properly and is not cost effective to repair or replace)
  • We’ve also consulted expert architectural services for an overdue pool house interior renovation. Once the Board determines next steps, we will begin a feasibility study for scope/scale options within the established budget, as well as design discussions.

2021 Pool Season Planning:

Although the pandemic continues to be unpredictable in its impacts, the Board and Pool Committee are conducting detailed planning to put the community in good position to open the pool this summer with limited risk to homeowner health and mitigated liability to the Community Association (reminder: the Association is not covered by insurance policies for any legal costs associated with a virus). We are planning under the assumption that the pool season will continue to be affected by COVID-19 restrictions and mandates by the State of Virginia. We ask in advance for your attention to community informational mailings that may outline changes to traditional pool procedures in the weeks leading up to the pool season.

Grounds and Landscaping:

You may see crews out working in our common areas over the next few weeks to remove several dead or dying trees. The Board awarded a contract in January 2021 to remove 19 trees as we work through a long, prioritized list of trees that need significant pruning or removal.

The Board has also consulted with landscape designers and has begun receiving proposals for a strategic landscaping plan to prioritize and budget replacements and improvements throughout our 268 acre community. Landscaping projects are expensive, so securing this service is a deliberate approach to methodically address many areas of dead/dying or overgrown landscaping, as well as ensure what we plant is suitable for the location and will survive for years to come.

Morris Farm HOA Facebook Page is Live!

Join the community’s new Facebook page as an additional way to easily access information and updates from the Community Association: www.facebook.com/groups/MorrisFarmHOA/

The Facebook page is designed to complement official communication methods (mailings, website) and be a reliable resource for homeowners and residents looking for frequently needed information. It does NOT replace contacting the Community Manager for specific concerns, account information, architectural applications, etc. Volunteers admin the page, so please continue to use SFMC’s contact information for time sensitive issues in particular.

QUICK REFERENCE INFORMATION

HOA COMMUNICATION CHANNELS:

  • MANAGEMENT COMPANY: SFMC 9464 INNOVATION DR. MANASSAS, VA 20110
  • *NEW* COMMUNITY MANAGER: DARNELL ROBERTSON 703-392-6006, EXT 281, FAX: 703-392-5039 DROBERTSON@SFMCINC.COM
  • TO RECEIVE EMAILS FROM SFMC, YOU MUST OPT-IN BY EMAIL TO THE COMMUNITY MANAGER
  • COMMUNITY WEBSITE: MORRISFARMHOA.COM
  • *NEW* COMMUNITY FACEBOOK PAGE: MORRIS FARM HOA WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/GROUPS/ MORRISFARMHOA/

TRASH & RECYCLING

  • TRASH DAYS: M & TH
  • RECYCLING DAY: TH
  • AMERICAN DISPOSAL: 703-368-0500

MAILBOXES

  • POST COLOR:
    • VALSPAR CACTUS SHADOW GREEN
    • SHERWIN WILLIAMS ARTICHOKE GREEN (COLOR CODE SW6179
  • MAILBOX COLOR: OFF-WHITE FOUR INCH NUMBERS
  • ORIGINAL MAILBOXES INSTALLED BY MAIN STREET MAILBOXES (571- 349-8454)
REMINDERS

ENHANCING YOUR PROPERTY

  • MOST EXTERIOR CHANGES TO PROPERTY REQUIRE AN ARCHITECTURAL APPLICATION PRIOR TO DOING THE WORK
  • EMAIL ADDRESS FOR APPLICATIONS OR QUESTIONS: ARCAPPLICATIONS@SFMCINC.COM PLAN ACCORDINGLY:
  • BOARD HAS 60 DAYS TO RESPOND TIME STARTS UPON SFMC RECEIPT OF CORRECTLY COMPLETED APP
    BOARD IS ACTING AS COVENANTS COMMITTEE AND MUST REVIEW EVERY APPLICATION, WHICH MAY DELAY RESPONSE

SAFETY

  • SPEED LIMIT IS 25
  • 25 MPH MAY BE TOO FAST IN CERTAIN CONDITIONS — USE GOOD JUDGMENT AROUND PLAYGROUNDS, PEDESTRIANS, ETC. AND IN HOURS OF DARKNESS

KEEPING THE COMMUNITY CLEAN

  • DO NOT LEAVE BEHIND TRASH IN COMMON AREAS
    SECURE YOUR TRASH AND BINS TO PREVENT LOOSE TRASH BEING BLOWN INTO NEIGHBORING YARDS AND COMMON AREAS
  • PICK UP AFTER YOUR PET
    DO NOT DISPOSE OF YARD WASTE IN GUTTERS/SEWERS TO PROTECT STORMWATER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM; BAG YARD WASTE FOR TRASH COLLECTION

Other Updates:

  • Free libraries are on the way! Recently, a homeowner attended a Board of Directors Meeting and asked for consideration of free libraries as a community amenity. Volunteers on the Grounds Committee did the research, the Board approved the proposal, and we can expect the libraries to be installed in the near future. We rely on your input to improve our community!
  • Keep our community free of pet waste! Did you know our community expects to spend $10,000 this year on pet waste stations? We have added locations and increased frequency of service this past year to accommodate increased need. Please use the receptacles and expect anyone walking your pet on your behalf to do so as well. Feel free to take an extra bag so that you have it on hand for the rest of your walk, rather than leave pet waste behind.

Community Activities:

The Activities Committee is looking for ad hoc volunteers to work on organizing activities you may have a particular interest in or as your time allows. If interested, contact our Community Manager (Darnell Robertson, POC info on page 1). Some activities that the committee is exploring are below, but please feel free to offer your own ideas:

  • Food trucks
  • Spring activities that are COVID safe
  • Charitable causes (e.g., food drives)

PWC No Trespass Program:

The Association has joined the Prince William County No Trespass program, which authorizes the Police Department to act on our behalf for purposes of enforcing trespassing laws. This enables police officers to notify persons trespassing on Association property that they are forbidden to do so, and to charge or arrest those who are found in violation of the trespassing laws. Remember that our community is private property, not open for uninvited guests of homeowners/residents.

Recent Increase in Vehicle Break-Ins:

In addition, there have been reports in our community and the surrounding area of an increase in vehicle break ins. The Association is gathering Neighborhood Watch program information to share with homeowners and encourage homeowners to practice T.L.C.

  • TAKE OUT VALUABLES: Do not leave valuables such as purses, wallets, keys, electronics, and firearms in cars parked on the street, in driveways or garages overnight.
  • LOCK YOUR VEHICLE: Unlocked doors provide quick and easy access to cars. Lock vehicles, even if it’s for a short time.
  • CALL THE POLICE: Report all thefts or suspicious activity to the Police. Emergency: 911
  • Non-Emergency: 703-792-6500

Other things you can do:

  • Light up your home. Make sure your porch, garage, and lamp post lights are in working order and turned on at night.
  • Replace bulbs or check the photocell on lamp posts.
  • Secure doors and windows. Close and lock doors and windows, and don’t forget the garage door(s).
  • Eliminate hiding places. Trim trees and shrubs and put away stools and ladders.

We’d Love to Hear From You!

Even with the convenience of virtual HOA meetings, we continue to struggle with homeowner awareness and involvement in our Community Association. With several high impact projects on the horizon, we encourage you to attend Board meetings when you can and offer your thoughts during Resident Open Forum.

You can also contact our Community Manager, Darnell Robertson, at your convenience and request membership to the Morris Farm HOA Facebook page to stay informed on upcoming events and news, as well as provide constructive input for Board consideration.

Finally, the community still needs an active Covenants Committee to assist the Board in reviewing Architectural Applications and revising the current Architectural Guidelines, as well as a Communications Committee to help create newsletter, Facebook page, and website content. If you are a homeowner whose account is in good standing and you are interested in volunteering for the Covenants, Communications, Activities, Pool, or Grounds Committees, please fill out the form provided in this mailing and return to SFMC.

Board of Directors
Meadows at Morris Farm Community Association