General
In a community the size of Meadows at Morris Farm, there are many things to know. On this page you will find a list of frequently asked questions and answers. Content on this page may not be the most current so please check with the Management Company and Governing Documents for an official answer.
A: Community associations (CAs) are created to increase property values. Through maintaining common areas and established standards acceptable for the community, rules, and regulations, property values can go up over time by keeping the overall community looking nice and somewhat cohesive.
The Meadows at Morris Farm CA is run by a volunteer homeowner board, elected by fellow homeowners.
Association business is conducted at monthly board meetings, which typically follow formal rules and set agendas. Some matters may need a vote by all the CA members to decide, while others only require a vote of the board.
A: Looking after common property might involve contracting services for mowing the grass, shoveling snow, repaving streets, cleaning up dead trees, and similar tasks. Trash collection, pool management, and activities of that nature also fall under the Association’s purview.
The Association is also responsible for ensuring residents follow regulations.
A: The purpose and intent of the governing rules and guidelines of the HOA and its volunteers and agents, is to help maintain property values, preserve and protect the beauty of the community.
The Association’s exact responsibilities and powers can be determined by consulting our governing documents, such as the Articles of Incorporation, Architectural Guidelines, Declaration, and Bylaws. Parts of these will describe the workings of the Association itself, but the rest describes what it can do, when, and how.
The Association’s authority covers things like the maintenance and upkeep standards owners are expected to meet as members of the Association. Part of living in the community typically includes agreeing to keep a home, its lawn, and surrounding property in good condition. Standards may apply to driveways, landscaping, and other aspects of a property. Many exterior modifications to your property require prior approval from the Covenants Committee, or Board of Directors if the Covenants Committee is inactive.
A: While limited to some extent by state and local laws, Association rules and regulations are also supported by them. This means that becoming a member involves entering into a legally binding contract. As long as the Association stays within its authority and its governing documents comply with state and local laws, courts will usually uphold their actions if an issue gets that far. While rules are officially set in documents, the Association can usually change them through a member vote or similar procedure, so there is recourse if a particular restriction or bylaw seems unfair.
Disciplinary actions by an Association are typically in the form of fines, but in more serious cases may go as far as a lien on the property. For a sufficient offense, the Association may even be able to foreclose on a home.
A: There are a variety of ways to pay for your Association dues including mailing payment using your coupon book. If you would like to explore alternate payment options available through SFMC, please click here. To access your account directly, click here.
A: No, the community developer did not build a traditional clubhouse for the community. The existing pool house has been evaluated structurally and it’s been determined not to be possible to renovate the existing building into a clubhouse. County building and zoning requirements would need to be evaluated to determine whether the current structure could be expanded beyond its existing footprint, or if an alternative site located within the community meets county building and zoning requirements. This is not an expense the community has voted to pursue at this time.
How do I?
A: As a planned community Meadows at Morris Farm has recorded covenants that require its owners to take certain actions to preserve the aesthetic nature and character of the community. One of these required actions is that owners must seek approval prior to making exterior modifications.
To submit an application for exterior modification for review, an owner must complete the Architectural Design Review Application. This form is available on the Association’s website, in our management company’s office, or in response to requests submitted by email.
Morris Farm’s Architectural Guidelines contain specific information on a variety of exterior modifications and owners should familiarize themselves with the guidelines related to their proposed improvement before completing a design review application.
Completed applications may be submitted via email, or dropped off in-person to the management office at 9464 Innovation Dr. Manassas, VA 20110. Phone: 703.392.6006
A: A complete application must include detailed information describing the proposed change (typically, plans and specifications including sketches, photos, catalog illustrations, etc. showing the nature, kind, shape, color, dimensions, and materials; and a copy of the survey/plat with the location clearly marked). Please ensure your application is complete upon submission in order to avoid delays.
An application submitted without all required submissions will be considered incomplete. In such a case, the Covenants Committee’s review period will not commence until all required submissions have been provided. Other exhibits may be requested to permit adequate evaluation of the proposed change.
If you have any questions regarding the required submissions or the application process, please contact SFMC at 703.392.6006 or email.
A: Walk-in applications are accepted at the meeting; please note that the committee may not be able to review with you directly as their agenda typically includes scheduled appointments and business items.
In response to requests for expedited review, the committee members have agreed to perform an expedited review of applications outside of their regularly scheduled meetings if the following conditions are met:
- All members must be available to review the application
- All members must unanimously agree to review the application
- Any member may opt to defer consideration to the next regularly scheduled meeting
The time frame for responding to a request for expedited review varies. The committee members will make every effort to provide a timely response however, as the committee members are volunteers, not employees of the Association, their availability outside of a meeting is not certain. Please be aware that not every request for expedited review can be honored. Applications that cannot be reviewed in an expedited manner will automatically be referred to the next regularly scheduled Covenants Committee meeting.
If you have questions or need more information about the Architectural Review Application process, or any other Covenants-related matter, please contact SFMC at 703.392.6006 or email.
A: Residents will register for and access pool passes online. Each pass holder will be assigned a unique barcode, which will be scanned at the pool to gain entry. The barcode may be scanned from a smartphone or other mobile device or printed out. A barcode is required for each owner, tenant, or child age four (4) or older to use the pool facility. Unit owners are responsible for providing barcodes to their tenants.
Any owner who is more than 60 days delinquent in their assessment will not receive a pool pass barcode until the balance is brought current.
Visit www.poolregistration.com and click on “Create account.” You will be taken to the registration page. One resident will register as the owner (if you have tenants) or head of household so that there is a primary point of contact on file for all registrants. Refer to this guide for “how to register” instructions and frequently asked questions.
A: Each household may purchase guest passes for up to 10 individual visits per pass through the lifeguards at the pool house or through the community manager. Passes may only be purchased by check only, made payable to Meadows at Morris Farm.