2000 Annual Homeowners Meeting

    Never in the history of the CHHA Board have so many homeowners participated in the election of new board members. Most of the interest centered on the Board candidates and their proposals for Chantilly Highlands.

   Over seventy homeowners were present with close to 500 proxies in their possession. Approximately 550 votes were cast which represents about 61% of the community. We reached a quorum for the first time since Centex relinquished their control in the late 1980’s.

   Thanks to everyone who voted and a special thanks to the candidates (at right) for their interest. Appreciation also goes to the outgoing board members John Brannock and John Neuberger who have served the community for many years. Jim Wright (the 3rd board member whose term expired) has been re-elected along with John Jaacks and Bill Wolff.

Opinions FOR and AGAINST Proposed Trail

Build the Parcel G Trail to Connect Our Community

A walking trail from Kinross Circle to the pool would directly benefit you and your family. The following are some of the reasons, compiled from homeowner letters and research:
Opens a natural, wooded area for you and your family to enjoy
   The natural, wooded area of Parcel G is our neighborhood park, centrally located with an open field, woods, and a magnificent 100-year old Sycamore tree. This land is owned by all of us in common, yet currently it is enjoyed by only a few because it is poorly accessible. The trail would open up this beautiful land for all of us to enjoy, including small children and parents with strollers who could not access this natural area without trail.
Shortens the walk to pool area for hundreds of Chantilly Highland homes
   Our neighborhood Town Center is the area of the pool/playground/community center. Improving walking access to this area will increase our sense of community and allow broader access to these facilities. The Parcel G trail would reduce the walking distance to the pool area from the Kinross/Scotsmore intersection by approximately half a mile, reducing the walking distance to the pool for over a third of Chantilly Highlands residents.
Puts all of Chantilly Highlands within 1 mile walk to Oak Hill Elementary School
   Our neighborhood Rush Hour occurs every weekday at 8:00a.m. and 3:00p.m. along Kinross Circle near Oak Hill School. Most children in the neighborhood are fortunate enough to have a short walk to Oak Hill, with the main exception being the northwest section of the community, which is more than one mile away by street. Building the trail would mean that every young child in the neighborhood would have less than one mile to walk to school. More children walking to school would mean less traffic backing up on Kinross every weekday. (Bus service would not change.)
Improves Safety
   Traveling along Kinross from Scotsmore to the pool area, a pedestrian encounters five street crossings and 30 driveways. The same trip along the trail would have only one crossing: a bridge crossing over a streambed. Most would consider this to be a much safer route to travel, especially for children. And according to Captain Steve Lipovsky, Chief of the Fair Oaks District of the County Police, walking trails in the county are not an attractor to crime relative to any other kind of public space.
Improves Property Values
   Where trails have been built before in Chantilly Highlands, property values for homes bordering the trail have generally increased, not decreased. Since the construction of the Horsepen Run Trail behind Ladybank Lane in 1991, homes bordering the trail have appreciated at least as fast as homes bordering unimproved common land. If trails didn’t have a positive effect on property values, why would the developers of Franklin Farm, Ashburton Manor, and South Riding build dozens of miles of trails, and why would real estate agents highlight community trails in their listings? Chantilly Highlands needs more trails to stay at a par with the amenities offered by competing communities.
The Parcel G Trail is Feasible and Affordable
   The feasibility of the trail and the cost estimate of $43,000 were established by the board based on a report by a reputable engineering and planning firm. (The report is available online at www.chha.org.) Fairfax County has had a Stream Valley Trail System for many years whose sole purpose has been to build hundreds of miles of trails in county parkland with similar topography to Parcel G. Nevertheless, a generous contingency of 25 percent was included in the estimate to account for unexpected glitches in the approval and construction of the trail. The funds for the trail would be taken out of existing reserves and would not require an increase in dues or any special assessment.
Vote for the trail in the upcoming survey

Objections To The Proposed Asphalt Path (Shortcut)

   It will cost you money. The actual cost estimate for the asphalt shortcut is not available – an engineering assessment has not been performed. Chantilly Highland dues have increased every year for the last several years. There is currently $160,000 in an interest-bearing account. While this money can be spent on a paved shortcut it could also be used to reduce the annual dues, pay off the $40,000 mortgage on the community center, etc. Voting no on the shortcut will send a clear message that you want your dues spent more effectively.
   It will increase the risk of crime. Fairfax County Police Captain Steve Lipovsky stated in a letter, “There is always a possibility that a new trail will provide an opportunity for a criminal act to occur that didn’t exist when the area was wooded or undeveloped”. Given the existing nature of crimes committed in Chantilly Highlands (four acts of vandalism and two acts of indecent exposure over a one month period from 11/5/99 to 12/5/99), it does not make sense to add another potential opportunity for crimes to occur. Noting that two of these crimes are of a sexual nature involving children, the shortcut becomes a risk to our children we cannot afford to take. Voting no on the shortcut issue is a vote to help protect our children from potential predators.
   It’s a safety issue. The proposed path cuts through a flood plain. There are times of the year when the area floods as is documented on a homeowner’s videotape. If a child using the shortcut during one of these floods is injured or killed and a lawsuit is raised, the entire community is financially liable. Also, the path as proposed will cut across the middle of the popular recreational hill behind Scotsmore Way. This will effectively eliminate safe usage of the hill in the winter. Voting no on this issue will reduce the risk of liability to the community.
   This proposed shortcut will negatively impact our neighbors. The construction of a six foot wide asphalt path to the community center will negatively impact many of our neighbors. An urban planner from Bengston, Debell & Elkin who authored the feasibility study of the proposed shortcut stated at the October 1999 Board meeting that the path may decrease the value of the community properties. The mission statement of the Board of Directors reads as follows:
   The purpose of the CHHA Board is to protect, preserve and enhance the quality of life of the residents of the community and the value of the property owned by the members individually and collectively.
   The spirit of this mission statement cannot be taken lightly. The creation of this shortcut would negatively impact the quality of life for the homeowners bordering this previously unspoiled natural area. One hundred percent of the families bordering the proposed shortcut have signed a letter to the Board of Directors stating their objection to the path. We have a responsibility as a community to protect the rights of all individual homeowners. Voting no on the shortcut issue will send a clear message that the rights of the individual are important to the health of the community.
   The proposed shortcut does not substantially enhance the community. Our community has well-kept and well-lit sidewalks with minimal traffic. There have been no reported pedestrian mishaps on the way to the community center since its inception. This shortcut will not enhance the safety of pedestrians and could in fact put them at risk. The proposed path will also not significantly shorten the distance to the community center or Oak Hill School. Less than 22% of the community stands to derive any benefit at all from this shortcut, and the maximum savings possible is only 700 yards. The common area behind Scotsmore Way is a lovely, secluded area, and the recreational hill is one of the most beautiful spots in the community. Access to this natural environment is currently accessible to all residents as an extension to the common area surrounding the playground. The shortcut will not enhance the accessibility but will destroy the natural beauty. Voting no on the shortcut issue will preserve one of the few natural areas remaining in the community.
   PLEASE vote NO when you receive your ballot along with your dues invoice. Help protect the safety and beauty of our community.

Look for the survey in the upcoming dues notification and take a moment to cast your vote in favor of the Parcel G trail. This will be your signal to the board that you want access to your beautiful common areas, that you want Chantilly Highlands to continue to improve and develop as a community, and that you simply want a better place to walk and live.

   Invoices for annual homeowner association dues will be mailed in February. The invoices will be addressed based on the best and latest information that we have regarding the owner, occupant, or agent for the lot. If you believe there is any chance that CHHA does not have your name, address, and other information, please take a few minutes to complete the database update form and return it to CHHA as soon as possible so the dues invoice will be delivered to you on a timely basis. This would be most applicable to anyone that purchased their house during 1999 or to tenants and renters whose occupancy began in 1999. This information is also used to control access to the community swimming pool. Your cooperation on this matter will be greatly appreciated.