HOA & COA News

View the proposed 2020 budgets for MVF-managed home corporations.

Note: Associations with no amount listed for 2021 will be updated in the September 6 issue of the Village News.

Parking, parking, parking

by the East Village Board of Directors

In East Village, parking is always at a premium. In the spirit of being neighborly, please remember these rules for private dwelling units, community property and commercial vehicles. These rules are enacted to promote the safety of Village residents, maximize property values and utilize the limited community parking to the fullest.

For private dwelling units, vehicles may be only parked in a garage or carport, or on a paved driveway leading to the unit where applicable. It is the expectation that residents use these amenities on their property. Residents should not convert the garage or carport into a storage space or other use that does not permit parking a vehicle.

On community-owned property, vehicles may be only parked on paved sections of East Village community-owned private streets and designated parking areas. All vehicles shall be parked within curb markings where markings are provided.

Please be advised that a commercial vehicles are not permitted to be parked on community or private property between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. unless they are completely enclosed within the garage of a private dwelling unit and do not create a nuisance through the generation of noise. Commercial vehicles are defined as any vehicle with any type of writing or printing of any kind, type or description (letters, pictures, insignia) other than that provided by the manufacturer. Vehicles that carry ladders, pipes, etc. will be considered commercial vehicles. Police and other governmental vehicles that would otherwise meet the criteria elsewhere herein provided (other than markings) are permitted. These types of vehicles are

All parking spaces are owned by the East Village Homes Corporation, and there is no enforcement of the RESERVED use of the spaces by East Village Homes Corporation, private security or Montgomery County. Residents and their visitors are to act on a “good neighbor” basis regarding parking in any other unit owner’s reserved space. If an unauthorized vehicle is parked in any other unit owner’s reserved parking space, you can request to have it towed by contacting the towing company contracted by the board. You will be asked to provide your space number and a description of the vehicle (i.e., color, license plate number, make and model). You will also be requested to sign the tow ticket, should this become necessary.

East Village Echo: for residents of The Downs, The Reach, The Estates, Essex Place II, Candle Ridge, Gablefield, Glenbrooke, Meadowgate, Ashford, Holly Pointe and Wethersfield.

Eastgate Homes Corporation Candidate Statements

by the Eastgate Board of Directors

The following statements have been submitted for candidates for the Eastgate Homes Corporation Board of Directors.

Jeffrey Amtmann
I would like to remain on the East Gate Homes Corp. Board of Directors for another three-year term. I have been a board member since 2000, and enjoy volunteering to improve the quality of our neighborhood.

I moved to East Gate in April 1999, and like the quality of life in Montgomery Village. There is always room for improvement, so I want to continue to serve my community and neighborhood faithfully. I derive satisfaction from being involved in maintaining our neighborhood by participating in our board meetings to represent Hickory Grove and Wood Edge homes. I have learned a lot about what it takes to keep our HOA functioning properly during my 20 years of service.

I am a proud graduate of NC State class of 1987, with a degree in horticulture and landscape architecture. This has allowed me to help our board develop programs for tree maintenance, entrance sign improvements, seasonal flower rotations, and offering recommendation to our board about best value. My knowledge is valuable for quality control since our landscape maintenance and other construction tasks are performed by contractors not affiliated with MVF.

I have spent my entire professional career as a project manager for a Gaithersburg based site work contractor. Therefore, I am knowledgeable about asphalt paving, concrete sidewalks, and general maintenance. Currently, I have 7 years’ service employment at Montgomery County Department of Environmental Protection as a construction representative. I am now also knowledgeable about storm water management, algae control, streams, and associated watershed concerns.

I also have a personal interest in keeping our neighborhood beautiful and visually attractive. I am aware of concerns about crime, dog waste, and litter issues. I would like to be granted the opportunity to serve on our board for another term so I may assist in properly managing dues by careful spending, and wise management of existing infrastructure. I look forward to volunteering on our board for my 7th term. Thank you for your vote and continued support.

Kayla Jones
My name is Kayla Jones and I would like to tell you a little bit about myself. I have been a resident of Montgomery Village since 2004 and have worked as a Financial Program Analyst for over 13 years and currently work for the Federal Government. I served on the Eastgate Board for the past year and feel that my knowledge and experience has served to benefit the Eastgate Community. I moved into Eastgate in 2012 and part of my selection for this community was the beauty, quietness and how well family oriented the neighborhood seem to be. Since becoming a member of Eastgate Board it has allowed me to have a better understanding of all the minor day-to-day involvement in being able to keep our community great while addressing valid issues and concerns which made us want to be a resident. I would like the opportunity to serve again in the upcoming term and help make our community a great place to live. Thank you.

Eric Olson
I would like to remain on the Eastgate Homes Corporation Board of Directors for an additional term. I joined the board in 2013, have been a resident for 13 years, and have been an active neighborhood watch block captain for 5 years. I am a software analyst with attention to detail and wish to continue serving.

Board membership has allowed me to directly participate in addressing concerns regarding security, maintenance, litter, general complaints, and beautification of Eastgate. Before joining, I found myself periodically sending a variety of reports to EGHC on such matters as security, maintenance, and litter issues. It was at that point the board encouraged me to become more directly involved, given my active participation.

Spring is right around the corner!

by the Maryland Place Board of Directors

An issue that continues to be a problem, and the board receives constant complaints from residents about, is trash. Residents are seen placing plastic bags of trash, recycling bins, paper leaf bags, furniture, appliances, etc. on community property daily! Not only is this unsightly and unsanitary, it’s also against Montgomery County law and the Maryland Place by-laws.

All trash and recycling is to be stored on your property in a sealed rat/vermin-proof container at all times. Trash or recycling should never be placed on community property. As a result of all the plastic bags of trash left on community property, we now have a major rat problem. We are providing them with a buffet of food, in easy to chew through plastic bags.

The board has contracted Orkin to place rat bait stations throughout the neighborhood. These stations are child and pet proof. This service is not cheap, and the board will monitor it to see if it is helping with the rat problem.

As a reminder, all trash is to be placed in a rat/vermin-proof container for collection on Sunday and Wednesday nights, after dark, at the rear of your property. Trash is picked up on Monday and Thursday mornings. Recycling is to be placed in the front of your property on Wednesday night after dark, for collection on Thursday morning. At no time should trash or recycling ever be placed on community property.

Maryland Place Messages: for residents of Maryland Place.

Middle Village Annual Meeting ballot submission extended

by the Middle Village Homes Corporation Board of Directors

The members present at the meeting Tuesday, July 28 via Zoom for the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Homeowners of Middle Village HOA voted unanimously to extend the ballot submission window to all members in good standing until Friday, Aug. 7 at 1 p.m. All homeowners who previously cast their ballots prior to the awareness of the two (2) nominations from the floor at the meeting and would like to rescind their votes can do so using the new ballot. If you had not previously submitted a ballot, please use this unprecedented opportunity to submit your ballot using the fillable ballot form that were sent by e-mail and make your vote count for three of these candidates who will each serve a 3-year term.

Please check your e-mail for the new ballot forms to be submitted. All ballots must be received via e-mail to Ekweti@comsource.com or via fax to 301-924-7340 no later than 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7. Upon receipt of ballots prior to the deadline, they will be counted and results will be announced no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 7.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Edna Kweti at Ekweti@comsource.com or 301-924-7355.

Towing

The current Middle Village Parking policy states:

"All vehicles parked overnight in the community are required to display a MVHC parking tag/permit or they are subject to immediate towing. For purposes of these Rules, overnight is defined as parking a vehicle in MV anytime between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m."

"Parking tag/permit must be clearly/properly displayed, on the driver’s side, facing the front windshield, on vehicles parked in a reserved parking space, or parked in the community overnight. Tags/permits can be hung from the rearview mirror or taped to the driver’s side dashboard or front windshield, front side facing toward the windshield."

"Failure to properly display the current year’s parking tag/permit will lead to immediate towing – even if vehicle is parked in the appropriate reserved parking space. No warnings or notifications will be issued."

“No commercial vehicles or trailers of any type, campers, or recreational vehicles shall be permitted to remain overnight on either the property of a private dwelling unit or on the community-owned property within Middle Village. For purposes of these rules, overnight is defined as parking a vehicle between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.”

“Commercial vehicles include vehicles with any type of writing or printing (letters, words, pictures, insignia, etc.) identifying a firm, organization, service, product, etc., of any kind, type or description. All vehicles carrying ladders, pipes, ladder racks, truck-loaded tools or truck-loaded tool boxes, etc., will be considered commercial. Vans used for delivering, storing or transporting goods or cargo are also considered to be commercial vehicles and are prohibited from remaining overnight in the community. Police vehicles are exempted.”

“No commercial vehicles (including commercial pickup trucks) shall be permitted to remain overnight in the community. Pickup trucks must not have ladder racks, truck-loaded tools or truck-loaded toolboxes. Further, pickup trucks may not park overnight in the community with any cargo, items or material of any kind in the truck bed (landscaping debris, tools, boxes, trash, equipment, etc.) that exceeds the height of the truck bed sides or that extends beyond the tailgate. Pickup trucks with cargo that meet this description will be considered commercial vehicles and are not permitted to park in the community overnight. Violations are subject to immediate towing.”

Assessments

We live in a community that requires every homeowner to pay assessment fees. Assessments are used to pay contractors for landscaping, snow removal, trash collection, collection of illegally dumped trash, lighting, repairs on community property, etc. If you are a homeowner, you were provided with this information during closing.

Reminder: Assessments are due to be paid monthly. Your payment must be received by ComSource on or before the 15th of the month to avoid late charges. Your regular payments allow us to continue providing services to our community.

Homeowners who are delinquent with their assessment payments must pay their past due balance in full or make arrangements to pay them. The first step to making payment arrangements is contacting Edna Kweti at 301-924-7355 or e-mail ekweti@comsource.com.

Important Contact Phone Numbers

Security on Demand                       877-241-1265
Big Tow                                           301-424-4869
Potomac Disposal                           301-294-9700
Montgomery County Police
Non-emergency                              301-279-8000
Emergency                                      911
ComSource                                     301-924-7355

Contacting ComSource

ComSource is our management company. If you have a comment or complaint, please include your name, address, phone number, location of issue/problem and specific details in your correspondence or when you are leaving a phone message for the property manager.

Contact ComSource at 301-924-7355 or e-mail ekweti@comsource.com or sumali@comsource.com.

Board Meeting Schedule

The next Middle Village board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 25. The final meeting date for 2020 is Tuesday, Oct. 27. All meetings will be held virtually via Zoom until further notice and the virtual meeting information is provided via e-mail. To receive the meeting information and any other Middle Village community notices, provide your e-mail address to Edna Kweti (ekweti@comsource.com) or Shirley Umali (sumali@comsource.com) at ComSource, or call the ComSource Office at 301-924-7355.

Middle Village Voice: for residents of Thomas Choice West and Clubside.

How the pandemic impacts our finances

by the North Village Board of Directors

Here’s a brief update of where we are financially, especially since meetings have not occurred or have been virtual due to the pandemic. We are incurring lower costs for the year through May than budgeted. This is primarily due to a delay in maintenance expenses of approximately $30,000 year to date. We were fortunate that we had minimal snow removal in that time period as well.

Unfortunately, following this delay, our expenses will go up rapidly. Approximately 55 trees and shrubs need immediate attention, either with pruning or bringing them down. This continues a trend that we have seen over the last several years, particularly with the Pin Oaks that have been hit with a disease that pervades Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. As usual, our community manager made sure to solicit bids from multiple vendors so we could get the best price for the services.

Don’t dump that stuff!
Bulk trash costs continue to soar. The other number that is scary and really requires everyone’s help is the bulk trash (a.k.a. dumping large household material). Every time a special call has to be made to our special vendor to pick up the bulk trash that was left out, we have to pay for that separately. Ultimately, the “we” is all of us in the North Village community. If you see neighbors putting out bulk trash, please ask that they call Potomac Disposal for one of their bulk pickups, if they haven’t already.

Delayed household trash pickup
Recently, Potomac Disposal has seen seven of their drivers test positive for COVID-19. Unfortunately, the drivers cannot return to work until they are cleared by the state. The loss of seven commercial drivers has a huge effect on their services. Trash was picked up late this past week prior to July 4, but the delays may continue for a few more weeks. Check www.montgomeryvillage.com/communities/village-communities/north-village-homes-corporation for updates.

Below is the remaining holiday trash schedule for 2020. The holidays with an asterisk (*) indicate that the county transfer facility is closed. If one of these holidays falls on a service day (Monday or Thursday), North Village will have service the following day (Tuesday or Friday). The schedule will be fluid depending on driver health status.

Parking violations
Overnight parking is defined to be between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. If a violation exists for a period of 12 months or more and the owner has not requested a hearing, the board may suspend the designated reserved parking space of the unit. The owner will be notified in writing if the board intends to suspend the use of the designated reserved space within the following 45 days.

The North Village Parking Policy states that the board may institute legal action for outstanding violations of these policies, and property owners will be liable for attorney fees and costs. Any outstanding violations will become a part of the resale disclosure statement concerning the property.

Important numbers to keep
Security APS - 240-631-2399
Potomac Disposal - 301-294-9700
MC Recycling – New Blue Bins - Scrap Metal 311
Pepco - 877-737-2662
WSSC - 301-206-4001

Next Meeting
The next regular North Village board meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20 in the North Creek Board Room, 20125 Arrowhead Road (unless we are required to be online). Please remember that if you wish to address the board, you must arrive at the start of the meeting and sign in. Our corporate calendar is posted online at www.montgomeryvillage.com. If you have any questions or want to report any problems, call Community Manager April Steward at 240-243-2327.

North Village View: for residents of Essex Place, Highland Hall, McRory, Perry Place, Picton, Pleasant Ridge and Salem’s Grant.

Parking amendments in the works

by the Northgate Board of Directors

Please be patient as the board finalizes parking amendments that will help many residents. In order to allow residents of Apple Ridge, Overlea, McKendree I and McKendree II communities to have a better chance to park in their individual subdivisions, new parking policies will be put into effect. There will be no changes for four areas. Dorsey’s Regard and Shadow Oak have two reserved spots per house, the maximum that can be allocated. Williams Range and The Points have driveways and double garages.

The proposed amendments will be mailed to all homeowners. Again, please be patient as they are finalized, passed by the attorney and enforcement logistics worked out.

In other news, the board will continue to meet remotely for the foreseeable future. The next board meeting is in September. Any questions should be directed to NorthgateHC@comsource.com.

Northgate News: for residents of Apple Ridge, Dorsey's Regard, McKendree I & II, Overlea, The Points, Shadow Oak and Williams Range.

Patton Ridge updates

by the Patton Ridge Board of Directors

The Patton Ridge Homes Corporation has continued its work during these difficult times. The common spaces of our community have been maintained, and essential maintenance issues have been addressed. The board’s June and July meetings were held via web conference. Thank you to our residents who have been in communication with the board and to those who have participated in our virtual meetings.

There are several projects that have started within or near the community. Monument Realty has begun construction on the new development, Bloom Village, which is on the grounds of the former golf course. This project is impacting residents in multiple areas of Patton Ridge, and we recognize the inconvenience caused by this work for the long-term benefit of the Village. Colonial Pipeline’s project near Montgomery Village Avenue and Duffer Way is underway and should be completed in about three weeks. Colonial is excavating the pipeline, inspecting it and conducting much needed maintenance. WSSC is also completing pipeline replacement work near Duffer Way.

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to unfold, we encourage our residents to follow the guidance of public health officials and look out for your neighbors. We also encourage residents to confirm their voter registration and complete their 2020 Census form. The Maryland voter registration deadline is Tuesday, Oct. 13, and the deadline for completing the 2020 Census was extended to Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Patton Ridge Report: for residents of Arrowhead, Fairway Islands, Fairidge, Greentee I & II, Highfield and Partridge Place I & II.

Parking permit pickup resumes

by the South Village Board of Directors

The MVF Office is open, and South Village Homes Corporation has resumed Parking Permit pickup. South Village residents may come to the office, 10120 Apple Ridge Road, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, through Friday, Aug. 14 to pick up their parking permits.

Please carefully review the instructions below in order to be issued your parking permit. South Village residents will need:

• ID and vehicle registration for no more than 2 vehicles, for verification on the day you come for your passes (permits will not be issued without it).
• Completed “Parking Permit Form.” Signature is required. Forms must be filled out in advance of coming to the office. Due to COVID-19 changes at the office, there is not an area for visitors to fill out the form on site.
• Tenants or landlords must also provide a copy of the “Current Lease Agreement” and “Owner Permit Release Form” (both required) with the Parking Permit Form.

Please note:

• Parking Permit and Owner Permit Release forms are previously mailed and are also available online at www.montgomeryvillage.com/communities/village-communities/south-village-homes-corporation. For more information, e-mail lroberts@mvf.org.
• Parking enforcement requiring the display of permits begins on Monday, Aug. 17.
• If you are not in good standing with the association, you will not be issued a parking permit. If you have a parking spot on community asphalt, it will be removed.
• Unauthorized vehicles per the parking policy are not eligible to be registered.

The South Village Board of Directors appreciates your patience, cooperation and compliance while we work to improve the community.

South Village Scenes: for residents of Center Stage, Dockside, Grover's Forge, Hamptons, Millrace, Nathan's Hill and Walker's Choice.

Parking update

by the Stedwick Board of Directors

COVID-19 has become a major feature in our lives. As a consequence of the pandemic, many Stedwick residents are faced with disruptions, which have had serious consequences, affecting employment and financial security. In turn, this impacts many areas such as physical and mental health, housing, schooling and transportation. Routines of daily life have been either modified or placed on hold. But this situation will eventually end, and things will begin to return to "normal."

The Stedwick board is well aware that in many of our neighborhoods, the current disruption has made an already difficult and long-standing parking problem even worse. The parking problem has evolved in the 50 years since Stedwick was built. The current level of resident vehicle ownership-per-dwelling-unit has increased well beyond anything originally anticipated. During residents time at our board of directors meetings, we hear from frustrated residents about parking issues. Each month the board receives testimony with complaints about the parking situation in our neighborhoods. Accidents due to improperly (and illegally) parked cars have occurred. In some of our neighborhoods, parking issues have risen to confrontational situations requiring police intervention. As hopeful as we are that the impact of the pandemic will soon subside, bringing some relief, the parking in the Stedwick community will continue to be a significant problem.

We have instituted some remedies. Our security service continues to be aggressive with the marking of “stored” vehicles, and the maintenance staff is removing traffic cones and other items being used to improperly or illegally reserve parking spaces. Please refer to the Stedwick policies available in the "Community Policies" section of the Stedwick Homes Corporation website, www.stedwickhc.com for additional information on parking, reserved parking and general vehicular guidelines.

For some time, the Stedwick board has been considering the parking issue, and we are now nearing the time to develop, propose and adopt more aggressive parking policies. These might include distribution of parking permits (restricting each unit to a maximum allocation of permits); denying parking permits to households in arrears on assessments; towing vehicles failing to display a permit; charging a substantial payment for the replacement of "lost" permits; etc.

As a part of this review process, the board will also be considering approaches and policies that have been implemented in other areas of Montgomery Village. Other Village associations have recently adopted parking rules mandating assigned/permitted spaces for individual units and requiring residents in good financial standing to apply for and display stickers or tags in their vehicles. In some communities, permits are assigned to individual units based on the existence of a garage, driveway (1 car and 1 visitor) or blacktop-only (2 cars and 1 visitor) status. Overnight parking (11 p.m. to 5 a.m.) for vehicles is limited to those displaying approved identification. Infractions such as driveway or lane blockage, illegal fire lane parking, outstanding violations and reserved space violations are subject to immediate towing.

Do we have your attention?

The board is aware that several of the revised or additional policy alternatives and restrictions under consideration would likely result in additional administrative coordination and costs. We also understand that they may cause inconvenience or distress to some residents. It is the intention of the board to balance possible options carefully and to keep the Stedwick community informed, employing electronic, print and mail. We are also considering inviting residents to participate in a future community-wide forum on the parking issue.

As of this writing, COVID-19 restrictions have affected Village facilities and functions (including cancellation or postponement of classes, programs and board meetings). However, the Stedwick board continues to request your active participation and comment by speaking with us during residents time at the beginning of our monthly "Virtual Board Meetings" (on the third Wednesday of each month), which begin at 7:30 p.m. If you have suggestions, questions or concerns, and wish to participate, you must make a request in advance to receive the link and required password. Please contact our Stedwick Homes Corporation community management team at 240-243-2326; e-mail stedwickhc@mvf.org; or consult our community website, www.stedwickhc.com.

Stedwick Signals: for residents of Club Hill, Clusters of Stedwick I, II, III, Forest Brooke, Frenchton Place, Ridges of Stedwick and The Heights

Happy New Year!

by the Thomas Choice Condominium Board of Directors

Happy New Year, Thomas Choice Condominium!

Along with welcoming the new year, it is the hope of the board of directors and management that all residents take the time this year to become well informed and intentionally aware of the many moving parts of the community. You are invited and encouraged to attend all of the 2020 board of directors meetings, starting with our upcoming meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 13 in the North Creek Board Room, 20125 Arrowhead Road. You will find all of the meeting dates posted online at www.montgomeryvillage.com or in the Village News.

Questions may be submitted to Community Manager Liana Roberts at lroberts@mvf.org by 5 p.m. the day before each meeting. Feel free to forward questions in advance of the meetings so that management can provide you with the most accurate information. Communitywide understanding of the cost to operate, maintain reserves and maintain the community is imperative in the efforts and strides to keep Thomas Choice Condominium a wonderful place to call home.

Lastly, please note Thomas Choice Condominium is not reissuing parking passes for 2020. Please make sure to carefully read any and all correspondence received and ensure that the community name is Thomas Choice Condominium and not another community within Montgomery Village.

Thank you, and best wishes for the new year!

Not so lazy days in Whetstone

by the Whetstone Board of Directors

However the pandemic is affecting you, there is a silver lining to living in Whetstone. We can escape the news and let our minds be refreshed by wandering through our community that is graced by cool, tree-lined streets and paths. Our lakeshore and new dock also allow us to enjoy nature right in our back yards.

The Whetstone board is working to ensure that our neighborhoods stay as inviting and pleasant to live in for many years to come. Earlier this summer, we repaired a long stone wall along the lake path below Freestate Place and trimmed 132 trees in Goshenside. The tree trimming is part of a multi-year effort to improve the health of our trees and to guard against excessive storm damage due to limbs in poor health. This fall we will identify trees for removal and subsequent replanting.

Next, we will be repainting the community curbs where we have fire hydrants, crosswalks and fire-lanes. This will entail 50 separate locations and over 2,600 linear feet of curbs. Please look for yellow marking on the curbs near your home, and if possible, edge the lawn so that the full height of the curb is exposed for painting.

The largest maintenance effort we have every year involves repairs to our sidewalks, curbs, streets and paths. We have developed a watch list for the community and identified over 60 sites that are in various stages of decline. This year we have added over two dozen new areas of concern. This list is prioritized according to need, with the highest category identifying areas that could be tripping hazards, where the roadway surface has become dislodged, or the subsurface has failed creating depressions. We will use this list to create our Request for Pricing (RFP) from paving contractors in a competitive bidding process. The winning company should start repairs sometime this fall.

One last item: the display of election posters in our community is allowed, but only 60 days prior to Election Day and 14 days afterward. So if you already have them up, please put them away until September, and please take them down two weeks after Election Day. Let’s be respectful of people wanting to have their opinions shown, but also show that we are a community that respects our covenants.

In an effort to communicate more effectively with our residents, the WHC board would like to update our board e-mail list. This allows you to receive meeting notices, agendas, emergency information, etc. This is not a neighborhood discussion forum. If you are not on the current list or have changed your provider, just send an e-mail to vermillion.whc@gmail.com.

Whetstone Watch: for residents of The Courts, Goshenside, Lakeside and the Ridges of Whetstone.