Balmoral

ALERT - Recent Break-ins and Suspicious Activities

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 07:30:02 -0400

On September 1, the Communications Committee became aware of a recent break-in that occured in Balmoral, where burglars broke into a home in the middle of the night, evidentily looking for money, purses, and wallets. Thankfully, no residents were harmed. The circulation of this news by the Communications Committee sparked a flurry of other notices about various incidences that have occurred during the past 2-3 weeks across the area. This included tire slashing, suspicious door-to-door solicitation, and other eivdence of unwwanted intruders in the neighborhood. Our sources say that similar incidences have occurred in Little Rocky Run as well.

If an incident occurs, of course the resident should first report the circumstances to the Fairfax Police. Then, any useful summary information should be shared with the HOA leadership and/or Communications Committee. The Communications Committee is not a neighborhood watch program. However, without that timely sharing of first-hand knowledge about local safety matters, it is impossible for the Communications Committee to be helpful to all Balmoral residents (at least those signed up for our broadcast e-mails) about safety matters that could impact everyone in Balmoral.

We appreciate the recent notices, and several broadcast e-mails have been circulated as quickly as possible on these recent reports in an effort to keep everyone alert and safe.

Balmoral Communications Committee

Coyote Sighting in Balmoral

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:10:20 -0400

In a region with rather recent sightings of bear, bobcat and wild turkey, does it surprise you that coyotes are nearby as well? Well, it should not. Fairfax County's web site says they arrived in Northern Virginia in the 1970s, and there have been reports in The Washington Post for several years about coyote incidences in Fairfax, Alexandria and even Arlington.

And, YES, coyotes are in Balmoral as well....

Dr. Richard Nathan reported a coyote in his back yard on Tuesday morning August 17, 2010, and he watched the creature for about 20 minutes from the safe vantage point behind a picture window in his home. The coyote was clearly interested in two feral cats that the Nathans care for on their second story deck...

Coyotes are about two feet tall, and have lanky legs and short, mottled fur (often tawny or gray colored). They prefer woodland borders or brushy areas (the Nathans live on Balmoral Greens Ave. section of the community which adjoins Fairfax County's Bull Run Park). Coyotes are sometimes mistaken for a mangy gray or red fox, but they are very much a part of our regional wildlife.

Coyotes are smart, nocturnal and secretive; they generally are not confrontational and tend to avoid humans - they will normally run away if yelled at. However, especially when hungry enough or sick, a coyote can attack domestic cats, small and medium sized dogs, and even small children. The local press widely reported a 2005 coyote attack while a man was walking his dog on a leash as they were on a surburban sidewalk in Falls Church.

A sighting of a coyote acting abnormally or aggressively should be reported to the county police's non-emergency number - 703/691-2131.

Balmoral Communications Committee

HOA Board Meeting - Mon. Aug. 23

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 21:57:25 -0400

The Balmoral Greens HOA Board will have a meeting on August 23rd at 6:30 pm at Liberty Middle School in Room D108. If any of the committees have a report, please plan on attending the meeting. Residents are welcomed...

For questions, contact Ms. Kristine Caraway at KCaraway@NRPartners.com

Labor Day Monday - Clifton Car Show

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 11:52:21 -0400

2010 Clifton Cruising � Labor Day Monday September 6, 2010

9am to 3 pm � Main Street in Clifton

It is hard to believe that Labor Day is just around the corner. But for those who are staying in town and getting ready for the reality check of school starting, make a plan for this�

Join the town of Clifton for its annual Labor Day tradition � the antique car show and Main Street festival on Monday September 6, 2010. Sponsored and co-hosted by the Clifton Lions Club International and the Custom Cruisers of Northern Virginia, this 11th annual event raises money for the Lions Club charities and their efforts to support those in need; all charities selected provide their services for free (such as: Life with Cancer, the Old Dominion Eye Bank and Children�s Hospital). In doing this, the two clubs provide great community support and wonderful fun for hundreds and hundreds of visitors to and residents of the �greater Clifton metropolitan area.� This event should not be missed.

Last year, over 400 antique cars (including an amazing assembly of Corvettes) were on hand. Hot dogs, refreshments, balloons and car show awards and prizes will be part of the day's fun.

For information about the event, the Lions Club or Custom Cruisers, please contact Jim Chesley in Clifton at 703/830 � 2129, or jcchesley@aol.com.

HAPPY 4th of July!

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:06:00 -0400

Enjoy of most American of Holidays!

Balmoral Communications Committee

Apex Electric

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:13:32 -0400

Apex Electric Service, Inc.
Independence Business Center on Livingston Road in Manassas
P.O. Box 21
Clifton, VA 20124
703-815-5555
www.apex-electric.com
e-mail: info@apex-electric.com

Apex Electric fixed all of our electrical issues and upgraded our automated lighting system. They showed up when they were supposed to, completed the work in a reasonable amount of time, charged a very reasonable rate and were a pleasure to deal with. I would recommend them to anyone who needs electrical work done.

Clifton Elementary Review Saga Continues

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:37:37 -0400

For recent information on the ongoing review by the Fairfax County School Board as to the potential Clifton Elementary School closure, check out the pdf of this updated flyer posted to this web site. Follow this path:

Forms & Documents
Regional Affairs

Union Mill Elementary's PTA Board President appointed Ms. Alaine K. Walsh to be its representative on Fairfax County's Southwest Regional Planning Study Committee, which is the group that first addressed this issue starting in the spring of 2009. Ms. Walsh can be reached at either:

alainek@yahoo.com or 703/622-0239

You can also check out www.savecliftonelementary.org for new updates in other information.

New ARB Form - Alterations Application

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 21:54:53 -0400

On June 1, 2010, the ARB released a new application form for exterior alterations, effective April 2010. It replaces their prior form dated October 2007. To view this new form or print it, log in with your password and follow this path:

Forms & Documents
Residents Only
Architectural

VDOT Snow Letter - March 2010

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:03:37 -0500

- Please read the following note from our House of Delegates member Tim Hugo regarding his follow up with VDOT as to the snow removal issues in our area. A copy of the actual letter is stored on this web site. To read that letter, log in and go to Forms & Documents/Open Spaces...

Dear Friends,

Hello from Richmond! We are wrapping up a busy session here at the General Assembly and I am looking forward to coming home next weekend!

Although we are starting to see signs of spring in the Commonwealth, I am sure none of you have forgotten the terrible snow storms we had this winter. Along with the other Northern Virginia Delegates and Senators, I have signed a letter written by Delegate Bulova to Secretary of Transportation Sean Connaughton regarding the problems we experienced with snow removal management during these storms.

I have attached the letter for your information. Hopefully, Secretary Connaughton will take our concerns to heart and next winter VDOT will be more prepared for snow storms.

Thank you for your time. Please do not hesitate to contact me if there is something that I can do for you.

Regards,

Tim

Delegate Timothy D. Hugo
Virginia's Fortieth District
District: 703.968.4101
Fax: 703.569.6727
Richmond: 804.698.1040
DelTHugo@house.state.va.us

Snow & Trash Removal Update

Sat, 13 Feb 2010 08:00:00 -0500

- See our ongoing e-mail updates during the weather emergency of 2010...

TRASH REMOVAL HINDERED...
AAA Trash tried to navigate Balmoral on this past Friday, and it proved too difficult. We hope that next week of 2/15 will allow for normal pick-ups on Tuesday and Friday. Stay tuned...Please check their web site (www.aaatrash.com) and follow the HOA broadcast e-mails for updates (updated 2/13/2010).
Message of 2/13/2010

Conditions around the region have surely improved; many main roads are actually dry and in very good shape, although merge lanes, ramps and turn areas remain a challenge throughout Fairfax County. All major and subsidiary roads can become very slick at night, as �black ice� is now commonplace from your driveway to the Interstate highways. Many residential neighborhoods involving tens of thousands of citizens could use added snow plow attention, including Balmoral.

You should know that the HOA has reached out again to our local political leadership asking that our streets receive another plowing, particularly during a mid-day timeframe when the road slush is soft enough to move. In Balmoral and throughout the region, what is a choppy sea of daylight slush becomes more like an Arctic sea after sunset, which can severely impair driving and even damage many a vehicle.

There is the forecast of �snow or snow showers� for part of Monday and Tuesday, which is hard to be certain what that may exactly means at this moment�The Weather Channel may challenge the Olympics for viewership over the coming days.

BTW, several Balmoral residents, including the leadership, have commented about driving activity within our community. Drivers of all ages need to exercise patience and prudence during these extraordinary weather conditions. AAA Trash was even concerned that its huge, heavy trucks could slip off a road. Common sense tells us all that any excess of speed can make hazardous driving conditions become even more hazardous; and at the risk of stating the very obvious, tailgating and passing on slick roads only adds to the hazard and stress that we are all facing during this extreme period of weather.

Balmoral Communications Committee

Message from 2/11/2010

Everyone in Balmoral is understandably anxious as to when VDOT will get snow plows back into Balmoral, as no plowing has occurred since Wednesday morning due to the second storm. VDOT has been responsible for snow removal for the past several years with most of Balmoral�s roads. Of course, VDOT and the region are dealing with a snow storm of historic proportion.

You should know that several steps have already been taken to draw immediate attention to Balmoral. First, the HOA leadership has called VDOT and is networking further with personal contacts at VDOT and our political representatives to raise awareness for Balmoral. In particular, our Delegate Tim Hugo has been contacted by residents who are close friends to draw his attention to our needs. He, in turn, has also called VDOT on our behalf. Also, outreach has gone to Pat Herrity, George Barker, and Jim Webb. In addition, Eagle Contracting � who handles the snow removal for Balmoral�s pipe stems � has also been contacted. They have come throuogh our neigborhood, but their ability to perform their job is naturally constrained by the condition of the main roads�

VDOT�s formal communications offer cold comfort. The State�s web site lists the conditions of almost all roads in Northern Virginia as SEVERE, but for the Interstate highways. VDOT spokesmen are in the media saying that some secondary and residential roads in Fairfax, Prince William and Loudon Counties might not be addressed until as late as Thursday, and plowing will not be down to base pavement. One VDOT official said that residents should expect rutted roads in some neighborhoods until this melts. If that is true, it could also suggest school closure for much of the week.

The reality of the region�s situation is not encouraging. ABC News 7 tells us not to expect the snow to melt anytime soon � high temperatures will be in the low 30s the next few days. Federal and State Transportation officials are urging drivers to use common sense and not drive unless it is essential. WTOP's Dean of Traffic Bob Marbourg agreed that drivers need to realize if they're on the roads, they're interfering with snow clearing. He says people need to manage their own risks and know their own limitations about driving in snow.

As soon as the HOA leadership has any meaningful new information, it will be communicated ASAP via our e-mail system.

Balmoral Communications Committee