ON BEING A GOOD NEIGHBOR
Anytime lots of people live in
close proximity to each other there are going to be issues related to
neighbors. We ask everyone to remember that each building houses 14 units and so
it Is important for us all to observe some common sense rules.
All
Condominiums at Woodburn residents, whether owners or renters, are expected to
know the material contained in this article. Please be advised that you are
also expected to adhere to information contained here in. The Association
encourages the head of each household to review this material and ensure that
all residents of their unit are apprised of this information.
Condominium Living
Living in a condo is not
like living in an apartment or a single family home. The operation of a condo is based on the
Association's governing documents, rules and regulations. Each unit owner in a
condo has an interest, financial and otherwise, in the successful operation of
the property. Common rules exist and are necessary to ensure the health, safety
and peaceful enjoyment for all of those residing at the condominium. Unlike
other settings and within the framework of governing statutes, ordinances,
bylaws, rules and regulations, the Association determines much of what you can
and can't do in a condo setting.
Rules and Covenants
Condominium properties maintain lists of rules,
covenants and bylaws, as well as operating policies and procedures. All
residents are expected to adhere to them faithfully to help ensure the overall
healthy operation of the community. Rules are subject to change, from time to
time, and once rule changes are published, all residents are expected to be aware of them and adhere to them. A list of
rules governing the Condominiums at Woodburn appears as part of this article.
Please ensure each member of your household is
aware of them. This list of rules however is NOT comprehensive. While the most
important rules are outlined, details regarding rules and covenants appear in
the Association's bylaws, policy resolutions and in the public offering
statement/resale packets for the Condominium. While adherence to the rules
contained here-in should ensure you are within the bounds of what is
acceptable, all residents are expected to be aware of the more detailed items
referenced above.
Common Elements
Common elements
are those parts of the property that are shared by everyone or that are under
control of the Condominium rather than an individual homeowner. These include
our hallways, grounds, laundry rooms, etc. Residents may not modify the common
elements without seeking prior Association approval. Requests for changes to
common elements must be made to the board of directors or its designee.
Generally, when these changes are approved, the Association carries them out,
NOT individual homeowners.
Modifications to the Interior of Units/Architectural Review
Approval by the Association is required when making internal changes to
your unit There are limitations to modifications within units that are
permitted, and any significant change you wish to make to your unit's interior
configuration requires review by the board of directors or its designee. This
means that you cannot erect or take down walls, reconfigure plumbing or
electrical items, etc., without first receiving approval to do so. Those who do
not seek and obtain prior approval can, and usually will, be forced to reverse
any changes made contrary to the preceding part of this paragraph at their own
expense. Remember, you own or reside in a condominium unit that is a
multi-family dwelling and unlike a single-family house; work done in your unit
can significantly impact others. Again, residents may not install walls or
create additional rooms of any kind. Plumbing and electrical configurations are
also not subject to modification.
Plumbing and electrical components. This mandate is
not optional. Any resident refusing entry to their unit will be referred to the
Association's attorneys for legal action. It is understood that everyone wants
to enjoy privacy within their own home and gaining access to your unit is not
something the Association takes lightly. However, unlike a single-family home
where you have absolute control over entrance and egress, you live on a
property where what happens in your unit impacts the health, safety and
peaceful enjoyment of others in their condominium units (hereinafter referred
to as a unit).
Unit Occupancy
To ensure the
effective operation of all of our systems and to facilitate the health, safety
and peaceful enjoyment of all residents, generally, units may NOT be regularly
occupied by more persons than can be accommodated by having 2 persons per
bedroom. Rooms other than bedrooms may NOT be used for long-term occupancy.
Resident owners are expected to observe these guidelines, while those in leased
units must observe them, keeping in mind the Association can act to terminate
leases of violators.
Dens and Bedrooms
Woodburn
has various sized units and technically, 1-bedroom/den units are not the same as
2 bedroom units and 3 bedroom/den units are not 4 bedroom units. Some owners
choose to so advertise their units when selling to maximize prices. The
Association will not interfere with that choice, but required resale packets
list the units as they appeared in the original documents. Remember too that
occupancy guidelines must be observed. For example, the maximum number of
occupants in a 2-bedroom unit is 4, but in a 1-bedroom/den unit it is only 3.
This is because the den area in a 1-bedroom/den unit is smaller than a 2bedroom
unit and these units only contain 1bathroom whereas 2- bedroom units contain
1.5 bathrooms. On the other hand, the den in three bedroom/den units is quite
large and can be used to provide sleeping quarters for two persons.
Associations Right
to Entrx
ALL
residents are required to have a passkey registered with the office. These keys
are used to gain entry to your unit in the event of an emergency and/or to
perform periodic preventive maintenance to your unit's HVAC,
Leasing and
Selling of Units
Owners are
permitted to lease units, but must keep in mind they are responsible for all
actions of their tenants and will be held so accountable. Tenants are expected
to know and abide by all Association rules, bylaws and covenants and failure to
ensure they do will result in charges
against the owner leasing the unit. Units may be leased only according to
Association leasing guidelines, and using Association approved leases and
attachments. No unit may be initially leased for less than six months, and the
leasing of rooms within units is not permitted. Units may not be used to house
transient persons or otherwise serve as a `boarding house' environment. There
are no exceptions to this policy. While certainly all residents are permitted to
have guests, past a point, long-term guests must be considered residents and
the number of residents in any given unit must comply with occupancy limits.
When selling a unit you are REQUIRED to obtain a resale packet and you must
ensure when selling the unit that all Association rules, including occupancy
limits, are observed. New owners must file a settlement sheet with the Site
Office in order to obtain parking permits, etc.
The following
list summarizes many of Woodburn's rules and guidelines and was formally
adopted by the Board of Directors as an official rules summary. The list is not
meant to be exhaustive and all residents are responsible for knowing and
abiding by all community rules and regulations. For additional information,
contact the Association Office.
In general,
residents of one unit may not unreasonably infringe on the peaceful enjoyment' of
another resident in their own home at any time. Remember that soundproofing is
minimal at Woodburn and act accordingly. Bylaws specifically prohibit residents
of one unit disturbing residents of another in any fashion. Simply put, undue
noise is not permitted.
Association quiet hours extend
from 11:00 PM until 8:00 AM. During this time, residents must be especially cautious about noise
they make including TV's, stereos, vacuuming, boisterous activity, etc.
All residents
are responsible for respecting the rights of other residents by being as quiet
as possible when outside their units. This includes hallways, parking lots and
children playing in designated play areas. Residents are reminded to please
refrain from permitting doors to slam shut.
Residents are
responsible for the activities of all family members and guests.
Floor covering sufficient to reduce
the transmission of noise is required. At least 80% of any floor above another
unit must be covered with carpet and padding, as needed.
Effective
January 1, 2005, any vehicle parked on Woodburn property must display an
Association issued parking permit of some kind, or is subject to towing without
further notice.
Each unit is assigned ONE
reserved parking space, and two permanent visitor passes. Additional visitor
passes may be obtained at the discretion of the Site Office. Additional parking
permits may be purchased at the Site Office, but doing so does not guarantee a
parking spot.
The resident assigned the space
or his/her designee only must occupy reserved parking spaces. This includes
other residents or visitors merely picking up or dropping off persons or items
who also may not park in another resident's assigned space.
Storage of vehicles is not
permitted. Vehicles that appear derelict, that are left covered or not moved
for several weeks, are subject to towing. When a resident knows they will be
away for an extended period and have left their car parked in a space other
than their reserved space they should alert the Site Office.
inclement weather does not void the parking policy unless a
special notice is issued indicating that the policy is lifted. When it snows, residents must ensure their space
number and the word "reserved" are visible, or the towing company
will not tow a vehicle occupying your space.
When the Association issues
notices about work to the parking lots requiring that vehicles be moved, they
are subject to towing if they remain
in the space during the time work is to
be performed. There are NO exceptions to this policy.
Non-resident
owners must inform tenants that tenants are responsible for obtaining parking
stickers from the Woodburn office.
Please do not pull your vehicle
over the curb when parking; this makes lawn maintenance in those areas
impossible.
Residents wishing to conduct a
business out of their unit MUST seek Association approval FIRST. This includes
day care providers. Any business that creates additional noise or traffic on
the property is generally not acceptable.
Non-resident owners are responsible for the actions of
their tenants.
Any leased unit MUST have a copy of the Association
approved lease on file in the Site Office. Units may not be initially leased
for periods of less than six months.
No unit may be used to house transient persons, or as a "boarding house".
Leased units must observe occupancy limits.
Units are for the
express use of housing the persons owning or leasing the unit and their
time-limited guests.
In the interest
of health and safety, no unit may permanently house more persons than would
require more than two people to share a bedroom. Other rooms are not
appropriate for long-term occupancy.
Residents may have no more than one dog, one dog and one
cat or two cats.
All
pets MUST be registered with the Association office.
Unusual or
exotic pets, such as reptiles, are not permitted, nor are Pit Bulls,
Bullterrier mixes, or Rottweilers.
Dogs
must be leashed whenever they are outside of the unit.
Pet owners
are responsible for damage created by their pet and for cleaning up after pets
on all areas of the property including the dog run and dog walk areas.
Pets of owners who do not obey pet rules can be removed from the property.
USE OF LAUNDRY ROOMS
Please remember that laundry rooms must serve 14 units. Basic courtesy
and consideration is necessary to ensure all residents have access to clean
laundry facilities that are in good repair. Laundry room doors should be kept
closed. -Residents should be mindful of not leaving laundry in machines longer
than is necessary to wash or dry their items.
Residents should leave the laundry rooms neat and clean and report any
exceptions to the office.
Problems with the machines should be
reported directly to the laundry contractor. Should the contractor fail to
adequately address the problem, the Site Office should be alerted.
All trash should be disposed of in the trash rooms, and should
NEVER be left on the curb. -ALL household refuse, trash or garbage should be
tied in strong plastic bags and placed in trash barrels in each building.
When
outside, please note that trash bins scattered throughout the property are NOT
for disposal of routine household trash.
When these
outdoor bins are full, please dispose of trash in your trash room, to avoid
overloading or damaging the outdoor bins.
Inappropriate outdoor disposal of trash presents a health
and safety risk for residents and is a violation of our covenants.
Bulk
trash should be placed in your building's trash room and never left curbside.
PLAY AREAS
Play is
limited to designated play areas only. Playing in parking lots is unsafe and is
not permitted.
Athletic/Play areas close at dark.
Play in the hallways is prohibited and those playing on
balconies or patios must do so quietly.
Those playing in courtyards must not damage Association
property, landscaping or equipment or the unit's owner will be charged.
Basketball and Tennis areas are for these purposes only,
other activities, including hockey, soccer, etc., are not permitted and must be
played elsewhere.
Parents must
monitor children's outdoor activities to ensure they are safe and are not
unduly disturbing other residents.
Balconies
and terraces must be kept neat and free of debris.
These
areas may not be used for storage.
No
balcony or terrace should hold items other than seasonal plants and outdoor
furniture. -Items may not be hung from balcony railings, ceilings or brick.
Should you wish to install plant hangers, etc, you MUST request permission from
the Association BEFORE doing so.
Boxes,
mops, indoor furniture, or an undue number of toys are examples of items that
are prohibited.
No
laundry can be hung from balcony railings and neither racks nor clotheslines
are permitted on the balconies or terraces.
Curtains,
draperies, blinds or shades must cover all windows, even those of vacant units.
All window coverings
must be clean and in good repair and MUST FIT THE WINDOW.
Blankets,
quilts, sheets, etc., are NOT
acceptable window coverings.
Broken windows
must be fixed immediately and may NOT be covered with cardboard or other
materials.
The
back of window covering facing the outside should be neutral in color. While
some individuality is permitted, "loud" or garish colors or patterns
will be cited as violating the rules. If you have a question about your choice
of window coverings, please seek input from the Association prior to purchase
and installation.
Signs in windows, including "for sale" and "for rent" signs are prohibited.
Window decorations other than temporary, seasonal
decorations are not permitted. One "light catcher" ornament per
window is permitted.
Large
"box" style fans may not be placed in windows, only small exhaust
type fans may be used in windows, and residents may not use cardboard or other
unsightly materials to fill in space created when these fans are used in open
windows.
Residents
are NOT permitted to install film on windows.
GROUNDS and COMMON AREAS
Residents
use all amenity areas at their own risk, as do their guests. Use of all
facilities is limited to Woodburn residents and their guests and trespassers will
be prosecuted.
Every
effort should be made, while outdoors, to avoid damaging the grass and other
plant material.
Residents
and guests should use sidewalks and mulch paths and avoid walking in the
parking lots and lawns.
Community
barbecues should be left clean and neat for the next person to use.
Residents
may not leave personal grills, toys or other items on the common elements.
Within reason, residents of ground level units may
set plants adjacent to their patios, so long as they do not block pathways or
otherwise create a nuisance for neighbors.
Residents who wish to install plant material near their unit MUST
receive prior permission from the Association.
While residents
are free to use outdoor benches and amenity areas, residents MAY NOT LOITER on
the common areas.
Residents
are invited to picnic in appropriate areas, but outdoor alcohol consumption is
generally not permitted.
When outside, all
trash should be placed in one of the many trash receptacles scattered around
the property.
Should an outdoor
trash receptacle be full, residents must dispose of trash in the trash room,
rather than over-fill or damage the receptacle.
Residents may not store flammable materials in or near
the buildings; this includes lighter fluid, gasoline or gas used for grills.
No grills, other than electric grills, may be
used within 15 feet of any building. To do so is a fire hazard.
Residents may not congregate in any building in such a
way as to block entrance or egress from the building.
Cars, other vehicles or materials may not be left in such
a position so as to block fire lanes. If necessary, the Fairfax County Fire
Department has the legal authority to remove any vehicle
or materials blocking a fire lane.
Those moving on or
off the property may not unreasonably disturb other residents.
Moving shall be limited to the hours between 9:00 AM
and 5:00 PM Monday thorugh Friday and between the hours of 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM
on Saturday. In the interest of residents' peace and quiet, moving in or out is
generally not permitted after 3:00 PM on Saturday and is not permitted at all
on Sunday. Should you require an exception to this policy you MUST seek
permission from the Association office PRIOR to your move date.
ARCHITECHTURAL REVIEW
Residents wishing
to modify their units, modify the common elements or limited common elements,
including patios or balconies, MUST SEEK PRIOR APPROVAL FROM THE ASSOCIATION.
This includes, but
is not limited to the following:
Installation
or removal of walls, which generally is not permitted (and especially the
removal of a load-bearing wall);
Major renovations,
especially of kitchens or bathrooms, which could disturb or otherwise impact
other residents;
Removal or installation of wooden floors. If you have a
question about any modifications you have planned, contact the Association
BEFORE you
begin. MODIFICATIONS THAT ARE NOT PRE-APPROVED CAN BE REMOVED BY THE
ASSOCIATION at the owner's expense even if the modification is made by the
owner's tenant.
The
Association has pre-approved certain doorbells, door hardware, patio lights,
etc. Should you wish to install these pre-approved items, please contact the
office. Should you wish to install items other than those already approved by
the Association, you must obtain PRIOR approval by the Association.
The Association has strict guidelines around installation of these items. You must alert the Association PRIOR to installing to ensure that your plan complies with guidelines. In general, these items may not extend beyond the boundaries of your patio, must be securely installed and be as unobtrusive as possible. Without prior permission, residents may not drill holes, etc., into the mortar of buildings in order to install these items and in no event may holes be drilled through brick.
ADDITIONAL
APPLIANCES
Installation
of additional major appliances is prohibited. This includes but is not limited
to washer and dryers, refrigerators and freezers. Installation of electric
stoves is not permitted.
Per bylaws, all residents, whether owners or
tenants, are expected to keep their units in a good state of repair, including
floors, and floor coverings, which must be adequate to limit transmission of
noise.
Be advised that leaks from your unit (including
your HVAC drip pan) that infiltrate another unit are YOUR responsibility and
you, whether an owner or a tenant, will be accountable for all damages.
In maintaining your unit, you are required to obtain all necessary
licenses and permits. Unit maintenance must be done so that disturbances to
neighbors are minimal.
Your Association hopes this summary related to living effectively in a
condominium will be helpful to you and will serve as a handy reference. We
encourage you to hold onto this edition of the newsletter for future reference
and that all residents ensure that all family members are aware of this
material. Remember that if you are cited for a covenants violation, claiming
not to know will not excuse you!