From the Hickory Farms Board of Directors: A Fond Farewell & Best of Luck to Outgoing HFCA President Chuck Stewart

Chuck Stewart has left our Board as of December 31, 2020. We are extremely grateful to Chuck for his service on the HFCA Board for seven years, most recently having served as the Hickory Farms President.

He led us during this time to hold Annual General Meetings; to adapt us to function during the time of COVID-19; to help develop a comprehensive approach to our Capital Reserve requirements; to compile Fairfax County GIS data to create mapping of HFCA’s tree cover, common area parcels, topography, soils, easements, aerial imagery, our Resource Protected Area, water features and buildings.

This latter information supported Rabbit Run briefings, numerous Board decisions, and to create an inventory of HFCA property that served as the basis for the Reserve Funding Study and cooperation with the Stormwater authorities related to Rabbit Run.

Simultaneously, during 2019, Chuck edited and published the HFCA Newsletter for over a year and cut the cost of printing over 40 percent and helped gain support for its cost through advertising revenue to help keep our Annual Assessment costs moderate. Chuck interfaced with VDOT to have our sidewalks repaired and dying trees removed and he worked to help create and install North Path property markers.

We wish Chuck all of the very best success in his future!

Pedestrian Safety

By: Bob Cosgriff (Cotton Farm Rd)
Braddock District Representative, Fairfax County Trails, Sidewalks and Bikeways Committee

In 2020, there were 14 pedestrian fatalities in Fairfax County. While the exact circumstances were different for each accident, some common features that contributed to the deaths include the size of the road being crossed, the speed limit of the road, the time of day (mostly at night) and age of the victim (adults). The goal, obviously, is to reduce this number to zero each year. To accomplish this requires vigilance on the part of pedestrians, improved road design, additional warning signage and signals, and wherever possible, reducing speed limits on major corridors where the majority of pedestrian-auto interactions occur.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is responsible for all state roads, except for those in the counties of Arlington and Henrico and within incorporated cities, such as the City of Fairfax. VDOT has a Pedestrian Safety Action Plan aimed at making walking a safe activity. The Fairfax County Department of Transportation has a Bicycle and Pedestrian Programs office (https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/transportation/bike-walk) to implement safety plans and policies for the County in coordination with VDOT. Funding comes from a variety of sources (Federal, state, and local). Projects include installation of devices such as RRFB (Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon) or HAWK (High intensity Activated crossWalK) signals at high-risk locations.

Another ongoing VDOT/FCDOT initiative is the installation of additional yellow “pedestrian crossing signs” in conjunction with high-visibility crosswalks at unsignalized crossing points. Regular crosswalks typically consist of two parallel white lines of 6” in width. A high-visibility crosswalk consists of two broad (12”) white stripes with perpendicular broad (12”) white strips between them. Think of a “fat’ railroad track with ties. In the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, VDOT works installed two additional pedestrian warning signs and a new high-visibility crosswalk at the Burke Station Road entrance to Hickory Farms. There had already been two signs north and south of the intersection to warn drivers of a pedestrian crossing ahead. The new signs are located closer to the new crosswalk which connects to the asphalt path running along the frontage of the Fairfax Memorial Cemetery. Anyone who has crossed Burke Station Road here knows that cars often exceed the posted 35 mile-per-hour speed limit. It takes several seconds to cross here and cars coming around the curve from the north can be at the crosswalk in just four or five seconds. The same is true for cars coming over the hill and through the dip from the south. Because of the right-turn lane into Cotton Farm Road, going over to the cemetery path, one does not reach the travel lanes for three to four seconds. Then there is the added distraction of cars coming out of the cemetery or exiting Hickory Farms, some of which wait for pedestrians and some of which don’t. Even though vehicles are required by law to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, you cannot count on drivers doing so. I have seen cars going in one direction on Burke Station Road stop for pedestrians crossing at our entrance and cars going in the other direction barrel right on through at 35 mph or more. It is always a wise practice to wait until there are no cars approaching from either direction before crossing here—and keep looking both ways as you cross because cars have a way of appearing as if out of nowhere! An extra 30-second or even 60-second wait for traffic to clear is much better than getting hit. Please be safe when you walk!

Please Submit Your Nominations for Candidates by February 15th to Serve on the Hickory Farms Homeowners Association Board

By: Jim Bever
Nominating Committee Chair (HFCA Board Treasurer)

On behalf of fellow Nominating Committee Members Debbi Buchanan (HFCA Board Chair for Neighborhood Watch) and Telah Jackson (HFCA Board Member At Large), this is an updated message.

As homeowners were previously notified in late September, due to the complications of the pandemic and the need to find alternative electronic means if necessary for elections, elections were postponed until early 2021. At the Board Meeting in December, the Board voted to hold elections for the Board of Directors by no later than the end of March 2021.

If you as a homeowner would like to be a candidate for the Board or would like to nominate a fellow homeowner for such (with his/her advance consent), please email us by February 15, 2021 at: nc@hickoryfarms.org. You may also reach out to me by phone at: (571)405-0708 with any questions for us.

The February 15 date gives us time to organize and circulate the names of candidates via ballots/proxies for voting during March.

Thank you and we wish you a Happy and Safe New Year!

Join Our Listserv

There’s no better way to stay in touch than through our Hickory Farms email listserv. Visit hickoryfarms.org, click "Email Listserv” in the "For Residents" menu and follow the instructions.

January HFCA Board Meeting

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hickory Farms Board Meetings are now conducted using the Zoom audio/video conference application. That means that every Hickory Farms Community Association member can observe their Board in action without leaving home! The next HFCA Board meeting will be held Tuesday, 12 January at 7pm. To join the meeting, contact any HFCA Board Member or send a request to join to hfca@hickoryfarms.org. You will also be provided with the Zoom meeting URL, meeting number and passcode.

Hickory Farms has a strong and consistent history of transparency regarding access by members to Board Meetings and the challenges facing our community. Please consider attending the Board Meeting so that you are fully informed with the issues facing our neighborhood!

Student Yellow Pages

If you offer services such as raking leaves, lawn mowing, babysitting, general home maintenance, dog walking, tutoring, etc., please email Bill at: berg_bill@yahoo.com to be included.

Martin Luther King Day

Martin Luther King Day also called MLK Day, King Day, and Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Day is observed on the third Monday of January, which is close to King's actual birthday on January 15. The earliest Monday the holiday will ever be celebrated is January 15th and the latest is January 21st. The day is a federal United States holiday with all government and most business offices closed.

Martin Luther King, Jr was a Baptist minister and social activist that had a huge impact on the civil rights movement of the 1950’s in the United States. King was assassinated in 1968 and will be remembered for his non-violent protests against segregation and his “I have a Dream “ speech.

(https://www.calendardate.com/martin_luther_king_day_2021.htm)

46th Presidential Inauguration

The inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th president of the United States will mark the commencement of the four-year term of Joe Biden as president and Kamala Harris as vice president. A public ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, January 20, 2021, on the West Front of the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. The event will be the 59th presidential inauguration.

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inauguration_of_Joe_Biden)