The Covenants Staff initiated the Annual Precinct inspections on March 3 this year to allow all property owners sufficient time to comply with any issues of non-compliance.  In the past, the on set of the hot summer sun and high temperatures or the unpredictable cold winter months have made it difficult for homeowners to make the necessary repairs in a timely fashion.

The Covenants Department is starting off Great in 2008!

I would like to thank all of the property owners who continue to make Montclair a great looking community. To all those golfers out there, you will be pleased to know that we started the process of inspecting all properties visible from the golf course in January, and hope to be finished by the end of this month. Thanks to the Montclair Country Club for providing us with golf carts, we should move quickly through these inspections.

General Reminders

Those of you with docks on Lake Montclair must renew your dock applications for the New Year.  Dock applications must be renewed between December 1 and December 31 annually in order to avoid a 200 dollar late fee. There is a five dollar application fee that must be paid by check or money order only.  Click here to download the MPOA Dock Permit Form.

Please make sure that your Insurance Carrier is aware and that they have made all necessary arrangements to ensure that Montclair Property Owners Association is listed as additional insured, certificate holder, or that the insurance company will issue a letter to the MPOA stating that MPOA can not be listed; however, the insurance company will ensure MPOA that notification will be faxed or mailed to the MPOA office informing the MPOA of any change in policy, lapse in coverage, cancellation or renewal of the policy. The limits of liability per occurrence on your policy must be One Million Dollars and remain in effect as long as you own your dock.  MPOA is not responsible for contacting your insurance company; it is the responsibilities of the homeowner to have their insurance company provide the necessary information.  Also, if you have any flotation devices located on the water-rafts, floats, water trampolines, etc-make sure to store them away and out of sight during the winter months.

Fall is upon us and winter is right around the corner which means another year of Annual Precinct Inspections has concluded.  For those of you unfamiliar with Annual Precinct Inspections, Montclair is broken down into four precincts.  Our inspectors visit each precinct and inspect EVERY property located in that precinct for aesthetics.  As a result of these inspections, below is a list of some of the more common violations:

• Dog Feces - Please clean up after your pets. Pet feces attract rodents, not to mention the smell is rather unpleasant.
• Unapproved Tree Removal - The removal of any tree with a diameter greater than 4" at the base of the tree requires permission from the Covenants Committee PRIOR to being removed.
• Removal of Tree Stumps - Any tree stump (to include surface roots) located in the front yard must be removed.
• Driveway Reseal/Repair - Sealing the cracks in your driveway is an easy way to help prolong the life of a driveway.
• Backfill Under the Front Stoop - Backfilling consists of rocks/dirt to help support your front stoop to help prevent its cracking/collapse and keeps rodents and snakes from making your home their home.
• Property Improvement Request Not Submitted - A Property Improvement Request (PIR) must be submitted and approved PRIOR to any exterior modification being made.

Please keep these items in mind for next year and when you see the inspectors, feel free to say ‘Hello.'  The inspectors have identification on them, and they along with members of the Covenants Committee (who are volunteers) have the right to be on private property for the purposes of inspections.

The month of October is here, and chances are you might be admiring the beautiful colors of the leaves in the many trees of Montclair OR you could be standing in a pile of dead, brown leaves that you wish were not there.  In any case, leaves must be raked up and disposed of properly.  Try to rake the leaves as soon as possible, so that the wind does not carry them into the street, storm drains, or onto your neighbor's property.  You are responsible for your leaves; please do not rake them from your property into the storm drains.  Make sure to remove the leaves from your gutter and downspouts.  This should prevent your gutters from over flowing, which could cause your roof to leak.  In spite of it all, be sure to enjoy the fall!

September and fall are upon us and several properties in Montclair have suffered from the lack of rain and continuous heat. 

Some property owners may only have to re-seed there lawns; however, the majority will have to amend the soil prior to planting seed or installing sod.  Amending the soil will take some time and patience, as you may have to aerate or till the area, in addition to adding top soil, and fertilizer.

If you have no prior knowledge for growing grass or lawn maintenance, there are several avenues available to assist in your needs.  Local home improvement stores and lawn servicing companies can provide you with landscaping tips and advice.  Scotts Lawn Care has a great website for lawn care tips at www.lawncare.com. 

How did they find out about my overgrown lawn, the weeds in my flower garden, the trashcan in view on a non-collection day, my commercial or recreation vehicle?

The majority of Violation Letters are sent during Precinct Inspections, when every house in Montclair is inspected.  You can view any pending violations through ArmstrongConnect.  When you log on, click the ‘YOUR UNIT DETAILS' menu item on the left-hand side.  Under the ‘ACCOUNT' tab, click on ‘VIOLATIONS' and you can view any open or closed violations, the number of notices sent, and check to see whether a pending violation has been re-inspected and closed out.  

Are you aware of the Enforcement Procedures?

Situation: You have received a letter of non-compliance from the MPOA Covenants Department, and you ask yourself, ‘What can I do?'

• When a homeowner receives a letter of non-compliance (first notice), the homeowner has two weeks to:

1.      Take corrective action voluntarily, or

2.      Advise the Covenants Director of the scheduled date to have the corrective action completed.

Recently, the MPOA office has received several calls from frustrated residents regarding neighborhood pets roaming the community, doing their business in residents' yards and being a nuisance.  Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible for the MPOA to verify a complaint against a resident who allows their pet to roam and defecate and/or urinate on other people's property.  We encourage those with complaints to speak directly with the pet owner and make them aware of the problem.  Prince William County authorities have more avenues available to enforce laws that exist regarding animal control.  Citations can be issued and animals can be taken from the owner if laws are broken.  Below are some county codes from an Animal Control brochure.

There's no hiding an uncared for landscape... PEOPLE NOTICE!  A well-cared for landscape can be the mark of success, and we'd like to see Montclair homeowners achieve that success.  Please do not allow your yard to become the overgrown and unsightly one that PEOPLE NOTICE.

The items listed below are pre-approved; however, you must submit a Property Improvement Request (online at www.montclairva.com) for anything above and beyond what is listed.

5.4.20    Landscaping

Pre-Approved:

1. Landscaping

1.       Foundation planting (bed areas surrounding the home)