Common Rules

RA DRB Applications
SUBMIT APPLICATIONS TO HCA FIRST
Submitting them to RA first causes confusion and more work for everyone involved, and it slows down the overall process and application approval.  Instead, follow these steps:
– STEP 1:  Complete either (1) a general RA DRB application that does not involve an exterior HVAC unit, OR (2) a specific RA DRB application for exterior HVAC units, as applicable, including two adjacent neighbor Affected Party signatures and status from their review of your proposed project
– STEP 2:  Submit your completed RA DRB application and supporting documents package to an HCA Director for HCA Board of Directors for review and resulting Affected Party status decision and signature at the next monthly meeting
– STEP 3:  After HCA review, collaborate with the HCA Board to resolve any concerns, receive HCA status and signature
– STEP 4:  Submit your completed and HCA-signed application package to RA Covenants Administration / DRB
– STEP 5:  If required, attend an RA DRB hearing to discuss your proposed project and Affected Party concerns
Please note: 
– HCA does not approve RA DRB applications per se, but HCA does determine by full Board of Directors review whether or not it will be an opposing Affected Party or an otherwise non-opposing signatory based on compliance with HCA Cluster Standards, policies, and practices
– HCA Director volunteer review of and collaboration on RA DRB applications may take as long as 30 days, and there may be many other equally urgent applications also in process, so plan accordingly

Common Area Storage, Construction, and Planting
Private property storage or construction, including exterior HVAC units, patio furniture, trash and recycling refuse, and planting are not allowed on common areas without specific HCA Board of Directors permission.

Exterior Changes
MAKE ONLY COMPLIANT APPROVED EXTERIOR GOODMAN HOUSE CHANGES
Most exterior changes to homes require an RA DRB application with HCA Board of Directors non-opposing affected party status and RA DRB approval BEFORE work is contracted and started. Some changes may even need a Fairfax County building permit.  Such projects specifically subject to HCA Governing Documents and cluster standards include, but are not limited to:
– Exterior HVAC units
– Exterior painting
– Window and door replacement
– Fence and gate addition or replacement

Design / Cluster Standards
USE ORIGINAL HCA GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, NOT THE RA “FLIP BOOK”
Reston Association compiled and published a Hickory Cluster Design Standards “flip book” in the recent past.  Unfortunately, RA DID SO WITHOUT CORRESPONDING HCA OFFICIAL INPUT, REVIEW, OR APPROVAL.  The RA document incompletely and sometimes inaccurately paraphrases HCA design standards, with some photos depicting non-compliant Goodman House conditions and materials, and with other misinformation.  This misinformation can create confusion and waste homeowner time, effort, and expense. So for more complete and accurate HCA design standards information, refer directly to HCA Governing Document General Resolutions instead as posted on this official HCA website.

Trash and Recycling Refuse
PLACE TRASH CURBSIDE ON PICK-UP MORNING TO AVOID WIND, RAIN, AND SCAVENGERS
Trash and recycling refuse is picked up on Monday mornings, typically after 9:00 a.m.  Please put containers out no earlier than dusk the day before pickup, or better yet not until the morning of pick-up. If out the night before, racoons, crows, and other scavengers tear open trash bags, scatter your trash on plazas and streets, forcing your neighbors to see and pick up your trash.  Likewise, during actual or forecast wind and rain conditions, wait until morning to deposit recycling curbside.  Rain ruins the ability to recycle paper and cardboard, and the wind scatters anything loose, again forcing your neighbors to see and pick up your stuff.  Also note that weekly pick-up glass has not been recycled for several years by Fairfax County, the ultimate destination.  If not deposited in a dedicated county glass recycling Purple Bin, then put your glass in trash instead.  Also, do not place recycling refuse in plastic bags as they apparently clog recycling sorting machines.  Please retrieve trash and recycling bins the same day as pickup.

Vehicle Parking
Each household is allowed to park up to two vehicles within HCA Common Area, one in an assigned “reserved” parking space, and one in an otherwise unassigned space on a first-come-first-serve basis. Each household is allocated two parking hangtags for their vehicles that must be displayed whenever the vehicle is parked on Common Area. Vehicles without HCA hangtags and parked in unassigned spaces are subject to towing. Review the entire parking policy.

Exterior Lighting
USE LOW INTENSITY WARM BULBS, NOT UNNECESSARY SUPER BRIGHT COLD BULBS
Be as considerate of your neighbors as you would want them to be to you.  Bright lights can be obnoxious, especially when they illuminate an adjacent neighbor bedroom at night.  Use traditional 30 watt or less incandescent bulbs, or equivalent warm soft white 5 watt or less LED bulbs.