Preserving Nature No Matter the Price

I didn’t stay until the very end, but I heard that at last night’s civic association meeting the community voted to put the kebosh on AT&T’s overture to put a cell tower on Hollin Hills park land.  I didn’t have a dog in this fight, and truly I could have been persuaded to go either way.  But the people who spoke out against cell towers were truly moving and amazing, pointing out that the founders of the community sought to preserve the natural spaces at whatever cost, and that means for us today the possible renumeration of tens of thousands of dollars of rent from AT&T.  And apparently, the majority agreed.  In a world of scarcity, in a time of recession, when it’s easy to get greedy and forsake what we really care about, I think my community did the right thing, and I’m really proud to be a part of it.

Hollin Hills Tour Pics

If you missed the house tour, don’t miss these photos.

Also see Modern Capital Blog’s blog with pics of the tour.

House & Garden Tour

The next Hollin Hills House & Garden Tour is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, from noon to six p.m. We plan to showcase about a dozen homes and gardens that exemplify distinctive features of Hollin Hills style, past and present. For more details, stay tuned.

“Town Hall” meetings April 18 & 26

The Special Design Review Committee will hold two “town hall” meetings following up on the community-wide survey about the design review guidelines.  Recall that the neighborhood is going through the process of revising the guidelines as needed.  These meetings will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Hollin Meadows School Cafeteria on April 18 & 26. Do try to attend both meetings. The following are the agendas for both meetings as told to us by the SDRC chair:

APRIL 18:

7:30 p.m.    Welcome/Introductions/Purpose of Meeting

7:40 p.m.    Further discussion about SDRC Survey Question 11:

In your opinion, should the Design Review Committee resolve all issues that arise through the neighbor notification process prior to issuing final approval of any build-out plan? (Circle only one)

Response    Total Percent

DRC should resolve all issues related to any
major or minor addition/renovation         50        23.58%

DRC should resolve all issues related to only
major addition/renovation              40         18.87%

DRC should not have to resolve all issues
related to major or minor addition/renovations,
only issues that are within the scope of the
Guidelines                    102         48.11%

No opinion                         5           2.36%

Total Respondents                 197

(skipped this question)                   15            7.08%

Need additional community input on whether the DRC should have to resolve all issues related to major and minor issues within the scope of the guidelines.

8:30 p.m.    Further dicussion about SDRC Survey Question 19:

The current Design Review Guidelines give general directions to homeowners for planning additions and renovations, and to the DRC for evaluating them with regard to specific design and siting issues.

In your opinion, are the current Design Review Guidelines okay as they are now or should they to be more specific in the following areas?

Need additional community input on:

•    Exterior paint colors
•    Overall size of house
•    Orientation with regard to neighbor privacy

APRIL 26:

7:30 p.m.    Welcome/Introductions/Purpose of Meeting

7:40 p.m.    Further discussion about SDRC Survey Question 22:

Should any Hollin Hills resident be allowed to attend the monthly Design Review Committee meetings to voice opinions about the additions and renovations being discussed at that meeting?

Response
Total                 Percent

Yes                 111                 52.36%

No                   65                 30.66%

No Opinion               16                   7.55%

Total Respondents     192

(skipped this question)       20                   9.43%

Need additional community input on whether Hollin Hills residents should voice opinions at the DRC meetings or just attend to observe.

8:30 p.m.    Further discussion about SDRC Survey Question 20:

Some areas are not currently addressed by the Design Review Guidelines.  In your opinion, are Design Review Guidelines needed to provide direction in the following areas?

For each area you think should be addressed, should the Guidelines be prescriptive (specific requirements to be met), performance (more general direction and standards), or a combination of both prescriptive and performance guidelines?

Need additional community input on creating guidelines (prescriptive/directional/both) about:

•    Design of a complete replacement of an existing house
•    An addition that significantly changes the external appearance of the original house
•    Adding and additional story
•    Maximum height of a house
•    Maximum ratio of house size to property size

Wallpaper Does Hollin Hills

The March 2007 issue of the shelter magazine, Wallpaper, has a spread on Hollin Hills by Jennifer Kabat, who grew up on Saville Court and is now an architecture and design journalist. The story itself isn’t available online, but a nice tease with some photos are. Check it out here.

Do the Survey

If you are a Hollin Hills resident, be sure to complete the Special Design Review Committee’s survey. You got it in the mail, but it would be great to complete it online.

Go to www.hollinhills.org
Click the link to the SDRC Survey on the homepage
In the Password box type the password you were given; press enter
Press Next at the bottom of the survey welcome page
Enter the three-digit code (page one of the paper survey you received);
press Next
Complete the survey

(Thanks to Barbara Blandford Helm for typing up these instructions.)

Home Warranty Travails

by Noelle McAfee

Some of us have recently been disappointed by HMS home warranty company. Have you had any negative experiences with HMS or other home warranty companies that you’d like to share? Please share these with a comment below. 

Report on the November DRC Meeting

Design Review Committee Meeting

November 1, 2006
By Lee Ann Kinzer and Linda Hesh

Ray Goodrow absent; all other members present

Levy/Collins residence, 1816 Drury Lane, new construction — final submission of plans.
Decks and patios: Architect reported that intent is to have all decks and patios on grade, with no rails. If rails are needed, they will be cable. Committee approved with no rails. Asked applicant to return if rails are required.
Siding — Hardiboard that is vertically grooved to look like 8-inch-wide plank.
Windows—Anderson vinyl-clad (as opposed to aluminum-clad); Pella windows are second choice.
Chimney — Committee noted that chimney extension drawing is incomplete. The brick will be matched to existing brick with a mortar crown.
Treatment below siding — Concrete block to be left exposed or painted.
Wood panels below windows — Committee questioned whether this would/should be done. Siding will stay as drawn and panels below windows will be painted to match siding.
Trim at second floor and corners — Discussion of overlap, shadow, and bulky-looking corners. Note taken of some differences from typical Hollin Hills trim.
Window heights — Due to slope, headers and different room use, window heights are drawn as 7’4”, 7’6”, 8’, and more than 8’. Architect and petitioner agreed to consider making changes to window design.
Action — Plans approved with discussed changes. Neighbor concerns with grading and drainage as well as concerns of a downhill neighbor have been addressed. Permit will be issued to start construction.

Gibber residence, 7221 Beechwood Road construction — Window drawing had been circulated.
Action— Committee approved.

Kuester residence, 7419 Rebecca Drive, patio — Replacement of back deck, to be enlarged from 800 to 838 square feet. Timber wall (base surrounding rear deck) to be concrete block, clad with fieldstone.
Action — Approved, pending neighbor notification.

2214 Martha’s Road, project — Committee Chairman Judd Ginsberg gave administrative okay to replace an air conditioning unit that was punched through the wall with a window the same size as the air conditioner.

Treehouse at Martha’s and Martha’s — Committee revisited a problem it had previously discussed. Treehouse is complete; Committee’s response to homeowner’s question regarding the need for approval was possibly slow. The committee has received no neighbor complaints. Owner was to have been asked to the November meeting but wasn’t. Structure is nonconforming. Committee will write owner with suggestions/requests on the roof, paint color, evergreen plantings, and ladder access. Committee also will refer the question of nonconformity to the board.

2109 Popkins, windows — Replacement of front and side windows with Anderson casement windows in same configuration as originals.

Action — Approved. In-kind work so neighbor notification not required.

7304 Rippon Road, custom shed — Second appearance. Committee had requested a plat, window and door adjustment, and neighbor notification. All were provided.

Action — Approved. Permit will be issued.

Other business:

Application deadline — In January the committee will begin to enforce the rule that applicants must be on the agenda and submit drawings a week before the DRC meeting.

Special Design Review Committee survey — Final survey has been sent to the board. It is currently being revised by a survey-writing specialist. It should be done in November. At that time, it will be sent out and put on line. People can respond either way with online line submissions preferred for ease in tabulation.

The next DRC meeting will be Dec. 6th at 7:30 pm.

Note: This is not an official report.  For the official minutes of the meeting please see the DRC section of the CAHH website: www.hollinhills.org

What’s Hollin Hills?

The September 12 special meeting of the Civic Association of Hollin Hills gave some people a chance to weigh in on some issues facing the community. Those who talked had come with something to say, but there wasn’t an opportunity for more reflective and deliberative conversation, especially from people who were still mulling over the issues. If you have a question for others in the community or you’d like to add something to the conversation, click on the comment button directly below this post and leave your thoughts. The issues transcend matters of design review and whether or not teardowns should be allowed. Ultimately we’re talking about what kind of place Hollin Hills is now and will be in the future.

September DRC Agenda

The Hollin Hills Design Review Committee meets at 7:30 at the Hollin Meadows Elementary School Library.  The agenda is as follows:

8:00    7221 Beechwood – Renovation
8:30    2312 Kimbro – Deck & Windows
9:00    2320 Nordok – Shed
9:30    7312 Rippon – Masonry Repairs

Misc Issues & Items