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PWCA Information for Members and Residents (April 2026, Message #1) 

Good afternoon.  It’s been almost two months between these messages so wanted to get you my current items of interest for your review at your convenience…..

PERMANENT LINKS:

PWCA Website: https://parkwestcommunity.org/
PWCA Meeting Packets: https://parkwestcommunity.org/association-meeting/
ACC Documents: https://parkwestcommunity.org/architectural-control-committee/
Parking Documents: https://parkwestcommunity.org/parking/
Newsletters: https://parkwestcommunity.org/newsletters/
Quarterly Assessment Timeline and Associated Information: https://parkwestcommunity.org/living-in-pwca/
Trash and Recycling Information: https://parkwestcommunity.org/our-environment/

SEASONAL LINKS:

Director Application for Candidacy: https://parkwestcommunity.org/board-of-directors-chairs-and-managers/
2026 J&J Individual Home Maintenance Program:  https://parkwestcommunity.org/our-environment/
2026 Pool Documents: https://parkwestcommunity.org/pool/

INFORMATION ITEMS:

1.  PWCA COMMUNITY CLEANUP DAY; SATURDAY; APRIL 18, 2026; 10:00AM; POOL PARKING LOT.  TOMORROW!!!!!!!  In support of Earth Day 2026 we will hold our Spring Cleanup Day to help our immediate community lessen the load of the loose trash and other items that get stuck in our naturalized areas.  Please come by and give an hour or two of your time.  We will supply the bags and trash grabbers.  Recommend wearing long trousers as the growing season has started in our naturalized areas.  I could also use some help working some technical and irrigation issues at the pool if you’d be interested in that effort.

2.  RESIDENT OWNER AND NON-RESIDENT OWNER PARKING PERMIT (HANGTAG) RENEWALS; SUNDAY, APRIL 19,2026; 1:00PM to 3:00PM; POOL PARKING LOT.  Our annual owner guest (“hangtag”) permit renewal will occur in April again this year.  The first pickup window occurred on April 11th – thank you to those owners who came to get their hangtags at that time.  The final distribution window will occur this Sunday, April 19, 2026  between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Pool Parking Lot.  The new permits are valid as soon as you receive them.  See the postcard that was mailed in mid-March 2026 and posted on the website after this date for additional information.  After May 1st all vehicles using the current resident-owner guest and non-resident-owner hangtag permits will be subject to towing from the community.  We will not have any additional distributions during April for hangtags and we are not supporting individual hangtag replacements.  If you do not pick up your hangtags on Sunday, I recommend you park your vehicle off property starting May 1st until the next regularly scheduled pass distribution window in May.  Owners with questions may call or email the Parking Committee Chair for further information. 

3.  BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING; TUESDAY; APRIL 21, 2026; 7:00 PM; VIRTUAL.  The monthly board meeting will be conducted via the RingCentral virtual meeting framework.  For the virtual meeting information, see the website under ‘Meetings’, select the year (2026), then the meeting (2026-04-21).  Document #01-1 contains the information to join the meeting.

4.  ACC SPRING 2026 HOME INSPECTION; SATURDAY; APRIL 25, 2026; 10:00AM; POOL PARKING LOT FOR INSPECTION VOLUNTEERS.  Our annual inspection will occur in just over one week.  The inspection will be conducted by teams.  Each team will be led by either a Director or a Summit representative.  All teams will have at least one person with previous experience accomplishing the inspection.  Please consider giving a few hours of your time to assist on an inspection team – no experience necessary.

5.  RESIDENT OWNER AND NON-RESIDENT OWNER HANGTAG TOWING COMMENCES; MAY 1, 2026.  Any vehicles using the 2025-2026 resident owner or non-resident owner hangtags will be towed from the community after this date. 

6.  POOL SEASON, 2026; OPENING DAY; MAY 23, 2026; 11:00AM.  The pool opening day is just over one month away!  This has been a BUSY pre-season with the white coat application expected on the pools in the next week.  For applications and entry, the same phone-based application and entry system from last season (PoolEntry) is intended (pursuant to Board approval Tuesday) to be utilized again this year.  Further information to follow from the Pool Committee on training and operations – feel free to contact with questions..

7.  SPRING 2026 TREE WORK.  Tree pruning and tree/shrub fertilization requirements are complete.  Tree removals remain to be scheduled.

8.  INDIVIDUAL GROUNDS CARE OFFER FROM J&J LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT, APPLY AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.  Our grounds care contractor is again offering residences in our community the ability to have your private yards maintained.  The care options include turf care, lawn care, and leaf removal.  Please refer to the link listed above in the Seasonal Links section, just scroll down the page to the applicable information.

9.  SOCIAL COMMITTEE REQUEST FOR VOLUNTEERS.  Those residents who have had some history in our community will remember some of the social events we staged in the past.  These events have fallen on hard times due to a lack of volunteers to plan, prepare, stage, and conduct the events.  Contact the Social Committee if you’d be able to take on some of the responsibilities of these events.  July 4th is just around the corner – catering orders need to be in within the next couple of weeks to ensure support for the event.

10.  PLAYGROUND SAFETY SURFACE RENEWAL.  We completed our safety surface renewal at the playground yesterday.  This is a annual maintenance action that brings the surface back to the specified depths for our equipment.  It also provides a note of color to the surface as an added benefit.

11.  GROUNDS CARE REMINDERS.  As a reminder, please keep the following items in mind during the growing season. #1 – keep your vehicle bumpers off the curb during mowing days as the crew cannot mow, edge or trim (as appropriate) when your vehicle is parked on top of the turf. #2 – For those of you who have landscaped up to the sidewalk – you are responsible to keep the sidewalk edge nearest your residence clean if the edger cannot be operated safely. #3 – Keep all items stored inside your fence / or your property for those without rear fences. See the ACC and ECC Rules for additional information.

12.  COMMUNITY SECURITY.  If out-of-the-ordinary events occur and you are concerned for your safety or security please notify the Police non-emergency number (703) 691-2131 to report the occurrence.  While we advertise a Neighborhood Watch on our signs there has been a lack of interest in the past to actually set one up.  If you are interested in participating please let me know.  If we have sufficient interest we will restart the process with the County but not before we see sufficient volunteers to make the effort worthwhile.  As always, please consider leaving your porch lights on throughout the night, remember to lock your vehicle doors, and notify the non-emergency number should you experience some kind of security event in the future. 

13.  OWNER ACCOUNT PORTAL.  This is a recurring topic for many of our owners.  Each owner has the ability to access their account through a portal Summit Management offers.  To access the portal, please go to our website and select the ‘Living in PWCA’ tab.  Scroll down the page to the button ‘Vantaca Owner Login’.  If you have not already done so, Vantaca will prompt you to create a login.  Once you login you’ll be able to access your owner information to include the status of your account.  This also provides an avenue to pay any balances due on the account.

14.  OPEN DIRECTOR POSITION.  Request your consideration to place your name forward to fill our open Director position.  We are looking for people who are invested in making a better community for all who reside here.  If you are interested please complete and submit an Application for Candidacy that may be found on our website and is listed above in the links.  The Nominating Committee will reach out to you after you complete that step.  If you have questions I’m also available to speak with you about more specifics.

Regards,

Mark

Posted on

Snow Emergency Declaration – Effective Today, Saturday, February 21 at 8:00 PM

Dear Residents,
The PWCA has declared a Snow Emergency effective today, Saturday, February 21 at 8:00 PM based on the projected snow totals for the upcoming winter event. This is expected to be a major event, and we need to be prepared.
________________________________________
The Following Is in Effect
1. No Parking – Gainsborough Drive
All white-painted curbs on Gainsborough Drive are No Parking Zones as of today, Saturday, February 21 at 8:00 PM.
ANY vehicle parked in No Parking Zones after this time is subject to towing at the owner’s expense.
2. Pool Parking Lot – Open for Resident Parking
The pool parking lot is opened for parking effective today, Saturday, February 21 at 8:00 PM.
Vehicles may park in the pool parking lot with valid permits during this event. Please remove your vehicles once the event is complete. Further notice will be provided when open parking is terminated.
3. 2025–2026 Snow Removal Policy
3A. Request you clear any sidewalks and/or paver walkways in front of and to the rear (if appropriate) of your home.
3B. If the snow totals are sufficient, please consider removing snow around your mailboxes and fire hydrants.
3C. Please DO NOT expect to be able to drive through our community for days after this event should significant snowfall occur. The first priority will be to open an emergency access lane throughout the community. Crews will return later to widen the lanes for resident travel.
3D. DO NOT place snow you shovel in the street. That will make street clearing much harder and take much longer to complete — you are creating danger for yourself and other residents. In the past, work has been stopped in non-compliant areas so crews could concentrate on areas that followed the rules.
3E. Please do not direct snow removal crews. They are operating under direction from the contractor and the Association. If you have concerns, please contact the event lead or email Snow@ParkWestCommunity.org.
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Duration of the Snow Emergency
The Snow Emergency will remain in effect until canceled via email blast for the specific Gainsborough Drive snow emergency zones and any additional identified NO PARKING areas. Message board notices will be removed once all zones have been cleared after the snow event.
________________________________________
We appreciate your help — the goal is to be prepared. Please see the November 2025 newsletter for our Cold Weather Preparation article and use today to get your home and vehicles ready for this winter event.
If you have any questions, please contact Joe Underwood at (703) 323-4710.
Stay safe and be prepared,
Park West Community Association


Posted on

PWCA Information for Members and Residents (February 2026, Message #1

Good afternoon. 

Please review my current items of interest at your convenience…..

PERMANENT LINKS:

PWCA Website: https://parkwestcommunity.org/
PWCA Meeting Packets: https://parkwestcommunity.org/association-meeting/
ACC Documents: https://parkwestcommunity.org/architectural-control-committee/
Parking Documents: https://parkwestcommunity.org/parking/
Newsletters: https://parkwestcommunity.org/newsletters/
Quarterly Assessment Timeline and Associated Information: https://parkwestcommunity.org/living-in-pwca/
Trash and Recycling Information: https://parkwestcommunity.org/our-environment/

SEASONAL LINKS:

Director Application for Candidacy: https://parkwestcommunity.org/board-of-directors-chairs-and-managers/

2025 J&J Individual Home Maintenance Program:  https://parkwestcommunity.org/our-environment/

2025-2026 Snow Removal Policy:  https://parkwestcommunity.org/living-in-pwca/

2026 Assessment Notice: https://drive.google.com/file/d/192Il0QQCJCHTEG4L3ty5Vm1NW87kBZBT/view?usp=drive_link

INFORMATION ITEMS:

1.  BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING; TUESDAY; FEBRUARY 17, 2026; 7:00 PM; VIRTUAL.  The monthly board meeting will be conducted via the RingCentral virtual meeting framework.  For the virtual meeting information, see the website under ‘Meetings’, select the year (2026), then the meeting (2026-02-17).  Document #01-1 contains the information to join the meeting.

2.  YARD DEBRIS COLLECTION, RESUMES MARCH 11, 2026.  Yard Debris collection will resume on March 11, 2026.

3.  PARK WEST PAGES, FEBRUARY 2026 EDITION.  The updated current edition of the Park West Pages is available – please see the website for the document.  The updated copy has one additional page focused on the upcoming pool season.  The Hospitality Committee has hard copies of the edition if you’d like a printed copy.

4.  PARKING.  Thought I’d deliver this information again based on the last weather event we are emerging from.  1 – When parking in any curb-side parking have both your front and rear wheels on the concrete gutter.  2 – Do not park in any yellow painted curbs at any time.  3 – Do not park in any white-painted curbs during snow emergencies.  4 – Do not park in any posted and taped spaces or curb parking during the times indicated on the signs.  5 – The entire community (assigned and unassigned spaces) is permit parking only – have a permit in your vehicle or risk the vehicle being towed.  6 – If you are parked in any visitor space or at any curb-side parking, remember to move your vehicle every week, after ten days your vehicle is subject to towing.  7 – No parking or storage of any vehicles (e.g. trailers, motorcycles) on common areas,  If you have questions or need more information, please review the Community Rules on our website.

5.  SPEEDING.  The speed limit in our community is 15 miles per hour.  Stop signs are at intersections for a reason.  Speed bumps are there to try to remind you to stay at or under the limit.  Fairfax County police have the authority to enforce traffic and motor vehicle laws on our private streets and are in the community on a regular basis.  There are many children and walkers in the neighborhood – follow the traffic rules, you really won’t save much time by blowing through stop signs or speeding on our streets – the potential cost to you and to whom you may hit far outweigh those seconds….

6.  COMMUNITY SECURITY.  If out-of-the-ordinary events occur and you are concerned for your safety or security please notify the Police non-emergency number (703) 691-2131 to report the occurrence.  While we advertise a Neighborhood Watch on our signs there has been a lack of interest in the past to actually set one up.  If you are interested in participating please let me know.  If we have sufficient interest we will restart the process with the County but not before we see sufficient volunteers to make the effort worthwhile.  As always, please consider leaving your porch lights on throughout the night, remember to lock your vehicle doors, and notify the non-emergency number should you experience some kind of security event in the future. 

7.  OWNER ACCOUNT PORTAL.  This is a recurring topic for many of our owners.  Each owner has the ability to access their account through a portal Summit Management offers.  To access the portal, please go to our website and select the ‘Living in PWCA’ tab.  Scroll down the page to the button ‘Vantaca Owner Login’.  If you have not already done so, Vantaca will prompt you to create a login.  Once you login you’ll be able to access your owner information to include the status of your account.  This also provides an avenue to pay any balances due on the account.

8.  OPEN DIRECTOR POSITION.  Request your consideration to place your name forward to fill our open Director position.  We are looking for people who are invested in making a better community for all who reside here.  If you are interested please complete and submit an Application for Candidacy that may be found on our website and is listed above in the links.  The Nominating Committee will reach out to you after you complete that step.  If you have questions I’m also available to speak with you about more specifics.

Regards,

Mark

Posted on

2025-2026 Snow Event #2, Update #4(?) – SNOW EMERGENCY ENDS AT 5:00PM (1700)

Good afternoon.  I arrived back in town yesterday and took a couple of walks around.  Here’s the current update for the storm from the 24-25 January weekend.

Current status.

1.  We brought another skid steer in to handle the curb-to-curb cleaning.  This has been working since February 5th – with time out for various maintenance challenges based on the weight of the snow.

2.  The skid steer is working Treasure Court and Gainsborough Drive near Roberts Road.

Plan for Tomorrow

1.  Carriagepark Road from the pipeline to Braddock Road will have some additional work on it when they come to remove the skid steer.  That may be tomorrow – not sure at this time.

This will complete the panned curb-to-curb activities for this storm.  There are some no parking zone corners that still have piles of snow but they will melt over time and sufficient access has been provided for travel through the community.

Items to Know

1.  The snow emergency will be terminated at 5:00 today, Friday, 13 February 2026.  The No Parking Zones will be opened for curb parking at that time.

2.  The pool parking lot will be closed for parking effective tomorrow, Saturday, 14 February 2026, at 12:00PM.  Vehicles will be towed if parked thereafter.  There is one exception to that rule – specifics will be worked with that residence.

3.  Curb parking.  Please remember to have both your vehicles’ curb-side tires on the concrete gutter.  That gives you 24 inches from the curb to park.  As the parking curbs will be plowed by the end of today as much as they are going to be – you should be able to see where the curb and gutters are.

Thank you for the following:

1.  To our volunteer who placed the markers out for the speed bumps – that appears to have limited damage to them from the event.

2.  To everyone who cleared the sidewalks in front of their home.

3.  Even more thanks to those who went above that by caring for community sidewalks, fire hydrants, and mail boxes.  That truly helps the overall community to move around the community once the melt and dry occurs to those sections of sidewalk/footpath.

All the best to each of you,

Mark