Dear Neighbors,

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our neighbors a safe and enjoyable new year and to extend a sincere welcome to our new residents. On behalf of the Civic Association Board, I would like to extend our appreciation for the support we have received in 2007 and look forward to your continuing support throughout the New Year. 

 

The purpose of this letter is to tell you about the Fairfax Villa & Cavalier Woods Revitalization Program. This is a community wide, self-help program that has been recommended by the Fairfax County Braddock District.

 

As background, Braddock District selected Fairfax Villa & Cavalier Woods as one of five “mature” neighborhoods that are organized as Civic Associations to participate in a Revitalization Program.  The significance of the Civic Association is, unlike Homeowners Associations, there are no mandatory requirements for property upkeep and overall beautification.  Consequently, the suggested Revitalization Program is a voluntary, self-help effort to maintain our community as a safe, friendly and beautiful community.  The program is developed and administered by our Board, without outside influence, and implemented through voluntary participation of our residents.  This is an exciting program that has significant value and benefits for the whole community.

 

The most important part of the Program is preparing a statement of “Neighborhood Expectations” which will be a statement of community values adopted by the community.  These values are activities such as neighbors helping neighbors or, on the negative side, activities that are in violation of a County Code.  By establishing and publishing these values we are saying “This is what we would like our neighborhood to be like”.

 

In that regard, a draft Statement of Neighborhood Expectations is enclosed that offers a sampling of proposed values for your review and consideration.  We are asking each of you to comment and or make additional recommendations so that we may finalize the values by March 1, 2008. (Simply go to www.fairfaxvilla.org and click on Feedback.) This is an extremely important aspect of the Program. One that must, as closely as possible, represent the mind-set of the community.  The Statement of Neighborhood Expectations will be considered a “living document” that is subject to review and revision as time progresses.  Its sole purpose is to identify our values and ideals.   

 

The Fairfax Villa and Cavalier Woods Community is noted as a small, friendly place to live.  The Washington Post reporter that did a recent article on our neighborhood told me she didn’t know the “Villa” existed, and what a nice place to live.  That is true, but like every other community, we are aging.  We need to work together, neighbor helping neighbor, to make sure we maintain a standard of living that we can be proud of. 

 

Sincerely yours,
Francis J. Schroeder
Fairfax Villa and Cavalier Woods Civic Association President