Newsletter — October 2026

Please find the October 2026 edition of the Mason Hill Citizens Association Newsletter below. Enjoy the great weather and colors of the autumn season!

Please go into the MHCA Website Trick-or-Treat Map to view the map of homes planning to hand out candy (be sure to check the box to indicate if your home will be handing out candy!)

MHCA Website Improvements Continue...

---

The new MHCA website https://mhca.us is fully operational. We sent out a mailer in September to every resident with details on the functionality the new website offers and as a friendly reminder to sign up. You can view that document HERE

1. 48 members signed up for the new website thus far.
2. Reminder: Signing up for the website is FREE and available to ALL MHCA households (regardless of dues status)!
3. Please check out the Classifieds, Discussion Board and the Tool/Equipment Exchange sections of the site!
4. Don't forget to add your pets to the Pet Directory — and share those cute pet photos!

Update on the Mason Hill Front Entrance Sign Replacement

---

The special committee, consisting of Stevan Jackson, Lee Robertson, and Alona Ayer-Ziegler, met with the MHCA Board on October 4^th to finalize the design options, sign material, and what will be presented to the community for selection and approval. As mentioned previously, the one-time cost will exceed the $600 threshold requiring approval by a majority of the households (per MHCA Bylaws). The MHCA Board will send out a separate communication soon on how the community will vote on approving the expenditure and which front entrance sign design we choose.

Invitation to an Open House Hosted by Our New Neighbors

---

Please welcome Alisha and Michael Keirstead to the neighborhood. After months of renovations, the Keirsteads recently moved into their lovely home at 1804 Mason Hill Drive. Mike and Alisha are looking forward to meeting the neighborhood and saying thank you for tolerating the extended view of a large orange dumpster in the driveway.

The Keirsteads cordially invite you to an Open House at their residence on Mason Hill from 4 to 7 PM on Saturday, October 24. Please drop in to say hi and stay for a drink and a few nibbles.

2026 MHCA Dues

---

Annual dues payments of $50 per household provide MHCA with the revenue necessary to accomplish the following:

1. Maintain the grass and landscaping at the front entrance to our neighborhood
2. Conduct neighborhood social events
3. Perform the desired capital upgrades the Mason Hill residents vote for
4. Pay for the expenses needed to operate continual activities in support of the community - such as the MHCA website, Welcome Wagon, fees to state/local organizations, etc.
5. Maintain reserve funding in the event of a contingency

Dues payment status - as of October 2026, there are 69 of 112 homes that paid 2026 MHCA dues. Please make your 2026 dues payment by using one of the three following options:

1. Mail $50 check made out to MHCA to Nadine Wren at 2009 Windmill Lane, Alexandria, VA 22307
2. Drop off your payment at 2009 Windmill Lane — for drop off use the small black mailbox just below the primary mailbox.
3. Venmo - contact Shawn Lucas via email to arrange for payment. Please note that one of the features we are working on for the new website is for online payment of dues via Venmo. More to follow on this.

MHCA Financial Report

---

Budget — the annual budget is currently $5,000 per year (subject to revision at the start of fiscal year based on dues received and projected expenses).

Expenses — MHCA expenses include:

• Front entrance mowing on Mason Hill Drive, Rippon Road, and the area on both sides of the stone wall along Fort Hunt Road.
• Front entrance clean-up and planting and mulching each spring and fall with volunteers helping with that effort.
• Mason Hill website hosting costs
• Annual dues for membership in the MVCCA and Fairfax Federation
• Mason Hill Welcome Wagon
• Community Social events

Balance — As of October 1, 2026, the MHCA Wells Fargo Bank account balance is $25,619.38.

At the 2026 Annual Meeting it was approved that we move $10,000.00 from the MHCA checking account and put it in a high-yield savings account for it to serve as our reserve account.

Action — MHCA Board has completed the reincorporation of MHCA as a Virginia Non-Stock Corporation. The next step is to establish a high-yield savings account with SoFi to give MHCA the benefits of holding our Reserve funds in an interest-bearing account while maintaining necessary liquidity.

MHCA Social Committee Updates

---

The social committee has decided to plan two neighborhood events for the remainder of the calendar year:

• 🎃 Halloween — the community will support trick-or-treating on Halloween evening by identifying houses that are open to handing out treats (or tricks). Please visit the MHCA Trick-or-Treat Map to view the neighborhood Halloween map and be sure to select your house if you are participating this year. To further identify that your house is open to trick-or-treaters, please turn on your front door light or set up in your driveway.
• Holiday Party — the Social Committee has a great idea for a neighborhood holiday gathering this year. Look for a separate communication soon with specific details.

Public Safety and Transportation Committee Updates

---

Thanks to Sherri Berthrong and Mike Rioux for providing an update from the recent MVCCA Public Safety and Transportation Meeting:

DCA Community Noise Working Group

The next meeting of the Working Group is October 22^nd. On a related note, some may have seen a misleading Nextdoor post about Fairfax County and Congressman Beyer requesting that the FAA change routing for flights departing from Runway 19 to stay over the Potomac until beginning their turns near Mount Vernon. Mike Rioux, who closely monitors this issue, informs us that Rep. Beyer and Fairfax County support the Working Group's Recommendation 30. If implemented, it would reduce approximately 43% of the aircraft traffic volume overflying Fairfax County on the west side of the river within 3-5 years of implementation. The aircraft will fly further down the river before turning southwest following the bend in the river.

Specific details on Recommendation 30 are contained in this document.

High School Crossing Guards

In September, the Fairfax County Board unanimously reinstated funding for high school crossing guards using carryover funding. They also approved a Board Matter establishing a Joint Task Force on school zone and pedestrian safety issues, bringing together police, schools, VDOT (which controls our roads) and others to identify and address needed improvements.

Hospital Access: Sherwood Hall Lane & Holland Road

The committee unanimously approved a resolution requesting a feasibility review of restricting left turn movements from Holland Road at the Inova Mount Vernon Hospital access point. Members emphasized the need for updated traffic data, noting that the last known study — conducted when the hospital sought a traffic signal — may be more than a decade old.

Key considerations included:

• Safety & Congestion: Residents continue to report conflicts between hospital traffic and through traffic on Sherwood Hall Lane.
• Emergency Response: Members recommended obtaining police input to ensure any changes do not impede emergency vehicle operations.

New Fairfax County Project Identified: Sherwood Hall & Parkers Lane

The committee learned of Fairfax County Project #166, a funded Active Transportation initiative focused on pedestrian improvements at Sherwood Hall Lane and Parkers Lane. Planned upgrades include:

• Installation of pedestrian signals
• New curb ramps
• High visibility crosswalk markings
• Enhanced pedestrian islands

Members expressed concern that this project had not been previously communicated to the committee and may intersect with ongoing discussions about nearby intersections. Additional information was requested from Supervisor Storck's office and staff provided this link.

GW Parkway Repaving

Residents reported intermittent lane closures and slowdowns near Mount Vernon Estate due to repaving work. The activity has been ongoing for several weeks, and drivers should anticipate occasional delays.

Neighborhood Safety: Flock Cameras

The committee discussed the increasing use of Flock license plate reader cameras in the area. Members raised questions about data retention, ownership, and privacy protections, particularly for devices installed on private property. As many residents may know, in light of some concerns voiced to the County, the County Board recently voted to pause installation of new cameras while they continue to study the issue.

🐕‍🦺 REMINDER 🦮

---

PLEASE pickup after your pets and PLEASE dispose of your pet waste in your own trash cans. We have reports of people leaving behind bagged and un-bagged pet waste and putting bagged pet waste in empty trashcans after trash collection. Pet waste is a significant transmitter of disease and while we cannot do anything about deer and fox waste, you should keep your pets away from all animal waste.