DHCA September Board Meeting Notes
Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 7:30 pm (on MS Teams)

Board Member Attendees: Ileana Ciobanu, John Riley, Jared Schwartz, Terri Schwartzbeck, Mark Troppe, Matt Richards, Kevin Mitchell, Shane Morgan, Katherine Sullivan.   Guest Neighbor Attendees: Patricia Kapur

 Cavalier Club Update (Mark Troppe)

• Project has all been approved that included the proposal for the lane change and was still up to review by VA DOT).  VA DOT did NOT like the plan, and they are reviewing it.  The biggest issue was reducing the lanes from 2 to 1, which was DHCA’s biggest concern as well.
• Mark is in contact with Mason District in Fairfax County.
• Public input opportunities have ended. Mason District folks will still be in contact with us for the dates of when it is going to begin.
• Mark will summarize more and send to Ileana for the website announcement.  Note: The summary has been posted on the public website.
• Note: Terri said that Toll Bros was at least a year from approval to construction so it may be a while.

Little Free Art Gallery (Ileana Ciobanu on behalf of Stacey Schwartz)

• Stacey Schwartz was informed that decisions will be made by Sept. 4. As soon as she hears either way, she will let us know. 

Neighborhood Plan (Ileana Ciobanu on behalf of Kristen Gilley)

• The initial draft of the Dominion Hills Neighborhood Plan was sent to Arlington County on July 10.  The County POC then reviewed and gave her comments to us on August 28.  Kristen then responded and sent back a revised draft this week.  The next step is that the Arlington POC will circulate to staff this month, and we hope to have the County Board vote in November/December on our plan.

 4^th of July Event (Ileana Ciobanu)

• A great event, despite the heat and appreciated by members.

September Children’s Clothes/Toys Exchange?

•  If the Board wants to do this, who is running this event?  Shane is checking who wants to run th

Shed Clean-up Day This Fall?

•  Shane: Should the Park Clean Up day include the shed?  John and Shane will work on this and will let everyone know the date.

Halloween Event on Saturday, October 31 (Ileana Ciobanu)

• Police escort confirmed.
•  Firetruck has been requested for kids to enjoy. 
• Signup Genius ready to go:DHCA: Dominion Hills Halloween Party 2026
• New neighborhood business Self-Miraculization LLC has paid the cost of the trophies and prizes, as well as the candy and printing of the newsletter.
• Courtney will get the flyer and the Facebook images set.

Instagram for DHCA (Courtney Desautels)

• In order to increase our neighborhood reach, Courtney would start an Instagram account for DH.  This would be a private account using the DHCA Facebook as the anchor.  We would be able to post the flyers and announcements in Instagram whereas the Facebook group would also be used for general comments by people.
• Board agreed it was doable. Courtney will follow up with Matt and get input from Terri if she runs into issues. 

Park (including trustee updates) (Ileana Ciobanu)

• Our insurance company has confirmed that the trustees are covered under our D&O insurance.
•   We have three past presidents happy to serve as trustees, so we can put up their names for election, along with the names of anyone else who wants to be considered for this position: Eric Sildon, Jeff Coughlin, Laura Bobeczko

Restoring Our 501(c)(4) Status (Ileana Ciobanu)  

•  Tax form to IRS almost done; we encountered some delays and snags requiring additional information that Kevin is collecting, so that the form can be filed as soon as possible this month.
•  Shane has sent questions to Kevin to answer, and then Shane can file the form

Should we raise dues?

• Summary: Discussion of whether to vote to raise dues prospectively when we vote on the bylaws and trustees. Good discussion over the increase of the dues to increase it to $50, which will be voted on by the membership at the November meeting at the same time that votes take place on the updated bylaws and trustees.
• Background.  About 25% of households pay their current dues either by check or on the website (where you can figure out if you are up to date). The majority pay it in December, a lot pay by check. If you are online, then you can see if you are paid up or not. Your payment goes toward the next year that you have yet to pay
• Why is it needed? We need more money to cover our growing costs. Having just a dues increase will help, but having more people pay is also key. Given the increased cost for insurance, park maintenance, number of activities, and the lack of dues increases in at least 6 years, it was agreed to bring to a membership vote in November a proposed increase in the dues.
•   Concerns:
• • Did we have a big pushback last time?  No recollection.
  • General consensus is that the amount of dues is not what keeps people from paying them. There is a hardship clause if people cannot pay.
•    Action:
• •  Agreed that people are just not sure if they paid their dues or not and having a specific renewal reminder period (while always having it open for new neighbors) would be more effective.
  •  In addition, having a specific outreach and campaign helps people remember to pay their dues. People respond more when it is not coming from the regular channels and sent from the website (though there is a possibility for people thinking it is spam).
  • Push for dues to be paid from Halloween through December. If the membership agrees to increase the dues, that will automatically take effect. When people pay Oct.-Dec. this year and they have already paid for 2026, it will go toward the following year. [IC4] Courtney, Matt, Kathy, and Daniel will work to get a campaign started.  However, a personal outreach from Board members to people in their circles would be helpful and effective (if your street has a group chat, for example).

Newsletter (Ileana Ciobanu)

• Timing for delivery: Draft to Board and Hannah Cheney by end of day Friday, September 4 (incorporating decisions from board meeting tonight)
• Finalize and start printing evening of Friday, September 11
• Pickup and delivery to the neighborhood Saturday, September 12-Sunday, September 20
• Printing paid for by Self-Miraculization LLC

Constitution and Bylaws for Vote in Future Meeting (Ileana Ciobanu)

• The Board went through the remaining comments in the draft document, and Ileana took for action making the final edits.  Ileana will circulate to Board the updated draft.  Note: Ileana circulated the updated draft later that evening.
• Ileana will also update the draft newsletter to reflect decisions made at tonight’s meeting, including having the November meeting be a Board plus Neighborhood meeting to vote on the dues, constitution and bylaws, and trustees, so neighbors should join to vote.  Note: Ileana circulated the updated draft letter that evening.
• The Board has until 5 pm on Friday, 9/11 to provide any further edits to the newsletter and the constitution and bylaws.  Ileana will then post the updated clean and redlined versions of the constitution and bylaws on the DHCA website and in the Facebook group.  Ileana will also start printing the newsletter the evening of 9/11, so deliveries can begin that weekend.

Website:

• Matt will do a presentation on the different options for the website (the cost of the current website is high).  This switch will affect people paying through the website, so the projected timeline for a transition would be February or March at the earliest. This will take time and effort. 
• Matt will write up the options and send via email to the Board this fall, so it can be discussed and acted upon at the next appropriate meeting.

Upcoming Board Meetings

• Oct. 1 (prep for Halloween event and November meeting)
• Nov. 5  Board Plus Neighborhood Meeting (general membership vote on constitution and bylaws, trustees, and dues).
•  Dec. 3
• No January meeting

 

DHCA July Board Meeting
Thursday, July 2, 2026 at 7:30 pm 

Minutes

Board Attendees: Courtney Desautels, Karen Capwell, Mark Troppe, Jared Schwartz, Ileana Cionanu, Kathy Sullivan, Shane Morgan, Dan Graver, John Riley, Kevin Mitchell

Guest Attendee: Patricia Kapur

1. Cavalier Club Update  

a. Testimony

• Mark submitted testimony for the June 24 hearing -- Project Number SSPA 2023-I-2B Cavalier Club. Our biggest concerns are the traffic changes to Wilson Blvd, the trees, and being consulted on the process.Ileana posted our testimony on the DH site's announcements section on June 23. Background: In May the initial plan with the construction of a second apartment tower, parking garage, and 5000 sq ft of retail was approved to move forward. The Planning Commission approved it on June 24th and next it goes to the Board of Supervisors on July 14. 

b. What is Next: 

• Redevelopment at the Cavalier Club and the Wilson  Blvd changes are on parallel paths.  The comprehensive plan for the development will move forward even if the Wilson Blvd part is on hold.  VDOT has responsibility for assessing Wilson Blvd now that the county has approved it.  This whole process involves a lot of quick turnarounds, as they have an aggressive timeline. 

• Transportation Plan. 

• • Mark has the underlying transportation study (over 190 pages) and will look at it. If anyone wants to look at it, he can share it. (Dan will look at it and Karen has a friend in transportation who will also look at it.)

• Communications with DH residents. 

• • Patricia said the Grove houses received a certified letter from an architect and arborist stating that the parking garage site plan has been submitted and it can be approved within 30 days of the letter postmark (June 26).

• 
  

2. Little Free Art Gallery 

• DHCA is supporting Stacey Schwartz’s grant application for the Little Free Art Gallery in Dominion Hills. We expect to hear in early September if it is granted. This is not for the continuation of the physical Library itself but for other aspects of the project.

3. Neighborhood Plan 

• James Scampavia provided feedback for Kristen Gilley, who is incorporating and further editing. 

4. 4^th of July Event 

• Board members Kathy  (and her husband), Terri, Shane, Courtney, and Dan are coming.  Ileana will be there starting at 9 am to start with the set-up for those who can come a bit early. 

• Shane has a Fourth of July playlist. He will bring the extra ice pops as well.

• Courtney agreed to be the person to tell the parade participants where the start line is.

5. Park (including trustees) 

• Matt Bachrak spoke with current trustee Bernie Hyde, who has requested a replacement trustee for his position, and has no documents. 

• The Board determined we should approach the law firm that drafted earlier legal advice for the Board decades ago to see if they have the trust itself (separate from the gift of the property into the trust, which we know exists and we have it from both Shane and Ileana, who got it from Arlington earlier).  The law firm exists and while there might be a fee, we should be able to ask for our client file. 

• ACTION: Ileana will contact the firm.

• The Board agreed we should start seeing who’s interested in the trustee position.  Board members should not be trustees due to the conflict of interest.  Both Ileana and Shane will start conducting reach-out to see who’s interested in the trustee position.

 5.Nonprofit status

• Ileana and Shane listened to a SCORE training on how to set up a nonprofit. 

• The Board agreed to move forward with the easiest nonprofit path: to reinstate the 501(c)(4) status, which is expected to cost $600.  The Board can later consider a subsequent move to 501(c)(3), which will require more paperwork. One benefit of having either is that we will be eligible for cheaper rates for our website and insurance.

• Ileana is retrieving the old tax documents back from Dan.  Ileana has started the document that will need to be completed if we want to get 501(c)(4) status back.

• Ileana, Shane, Dan, and Kevin will meet separately in July to continue to work through the IRS document needed for reinstatement.

6. Constitution and Bylaws 

• Shane, Ileana, and Courtney have made comments on the draft and will meet in July to go through the specifics to present at the September Board meeting. Comments are appreciated.  Dan will advise as needed.

7. Park Maintenance

• John reported that the park work day in June resulted in a lot of invasive plant removal at the park.  It was a small but mighty turnout!  The session in July will be skipped because it is so hot and many people are traveling. The group plans to start strong in the Fall, when it is cooler.  Matt Richard will remove the event from the website.

Adjourned.  Board Approved the Minutes by email.

June Board Meeting Summary:
Free helpful advice on how to have hard conversations in your life at the DHCA Board meeting?!?!  Yup!! The DHCA June Board meeting started off with an enthusiastic presentation from Carylynn at Rock Recovery in Rosslyn, a nonprofit that makes eating-disorder recovery affordable for all and works to destigmatize mental health issues. Check out easy tips (with the HARD questions acronym) in the Board minutes on how you can be a better neighbor, colleague, and friend to someone who is struggling!

Speaking of neighbors, we continued our advocacy for informed changes to the proposed renovations at the Cavalier Club. The Fairfax Board of Supervisors Chief of Staff was anything but cavalier once Mark was able to chat on the phone and explain our neighborhood traffic concerns based on our experiences of one lane during snowcrete. The chief of staff suggested that we share our questions about the process with him, and Mark is working on a list that so far includes traffic, trees, and the timeline.

Remember snowcrete and how we couldn’t wait to just walk and enjoy our neighbors? Well, now is the time! The annual Fourth of July gathering and mini parade will happen, wait for it, on the Fourth of July! Come down to the park at 9:30 a.m. to decorate bikes/wagons/scooters and then kick off your celebratory weekend with a mini parade at 10a.m. on the bike path. Please line the bike path by the park to cheer the parade! You can bring a flag to wave, clap your hands, or bring a drum/kazoo or instrument  We are not asking for anything but snacks and coffee/drinks as the Board will cover the light volunteer needs. Community building starts at the basic neighborhood level, so come make the 250th special by creating strong communities!

While at the park, check out the new pet supply library! Our local Girl Scout troop 60277 put together a sturdy lending library with toys, poop bags, and more with the idea that the pups won’t eat the soccer balls that are at the park. The library is over by the shed area. 

The celebration of improvements continued with very necessary (and actually exciting to this dedicated Board) updates on our insurance, trustee process, and by-laws. Stay tuned for your role in the process with future trustee elections and by-law approval! 

Read the detailede minutes here!

Dominion Hills Annual Meeting May 7 2026

Summary:

What a great and inspiring annual meeting where we learned how to take care of our habitat, celebrated neighbors and Board members, and learned what we can all do to make Dominion Hills an even better place!  Every report ended with how you can make a difference.

The meeting kicked off with a presentation from the NOVA Bird Alliance Wildlife Sanctuary Program about theStretch our Parks initiative in our area and why native plants are best for our local wildlife and how you can make a difference! DH is on the cutting edge (of puns, vines and more) to better our habitat, led by our park stewards, Mikki and Noreen, who organize volunteer work groups every third Friday and Saturday. When you see the signs up along the trail, ask a question or pitch in to help! Click here for the presentation from the Wildlife Sanctuary Program to learn more.

Helping was the theme highlighted in the report on the park. James gave an uplifting report about the great and growing crew of neighbors who gather to maintain the park on the third Saturday of each month. With tree maintenance covered (tree canopy joke!) by generous neighbor donations (thank you!!), we spread the wood chips to naturally prevent muddy areas.  However, mud means water, and water is a big problem for the park. Water we doing about it? A lot! GMU students partnered with DH to conduct a thorough study of the water issue affecting the playground, identifying several options to consider going forward. This fascinating report will also be presented in a video soon, including a surprise interview with James! The park is in good, welcoming hands, so come join for a half hour or more and connect with your neighbors.

The Board connected with Fairfax County by submitting a letter about the proposed changes to the Cavalier Club, the apartment complex across from the Grove. Major changes are coming to the area, including potentially limiting Wilson Blvd to one lane to 7 Corners, more apartment buildings (with first floor retail, maybe a coffee shop?), and a small parking garage.Learn more here and help DHCA advocate in the planning process in Fairfax and Arlington County!

Speaking of Arlington County, we completed our neighborhood survey last summer. Survey says….traffic and the park are the biggest concerns. Your voices have been heard! The DH Board will be sending the results to relevant agencies in the County, then DH will review within our community, then send it to the County Board for a vote. 

The Board’s Events and Treasurer reports were hand in hand. Good news, we are solvent! And better news, you can help solve the volunteer need for events at the park by signing up early! The takeaway…don’t forget to pay your dues, a little goes a long way and only 25% of DH households are current on their dues!

The Annual Meeting wrapped up with the election of the new officers and Board.  A very big thank you to Terri, who has led the Board for the past four years.  She has been at the helm from the start to almost the finish of the Grove and has been a wonderful leader and advocate for Dominion Hills! Click herefor a list of the new Board members, led by Ileana Ciobanu as the new President.

You can see the full detailed minutes of the meeting here. The minutes are really worth reading, you will feel good knowing more about the caring people in your neighborhood and also learn so much like… how many residents are in Dominion Hills? Less than the number of caterpillars needed to sustain a chickadee family!   

(Posted by Courtney Desautels, Secretary after approval from the Board).