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).