Hayfield Citizens Association

This document explains each of the volunteer Officer Committees and associated tasks related to each position (archives here).  This booklet contains reference materials to aid Officers and Committee Chairpersons in conducting the business of the HCA.

Here are specific documents to help aid in the Officer positions:

• Vice President:  Conducting an HCA Meeting, program suggestions for HCA meetings
• Treasurer:  Instructions, Annual Contacts, Report Preparation
• Newsletter: Publication process
• Commercial Advertising: How to plan advertising schedule

Monthly meetings take place at Hayfield Elementary School.  As an HCA, we are not required to pay liability insurance, check here for more information.

HCA meetings are generally in the Hayfield Elementary School Cafeteria the third Wednesday of the month from September – May.  However, during emergency situations, the HCA Board approved the following electronic meeting policy.

• Electronic meetings allow some or all of the Board members to communicate electronically, via telephonic, conference calls, video, or other audio or combined audio and video electronic communication methods where the member(s) is/are not physically assembled with the other members of the Board.
• The Board adopts this policy in the event of a disaster/emergency (such as COVID-19). This policy allows the Board to meet and vote if needed when it is unsafe to assemble in-person.
• If the Board meeting requires HCA member input the Board will notify our members, via normal methods (HCA newsletter, HCA email distribution list, physical signs) of said meeting date and time and how they can be part of it remotely.
• The HCA may also hold Committee Meetings and General Membership meetings virtually in cases of disaster/emergency (such as COVID-19) when being together is not safe for our members and/or board members following the same guidelines as Board meetings.

A resident asked about building a fence on property in Hayfield Farm, possibly in the front yard. Here is a brief discussion of covenants that existed at one time. Those covenants, such as they were, are superseded by current Fairfax County ordinances.

Covenants originated with the builder, Wills & Van Metre and were probably continued in some fashion, possibly by the Hayfield Farm Community Association or HFCA. But the HFCA organization no longer exists; it was replaced by HFCA-II and HFCA-II was subsequently dissolved. The covenants in sections 6 and 7 were probably never enforceable. HFCA-II was dissolved after Fairfax County took over some flood plain land and paid owners in sections 6 and 7 for that land. An attorney was involved to help ensure that owners received a fair price for the property.

The HCA (Hayfield Citizens Association) still exists and is very active but the HCA does not enforce any covenants. Fairfax County is responsible for enforcing their ordinances. The HCA is not a Home Owners Association (HOA); the HCA does not enforce any laws or ordinances.

For details of these past covenants, Dick Belt provided this document. From a cover page in that document:  “(this) document was produced by optically scanning documentation made available at the 22 Jan 96 meeting of the Hayfield Farm Community Association.”

Other sources of information:

• Fairfax County zoning at the website https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-development/zoning or phone 703-324-1380.
• Call Lee District Supervisor’s office at 703-971-6262 and ask for the responsible staff person.
• Visit the Lee District website at https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/lee.

Some fence references from Fairfax County ordinances as of 03/13/2021:

• https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/code/sites/code/files/Assets/Documents/PDF/fences-walls.pdf
• https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/planning-development/zoning/residential-setback-requirements (then “Fences and Walls”) which says:

The county’s Zoning Ordinance regulates the location of fences and walls on a lot based on the height of the fence or wall. On most residential lots, the Zoning Ordinance only allows a fence or wall of 4 feet or less in the front yard. Remember that on corner lots, the two yards which lie between the principle building and the intersecting streets are both deemed to be front yards. In a side or rear yard, a fence or wall of not more than 7 feet is generally allowed. There are some limited exceptions to these rules for particular types of lots that abut or are in close proximity to major thoroughfares. For specific information regarding your property and designation of the yards on your lot, please contact the Zoning Permits Branch of the Department of Planning and Development at 703-222-1082, TTY 711. In many instances, a Building Permit is not required for a fence. For information regarding building permit requirements, please contact the Permit Application Center of Land Development Services at 703-222-0801, TTY 711.