Hello Neighbors,

As mentioned previously, the Washingtonian Woods HOA Board of Directors has recently made the decision to open the neighborhood pool for the 2020 Summer Season. The decision was not taken lightly and was reached after much thought and careful consideration with our lawyers, the pool company, and our management company. We have been watching and will continue to watch and follow all CDC, State and County guidelines around COVID-19 re-openings and best practices throughout the pool season.

At the moment, pending final inspection, we hope to open the pool on Monday, July 6th.

The following procedures have been put in place this season to help facilitate a safer environment for those choosing to use the pool this season:

1. Liability Waivers. All patrons wishing to use the pool this season will be required to sign a waiver of liability before entering the pool for the first time. Waivers will be available at the entrance desk, or you may download it here to review it ahead of time and bring with you. Please note, it must not be signed ahead time. It must be signed in the presence of a lifeguard or pool company staff member.

2. Minimum Age Requirement. The minimum age requirement for unattended children at the pool this season has been changed from 10yrs to 13yrs. All children under the age of 13yrs must be accompanied by a parent, and liability waivers must be signed. Children aged 13yrs – 17 yrs may use the pool unaccompanied by a parent. In either case, liability waivers must be signed by a parent.

3. Schedule. The pool will be open in 2-hour blocks throughout each day, with a mandatory 30-minute closure between blocks to allow for cleaning. All patrons will be required to leave the pool grounds during the 30-minute closures. Daily schedule is as follows:

Session 1: 11 am – 1pm
Session 2: 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Session 3: 4pm – 6pm
Session 4: 6:30pm – close

4. Capacity. Each 2-hour block will be limited to 100 patrons. First-come, first-served. Pool staff will be counting people as they arrive and depart, and once maximum capacity is reached, additional arriving patrons will be asked to wait until a later session.

5. Guests and Outside Memberships. There will be no guests allowed this season. Outside pool memberships have been suspended for this pool season.

6. Furniture. With the exception of umbrellas placed around the pool deck, there will be no other pool furniture placed around the deck this season. Patrons should plan to bring their own chairs this season. Blue markings have been placed around the pool deck to assist with physical distancing and proper location of chairs this season.

7. Social Distancing. Patrons will be responsible for maintaining social distancing to ensure the health and safety of their family as well as the health and safety of their fellow patrons. In addition, patrons will be responsible for supervising their children at all times while in the pool and on the pool grounds. Please be aware that the pool may be forced to close if social distancing is not followed. Alternatively, patrons may be suspended for repeated violations.

8. Masking. Masks are required when moving about the pool areas for all patrons, with the exception of those under the age of 2yrs. Masks are not required while swimming.

9. Rest Periods. There will be no 15-minute rest periods this season.

10. Lap Swimming. Until further notice, lap swimming will be limited to one person per lane.

11. Baby Pool. The wading pool remains closed indefinitely until further notice from County.

12. Vending and water fountains. There will be no vending services provided this season. Water fountains will not be available this season.

13. Kickboards and Pool Noodles. Kickboards and pool noodles will not be provided this season. Patrons may bring their own.

14. Games. Basketball, ping-pong, corn hole and ring-toss will not be provided this season.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as the Board, Management Company, and Pool Company worked hard to put in place procedures that will allow for an opportunity to open the pool this season.

We expect those using the pool to respect and follow the above Guidelines & Procedures as well as respect their fellow neighbors also using the pool. Additionally, we remind everyone of the important of respecting the guidance of the lifeguards as they take on added responsibilities to help keep everyone safe. Should we find at any point that the Guidelines are not being adequately and consistently followed, and/or that State or County re-opening recommendations change, the Board reserves the right to close the pool for the season at any time.

We hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well, and we appreciate your patience and understanding during these challenging times.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

The Washingtonian Woods HOA Board of Directors has recently made the decision to open the neighborhood pool for the 2020 Summer Season. The decision was not taken lightly and was reached after much thought and careful consideration with our lawyers, the pool company, and our management company. We have been watching and will continue to watch and follow all State and County guidelines around COVID-19 re-openings and best practices.

At the moment, we still do not yet know the official opening date, but we are hopeful to open within the next week or so. The final Standard Operating Procedures and Guidelines for this pool season are still being finalized, and the final opening inspections still need to be completed by the County. We will message more on timing to the community as we know more.

In the meantime, please know that this season will be unlike any other before it. Please expect drastically reduced capacity limits, masking requirements, social distancing regulations, and regularly scheduled closures throughout each day to accommodate for increased cleaning and sterilization procedures. Additionally, all those wishing to enter the pool this season will be required to sign liability waivers. More on the specifics of our 2020 Pool Season Standard Operating Procedures will be provided to the community once they are finalized.

Also, we ask that all neighbors respect each other’s varying levels of personal comfort with COVID re-openings and participation. For those not comfortable enjoying the pool this season, we respect those personal decisions, and understand that you are under no obligation to use the pool. For those that wish to use the pool this season, it will be open for use, following strict COVID guidelines from the State, County, Pool Company, and Management Company.

We also expect those using the pool to respect and follow the Guidelines as well as respect their fellow neighbors also using the pool. Should we find at any point that the Guidelines are not being adequately and consistently followed, and/or that State or County re-opening recommendations change, the Board reserves the right to close the pool for the season at any time.

We hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well, and we appreciate your patience and understanding during these challenging times. We will update the community with more information in the coming days.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Neighborhood Graduation Parade
Please come cheer on our seniors and grad students as they drive by in our neighborhood on Monday, June 1st at 5:00 PM. We would love to hear some noise and see some signs/decorations as they drive past. The parade route can be found below, so please come out so our neighborhood graduates can hear and see you! We have avoided the smaller circles and cul-de-sacs, so feel free to come to the corners. We can’t wait to see all of the spirit in our hood!

Our parade organizer is neighbor, Jody Usatine (133 Upshire Circle), and she would love to get most if not all our seniors/grad students into the parade. For those in the parade, please arrive by 4:45pm (starts at the corner of Midsummer Drive and Upshire Circle) if you would like to decorate your cars. Jody does have some extra crepe paper that you can use to decorate or feel free to bring your own. We can’t wait to honor all of you!!!! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Jody directly via email, [email protected].

Pool Opening
We are continuing to follow the guidelines of the CDC and the Montgomery County order. Therefore, the Washingtonian Woods Pool is still closed until further notice. As we receive additional information from the State and County officials, updates will be provided when the pool will reopen. We appreciate your patience and cooperation during these times. Please contact our Property Manager, Tim Mulford ([email protected]), at PMP if you have any additional questions.

June Bulk Pickup
The City of Gaithersburg recently announced that bulk collection services will resume to its normal schedule in June. The City anticipates heavy usage of the service in June, therefore its imperative that acceptable items only be placed out for collection, and be placed out in a manner to be collected safely, free and clear of any obstructions including trees, utility poles, fences, and parked cars, etc.

The program is designed to collect large bulky items that private haulers will not remove. These items would include furniture, appliances, box springs and mattresses, to name a few. Items should be placed out for collection prior to 7:00am on the scheduled collection date, but no more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled collection.

Items that will not be collected include the following: hazardous waste, items in plastic bags, tires, car parts, paint, and contractor debris, etc.

For additional information please see the bulk pickup webpage at the below link:
https://www.gaithersburgmd.gov/services/recycling-bulk-pick-up/bulk-pick-up

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Please see the below neighborhood correspondence from our property management company, PMP.

We hope that you and your families are keeping safe and well during these challenging times.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

RE: Community COVID-19 Update

ANNUAL PROPERTY COMPLIANCE REVIEW
One of our primary goals of Washingtonian Woods is to protect the aesthetic appeal and property values of the community. To accomplish this, certain rules and regulations have been established by which property owners and residents are required to abide.

As the COVID–19 virus has impacted our lives in an unprecedented manner, Washingtonian Woods will be delaying the 1st Round of Annual Compliance Reviews until further notice.

While the coronavirus has forced limitations on our daily lives, there are still things homeowners can and should do to maintain their house and property. Please continue to perform home/property maintenance so long as your health and safety allow. Some tasks can be and should be performed are as follows:

• Retrieving your trash/recycling containers after service and ensure they are not visible from the street and / or left in the driveway on non-trash / recyclable days. Make sure the trash is properly sealed, placed into the trash container, and secured with a lid.
• Mow grass, pull weeds, maintain mulch beds
• Keep foliage, shrubs and trees trimmed
• Remember to keep your front yard tidy
• If you’re planning on doing work on the outside your house, which also includes tree removal, please remember to submit an architectural change application for external changes to home and property to PMP.

COMMUNITY POOL
Due to the restrictions on large gatherings, social distancing, and hygiene practices put in place by the Governor of Maryland, we anticipate the community pool facility will not open as scheduled on Memorial Day weekend. PMP has been actively working with the Board of Directors and the Pool Management Company to have these facilities cleaned, inspected, prepared, and ready to open once the Governor’s restrictions are lifted and it is safe to do so. It is important to submit your pool applications during this period so we can continue to process them in anticipation of opening.

The health and safety of our community members, their families and PMP staff is our highest concern.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at (301) 963-3337, Ext. 2206. Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely,

Timothy M. Mulford
[email protected]
On behalf of the Washingtonian Woods Homeowners Association, Inc.
c/o: Property Management People, Inc
955A Russell Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20879

Hello Neighbors,

Washingtonian Woods Virtual Trivia Night, Take 2!
Date: Saturday, April 11, 2020
Time: 8:30pm
Location: Virtual Zoom Link to follow; Will be sent to all those who register in advance

If you enjoyed the last Washingtonian Woods Virtual Trivia Night on 3/28 (or missed it), we have another scheduled for…tomorrow night, 4/11/20!  A few weeks ago, we had 30 families who participated and it came down to the last (of 100!) question to determine who’s the “most trivial” family in our neighborhood. This is an event you won’t want to miss!

Elizabeth Franzino (who earned the “Silver Medal” a few weeks ago!) will be our quizmaster. She has 75 questions all primed and ready to throw at us. So, buckle up, get ready, and get your brains dusted off in time for tomorrow night’s big, fun event!

Click here to register by 7 PM on Saturday (4/11), and then a Zoom link will follow:
https://forms.gle/6cqLi8SY9XnoiMQd9

Special thanks to Dan Goldsamt, Elizabeth Franzino, Lisa Levin, Jennifer Wenk, their families, and the Social Committee for helping put these wonderful events together.

Hope to see you online, and hope you are all safe and well.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Washingtonian Woods Park Asphalt Path Repair and Overlay
The City of Gaitherburg will be resurfacing much of the asphalt trails in Washingtonian Woods Park over the course of the month of April. As such, you may see construction fencing, and at times certain sections of the path may be closed. The project is scheduled to start Monday, April 6th and continue through Wednesday, April 22nd.

Any questions or concerns may be addressed to the Project Manager for the project:

Sean C. Stevens
Public Works Operations Administrator
City of Gaithersburg
[email protected]

Gaithersburg Update on Bulk Collection Services
Additionally, the City of Gaithersburg has temporarily suspended monthly bulk pickup services. Please do not place items outside for collection. In the meantime you may continue to check the City website for a decision on May’s bulk pick up collection before placing any items outside for collection. Updates will be posted at www.gaithersburgmd.gov and on Facebook and Twitter @GburgMD.

We hope you are all safe and well.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Washingtonian Woods Virtual Trivia Night!
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2020
Time: 8pm
Location: Virtual Zoom Link to follow; Will be sent to all those who register in advance

Although our in-person trivia was canceled for last weekend, we would like to play for fun virtually using Kahoot and Zoom! Our quiz master is Dan Goldsamt and he’s currently working on a great quiz. Please join us online Saturday, March 28th at 8pm. One team per house (teens are welcome to join, Might be too old of content for young kids).

If you wish to join, please register in advance using this link: https://forms.gle/g3h4z8Uucak5KHVm7

Hope to see you online, and hope you are all safe and well.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Washingtonian Woods Family Bingo Night!
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2020
Time: Doors open at 4pm. Bingo starts at 4:30pm.
Location: Washingtonian Woods Clubhouse, Upper Level

Take a night off from cooking – pizza and soft drinks will be provided! We’ll play nine games, with prizes including a variety of family-friendly games. Doors open at 4:00pm so folks have plenty of time to pick up cards and daubers for their families, and bingo will begin at 4:30pm.

Feel free to bring a dessert to share. We hope to see you there!

Tentative Upcoming 2020 Neighborhood Social Calendar
The social committee has been hard at work planning numerous events that we hope many of you can join us for this year. Please Save The Date for the next few upcoming events:

Adult Only Trivia Night — March 21, 2020
New Neighbor Coffee — April 25, 2020
Movie Nights — April / May, TBD at Dusk
Kentucky Derby Party — May 2, 2020
Food Truck Fridays — Starting June 5th. Various Fridays throughout Summer
Kickoff to Summer Pool & Raft Party — June 13, 2020
Neighborhood 4th of July BBQ and Pool Party — July 4, 2020
New Neighbor Coffee — July 25, 2020
End of Summer Pool & Raft Party — August 29, 2020
Labor Day Camp Out — TBD Labor Day Weekend
Adult Happy Hour & Pool Party — September 12, 2020
Fall Movie Nights — Sept / Oct, TBD at Dusk
Fall Fest — October 25, 2020
Washingtonian Woods Gives Back — November 29, 2020
Neighborhood Christmas Caroling — December, TBD
Hanukkah Fire Truck & Party — December, TBD

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Washingtonian Woods Super Bowl Party, Potluck and Chili Cook-off
Date: Sunday, February 2, 2020
Time: 6:00pm (kickoff at 6:30pm)
Location: Washingtonian Woods Clubhouse, Upper Level

What’s Provided: We will be providing plenty of ice, soda, water, plates, napkins, utensils and condiments for the chili. And 2 TVs to watch the commercials (and game)!

What to Bring: We ask that each family attending please bring a snack/ appetizer/ dessert to share, and any other food/beverages you want to have on hand for the game.

Feeling competitive? Bring a pot of chili – prizes will be awarded for the top 3!

We hope to see you there!

Upcoming Social Events
The social committee has been hard at work planning numerous events that we hope many of you can join us for this year. Please Save The Date for the next few upcoming events:

Saturday, February 22, 2020
Family Game Night – Bingo!!
Doors open at 4pm. Bingo starts at 4:30pm.
Bingo cards, Daubers and prizes!!!
Sodas, juice provided. Feel free to bring something to share.
Details mid February!!

Saturday, March 21, 2020
Adults Only Trivia Night
Doors open at 7pm. Trivia begins at 8pm.
Washingtonian Woods residents only. Teams of 4.
Prizes for top teams.
Coolers welcome, please bring an appetizer or dessert to share.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA

Hello Neighbors,

Washingtonian Woods Holiday Gift Giving Program
Please join us for Washingtonian Woods’ annual holiday gift giving program to benefit families in the City of Gaithersburg. We will be collecting teen gift bag items for Montgomery County residents in need this holiday season. Please join us in the Upper Level of the Clubhouse on Sunday, December 1st for an Open House from 3:30pm – 6pm. We will collect donations and provide pizza, light fare and beverages. If you are unable to attend, but would still like to donate gifts, please click here for more details.

Date:  Sunday, December 1, 2019
Time:  3:30pm – 6:00pm
Where:  Washingtonian Woods Clubhouse, Upper Level
What to Bring:  Please click here for more details.
Pizza, snacks and drinks will be provided to all helpers!

Neighborhood Holiday Caroling
It’s almost time for the second annual Washingtonian Woods Neighborhood Caroling event! Anyone who enjoys a little “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” with your holiday cookies and hot cider is welcome to come join us. The first practice will be from 7-8:30 pm Thursday, Dec. 5, at the home of Marc and Melissa Egan, 228 Midsummer Circle. We’ll meet up a week later in the Upper Clubhouse for a second practice and will aim to amble around the neighborhood the weekend of Dec. 13/14. Mark your calendar and join in on the neighborhood fun!

Hanukkah Fire Truck
The annual Hanukkah Fire Truck and Celebration is expected to be December 23rd around 7pm. We will confirm the date and time nearer the event. Join us (all faiths! All welcome) to have hot chocolate and donuts, play a game of Dreidel and socialize with neighbors before the fire truck arrives.

Fall Loose Leaf Collection
Fall loose leaf collection is now underway for single family and townhouse owners. Place your leaves at the street curb by 7 a.m. on your regular recycling day. The weekly collection continues through the last week of December, weather permitting. Any time during the year you can bag your leaves in biodegradable brown bags and leave them curbside with your other recyclables.

Thank you,
Glenn Watts
Board of Directors, Washingtonian Woods HOA