Welcome Letter

A Welcome Letter to New Residents

Welcome to Union Mills Community Association!

We are happy to have you join our neighborhood and look forward to helping you connect with neighbors and the community.

Please sign up for the website and contact FirstService Residential for community email updates so we can keep you informed of community events, updates and information. This includes items like movie nights and fall festivals and need to know changes to snow removal or trash changes.  Sometimes we cannot reach our new HOA members to inform them of a special announcement about the homeowners association, our next event or meeting, especially if they are leasing from an out-of-town owner or a corporation. Please let our  Customer Care Center know that you are a new HOA member and provide your name, address, phone and e-mail address – and we will include you on all our mailing and e-mail lists. You can also email at propertymanager@unionmills.com.

We also understand what it’s like to be new to the area so we’ll attempt to answer a few of the most common questions here . . .

Shopping
Union Mill Colonnade is the closest shopping center and is within walking distance. The Colonnade has a Giant grocery store, Starbucks, restaurants, yoga studio, vet, hair salons and other professional services! Close by is also two shopping centers in Centreville or a short drive to Fairfax Corner, Wegmans and Lee Plaza.

Schools
Local schools are Union Mill Elementary, Liberty Middle School, Centreville High School and St. Andrew’s Catholic School. There are also several daycare centers and preschools nearby.

Mail/Shipping
Townhomes have community mailboxes located at the entrance of your street. Your mailbox number is assigned to you and you should receive a key with the keys to your new home. Please contact the property management company if you need assistance. Each of the mailboxes has an outgoing mail slot for letters. For shipping, you may want to visit the UPS Store at Union Mill Colonnade or the nearest USPS location, located by Trader Joe’s at 14120A Lee Hwy, Centreville, VA 20120. Single family homes each have their own mailbox located curbside.

Trash/Recycling/Yard Waste
The community is serviced by Patriot Disposal.

• Trash pick-up is on Tuesday and Friday mornings, and they may arrive early! Trash must be in a closed container if put out on the curb the night before (containers provided by Patriot if you need one), otherwise have trash out by 6am on pick-up day.
• Bulk items are only picked up upon arrangement with Patriot directly; email them at customerservice@patriotdisposalservices.com.
• Recycling is picked up on Wednesdays. It must be in a blue recycle bag or in recycling containers. Our area does not allow glass included in your recycling. Yard Waste must be in paper bags and twigs must be bundled and tied together. All containers must be returned to homes upon pick-up and may not be left at curbs.
• Yard waste is picked up on Wednesdays, March-September. It is picked up with regular trash the rest of the year. Patriot often offers a holiday tree pick up during the holiday season.

How does the community work?
The HOA is managed by a property management company, FirstService Residential (FSR). FSR manages your HOA account, property issues, community areas and is your first contact for questions or concerns. You can connect with FSR at https://unionmillshoa.connectresident.com.

The HOA is also governed by a Board of Directors who serve on an elected, rotating basis. However, the HOA is mostly served by our community volunteers through several volunteer committees. There are many ways to get involved and various levels of commitment. We encourage you to reach out to our many volunteer groups and check out our community committees!

Parking
Parking in the townhome section of the community is governed by parking rules, located here: https://unionmills.com/services-amenities/parking-rules/

Here are a few tips to make living in our community enjoyable and stress free:

• All HOA members – owners and renters – must comply with the homeowners association rules and regulations. They are reasonable rules to protect property values, preserve the nature of our community, and make life more enjoyable for everyone. If you need a copy of our rules, please contact the manager or a board member. The homeowners association has the legal authority to enforce all rules. We do this equitably and consistently. We do not like to take action against those who may not have received this important information, but it is our obligation to do so.
• We recommend keeping your porch light on during the evening/night. This provides lighting for those returning home late and increases safety and security. This is particularly important in our neighborhood where we have limited lighting due to the amount of wooded area.
• Renters who are HOA members are entitled to all the privileges of a homeowners association membership except voting. However, we cannot extend those privileges to you if we do not know who you are. Contact our Customer Care center or Property Manager and let us know the best way to reach you. That gives you the advantage of knowing what is going on in the community.
• Also follow the Union Mills Facebook page!

As an HOA member, you do not have to own your home to be interested in your homeowners association community. If you would like to volunteer for a committee or other type of service to the association, we look forward to having you participate.

Thank you for joining our neighborhood!