Question: WHAT ARE THEY?

Answer: A covenant is an agreement – in this case, an agreement between the homeowners of Canterbury Woods regarding how we want to live in our community. Like other subdivisions have done, we have formalized our Covenants into a document that governs the rights and obligations of property owners relating to use of their property. Restrictions affect the placement, use, and appearance of buildings, improvements, and personal property, as well as limitations on pets, signs, and offensive activity.

Question: TO WHOM DO THEY APPLY?

Answer: To all persons (owners, leaseholders, renters, guests) residing in Canterbury Woods, as well as to absentee owners of Canterbury Woods homes.

Question: WHO ESTABLISHED THEM?

Answer: The original Canterbury Woods Restrictive Covenants were established by the developers of Canterbury Woods in 1964. They were revised by a majority of homeowners in the spring of 2003. The Canterbury Woods Covenants are similar in nature, intent, and language to covenants in nearby subdivisions, and many of them parallel Fairfax County Zoning Laws and Ordinances.

Question: WHO ENFORCES THEM?

Answer: Our covenants are voluntarily adhered to by Canterbury Woods residents and homeowners; those covenants which are covered by Fairfax County Ordinances are enforced through the County. On matters regarding buildings in Canterbury Woods, the Covenants establish an Architectural Control Committee (Covenant 1) with oversight concerning the erection, placement or alterations of all structures. The Architectural Control Committee is responsible for supervising the enforcement of Covenants 2-9. The Canterbury Woods Civic Association, represented by its Executive Board, is responsible for supervising the enforcement of Covenants 10-18 which refer to activity on — and use of — the property.

Question: WHAT ACTION IS REQUIRED OF OWNERS AND RESIDENTS?

Answer: Canterbury Woods owners and residents are expected to act in accordance with the Covenants. Please contact the Architectural Control Committee before commencing any building or alteration or erecting a fence. Normal upkeep such as painting, repairs, and roof replacement does not require Committee approval unless it impacts on the “harmony of external design with existing structures.”

Question: HOW ARE THE COVENANTS AMENDED OR MODIFIED?

Answer: The Canterbury Woods Restrictive Covenants can be modified at any time in whole or in part as long as a simple majority of homeowners (259 of 517) approve the changes. The Canterbury Woods Civic Association, acting through its Executive Board, administers the Covenants and supervises their revision.

Question: DO THE COVENANTS SUPERSEDE FAIRFAX COUNTY ZONING LAWS OR ORDINANCES?

Answer: NO. Canterbury Woods owners and residents are responsible for complying with all applicable Fairfax County Zoning Laws and Ordinances, as well as with all local, State and Federal Law. The Restrictive Covenants place additional requirements and restrictions on the owners and residents relating to use of their property for the mutual benefit of all those who live or own property in the community. Fairfax County enforces local ordinances and zoning laws; however, the Canterbury Woods Civic Association Executive Board may be able to assist owners and residents in working with the County to enforce them.

Question: WHO CONTRACTS FOR SNOW REMOVAL?

Answer:The streets are the responsibility of Fairfax County; the sidewalk and driveway in front of your house is yours. For the safety of all residents, it is important to remove snow from your sidewalk as soon as possible.

Question: IS THERE A SPECIFIC TRASH SERVICE THAT I MUST USE?

Answer: Trash service is provided by the county.

Question: WHERE CAN I FIND CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ANOTHER CW NEIGHBOR?

Answer: The paperback CWCA directory is published annually and lists contact information for our 517 homes. If you do not have a directory, please use this form to request one. You can also contact Liz Brocato at brocatofam@gmail.com or call (703) 323-0587.

Question: WE JUST MOVED IN; HOW DO I GET MY INFO IN THE DIRECTORY?

Answer: Contact the editor of the directory (see above) and your info will be included in the next annual edition, or you can wait until the call for updated directory information is in the CW Gazette (paper newsletter mailed to your home).

Question: HOW DO I SIGN UP FOR THE CWCA COMMUNITY EMAIL (aka listserv)?

Answer: You must send a subscription request to Groups.io, our listserv provider, to join the CW email. Registering is FREE and you can use any email address to receive posts from listserv. In other words, you will not have another email address to check; the community emails will come to the email address you designate!

1. Send an empty email to CWCA+subscribe@groups.io
2. Groups.io will send you an confirmation request. You must respond to that confirmation request to complete your subscription
3. Once moderators approve your subscription, you will start receiving posts from our listserv
4. (Not required) You may also sing up on Groups.io (https://groups.io/) and select how often you would like to receive email from the listserv

Please direct any questions or problems regarding the group to Liz Brocato at (703) 323-0587 or brocatofam@gmail.com.

Question: IF I SIGN UP FOR THE COMMUNITY EMAIL, WILL I START GETTING ALL KINDS OF SPAM MAIL?

Answer: No! Your individual email address is not given out to anyone. The community email (aka listserv) is sponsored by the CWCA Board of Directors and facilitates information sharing and communication among the residents of CWCA. It’s a great avenue through which our residents are able to share information – whether it’s advice about the best local air conditioning repair or what caused the booming noise at 3 a.m.!

Question: HOW CAN WE GET CURRENT NEWS AND INFORMATION ABOUT CANTERBURY WOODS?

Answer: Without leaving your home, there are four ways!

Read the newsletter (The CWCA Gazette) that is mailed to your home 1-2 times a year.

If you are on Facebook, find us at: Canterbury Woods Civic Association

Sign up online for the CW community email (also called CW Listserv) – it’s FREE and quite convenient!

Periodically check for updates on this website!