Community Information
Architectural Changes
Homeowners love to put their personal stamp on their homes. And why not? It's the biggest, most expensive and most exciting thing we will ever purchase in our lifetimes! Yeah, I know. Cars and gadgets are exciting AND expensive but you aren't here about those things. You want to know what you can and can't do AND how to get approval.
First things first. Download the Architectural Review Guidelines. (Make sure you download the Helpful hints document as well.)
Now you know what you can and can't do, fill out the form, submit to the Review Board and wait for the Architectural Review Board Committee to get back to you.
Trash and Recycling
Trash is picked up twice a week on Tuesday and Friday.
Bulk pick-up is on Tuesday. (There will be no pickup of televisions, tires, motor oil, paint or computers.
Yard waste is picked up on Tuesdays. (Limit 5 bags weighing no more than 25lbs each)
Recycling is picked up on Friday.
Our service provider (Alternative Waste Services) tends to come pretty early in the morning so most of the residents put their cans out the night before to be sure they are serviced. Trash and recycling services are part of the dues property owners pay.
Holiday Schedule
Alternative Waste observes the following holidays and these will affect Apple Grove service days.
New Years Day
Memorial Day
4th of July
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Eve and Day
Pickups following a holiday all move back one day. We get back on the regular schedule the week following a holiday week.
For example: Memorial Day falls on a Monday, so service will be Tuesday, Tuesday service will be Wednesday, Wednesday service will be Thursday, Thursday service will be Friday, Friday service will be Saturday, and Saturday service will be Sunday.
If you have a need to contact them, you can find their number on the Helpful Links page.
Snow
Snow is a big deal in this region when we get it. If you are from a cold, snowy area of the country/world, you will find our region kind of funny. ;-) Everyone laughs at the absurdity of how often our schools are closed or have delayed openings. It's ok. The reality is Virginia is a mid-Atlantic state and we are not known for our snow and our resources are vastly more limited than someplace like Chicago or Denver (strictly snow-speaking). Schools close or delay opening sometimes on days you'll look out and see blacktop. It can be a real head-scratcher! Suffice to say, the powers-that-be that make these decisions for our kids' safety have to do so by compiling more information than we have access to. First and foremost in their minds is the safety of the kids getting to school. ALL of them. From the buses, to young bodies navigating icy walkways, to young, inexperienced drivers...all must be considered when making the choice of snow day vs. non-snow day vs delayed opening. To stay in the loop and get the most up-to-date information without having to rely on the 11:00 or early morning news, subscribe to a great service called "School's Out" that will send a text message to you as soon as Stafford County makes a decision.
The HOA is not responsible for clearing our roads
Once in a while, we get major snows. (We loosely call anything really 6" or above a major snowfall.) Let this serve as official notice that the roads of Apple Grove do not belong to us for maintaining. They belong to Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) and we are not allowed to plow them at all. We are at the mercy of their speed and efficiency with the resources they have available to them. If you get frustrated with how long it is taking, they have a site you can check to monitor their progress. Please don't email the board or call our property managers. They honestly cannot do anything to speed up the process anymore than anyone else. Sorry.
With that said, however, our sidewalks are the property of each homeowner. We are each responsible for the removal of snow from our sidewalks AND in front of our mailboxes. Mail carriers really like a good amount cleared so they can get in and deliver the mail. No, shoveling is not fun and adding in a mailbox area in the street can add to an already daunting task. Please pace yourself accordingly and listen to your body. Sometimes we are lucky and we have teens that come around and offer to do it for a small price. Some may even have snowblowers. Be smart and do only what you can. We are all neighbors here. We try to watch out for one another.