The October 2025 newsletter is linked below. If you have any comments or questions, email editor@ashtonheights.org.

Getting Down to Business
By Scott Sklar, President, AHCA 

The Ashton Heights Civic Association (AHCA) is in full gear this fall. Sometimes it’s the little things that are harbingers of bigger issues. And in many cases, the goal is balancing different interests to make everyone in our community feel their concerns are addressed.

Most of this balancing and consensus building is the focus of our seven AHCA Committees: Development, Housing, Open Spaces (Parks & Playgrounds), Safety & Security, Schools, Transportation, Tree Canopy & Native Plants, and some special interest groups – “Noise” and “Inter-organization Cooperation” and Specialty Reps – stormwater and safe streets.

This fall the top three issues for AHCA are:

1. Tree Canopy Campaign – where AHCA received funding from the Virginia Department of Forestry to distribute tree whips to AHCA residents and educate on care and best plants sites.
2. Development – focusing on upcoming development projects, interfacing with County Board & staff on lot coverage of buildings, and coordinating with our sister civic associations on housing density, tree canopy preservation, and pavement, etc.
3. Vehicle speed calming, new stop sign placement, and controls on 12-16 wheeler trucks through residential neighborhoods, and intersection corner visibility relating to trees, bushes and fences obstructing driver views threatening pedestrian and vehicle safety.

We have many ongoing activities that rise to the top from our other committees and special-focused activities as they come up.

In the end, we always need a new influx of AHCA residents to participate in committees, the AHCA listserv, and at our eight monthly meetings. 

Please look on page two of this newsletter to contact committee chairs. You can also submit monthly meeting program ideas to AHCA’s VP of Programs Dave Schutz, ideas for newsletter articles or even writing an article for AHCA’s newsletter editor Amy Miller or broader AHCA association issues to Scott Sklar, AHCA President.

As always, as we balance our family obligations, errands and home repairs, our paid jobs, various interests and organizations, it can be quite hard to pay attention to these various community issues — but you are the residents – the ones that live here and it is you that need to help address the quality of life, safety, and future issues facing our community.

As always, I appreciate everyone’s input, ideas, complaints and insights – keep them coming. Wishing you a most happy Autumn 2025,