the care and feeding of hollin hillers
an unofficial guide
by stephen brookes
what do i need to know about living in hollin hills?
Hollin Hills is a great place to live — beautiful architecture, plentiful parks, friendly people, and a long tradition of volunteerism and democratic management of community affairs. So if you’ve recently moved in, welcome! On this page you’ll find some helpful resources available to residents.
Just one important note: To help preserve the historic architectural heritage (and property values) of Hollin Hills, be sure to consult with the Design Review Committee before starting any additions or renovations that affect the exterior of your home.
how can i get involved in the community?
There’s always a lot going on in Hollin Hills. Join neighbors in Voigt Park for the annual picnics on the Fourth of July and Oktoberfest, sign up for the pool or the pickleball club, become a park “warden” or help with the regular clean-up parties in the parks, act as a “greeter” to welcome newcomers into the community, be a docent at the biennial House + Garden Tour — there are plenty of opportunities to help out and meet people, no matter your interests or how much time you have.
what is the civic association?
The Civic Association of Hollin Hills (CAHH) is a volunteer organization that manages a wide range of community affairs, including maintaining the parks and hosting the annual community picnics. Open to any resident, the Civic Association has been an important part of Hollin Hills life since 1950.
what is the hollin hills forum?
The Hollin Hills Forum is a privately-moderated, online discussion group open to Hollin Hills residents. Topics range from politics to gardening tips to general announcements. Once you subscribe, you’ll receive all new postings via email, and be able to comment or post new items yourself. Learn how to sign up here.
who are the “friends of hollin hills”?
Friends of Hollin Hills is a charitable non-profit organization formed in 2017 to support the community. They’ve done everything from improving the parks, to hosting lectures and discussion groups. And they throw awesome parties. The group is chaired by Barbara Bogue. Visit the website here.
what is the house + garden tour?
The Hollin Hills House + Garden Tour takes place every two years, when about a dozen Hollin Hillers open their homes to the public for a day. A Hollin Hills tradition since 1953, it’s the largest mid-century modern tour on the East Coast, and typically draws over a thousand modernism enthusiasts from around the country. It’s also an important fundraiser for the community.
The last tour was in May 2024, and drew more than 1,700 visitors. The next tour is scheduled for the Spring of 2026. Visit the tour website.
can i help out with the parks?
Yes! Hollin Hills has seven parks covering more than 30 acres, which provide walking trails and play areas for residents as well as a rich habitat for the abundant animal life.
But these parks are not public land — they’re owned and managed by the Civic Association. It takes a lot of work to keep them in good shape, so their upkeep depends on all of us.
If you’d like to help out, join the Civic Association (most of your dues go to park maintenance) and watch for updates on the volunteer clean-up parties in the parks. Or, take on a larger role by becoming a “warden” for one of the parks. Please contact Gretchen Spencer, chair of the Parks Committee, for more information. She‘s very nice.
Or, you can also just help on your own by picking up litter, pulling invasive weeds, or clipping ivy from tree trunks.
what is the design review committee?
The Civic Association’s Design Review Committee (DRC) is a group of architects and design experts who provide guidance to homeowners on exterior property renovations, and determine whether proposed renovations are in harmony and conformity with the association’s Design Review Guidelines and the community Covenants.
Preserving the unique architectural character of Hollin Hills is important to all of us, so if you’re planning an addition or renovation, be sure to run your plans by the DRC — they’re here to help!
what are the hollin hills covenants?
The Covenants are agreements by homeowners that they will subject plans for additions or alterations to the exteriors of their homes for approval from the Design Review Committee, in order to protect and preserve the stylistic character of Hollin Hills.
what are “greeters”?
Greeters are an important part of the community — they’re the volunteers who welcome new Hollin Hillers to the neighborhood and help them get settled in. For more information, or to become a greeter, contact the CAHH membership committee.
where can i have a swim?
There are two pools (with tennis courts) available to residents: the Hollin Hills Pool, and the Hollin Meadows Swim and Tennis Club.
The Hollin Hills Pool, located at 1602 Paul Spring Road, is home to the illustrious Bluefish swim team.
The Hollin Meadows Swim and Tennis Club, located at 2500 Woodlawn Trail, is undergoing an extensive renovation of its facilities.
what about tennis and pickleball?
Hollin Hills has six private pickleball courts and two tennis courts, which were opened in the summer of 2022. The courts are located next to the Hollin Hills Pool, at the Fort Hunt Road entrance to the community. Players must be members of the Pickleball & Tennis Club to use the courts; please click here to learn more or become a member.
is there a book about hollin hills?
Yes there is! In 1999, the Hollin Hills marked its 50th anniversary by producing the 185-page book, “Hollin Hills: Community of Vision.” It’s a great source of information about the history, culture and architecture of Hollin Hills.
(Fans of murder mysteries may also enjoy “Mulch” by Ann Ripley, set in the fictitious Washington DC suburb of “Sylvan Valley” — which is unmistakably Hollin Hills.)
can i get the original landscaping plan for my property?
Maybe! Plans for many (but not all) individual properties were prepared in the 1950’s by landscape architects Lou Bernard Voigt, Dan Kiley and Eric Paepcke, and some are available in the archives of the Library of Congress and Harvard University. Copies can be obtained for a reasonable fee. We have about eighteen of the plans on this website; please click here to see them, and for instructions on how to obtain your own plan.
why is hollin hills an “historic district”?
Hollin Hills was included in the National Register of Historic Places in 2013, in recognition of the significance both of its architecture and its community planning and development efforts.
The status reflects “the creativity of Robert C. Davenport's financing and the inventiveness of Charles Goodman's modem house designs,” according to the National Park Service, “featuring open plans, non-traditional modern appearance, and prefabricated components.” Read more about it here.
what is the “historic overlay district” designation?
On March 8, 2022, Hollin Hills was designated by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors as an Historic Overlay District – an important and historic move that will help preserve our unique architectural heritage.
HOD status is designed to “protect areas, sites, and buildings that meet recognized standards of architectural and historic significance” by providing regulations over and above the regular zoning protection for such areas.
The designation means that any building project affecting the exterior of a structure that requires a building permit must have relevant design elements approved by the Fairfax County Architectural Review Board (ARB), before the County will issue a building permit. It adds a powerful level of protection for the legacy of Charles Goodman, the architect of Hollin Hills and one of the most innovative and influential architects of the postwar period in America.
The vote came after unanimous support for the HOD in February by the Fairfax County History Commission, the Architectural Review Board, and the County Planning Commission. Many Hollin Hills residents also wrote in support, and the HOD designation was supported by a four-to-one majority in a community survey in 2021.
where can i find historical materials related to hollin hills?
The official archives of the Civic Association of Hollin Hills are held at George Mason University’s Special Collections Research Center. The collection consists of publications, newsletters, photos, audiovisual materials, blueprints, and records relating to Hollin Hills, and is open to anyone researching the community. Click here for a guide to the collection.
In addition, the Goodman Archive of Architectural Designs is held at the Library of Congress, with more materials in the Goodman collection at the National Building Museum.
You can also find original landscape plans for Hollin Hills on our landscape plan page.
what is “new” hollin hills?
In 1956, Hollin Hills developer Robert Davenport bought an additional 101 acres, just south of Rebecca Road and contiguous to the original 225-acre Hollin Hills site, in order to expand the community. This became known informally as “new” Hollin Hills, or (since it’s not actually hilly), “the flatlands of Hollin Hills.”
At the time, the expansion provoked a squabble. Members of the existing community voted to restrict the boundary of Hollin Hills to its then-current area, and wouldn’t let “new” Hollin Hillers join their swimming pool, so “new” Hollin Hillers set up their own civic association and built their own pool. The two groups eventually got tired of this idiotic fight and merged in January 1965, becoming the Civic Association of Hollin Hills. (The pools, however, remain unrequited.)
In 1966, Upper Range Road was acquired as the Biondi-Hooper tract. The 19 traditional houses built there in 1969 sit between Hollin Hills and Sutton Potter Park, and although they are not in the modernist “Hollin Hills” style, residents are members of the Civic Association and active participants in the life of the community.
how is trash and recycling handled?
Fairfax County handles trash and recycling pickup for Hollin Hills. Our weekly pickup day is Tuesdays, and residents are requested not to put their bins at the curb before 3 pm the day before pickup. Be sure your bins are curbside by 6 am the day of pickup.
From March 1 to December 24, yard waste (leaves, grass trimmings, shrub and tree trimmings) must be placed at the curb separately for collection. Residents can also schedule five free “special pickups” of bulk and brush items (two cubic yards) per year.
Fairfax County no longer accepts glass bottles and jars in the curbside recycling program. Residents should bring them to one of the purple, glass-only recycling containers located throughout the region. (There is one at the Mount Vernon District Governmental Center at 2511 Parkers Lane, near Sherwood Hall Library.) If this is not possible, glass should be placed in the trash.
Fairfax County residents can also drop off trash and recycling at the I-66 Transfer Station and I-95 Landfill Complex disposal centers.
The Fairfax County Trash and Recycling website has all the details on what is trash, recycling and yard waste, and how to request a special pickup for brush and bulk items.
what is the mount vernon council of citizens’ associations?
The MVCCA is an organization of community associations in the Mount Vernon Supervisory District, established to represent and promote the interests of its members. The Civic Association of Hollin Hills is a member, and participates when possible in monthly MVCCA meetings on issues including the environment, transportation, zoning, public safety, and education.
who are our elected representatives?
Our US Senators for the State of Virginia are Tim Kaine (D) and
Mark R. Warner (D). In the US House of Representatives, we’re represented by Donald S. Beyer Jr. (D) (8th Congressional district of Virginia).
In the Virginia Senate, we’re represented by Scott O. Surovell (D) (36th District), and in the Virginia House of Delegates we’re represented by Hollin Hills resident Paul E. Krizek (D) (44th District).
Our representative on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors is Daniel G. Storck (D) (Mount Vernon District), and Karen L. Corbett Sanders represents Mount Vernon District for the School Board.
To learn more about registering to vote in Virginia, go to the website of the Virginia Department of Elections.
what schools do hollin hills kids attend?
Students living in Hollin Hills most often go to Hollin Meadows Elementary School, Carl Sandburg Middle School, and West Potomac High School. Other area schools include Stratford Landing Elementary, Burgundy Farm Country Day School, and the St. Louis School.
i’m “aging in place” in hollin hills — is there a support network for this?
Yes — the organization Mount Vernon at Home organizes volunteers to help seniors. Their mission is “to build a village of caring friends and volunteers offering solutions to support the lifetime independence of our members allowing them to age in place.”
You can call them at 703-303-4060.