See Both Sides
In the Board's View
The Whisperwood Cluster Board of Directors has adopted a policy statement concerning the use and installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging equipment within the community. The Association remains committed to managing our finances and our common areas responsibly. A copy of the full Resolution, adopted by the board on December 15th, is available here.
Why the Resolution Was Adopted:
Owners and residents have inquired about charging their electric vehicles from their homes using extension cords or other temporary arrangements that cross sidewalks or our parking facility. After reviewing this practice, the Board determined that it presents significant safety and liability concerns, including:
- Trip and electrical hazards created by cords crossing sidewalks and roadways
- Fire risks from cords not rated for continuous outdoor use or high-voltage current
- Liability exposure to the Association if an injury or property damage occurs
In addition, the electrical infrastructure at Whisperwood likely does not have the capacity to support individual chargers at each owner’s parking space. Installing private charging stations would require trenching, conduit, and new electrical equipment in the common area, at a cost and complexity that is not practical or fair to impose on all owners.
What the Resolution Says:
- No installations or equipment (chargers, conduit, outlets, or wiring) may be placed within or across the Association’s sidewalks, landscaping, parking areas, or roadways
- Extension cords running across any portion of the common area are strictly prohibited
- Owners may not connect power from their homes to vehicles parked outside in the parking lot by any temporary means
- The Board will continue to explore long-term solutions, including shared or community charging stations if infrastructure, grants, or resident demand make such projects feasible or warranted
Looking Ahead:
The Board appreciates the need for modern amenities and will remain informed about Fairfax County’s “Charge Up Fairfax” program and other funding opportunities. If community-level charging becomes viable in the future, residents will be notified and invited to participate in planning.
- Your Whisperwood Cluster Board of Directors
In the Homeowner's View
It seems safe to say that electric cars are here to stay, and I just don't think that delaying the effort to find a solution to the EV charging issue does our neighborhood any good. If you have a long commute (like I do), EV ownership without charging at home is a nightmare. EV owners want to buy houses where they can charge at home, while studies show this has a positive impact on property values.
Case in point, it's what got me to move to Whisperwood in the first place: at the time, a (now-removed) Section 13 of Whisperwood's Rules & Regulations document showed the method by which homeowners could install EV chargers in their reserved parking spaces. Unfortunately for me, despite also verbally confirming this policy before buying the house, when the time came, the policy was ultimately not honored.
Since that time, I have been making genuine efforts to collaboratively troubleshoot the issue to the board's satisfaction, while at times it has seemed that all I'd get back were delays and roadblocks-- while the solutions I'd give in reply were met with constant rejection. I'll pay for their Feasibility Study. I've had a lawyer draft an written indemnification and hold harmless agreement to protect the HOA from any liability. I've made plans for a separate insurance policy, naming them as an additional insured. I'll do anything they ask-- but they aren't asking. They're just explaining "why not", instead of continuing to search for "how".
If a half dozen other Reston clusters, in identical situations to ours, have managed to figure this out, I just can't see why we can't find a way. The board has said the community doesn't want EV chargers, and therefore, they're done discussing the subject. But I don't think they've done a proper job of actually asking the membership.
If outlawing EV chargers is truly the will of the people, then so be it! But when everyone I've asked is in full support, I find it hard to imagine that the opposition is real, just because the board has declared it so.
My opinion: The board should let this proper survey speak to the desires of the homeowners, and proceed according to the will of the membership.
- Erik Quinn
