Lakeport News
- From the Editor/President – Stephen Sapp
- Landscape Committee – Mary Sapp
- Winter TGIF
- Book Club – Barbara Khan
- Thanks to Our Volunteers
Helpful Information
Lakeport News
Helpful Information
By Stephen Sapp
In the previous issue of Ripples, I pointed out that this past fall was a time of transition, in both the seasons of the year and the governance of Lakeport. I want to report here on a few other changes since then, starting with several in this Winter issue of Lakeport’s e-newsletter: First, I have decided to combine “From the Editor” and “President’s Message” because—well—the same person holds those two positions. The combination of the two articles will make the organization of Ripples less cumbersome and will at least slightly reduce the workload of our dedicated Webmaster Tom Barnett, who works quietly behind the scenes to post the quarterly newsletter and, not incidentally, also to keep our online directory up to date (if any of your information has changed or you are not yet in the directory, please email corrections to Tom at webmaster@lakeportcluster.org).Second, we have also decided to change the timing of the Maintenance Checklist in each issue. Instead of placing, say, the spring checklist in the Spring issue (where at least some of the items may be too late to be of use), that checklist will now be in the Winter issue in anticipation of its use in time to prepare for the arrival of spring. We will continue this pattern throughout the year. We hope these two changes will improve the readability and value of Ripples for you.
A third change is inclusion of an article by a guest columnist, Henry Pan, son of James and Holly Pan. Henry has offered a useful tip on looking for and claiming abandoned property—check it out. I didn’t find anything, but it takes only a minute and, who knows, you may be luckier!
If you have comments about this issue of Ripples and/or would like to submit an item for our Spring issue, please email me at ssapp@miami.edu.
I move now from my role as Editor of Ripples to put on my hat as President of Lakeport Homeowners Association, and I have two more changes to share.
The Board voted last fall to hire Complete Landscaping to provide our landscape maintenance and snow removal after six years with Blade Runners. Fortunately, Complete communicates clearly and often when snow threatens, though the final decision on what to do is up to us. They were able to keep our roads clear during the combined heavy snows in January and then reduced the amount of salt applied for the most recent event, which turned out to be light and did not need plowing. Although Northern Virginia sometimes has a surprise late-season snow, it is likely that we have seen the last meaningful accumulation, with the accompanying major hit on our budget!
Another recent change at Lakeport is that the chair of Lakeport’s Social Committee, Shelby Friedel, had to resign because of the travel obligations of her job (thanks, Shelby, for your service!). I am very happy to announce that two long-time residents of our community have stepped up to accept this important responsibility: Sandy Laeser (1977 Lakeport Way) and Diane Zoukis (1909 Lakeport Way). They have even promised to “shake things up,” which sounds like fun! Welcome, Sandy and Diane! If you have ideas for social events, please let one of them know.
Changes have also been occurring at South Lakes Village (SLV). As you are probably aware, Truist Bank has announced that the SLV branch will be closing soon, a loss for those of us who have enjoyed the convenience of having a neighborhood branch (and it wasn’t that long ago that we even had a choice between two different banks there!). I’m sure we all agree that having the wide variety of essential stores and services available within an easy walk is a tremendous asset to Lakeport residents, not only with regard to our immediate quality of life but also, looking ahead, to our property values. So I encourage you to patronize all the establishments at SLV as often as possible to ensure that they continue to serve our neighborhood. If the center closes, apart from losing the convenience of such nearby shopping, who knows what will happen to that space (high-density housing is a very likely possibility)?
Let me repeat once more what I wrote in the last issue about quarterly assessment payments: If you have not set up Direct Deposit, I urge you to do so before the next quarterly assessment is due on April 1 (see Reminders elsewhere in this issue for how to do this). The main advantage is that you never have to worry about being late and incurring extra fees, but you also save the hassle and expense of mailing a check (or being charged a fee for using a credit card online). Some people have told me that they don’t like to use automated payments because they want to know how much their bills are, but unlike electricity or water, for example, you already do know exactly how much your quarterly assessment will be and when it will be deducted from your account! So please consider this time- and cost-saving way to pay your assessments.
Your Board is committed to maintaining what we all know to be true of Lakeport: Our cluster is the best place to live in Reston (actually, in Northern Virginia!). If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, we will be happy to hear from you at board@lakeportcluster.org.
Late last fall and over the winter we did some final landscaping for 2023, transitioned to a new landscape maintenance provider, and started planning for 2024.
In December we planted an American holly in the woods at the end of Lakespray Way to help block the view and traffic noise from South Lakes Drive and to block the entrance from the Safeway access road to an “unofficial path” that has been worn through the woods beside Lakespray Way and to make that path less obvious. We also installed five iteas (deciduous shrubs with spring flowers and fall color) to the right of the parking area at the top of the Lakespray hill after adding topsoil to enhance the existing dirt. Finally, we added a small boulder in Triangle Park to try to protect plants from dog urine.
January saw a transition from Blade Runners to Complete Landscaping for both landscape maintenance and snow removal (which we needed for our three snow events in January and February). We have already scheduled a meeting with our new project manager to walk the Lakeport property and discuss property lines, point out areas that need special attention, and hear his suggestions for how to improve our landscaping.
We also have started on plans for 2024. The Landscape Committee has meetings scheduled with two arborists about needed tree work and will also set up a meeting soon with a landscape designer to hear her suggestions for enhancements we might wish to make over the coming months.
Meanwhile, Mother Nature is starting to bring to life landscape enhancements from previous years. So enjoy!
By the way, despite the discussion of trillions of periodic cicadas emerging this spring, the DMV will be spared (our Brood X is not expected back until 2038, although we will hear some annual “dog day” cicadas over the summer). This year’s simultaneous arrival of the large broods XIII (every 17 years) and XIX (every 13 years), which occurs only once every 221 years, will be in the Midwest and some areas south of us.By Barbara Khan, Coordinator
Want to join some of your neighbors and talk about a good book? Lakeport has an informal book club that is always open to new members. We meet monthly on the third Monday from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., rotating among members’ homes.
So what has the Lakeport Book Club been reading recently?
Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, by James McBride
Oath and Honor, A Memoir and a Warning, by Liz Cheney
The Four Winds, by Kristin Hannah
If those books look interesting and you want to join the book club or have questions, contact Barbara Khan at bskhan@att.net.
Landscape
Social
Maintenance
Standards
Other
By Henry Pan
Are you interested in getting free money? Have you lived in Virginia for a substantial period of time? If your answers are “yes,” then this article is for you. My name is Henry Pan, and I am a high school student who has lived in Lakeport my entire life.Right now, there is a possibility that you have abandoned property in Virginia, which could be claimed from the Unclaimed Property Act. Now, it’s not likely that you forgot your house or anything—most unclaimed properties are checks made out to you that went uncashed. They can be from utilities, banks, insurance companies, etc. This summer, my family recovered over $400!
Here's how it works:
Please consider donating 10% of your total claimed property value to the Reston Scholarship Fund. Happy Hunting!
For any inquiries, contact henrybpan@gmail.com.
Maintenance Resources: Be sure to review the Preventive Maintenance Checklist in this issue for smaller maintenance projects that could save you major expenses and headaches in the future. And remember that RA has arranged with Sherwin-Williams for a discount of 30% to 40% off paints and stains (exterior and interior) and 15% off paint supplies at Sherwin-Williams store #3385, located at 495A Elden Street in Herndon (703-471-1484). If you want to take advantage of the discount, the code is 2214-8496-7. Washington Consumer Checkbook is a publication available online (www.checkbook.org) that offers a huge user-friendly database of reviews of many types of local service providers, along with high-quality advice about how to approach selecting and working with them.
You Must Replace Any Tree You Remove: If you plan to remove a live tree on your property, you need approval from Reston Association (RA). Furthermore, if you will remove or recently removed a tree (dead or alive), RA requires that you replace it with another tree, preferably a native. RA has several resources for finding a replacement tree. See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1a1epMYHN4gx8EB7l_K68ewk8bZnXnh1-/view
Party Walls: Although sometimes counterintuitive, the RA Deeds make the repair of any architectural element that falls on the property line between two houses (e.g., wall, trim, fence) a joint responsibility. If you aren’t sure whose responsibility it is to pay for the repair or replacement of a shared wall or trim, please see https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxSpjzCTaI6Jd0xnbEZEcEhLT3NiWjRKODNlZDBtTWdRdTBJ/view for information relating to party walls.
Improve Lighting in Lakeport: As the days grow longer, it is important to adjust the time your outdoor lights come on. A well-lit community is one of the most basic measures we can take to ensure the safety of our residents and the security of our property. One way to further the goal of safe lighting is for residents to leave their exterior lights on at night, especially those in units with post lights, which according to long-time Lakeport residents used to be standard practice. This is of course voluntary but doing this one small thing would be a gracious contribution to the overall safety and attractiveness of our community.
Drive Slowly: Neighborhood kids will start to be outside more as the weather gets warmer, playing on sidewalks and in the streets. Please remember to drive slowly and keep your eyes out for children (and other pedestrians).
Lock your cars: If you park your car outside, be sure to lock it and do not leave valuables visible, especially at night. Also remind guests to do the same.
Report Suspicious Activity: If you see suspicious activity, don’t confront anybody but instead call the Fairfax County Police non-emergency number, 703-691-2131 (use this number also to report vandalism or any other crime that has already occurred). The police request that even if you just have a “gut feeling” something is wrong, please notify them with as many details as possible. It is helpful if you can also take photos unobtrusively. Police will be dispatched (or you may be able to provide a report over the phone). Also notify Lakeport’s Neighborhood Watch coordinator James Pan at jpamco@gmail.com. Please pay special attention to suspicious activity or sounds near the Lakeport dock, in the woods, or at night.Visitors: If you have visitors whose car will be parked in common space for more than one night, put a note on the dashboard with your name and address and the dates they will be parked in Lakeport so their car is not towed.
Composting. If you are tired of smelly garbage cans and want to reduce the amount of garbage you send to the dump, consider signing up for the compost pickup service offered by Veteran Compost DC–From Combat to Compost, which will turn your food scraps into high-quality compost. The company provides a bin, which has a sealing mechanism that is effective at trapping odors inside and is picked up and replaced once a week with a clean bin (currently on Thursdays, meaning you can put everything curbside at the same time). The group rate for residents of Lakeport is $25 per month. For more information, see https://veterancompostindc.com/ or call (202) 556-3806. Help Keep Our Community Clean and Beautiful: Please contribute to the appearance of our community by picking up trash anywhere you see it while you’re out walking and enjoying nature in Lakeport (and elsewhere).Geese: We continue to experience problems with goose poop on our dock. Please don’t feed the geese (not only does this attract them, it’s not healthy for them), but do feel free to shoo them off the dock (just be sure not to harm them or allow them to attack you—we just want to make their time on our dock unpleasant enough that they will choose to hang out somewhere else!). It would be appreciated if you could help sweep the dock (there’s a broom behind 1925 Lakeport Way that you are welcome to use). Never Again Be Late Paying Your Quarterly Assessment: If you’ve been contacted by the Board for not paying your assessment as the end of the month nears (or even if you haven’t), please consider paying your quarterly assessments by direct debit through your bank instead of mailing a check or paying on TownSq (which incurs an extra fee). Doing so means that you never have to worry about incurring late fees because you forgot to make the payment (currently $25 plus the administrative charge from SCS for sending the letter). Alternatively, you can pay the entire assessment at the beginning of the year. Either approach means the Board does not have to spend time contacting you or pay SCS for mailing quarterly statements to owners who have not set up direct debit or prepaid. A third option for avoiding late fees (but you’ll still get a quarterly statement) is to use your bank’s electronic bill-pay option to set up recurring checks. For information about any of these three options and for mailing checks, go to https://www.lakeportcluster.org/p/hoa-fee-payments-lakeport-cluster-hoa.html.Update Your Contact Information: Please go to the Lakeport Directory https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C3GQPozt0_35XwbkLbTsc4F6zpkmKmjw/view (PW=lakespray) and check the contact information listed there for you. If a correction is needed, either 1) send an email to webmaster@lakeportcluster.org and copy along@scs-management.com or 2) fill out the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFILfWGBoWIgWlBPSQmIKj4kIX0kPA7XsRjnsaOsNXuvVSkw/viewform. If your home has renters, please ask them to fill out the form to be listed in the directory. Remember also that if you need to contact a neighbor or just remember someone’s name you have forgotten, you can always check this directory.
Homes in Lakeport Cluster, all of which are more than 30 years old and some over 40, are unique in several ways. This checklist is designed with Lakeport homes in mind. Your help in keeping this list current and relevant is essential. Please send suggestions to Board@LakeportCluster.org.
Outdoor Checklist (these items will also help you prepare for annual inspections)
Indoor Checklist
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Contact the board via email: Board@lakeportcluster.org
What Residents and Board Can Expect
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Architectural Standards Committee - Richard Rosenberg
Landscape Committee – Mary Sapp
Maintenance Committee – Paul Renard
Neighborhood Watch Committee – James Pan
Social Committee – Sandy Laeser and Diane Zoukis
OTHER VOLUNTEERS
Webmaster and Listserv Administrator – Tom Barnett
Editor for Ripples, community newsletter – Stephen Sapp
Book Club Coordinator – Barbara Khan
Fill doggie-bag stations – Kevin Burke and Steven Browning
Keep community dock clean – Eva and Ilana Collingham
SELECT COMMUNITY SERVICES
Portfolio Manager: Alexandra "Ali" Long
Email: along@scs-management.com
Direct: (703) 230-8725
Fax: (703) 266-2804
PO Box 221350
Chantilly, VA 20153
Hours: Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.mm, Friday 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Website: https://app.townsq.io/login
RESTON ASSOCIATION
Barbara Carpenter
Covenants Advisor
phone: (703) 435-6529
Fall 2023 Issue of Ripples
From the Editor – Stephen Sapp
Lakeport News
President’s Message – Stephen Sapp
Landscape Committee – Mary Sapp
Report on Lakeport Garage Sale
Book Club – Barbara Khan
Helpful Information
Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
Lakeport Governance/Management