Now that spring has finally arrived, we’re able to enjoy the beauty of Lakeport, Reston, and Northern Virginia that we are less apt to see when it is cold and blustery. I hope you have all had a chance to sit on the benches on the new dock, enjoy the view in spring, and contemplate how fortunate we are to live here.
The Board is committed to maintaining the attractiveness of our common areas through landscaping and maintenance. Most recently we refurbished and added landscaping on Lakespray Way (if you don’t get up there regularly, you might want to check it out), and we are planning to add new landscaping on Lakeport Way near South Lakes Village (where a hedge was removed last fall due to canker). See the Landscape Committee article for more details. We have scheduled the replacement of two badly deteriorated retaining walls for this month, and the Maintenance Committee will continue to work on smaller repairs (see that article for further information). The lighting project is finally done, and the final piece of the dock project, installing 280 plant “plugs” in the bio-logs installed last fall to help with shoreline restoration, will wrap up later this month. Please help these efforts by emailing prusa2000@netscape.net to volunteer on Saturday mornings (May 11 and/or May 18).
The appearance of the community and the value of our property are also strongly influenced by how Lakeport’s homes look, which is the responsibility of each homeowner. Some of you will be receiving letters from our management company shortly letting you know about features of your home that need to be replaced, repaired, and/or repainted. Please try to respond in a timely matter, but if you need an extension, let the Board know. We have found that it is more effective (and less costly) if you work through the Board with requests and questions.
As indicated in recent emails to the community, we are updating Lakeport Cluster’s standards to make it easier and less expensive to make major repairs. We will be submitting a proposed windows standard to RA this month. Please review the table of colors, and if your windows don’t conform, contact the Board so you are “grandfathered.” In addition, standards related to outdoor lighting, decks, house numbers, and roofing have been updated to reflect changes/additions that have been approved by Reston Association (RA) but not included in the online standards. Furthermore, the Board has started a new web page with tips for maintaining your home and will add to this resource over time (see separate articles on Design Standards Committee and Maintenance Resources for more details). Important reminder: Any time you undertake a major repair, be sure to consult the Lakeport standards (or if there isn’t one relating to your project, the RA standards that can be accessed from the second paragraph of Lakeport’s Cluster Standards page). And be sure to check to see if a DRB application is required.
Let me close by encouraging you to take advantage of our Social Committee’s efforts to foster a greater sense of community in Lakeport. Lakeport kids, grandkids, and their friends enjoyed the annual Easter Egg Hunt (and so did those of us who watched them having fun); we had a nice turnout for our first TGIF of the year (with more planned for those of you who couldn’t make it); and a cluster-wide block party at the dock is being planned for the fall. Be sure to take advantage of the opportunity to get to know your neighbors better and to build friendships with those living near you.
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