Fall 2019 Issue of Ripples

From the Editor – Stephen Sapp

News About Lakeport 

• Message from Lakeport President – Mary Sapp
• Updates to Design Standards 
• TGIFs 
• Fall Workday – Paul Renard, Maintenance Committee Chair
• Landscape Enhancements – Carol Leos, Landscape Committee Chair
• Recent Crime in Our Area – Chuck Foster, Neighborhood Watch Chair
• Book Club – Barbara Khan, Book Club Coordinator
• Solar Energy in Lakeport – James Pan
• Thanks to Volunteers 
• Lakeport Board, Committees, and SCS Contact

News from Outside Lakeport

• Status of Lake Thoreau Pool – Barbara Khan
• Reston Development Update – Kevin Burke

Helpful Information

• “Wishful Recycling”: Adjusting to the New Realities of Recycling
• Trash/Recycling Holiday Schedule and Related Information
• Check Your Water Pressure Regulator – Paul Renard, Maintenance Committee Chair
• Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities – Community Associations Institute
• Reminders
• Fall Home Maintenance Checklist 
• Ripples Recipe

“Wishful Recycling”: Adjusting to the New Realities of Recycling

If you are a committed recycler like many of your neighbors here in Lakeport, you need to be aware that the nature of recycling has changed rather dramatically recently. You have already received notice of the major change, namely, that glass is no longer accepted by Fairfax County recyclers but now must be taken to designated collection points (we are fortunate to have a purple glass-only recycling container relatively nearby at Reston South Park and Ride, 2531 Reston Parkway, Herndon, roughly 10 minutes from Lakeport). It is important, however, to be aware of other restrictions that must be observed to avoid having an entire lot of recyclables consigned to the landfill. In fact, it is estimated that nearly 30 percent of material received in recycling pickup is actually trash.

Please read the following article carefully and put forth the extra effort that may be required to make what you put in your recycle bins each Friday usable instead of  merely “wishful recycling,” that is, placing items in the recycling bin because you think (or hope!) they will probably be recycled:
https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/news2/adjusting-to-new-recycling-realities-5-ways-you-can-help-stop-wishful-recycling/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social#prettyPhoto

Here is one of the major takeaways from the article (#1 is one of the most difficult to follow for many people):

5 Ways to Adjust Your Recycling Habits
Wishful recycling actually harms the whole process described below, so here are five ways you can help:

1. Only place empty, clean, dry, loose items in your bin
2. Dump the Filthy Five! These five items should never be placed in your recycling bin:
1. Plastic bags
2. Shredded paper
3. Tanglers (hoses/hangers/cords)
4. Styrofoam containers
5. Dirty diapers
3. Purchase products made with high recycled content
4. When in doubt, throw it out
5. Make an effort to reduce the amount of waste you create — reuse what you can

American Disposal Services Holiday Schedule

Lakeport Board, Committees, and SCS Contact

• Mary Sapp, President
• Paul Renard, Vice President 
• Kathy Powers, Vice President
• Barbara Khan, Secretary
• Kevin Burke, Treasurer

Committee Chairs

• Disaster Preparedness Committee – James Pan
• Landscape Committee – Carol Leos
• Maintenance Committee – Paul Renard
• Neighborhood Watch Committee – Chuck Foster
• Social Committee – Diane Zoukis
• Standards Committee – Kelly Driscoll
• Welcome Committee – Carol Leos

Other Volunteers 

• Book Club – Barbara Khan, Coordinator
• Webmaster and Listserv Administrator – Tom Barnett
• Editor of Ripples, our community newsletter – Stephen Sapp
• Fill doggie-bag stations and keep community dock clean – Annabelle Hammer

Select Community Services (SCS)

Ali Long
Portfolio Manager
Alexandra Long <along@scs-management.com> 
Direct:  703-230-8725
Fax: 703-266-2804
Mailing Address:
PO Box 221350
Chantilly, VA  20153
Hours: Monday-Thursday: 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Friday: 9:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.

Book Club

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. No master’s degree in literature required, and no grades given. Just read the assigned book and show up for a lively, lighthearted discussion. We meet monthly on the third Monday evening from 7:00 p.m. to 8-ish, rotating among members’ homes.

Here is November’s selection:

Book: The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede

Date: Monday, November 18, 7:00 PM

Place: Sandy’s house at 1977 Lakeport Way

Hours after the attacks on the Twin Towers on September 11, 2001, all aircraft in the United States were grounded. Planes were told to land at the closest airports. For 36 planes, many of them jumbo jets, the airport at Gander, Newfoundland, was the closest; so those flights’ 7,000 passengers and crews became the guests of this town of 12,000 and the surrounding towns. What followed was nothing short of amazing.

Call Barbara Khan at 703-390-0506 or e-mail her at bskhan@att.net for further information.

Check Your Water Pressure Regulator

By Paul Renard

You may not know what a regulator valve is . . . but it’s important. All Lakeport houses have a pressure regulator valve somewhere near the main water cutoff valve inside your house. This steps down pressure from the outside water supply to a better level for home use. Recently, I discovered that ours was steadily leaking into a storage closet that we rarely visit, and we were fortunate to have the drip falling by chance into an open ice chest; so the damage was not too bad. However, the original metal valve body had cracked and was on the edge of rupturing when the plumber arrived, and we would have had serious flooding if it had been undetected for a little longer.

The normal lifetime for these valves is 15-20 years. If you haven’t checked yours for leakage, you may want to do so. The cost of replacement was $450 and took about an hour, which seems like a bargain compared to the cost of repairing flooded flooring and rugs. I’m going to order a few internet-enabled water alarms, too.

Fall Maintenance Checklist

Homes in Lakeport Cluster, which are now more than 30 years old, are unique in several ways and have special maintenance requirements. The Board has been building a checklist with suggestions that will reduce major repairs in the future. Your help in keeping this list current and relevant is essential. Please send suggestions to Board@LakeportCluster.org.

Outdoor Checklist 

• Although the cluster’s landscaping contractor takes care of common areas, our own driveways, yards, and other areas are our responsibility. Residents should not dump what they collect into the wooded common areas. Instead, they should dispose of leaves and other debris (e.g., fallen branches, dead outdoor potted annuals) from yards, patios, driveways, decks, and entranceways by placing them in large compostable paper yard-waste bags available at home improvement stores. Pickup for yard waste is Thursdays. 

Indoor Checklist

• Replace batteries in smoke detectors.
• Do a semi-annual check of the furnace/heat pump to minimize the likelihood of a surprise malfunction during cold weather.
• Turn off the valves of the water lines to outdoor spigots. Typically, the valves are located in the same room as the hot water heater. After turning off the water, open the outdoor spigot to drain the line so that there is no water in the line to freeze over the winter.
• This is also a good time to check the water pressure regulator valve to make sure there are no leaks or cracks (see separate article in this edition of Ripples for more details).
• Check weatherstripping on outside doors and replace as necessary to reduce heating loss.

Fall Workday

By Paul Renard                                                                  

On Saturday, November 2, a great neighborhood crew performed maintenance around Lakeport. The target was dead and fallen trees, and Tom Barnett, Terrill Evon, Kelly Driscoll, David Fleming, Henryk Gorski, Don Nagley, Joe Powers, Paul Renard, and Mary and Stephen Sapp spent the morning with chainsaws and trimmers. 

We removed 44 dead trees from the woods along upper Lakespray Way plus a large one on the Lakespray hill (see photos to the right of the tree trunk being lowered and then carried off) and trimmed dead branches from six large pines between Lakeport and Sunrise Valley and others near Lakespray. 

We also cleared a large amount of fallen dead wood that was a fire hazard behind Lakespray and Lakeport (see photo at bottom, of only one of four such piles). 

Our landscaper, Blade Runners, agreed to chip the four large piles of cuttings at no cost to us when they do tree maintenance soon. With an average commercial cost of $100 per tree cut, plus the cost of trimming and deadfall removal, we saved the Association nearly $5,000 in one morning! Although there were a few sore backs and two chainsaw blades that need sharpening, we made Lakeport more attractive while having fun with our neighbors. 

Join us for service and comradeship in the spring when we do more clean-up.

From the Editor

By Stephen Sapp

Since Mary and I moved to Lakeport in April 2015, I often pause to reflect on how blessed I feel to live in such a beautiful place with so many really wonderful and accomplished residents. This feeling was reinforced recently when I participated in the Fall Workday with a number of our neighbors who were willing to give up a Saturday morning and expend considerable energy helping to maintain—in fact, improve—the appearance and safety of our community (see the “Fall Workday” article for more information about this project). Please consider participating in such activities whenever you can—you really will come away happy that you did (one participant wrote to me that “it was a pleasure joining the crew and getting so much done on a beautiful fall morning”).

Speaking of participating in Lakeport activities, Mary and I are hosting the next TGIF gathering at our home (1919 Lakeport Way) on Friday, December 13, at 7:00 p.m., and we would love to see you there. In addition to our world-famous homemade eggnog (with and without!) and mulled cider, lots of other libations and edibles will be available, and I can guarantee that you will have a great time with Lakeportians you already know and others you will be happy to get to know (see the article “TGIFs” for details).

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this latest edition of Ripples! Please take a moment to thank those who have contributed to this issue when you see them around our cluster; most of them not only take the time to write their articles (without even too much “gentle urging” by the Editor!), but they also spend a great deal more time and effort in the activities about which they write. And don’t forget to thank others listed in the “Thanks to Volunteers” article (and perhaps see your name in print there in the next issue?!).

As always, if you have suggestions, comments, or ideas for articles you would like to see, please don’t hesitate to contact me at ssapp@miami.edu. I would especially like to receive any photos you take of “life in Lakeport.”

Status of Lake Thoreau Pool

By Barbara Khan 

We learned a couple of years ago that some major structural problems had been identified in Lake Thoreau Pool. RA was able to do a temporary repair so the pool could remain open last summer, and they then arranged a new engineering study right after the pool closed to re-evaluate the issues (primarily deterioration of a 40-year-old timber retaining wall next to the lake that has led to cracks in the pool shell and deck slabs). Findings from this report were made public at an RA Board meeting on October 24. In response to concerns from residents, the RA Board affirmed that Lake Thoreau pool “will continue to be a Reston Association amenity.” However, it has been determined that the pool is not safe to use until the retaining walls can be replaced or remediated, which means the pool will need to be closed for the next two summers. RA will use the need to make major repairs as an opportunity to “reimagine” how the pool will be used and to develop a plan that incorporates features that the residents who use it want to keep and/or add (e.g., ADA compliance, hot tub, diving board, kiddie pool). Updates will be provided at https://www.reston.org/CapitalProjects/LakeThoreauPoolProject/tabid/1061/Default.aspx (new documents will appear in the “Important Documents” section on the right side of the screen). If you have questions, you can email capitalprojects@reston.org.

RA held a meeting on November 4 to answer questions and obtain feedback from concerned residents. The report of the meeting can be found at https://www.reston.org/Portals/3/2019%20Capital%20Projects/D.4%20-%20Lake%20thoreau%20Pool%20Project%20Community%20Meeting%20Presentation.pdf.

Lakeport Board Secretary Barbara Khan attended the meeting and provided the following report:

• The schedule shows plan/design/estimate in 2020, with $350,000 allocated for that phase. Implementation will be in 2021, and the pool will reopen in 2022.
• A number of questions were raised on why we can’t use the pool in 2020 since the project will still be in the planning phase, but RA stated strongly that there are safety/liability concerns about using the pool in 2020 as an interim convenience. Also, there are costs to open the pool, e.g., staffing and operations.
• Community engagement will be solicited to give the pool characteristics that we want. This process will be about two to three months long.  
• Other pools will be identified to support the typical needs for the users of Lake Thoreau Pool such as lap swimming, spa, and just “hanging out.” We expect that Hunters Woods would be the primary pool alternative, plus Lake Audubon, where hours might be extended to support users.

Landscape Enhancements

By Carol Leos

1. Tree trimming has begun in order to maintain the health of our trees and ensure the safety of residents and their properties. Blade Runners will be here November 14 to trim large trees along our streets; so please be sure to move your vehicle if it is near one of these trees. 
2. Blade Runners will also remove a hazard tree near a home on Lakespray Way (in addition to five they removed earlier) and trim an adjacent oak. See the “Fall Workday” article in Ripples for more details about the contributions of volunteers to Lakeport’s tree maintenance efforts. 
3. To maintain the Reston tree canopy and to provide privacy and sound mitigation for neighbors, RA requires we replace any live trees that we remove. Two new American hollies and two native white fringe trees will be planted soon to replace hazard trees removed earlier this year.
4. Native ferns will be planted to replace invasive English ivy removed earlier, and new river rocks will be added near the dock to improve the appearance there.
5. Later this fall, a crepe myrtle near Safeway will be relocated as the first step in a project planned for next spring to replace a hedge of Japanese hollies that developed canker and was removed last fall.
6. The water mitigation project affecting four homes on Lakeport Way and Lakespray Way is progressing.
7. Leaf clean-up will be conducted three times this year by Blade Runners. We will have another collection this month and then again in December. Please be patient because we have many trees that continue to drop their leaves throughout the fall. 
8. We are very grateful for our neighbors who have watered plants during the late summer drought and those who have given access to their water. See the “Thanks to Volunteers” article for more details.

Walking my dog Diamond every day, I enjoy the lovely gardens that individual neighbors have cultivated. May we enjoy a lovely Autumn.

A Post-Drought Poem

By Carol Leos

A soaking rain at last

To quench the thirst of trees, shrubs, and grass

Hopefully to bring bright, rich, colorful hues

Before radiant leaves adorn our Lakeport views!

May more showers come between the sunshine

Helping to create an Autumn brilliant and sublime!

Message from the President of Lakeport Cluster

By Mary M. Sapp

I hope everyone was able to take advantage of Lakeport’s beautiful location by stopping by the dock to enjoy the fall colors reflected in Lake Thoreau. As we move through the final months of 2019, Lakeport is continuing to focus on enhancing the beauty of our cluster through landscape enhancements, making home repairs easier for owners by revising architectural standards, and building a sense of community through various events that allow owners and residents to get to know one another better.

Trees, trees, and more trees: We’re using funds that had originally been designated for the replacement hedge near Safeway (redesigned somewhat and postponed to next spring) to do some additional tree work. Blade Runners removed five hazard trees earlier this fall, and surplus funds will be used to remove a sixth hazard tree and to rent an all-access crawler to trim dead wood (which can pose a safety hazard) from as many large trees as possible along Lakeport Way and Lakespray Way; Blade Runners will also provide more clearance for tall trucks on our roads. In addition, Paul Renard and other volunteers removed 45 trees and trimmed a number of others during the recent Fall Workday. Thanks to these residents who not only helped beautify our community but also saved Lakeport an estimated $5000 that we otherwise would have had to spend on tree maintenance! As we remove dead trees, RA guidelines require that we replace them to maintain privacy, muffle sound, and provide shade and beauty. This fall Blade Runners will plant two white fringe trees (a Virginia native) and two hollies, and they will also plant native ferns where invasive English ivy had been removed earlier. In addition, large logs were removed from the section of the wooded area between Lakeport and Lakespray near Safeway, more river rock will be added next to the Lakeport dock, and planning continues for storm-water mitigation.

Four updated architectural standards were approved or drafted this fall. RA’s Design Review Board (DRB) approved a new version of Lakeport’s Windows standard, and a revised “Summary of Colors in Lakeport Standards” was also posted on our web site. A new standard for House Numbers was completed, incorporating feedback from owners, and will be reviewed by the DRB in December. In addition, revisions for our Deck standard are in process. These updates are intended to make it easier and less expensive for owners to repair and update their homes. Another way the Board is trying to help owners maintain their homes is a relatively new feature of Ripples, Lakeport’s Quarterly Maintenance Checklist, which provides a list of small things that you can do now to avoid larger maintenance problems in the future. On a related note, if you are still working on remediating inspection items from last summer, please let us know the current status by emailing me at msapp@miami.edu, and if you haven’t informed the Board that your work has been completed, please let me know so we can have SCS abate your violation in their system.

This time of year is also a time to strengthen relationships with neighbors. Owners gathered in September for Lakeport’s 2019 Annual Meeting (see the PowerPoint at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1akXriKQMW6EsAMc_asWQWrpEkEqieHu2/view). In October we had planned two social events: Alison and Paul Yeloushan hosted a successful TGIF (see photos of residents enjoying their time together in the TGIF report), but unfortunately the tornado watch on Halloween canceled three planned Lakeport firepits where residents were going to gather to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. On December 13, Stephen and I will host the winter TGIF at 1919 Lakeport Way. The Fall Workday also provided a great opportunity for residents to get to know one another better while helping their community—please consider volunteering for the 2020 Spring Workday when it is announced.

At Lakeport’s Annual Meeting, owners voted to approve a referendum that made administrative expenses associated with collecting late assessment payments the financial responsibility of the delinquent owner (instead of having assessment fees from all owners used for these costs). As a result, the Board modified a resolution that describes the process for dealing with delinquent assessments to reflect this change (see the new version of Appendix A of Lakeport’s Handbook at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UkIOfTOI2A6DC3e_JDzdSxsDcku2kfej/view and the associated Table of Charges listing 2019 assessments, late fee, and administrative charges at http://www.lakeportcluster.org/p/residents.html).

The Board elections at the Annual meeting also mean we welcome two new members to the Board: Kathy Powers (two-year term) and Barbara Khan (one-year term). Kevin Burke and I were re-elected to another two-year term, and Paul Renard will serve the second year of his term.

Finally, the Board continues to monitor issues outside our cluster that impact owners and residents. Most recently we’ve been passing on updates about the status of plans to repair and “reimagine” our Lake Thoreau pool. In response to ongoing development projects near us, Kevin Burke has another installment of his Reston Development Update series in Ripples, this one dealing with the Campus Commons expansion and its plan to install a new stoplight at Upper Lakes Drive. We also sent a request to Fairfax County Police Department asking that their motor units not stop cars near the speed bump at the entrance to Lakeport, and I then spoke directly with the two motorcycle officers who work there routinely. They will ask motorists to park their cars at the bottom of the hill while tickets are being written, but it’s still wise to exercise extreme caution when ticketing is going on. Although an inconvenience for us, the speed trap does slow drivers speeding along Sunrise Valley, and it always helps to have a visible police presence associated with our community.

I hope everyone continues to enjoy the last of our fall weather and has a Happy Thanksgiving!

Recent Crime in Our Area

By Chuck Foster

In this issue of Ripples, we will review recently reported crime in our area. It is important to note that not all crime is reported. The source of the following data is crimereports.com. For this review, we will look at six months of data for the area roughly bordered by Sunrise Valley Drive, South Lakes Drive, and Colts Neck Road.   
   
In the immediate area of Lakeport Cluster, all of the reported crime was at South Lakes Village. The incidents were limited to destruction of property (vandalism, graffiti, etc.) and shoplifting. In past periods, other crimes, such as disorderly conduct and simple assault, were reported.

For the area as a whole, the following crimes were reported in descending order by number of incidents:

• Destruction of property (e.g., graffiti and vandalism)
• Theft from a building
• Simple assault (e.g., no weapon and with/without physical contact) 
• Theft from an auto
• Marijuana possession
• Drug paraphernalia
• Shoplifting
• Liquor violation
• Disorderly conduct (e.g., noise violation, drunk in public, and causing public alarm)
• Auto theft
• Breaking and entering
• Assault with a knife

The largest concentrations of reported crime were in the following areas:

• South Lakes Drive and Soapstone Drive
• Colts Neck Road and Greywing Square
• The commercial and residential complex on Sunrise Valley Drive across from the golf course
• The immediate area around Hunters Woods Plaza

If we expand the area to include high-traffic areas north of the toll road, such as the Metro station, Reston Town Center, and the food complex (McDonalds, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut), the incident count is relatively high, and there are crimes there that are not reported in our area, such as sexual assault (one incident) and robbery with a firearm (one incident).

As we have reviewed in the past, many crimes are not premeditated. Rather, they are crimes of opportunity. For example, a car left running in front of a convenience store (auto theft), a car left unlocked in a driveway (theft from an auto), and a bicycle left unlocked in a Metro station bike storage room (theft from a building). By reducing the opportunity for someone to commit a crime (don’t make it easy, don’t make it tempting), you can reduce your exposure to crime.

Reminders

Annual Report and Budget: The PowerPoint from Lakeport’s 2019 Annual Meeting is posted at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1akXriKQMW6EsAMc_asWQWrpEkEqieHu2/view. If you couldn’t attend, you can review information from the meeting there. Slides related to finances have been removed from this online PowerPoint, but if you want to see them or receive a copy of our latest audit, feel free Board@lakeportcluster.org. A preliminary 2019 budget was also presented at that meeting; final budgets will be mailed to owners by SCS before the end of the year.
e to email

Frozen pipes: In past winters several Lakeport residents have had to deal with burst water pipes as a result of freezing temperatures. If you have pipes that are vulnerable, you should take steps to avoid having to address the problem of broken pipes and potentially costly damage and repairs. It is also a good idea to arrange with a neighbor to have access to each other’s homes in case one or the other of you is out of town when this (or some other emergency) arises.

Violation Letters: If you received a violation letter in June and haven’t provided the status of your projects to the Board, please email msapp@miami.edu with an update. Also send an email when the project is complete so we can notify SCS to abate the violation in their database.

Questions for the Management Company: If you have a question about inspections, we ask that you start with the Lakeport Board (board@lakeportcluster.org) because we are apt to be more aware of your property and it saves a $10 charge for each phone call or email related to inspections. For questions about quarterly assessments or other questions for Select Community Services (SCS), contact Lakeport’s portfolio manager Ali Long at along@scs-management.com.

Never Again Be Late Paying Your Quarterly Assessment: Please consider paying your quarterly assessments by automatic debit through your bank instead of sending a check or paying online (which incurs an extra fee). If you decide to switch to automatic debit, it means that you never have to worry about incurring late fees because you forgot to make the payment (currently $25 plus the charge from SCS for sending the letter). Alternatively you could pay the entire assessment at the beginning of the year ($1380 for 2020). Either way, you save the Board time spent reminding people who haven’t paid shortly before the late fee is incurred, as well as extra costs to the Association for processing and mailing quarterly statements (we currently pay $600 a year to have statements sent to owners who have not prepaid or set up direct debit). You can cancel the arrangement at any time. To take advantage of this convenient way to pay your Lakeport assessment fees, follow the instructions for filling out and mailing the form at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1U_9xgrDVzZlOBoUG04XT2vlxmWa99C6q/view.

Update Your Contact Information: Please go to the Lakeport Directory (https://drive.google.com/file/d/1t3bYAGlA-u_NdjY2DxIbxm_nQqBBCX28/view) and check the contact information listed there for you. If a correction is needed, either send an email to webmaster@lakeportcluster.org or fill out the form at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFILfWGBoWIgWlBPSQmIKj4kIX0kPA7XsRjnsaOsNXuvVSkw/viewform. If your home has renters, please also ask them to fill out the form. Remember that if you need to contact a neighbor or just forget someone’s name, you can always check this directory.

Drive Slowly: Children
play on our sidewalks and streets. Please remember to drive slowly and keep your eyes out for children (and other pedestrians) in the street.

Reston Farmers Market Open Until December 7: The Fairfax County Farmers Markets provide access to locally grown foods to improve the health of Fairfax County citizens, support local food producers, and protect the environment. Farmers and producers all come from within a 125-mile radius of Fairfax County and must grow or make what they sell themselves. The Reston Farmer’s Market located next to the plaza at the Lake Anne Village Center (1609 Washington Plaza N, Reston), is open on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon. For more information, see https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/farmersmarkets/reston

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 the wonderful ambience of Lakeport. Also, if you notice overflowing trash from the trash can in Triangle Park or the one at South Lakes Village, please take a photo and forward it to the Board so we can pass it on to Reston Association or the South Lakes Village management company.

Dog Waste: If you see a dog walker who fails to pick up the dog’s waste, please remind the person that doggie bags are available at two stations on the walking path in Lakeport and another on Lakespray Way.

Geese: We continue to experience problems with goose poop on our dock. Please don’t feed the geese (not only does that 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!).

Collection of Yard Debris: Leaves need to be put out by the curb on Thursdays in compostable yard waste bags (available from Safeway, Costco, Home Depot, and other suppliers) or in a personal container marked “Yard Debris.” Limbs and brush must be no longer than 4-5 feet long and 3” in diameter.

Regular Trash Collection: See the separate article on the holiday schedule for trash and recycling. If your trash or recycling is not picked up by 2:00 p.m. on a scheduled collection day, please call ADS at 703-388-0500 (also imprinted on the outside of your trash bin if you forget the number).

Help Improve Lighting in Lakeport: 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 lights on at night, especially those in end units with short pole lights, which according to long-time Lakeport residents used to be standard practice. This is of course voluntary, but this small act would be a gracious contribution to the overall safety and attractiveness of our community, especially now as we continue to experience shorter daylight hours.

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 another crime that has already occurred). The police request that even if you just have a “gut feeling” something is wrong, you 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). Als
o notify Lakeport’s Neighborhood Watch coordinator Chuck Foster at chuckfost@aol.com. Please pay special attention to suspicious activity or sounds near the Lakeport dock, in the woods, and at night.

Group Projects: If you will be undertaking a major repair (e.g., new roof, new windows, siding replacement with HardiePlank, or resurfacing/sealing your driveway) and would be interested in investigating the possibility of a group rate from a contractor for multiple houses at the same time, let the Board know and we’ll share names of others doing similar work. For instance, two Lakeport owners received a discount for having their roofs done at the same time, and two others had HardiePlank installed at a discounted rate. In addition, several owners had work done on their driveways at the same time.

You Must Replace Any Tree You Remove. If you have recently removed a tree (dead or alive) on your property or intend to do so, remember that RA requires that you replace it with another tree. Reston Association has several resources for finding a replacement tree: See the list of recommended small trees at https://www.reston.org/Parks,RecreationEvents/NatureEnvironmentalResources/EnvironmentalResources/RecommendedTrees/tabid/571/Default.aspx. In addition, you might want to review https://www.reston.org/Portals/3/2018%20PARKSREC/tree%20brcochure%20web%20FINAL%2018.pdf and https://www.reston.org/Parks,RecreationEvents/NatureEnvironmentalResources/NaturalResources/TreesinReston/TreesShrubGuidelines/tabid/569/Default.aspx

Reston Development Update

By Kevin Burke

As reported in the summer issue of Ripples, the major mixed-use development located on about 12 acres between the Dulles Toll Road and Sunrise Valley Drive just east of Wiehle Avenue was awaiting final zoning review by Fairfax County Planning and Zoning Commission and then approval by the county’s Board of Supervisors. The developer, TF Cornerstone of New York, is proposing three new buildings and retaining the current two office buildings at Campus Commons. After the developer made several requested changes, the county’s Planning and Zoning Commission staff recommended approval of the development on September 11, and the Commission subsequently unanimously agreed. Then, on October 15, the Board of Supervisors also unanimously approved the revised application.

(Current and Proposed Campus Commons)

In its initial review of the zoning application, the County requested, among other changes, a reduction in the number of housing units and the height of the office building. As a result, TF Cornerstone, the New York-based developer, lopped off 48 feet from the office tower and lowered the height of the residential tower by 44 feet. The current capacity of 629 multifamily units in the two residential buildings is down from the original request of 1,097 units. The development includes five public parks and a community amphitheater. The developer agreed to pay for a new traffic light at Upper Lakes Drive.

However, the major concern of the Reston Association and the Reston Community Association was inadequate pedestrian access across Wiehle Avenue to the Metro Station. The proposed at-grade crossing was deemed dangerous for pedestrians and likely to slow considerably the vehicular traffic on Wiehle Avenue crossing the Dulles Access Road, with extensive back-ups on Sunrise Valley Drive. In response, TF Cornerstone offered to study designs for a pedestrian bridge over Wiehle Avenue, or if that is not feasible it will review building a pedestrian tunnel to the Metro station. In either case, the company will provide $1.5 million for the construction of a suitable access route.

Rights and Responsibilities for Better Communities

From Community Associations Institute, www.caionline.org 

Every community has its own history, personality, attributes, and challenges, but all associations share common characteristics and core principles. Good associations preserve the character of their communities, protect property values, an
d meet the established expectations of homeowners. Great associations also cultivate a true sense of community, promote active homeowner involvement, and create a culture of informed consensus. The ideas and guidance conveyed here speak to these core values and can, with commitment, inspire effective, enlightened leadership, and responsible, engaged citizenship.

Homeowners have the right to:

1. A responsive and competent community association.
2. Honest, fair and respectful treatment by community leaders and managers.
3. Participate in governing the community association by attending meetings, serving on committees and standing for election.
4. Access appropriate association books and records.
5. Prudent expenditure of fees and other assessments.
6. Live in a community where the property is maintained according to established standards.
7. Fair treatment regarding financial and other association obligations, including the opportunity to discuss payment plans and options with the association before foreclosure is initiated.
8. Receive all documents that address rules and regulations governing the community association—if not prior to purchase and settlement by a real estate agent or attorney, then upon joining the community.
9. Appeal to appropriate community leaders those decisions affecting non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights.

Homeowners have the responsibility to:

1. Read and comply with the governing documents of the community.
2. Maintain their property according to established standards.
3. Treat association leaders honestly and with respect.
4. Vote in community elections and on other issues.
5. Pay association assessments and charges on time.
6. Contact association leaders or managers, if necessary, to discuss financial obligations and alternative payment arrangements.
7. Request reconsideration of material decisions that personally affect them.
8. Provide current contact information to association leaders or managers to help ensure they receive information from the community.
9. Ensure that those who reside on their property (e.g., tenants, relatives and friends) adhere to all rules and regulations.

Community leaders have the right to:

1. Expect owners and non-owner residents to meet their financial obligations to the community.
2. Expect residents to know and comply with the rules and regulations of the community and to stay informed by reading materials provided by the association.
3. Respectful and honest treatment from residents.
4. Conduct meetings in a positive and constructive atmosphere.
5. Receive support and constructive input from owners and non-owner residents.
6. Personal privacy at home and during leisure time in the community.
7. Take advantage of educational opportunities (e.g., publications, training workshops) that are directly related to their responsibilities and as approved by the association.

Community leaders have the responsibility to:

1. Fulfill their fiduciary duties to the community and exercise discretion in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of the community.
2. Exercise sound business judgment and follow established management practices.
3. Balance the needs and obligations of the community as a whole with those of individual homeowners and residents.
4. Understand the association’s governing documents, become educated with respect to applicable state and local laws and manage the community association accordingly.
5. Establish committees or use other methods to obtain input from owners and non-owner residents.
6. Conduct open, fair and well-publicized elections.
7. Welcome and educate new members of the community—owners and non-owner residents alike.
8. Encourage input from residents on issues affecting them personally and the community as a whole.
9. Encourage events that foster neighborliness and a sense of community.
10. Conduct business in a transparent manner when feasible and appropriate.
11. Allow homeowners access to appropriate community records when requested.
12. Collect all monies due from owners and non-owner residents.
13. Devise appropriate and reasonable arrangements, when needed and as feasible, to facilitate the ability of individual homeowners to meet their financial obligations to the community.
14. Provide a process residents can use to appeal decisions affecting their non-routine financial responsibilities or property rights—where permitted by law and the association’s governing documents.
15. Initiate foreclosure proceedings only as a measure of last resort.
16. Make covenants, conditions and restrictions as understandable as possible, adding clarifying “lay” language or supplementary materials when drafting or revising the documents.
17. Provide complete and timely disclosure of personal and financial conflicts of interest related to the actions of community leaders, e.g., officers, the board and committees. (Community associations may want to develop a code of ethics.)

Ripples Recipe – Butternut Squash Tart

By Henryk Gorski

(Editor’s Note: This appetizer was a big hit at the October 2019 TGIF!)

INGREDIENTS
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
12 1/8"-thick rounds peeled butternut squash (you can buy it pre-cut)
few tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
sage leaves (or arugula, which I used)
coarse salt
black pepper
feta cheese (or your favorite goat cheese—I used Humboldt Fog goat cheese)

1. Preheat the oven to 375-400 degrees F.
2. Place the squash on a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well.
3. Arrange the squash in one layer and roast for 15 to 20 minutes. Set squash aside.
4. Prepare puff pastry according to package directions (pastry types may differ).
5. Brush puff pastry with beaten egg and arrange squash on the pastry sheet.
6. Bake 20-25 minutes until brown on the edges (based on your oven it may be a few minutes more or less), adding cheese and sage/arugula after 10-15 minutes.

Solar Energy in Lakeport

Interview with James Pan

Many of you have no doubt noticed the solar array on the roof of 1983 Lakeport Way (and perhaps also the Tesla vehicles in the driveway). Because of the owners’ obvious commitment to reducing their carbon footprint, the Editor sat down with James Pan (who is also the chair of Lakeport’s Disaster Preparedness Committee) to chat about what is involved in “going solar.”

James (who studied engineering at Virginia Tech
after graduating from McLean High School, where he grew up) began by offering the following analogy for his use of solar energy: “You know how good it feels when you grow your own tomatoes in your own garden and you hold up that perfect tomato? Then it hits you that it cost at least $30.00 in terms of time and expense to get that great tomato.” His point was that, though he does not regret his switch to solar, from a good return-on-dollar point of view, it’s not ready for most Virginia residents yet. The solar industry is a dynamic market with new (i.e., better) technology constantly appearing, meaning his system will be “old technology” in just a few years. And unlike a number of states, Virginia so far has not provided subsidies to homeowners who go solar. Return on investments are much better in D.C. and Maryland because of higher rates for electricity and more subsidies. He does think it likely, however, that after the recent statewide election the situation will change, with a slight rise in electric rates to cover the increased subsidies. So over time the return on investment will continue to improve. That said, the federal tax credits are declining starting next year, raising that unknown of if, when, and at what level those credits will be over time. 

James was inspired by his studies of alternative and solar energy in college. He believes in conservation and self-sufficiency and takes pride in using as little carbon as possible. As important, he wanted to do his part in not sending more oil money overseas, motivating his family to drive electric vehicles.     

Of the negative surprises so far, he cited a mysterious “stand-by fee” he is charged to be connected to the power grid. After searching the internet and multiple calls to Dominion, it is still not clear when or how the fee is calculated. Dominion manually computes the bill and does not show the calculations. When asked if he has thought about “going off the grid”—opting out of commercially supplied electricity altogether—he replied with a chuckle, “I can’t realistically do that . . . at least my wife wouldn’t like the minimalist experience! Let’s just say it would be very rustic living with no HVAC, bicycles as the main form of transportation, and lots of manual laundry.” 

But why worry about not having power for the HVAC, car charging, or washing machine when you have a solar energy system? James has had the system working only since August 1 of this past year, and he suspects that on some days in May and June, when the sun is out a long time and HVAC needs are low, he could produce enough power to have a zero bill for the day. On the other hand, after the fall equinox, he experienced a “big drop in productivity caused by the sun’s lower angle in the sky,” and it’s probably worse in the winter (and, needless to say, during cloudy periods the solar panels produce almost no electricity at all).

James feels that at the present time, despite what some marketers may have said, taking the route he has will not “pay for itself” in savings on his electric bill in any realistic timeframe. On some days in August he produced $7.00-8.00 of energy, but these were long, very sunny days. In October and November, even on sunny days, he might produce $2.00 of energy. In fact, he calculates that if he is lucky, it will probably take 15 to 20 years to get a payback.

His higher priority is self-sufficiency in case of an emergency, citing for example Hurricane Isabel that hit the area in 2003 and caused widespread blackouts for a few days across Northern Virginia. He does feel we are lucky in Reston because we so seldom suffer power outages, and when we do, they are mercifully short. Just in case, he does have two 14kW (about $3.00 of energy) Tesla storage batteries in his basement in the event of a blackout.

In terms of advice, James suggests that when roof replacement is needed, look into getting solar then. If the federal, state, and local incentives are right at that time, it may make sense to consider going solar, though he suspects that might be four or five years from now at best. But as time goes by, solar should make more sense from a return-on-investment perspective. In theory, having solar energy should also add to the value of the house (as much as 20 times your annual energy savings). He is happy to share more of his experience and other insights if anyone wishes to contact him through the Lakeport Board (board@lakeportcluster.org).

James “loves Lakeport,” having moved here in 2004 and describes himself as “an Instagram husband and an Uber father,” explaining that by that he means he takes lots of pictures of his wife Holly (an Instagram influencer) and is constantly driving sons Henry (12) and E.J. (almost 10) to their many activities! When the boys were younger, James was the “Lakeport Easter Bunny,” organizing the annual Easter Egg Hunt, and he is a strong supporter of the South Lakes High School STEAM Team, which graces the Lake Thoreau spillway with a public art installation each year. He is also an auxiliary police officer with the Fairfax County Police Department and recruited our current Neighborhood Watch chair Chuck Foster into the same role. As Disaster Preparedness Committee chair, James will also be happy to hear from anyone who wants advice in that area; feel free to reach out to him, again through the Board.

Thanks, James, for this helpful information on solar energy and for your other contributions to the Lakeport community!

TGIFs

The fall TGIF moved up the hill to Lakespray Way and was yet another great success. As you can see from these photos, residents had a good time visiting and enjoying a great spread of appetizers (Henryk Gorski has kindly shared the recipe for his popular Butternut Squash Tart—see the Ripples Recipe if you want to try it out yourself).

The Winter TGIF will be held on December 13 at 1919 Lakeport Way (home of Mary and Stephen Sapp), starting at 7:00 p.m. Please bring an appetizer or your favorite beverage and plan to join your neighbors to ring in the holidays. A host home for Lakeport’s spring TGIF has already been identified (Bill Smith and Valerie Vandermeer at 1967 Lakeport Way), and the date will be announced next spring.

If you are willing to host our summer TGIF, please contact Diane Zoukis at DZOUKIS@msn.com. Hosting means you provide the venue; glasses, plates, napkins, and utensils (though usually people bring “finger food”); one of the appetizers (guests bring the rest of the food); and a bottle or two of wine (guests will bring more, along with other drinks of their choice). It’s always easier to host a party when the guests provide most of the food and drink 😊.

Thanks to Volunteers

Please take time to thank your neighbors for their efforts to make Lakeport a better place for all of us to live. If you want to volunteer, let the Board or a committee chair know—it’s a great way to get to know people and contribute to your community.

Landscape Projects

• Paul Renard, Tom Barnett, Kelly Driscoll, Terrill Evon, David Fleming, Henryk Gorski, Don Nagley, Joe Powers, Mary Sapp, and Stephen Sapp – participated in fall workday when they removed 45 dead trees and trimmed a number of others
• Carol Leos, Phong Nguyen, Don Nagley, Paul Renard, Devdutta Bhosale, Allan Ho, Alison Yeloushan, Steven Browning, Glen Corso, and Stephen Sapp – watered plants during the drought
• Carol Leos (chair), Gil Blankespoor, Don Nagley, Diane Scott, Trudy Stevens, and Alison Yeloushan – Landscape Committee

Standards

• Owners who provided feedback on original proposal for house numbers
• Kelly Driscoll – chair of the Standards Committee 

Social

• Alison and Paul Yeloushan – hosted Fall TGIF
• Diane Zoukis – chair of the Social Committee 

Maintenance

• Elena Simonenko – replaced lightbulb in sign at entrance
• Annabelle Hammer, Jonathan Hammer, and Paul Renard – kept our dock clean
• Annabelle Hammer – restocked doggie-bag stations
• Paul Renard (chair), Kristen Bobik, Terrill Evon, Joe Powers, Kathy Powers, Stephen Sapp, Diane Scott, Tim Taylor, Rosemary Welch – Maintenance Committee

Other 

• Chuck Foster – chair of Neighborhood Watch Committee and provided advice about how to request speed-trap officers not to stop cars in entrance lane
• Barbara Khan – report from RA meeting to discuss status of Lake Thoreau pool
• Kevin Burke – monitoring density issues
• Barbara Khan – coordinator of the Lakeport Book Club
• James Pan – chair of the Disaster Preparedness Committee
• Carol Leos – welcoming new residents
• Tom Barnett – maintaining the Lakeport website, online directory, and listserv for announcements, and posting Ripples
• Stephen Sapp – editor of Ripples

Updates to Four Design Standards

Lakeport continues to update our architectural standards this fall:

• Windows: RA’s Design Review Board (DRB) approved a new window standard in September that simplifies requirements for new windows. See https://drive.google.com/file/d/1733JZ80P61mX-Wq83msRIqmYWd7AONfv/view for this new standard. 

• Colors: After review by the DRB staff, a new “Summary of Colors in Lakeport Standards” was created to include colors for HardiePlank as well as a few other changes to match colors in existing standards. It is posted at https://drive.google.com/file/d/10XzMgJmXtSGSiTfaypOZ2APmob93j6AX/view. 

• House Numbers: Lakeport’s old standard required all homes with garages to put house numbers on a trim board over the garage, but the Board realized that one-third of homes did not have such a trim board. Therefore a new Standard for House Numbers was drafted and sent to owners for review. This original draft was changed in response to the feedback and sent to the DRB, which will review it in December. A copy of the final proposal for the DRB appears below. After this standard is approved, the Board will order 4” black numbers for owners who are interested and help them install their numbers on a “Your Number is Up” day. 

• Decks. The current deck standard is being revised with the intent to be less restrictive, most importantly with respect to colors. A draft will be sent to owners once it is finalized. 

Reminder: Always be sure to check Lakeport standards and RA guidelines before undertaking any exterior repairs so you know the requirements and to see if you need DRB approval before proceeding.

Lakeport Cluster Association

Proposed Modifications to Standard for House Numbers

Lakeport Cluster would like to change the standard for house numbers that was last approved by the DRB in 2010. This current standard requires numbers on a trim board above the garage for homes with garages (all but five of Lakeport’s 82 homes). Unfortunately 27 homes do not have the required trim board above the garage; therefore, we need to modify the standard to specify a different address-number location for these homes. In addition, public safety regulations require a readable house number, and consistency in location and appearance is desirable for emergency and delivery personnel. This proposal is intended to improve readability and consistency and respond to the following issues:

• As mentioned, around one-third of homes (22 even-numbered homes on Lakeport Way plus 5 odd-numbered homes on Lakespray Way) do not have the trim board required as the location for 4” black numbers in the current standard.
• Instead, 22 of these 27 homes (Phase 2 construction) have their house numbers on metal plates at street level, but a half dozen of these numbers are not visible, primarily due to landscaping. 
• The other five homes without a trim board over the garage (even-numbered Phase 1 homes on Lakeport Way) do not have numbers on metal plates or trim board over their garages. Unfortunately, their garage-door frame is only 2¼” high; so it will not accommodate 4” numbers. These homes currently have silver/white numbers (originally used on the Phase 1 homes) or black numbers, located above the front door, but they have little contrast against the grey siding (see photo to the right), and the prescribed location for these homes (over the front door) is different from that for other homes (over the garage). 
• The remaining five Phase 1 homes have carports. They originally had silver/white numbers under the light beside their door, but these numbers are blocked by an archway leading to the front door and therefore are not visible from the street. The current standard requires numbers over the carport, but only one home currently has the numbers there, and most owners prefer having the numbers located over the archway beside the carport that leads directly to their front door. 
• House numbers have occasionally been broken or painted over in the home maintenance process, and many of the plates installed on brick walls were plastic and have deteriorated with time. 
• Lack of knowledge and non-enforcement of the standard have led to inconsistency. 

Proposed changes from current house number standard:

• Require any home with a metal plate that is obscured by landscaping to attach 4” black numbers over the garage and encourage all others with metal plates to do the same, even if their metal plate is visible. Change: Current standard requires 4” black numbers for all homes, but they would no longer be required if house numbers on metal plates are visible. To encourage owners to add 4” numbers, the Board will announce that owners can reimburse Lakeport Association for house numbers purchased in bulk (or buy their own) and that volunteers will be available on a “House Number Installation Day” this fall to help them put up their house numbers. 
• Specify a different location for 4” numbers for homes without the trim boards over garages:
• Phase 1 homes with carports: centered over the arch next to the carport. Change: Current standard specifies 4” black numbers centered over the carport. This would affect three of the five homes.
• Phase 1 homes with garages: centered on the trim board below the front railing of the balcony that is located directly over the garage. Change: Current standard requires 4" silver/white numbers over the front door. This would affect all five homes.
• All other even-numbered homes on Lakeport and all odd-numbered homes on Lakespray (22 homes): centered on top of the garage-door frame. Change: Current standard specifies numbers should be on trim board over the garage, but these homes don’t have that trim board. All of these homes have metal plates (and therefore would not need to add 4” numbers unless numbers are obscured). Currently seven are obscured but three of these already have 4” black numbers on the garage-door frame; three more have the numbers and unobstructed metal plates. So four would be required and a dozen more would be encouraged to add them. 
• All other odd-numbered homes on Lakeport Way and all even-numbered homes on Lakespray (50): centered on trim board over the garage. No change. Three of these homes do not have numbers on their trim board because they have metal plates; so they would be required to add numbers on their trim boards as well. 
• No change in the requirements for metal plates on brick walls in front of the house.

The Board discovered that finding a simple solution that everyone agreed on was challenging. Therefore, after considering several options, the Board emailed owners on July 31 asking for feedback to a short summary of proposed locations. In response to feedback received, two changes were made, and this proposed standard was emailed to owners on September 4 (with two follow-up reminders). No owner emailed an objection, although a few requested clarification about whether they were affected. In addition, several owners requested that they be included on the list of owners who wanted the Board to buy house numbers on their behalf.

As reference, the existing standard can be found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LGtbmWgUxeyWpV4VtEzc27vTcNyFmAcD/view.

Lakeport Cluster Association Standards

House Numbers

Reston Association’s Design Review Board approved the following revised Lakeport Cluster standard on ??, 2019.

Public safety regulations require a readable house number, and consistency in location and appearance is desirable for emergency and delivery personnel. Standards for Lakeport’s two types of numbers, those on metal plates attached to brick walls and 4” black numbers over garages and entry arches, help achieve this.

Requirements for numbers on a metal plate: A rectangular, brushed brass-colored, corrosion-resistant metal plate sized to fit in the indentation in the brick wall in front of the home (typically 13” x 19.75”, but different on some units) with 4” high raised black numbers attached to fit evenly spaced within an imaginary 4” x 14” rectangle centered on the plate and with a rectangular black 1/4” wide border inset 1” from the plate edge. See photo to the right for the proper font.

Location of house numbers for homes with metal plates:

• Phase 1 and Phase 2 homes with brick walls in the front (1924, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931,1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1993, 1995, and 2003 Lakeport Way, and 11100, 11110, 11112, 11121, 11122, 11123, 11125, 11127 and 11129 Lakespray Way): Homes with an indentation for a rectangular metal plate must have a plate with the house number located in the indentation in the brick wall. 

• If all of the numbers on the metal plate are not clearly visible (i.e., if any is missing, broken, or obscured by landscaping) or if the home has a trim board over the garage, 4” high black numbers located over the garage are required in addition to the metal plate. Even if the numbers are visible, 4” high black numbers over the garage are strongly encouraged. 

Requirements for 4” black numbers: Nail-on or screw-on black metal numbers corresponding to the numeric address shall be 4” high and evenly spaced within a 10” wide area. The font should be as close as possible to the font shown in the photos below. These numbers, in the location specified below, are required for all ten Phase 1 homes (five with carports and five with garages), required for all Phase 2 homes with trim board over the garage (odd-numbered homes on Lakeport Way and even-numbered homes on Lakespray Way), required for all other Phase 2 homes with metal plates (even-numbered homes on Lakeport Way and odd-numbered homes on Lakespray Way) if all of the numbers on metal plates are not clearly visible (i.e., missing, broken, or obscured by landscaping), and strongly encouraged even if numbers on metal plates are visible.

Locations for 4” black numbers: 

• Phase 1 homes with carports (1951-53-55-57-59 Lakeport Way): centered on the archway leading to the front door (see photo to the right).

• Phase 1 homes with
  
  
  garages (1944-46-48-50-52 Lakeport Way): centered on the trim board below the front railing of the balcony directly above the garage (see photo to the left—need a new photo using a Phase 1 home after approval and we have an example of numbers in new location).

• Phase 2 homes with odd numbers on Lakeport Way or with even numbers on Lakespray Way (even if they have metal plates): centered on trim board over garage (see photo to the right). 

• All Phase 2 homes with even numbers on Lakeport Way or with odd numbers on Lakespray Way: centered on the top of the garage-door frame (see photo to the left). Required if all numbers on the metal plate are not clearly visible; encouraged otherwise.

4” high silver/white numbers. This type of number, attached under a lamp and over/beside the front entrance, was originally required for 1944-46-48-50-52 Lakeport Way and 1951-53-55-57-59 Lakeport Way. This kind of house number should no longer be used as the only house number because it is not readily visible from the street; however, homes may have 4” black or silver numbers over their front doors in addition to 4” high black number above the garage or entry arch.

Approval Requirements: No Reston Association Design Review Board approvals are required if these standards are followed.

THE FOLLOWING HISTORY IS NOT PART OF THE STANDARD. 

IT IS PROVIDED TO ASSIST THE HOMEOWNER.

Original construction: Original construction provided each Lakeport Way and Lakespray Way home with one of three standard types of house numbers:

• 4” high black numbers attached to trim boards, centered over garage door. Required for Phase 2 homes not identified as having numbers specified below.
• 4” silver/white numbers attached under a lamp and over the front entrance. Required for Phase 1 construction at 1944-46-48-50-52 Lakeport Way and 1951-53-55-57-59 Lakeport Way.
• Brushed-brass colored plate with 4” black numbers and a 1/4” wide black border (inset 1” from outside edge) attached to an indentation in a low brick wall in front of homes. It was on Phase 2 construction at 1924, 1926, 1928, 1930, 1931,1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1942, 1954, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1971, 1973, 1985, 1993, 1995, and 2003 Lakeport Way, and at 11100, 11110, 11112, 11121, 11122, 11123, 11125, 11127 and 11129 Lakespray Way.

Reston DRB Decisions

• 6/14/2005: 
• For homes with brick walls, a rectangular brushed brass-colored, corrosion-resistant metal plate sized to fit in the indentation in the brick wall was required and additional 4” high black numbers centered over the garage door were desirable but not required. The removal of existing 4” silver/white numbers was desirable but not required. 4” high black numbers were to be centered on the entry arch for 1951-53-55-57-59 Lakeport Way. 4” high black numbers over the garage door were required for all other homes. 
• 5/1/2010:   
• The revised standard kept the original three types of numbers and locations but changed the location for Phase 1 homes with carports (1951-53-55-57-59 Lakeport Way) to centered above the carport instead of on the entry arch.
• ?/??/2019:  
• This revision kept the requirement that 4” black numbers be centered on the trim board over the garage for Phase 2 homes with odd numbers on Lakeport Way or even numbers on Lakespray Way (the only homes with this trim board) but changed the location of 4” black numbers for Phase 2 homes with even numbers on Lakeport Way or odd numbers on Lakespray Way to centered on the top of the garage-door frame. For Phase 1 homes, it removed the requirement for 4” silver/white numbers and specified that 4” black numbers be centered on the trim board below the front railing of the balcony directly above the garage for Phase 1 homes with garages and over the entry arch for Phase 1 homes with carports. 

Possible Suppliers

Note: The following list should be considered a starting point for homeowners replacing house numbers. No endorsement of any supplier is intended.

4” high black numbers: Most home improvement centers and hardware stores
Rectangular metal plates: Webb Signs, 10612 Warwick Ave., Fairfax, VA 703-591-6169
comply with the standard.