This page has excerpts from the Church Point newsletters from 2010 until 2014 to highlight issues that were handled by the Board of Directors during that period. For a broader perspective of the area, please see the full history of the neighborhood. For other periods, please see:
Winter 2010
President’s Corner
2009 was another successful year for the Association. At our Annual Meeting last November, new Board members were installed and the 2010 Budget approved. One item of bad news we did receive was that LaTanya Cole, the Association’s Neighborhood Watch Coordinator was moving and could not continue her duties. LaTanya had hoped to find a replacement, but to date, nobody has volunteered. The Board is still seeking a volunteer to assume her duties in order not to loose the fine work she accomplished in setting up the program. Please contact any of the Board members if you have an interest in being the Neighborhood Watch Coordinator.
Regarding the 2010 budget, there was no requirement to increase the quarterly assessments, but we will have to watch our programmed spending and unscheduled spending closely. As our community ages, the requirements for maintenance and replacement will increase. Although the Board does not currently anticipate any changes to the Association’s multi-year service contracts, all of the contracts will be re- evaluated during our mid-year budget review for compliance and cost effectiveness.
One change to the budget over previous years is the specific allocation of funds to tree maintenance/removal. Those funds will be used to eradicate the ivy threatening many of our old growth trees and to remove fallen and damaged trees. The mistletoe infesting the Locust trees along Church Point Road is also a concern for the Board. The Board strongly encourages those members with an infected tree on their property to remove as much of the mistletoe as possible. The Board will be working with Bishop’s Court and the City to address the infested trees on common property.
We are continuing to work on our lighting problem at the Gazebo, but we have not yet found a cost-effective fix to the problems. Fixing the Gazebo lights and the decorative street light will remain a priority for the Board, and we will continue to search for a guaranteed solution to the problems.
With Spring approaching, many of you may be contemplating major changes to your landscaping or to the exterior of your home. Before beginning any work, please review the application process on our website to ensure compliance with the Association’s covenants. The info you need is located under the “Standards” tab on the website.
Lastly, I would like to thank both Neal Curtin and Justin Keenan for their long service on the Board as President and Vice President. They devoted a good amount of time and energy to the Association and accomplished a great deal during their five year tenure.
Committee Recommends Not Rebuilding Pier; Board Agrees
A committee of residents presented its recommendations to the Board at the Annual Homeowners’ Meeting in November, recommending that Church Point not rebuild the pier at the riverfront park. Its recommendation was based on the low homeowner interest expressed in a survey last year and on various difficult issues that would have to be overcome. While not supporting a new pier, the committee recommended several improvements that could be made to the riverfront park – cleanup and landscaping – that could make it a more useful and attractive asset to Church Point, without costing a lot of money.
The HOA Board agreed with the committee’s recommendation on the pier and has been considering how to proceed on implementing the other recommendations. The Board expects to make some decisions on improvements to the park in time for action to be taken this Spring.
Spring 2010
President’s Corner
We’ve survived a harsh winter and are still cleaning-up some of the trees we lost in the two Nor’easters. But all-in-all, we appear to be in fairly good shape.
Spring is now here and with it comes an increased interest in home and landscape improvements. Before you begin any improvement project, I strongly encourage you to review the Church Point website under ‘Standards’. This section of the website provides the information necessary to submit your project to the Board for its required approval. It is a straight-forward process, but it takes your participation to make it work. In the past, when members have not received Board approval for a project, the Board has been obligated to assign fines, take-out liens and obtain court injunctions to stop work and remove unauthorized construction. Do yourself and the Association a favor and review our website before you begin your planning.
During the next few weeks, you might notice some work in and around the gazebo. In our efforts to fix the lighting problem, some test wiring will be installed to isolate the problems. If all goes well, we should have the lighting fixed soon with an associated improvement in safety and security. Speaking of safety, children will be on summer break soon and more at risk to automobile traffic. Everyone needs to be attentive to their driving speed to ensure we have a mishap free summer.
Unfortunately, one of our Board members, Eileen Gower, can no longer serve on the Board. We are looking for a volunteer to replace her until new elections are held at our annual meeting in October. If you have any interest in serving on the Board, please contact me or one of the other Board members. Our association will not function without member participation.
Summer 2010
President’s Corner
It has been a routine quarter for the Association. The Board conducted a mid- year review of the current budget and it appears we are in good shape for the rest of the fiscal year barring a major storm. We attempted to find a quick and inexpensive fix to our electrical problems at the main entrance and gazebo. Unfortunately, there is no easy solution. To solve the problem, we must rewire the decorative street lights at entrance and the gazebo security lights. Luckily, this will not have an adverse impact on our current budget as the funds will be drawn from our State-mandated replacement reserve. We are developing estimates for the work now and hope to have the work done before the end of summer.
As most of you know, two of the brick pillars at the entrance were covered with graffiti at the beginning of summer. The police were unable to associate the vandalism with anyone, but luckily the graffiti was not gang-related. This incident highlights our need for a neighborhood watch coordinator. Even though most of the streets have block captains in place, our watch program has been somewhat dormant since our previous coordinator departed at the beginning of summer. If you are willing to become the coordinator please contact one of the Board members.
As with all previous summers, there was an increase in building activity. Unfortunately, many of the projects lacked the Board’s required authorization and violated our covenants. As result, the Board had to take corrective action in the form of stop-work-orders, fines, and removal orders. These administrative and legal actions are time consuming for the Board and expensive for the homeowner. The best way to avoid such problems is to be familiar with our covenants and to follow the guidance provided on our Web page for obtaining construction authorization. In short, if you don’t have a blue permit from the Board in your window, you don’t have permission for construction work.
Our annual meeting is just around the corner in October. We will need at least two new Board members. Please consider doing your share. It doesn’t take much time and the work is rewarding.
Fall 2010
President’s Corner
Our Annual Members Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 PM, 21 October at the Bayside Recreation Center. Although there are no major issues up for vote this year, member participation is still important. Our Association By-Laws require a general meet once a year. If we fail to obtain a quorum, it will be necessary to schedule an additional meeting(s) until we are able to attain a quorum. To avoid the expense of an additional meeting, please return your completed proxy sheets to Select Group as soon as possible. If you are unable return the proxy before the 21st of October, you can bring it to the meeting or send it with a member who is attending. Due to the recreation center’s constraints, our meeting is only scheduled from 6:30 to 8:00. It is important we start on time in order to ensure ample time for the member’s forum. Additionally, we will be installing new officers and presenting the 2011 budget. Regarding the budget, it does not appear as though any increase in the budget is necessary for 2011 and no increase in membership fees is anticipated.
On the negative side, there have been some daylight burglaries in Church Point recently. Unfortunately, all of the members are not aware of the activity because our neighborhood watch system has become less effective since our neighborhood watch coordinator left without a replacement last year. If anyone is interested in becoming the new coordinator, please let me know.
Honey Locust Trees on Church Point Road Suffering from Webworms, Subject to City Rules and Maintenance
The HOA Board, along with many residents, have been concerned about the dying leaves on the honey locust trees that line portions of Church Point Road. About 2 months ago, some of the leaves on many trees started to turn brown and die, and no one was sure of the cause.
Board member Paula Larkin took the lead on researching the problem. She took a sample from an affected tree to the Virginia Extension Service Building on Diamond Springs Road. This is a service they provide for citizens. They identified the problem as an insect – specifically a Mimosa Webworm; they said they ours aren’t the only trees around with this problem. Paula also talked with Kristina Salzman, City of Virginia Beach Urban Forester. She said doesn’t think the webworms will be fatal since it is so late in the year; leaves would be falling naturally soon anyway. These are the same trees that have heavy infestations of mistletoe, which will become more apparent as the leaves fall.
Paula also asked the Virginia Beach Forester if we could let homeowners replace the honey locust trees on their lots with something more attractive and less problematical. She said that there is a procedure but it has a lot of paperwork, contracts and approvals. We would need to go through the Parks and Landscape Services Administrator, Eddie Barnes. She did say the city has no money in their budget to take care of street trees, although she stated that the city has “dominion” over trees in the street right of way. The Board will need to do more research to clarify the status of these trees and determine what residents with trees on their property are permitted to do.
Winter 2011
President’s Corner
I feel honored to have been elected to the HOA Board of Director’s this past October to represent you, the homeowners of Church Point. I was additionally humbled in November to be elected by the current Board of Directors to serve as your HOA Board of Director’s President for the next term. It was encouraging to see so many homeowners as candidates for Board positions at the last election. The turnout was the most in quite a long time and inspiring that so many homeowners want to get involved to help their neighborhood.
The Board is in the process of making some changes to help streamline processes and procedures. The Board has been hard at work in the first three months in office starting us down that path. All homeowners will be receiving in the mail a couple of resolution changes focusing on fence standards and dues payment date clarification. Additionally, changes were made to the former Architectural Controls Committee and Rules Enforcement Committee along with a revised and updated Architectural Change Application that will be posted to the website. I want to thank three homeowners who volunteered to form the new committee mentioned above: Chris Caporicci, Ron Creamer, and Jack Palmer. The Board looks forward to their support.
The new Board has gone to work on several important issues; namely the main entrance lighting, the landscaping condition and missing signage in the Mews Section of our neighborhood. The Board approved a lighting retrofit for the main entrance as well as wiring repairs which are addressed in a separate article in this issue of the newsletter. The Board also approved procuring replacement “Private Lane” signs for the several that had gone missing. Finally, the Board undertook revising our requirements for landscaping maintenance and a new RFP (Request for Proposal) has gone out to contractors for bid to be effective on April 1st.
Spring 2011
President’s Corner
Spring has finally arrived and it is great to finally get warmer temps and see new growth on landscaping and Spring flowers. Firstly, it is with regret I announce the resignation of Quint Webb from the Board of Directors and as your Treasurer. Quint will be leaving the Church Point Community and we want to extend our heartfelt appreciation for his years of service to Church Point — not only for his time while serving on the Board but for his years of dedicated caring for the neighborhood – many times unseen and unknown as he routinely made rounds of the neighborhood picking up trash/debris and performing repairs.
Ray Hamilton (Director at Large) has graciously volunteered and
was voted by the Board to take over the duties as the Treasurer of the HOA. Filling the vacancy on the Board of Directors, the Board elected Chris Caporicci (AREC Committee Chairman) to serve as Interim Director at Large until the Fall HOA elections. Succeeding Chris as AREC Chairman is Jack Palmer. We wish Ray, Chris and Jack success in their new roles and are confident they will provide excellent
support to the HOA.
The Board has also selected a new landscape company to maintain the common areas and also replaced the lake fountain in the Mews. Additionally, the Board along with the support and encouragement of homeowners as mentioned at the Annual meeting, has established a new Social Committee for Church Point under the guidance of co-chairs, Barbara Hart and Carrie Lauck. (Additional information on all these issues can be found in separate articles inside the newsletter). The Board is focusing on the appearance and curb appeal of the neighborhood to help maintain home values and ensure the neighborhood is a great place to live and raise a family. Part of this work is through the new Architectural Review Forms and Fence Standards that all homeowners recently received in the mail. These documents, along with the new landscaping contractor, will help but it is up to all homeowners to do their part also in maintaining your homes and yards. Together, we can ensure Church Point remains one of the premier neighborhoods in Virginia Beach.
Summer 2011
President’s Corner
Although the recent rains and storms have put a damper on some summer events so far, like the 4th of July fireworks, it is great to see all of Church Point green, lush, and colorful. The Garden Club has been hard at work and did a great job planting flowers at our entrances and sprucing up the waterfront. Although the landscape committee met some challenges with windstorms and downed trees and branches, the overall appearance of our neighborhood landscaping is a testament to their hard work and that of our new landscape contractor. It is hoped everyone will agree that the hard pruning of shrubs at the entrances and the recent application of mulch, especially along First Court Road, have really added to the curb appeal of our community. Please remember that it takes all of us to keep our neighborhood looking great by maintaining our homes, yards, and common areas.
In light of recent theft activity, the Board has voted to add weekend security patrols throughout the summer that will remain in place through Labor Day. The security company will perform multiple vehicle patrols of our neighborhood from 11 PM to the early morning hours.
On a much lighter note, the new Social Committee put on a wonderful musical event at the Gazebo that was enjoyed by all in attendance, and it is hoped many more of our neighbors will attend future events.
In conclusion, please enjoy the summer weather but remain cautious of kids, bikers, and joggers on the street. The safety of our neighbors is paramount so please watch your driving speeds as the VPBD will be enforcing speed limits with radar and vehicle patrols.
Fall 2011
President’s Corner
The last couple of months have been challenging for Church Point with an earthquake, wind storms, hurricane and a flash flood. Fortunately, throughout these events, damage to HOA Common Areas was minor, restricted mostly to tree damage. Unfortunately, the residual effects of the flash flood will be felt for sometime by our neighbors. The Mews was hardest hit with over a dozen cars swamped and totaled plus numerous homes with upwards of three feet of water intrusion. Several homes are currently still undergoing significant restoration work as a result. Throughout all the bad that came with the floods, there was good as could be seen with neighbors helping neighbors as well as stranded strangers. The unselfish acts of kindness of Church Point neighbors bringing food and drink to those stranded, providing shelter for strangers, and transporting neighbors on kayaks who otherwise couldn’t get around is exactly what makes this neighborhood special and a great place to live.
Although Fall signals the end of summer, it is not the end of hard work. Homeowners may be focusing on their yards to take advantage of the cooler weather by planting, pruning, seeding along with pressure washing / painting for general maintenance and upkeep. Your Board of Directors has been hard at work finalizing the 2012 budget with reviews of 2011 expenditures and the new Reserve Study along with plans for the annual meeting to be held on November 10th. This year, there will be three seats open on the Board as we bid thank you and farewell to two long standing Board Members, Edie Schlain and Paula Larkin. I encourage any homeowner who wants to get involved and make a difference in their neighborhood, to consider a Board position. As always, candidates represent the homeowners of Church Point and should be current on all dues and should have had no rules violations.
Everyone should have received in the mail recently the candidate nomination form for open Board positions and will receive shortly, a second mailing with the bios of candidates and the newly printed rules booklet.
The rules booklet is actually not new rules but just a new, easier to read reference tool for homeowners to use instead of digging through the larger, more challenging to read covenants. Although this is not an all inclusive rules book or in any way overrides or replaces the covenants and bylaws, it is intended to highlight the more common and frequent rules in an easy to read format. While the Board of Directors focuses on maintaining the appearance of our common areas, the Architectural and Rules Enforcement Committee (AREC) will be supporting the Property Manager in frequent rounds of the neighborhood to ensure homeowners are doing their part to maintain the appearance of our neighborhood.
Finally, I am pleased to announce we have completed repairs to the main entrance lighting system which required boring a new electrical circuit in conduit under the asphalt drive lanes to restore power to the East side of the entrance.
Winter 2012
President’s Corner
Happy 2012 to everyone and I hope each of you had a joyful and safe holiday season. It was terrific to see all the festive lights and decorations throughout Church Point and great job to the Social Committee for organizing the first holiday lights contest. I want to also say a special thank you to our Garden Club for the annual decorating of the entrances with garland, wreaths and bows.
The annual meeting was finally held in early November to a very strong turnout of homeowners. It was great to see so much open dialogue and communication which is critical to ensuring the Board is representing the desires and interests of the homeowners. This year’s Board elections brought out many great candidates with three seats to be filled. Congratulations and welcome to Chris Caporicci, Richard Hamlet and Jack Palmer as new Board members. The 2012 was budget was presented and reviewed. Although the Board worked hard to control expenses for 2012, the increased costs of our new landscaping contract and greater than anticipated tree removals and legal fees were driving factors that forced a small increase in annual dues for 2012 of $20 per home ($5 per qtr with new dues now at $84/qtr).
Active discussion at the meeting centered on the flood which impacted Church Point and neighboring communities. Follow-up with the City of Virginia Beach Public Works indicated all storm drain systems were clear and functioning but were just unfortunately overloaded with the large amount of rainfall in a very short period of time. The storm water drainage system was designed to handle 2.39” of water in an hour. The storm on September 28, 2011 dumped 6.2” of water within 28 minutes, far exceeding capacity and causing the unfortunate temporary flooding.
There was discussion at the Board meeting on planning projects for 2012 with a focus on continued cleanup of the waterfront area. Although the waterfront is open and accessible to all homeowners, the steps down to the water have deteriorated and become overgrown. A great recommendation was made by homeowner Stan Bialas to offer the cleanup project to an Eagle Scout candidate. Stan will be working with the Board as we first approach our local Boy Scout Troop 364 out of Bayside Presbyterian and then to other Troops, if necessary.
The Board will continue to work on projects to enhance the appearance and amenities in Church Point for 2012 and we encourage all homeowners to also focus on the appearance and upkeep of your homes as we all work together to ensure Church Point is not only a great place to live but a great looking place to live.
Spring 2012
President’s Corner
Spring has finally arrived and it is great to see homeowners outside and enjoying our neighborhood. The Board will be focusing on maintaining our common land and community curb appeal this spring and we encourage homeowners to focus on their homes and yards this spring also. The Board has contracted to begin replacing the diseased trees along Church Point Road this spring (the trees between the sidewalk and the street that most owners would recognize with the extensive mistletoe growing during the winter). The trees will be removed (including the stump) and new trees planted in new adjacent locations. Although the HOA project only targets the trees on the public easement, any homeowner with an identical tree on the opposite side of Church Point Road that is interested in having their trees removed also, please contact the property manager for info on the contractor to take advantage of the volume pricing the HOA has received.
The Board has contracted to power wash the main entrance brickwork to remove stains and is reviewing options for a similar brick sign at the Mews entrance. Additionally, the Board will be reviewing options to maintain the multiple asphalt paths throughout the neighborhood along with the waterfront area for the safe use of all homeowners. I would like to recognize and say thank you to the Garden Club for volunteering their time to clean up the banks of the lake of trash and debris recently in support of beautifying our community.
In closing, please enjoy the warmer weather, enjoy our common areas and as always be cautious while driving with more kids, bikes, joggers, etc. on the roads.
Summer 2012
President’s Corner
I sincerely hope everyone is enjoying the summer even with the 100 degrees temperatures we’ve already had. It is great to see homeowners out maintaining their yards and homes and based on comments I receive regularly from homeowners, the overall perception is the condition and upkeep of the neighborhood continues to improve. Our landscaper, Basnight, continues to keep our common areas looking good and our terrific Garden Club still does wonders at our entrances with annual flowers, roses and day lilies.
The Board is working with the City Arborist on plans to begin replacing many of the diseased trees along the sidewalk easement of Church Point Road from the Gazebo to the Manor House. Removal of the trees and replacement plantings are currently tentatively schedule for the Fall when we have cooler weather to provide the greatest chance of survival for the transplants. Homeowners who live on the North side of Church Point Road with similar trees who might be interested in participating in the volume tree purchase/replacement project should contact the property manager.
The cleanup of the waterfront area by our landscaper along with continued pampering of the flowers by the Garden Club has restored the area to again be a scenic place for homeowners to relax and enjoy the river views. I can’t thank the Social Committee enough for continuing to set up amazing events like a successful 2nd annual July 4th Bike rally, continuing concerts in the park, wine tastings, and after work social “happy” hour gatherings at local establishments. These events, along with another successful annual yard sale, are really pulling the neighborhood together – keep up the great work everyone.
The Board of Directors, following the successful lead of the Bishop’s Court Board, recently decided to allocate a portion of the HOA financial reserves into safe investments to take advantage of increased returns on the money over the previous returns we were getting from the bank. A full disclosure presentation is planned for the Annual Meeting this Fall by the investment advisor.
Please continue to help keep our neighborhood curb appeal looking great by maintaining your yards, homes and fences regularly and enjoy the rest of summer.
Fall 2012
President’s Corner
For some it is sad to see the end of Summer but for others the cool, crisp days of Fall and the upcoming Holidays bring an added level of excitement. Fall is also time for our annual meeting scheduled to be held on Tuesday, October 30th at 6:30 pm at the Bayside Recreation Center (check in starting at 6:00). As always, all homeowners are encouraged to attend and of course vote. This year we have two Board of Director seats up for election as the current two-year terms expire for myself and Ray Hamilton. Although I am running again for the opportunity to continue to represent you, the homeowners of Church Point on the board while focusing on continuing to the make Church Point the premier neighborhood in Virginia Beach, we are saying goodbye and thank you to Ray Hamilton. Ray has served for three years on the HOA Board of Directors and we can’t say enough about the contributions and the value of the experience, guidance and steadfast dedication to Church Point that Ray provided to homeowners while on the Board.
Fortunately to date, we have had minimal storm-damage related issues this year and no hurricanes. The Board is finalizing plans with the City to commence some tree replacements this Fall in the Commons Area along Church Point Road and recently repaired and re-paved the bike path along the Gazebo Park to Thoroughgood to ensure it is safe for joggers and bikers. The Board is finalizing the 2013 HOA Budget and no planned dues increase is projected for homeowners. The Board is also considering the feasibility of installing a brick monument sign at the Mews entrance. Finally, the City is commencing some repairs to the drainage infrastructure immediately adjacent to the Lake and the Board will continue to review and discuss options to stem the risk of continued flooding in the Mews during strong storms. I look forward to seeing many homeowners at the Annual meeting and hope you join me in enjoying the upcoming holiday season in Church Point.
Winter 2013
President’s Corner
It is hoped everyone had a safe and joyful holiday season and Happy New Year to everyone. The recent annual meeting for 2012 was held in October and was very well attended by homeowners. The annual Board of Directors election saw several great candidates run for office and I am honored to have been re-elected for another 2 year term. I am also pleased to announce that joining me for his first term on the Board of Directors is Rick Little. The annual meeting also saw many homeowners offering great ideas the Board will review over the coming year and a financial presentation by the investment advisor discussing the strategy and portfolio of safe investments for the HOA investment account. We additionally had an informative presentation by the newly formed Flood Committee detailing the flooding history over the past several years and risks to future flooding in the Mews section, especially those homes along the drainage culvert dividing Thoroughgood and Church Point down to the lake.
In December, we were sad to accept the resignation of a Board member, Mr. Richard Hamlet. The Hamlet’s have lived in Church Point for many years and have now decided to relocate out of the neighborhood. We wish them the best and many thanks to Mr. Hamlet for his service to the Board, the HOA and Church Point. To complete the remainder of Mr. Hamlet’s term of office, the Board appointed Neil Bonney to fill his seat. Neil and his family are original owners to Church Point and he will be a welcome addition to the Board with his years of neighborhood knowledge and experience as an attorney. The current Board positions are: President – Peter Burke, Vice President – Chris Caporicci, Treasurer – Rick Little, Secretary – Neil Bonney, and Director-at-large – Jack Palmer.
As mentioned previously, the diseased Honey Locust trees along the sidewalk of Church Point Road from the Gazebo to the Manor House will be replaced in cooperation with the City of Virginia Beach Arborist. The new tree is a Zelkova and the removal/grinding of stumps will begin shortly. Any homeowner living along the North side of Church Point Road from the Gazebo to the Manor House who would like to participate in the tree replacement program, please contact the property manager right away to get your home on this Winter 2013 only schedule. As always, the Board is here to serve you and we welcome your feedback, ideas and recommendations all year long. In closing, I hope everyone stays well during the winter and this year’s challenging flu season.
Spring 2013
President’s Corner
I, for one, sure am glad the long cold winter has finally ended and warmer spring temperatures have arrived. It is great to see the multitude of spring colors abound in yards and homeowners outside again enjoying our wonderful community. The Board will be focusing on maintaining the common areas and structures this spring and we encourage homeowners to focus on their homes and yards. As the housing market continues to improve, our continued curb appeal benefits all of our values and Church Point has always had a reputation for manicured landscaping and well maintained homes.
The Board had planned on replacing the diseased honey locust trees along Church Point Road this spring but unfortunately challenges with the contractor which required replacing them, questions on gas piping locations in the easement from Miss Utility and schedule coordination with the City of Virginia Beach and the Property Manager hindered our ability to accomplish the project this spring. Since this was a project in partnership with the City and utilizing their planting crews, we had a very tight window to squeeze our tree plantings into their schedule of resources. As such, this project has unfortunately been deferred to the fall but we have received a commitment from the City to ensure we are firmly locked into their fall installation schedule. The delay of this project to the fall now allows more time for any undecided homeowner living on the North side of Church Point Road between the Gazebo and the Manor House, still interested in participating in the program, to take advantage of this opportunity for a new tree to replace their diseased tree. Trees eligible for the program have been marked with a white dot at the base of the trunk. Just contact the property manager for information on participating in this program.
Finally, the Board will continue to evaluate ways to maintain clearances in the Mews drainage culvert and options for dredging accessible areas of the lake to increase the volume of water flow and lake retention to help mitigate flooding in the Mews. Those homeowners along the culvert are asked to help keep yard debris and especially branches from the culvert that could dam it up. Additionally, the Garden Club has been working to maintain the lake and bank vegetation areas and to keep it free of trash so many thanks for their help and continued efforts to keep our community looking great.
As always, please enjoy our community and its many amenities but be cautious while driving of our youth playing outside and those getting exercise by jogging, walking or cycling.
Summer 2013
President’s Corner
As summer winds down and Labor Day approaches, I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the warm weather in between all the rains we have had this season. I wanted to let everyone know that after many years of service to Church Point, the Board decided it was time for a change of property manager. Many factors went into this decision but the feedback from homeowners related to communication was one of the strongest factors. While the Board continues to discuss and review candidates within the Select Group, Jill Albright, the Director of Property Management for Select Group, will be our Interim Property Manager. Jill’s contact information is on the last page of the newsletter and on the website should you need to contact her for anything. Jill brings years of association management experience to our community and although a learning curve trying to get up to speed on 20+ years of Church Point history, we have already seen several favorable factors having Jill as our property manager.
The Board continues to work with the city to get things done in Church Point. The street asphalt seal coating project is complete in the Commons and the Quays sections. The Mews are scheduled next for a fresh sealcoat of the asphalt to commence this Fall with touchups to pot holes and bad areas occurring during the summer. Additionally the tree replacement project along Church Point Road is scheduled for this Fall replacing the diseased locust trees along the sidewalk. Dialogue continues with Public Works to stay focused on keeping clear the drainage culvert between Church Point and Thoroughgood in the Mews section along with continued discussions over dredging the lake and shoring up the bulkhead at the mouth of the culvert.
The Board recently installed safety warning signage at the Gazebo park bike path and will be performing maintenance repairs on the gazebo itself to replace rotting wood and rails with long lasting PVC board to reduce future maintenance costs. Additionally, the Board is exploring options for safety lighting along the bridge pathway. Thanks again to Social Committee for several great events this summer to include the Bike Parade and there are more events to come this Fall. A special thank you to the Garden Club for their continued support in planting and maintaining the flowers at the entrances. Also, thanks to the Landscape Committee for overseeing the maintenance and care of our shrubs and trees/flowers. Both of these groups do terrific things to help maintain the appearance and curb appeal of our community.
Please enjoy your Labor Day celebrations and be cautious driving on the streets as kids return to school.
Fall 2013
President’s Corner
A special thank you to all the homeowners that ventured out to attend the annual meeting at the Bayside Rec Center on November 20th. The budget was approved for 2014 and elections were held for Board positions with all three incumbents winning their seats again for another two year term. Congratulations to Chris Caporicci (Vice President), Neil Bonney (Secretary) and Jack Palmer (Director at Large). The annual meeting allowed the Board to update homeowners on several ongoing projects in Church Point. Several are listed below and others inside the newsletter.
The Board is working with a contractor and the city to finalize permitting to dredge the lake after years of sediment buildup. The entry points to the lake will be dredged from the cul-de-sac to increase lake depth and water retention ability to better manage storm water runoff and reduce backups into the culvert for flood prevention. This has been a long process with the city and we are hoping for resolution in the very near future so work can proceed. The Board is still working with the city and Dominion Power on right of way easements and permitting to install a smaller version brick entry sign at the Mews Entrance on the East side. Again, a slow process with the city but still utilizing funding received from the insurance claim from the car that hit the old brick column.
As a follow up on the street asphalt seal coating project undertaken in the Commons/Quays sections earlier this year, the plan initially, as confirmed with Public Works, was to continue the seal coating project into the Mews. The bad news is that we have now been told that city engineering has deemed the street asphalt in the Mews too far gone from a deterioration/cracking/sinking and alligatoring perspective to achieve any noticeable improvement or life extension from a seal coating. Since no longer a viable candidate for seal coating, the good news is the City has determined that the Mews asphalt needs to be completely removed via milling/grinding and a fresh layer of asphalt installed throughout. Unfortunately, since a different project scope and funding now, we have been placed on the milling schedule for which the earliest this will occur is fall of 2015/Spring 2016. We will keep everyone posted as we hear more from the City on the timing of this project.
It has come to the Board’s attention that over time, several of the original and unique to Church Point street name signs have fallen off. Since these signs were custom made by the original developer and are unique to Church Point, the city wasn’t able to duplicate them and installed basic metal pole street signs. The Board recently found someone who still makes that unique style of street sign holders (except now made in aluminum to avoid the rusting) and is working on a project to restore that unique appearance to Church Point. If you notice one of the street signs hanging or in need of repair, please contact anyone on the Board and we will get them taken care of. The same applies to anything else that needs repair in the neighborhood, we need everyone’s help being an extra set of eyes and ears to notify the Board or Property Manager when things are right and need attention. It takes all of us working together to keep the neighborhood looking it’s best to increase curb appeal and property values.
I would also like to welcome Bob Garrett as our new Property Manager for Church Point from The Select Group. Bob’s years of experience and communication skills should be an asset to Church Point. Please don’t hesitate to contact Bob for any issues, concerns or questions. I hope everyone has a safe, warm and enjoyable holiday season and a joyous 2014.
Last Issue
This will be the last dedicated hard copy issue of the Church Point Post Quarterly Newsletter. Effective in 2014 with the winter issue, we will be primarily issuing the newsletter via email and posting on the website. As mentioned in the previous edition, we are requesting an email address from all homeowners to send the newsletter to. This email address will be maintained strictly as a newsletter database and not released for any other purpose. Please send you email address to newsletter.churchpointhoa@gmail.com.
For those homeowners without computers or emails, hard copies will be mailed individually to your homes still. Please contact any Board Member, the Select Group (Bob Garrett) or send an email to newsletter if you wish to continue to receive a hard copy in the mail. Thanks again for you support in going GREEN and reducing our printing/mailing costs. Special thanks to Church Point Neighbor Gary Shine for helping with the newsletter conversion to electronic distribution.
Spring 2014
President’s Corner
Finally, it appears the temperature swings and frigid air from this winter are behind us and spring has arrived. The spring bulbs are blooming and soon our tireless Garden Club will be working hard to get spring flowers around the entrances, etc. Although it was a long, tough winter, the Board was able to execute some wonderful projects specifically around the Lake in the Mews section. As part of an approach to increased safety on the bridge for homeowners, lighting was installed to illuminate the bridge walkway. For those of you enjoying the local eateries over the bridge or out for an evening run/walk, I am sure you will agree the new lights are a welcome sight from the previous darkness along the bridge. A special thank you to Board member, Jack Palmer, for assisting me with the installation of the lights on the bridge rails. Additionally, the Board (specifically Board member Rick Little who was project manager for this project) in cooperation with the city engineers and permits, was able to complete the refurbishment of the drainage culvert entering the lake. The base of the culvert and entry to the lake were deepened and graded to ensure proper flow, the bulkheads were rebuilt with new timbers and a rubber membrane along with new rip rap installed for stabilization to prevent erosion. These changes should ensure proper and consistent flow of storm water into the lake and reduce our chances of flooding. The final piece of the project this April will be to re-landscape the entrance area of the bridge in cooperation with local homeowners and our Garden Club.
The Board also completed the replacement of the diseased honey locust trees along Church Point Road with direct support and cooperation from the City whose crews executed the plantings. Thank you to homeowners for your support of the project and to those homeowners on the opposite side of the street that took the opportunity to replace their diseased trees with new ones. Additionally, in April work will commence on the installation of a brick monument sign for the Mews Entrance. A smaller scale version of the larger brick signage at the main entrance and portions of the costs for this project came from insurance money related to the car accident that caused damaged to HOA property.
As a reminder to those owners reading this newsletter who are currently renting your homes out; you are responsible for ensuring your tenants are aware of the HOA rules and regulations. Specifically those rules about noise restrictions after 6PM on Saturday until Monday morning along with not putting trash/yard debris out on the curb before Tuesday evening. Finally, please enjoy our community this spring, our many amenities along with the terrific events planned by our Social Committee but as always, please be cautious of our youth playing outside and those getting exercise by jogging, walking or cycling. Drivers please be diligent in watching your speed and parents, please watch your kids to keep them from running or biking into traffic.
Summer 2014
President’s Corner
Summer has arrived with hot and humid temperatures, kids out of school and many wonderful Social Committee events. It was a very harsh winter and several of the newly planted trees along Church Point Road unfortunately did not survive the frigid weather. The damaged trees have been noted by the landscape committee who has contacted the City. The City Landscape Division will be replacing these trees under warranty for the association and still owes several trees from the original list. All will be planted this fall when cooler temperatures are optimum for success. The trees that did survive the winter still have very immature root systems, and it is critical that they get as much water as possible to survive. Since Mother Nature has started off the summer very dry for Church Point, the Board has authorized supplemental watering of these new trees with a water truck by the landscaper through monitoring by the landscape committee. If you have a new tree in the sidewalk easement in front of your home, we request any support you can provide through extra watering with irrigation systems or hoses. It is wonderful to see tree lined streets and the future is great for these great shade producers, but we need your assistance to help the trees survive.
The Mews entrance monument sign construction is finally in progress after some challenges with City easements and Dominion Power poles / underground wiring. As of the writing of this article, the brick work is complete and we are just awaiting the arrival of the concrete matching top cap, followed by the lettering to complete the sign. Additionally, the custom metal street sign supports have arrived and new street sign installations will begin shortly to replace the smaller metal street signs and restore the uniformity of the larger street signs that are a unique feature to Church Point.
Special thank you to our dedicated Garden Club that again did the design and planting of the beautiful flowers at the entrances. The Garden Club continues to go above and beyond to enhance the curb appeal of our community. Summer brings longer days and more people out and about enjoying all our community has to offer. Summer also has kids out of school so as always, drivers please watch your speed in the neighborhood and be extremely cautious of our youth playing outside and those getting exercise by jogging, walking or cycling.
Fall 2014
President’s Corner
Hopefully, everyone had an enjoyable summer and many of you, I’m sure, are glad the kids are back in school. First of all, let me thank the Social Committee for a fantastic community picnic at the Gazebo in September and say Great Job. What a terrific turnout to see so many neighbors of Church Point come together for a wonderful afternoon of fun, food and entertainment. Hopefully, we can continue this tradition and those of you that were unable to attend will join us next time. The Mews Monument sign was finally completed recently and a special thanks to Board Member Rick Little for managing this project and personally installing the solar lights that illuminate the sign at night. What a tremendous improvement over the old white sign on the post that originally identified this entrance to our community for 20 years.
Several of the new trees planted along Church Point Road didn’t survive the warm and dry summer. They have already been identified by the Landscape Committee who is coordinating with the City to replace the trees under warranty, along with adding a couple of trees not planted in the spring. Thank You to Paula Larkin from the Landscape Committee for her continued dedication in closely monitoring the trees, our landscaping and especially our irrigation. Paula personally coordinated the water truck and watering with Basnight Landscaping to ensure we didn’t lose any more of the landscaping this summer.
As many homeowners have noticed, the street sign refurbishment project is underway. The old rusted iron arms are being sanded, primed and repainted along with adding a gold tip to the end. Some of you recall that over the years, several arms had fallen off and the city completely replaced those wooden posts with standard metal poles. Good news is that I have been working with the City on this project and have gotten them to agree to provide the labor to replace those metal poles with matching wooden posts, saving the HOA money. Additionally, the City will be replacing all of the green street signs throughout the community since many are aged, faded and have peeling letters. Shortly, we will have new refurbished arms, new street signs and all matching posts.
This year’s annual meeting is scheduled for November 19th at 6pm in the meeting room of the Bayside Recreation Center. In addition to reviewing the 2015 budget, we will also be holding annual elections for Board positions with two Board members up for re-election this year – myself and Rick Little. I hope everyone can attend the annual meeting and bring any new ideas, concerns, comments to the Board or just come and say hi to everyone. As the holiday seasons approach, as always, please watch your speed through the community, be on the lookout for children and be extra cautious on Halloween.