Kingspoint Crier: August 2024
© Wendy Miller
Letter from the KP Presidents
Dear Kingspoint Club Members,
The buzz is that it has been a great summer at the pool. Water Aerobics classes, taught by fellow Kingspoint resident Joan Feldman, were regularly attended on Mondays and Fridays. This offering is especially appreciated by those for whom swim team days are a distant memory. The pool also offered a refreshing place to cool off for those who joined us with their water craft on “Club the Creek” days. We had eight members join us for Club the creek on August 24. One member launched their kayak from their dock and caught up with the group.
We did want to briefly address the concerns we have heard about the expiring Kingspoint Covenants and offer some reassurance. The restrictive covenants were written long before we had robust zoning codes in James City County and before the Resource Protection Area (RPA) was established. If you have zoning or code questions or concerns about a violation, please email the James City County Zoning Administrator, Christy Parrish (christy.parrish@jamescitycountyva.gov). You can copy our District Supervisor, John McGlennon (John.McGlennon@jamescitycountyva.gov) so that he can stay abreast of the concerns in his District. Feel free to reach out to us as well with any additional concerns (kppresidents@gmail.com).
An easy way to help maintain the character of our neighborhood is to belong to the Kingspoint Club. The club is much more than the pool. The Club owns and maintains the clubhouse, the pool, the deck surrounding the clubhouse, the playground, the park, the sports field, the dock and boat launch, and boat facilities (kayak/canoe storage for an extra fee). Share this form with a neighbor who is thinking about joining.
Upcoming Pool Schedule and Pool/Creek Related News:
August 30th to September 2nd:
Fri - Mon: 11:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Lifeguards will be on duty from 4 to 6 PM on weekdays
Lifeguards will be on duty from 12:30 to 8 PM on weekends/holidays.
Pool attendants will fill all other open pool hours.
Lifeguard and Pool Attendant Hours: Just a reminder that due to budget constraints over the past few years, the Club has been utilizing a combination of lifeguarded hours and swim-at-your-own-risk hours. The swim-at-your-own-risk hours are monitored by pool attendants who will be managed by the Pool Attendant Manager, Lexi Stanhope.
Pool Attendants will manage the pool during the swim-at-your-own-risk hours: They will work during non-guarded times when the pool is open without a lifeguard on duty, when children (under 14) will need to be supervised by a responsible adult/guardian over the age of 18.
When lifeguards are on duty, non-swimming children & children under 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult (18+) swimmer at all times.
We humbly ask that our members and summer pass holders be patient and understanding with the operations of the KP Pool as we have been navigating scheduling and last minute changes with our lifeguards and pool attendants.
Stay Up to Date on Social Events: Visit the social calendar on the Kingspoint Club website. (Thanks Kathy!) Some upcoming events include:
Sept 2 Labor Day Fun: Labor Day Pool Party and Drool in the Pool: Look for an email with details and sign up to volunteer.
Membership Dues: Thank you to members who have already paid their dues. Annual dues are $700. If you pay dues quarterly, the 3rd quarter began July 1 and $175 was due July 1. Semi-annual dues ($350) were also due July 1. You can use this link to pay third quarter dues. You can also send your dues via a check made out to the Kingspoint Club, Inc., P.O. Box 365, Williamsburg, VA 23187.
Membership Committee Update: We are also still actively seeking members to assist Melissa Reeves, Membership Chair, on the Kingspoint Club Membership Committee. Please remember the new email for any questions or information related to Kingspoint Membership is Membershipkingspoint@gmail.com.
*Know a neighbor who would benefit from the community that comes with Club Membership? Have them email Membershipkingspoint@gmail.com to learn more and join.
Clubhouse News: If you have a graduation, birthday, anniversary, baby shower, book club, work party, or other special event, please make a plan to book your rental today! Please contact Tara Peters at KPClubRentals@gmail.com.
Clubhouse rental rates in 2024:
KP Resident Club Member: $50 rental / 1x per calendar year
KP Resident Club Member: $150 half day (4 hrs.) /$200 full day (8 hrs.)
Non-KP Resident Club Member: $350 half day (4 hrs.)/ $550 whole day (8 hrs.)
Non-Club Members: $400 half day (4 hrs)/ $600 whole day (8 hrs.)
Recurring rentals for KP Club members: $25 per hour / 6 mo. contract
Kingspoint Club Website: Be sure to check it out. You can now find everything Club related, including current and past Criers, on the website. Let’s take a fun trip down memory lane. Please share any photos that you have of activities, members, and the natural beauty of the pool, the clubhouse, the green, and the dock with (KPCrier@gmail.com). We would love to highlight the wealth of incredible Club memories we have created through the years.
Thank You,
Scott Lerberg & Kathyrn Haines
Co-Presidents, Kingspoint Club
Kingspoint Calendar
Sept 2: Labor Day Pool Party and Drool in the Pool
Sept 28: Docktails Dock Fundraiser
Late Sept/Early Oct: Campout/Movie on the Green
October 31: Halloween Party
December 8: Ornament/Movie Marathon
Check out the events section of the Kingspoint website for more details.
Kingspoint Club Board
President — Scott Lerberg and Kathyrn Haines
kppresidents@gmail.com
Treasurer — Catherine Mountjoy
KPWilliamsburg@gmail.com
Secretary — Matt Blinn
KPSecretary757@gmail.com
Membership — Melissa Reeves
Membershipkingspoint@gmail.com
Facilities — Dave Stanhope
KingspointFacilities@gmail.com
Clubhouse Coordinator — Tara Peters
KPClubRentals@gmail.com
Additional Club Contacts
Social Committee Chair — Kathy Williams
KPSocialComm@gmail.com
Landscape Director — Nancy McDonald
peachstreet258@gmail.com
KP Crier Editors — Margaret Pizer and Dave Parrish
kpcrier@gmail.com
The Kingspoint Club, Inc. oversees our community’s recreational property on Northpoint Drive. This waterfront site includes a beautiful clubhouse, neighborhood pool, picnic area, dock, and a children’s play area. The KP Club operates the pool and clubhouse and organizes neighborhood social events for members. Membership in the Club is optional for residents, and includes use of the pool, boat ramp and dock. Members may also rent the clubhouse and pool for social events. Membership is required to attend some Club sponsored social events. Non- residents may also pay annual dues to use the pool and the clubhouse. For more information or to join, contact KPMembership@gmail.com.
Kingspoint Neighborhood Association August News
We can all enjoy pleasant summer weather for a bit longer, but many of our neighbors are preparing for back to school and back to work on our various projects. Perhaps you also feel the change in the air as summer winds down and the cooler, brighter days of September beckon. The new academic year brings its own challenges as well as promises of good things to come. William and Mary students are already arriving for fall term, and undergraduate classes began August 28. WJCC Public Schools opened to students on Monday, August 26 this year.
It is time once again to watch out for the children and give school buses plenty of room as they settle into their new routines. We typically have large family groups gathering at the bus stops in the mornings and afternoons. Working together, we can help everyone get to work and school on time, while everyone stays safe. Please keep parked cars away from intersections so that everyone can see far enough ahead to drive safely. Those of us who live off of Northpoint Drive struggle with the sun in our eyes in the mornings, as we drive up the hill to the bus stop. Let’s all slow down a bit and watch out for one another.
Let’s also keep an eye out for neighbors walking pets and riding bikes as we drive through Kingspoint. We need to treat all intersections with care. Sometimes children, pets and walkers aren’t visible until we round that corner. You’ve heard this before, but neighbors continue to experience close calls.
We are a very dog friendly community in Kingspoint, but dogs need to stay on leashes when on walks outside of their yard. Here is the county code concerning dogs, should anyone have a question. This is very much a safety issue for our dogs, for other pedestrians, and for children playing at home in their own yards. A neighbor asked me to bring this to everyone’s attention again after encountering a neighbor walking two large dogs ‘off-leash’ this week. She was concerned for the dogs’ safety, as well as her own. If you encounter an unsupervised, off-leash dog in the community, please call 757-565-0370. Here are the ‘off-leash’ laws for those county parks that allow dogs to play freely.
For several years now, we have had an informal ‘chainsaw gang’ of neighbors willing to help out when a large limb or small tree falls during a storm, which blocks a driveway or neighborhood street. We don’t need this sort of community effort very often, but it is certainly appreciated when the unexpected happens. VDoT is responsible for clearing downed limbs from streets, but they can’t always get out to re-open neighborhood streets right away. Neighbors have worked together to keep main streets open so folks can get to their homes.
Many neighbors on our original list of ‘Chainsaw Gang’ volunteers have moved or passed away in recent years. We need a few more volunteers willing to help out neighbors in an emergency. If you have a chainsaw or a wheelbarrow and are willing to help a neighbor in need, please contact me to add your name to our list. And if you see a branch or tree blocking a street or a neighbor’s driveway, please don’t wait for an invitation to help. If you have the tools and the ability to pitch in to clean up the mess, so cars can pass, then please do. Just make sure to wear what you need to keep yourself safe as you work.
As a reminder, you will need to schedule and pay for a bulk trash pick-up if you need county staff to clear away broken limbs or other yard waste. Even after a major storm, the county will only pick up yard debris free of charge if a Federal Disaster has been declared and they receive federal money to pay for clean-up.
Our community is continually revitalized as new neighbors join us. Roy and Meghan Cromer, their three children, two cats and a dog are settled now at 116 Northpoint Drive. Jeff and Julia Mishler, their four children and two dogs moved into their new home at 117 Archer’s Hope Drive in early July. Ben and Jen, their nine year old son, and their dogs Gizmo and Ballot moved into their new home at 101 Ivy Court just a few weeks ago, in early August. And Robert and Jean Rodriguez are enjoying their new home at 102 Aspen Court. Please welcome these new neighbors and their families as you encounter them around the community, and please also note these changes in your Kingspoint Directory.
If you are new to the community, or have a new family living near you, please let us know at kpwebmisstress@gmail.com so we can visit with a copy of the Kingspoint Directory and include new neighbors in the 2025 listings. Harvey Manning is now greeting new neighbors and delivering directories for the KPNA. And please contact KPNA Secretary Kenita Hill at secretarykpna@gmail.com with any changes or updates to your listing.
Excitement is building as this especially hot, humid summer draws to a close. Labor Day weekend through the first frost of November is one of the best seasons of the year in our area. It is a great time to walk, get out on the water, or bike on the Colonial Parkway. That said, work on the Colonial Parkway continues and we don’t expect to have access to the portion of the Parkway between Kingspoint and Williamsburg again until mid-2026. The Park Service intends to keep the Loop Road on Jamestown Island closed on Mondays through Thursdays until October, to protect small wildlife. That is likely good news for anyone who wants to ride their bike there. Find more information on The Colonial Parkway Rehabilitation website, which contains important project news and information regarding closures, detours, and other impacts.
If you, like so many other JCC residents, are unhappy with the direction county leadership has been going lately, then you have an opportunity to “Do Something!” by getting involved in the 2035 Strategic Plan Update process. The first public open house meeting will be September 9 at 6:00 PM at Legacy Hall in Newtown. Follow the link above for details and to register to attend.
Now that we find ourselves in an election season once again, please respect our neighborhood custom of not posting signs or banners supporting any particular candidate or party on your property. While many of us are passionate about our politics, we realize that living in harmony with our neighbors is more important than advertising our opinions.
We urge all neighbors to register to vote and to take part in the upcoming election. First, check to make sure that you are registered and that your information is correct. View your registration status and make updates to your voter record if your information has changed. Our neighborhood votes at Laurel Lane Elementary School. If you haven’t already made a plan to vote, you will find the information and contacts you need on the JCC Office of Elections website . Here is complete information about the options available to you to vote this year.
We appreciate everyone who has already given Treasurer Karen Schneider your 2024 membership dues for the neighborhood association. Your voluntary support keeps our neighborhood vibrant, beautiful, and connected. We are asking neighbors who have not yet supported the KPNA this year to please consider sending in your annual membership contribution of $25.00 now. If you have been intending to return your membership form, which is in the front of your 2024 Directory, this is a good time to do so.
Mid-September through early November is the best time of year for planting new trees and shrubs in our region because they can establish good roots before cold weather arrives. We can plant daffodils and other bulbs in October through December, and we will soon enjoy pots of bright chrysanthemums and pansies as the weather begins to cool. Our daffodil bulbs will be ready in November to distribute to KPNA members who requested them. Neighbors appreciate all your efforts to keep your yard and home beautiful.
Many thanks to all of our dedicated front entrance volunteers for their work. David Miller is coordinating our efforts to keep the neighborhood entrance well-maintained. Chris Bonday is continuing his ongoing efforts to keep the grass neatly trimmed and trash removed. If you are willing to join our crew of volunteers to help with maintenance chores at the entrance, please get in touch with David Miller.
Contact us at kpwebmistress@gmail.com to add your email to our distribution list, to change your email, or to have your email address removed so you no longer receive community updates.
Please visit our KPNA website for news and useful community links.
Elizabeth McCoy kpwebmistress@gmail.com
for the Kingspoint Neighborhood Association Board
Kingspoint Neighborhood Association
KPNA Board President — Elizabeth McCoy — e.mccoy105@gmail.com
Secretary — Kenita Hill — arubahill@gmail.com
Treasurer — Karen Schneider
Members at Large — Harvey Manning, David Miller, Mary Haines, Joseph Bailey
Women’s Club News
We will be getting together on Tuesday, September 17th at 10 AM at the Kingspoint Clubhouse to catch up with old friends and greet new faces.
Please join us and bring a friend or a new neighbor. There will be refreshments.
We will be looking for members who would like to help plan our years’ activities.
There will be no dues because we have a hefty bank balance that more than covers all of our expenses.
Ann Hobson and Denise Koch
Subscribing to the Crier
Starting this month, we are using the new website’s email list management feature to notify subscribers when a new Crier edition is published. Current Crier subscribers have been manually added to the email list. If you know someone who wants to get emails when the Crier is published online, please ask them to visit this page and sign up using the form below. You can now also unsubscribe by clicking the unsubscribe button in any Crier notification email.
If you have trouble using the form and unsubscribe link, please contact kpcrier@gmail.com and we can make your changes manually.
Your Photos Here?
If you’re tired of seeing photos of the editor’s front yard, you can contribute photos to the Crier by sending them to kpcrier@gmail.com. We cannot guarantee that every photograph will be featured, and we reserve the right to crop and rescale the photos.
Publishing in the Crier
If you have an event to share with the Kingspoint community or some news to report that you would like to see posted in the Kingspoint Crier, please send your contributions to kpcrier@gmail.com before the 20th of the month. The editors reserve the right to refuse and edit any submissions; the editors will not run any articles that overly or covertly target specific demographics or neighbors.
Facebook Page
Kathy Williams recently set up a new Kingspoint Facebook group. Interested neighbors can join the new Kingspoint group page. If you have any questions, please direct them to Kathy at: willfam7plus@gmail.com.
Little Dolphins
Looking to connect with other parents in the neighborhood? Consider joining the “Little Dolphins” Facebook page. It’s a network of parents in the neighborhood with kids ranging from babies to teenagers. (Just search for "Little Dolphins Kingspoint" on Facebook). It’s a nice way to meet parents in the neighborhood with similarly aged kids. If you aren’t on Facebook, or if you are having problems joining the group, email Tracy Sohoni, tracep@yahoo.com
Neighborhood Ads
Pet Sitting: Available Daily and Holidays, 4 years experience. Yuko Sato phone: 757-634-5447
Pet Sitting: Haley Elton offers dog walking and pet sitting services. Available daily. Contact her managing agent, Norman Elton, at 757-293-8346.
Baby Sitting and Pet Sitting: Carolyn Clinton is available for baby sitting and pet sitting. 757-903-7777. Twins John and Catherine Clinton are also available for baby sitting and pet sitting. John also mows lawns. Call their mother Susan Clinton @ 757-903-7205.
Baby Sitting and Pet sitting/walking: Hello all! My name is Lexi. I am a pet sitter and babysitter who has attended a CPR class and a training course for babysitting. I have lots of experience with animals of all types and breeds. Some other services I offer are watering plants, collecting mail, or taking care of your house while you are out of town. For reasonable rates and more details call or text 757-298-8798.
Daily pet visits, walks, overnight in your home: Experience with dogs, cats, birds, giving medications. Retired teacher. In business since 2016. Lisa Garber. 757-848-8331 or beastiebestiesofwilliamsburg@gmail.com.
Advertising Policy
The advertising policy for the Kingspoint Crier is as follows: business related ads are $25/ edition or $260/yr. Approximate ad size is displayed in this issue of the Crier. We can provide an invoice if necessary. Small ads of one or two sentences from residents and non-resident club members are free as a community service; non-profit and children’s ads are also free.
