Welcome to Lakeport! Just watch where you park

Congratulations to Lakeport Cluster for being named the RA's 2007 cluster of the year (PDF). Sweet! Fortunately, the cluster has its own Web site, so we didn't have to leave the house to do a little of what those stuffy, old-media dead tree folks might snidely call "reporting" on what makes this little slice of Reston so special.

What do the residents of Lakeport want us to know about their neighborhood? According to the notice front and center on their site, where not to park:

Some time ago the Lakeport Board of Directors suspended the enforcement of our parking regulations due to problems with the towing company. Since that time, adherence to the Lakeport parking regulations, which are outlined in the Lakeport Handbook, has become lax.

All residents should be aware that, effective immediately, parking regulations will be enforced and those automobiles parked in violation of the Handbook guidelines will be subject to towing.

Flyers will be placed under the windshield wipers of all vehicles parked on common property so that everyone will be aware of the resumption of enforcement of our parking regulations by towing.

Awesome! Not only do they have snide fliers, but they have their own handbook (PDF), which includes helpful tips like this:

Signs and attention-attracting paraphernalia detract from the overall appearance of the Cluster. The Cluster Association regulates the type and design of signs permitted in the Cluster.
• All permanent signs must have Cluster Association and Reston Design Review Board approval – and approval is not likely.

So much for that blinking "over 30 million Web pages served" sign we were planning on putting on the roof. This goes on for a few more pages, so we'll skip past the detailed description of trash protocol, which points out that trash cans are "ugly."

Fortunately, Lakeport isn't just resting on the laurels of decades of standards regulating everything from decks to house numbers. They're taking a bold step into the 21st century with a new draft siding and trim standard (yet another freaking PDF). Among other things, it says:

Finished channel-design overlapped cedar boards with horizontal orientation and a 4.75”exposure (repeat) -Phase 2 (all other units): rough-sawn bevel-design overlapped cedar boards with horizontal orientation and a 6”exposure (repeat) -Alternative for Phase 1 or Phase 2 units (applicable ONLY if ALL4 to7 contiguous units in a row submit their DRB applications at the same time and replace ALL cedar siding on a DRB-approved schedule): Overlapped HardiePlank in the Cedarmill pattern (a manufactured fiber-cement siding) with horizontal orientation and a 6”exposure(repeat).

That clears everything up. For this, and many other reasons, we're sure, Lakeport decidedly deserves its honor from the Reston Association (filed in triplicate, on recycled paper only please).