Fox Point Update: August 2021 Edition
- On July 28, 2021
President’s Letter
By Margaret Graff | Email
July was a busy month in Fox Point!
Kudos to Mark Johnson for introducing Pickleball in Fox Point — fun was had by all at the tournament, and he is now actively exploring the possibility of expanding our Tennis program to include this sport.
And Kudos to Rena Slovick for bringing back an Adult Summer social event which was held on the lawn by the pool complete with food and a DJ.
Dave and the Lake Committee continue to address and manage our Lake Maintenance efforts. And you know all those green spaces in FP —Jay Roberts diligently manages our vendors to ensure they are well-maintained.
Fox Pointers are also continuing to work on home improvement projects, keeping Arch chair Steve Kipferl busy with requests to review.
Finally, when you see Criss Chang around FP, please thank him for his stewardship of perhaps our most beloved summertime asset — The Fox Point Pool. His commitment to evolving rules/procedures around capacity, hours, guests, parties — and oversight of maintenance/operational needs in partnership with Pool Watch is truly a full-time volunteer job.
Please consider joining us for our monthly FPHA meetings via zoom —- the next one is scheduled for Monday, August 16 @ 7 pm.
In the bonds of Fox Point,
Margaret Graff
Lake Report
By David Jobes | Email
At the writing of our last newsletter, we were experiencing a much-improved condition to the lake compared to the last several years. Well, that changed once we experienced the prolonged dry spell and then the rains brought the ugly blue/green algae into our lake. As posted on Nextdoor, we had the water tested during the outbreak by Lake County and the bacteria count was indeed elevated. Since that outbreak, we are back to having normal algae growth for lakes in our area and the blue/green algae has disappeared. This will more than likely continue until the Phoslock treatment has time to take effect, again this is a three-year treatment we are applying to help create normal plant growth in the water to help reduce outbreaks in the future. We are also reaching out to the Cook County Forest Preserve who manages Baker’s Lake, Lake County water management, the Village of Barrington, Flint Creek watershed group as well as other interested parties to get everyone involved for a long-term plan. This is a daunting task since so many independent groups are involved.
On another note, I have seen more people fishing on the lake so if you have photos to share please send them over to me. We can post some of these on our site and Nextdoor perhaps, as well as providing the lake committee with information on how our fishery is recovering.
We are looking to have other homeowners join our lake committee team, so if interested in participating please send me or Jeff Dahnke an email. Since this is an all-volunteer group, and everyone has other commitments such as full-time jobs and families we need the assistance of homeowners who can participate in discussions on the direction of the lake and also have the time to shoulder some of the workload which can be a substantial time commitment. However, when you see the results taking place it can be very rewarding, especially since the lake is a major focal point of our neighborhood.
Enjoy the rest of summer and look forward to seeing everyone on the lake.
Safety & Welfare
By Abe Ryder | Email
Dear Fox Point Neighbors.
As a part of the safety discussion and as many of you are aware, the Fox Point Board has had ongoing discussions since last year regarding the purchase of security cameras. So where are we in the process? The Board continues to evaluate the feasibility of license plate reader cameras. As you might imagine, there are considerations besides cost, including limitations of the technology, privacy concerns, coordination with local police, as well as broader local municipal studies to better evaluate the benefits. To be effective, we would consider all entrances/exits on both the north and south sides, entrance to Barrington Meadows, and potentially the boat dock. That means anywhere between 10 to 12 cameras with an upfront purchase and annual costs of up to $100 per household per year for monitoring services. All else being equal, that would result roughly in a 5% to 10% increase in assessment. This cost must be balanced in the consideration set with keeping our annual assessments reasonable and our commitment to maintaining our current assets while building reserves for restoration and major repairs and replacement of our assets at a future date and avoid unwanted special assessments.
Our message on safety remains unchanged. Please ensure your car doors, front doors, garage doors, patio doors, etc. be secured and locked to avoid theft. Furthermore, please avoid the temptation of posting your whereabouts on social media when you are away relaxing (we hope) on vacation far from home. Also, ask your neighbors to monitor your property while you are gone.
Social
By Rena Slovick | Email
It’s All in the Hips – Fox Point Annual Golf Outing
Channel your inner John Rahm at the annual Fox Point Golf Outing! Save the Date for Saturday, September 11th at Palatine Hills Golf Course! Choose from 18 holes, 9 holes or dinner only.
Tee off times are as follows:
- 18 Holes: 1:00 pm
- 9 Holes: TBD
our registration fee covers golf, a cart, prizes, and a buffet dinner afterward.
Please RSVP HERE by Saturday, August 28th. When you sign up, please indicate the names of those you wish to be paired with.
It’s Not a Cup, It’s Actually a Tumbler
Jealous of your Neighbor’s sweet Fox Point Yeti Tumblers? Fear not! I’ve got them literally pouring out of my guest room! Sign up to get yours HERE
Please comment with your address and we will drop off your orders. Reach out to Rena Slovick with questions.
Adult Social Recap:
The Olympic Spirit was with all of us on Friday, July 23rd as we embarked on some good old-fashioned lawn games! We had a fabulous BBQ feast thanks to the Canteen in Barrington and enjoyed jams by DJ Ryan Nicholas.
Thank You Notes:
- The ultimate late-night cleanup crew of Nikki & Mike DiMucci.
- Patrick Lytle for demanding songs by Ice Cube & carrying tables.
- Swim Team Committee for the extra cooler (I owe you guys ice btw)
- The Assistant to the Social Committee Chair
Social Committee Meeting
Looking to get involved with some social fun? Need an excuse to leave your house on a Wednesday? Have some ideas that you want to share? Join me at the pool on Wednesday, August 18th at 7:30 pm to learn about other events that we do in Fox Point. BYOB & RSVP Here!
Save the Date: Fox Point Annual Garage Sale will be Saturday, September 18th, 2021 from 9 am – 3 pm
Pool
By Criss Chang | Email
In early June, we entered Phase 5 and IDPH removed capacity restrictions. In response to this, we ended the pool reservation requirement, allowed guests back to the pool and reinstated awning rentals for parties. This return to normal included the swim team hosting its first home swim meet in 2 years with great success, thanks to the Swim Team Committee, coaches, lifeguards, volunteers, and families. Swim lessons for the little ones are also in full swing, with participation by over 30 swimmers! And early morning adult lap swim hosted by Barrington Masters is keeping the pool an active venue from dawn until dusk.
In the coming weeks, the pool check-in process for OPEN SWIM will revert to the Omnify system for tighter attendance controls and we will move away from the current handwritten process.
- All attendees must be entered into the Omnify system, including residents AND guests.
- To avoid delays at check-in, be sure to complete the one-time setup in Subscriptions under Fox Point Resident
- Guests should be entered as Family Members, where they will be identified as fee or non-fee paying
- Daily guest passes should be purchased using the Omnify Subscriptions page
- A QR code will be posted for self-check-in. Just scan the code posted at the front desk and check you and your party in.
For information on how to navigate the Omnify app, please follow this LINK to the instructions on how to:
- Create an Omnify account
- Add Family Members (includes resident family members, non-resident family, nannies, and guests)
- Subscriptions (Fox Point Resident, Daily Guest Passes, and Awning Rentals)
Tennis
By Mark Johnson | Email
Hi Neighbors, This past July we held our first pickleball tournament, the Fox Point Classic. We had 6 teams and one great time! The tournament was my first time playing the sport, and it was a lot of fun and great exercise at the same time. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have suggestions or concerns as we explore options for making pickleball a permanent fixture within the Fox Point community. You can reach out to me via my personal email.
I also must give a gentle reminder about the courts being one of our more expensive amenities that provide value to our community, which makes Fox Point an attractive community in Barrington. There has been a lot of garbage, food, and other debris left on the courts, which may require us to pay third-party services for cleaning, which we’d like to avoid. Please do your part and spread the message!
Civic Affairs
By Mark Villalovos | Email
August is here and Summer in Barrington is hotter than ever. The neighbors at the lake, pool, social activities, tennis courts, and playgrounds are reminders of why we choose to call Fox Point “home”. Your Welcome Committee has been busy making our newest Fox Point residents feel at home, paying them a visit, sharing a goodie bag, and sharing news about all the amenities here at Fox Point. I want to give focused recognition to the dynamic trio of Sarah Giunchedi, Liz Cocoma, and Jen Ryder for giving of their time and talents to make our newest neighbors feel welcome in their new neighborhood.
Speaking of neighbors, let’s continue to give one another a friendly wave when we’re out for our walks with family, friends, and pets, keeping that famous Midwestern hospitality alive here in Fox Point. Finally, keep your neighbors informed of any vacation plans – I know my daughter is making some summer spending cash taking care of plants, walking pets, retrieving mail, and watering lawns – lean on your neighbors for extra peace of mind.
Common Grounds
By Jay Roberts | Email
Hi everyone, it’s sure been a busy summer so far!
The lack of rain has resulted in a few dead bushes and plants around the pool and tennis courts that need to be taken out. The landscaping crew should have those removed in the next couple of weeks. I’m waiting to see what those areas look like before I replace them right away. For the most part, they are small evergreen trees that have browned out or completely lost their foliage. Also, around the pool there are some larger crab apple trees that will need to be evaluated and potentially removed. That type of expense is not in the budget this year but could be something we do next year.
I’m still waiting to hear back from the playground equipment vendor regarding some minor damage to the equipment. We’ve been able to place some tape on it for now but that’s obviously not a long-term solution. Please excuse the tape until the vendor can provide a solution. Originally, I was warned that they are backed up 12-16 weeks for supply. If the area becomes dangerous, we will take extra measures, but for now, it seems to be safe. The damaged area is the handlebars by the steps that lead to the bridge.
As for the monument walls, our research of material and potential solutions is nearly complete. As a board, we will present this information to the neighborhood once this is complete.
If you ever have any questions or need clarification with any of these topics, please feel to text or call me at any time! I welcome feedback or if you see something that I’ve missed.
Jay
Architecture
By Steve Kipferl | Email
Hello Fox Point Neighbors! We have had a very successful summer of great home improvements so far. Thank you to those who have gone through the application process so far this year. All of the projects that have been applied for so far have all been approved or are in review! If you are considering a project, it’s a great idea to take a look at the Fox Point website Architecture Guidelines to see if your exterior project requires approval from the Fox Point HOA board. Also I encourage you to check with the Village of Barrington Development Services Department about permits and zoning ordinances. We really appreciate all the homeowners that have submitted architecture applications for board review and approval.
Additionally, this month the board has amended the Fox Point Good Neighbor Guidelines. A few highlighted additions can be seen below and the full list can be accessed HERE under the heading “Fox Point: A 50 Year Tradition of Good Neighbors”. The Fox Point Good Neighbor policy is simply a guideline of what is good, neighborly, conduct. They are not official bylaws for the neighborhood. However, some of the recommendations are Village of Barrington code. See below for examples. Barrington Village codes are NOT enforceable by the HOA. Violations should be reported to the Village directly. Items not covered by the Village code are reportable to the board, but please remember they are recommendations and not directly enforceable.
- RV parking is limited to one vehicle per home. RV parking must be on a paved surface. RV parking must not exceed 48 hours in any 10-day period – this is a Village of Barrington code
- Exterior home walls shall be free from holes, breaks, loose, or rotting materials, and maintained weatherproof and properly surface-coated where required to prevent deterioration. – this is a Village of Barrington code
- Cannabis use, smoking, and vaping in the Fox Point pool area and at social activities is strictly prohibited and we discourage use on common grounds as a Fox Point Good Neighbor policy and courtesy to your neighbors.
As a resource, you can always contact me via email to discuss your exterior project relative to our Fox Point Bylaws or contact the Village of Barrington, Development Services department at 847-304-3460 regarding Village questions.