2011-2012 Membership Year Underway

City Council, KGCL, Meetings

Recent Activities

Much occurred over the summer of 2011. We held our first community yard sale. We participated in Clean the Bay Day by cleaning up in the King’s Grant Zone. We held one meeting of the General Membership in May and the Board of Directors met monthly.

A new Board of Officers and Directors was elected. Follow this link to the list of Officers and Directors: https://kgcl.org/board/

Updating and publishing the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws has been an ongoing activity. The Articles were established on September 28, 1962 and have remained unchanged (scans: page 1, page 2, page 3). The By-Laws were most recently ratified in 2002. A committee was established to update and publish the Articles of Incorporation and the By-Laws.

Next Meeting of General Members

The next meeting of General Members is on Thursday, October 20th at 7:30 PM. We are meeting in a new location. Our next meeting will take place at Little Neck Swim and Racquet Club. In response to feedback from Members the Board is working to improve the format of meetings. Our next meeting will include a neighbors’ meet and greet with light refreshments and the opportunity to speak with our City Councilman, Mr. Jim Wood. Come with your questions and input for Councilman Wood. This meeting will also be an opportunity for General Members to raise community priorities and issues with Board of Officers and Directors.

Our meeting schedule is located online at https://kgcl.org/meetings/. There you will also find a link to the KGCL calendar.

Membership Drive Contest

A new membership year began on 1 September. It is time to join or renew your membership to King’s Grant Community League. Again this year are having a membership drive with with prizes donated by local businesses. Prizes are awarded by random drawing of members who join on or before November 30, 2011. This year’s prizes are a King’s Grant Citgo VIP Card, a free wash and vacuum from King’s Grant Citgo, $10 gift certificate for Bravo’s Frozen Custard and a free pedicure from Lucky Nails Salon at King’s Grant Shopping Center. A membership form was included in the recently mailed newsletter. Printable membership forms are also available on our Web site: click here. In coming the coming year we will pursue a means for online registration. For questions or comments regarding membership, contact Membership Director, Ward Byington via email: join@kgcl.org.

The newsletter is now also available online at https://kgcl.org/newsletter/2011_10_Vol10_Iss1.pdf

What Was Up With All That Trash?!

Clean-up, Community, Events, KGCL
Results from Clean the Bay Day King's Grant 2011

Results from Clean the Bay Day King's Grant 2011

If you drove past The Triangle between the hours of 9AM and 12 PM on Saturday you probably saw the trash piling up. Perhaps you saw adults and kids walking around the neighborhood with big, orange trash bags in tow. That activity was part of Clean the Bay Day and those were volunteers from the King’s Grant Zone.

Rich Jarret Emptying Truck

Rich Jarret, General Manager of London Bridge Nursery, empties the first truck load

Clean the Bay Day is an annual event that dates back to 2008 in King’s Grant and 1988 in Virginia Beach. Clean the Bay Day occurs every first Saturday in June. The purpose of the event is to remove debris from the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed and to raise awareness about pollutants found in the water. Prior to its affiliation with Clean the Bay Day, The King’s Grant Zone was established as a King’s Grant community cleanup to remove debris from our storm water system and adjacent parts of the the Lynnhaven River. Volunteers come from throughout the community of King’s Grant. Many participants come from neighborhood and nearby schools; Kingston, Malibu, Kemp’s Landing, King’s Grant, Lynnhaven and First Colonial. Others come from neighborhood churches and businesses that operate in King’s Grant.

A lawnmower, gas cans and a car battery

A lawnmower, gas cans and a car battery were among the items found

In 2011, 45 King’s Grant Zone volunteers collected roughly 1,090 pounds of trash from approximately 3.5 miles of land. Forty-four bags were filled along with hundreds of pounds of bulk items. The most commonly found items were plastic drink bottles and aluminum cans. Other items included a lawnmower, a billboard, empty paint cans, lumber, PVC pipe, car tires and a car battery. One car battery, alone, contains 18  pounds of lead and 5 pounds of sulfuric acid.

If you would like more information about Clean the Bay Day in King’s Grant contact the Zone Captain, this writer, Kevin Curry: kmcurry@gmail.com

 

In Case You Missed the Meeting

City of Virginia Beach, KGCL, Meetings, Public Works

A meeting of the General Membership was held on Thursday, March 17th.  The theme of the meeting was “Going Green.”  Invited guest, Ms. Linda S. Minner, APR, presented the city’s recycling program.  Ms. Minner is Media and Communications Coordinator with City of Virginia Beach, Waste Management Division of the Public Works Department.  She was joined by Ms. Tanya Wilson, also with Waste Management Division. KGCL is interested in providing information about the community of King’s Grant and City of Virginia Beach for the benefit of residents.  If you have a suggestion for a future speaker or topic please contact the Board of Directors: pr@kgcl.org Also at the meeting, plans were announced for Clean the Bay Day, King’s Grant on Saturday, June 4th, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.  This is the fourth year the King’s Grant community has participated in Clean the Bay Day.  Last year was the biggest turn-out yet, with over 75 volunteers turning out.  Sign up is posted online. KGCL Treasurer, Lev Huntington presented signs that were made for advertising meetings and community events. The next meeting of General Members is Thursday, May 19th, 7:30 PM at King’s Grant Elementary school. Meetings minutes are posted online at the following address: https://kgcl.org/documents/General/?M=D/

News from the Board

Board, Community, Grounds & Maintenance, KGCL, Meetings, Membership

photo by Brij Singh

There are several items to report from the recent Board of Directors Meeting.  Starting
with this post we will strive to highlight items from the meeting minutes for the convenience of members and non-member residents.  All meeting minutes can be found on our “Meetings” page.

 

Thank You May Farm Garden Club

Do you recall the landscaping that was done last November on King’s Grant near the intersection with N. Lynnhaven Road?  Well thanks goes to the May Farm Garden Club of Virginia Beach for funding the effort.  Though The City of Virginia Beach performed the work, it was the May Farm GC that ponied up the money to get it done.  Thank you May Farm GC!

Little Neck Community Alliance Forming

On January 25th, KGCL Board members Joe Pilla, Sally Huntington, and Lev Huntington attended a meeting of the newly forming “Little Neck Community Alliance.” During the meeting the president of the Middle Plantation Civic League proposed the construction of a large sign reading “Little Neck Corridor”, to be placed on Little Neck Road.  The sign would advertise the communities in the corridor area.  More research on the project will be done.

Spring Planting

Grounds Director, Steve Stasulis reported that he planted 600 tulip bulbs and 1,000 crocuses at the Triangle. He also planted about 100 hyacinths around the sycamore trees.  Thank you, Steve, for taking such good care of our open spaces.

226 Members Strong

Membership Director, Ward Byington reported that KGCL currently has 226 members. That’s about 16% of all homes in King’s Grant.  Not a member?  Please join.

There’s a Time for Trash

City of Virginia Beach, Code Ordinance, Community, KGCL, PSA

photo by Amaury Henderick

Sometimes it’s a wonder we don’t forget to put out the trash more often than we do. And who hasn’t felt at the end of the work day like the last thing you want to do is haul the cans back from the curb.

But did you know there’s a specific time to put your trash out and pull the cans in? I didn’t.

It’s written in Section 31-28 (a) of the Code Ordinances of the City of Virginia Beach that your trash:

shall be placed on the curb line of a city right-of-way no earlier than 5:00 p.m. on the day before collection and by 7:00 a.m. on the day of collection. All receptacles must be removed out of view of the public after collection on the day of collection, except as otherwise designated by the city manager or his designee. Containers for recyclables provided to townhouses shall be removed out of view of the public after collection on the day of collection.

The code describes what is considered trash and goes on to state some potential actions the city can take for code violations.

It matters when we put our trash out because it involves the public right of way.  Each of us who drives, delivery and mail trucks drivers, bikers, and pedestrians all count on a clear public right away.  By sticking to the trash schedule we help maintain the right of way. Putting trash out a day early or pulling cans in a day late impedes the right of way.

Next time you put your trash out think about your neighbors and the people who work in your neighborhood who use the street in front of your house.  The simple act of minding the trash schedule can have a positive impact on where we live.

If you have comments or questions regarding Section 31-28 (a) please contact The Department of Housing & Neighborhood Preservation, Code Enforcement Division, Phone (757) 385-4421.  For information, visit their Web page.

2011 Membership Drive Winners

KGCL, Membership

Congratulations to the winners of the King’s Grant Community League 2010 Membership Drive drawing!  The first quarter (Sept.01-Nov.30) of our new membership year is now behind us and we thank our neighbors who mailed in their membership dues to date. We are still accepting membership dues and welcome all our neighbors to support our volunteer community league by becoming a member.  We need your support – Join today!!

1)  King’s Grant Citgo VIP Card –
Bob & Carol Parsons
2)  King’s Grant Citgo Auto Wash & Vacuum –
Robert J. Kennedy
3)  Lucky Nails King’s Grant Shopping Center – Manicure
John & Jean Dothard
*** New Membership Promotion – Free annual membership next year to any member who can submit five (5) new members this year.  (Dec. 01, 2010 – Aug. 31, 2011).


The King’s Grant Community League is a non-profit, volunteer organization of King’s Grant neighbors dedicated to improving and maintaining the welfare and safety of the King’s Grant Community.  Membership fees pay for beautification and restoration projects in common areas, social events, and a quarterly newsletter of informative articles about local government, law enforcement, and community events.

City Landscaping Underway on King’s Grant Road

City of Virginia Beach, Grounds & Maintenance, KGCL

landscaping in progress

City of Virginia Beach Landscape Management Division is installing beds and trees on King's Grant Road near N. Lynnhaven Road

If you are wondering what’s going on near the intersection of King’s Grant Road and N. Lynnhaven Road you’re not alone.

Several residents have stopped by to ask the work crew about what’s happening.

The City of Virginia Beach’s Landscape Management Division is installing flower beds and trees in this median.

Work began today to plant two flower and shrub beds, three non-fruit-producing berry trees, and one live oak.

KGCL President Joe Pilla spoke with the site crew in order to share this information with King’s Grant residents.  Mr. Pilla also expressed gratitude to the City for making improvements that will be enduring in our neighborhood for years to come.  Finally, he requested that if your friends and neighbors ask you about this work, please direct them to this post rather than to the laborers who are out there trying to get the job done.

Membership Drive Prize Drawing

KGCL, Membership

Join or renew your membership before November 30th to be eligible for a drawing.

All new and renewing members who submit their dues on orbefore 5:00 PM November 30, 2010 will be entered into a drawing for the possibility to win one of three prizes:

  1. King’s Grant Citgo – VIP Card Worth Over $500.00 In Savings,
  2. King’s Grant Citgo – Auto Wash & Vacuum Valued At $29.95
  3. Lucky Nails At King’s Grant Shopping Center – Manicure, Priceless For Anyone Who Wins!!

Simply submit your membership form posted in our October newsletter and $20.00 annual household dues, post dated on or before November 30, 2010. The membership form can also be found under the “Join” tab on this web site.

Thanks to you and the companies donating gifts to our volunteer community league.  We are working together in the interest and support of making our community a better place to live!

Ward Byington
Director, Membership