Hello, Team LMOA!

We hope you had a wonderful 4th of July! Thank you to everyone who made the Independence Day Celebrations of 2024 possible! Volunteers, LMOA Staff, and our Residents came together for a truly memorable holiday. Whether you helped organize an activity, participated in the fun, or cheered on your neighbors, everyone played a part in keeping this special tradition alive. This is Lake Monticello at its very best!

Please continue reading this announcement for official news and reminders from LMOA.

Algae at Tufton Pond: It is never safe to swim in Tufton Pond, not even for pets. Now it is especially unsafe as algae has been observed in the pond. We do not recommend fishing at Tufton Pond either until this has been resolved. Our lake health partner, SOLITUDE, will be working on a solution. We will keep you updated on the status of the algae.

Annual Meeting: Voting CLOSED on July 3 at 5 PM. Results will be announced at the Annual Meeting which is on July 10 at 7 PM at the Fairway Clubhouse. The meeting will be recorded and streamed live.

Boat Parade: The celebration continues this evening at 6 PM with a boat parade. All LMOA Members with motorized boats are invited to join. Meet at the Marina and follow the Volunteer Water Safety Team's boat. Spectators can gather on beaches 1 & 3 or on your waterfront property. Water guns are encouraged, but please do not use water balloons. Boaters who don’t want to get wet can wave a white flag. Please do not squirt them if they are waving a white flag. If a cove is crowded with swimmers, it may be skipped to maintain safety. We apologize if your cove gets skipped.

Heat: It’s going to be hot! Stay hydrated (with water!) and limit your exposure to the sun. Wear hats and sunblock and plan your day carefully while considering the extreme heat. We may limit the hours of the Beer Garden due to the high temperatures. This decision will be made if and when necessary.

Shade Tents on Main Beach: Please limit your shade tent size to 10 x 10 ft., and DO NOT set it up closer than 15 yards from the shoreline. Setting up close to the water’s edge blocks access to the water and the lifeguards’ view of swimmers. You will be asked to move your tent if you do not follow this guideline.
 
Delayed Trash: Trash and recycling services are delayed this week due to the holiday. Trash days will be Friday, July 5, and Saturday, July 6. If your normal day is Thursday, your holiday trash day will be Friday. If your normal day is Friday, your holiday trash day will be Saturday.

Food & Beverage: There will be lots of options to purchase food and drinks at the Ashlawn Clubhouse tomorrow. Some food stands accept cash and other cards or food tickets, so please bring both cards and cash. Bunker Bistro will be open until 3 PM with limited food service (snacks at the bar). The Shark Tank will be closed July 7.

EMTs: The Lake Monticello Rescue Squad will be set up in the cul-de-sac on Edgewater Drive and there will be lifeguards on the Main Beach on July 6, 2024.

Beach 3 CLOSED July 6: Fireworks will be set up on July 6 at Beach 3. For this reason, Beach 3 will be closed the entire day. Fireworks start after dark around 9:15 PM.

Firework Viewing: Watch the fireworks from the Ashlawn Clubhouse lawn, the Main Dam, the Main Beach, or on the water from a boat. Tickets for viewing from the Ashlawn Clubhouse Deck will be sold on the 6th at the Ticket Booth for $10. There are only 60 available, first come, first served. The Ticket Booth opens tomorrow at 11 AM on the Ashlawn Clubhouse Lawn. Viewing is not allowed from the Marina Point property (this is private property of the condo owners).

Boat Safety During Fireworks: 

1. 30 minutes before sunset, turn on your navigation lights. Navigation lights include your port side (red)  and starboard side (green) lights as well as your anchor/stern light (white). Do not use your docking lights (the bright lights that look like headlights). These are ONLY for docking your boat and adversely affect other boaters’ night vision when away from your dock. Do not have other lighting on your boat as it can obscure the important navigation lights.

2. After sunset, ALL boats operate at 'slow speed' which is 5 mph or less. 

3. Kayakers and other non-motorized boats: When out at night, you must also have a 360-degree white light on your boat so that other boaters can see you. A flashlight can be used, or a simple LED lantern. It is best to stay close to shore away from motorized boats. 

4. All boaters and passengers must have a life vest (PFD) on board. 

5. While watching the Fireworks from the water, please stay well away from the Fireworks Safety Zone (marked by a line of red buoys), as there still might be ash that may land on your boat (and may not be fun to clean up). The Fireworks Water Safety Zone goes into effect when the fireworks arrive around noon on July 6. The safety zone will be located at the mouth of Monroe Cove, with a 500 ft. radius from the middle of Beach 3. This almost closes off the passage in and out of Monroe Cove. VWST will be enforcing this safety zone.

Parking: Parking is limited! Please plan to park a few streets away from the clubhouse and walk in. Bring lots of water and a flashlight. It will be hot during the day and dark after the fireworks. The following plan ensures the safe passage of emergency vehicles.

1. There will be no parking allowed on Jefferson Drive. Residents may park in their yard provided the vehicle is totally off the roadway.

2. Parking will be restricted to one side of the street. There will be NO parking on the ODD sides of Stonewall Rd., Ashlawn Blvd., Edgewater Dr., and Lakeview Cir.

3. There will be NO parking on the EVEN side of Club Ln. Residents may park in their yard provided the vehicle is totally off the roadway.

4. Vehicles parked on Ashlawn Blvd. and Edgewater Dr. should be facing Jefferson Dr.

5. Vehicles parked on Stonewall Rd. and Club Ln. should be facing Edgewater Dr.

6. Handicap parking will be at the end of Ashlawn Blvd. 

Enjoy a safe celebration!
 
Tom Schauder
LMOA General Manager