Potomac Bay Estates

The NASA Wallops Island installation from which rockets are launched is due east from our neighborhood, across the Chesapeake Bay on the Virginia-Maryland-Delaware Eastern Shore.  When a rocket is launched from Wallops Island, the launch is clearly visible from our neighborhood — best viewing location is on the deck over the Potomac River in the picnic area.

Here is a tentative schedule of launches from Wallops Island.

Mission: RockOn! (RockOn! and RockSat-C student missions)
Vehicle:  Terrier Improved Orion sounding rocket
Date:  June 20, 2024
Time:  Morning, TBA
Location: Wallops Island, Virginia
Visitor Center Viewing Area: Open, time TBA
Livestream: Link to be provided

Mission:  RockSat-X
Vehicle:  Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocket
Date:  No earlier than August 13, 2024
Time:  TBA
Location: Wallops Island, Virginia
Visitor Center Viewing Area: Open, time TBA
Livestream: Link to be provided

Here is a link to the Wallops Island schedule website — notice that this site also lists launches NOT FROM WALLOPS ISLAND — be careful  — look at the LOCATION listed for each launch.  Also note that each launch is LIVESTREAMED — take a smartphone with you, connect to the Internet through cell service, and watch the livestream, which includes countdown, etc.

Here is a link to the video of a launch on January 24, 2023,  made by one of our neighbors.

 

APRIL 23 Board meeting minutes are now posted.

In early 2024, the PBE POA Covenants and Restrictions, and,  Bylaws were updated to ensure they conform with  the State of Virginia HOA/POA Statute, Code of Virginia 55.1-1800 ff.   The updated documents were approved by vote of the membership that was finalized on April 8, 2024, and are now posted on the website at this link.

Earlier this year your Board of Directors voted to retain legal counsel familiar with homeowner association law to advise us on the administration of association functions.  After consulting with three firms we retained the firm of Rees Broome P.C. — with over 40 years’ experience representing HOA/POAs.

One of the first things the law firm did was review the association governance documents – Covenants and Bylaws, as well as other documents – Rules and Responsibilities, Construction Guidelines, and Treasurer’s Procedures and Compliance.

You probably remember we completed a governance document review in 2021-22 and updated them to comply with the then-current statute, Code of Virginia 55.1-1800 which governs homeowners’/property owners’ associations.  Those revisions were approved at our June 2022 annual membership meeting.  However, our counsel has recommended a few more changes that should be made to better align our documentation with standards common to other HOA/POAs as well as aligning with amendments to the statute.

There are four areas in the Covenants and two in the Bylaws recommended for revision:

1. Covenants – Added to Part B Construction Guidelines section 6 – An item included in the Rules and Regulations document approved by the membership at the June 2023 annual meeting prohibiting parking on vacant lots without approval.
2. Covenants – Added to Part B Construction Guidelines a new section 8 – References the requirements for Setback, Frontage, Yards and Height of Buildings from the applicable Northumberland County Zoning Ordinance and PBEPOA’s more stringent requirement.
3. Covenants – Added to Part D Property Owners’ Association – Revisions to Section 1-3 – Clarifying the role of the Board of Directors in the administration of the Association and a statement reflecting the Association’s ability to levy fines as defined in the Code of Virginia Section 55.1-1800
4. Covenants & Bylaws – Added to Covenants Part D Property Owners’ Association Section 4 and changes to the Bylaws Sections 4 and 5 on the use of electronic means to conduct Association business. Also added were statements concerning the posting of Association documentation on the PBEPOA website and an hourly rate for the production of Association documentation requested in written form.
5. Bylaws:  Change to Section 5.03 to bring it into sync with Section 5.02.  Section 5.02 of the Bylaws establishes the number of Directors as five to nine.  Section 5.03 stated that two Directors will be elected each year with three elected every third year.  However, that formula does not accommodate more than seven Directors.  For this reason, Section 5.03 was changed to require a minimum of two Directors to be elected each year, thus allowing for as many to be elected as are needed to fill vacancies.

The updated Covenants and Bylaws with revisions highlighted are available for your review at the link provided at the bottom of this post.     Please note the documents to be reviewed are those that were updated in January 2024  and are NOT the 2021-22 updated documents now in effect and displayed on another section of the website.

Members of the Board of Directors will be at the Northumberland Public Library, 7204 Northumberland Hwy (Hwy 360), Heathsville, on Monday, March 11, 5:00 to 7:00 PM to meet with anyone interested in discussing the updated documents.

 Revisions to our Covenants and Bylaws require an affirmative vote by two-thirds of the property owners who are eligible to vote.  After the March 11 meeting, all property owners will receive an email containing instructions for online voting.  Property owners vote BY LOT – owners of one lot have one vote; two lots, two votes; etc.  Voting details will be provided later.

Direct any questions or comments to the POA email:  potomacbaypoa at hotmail.com

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

PBE POA Board of Directors

Covenants JANUARY 2024 with Draft Amendments (1)

ByLaws JANUARY 2024 with Draft Amendments (1)

 

The Chesapeake Bay Protection Act and supporting state legislation requires that those of us living in the Chesapeake Bay watershed who have traditional septic systems must pump out their septic systems every five years or when the property is sold.  Everyone in our neighborhood has a traditional septic system and is subject to this requirement.

When a septic system is pumped out, the contractor who does the pump-out notifies the Northumberland County government who records the date then, five years later, sends notices reminding residents that a pump-out is due.  At our annual meeting on June 3 one resident remarked that he thought he was due for a pump-out but had not received a notification from the County.

The Northumberland County Office of Building and Zoning was responsible for notifying residents when pump-out is due.  However, program administration has shifted to the Northumberland County Health Department, and they are just getting up to speed and are a bit late getting out notices to people who need to have their tanks pumped.  Many of our neighbors had their tanks pumped in 2017 and are due. However, when one of our neighbors asked the Health Department, he was advised to sit tight until the Health Department sends out notices.  Of course, if someone wants to pump their tank, go ahead and have it pumped after which the contractor will report to the Health Department, and the new pump-out date should be entered in their database.

We are saddened to report the passing of our friend and neighbor Richard Ross.  Richard told us earlier this year that he had been diagnosed with kidney cancer and was undergoing treatment. Richard died at his daughter’s home on April 18, 2023.  His obituary is at this link. 

After a career with Verizon, Richard formed a small business in addition to doing consulting work with communications companies.  He was an avid hunter, fisherman, and outdoorsman.

Martha passed away almost a year ago, June 18, 2022.    Martha was a lifelong educator and librarian with a deep love of books and reading, which she shared with others.

Richard and Martha’s weekend and vacation home was at 110 Presley Drive.

Richard has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the “Prevent Cancer Foundation” or “The Martha Scott Ross Literacy Fund” at www.cfrrr.org.

             

We have added a new tide chart to our site.

The new chart shows tides at  Sunnybank on the Little Wicomico River and several other local places as well as weather and fishing information.  Here is a link to the chart; we will put the link on our Weather & Tides page also.

From time to time rockets are launched from the NASA installation at Wallops Island.  Launches are clearly visible from our Potomac Bay waterfront.  To see a launch from Wallops Island:

1. Check the Wallops Island website for launch schedule.  (See notes below.)
2. A few minutes before launch time, go to our picnic area and go to the end of the deck that is over the Potomac.  Face East — as you face the Potomac, turn right — Wallops is on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay.  You cannot see the Eastern Shore but when the rocket lifts off you can’t miss it.

Here is a video made by one of our neighbors of the launch on January 24.

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And here is a still shot moments after lift-off.

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Notes on viewing launches from Wallops Island.

Most major launches from Wallops Flight Facility are streamed live on NASA TV at (https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv) .   Use your cell phone, or, if you have an iPad Air that connects to the local cell phone network, take it with you so you can watch and listen to the NASA live broadcast.  You will hear status updates; notices of delays; and the countdown.

Take your video camera and make a video of the launch.

Nighttime launches are spectacular — the whole Eastern sky lights up, you can hear the roar of the rocket engines, and follow the path of the rocket until it disappears from view, miles above the Earth.

From time to time a launch is scrubbed and rescheduled.  Don’t be disappointed if the launch is scrubbed — it will happen, watch the Wallops Island site for the new date and time.

NASA Wallops Island is not the only source of launch info.  Do an Internet search for “Wallops Island launches” where you will find other sites with launch info.

The Wallops Island installation is on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, near Chincoteague.  It’s a 4- to 5-hour drive from our neighborhood.  There are two routes:  (1) From our neighborhood, cross the Nice Bridge over the Potomac into Maryland; go to Annapolis; Hwy 50 onto the Eastern Shore; to Chincoteague; Wallops Island is before you get to Chincotgeague; or, (2) South to Newport News, pick up I-64 East to Hwy 13 North, across the Bay Bridge, continue on Hwy 13 to Wallops.

Thanks to our neighbor “Sandy” Rowe for this photo of the gorgeous sunset over Presley Creek on Jan 6, 2023.

From time to time folks in our neighborhood see dolphins in the Potomac River.  If you spend any time on your boat in the Bay or the River, you likely have encountered dolphins.

The Potomac-Chesapeake Dolphin Project is a regional organization of volunteers who monitor dolphins in the Potomac and the Bay, and who educate people about dolphins.  Visit their website  pcdolphinproject.org

If you are able to photograph dolphins, try to get a close-up shot of the dorsal fin — the Project uses the shape and markings of the dorsal fin to identify individual dolphins.  To date, they have identified around 1,000 individual dolphins.  Email photos and the location of the photo to them at pcdolphinproject@gmail.com.

Dolphins winter in the ocean and associated waters in and south of North Carolina.  In spring, summer, and early fall dolphins enter the Bay and the Potomac that are important breeding grounds for them.

Here are some safety guidelines for operating a boat around dolphins:

• Stay at least 50 yards away from dolphins.
• Don’t approach dolphins in a boat — propeller strikes can kill or injure dolphins.
• If you want to observe the dolphins, put your boat in neutral unless you need to move.
• Don’t chase or encircle dolphins.
• Reel in your fishing line when dolphins are nearby, or, move to another area.
• Do not feed the dolphins; don’t throw leftover food or bait into the water if dolphins are nearby.
• Dolphins like to “bowride” — that is, come alongside a boat and ride along in the bow wake.  If dolphins bowride your boat, either shift into neutral, or, maintain slow speed, straight ahead until they peel off.

2015 dolphin sightings.

2015 and 2016 dolphin sightings.

Also, if you photograph dolphins, email the photos with date and location to us at potomacbaypoa@hotmail.com — we will post your photos on this website.

Another organization — Chesapeake Dolphin Watch also collects data on dolphins in the Bay and tributary waters.  Their website requires visitors to establish an account (free).

Thank you for protecting our local wildlife!!