Town Crier Articles
Posted on June 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Dick Durst, NTRA Board President
Categories:
General, NTRA Business
In several of our neighborhoods the Board of Directors approved the removal of street trees that were dying or dead as part of our ongoing effort to keep our community looking its best. Obviously, this is a two-step process: removing the trees/preparing the site for the new tree and then planting the replacement. Simple….well, maybe not.
The removal of the trees (13 of them) went pretty well. Then the challenges began…. We contracted with a local company, Colonial Colors, to plant the replacement trees. We knew that the county identifies the placement of trees on the approved plats, but they also indicate the type of tree (linden, oak, maple, etc.). If a tree dies, the county statues say you must replace those with the same species, since most of our streets have a consistent type of tree in order to maintain a cohesive “look” to the neighborhood. The county also requires that street trees be a minimum of 1.5 “calipers” (the diameter of a tree, measured at breast height: 4.5 feet above the soil). This is to better ensure that the tree will survive, since they are a bit more mature than the typical tree you might buy at your local big box store.
We did not have the original plats, so we worked with JCC to find the original plats, then identify the types of trees, since we began this project in the winter after the trees had lost their leaves. It took the county several weeks to locate the plats, then identify the trees. We petitioned the county to reconsider the original linden trees on Town Creek Drive, since the original trees did not do well (we have six to replace, plus two more that will probably not survive this year). The soil on that street is not just heavy clay, like so much of New Town, but very moist and the lindens do not tolerate that much moisture. JCC relented and allowed us to plant red maples, which will complement the remaining lindens.
By the time we got the information and negotiated with JCC, it was near the ideal time to plant trees to enable them to begin to put down roots before the hot season begins in Williamsburg. We gave the green light to Colonial Colors to purchase the replacement trees. Finally, after four months of planning, we were on the way!
But wait—Colonial Colors checked with their regional suppliers, then expanded the search -- they have been unable to find ANY trees available anywhere in Virginia, of the type and size we need. It appears that the COVID pandemic has affected yet another aspect of our society – people stuck at home began to do lots more landscaping and one supplier told us “we have sold three years’ worth of trees in the past nine months.” So, we’ll just wait for trees to grow and mature a bit to reach the 1.5 caliper size…except trees are at a premium and suppliers aren’t willing to leave their stock just sit in their nurseries patiently growing, when other people, not subject to the JCC rules, are willing to buy them NOW.
The Board doesn’t really have a solution for this, yet. We are hopeful that this run on trees will subside as the pandemic gets somewhat more under control and people resume some sense of normalcy in their lives. In the meantime, we have two “holes” waiting for oak trees on Rollison, two for maples on Center, two sycamores on Discovery Park Blvd, and seven red maples on Town Creek Drive. We are concerned about several more trees on Rollison and are waiting a bit to see if they are just late in leafing out.
So, be patient with us and thanks for your concerns.
Posted on June 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Jim Ducibella
Categories:
General
The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond covers more than 50 acres of flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, with a conservatory that is the only one of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic and a host of programs that make this place far more than a walk through an oasis.
Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours for special events, June’s calendar seems especially full and enticing. Through August 25, the Ginter is offering what it calls “Alfresco.” It is designed to be a relaxing evening for couples or friends to spend time together while socially distanced from others in Ginter’s magnificent Garden. Food and drink are available for purchase online or in person, though reservations are required.
The Ginter’s “Flowers After Five” programs feature food, music for background strolls and dining – and several special occasions. The second and fourth Thursday of the month are also “Fidos After 5 Nights,” when the Garden partners with the Richmond SPCA and leashed dogs are allowed onto the grounds.
There’s a Juneteenth celebration that is in partnership with Project Yoga Richmond from 9-11 a.m. on the Garden’s terraced lawn.
All areas of the children’s garden are open, except for Water Play. https://www.lewisginter.org/visit/kids-learning/.
For those not familiar with Lewis Ginter, he was a prominent businessman, financier, military officer, real estate developer and philanthropist and fierce supporter of Virginia’s capital city. The city’s world-famous Jefferson Hotel was a project of his. Ginter hired renown architects to design the structure, investing between $5 and $10 million.
He also commissioned Edward V. Valentine – Richmond’s Valentine Museum is named for him and his brother, Mann S. Valentine – to create the life-size statue of Thomas Jefferson that is the centerpiece of the hotel’s upper lobby.
At the time of his death in 1897, Ginter had amassed a vast fortune, some of which went to his niece, Grace Arents. It was Arents who turned Ginter’s Lakeside Wheel Club into, first, a progressive farm known as Bloemendaal, then the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
Because of ongoing Covid-19 precautions, and Garden management’s desire to adhere to Virginia standards, admission and all events require advance purchase online, with customers choosing their arrival time.
The Garden is located at 1800 Lakeside Avenue in Richmond. The phone number is 804-262-9887. For a complete listing of requirements and events, visit this website https://www.lewisginter.org/.
Photo by Tom Hennessy
Posted on June 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Patti Vaticano
Categories:
General, Life in New Town
New Town has its share of innovative floor plans on 2, 3, and even 4 story levels. Style and grace have been our community’s hallmark, but multilevel living presents unique challenges for homeowners. For the elder New Town resident, stairs are an obstacle to easy living but trading off the energy and convenience of “life in town,” for a ranch or carriage home further out in the county may not be a viable option. For residents with personal elevators in their homes, a complex interior conveyor, while novel, presents a considerable undertaking in time and money to maintain.
Installation of a stair lift—or two—is the chief way for residents to age in place and a great alternative to moving to a more manageable, albeit, less centrally located home. Of course, the first question is cost. Stair lifts can be costly, but when compared to the cost of a house move or a senior care transition, it’s a downright bargain. Though not a hard-and-fast rule, some Medicare supplements will pay for a stairlift, in whole or in part, if the need for one is a medical issue and sanctioned by a physician. The homeowner may be able to take advantage of state grants to fund their lifts, as well, or tap into state assistive technology projects that are in place to help the disabled. In general, however, a lift will be an out-of-pocket expense for the homeowner.
If your home has a straight staircase with about 12-14 steps, you should budget anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 to purchase a new stair lift. The average cost usually ends up in the middle of this range, between about $3,000 and $4,000. Outdoor steps are more expensive, ranging from $5,000 to $7,000, with outdoor curved lifts reaching as high as $12,000, depending upon the company contracted, of course. These prices generally include installation as well as a one-year service warranty. It is possible to rent a stairlift if the need of the homeowner is temporary, for a convalescent period or when a short-term visit of a disabled friend or family member is anticipated. Rentals are not always cost-effective, however, as they can range from as little as $50 to as much as $250 to $500 a month. In a rental scenario, as well, repair costs thereafter may be necessary to bring your home back to its pre-lift appearance. Not surprisingly, the higher-end lifts offer a number of design options for the homeowner, from slim-line and/or collapsible designs and curved or customed tracks to color-coordinated fabrics for your home interior. A standard lift, however, will meet the needs necessary to tackle the dilemma of an aging household in a multi-level home.
Lifts are most often powered by a rechargeable battery which offers unbroken service if a home’s power is ever interrupted. However, some companies advise that you turn the lift off during an outage to preserve it from sustaining a possible power surge when the power comes back on. It is recommended, to reach maximum battery performance, to use your lift chair regularly, keep it plugged in to its wall outlet, at all times, and park your lift in the down level or up level space, never mid-track. When out of town, turn off the lift entirely by its power button. The track should be dusted and the seat and back portion sanitized, regularly; and a maintenance check by the professional installer, once a year, is highly advisable.
New Town residents with personal elevators have a lengthier maintenance checklist to address. To ensure a fully functional home elevator, there are specific rules the homeowner needs to follow for both safety and damage-control issues:
- Pay attention to the elevator’s weight limit — don’t overload it;
- Keep all contents at least 2 inches away from the cab gate and cab wall;.
- Always keep the landing doors closed unless you’re getting in or out of your elevator;
- Don’t operate your elevator if the car gate or landing door locking system seems to be malfunctioning;
- Never tamper, bypass, disable or remove door locks or any other safety features;
- Don’t operate your elevator if you hear strange sounds or if the ride seems unusual;
- Make sure the elevator completely stops before you get out or in and be sure to watch your step;
- Don’t open the car gate while the elevator is moving or put your hands or feet through the openings in a scissor-style gate; and
- Schedule regular maintenance checks with the elevator’s professional installer as well as perform self-checks between your services dates. By way of example, when you step into the elevator, make note of the following:
- Are all of the buttons working as they should be?
- Does the door open and close properly?
- Do you notice any interior damage at a glance?
Stair lifts and personal elevators. Not inexpensive or maintenance-free, but the best options for New Town residents who love their home and community and choose to age in place.
Posted on June 1, 2021 6:59 AM by Town Crier Staff
BOARD BUZZ June 2021
Angela Lesnett, Vice President
Dear Neighbors - it’s finally summer, but before we all head to the beach let me recap actions the Board has taken on the important matter that has occupied most of our time and that will require your attention in the coming months: revision of NTRA’s Governing Documents.
Earlier this year the Board decided that it is necessary to revise and update the Association’s Governing Documents. At its March meeting, the Board emphasized its goals: understandable documents that provide a transparent assessment methodology and reflect New Town as a community with common areas and amenities shared by all homeowners. Those goals were highlighted in NTRA President Dick Durst’s April 1 “Board Buzz” article. Finally, on May 17 all NTRA owners received a letter from the Board explaining the background of this matter as well as some future actions. (That letter can be viewed on the NTRA website).
We are seeking equitable treatment of owners in our revised documents. We must strive for fairness in assessments, while recognizing that our New Town homes are not cookie-cutter units in a high-rise condo. One of several issues that must be resolved is the provision of landscape services in fenced yards. For more information, see the article in the May Town Crier (https://www.ntrawilliamsburg.org/news-articles-1/?view=blog&id=214)
Your part in this process will come this Fall. As you know, Member approval is necessary in order to change the Governing Documents. The Board will hold a town hall meeting at which you can ask questions about the revised documents and, later, vote on them. In the meantime, educate yourselves by reading eblasts, Town Crier articles, and website notices to stay informed about the issues. For example, we are already updating the FAQ page on the website
with answers to your questions.
On a different topic, I’d like to remind owners of an existing covenant that is sometimes overlooked - - the requirement to obtain approval from the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) before commencing a project that alters the exterior appearance of your property.
Before starting construction or installation of a patio, deck, fence, generator, or other structure, and before starting any alteration of the exterior (including changing a paint color) of any dwelling, the owner must submit an application to NTRA’s ARC and secure approval. The application form is available on the website. Other improvements that require ARC approval include awnings, changes to exterior lighting, storm doors, window boxes that are to be attached to the house or garage, large yard ornaments, play equipment, satellite dishes, and solar panels. See the ARC Procedural Guidelines for more information. Failure to submit an application and obtain approval before altering property is an NTRA violation and may result in a penalty. https://www.ntrawilliamsburg.org/editor_upload/File/Policies%20%26%20Guidelines/4.0%20Architectural%20Review%20-%20Changes%20to%20Property/Architectural%20Review_Guidelines%20%282018%20rev%29.pdf
Finally, the Activities Committee is planning several fun and family-friendly events this summer. An ice-cream social will be held in mid-June and a pool party will be scheduled for July. Also, the next New Town Talk (on Zoom) is scheduled for June 12. The title is “Williamsburg Regional Library – We’re Not Just Books” and the speaker will discuss the library’s digital collections that can be accessed with a library card. Watch for more details on each of these events on eblasts, and Town Crier and Facebook notices. The events will be posted on NTRA’s website calendar.
Membership in the NTRA carries with it both obligations, and benefits. Obligations include knowing and following the rules. Benefits include enjoyment of the Association’s amenities, such as social activities, our beautiful walking trails and, of course, the pool. I hope to see you out and about this summer!
Supplemental Swampland
Stuart Dopp
Perhaps you have dragged out the big notebook (or e-document) to study the original Master Declaration governing New Town. Kudos for due diligence! Now, it is time to tackle the swampy morass of the Supplemental Declarations. These are the documents that dictate services, easements, and some aspects of assessment protocols for the individual neighborhoods that constitute New Town. You will find a mess of contradictions and omissions in these Supplementals.
Each Supplemental identifies common areas within the neighborhood. Rightly, we should share in the cost for the upkeep of these spaces, as common areas and their beauty are shared by all residents.
Basic services for New Town lots are enumerated in Article IV, Section I of each Supplemental, including grass maintenance, trimming of trees and shrubs, sidewalk and streetlight repairs. Individual neighborhoods’ property assessments are supposed to stem from the services provided to the residences in that neighborhood. Let’s take Charlotte Park as an example of the swampy suction. Sixty-eight lots (covered by four Supplementals) do not have any services enumerated; twenty have basic services listed but have added responsibility for the maintenance of non-VDOT streets. Roper Park homes have a mishmash of basic services but varying requirements for maintaining easements, wetlands buffers, and non-VDOT streets. Village Walk adds a different dimension, as their assessments include exterior maintenance of housing.
Equally confusing are easements for Neighborhoods. Easement policies for utilities, NTRA-owned pedestrian ways, and drainage are found in Section VIII of the Master, but there is no consistency in what is covered by Neighborhood Supplementals. Abbey Commons and Chelsea Green, for instance, have no mention of utility and pedestrian easements —- only drainage. Some neighborhoods have roadways that are maintained by the Association rather than VDOT, and thus should require easements.
These discrepancies need to be addressed, of course. You recently received an e-blast letter from the NTRA Board concerning the need for revisions to all our governing documents, so you know that they are working diligently, with legal guidance, to rectify the issues. There is a process to make this work transparent; you will receive updates and opportunities to comment. What is most important is this fact: you must be part of the vote to adopt the finished product (probably late in 2021). Two-thirds of owners must approve. Lacking that, we will be drowning in a quicksand of illogical policies written almost twenty years ago under a different set of circumstances. That could also place us in murky legal waters. Stay tuned……
Hurricane Season Starts Today!
Emergency Preparedness Committee
The 2021 Atlantic Ocean hurricane season is projected to be another above average period. As NOAA’s Acting Administrator recently said, “… it only takes one storm to devastate a community.” Have you considered what you would pack if you need to evacuate your home? How organized are you to protect critical documents from damage? Do you have a “go” bag ready for a quick departure?
There are several new resources on the NTRA website to help you to prepare for such a family emergency. Look at the “Resources and Kits” information on the website - Emergency Preparedness Committee guidelines:
Make a plan to keep your family together and safe. Are you ready?
New Book Club Forming
Ginny Fisher
With our community growing, we thought we might benefit by starting another book club. The idea would be to meet from September through June. Also, because some may occasionally be out of town, we’d choose books at the beginning of the year so everyone could plan when they’ll be able to attend and what books they’ll read.
By discussing and planning books upfront, we hope to get a nice mix of high-quality books. We can then mix up autobiographies, fiction/ non fiction and maybe some “ice cream and lollipops” lighter books too.
To start off the year here are a few we’ve chosen: Heartland, Sarah Smarsh (memoir), Three Ordinary Girls by Tom Brady (non-fiction), The Second Mountain by David Brooks (philosophy), Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah (autobiography). Please bring along your book suggestions so we can discuss them at our first gathering in September.
So, if you’re interested in joining us, please contact Ginny Fisher, ginnyfisher258@gmail.com. Blanche Scharf and I look forward to hearing from you. Please let us know by August 1.
Transitioning Ownership of New Town’s Neighborhoods
Jim Carey
Ever wonder how James City County and the New Town Residential Association (NTRA) make sure the streets, alleys, open spaces, and other improvements are constructed properly? Well, here’s a brief summary.
First the county must provide its approval that requirements have been met. Since New Town’s development has evolved over 20 years, each section is reviewed as the work is completed. The townhomes and about half the single-family homes in Charlotte Park, and homes in Chelsea Green, Savannah Square and Abby Commons have final approvals.
Charlotte Park (Section 10), Roper Park townhomes and Village Walk are or will be in the county acceptance/final approval process and the ownership transferred to the NTRA in the next year or so.
The county acceptance process kicks off when all the homes are completed and ready for occupancy or occupied. At that time the developer’s engineer prepares and submits to the county as-built plans detailing how all the improvements, alleys, parks, walkways, stormwater systems etc. were constructed. The county staff compares these plans and on-site conditions to the plans which the county originally approved. Often the county requires the developer to take remedial actions if the as built plans and/or field conditions do not comply with the original plans and county construction standards. When the county gives final approval, it will release financial guarantees that the developer posted to guarantee its obligation to complete the area in compliance with county requirements.
The transition of ownership typically follows the county acceptance process. At this time the developer works with the NTRA to transfer ownership of the alleys, walkways, parks, stormwater systems etc. to the NTRA. (Homeowner associations often retain professional assistance in conducting a due diligence review.) Currently the developers are pursuing county acceptance for the remaining area of Charlotte Park and Village Walk. Atlantic Homes, the developer, has not yet initiated any county review for Roper Park.
James City County conducted its field review of Charlotte Park last August. The county subsequently issued a number of letters detailing deficiencies for corrective actions. The developer is still working to correct these items. So if you’ve seen plantings and curb/alley work around Christine Court, this is part of Atlantic Homes’s commitment to fix deficiencies. Once the necessary changes are submitted to the county, we will have a professional engineering firm participate in the final inspection on our behalf.
According to David Carter of Village Walk, James City County inspectors and NTRA representatives have similarly met and identified a variety of issues that Eagle of Virginia, LLC is required to address in Village Walk before the transfer of assets can be completed. Some of these punch list items as well as planned amenities like benches and additional landscaping have already been addressed or are scheduled for completion shortly.
Town Talks - Williamsburg Region Library Digital Services - June 12 @ 10am (via ZOOM)
Ellen Weidman, Activities Committee
From ebooks, downloadable music, genealogy, and health research to direct assistance from librarians, you can find what you need through Williamsburg Regional Library’s (WRL) digital collections and services. We will discuss the variety of resources that can be accessed with your library card 24/7 from the WRL website, www.wrl.org. Whether you use a desktop computer, a laptop, or a mobile device there is something for you at WRL.
Where Are Our Trees?
Dick Durst, NTRA Board President
In several of our neighborhoods the Board of Directors approved the removal of street trees that were dying or dead as part of our ongoing effort to keep our community looking its best. Obviously, this is a two-step process: removing the trees/preparing the site for the new tree and then planting the replacement. Simple….well, maybe not.
The removal of the trees (13 of them) went pretty well. Then the challenges began…. We contracted with a local company, Colonial Colors, to plant the replacement trees. We knew that the county identifies the placement of trees on the approved plats, but they also indicate the type of tree (linden, oak, maple, etc.). If a tree dies, the county statues say you must replace those with the same species, since most of our streets have a consistent type of tree in order to maintain a cohesive “look” to the neighborhood. The county also requires that street trees be a minimum of 1.5 “calipers” (the diameter of a tree, measured at breast height: 4.5 feet above the soil). This is to better ensure that the tree will survive, since they are a bit more mature than the typical tree you might buy at your local big box store.
We did not have the original plats, so we worked with JCC to find the original plats, then identify the types of trees, since we began this project in the winter after the trees had lost their leaves. It took the county several weeks to locate the plats, then identify the trees. We petitioned the county to reconsider the original linden trees on Town Creek Drive, since the original trees did not do well (we have six to replace, plus two more that will probably not survive this year). The soil on that street is not just heavy clay, like so much of New Town, but very moist and the lindens do not tolerate that much moisture. JCC relented and allowed us to plant red maples, which will complement the remaining lindens.
By the time we got the information and negotiated with JCC, it was near the ideal time to plant trees to enable them to begin to put down roots before the hot season begins in Williamsburg. We gave the green light to Colonial Colors to purchase the replacement trees. Finally, after four months of planning, we were on the way!
But wait—Colonial Colors checked with their regional suppliers, then expanded the search -- they have been unable to find ANY trees available anywhere in Virginia, of the type and size we need. It appears that the COVID pandemic has affected yet another aspect of our society – people stuck at home began to do lots more landscaping and one supplier told us “we have sold three years’ worth of trees in the past nine months.” So, we’ll just wait for trees to grow and mature a bit to reach the 1.5 caliper size…except trees are at a premium and suppliers aren’t willing to leave their stock just sit in their nurseries patiently growing, when other people, not subject to the JCC rules, are willing to buy them NOW.
The Board doesn’t really have a solution for this, yet. We are hopeful that this run on trees will subside as the pandemic gets somewhat more under control and people resume some sense of normalcy in their lives. In the meantime, we have two “holes” waiting for oak trees on Rollison, two for maples on Center, two sycamores on Discovery Park Blvd, and seven red maples on Town Creek Drive. We are concerned about several more trees on Rollison and are waiting a bit to see if they are just late in leafing out.
So, be patient with us and thanks for your concerns.
Farmers Market Brings Fresh & Local Produce to New Town
Sarah Carey
Have you visited New Town’s Farmers Market? Hopefully, but just in case you haven’t, here are the hours of operation and how the market came to New Town.
Also known as Christopher’s Produce Market, it was previously located on Richmond Road by IHOP.
Christopher Starbuck was and still is providing fresh produce to local restaurants, including Paul’s, here in New Town. George Tsipas, the owner of Paul’s, approached Christopher and asked if he would be interested in setting up a produce stand on New Town Avenue between the restaurant and Iron Bound Gym. Scott Grafton of Iron Bound Gym supported the idea and so it all began! Christopher’s Produce Market is also listed in the Iron Bound Gym newsletter and on Facebook under Williamsburg Eat Local.
Hours of operation currently are 10-4 Monday-Friday, 9-5 Saturday. Closed Sunday. The second week of June hours will be extended to 5 pm during the week when Christopher’s son finishes school. There will also be more local produce available. So walk over to New Town Avenue and support local vendors!
Quick Getaways -- Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Richmond
Jim Ducibella
The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden in Richmond covers more than 50 acres of flowers, plants, trees, shrubs, with a conservatory that is the only one of its kind in the Mid-Atlantic and a host of programs that make this place far more than a walk through an oasis.
Open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours for special events, June’s calendar seems especially full and enticing. Through August 25, the Ginter is offering what it calls “Alfresco.” It is designed to be a relaxing evening for couples or friends to spend time together while socially distanced from others in Ginter’s magnificent Garden. Food and drink are available for purchase online or in person, though reservations are required.
The Ginter’s “Flowers After Five” programs feature food, music for background strolls and dining – and several special occasions. The second and fourth Thursday of the month are also “Fidos After 5 Nights,” when the Garden partners with the Richmond SPCA and leashed dogs are allowed onto the grounds.
There’s a Juneteenth celebration that is in partnership with Project Yoga Richmond from 9-11 a.m. on the Garden’s terraced lawn.
All areas of the children’s garden are open, except for Water Play. https://www.lewisginter.org/visit/kids-learning/.
For those not familiar with Lewis Ginter, he was a prominent businessman, financier, military officer, real estate developer and philanthropist and fierce supporter of Virginia’s capital city. The city’s world-famous Jefferson Hotel was a project of his. Ginter hired renown architects to design the structure, investing between $5 and $10 million.
He also commissioned Edward V. Valentine – Richmond’s Valentine Museum is named for him and his brother, Mann S. Valentine – to create the life-size statue of Thomas Jefferson that is the centerpiece of the hotel’s upper lobby.
At the time of his death in 1897, Ginter had amassed a vast fortune, some of which went to his niece, Grace Arents. It was Arents who turned Ginter’s Lakeside Wheel Club into, first, a progressive farm known as Bloemendaal, then the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden.
Because of ongoing Covid-19 precautions, and Garden management’s desire to adhere to Virginia standards, admission and all events require advance purchase online, with customers choosing their arrival time.
The Garden is located at 1800 Lakeside Avenue in Richmond. The phone number is 804-262-9887. For a complete listing of requirements and events, visit this website https://www.lewisginter.org/.
Home Maintenance Series: Stair Lifts & Personal Elevators
Patti Vaticano
New Town has its share of innovative floor plans on 2, 3, and even 4 story levels. Style and grace have been our community’s hallmark, but multilevel living presents unique challenges for homeowners. For the elder New Town resident, stairs are an obstacle to easy living but trading off the energy and convenience of “life in town,” for a ranch or carriage home further out in the county may not be a viable option. For residents with personal elevators in their homes, a complex interior conveyor, while novel, presents a considerable undertaking in time and money to maintain.
Installation of a stair lift—or two—is the chief way for residents to age in place and a great alternative to moving to a more manageable, albeit, less centrally located home. Of course, the first question is cost. Stair lifts can be costly, but when compared to the cost of a house move or a senior care transition, it’s a downright bargain. Though not a hard-and-fast rule, some Medicare supplements will pay for a stair lift, in whole or in part, if the need for one is a medical issue and sanctioned by a physician. The homeowner may be able to take advantage of state grants to fund their lifts, as well, or tap into state assistive technology projects that are in place to help the disabled. In general, however, a lift will be an out-of-pocket expense for the homeowner.
If your home has a straight staircase with about 12-14 steps, you should budget anywhere from $2,000 to $5,000 to purchase a new stair lift. The average cost usually ends up in the middle of this range, between about $3,000 and $4,000. Outdoor steps are more expensive, ranging from $5,000 to $7,000, with outdoor curved lifts reaching as high as $12,000, depending upon the company contracted, of course. These prices generally include installation as well as a one-year service warranty. It is possible to rent a stairlift if the need of the homeowner is temporary, for a convalescent period or when a short-term visit of a disabled friend or family member is anticipated. Rentals are not always cost-effective, however, as they can range from as little as $50 to as much as $250 to $500 a month. In a rental scenario, as well, repair costs thereafter may be necessary to bring your home back to its pre-lift appearance. Not surprisingly, the higher-end lifts offer a number of design options for the homeowner, from slim-line and/or collapsible designs and curved or customed tracks to color-coordinated fabrics for your home interior. A standard lift, however, will meet the needs necessary to tackle the dilemma of an aging household in a multi-level home.
Lifts are most often powered by a rechargeable battery which offers unbroken service if a home’s power is ever interrupted. However, some companies advise that you turn the lift off during an outage to preserve it from sustaining a possible power surge when the power comes back on. It is recommended, to reach maximum battery performance, to use your lift chair regularly, keep it plugged in to its wall outlet, at all times, and park your lift in the down level or up level space, never mid-track. When out of town, turn off the lift entirely by its power button. The track should be dusted and the seat and back portion sanitized, regularly; and a maintenance check by the professional installer, once a year, is highly advisable.
New Town residents with personal elevators have a lengthier maintenance checklist to address. To ensure a fully functional home elevator, there are specific rules the homeowner needs to follow for both safety and damage-control issues:
- Pay attention to the elevator’s weight limit — don’t overload it;
- Keep all contents at least 2 inches away from the cab gate and cab wall;.
- Always keep the landing doors closed unless you’re getting in or out of your elevator;
- Don’t operate your elevator if the car gate or landing door locking system seems to be malfunctioning;
- Never tamper, bypass, disable or remove door locks or any other safety features;
- Don’t operate your elevator if you hear strange sounds or if the ride seems unusual;
- Make sure the elevator completely stops before you get out or in and be sure to watch your step;
- Don’t open the car gate while the elevator is moving or put your hands or feet through the openings in a scissor-style gate; and
- Schedule regular maintenance checks with the elevator’s professional installer as well as perform self-checks between your services dates. By way of example, when you step into the elevator, make note of the following:
- Are all of the buttons working as they should be?
- Does the door open and close properly?
- Do you notice any interior damage at a glance?
Stair lifts and personal elevators. Not inexpensive or maintenance-free, but the best options for New Town residents who love their home and community and choose to age in place.
Posted on May 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Town Crier Staff
Categories:
General, Life in New Town
It was great to get submissions from our local entrepreneurs! Please keep them coming as we will extend our spotlight into New Town's home-based businesses to our June issue CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS
Little Foxes - Gina Marquis
My husband and I recently moved to New Town this year and love it so far! Along with us, we’ve also brought my home-based yarn dyeing business: The Little Foxes. ️
I am originally from NJ, but met my husband in college - he grew up in Williamsburg and his family still lives here as well. We’ve lived in northern NJ/ NYC for the past 5 years and recently bought our first home in New Town! I have been dyeing and selling yarn for almost 3 years now, along with designing knit and crochet patterns, sewing project bags, and recently started creating related accessories with resin!
Sweet Ellie Photography & Wagging Tails - Nicole Moyer & Michelle Daikos
These two businesses are collaborating as two women-owned small businesses to offer a fun package for a walk/groom/photos. I am a pet photographer (new to the area) and have purchased a townhouse in Pogonia Towns (can't wait for it to be done)! Michelle is a homeowner already living in New Town.
Triangle Skateboard Alliance 510(c)(3) - Max Pfannebecker
Triangle Skateboard Alliance (TSA) is a New Town based 501(c)(3) created with the mission to build and improve skate parks in and around Virginia's Historic Triangle and create a culture of service in the skateboarding community. The group is currently building a new skate park in Middlesex County slated to open this June and is working with James City County on a future expansion of the skate park located on Longhill Road at the JCC Rec Center.
Additionally, TSA is hosting their first youth skate camp at James City County Rec Park this June 21-15 - signup link HERE
The Bright Solutions - Sarah Bright Yaneza
Sarah Bright operates a consulting firm that provides accounting and financial management support to not for profit organizations. I started this business in the DC area in 2008 and carried it to Williamsburg when we moved here in 2018.
Becky's Basket Shop - Rebecca Butler
Becky’s Baskets Shop is my new ETSY business, started during the pandemic. Before Covid, I had been selling my handmade pine needle baskets at street fairs and teaching classes at the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center. All of this came to a halt when the pandemic hit, so I had to reinvent my business for the online world. Based on my experience teaching classes, I developed kits for those who wanted to learn pine needle coiling. I opened a small shop on ETSY in June 2020 and started selling the kits as well as some of my own completed baskets. Eventually I added prepared pine needles and exotic wood basket centers for those who wanted to move beyond kits and design their own baskets. I was surprised by the popularity of my little shop and now think of it as a major part of my home-based business. I am looking forward to participating in craft fairs again this spring and summer.
3- Day Bike About, LLC - Deana Sun
My home-based business is 3 Day Bike About, LLC. My business partner, Cynthia Bashton, and I organize small, 3 day bicycle tours in small towns in Virginia to support a local charity and the local economy. The events are limited to 400 participants and take place over a 3 day weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday). Cynthia lives in Richmond so we do a lot of planning remotely.
This year’s tour will be here in Williamsburg on June 18-20 at Chickahominy Riverfront Park. On Friday, the riders will take the Virginia Capital towards Richmond. On Saturday they will take the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry to Chippokes Plantation State Park and ride in Surry. On Sunday the routes visit various parks in the area, such as Freedom Park, York River State Park and Waller Mill Park. We offer both short and long routes in order to accommodate all cyclists.
10% of all registrations and 50% of all sponsorship money will be donated to The Arc of Greater Williamsburg this year.
Posted on May 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Jim Ducibella
Categories:
General, Life in New Town
If you are a golfer – or maybe just someone with an interest in sports history – the Golf Museum at James River Country Club has just what you’re looking for.
Among hundreds of other artifacts detailing the game’s earliest days are a Simon Cossar putter from 1790, the world’s oldest identifiable club.
One of the oldest golf balls? It’s there behind glass. So is a long-nosed putter made by Old Tom Morris, the putter used by Horace Rawlins to win the first U.S. Open in 1895, and the clubs and bag used by Harry Vardon when he won our Open five years later.
The best part: it costs nothing – repeat, nothing -- to see them.
How did this Museum come to be in Newport News, hardly a golf mecca?
Around 1930, philanthropist Archer M. Huntington, then principal owner of Newport News Shipyard, worked with Homer L. Ferguson to build the city’s Mariners Museum. At the same time. Huntington offered to build a country club for some local businessmen.
They declined.
Undaunted, Huntington then offered to build a Museum at the club. Once approved, Huntington dispatched an employee of Scottish descent back to his home country, tasking him to return with as many items as he could purchase. At that time, people didn’t collect golf artifacts, so Huntington’s man brought back a treasure chest that the Museum added to when items fit its mission to display items from about 1860 to the early 1930s.
The Museum owns the “brassie” (2-wood) used by the legendary Bobby Jones to win golf’s Grand Slam. It also has in its possession the oldest book referencing golf, a 1556 volume of Scottish laws called The Black Arts. That’s one of more than 1,000 volumes in the collection.
While spacious, the room housing the Museum is intimate enough that it is a popular venue for wedding receptions, meetings and other events. That being said, it is imperative that visitors call first to ascertain that the museum is not in use. The phone number is (757) 595-3327 (clubhouse).
The Museum is located at 1500 Country Club Road in Newport News, not far from Christopher Newport University. For more information on the Golf Museum and James River Country Club, visit this website https://www.jamesrivercountryclub.com/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=320702&ssid=213212&vnf=1.
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Photo courtesy of the Golf Museum at James River Country Club.
Posted on May 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Mary Cheston
Categories:
General, NTRA Business
Submitted by Mary Cheston, Board of Directors and David Carter, Chair, Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC)
The Rules – Mary Cheston
Did you know that under our governing documents no routine landscape services (mowing, edging and trimming of grass or trimming of shrubs, trees and bushes) are to be provided within any fenced area in New Town? This is the standard language contained in 17 of the 21 Supplemental Declarations* for the neighborhoods of our residential community. All homeowners acknowledged receipt of this information when their homes were purchased. Yet since New Town’s early days, the Association has been acting in violation of its requirements and maintaining the entire yards of its residents, fenced or not.
Why was this limitation put into the governing documents? Perhaps it was seen as a cost saving measure or a way to limit the number of fences in our community, the rationale is not apparent. But regardless of its origins, we have provisions in our documents that should be enforced. The courts have ruled that failure to enforce a covenant does not waive it. In fact, Article 9.3 of our Master Declaration includes a statement that failure to enforce any provision of the Declaration or its Supplemental Declarations does not constitute a waiver. Since early 2020, the Association has been advised by counsel that the services should be discontinued until our governing documents are changed.
Changing this language to accommodate the existing practice is not within the power of the Board of Directors. Why can’t the Board of Directors just pass a resolution with a new policy? The only way that our Association’s highest level governing documents (Master Declaration, Supplemental Declarations and Bylaws) can be amended is through a 2/3 vote of the Members of the Association. So to continue with landscaping, these fence provisions must be reconsidered during our future NTRA governing document revisions.
The Landscape Perspective – David Carter
In 2021 New Town’s landscape services are again being provided by Virginia Lawn and Landscape. In an effort to balance homeowners’ expectations for services and to provide efficient and quality service to all, it's important to understand a few basic principles of the services rendered. To begin, services are provided for the benefit of all homeowners in New Town, for single family homes with larger lot sizes, townhomes which share contiguous lots and townhomes with only common areas that are maintained along with all of the other common areas. The cost basis and time constraints required to provide services is always a challenge.
The landscape crew's time is allotted to accommodate all of New Town's over 350 acres, and this requires managing a variety of environments. One of these is fences. Depending on the fence type, trimming takes a lot of time and precision and slows crews, which often impacts the work schedule. Mow too close and you create wear patterns in the turf and the blades of grass, and even the fence posts can be problematic. Homeowners have experienced damage to fence posts from mowing equipment. They expect the landscaper to repair them. Uneven ground also makes it difficult to mow and trim grass at a consistent height and increases the risk of cutting into the ground. Because our landscaper follows recommended heights for optimum turf, and to avoid the up and down adjustment of multiple pieces of equipment, a standard setting for mowers is utilized. Trimming around flower beds and tree rings in smaller fenced areas is also time consuming and labor intensive. Oftentimes hardscape inside or adjacent to fenced areas may include rocks, boulders, or pavers with knee walls, all of these take additional time and care. Crews are trained how to handle these situations, but there's no question, this takes considerable time and effort and with the proliferation of fences in New Town, this increased work was not factored into the VLL contract with the NTRA.
The Quandary
So, the NTRA is providing services that are not permitted in our governing documents and are creating problems for both the homeowner and the contractor, what should be done?
The most direct and legal resolution of this issue is to stop providing these mowing and pruning services within fenced areas. Homeowners would still be entitled to landscaping maintenance outside the fenced areas, but would be responsible for their own landscaping within their fences. The Board of Directors may need to correct this situation soon. It is certainly not an easy decision and will create turmoil. We recognize this is painful, and therefore, want to build awareness and consider options prior to strict enforcement.
How long should we give owners to make other arrangements for their fenced area landscaping? Can we provide the service as an extra amenity with conditions? One option might be to provide landscape maintenance service at an extra fee (a limited common expense assessment) to those with fenced yards. Perhaps the Association should require fences to have mulch under the fence posts so that grass is distanced from the fence in order to qualify for landscaping and reduce potential damage (currently this practice is recommended by the LAC and Architectural Review Committee for construction of any new fences.)
The ultimate solution is to consider what our policy as a community should be, and fix our documents accordingly. What should we say about fences and landscaping in our revision to our governing documents that the Board is starting?
We welcome suggestions, through comments below or email us via the website committee: ntrawebsitecommittee@gmail.com.
_____________________________
* Four of 11 Charlotte Park Supplementals are missing the applicable section relating to services. These omissions are administrative errors that need to be fixed during the NTRA governing documents revision.
Posted on May 1, 2021 7:00 AM by Maxwell Pfannebecker
Categories:
General, Life in New Town
Nope. It's not just me. It's those pesky sinkholes that pop up here and there near streets and sidewalks. We've all seen them, so let's review what to do and how to report, and why it is taking so long for their repair.
What we can tell you is that the Board of Directors has been in contact with supervisors at VDOT over the past three months, each time a new hole appears. According to VDOT, several Williamsburg area communities built in the last 15 years are experiencing similar sinkhole issues from stormwater runoff and construction designs for underground utility tunnels which exacerbate erosion. As a result, each new hole goes on a waiting list for investigation and repair. The holes near Foundation Street and Casey Blvd took many months to be filled, but other holes in New Town are even farther down VDOT's list. Budget constraints are causing long VDOT delays, but the key point is to report what you see.
This isn't a new issue, so we're going to revisit an article posted a few months ago in the December Crier by reprinting it below.
New Notes
Report issues to VDOT at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/ even when you’re not sure which entity is responsible. In the event that the the repair isn’t theirs to make they will typically respond quickly and let you know the status or let you know that the repair does not fall under their maintenance obligation.
The sinkhole near the intersection of Casey Blvd and Settler's Market was reported to VDOT in January & a response was received within a few hours directing us to contact JCC Public Works and included contact info. The report to JCC was directed to Settlers Market management, and the hole was roped off until it was filled. When in doubt, report to VDOT and they will direct you to a solution. Remember, the more frequently an issue is reported to VDOT or JCC, the faster it tends to get attention.
(REPRINT)
Who Maintains Your Streets & Sidewalks - Reporting Issues
Crier Article from December 2020
While there’s no hard and fast rule to figuring out what person or entity is responsible for maintaining those slabs of concrete, asphalt, or bricks upon which we walk and drive, there are some quick rules of thumb.
Streets
Most of the streets that run through New Town are maintained by VDOT, but several of the Alleyways and smaller side streets in our neighborhoods are not. A good method of determining whether or not a street is maintained by VDOT in New Town is by noting availability of street parking and presence of two travel lanes. Casey Blvd and New Town Avenue are both VDOT maintained streets with street parking and two lanes of travel. Alleyways in New Town, like Eleanors Way, Melanies Way, and Victorias Way are all alleyways with a narrowed path of travel and a lack of street parking. These would be maintained by a private entity like the New Town Residential Association.
Sidewalks
As a general rule, the entity that owns the land on which the sidewalk sits bears responsibility for maintaining that sidewalk. These sidewalks would include a sidewalk leading from your residence or business to the street (running perpendicular to the street).
Sidewalks that run parallel to the street are typically the responsibility of the entity that maintains the street. For example, sidewalks that run parallel along Casey Boulevard would be the responsibility of VDOT because they maintain Casey Blvd and its respective right-of-way. The right-of-way in this case extends from the outer edge of the sidewalk across the street to the outer edge of the opposite sidewalk. Within that right-of-way, maintenance obligations fall to VDOT.
Sidewalks that run along alleyways (like the previously mentioned Melanies Way or Victorias Way) would not fall under VDOT because the alleyways themselves are not maintained by VDOT.
Additionally, VDOT usually will only maintain concrete and asphalt surfaces, meaning brick crosswalks are maintained by another association. One exception is the bumpy transition into crosswalks installed for ADA guidelines. VDOT will usually maintain those as a matter of public safety.
Who to Call, Where to Start
Town Management’s Randy Casey-Rutland notes that there are exceptions to every rule in knowing which entity is responsible, but the fastest way to make an issue known is to report to VDOT (to https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/) even when you’re not sure which entity is responsible. Even if the repair isn’t theirs to make they will typically respond quickly and let you know the status or let you know that the repair does not fall under their maintenance obligation.
Casey-Rutland adds that more residents reporting an issue with streets or sidewalks usually leads to a more timely repair.
Posted on May 1, 2021 6:59 AM by Town Crier Staff
Categories:
General, Life in New Town
BOARD BUZZ May 2021
Mike Reilly, Director
Smorgasbord: 1. a buffet offering a variety of hot and cold meats, salads, hors d'oeuvres, etc.
2. a wide range of something; a variety.
This is the official definition but for this Board Buzz article, you can throw out the culinary definition. This article will focus on a smorgasbord of updates from your Board of Directors.
Inspection: careful examination or scrutiny.
And that’s what is taking place in our annual AMC Exterior Inspection, for 2021, of the Savannah Square and Abbey Commons neighborhoods. The 2021 inspection process commenced on March 1st with the first inspection of townhomes and notification of violations were sent out so that homeowners could begin planning for their action on the necessary corrections. On April 5th, the second inspection was conducted and after these two inspections and notifications, 75% to 80% of homeowners have responded by taking care of the issue or providing their plan of correction. The final inspection will be conducted on May 3rd and those items that have not been acted upon, either by correcting the issue or by providing a corrective action plan, will be cited for non-compliance and face potential penalties.
This is a busy time for contractors so actual completion of work may not take place until much later, into the summer months. Some homeowners facing the need for shutter painting are trying to coordinate, with adjoining townhome owners, the timing of painting of all shutters. This will maintain a uniform appearance and a much better “curb appeal”. So, remember that the important thing to do is respond and not remain silent.
Aqua Zumba: the performance of aerobic exercise in water such as in a swimming pool. Done mostly vertically and without swimming typically in waist deep or deeper water, it is a type of resistance training.
The Board has approved a contract to open the pool for the 2021 season on Memorial Day weekend; we will be following Virginia’s Covid requirements.
Back by popular demand, the 2021 summer season will, once again, include Ironbound Gym’s ever-popular Aqua Zumba classes at our community pool. The classes will be conducted on Tuesday’s and Thursday’s beginning Tuesday, June 15th and continuing through September 2nd. A couple of major details about timing are yet to be determined. If there are no Covid space limitations, then there will be one class starting at 9:30 AM. If Covid space limitations are in effect, then there will be two separate classes: 9:00 AM and 10:00 AM. Stay tuned!
Volunteer: a person who works for an organization without being paid.
April was “National Volunteer Month”, and we wouldn’t want this to pass without expressing our heartfelt thanks for all that our New Town Residential Association Volunteers do to help make our community the special place that it is. Did you know that this community is primarily governed and run by the volunteer homeowners who call this wonderful place home? New Town needs support in so many ways and luckily, we are able to find the talent from the members who live here. Let’s take a look at the scope of work that our volunteers generously provide to their neighbors.
Activities Committee: These neighbors work diligently to bring the community together in fun and meaningful ways by providing events and activities that allow us to gather and celebrate our diverse backgrounds and interests. Due to Covid, many events have been brought to a screeching halt. Finally, the committee will be able to plan events that bring us together as our society begins to open up under our States relaxed guidelines.
Architectural Review Committee (ARC): These volunteers review all architectural requests for improvements by homeowners to ensure that modifications are in keeping with the special look of our neighborhoods and that they are in compliance with our NTRA documents.
Asset Maintenance Committee (AMC): This committee oversees the annual home inspection process so that maintenance needs are highlighted as a reminder to homeowners of work needed to bring their home back into compliance. Like individual homeowners, the HOA must ensure that common areas that are in need of repair are held to the same standard. These volunteers conduct an annual community inspection of all Neighborhood Common Areas so that repair needs are noted, and repairs can be scheduled.
Communications Committee: When I was in business, the number one issue that was always highlighted as a problem was “communication” – the need for more and better. Communications encompasses so much and is almost impossible to fully get your arms around. The dedicated neighbors who serve on this committee do a tremendous job in managing the communication necessary to keep all informed.
Emergency Preparedness Committee: Often we are caught off guard when an emergency occurs. There are plenty of things that homeowners can do to mitigate loss and harm by being prepared in emergency situations. Luckily, we have neighbors who help us to keep the idea of “being prepared” in the forefront of our minds when emergencies are on the horizon or surprise us. Thankfully, this committee outlines the precautions and steps that we can take to protect ourselves in times of emergencies.
Finance Committee: This committee does much of the number crunching and analysis work required to ensure that our assessments (income) meet the operational and long-term needs (expenses) of our community. Some might view this service as “too much like work” but I assure you that it provides volunteers a unique insight into the nuts and bolts of the NTRA organization
Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC): Our biggest single expense is landscaping. Additionally, landscaping touches each of us in a very personal way. Our real estate investments are enhanced by what I like to call “curb appeal”. Landscaping, along with the work of the ARC and AMC help to keep New Town crisp and our investments more secure.
Pool Committee: Memorial Day is around the corner and the members of this committee have spent time preparing for a smooth opening. They look to enhance the pool experience for all, and they do much to ensure the safety, especially, with meeting or exceeding Covid protocols.
Ad Hoc Volunteers: There are times when work needs to get done and our homeowners step up and volunteer to take on the task.
Board of Directors: This group of Members serve to provide direction to the Management Company, Legal Counsel and our Committees so that all of the needs of the community are being met. Members are voted into this body and when positions open before their tenure ends, they are filled by a vote of the incumbent Board of Directors.
There is always a need for members on these committees. Being on a committee allows you an opportunity to use your skills to serve your neighbors. The New Town Residential Association is dependent on our volunteers, past, present and future!!!
Our community relies on your dedication and diligence and we say, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all that you do in the service of others. You are the UNSUNG HEROES!!
Our Governing Documents - Dust Off Those NTRA Binders, Changes Are In the Works
Stuart Dopp
Remember the big fat notebook? The one you received when you bought your home in New Town? Or perhaps you received e-files or a link to the NTRA disclosure packet? Did you find it so fascinating that you read each and every page? In the midst of buying, building, selling, clearing, and traveling from out of town, I felt good that I scanned the developer’s documents, reviewed the salient points with the realtor, and then found a place on the bookshelf for the notebook.
Fast forward to 2021, when responsibility and control has shifted from the developer to the New Town Residential Association. As I sift through the old documents, I realize how outmoded most of our Declarations have become. They were written, of course, for the developers, so must be revisited with an eye to owners’ governance. The overarching Master Declaration defines and details the terms used in the documents, and many sections start with statements such as, “The developer reserves the right….” Section II is devoted entirely to the Developers’ rights regarding not-yet-developed additional areas that they owned as Class B members, which ended in April, 2020. In a minor example of the inefficient documents now in use, the Master Declaration expounds at length on “Limited Common Areas,” exclusively for the use of a small group of homes. Actually, there are none, but the verbiage creates confusion. The Master Declaration also sets up general purposes and terms for assessments that are carried into some but not all Supplemental Declarations, so there is great need for clarity.
Our governing documents clearly need an upgrade to reflect our new status and needs. Thanks go to our diligent NTRA Board, who are in fact reading every page and will be undertaking the needed revisions with the help of an attorney. We can all look forward to a set of documents that accurately reflect our policies and situations with consistency, transparency, and fairness. Changing these documents ultimately requires a vote —- including yours. More information will be forthcoming, so stay tuned…
Know Your Business: Spotlight on Home-Based Businesses in New Town
It was great to get submissions from our local entrepreneurs! Please keep them coming as we will extend our spotlight into New Town's home-based businesses to our June issue CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR BUSINESS
Little Foxes - Gina Marquis
My husband and I recently moved to New Town this year and love it so far! Along with us, we’ve also brought my home-based yarn dyeing business: The Little Foxes. ️
I am originally from NJ, but met my husband in college - he grew up in Williamsburg and his family still lives here as well. We’ve lived in northern NJ/ NYC for the past 5 years and recently bought our first home in New Town! I have been dyeing and selling yarn for almost 3 years now, along with designing knit and crochet patterns, sewing project bags, and recently started creating related accessories with resin!
Sweet Ellie Photography & Wagging Tails - Nicole Moyer & Michelle Daikos
These two businesses are collaborating as two women-owned small businesses to offer a fun package for a walk/groom/photos. I am a pet photographer (new to the area) and have purchased a townhouse in Pogonia Towns (can't wait for it to be done)! Michelle is a homeowner already living in New Town.
Triangle Skateboard Alliance 510(c)(3) - Max Pfannebecker
Triangle Skateboard Alliance (TSA) is a New Town based 501(c)(3) created with the mission to build and improve skate parks in and around Virginia's Historic Triangle and create a culture of service in the skateboarding community. The group is currently building a new skate park in Middlesex County slated to open this June and is working with James City County on a future expansion of the skate park located on Longhill Road at the JCC Rec Center.
Additionally, TSA is hosting their first youth skate camp at James City County Rec Park this June 21-15 - signup link HERE
The Bright Solutions - Sarah Bright Yaneza
Sarah Bright Yaneza operates a consulting firm that provides accounting and financial management support to not for profit organizations. I started this business in the DC area in 2008 and carried it to Williamsburg when we moved here in 2018.
Becky's Basket Shop - Rebecca Butler
Becky’s Baskets Shop is my new ETSY business, started during the pandemic. Before Covid, I had been selling my handmade pine needle baskets at street fairs and teaching classes at the Williamsburg Contemporary Art Center. All of this came to a halt when the pandemic hit, so I had to reinvent my business for the online world. Based on my experience teaching classes, I developed kits for those who wanted to learn pine needle coiling. I opened a small shop on ETSY in June 2020 and started selling the kits as well as some of my own completed baskets. Eventually I added prepared pine needles and exotic wood basket centers for those who wanted to move beyond kits and design their own baskets. I was surprised by the popularity of my little shop and now think of it as a major part of my home-based business. I am looking forward to participating in craft fairs again this spring and summer.3- Day Bike About, LLC - Deana Sun
My home-based business is 3 Day Bike About, LLC. My business partner, Cynthia Bashton, and I organize small, 3 day bicycle tours in small towns in Virginia to support a local charity and the local economy. The events are limited to 400 participants and take place over a 3 day weekend (Friday/Saturday/Sunday). Cynthia lives in Richmond so we do a lot of planning remotely.
This year’s tour will be here in Williamsburg on June 18-20 at Chickahominy Riverfront Park. On Friday, the riders will take the Virginia Capital towards Richmond. On Saturday they will take the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry to Chippokes Plantation State Park and ride in Surry. On Sunday the routes visit various parks in the area, such as Freedom Park, York River State Park and Waller Mill Park. We offer both short and long routes in order to accommodate all cyclists.
10% of all registrations and 50% of all sponsorship money will be donated to The Arc of Greater Williamsburg this year.
Quick Getaways -- Golf Museum, James River CC, Newport News
Jim Ducibella
If you are a golfer – or maybe just someone with an interest in sports history – the Golf Museum at James River Country Club has just what you’re looking for.
Among hundreds of other artifacts detailing the game’s earliest days are a Simon Cossar putter from 1790, the world’s oldest identifiable club.
One of the oldest golf balls? It’s there behind glass. So is a long-nosed putter made by Old Tom Morris, the putter used by Horace Rawlins to win the first U.S. Open in 1895, and the clubs and bag used by Harry Vardon when he won our Open five years later.
The best part: it costs nothing – repeat, nothing -- to see them.
How did this Museum come to be in Newport News, hardly a golf mecca?
Around 1930, philanthropist Archer M. Huntington, then principal owner of Newport News Shipyard, worked with Homer L. Ferguson to build the city’s Mariners Museum. At the same time. Huntington offered to build a country club for some local businessmen.
They declined.
Undaunted, Huntington then offered to build a Museum at the club. Once approved, Huntington dispatched an employee of Scottish descent back to his home country, tasking him to return with as many items as he could purchase. At that time, people didn’t collect golf artifacts, so Huntington’s man brought back a treasure chest that the Museum added to when items fit its mission to display items from about 1860 to the early 1930s.
The Museum owns the “brassie” (2-wood) used by the legendary Bobby Jones to win golf’s Grand Slam. It also has in its possession the oldest book referencing golf, a 1556 volume of Scottish laws called The Black Arts. That’s one of more than 1,000 volumes in the collection.
While spacious, the room housing the Museum is intimate enough that it is a popular venue for wedding receptions, meetings and other events. That being said, it is imperative that visitors call first to ascertain that the museum is not in use. The phone number is (757) 595-3327 (clubhouse).
The Museum is located at 1500 Country Club Road in Newport News, not far from Christopher Newport University. For more information on the Golf Museum and James River Country Club, visit this website https://www.jamesrivercountryclub.com/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=320702&ssid=213212&vnf=1.
Know Your Rules: Fences and the Quandary They Create for Our Community
Mary Cheston, Board of Directors and David Carter, Chair, Landscape Advisory Committee (LAC)
The Rules – Mary Cheston
Did you know that under our governing documents no routine landscape services (mowing, edging and trimming of grass or trimming of shrubs, trees and bushes) are to be provided within any fenced area in New Town? This is the standard language contained in 17 of the 21 Supplemental Declarations* for the neighborhoods of our residential community. All homeowners acknowledged receipt of this information when their homes were purchased. Yet since New Town’s early days, the Association has been acting in violation of its requirements and maintaining the entire yards of its residents, fenced or not.
Why was this limitation put into the governing documents? Perhaps it was seen as a cost saving measure or a way to limit the number of fences in our community, the rationale is not apparent. But regardless of its origins, we have provisions in our documents that should be enforced. The courts have ruled that failure to enforce a covenant does not waive it. In fact, Article 9.3 of our Master Declaration includes a statement that failure to enforce any provision of the Declaration or its Supplemental Declarations does not constitute a waiver. Since early 2020, the Association has been advised by counsel that the services should be discontinued until our governing documents are changed.
Changing this language to accommodate the existing practice is not within the power of the Board of Directors. Why can’t the Board of Directors just pass a resolution with a new policy? The only way that our Association’s highest level governing documents (Master Declaration, Supplemental Declarations and Bylaws) can be amended is through a 2/3 vote of the Members of the Association. So to continue with landscaping, these fence provisions must be reconsidered during our future NTRA governing document revisions.
The Landscape Perspective – David Carter
In 2021 New Town’s landscape services are again being provided by Virginia Lawn and Landscape. In an effort to balance homeowners’ expectations for services and to provide efficient and quality service to all, it's important to understand a few basic principles of the services rendered. To begin, services are provided for the benefit of all homeowners in New Town, for single family homes with larger lot sizes, townhomes which share contiguous lots and townhomes with only common areas that are maintained along with all of the other common areas. The cost basis and time constraints required to provide services is always a challenge.
The landscape crew's time is allotted to accommodate all of New Town's over 350 acres, and this requires managing a variety of environments. One of these is fences. Depending on the fence type, trimming takes a lot of time and precision and slows crews, which often impacts the work schedule. Mow too close and you create wear patterns in the turf and the blades of grass, and even the fence posts can be problematic. Homeowners have experienced damage to fence posts from mowing equipment. They expect the landscaper to repair them. Uneven ground also makes it difficult to mow and trim grass at a consistent height and increases the risk of cutting into the ground. Because our landscaper follows recommended heights for optimum turf, and to avoid the up and down adjustment of multiple pieces of equipment, a standard setting for mowers is utilized. Trimming around flower beds and tree rings in smaller fenced areas is also time consuming and labor intensive. Oftentimes hardscape inside or adjacent to fenced areas may include rocks, boulders, or pavers with knee walls, all of these take additional time and care. Crews are trained how to handle these situations, but there's no question, this takes considerable time and effort which was not factored into the VLL contract with the NTRA.
The Quandary
So, the NTRA is providing services that are not permitted in our governing documents and are creating problems for both the homeowner and the contractor, what should be done?
The most direct and legal resolution of this issue is to stop providing these mowing and pruning services within fenced areas. Homeowners would still be entitled to landscaping maintenance outside the fenced areas, but would be responsible for their own landscaping within their fences. The Board of Directors may need to correct this situation soon. It is certainly not an easy decision and will create turmoil. We recognize this is painful, and therefore, want to build awareness and consider options prior to strict enforcement.
How long should we give owners to make other arrangements for their fenced area landscaping? Can we provide the service as an extra amenity with conditions? One option might be to provide landscape maintenance service at an extra fee (a limited common expense assessment) to those with fenced yards. Perhaps the Association should require fences to have mulch under the fence posts so that grass is distanced from the fence in order to qualify for landscaping and reduce potential damage (currently this practice is recommended by the LAC and Architectural Review Committee for construction of any new fences.)
The ultimate solution is to consider what our policy as a community should be, and fix our documents accordingly. What should we say about fences and landscaping in our revision to our governing documents that the Board is starting?
______________
* Four of 11 Charlotte Park Supplementals are missing the applicable section relating to services. These omissions are administrative errors that need to be fixed during the NTRA governing documents revision.
Planning for Summer Camps
Alison Douglas
School may not be over, but planning for summer camps has started and programs are filling up fast. Not to fear, there are still a lot of choice available across Williamsburg if you are interested in taking part. Last summer it felt a bit like choices were limited, but this year feel different with in-person and virtual options available.
I’m from the U.K. where Summer camps are still in their infancy, so this is reasonably new for us. While we are here and so long COVID restrictions allow us, we are keen to experience the Summer camp experience. My kids are 4 and 6 and are looking forward to activities at WISC including gymnastics and Junior Ninja Warrior. We see it as a chance to try something new as well as giving the children to meet new people.
If you are still trying to decide what would be right for your children, Williamsburg Summer Camp Fair 2021 will be held on Saturday, May 15, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Chickahominy Riverfront Park and hosted by Williamsburg Families. This year’s fair will be held outdoors and in conjunction with another County event, known for this year only as ‘See-A-Truck’. To find out more, please visit https://www.williamsburgfamilies.com/williamsburg-summer-camp-fair/
Pool News for This Season – and Beyond
Jim Ducibella
There are big changes ahead for the swimming pool -- but most will occur after the 2021 swim season has concluded in September.
In the meantime, the pool is scheduled to open on Saturday May 29, Memorial Day weekend. Hours will be Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday and holidays from, 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. On Saturdays, the pool will be open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Again this year there are numerous Covid-19 stipulations, outlined by the Virginia Department of Health (VDH), that will be enforced similar to last season. Among other requirements, updated by the State on April 8, 2021, is that there be 10 feet of separation between households, and that occupancy is limited to 75 percent of capacity. Swimmers should maintain 10 feet of distance between other swimmers who are not family members.
Two lifeguards will be on duty each shift, one specifically focused on Covid-19 requirements: sign-in, ensuring forms are signed, maintaining documentation, and disinfecting areas. Although lifeguards will not take the temperature of pool guests, they will collect and review screening forms from guests unless it interferes with the lifeguard’s primary responsibilities.
Among the screening questions asked:
- Have you had a positive test for the virus that causes Covid-19 in the prior 10 days, or known exposure to a Covid-19 case in the previous 14 days?
- Are you currently experiencing a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, or a sense of having a fever?
- Do you have a new cough, shortness of breath or chills that cannot be connected to another health condition?
- Do you have any muscle aches that cannot be attributed to another health condition or specific activity such as physical exercise?
As far as the pool’s physical plant is concerned, you may have noticed that the water has been emptied. In preparation for the 2021 season, half of the frames and grates will be replaced as required by law. The remaining grates and frames won’t be done until after the season.
The pool pergola is also being repaired. This involves power washing the structure and replacing some rotted joists. Most of the structure will be repainted, except for the new wood that must season. So if you see a half-painted pergola, don’t worry. In the Fall after the wood has seasoned, it will also be repainted.
Concrete is being added to replace the plantings closest to Roper Park within the pool area. The Landscape Advisory Committee recommended expanding the hardscape to provide more access for chairs and eliminate dying vegetation.
After the upcoming season, a major pool renovation will be undertaken. Bids and contractor discussions are underway. The job is expected to cost in the neighborhood of $50,000. It includes, but is not restricted to, the resurfacing of the pool, recharging filters, cleaning and lubricating of push-pull valves, replacing four skimmers and recaulking the pool perimeter.
Finally, a contract will be signed with a pool company to do a winter servicing, including regular checks. This servicing will preclude the pool from being emptied and completely refilled at the beginning of each season, normally about a $3,000 expenditure.
Most of these expenses are covered by the NTRA Replacement Reserves. Originally planned for 2023, the pool renovation timetable was moved up based on inspections that revealed faster deterioration than predicted. Our community pool first opened in 2012 and hopefully its refurbishment will keep us swimming safely for years to come.
Opening of New Town Maintenance Building Expected This Month
Crier Staff
The joint maintenance building at 5585 Discovery Park Boulevard is nearing its final approval for occupancy. The concept of having a storage building in New Town for supplies, decorations, and maintenance equipment was first discussed in November 2014. Various alternatives were explored over the years including a “community building” until the New Town Residential Association (NTRA) Board of Directors and the New Town Commercial Association (NTCA) Board agreed to focus on storage, especially a location for the gators and equipment used to maintain the community. A variety of delays, including Covid-related interruptions, affected the building’s originally projected July 2020 completion – electrical work, landscaping installation and JCC permitting were the final steps. According to Tim Grueter of Town Management, “Once the builder receives the certificate of occupancy, the building will be turned over to the NTCA and the NTRA can start to move things in.” The Discovery Park Boulevard site was purchased by the NTCA and the NTRA will pay a user fee for storing materials in the building under the terms of the 2015 Amenities Use Easement and Agreement (aka Shared Amenities Agreement.)
Home Maintenance Series: Maintaining a Healthy HVAC System
Patti Vaticano
Contracting with a home warranty company can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it is tremendous peace of mind to know that when an appliance or home system fails, the repair will only cost you the designated co-pay you have contracted for with the home warranty company. On the other hand, warranty insurance for the full replacement of big ticket-items, like the replacement of your home’s HVAC system, may fail you in the end. Home warranty contracts often have small print in place that may leave you holding the bag for the entire replacement—and often, you don’t see that contract until you’ve signed up for your plan. A questionable practice and a bait-n-switch, of sorts, as the online plans you are able to read through when selecting a company are mere outlines of the actual plan you will be buying into. There is currently a sizable class action suit in progress, spearheaded in one place by the Attorney General’s Office of Arizona, against a high-profile home warranty company for regularly evading the replacement of spent appliances and home systems by using contractual loopholes and technicalities to evade their commitment to their insured homeowners. In researching the suit for this maintenance article, it was learned that even the top-rated home warranty company in the country has only a B-rating with the Better Business Bureau. In comparison with the other companies out there, however, it shines. Not very encouraging, making it all too likely that the peace of mind you are paying for will fail you in the end. And the letdown will be a sizable hit to your pocket. The cost to replace an HVAC system, on average, is $7,000, with a range between $5,000 to $10,000, depending on the size of your system and where your home is located.
So, what is a homeowner’s option? Well, regular maintenance of your HVAC system to give it the longest life possible may buy you the time you need to bank those home warranty premiums so the replacement cost is at hand and under your own control when the inevitable happens. A simple checklist, followed faithfully every year and pared with diligent saving, may be the best solution to this home warranty dilemma.
Change Your Filters
Changing your air filters every 1-3 months is an easy task and a tremendous aid in keeping your HVAC system performing at its optimum level. If you have allergies or pets in your home, you may consider replacing your filters more often. A filter rated MERV 7-11 is recommended. A filter offering more resistance will reduce airflow and put unnecessary strain on your system, negatively affecting its efficiency. Filters to an air purification system should be maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and ductless systems require their filters be cleaned or changed, as well.
Clean Your Condensing Unit
Most air conditioners have an outdoor condensing unit/heat pump sitting outside with a fan on top to disperse heat in the summer. The metal fins on the condensing unit frequently get clogged with dirt, pollen, and yard debris. Once each season, spray the outside of the unit with a water hose to clean it. Pressure washing is not advised as it will permanently damage your unit.
Create Clearance Around Your Outdoor Unit
Clear away all build-up of leaves and vegetation that will interfere with the air flow of your outdoor unit. Trim bushes or trees around your unit, giving the unit a clearance of 2 feet on every side. Monitor cottonwood trees, especially, as they give off excessive pollen and can seriously clog condensing units.
Check the Drainpipe and Drain Pan to Your Evaporator Coil
Check your HVAC system’s drainage pipe and pan often and clear away any blockages of algae or mold that sometimes build up within the system. You can vacuum out any clogs and clean all surfaces with bleach. Failure to maintain your drainage system may result in severe water damage inside your home, especially if your system is in your attic. If this is the case, there are “ceiling savers,” the homeowner can install, devices that will switch the system off if a blockage is detected.
Call in a Professional for Regular Maintenance
Contract with a licensed professional to perform preventative maintenance on your system twice a year to flush coils, check the drain pan and drainage system, vacuum the blower compartments, check voltage and refrigerant levels, assess furnace operation, and look for loose or worn-out wiring. Spring and fall are the best times for these service checks to take place.
If you have had a positive experience with a home warranty company who replaced your HVAC system without any contention, please share it with your New Town neighbors, if you would.
I've Got a Sinking Feeling...
Max Pfannebecker
Nope. It's not just me. It's those pesky sinkholes that pop up here and there near streets and sidewalks. We've all seen them, so let's review what to do and how to report, and why it is taking so long for their repair.
What we can tell you is that the Board of Directors has been in contact with supervisors at VDOT over the past three months, each time a new hole appears. According to VDOT, several Williamsburg area communities built in the last 15 years are experiencing similar sinkhole issues from stormwater runoff and construction designs for underground utility tunnels which exacerbate erosion. As a result, each new hole goes on a waiting list for investigation and repair. The holes near Foundation Street and Casey Blvd took many months to be filled, but other holes in New Town are even farther down VDOT's list. Budget constraints are causing long VDOT delays, but the key point is to report what you see.
This isn't a new issue, so we're going to revisit an article posted a few months ago in the December Crier which is reprinted below.
New Notes
Report issues to VDOT at https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/ even when you’re not sure which entity is responsible. In the event that the the repair isn’t theirs to make they will typically respond quickly and let you know the status or let you know that the repair does not fall under their maintenance obligation.
The sinkhole near the intersection of Casey Blvd and Settler's Market was reported to VDOT in January & a response was received within a few hours directing us to contact JCC Public Works and included contact info. The report to JCC was directed to Settlers Market management, and the hole was roped off until it was filled. When in doubt, report to VDOT and they will direct you to a solution. Remember, the more an issue is reported to VDOT or JCC, the faster it tends to get attention.
(REPRINT)
Who Maintains Your Streets & Sidewalks - Reporting Issues
Crier Article from December 2020
While there’s no hard and fast rule to figuring out what person or entity is responsible for maintaining those slabs of concrete, asphalt, or bricks upon which we walk and drive, there are some quick rules of thumb.
Streets
Most of the streets that run through New Town are maintained by VDOT, but several of the Alleyways and smaller side streets in our neighborhoods are not. A good method of determining whether or not a street is maintained by VDOT in New Town is by noting availability of street parking and presence of two travel lanes. Casey Blvd and New Town Avenue are both VDOT maintained streets with street parking and two lanes of travel. Alleyways in New Town, like Eleanors Way, Melanies Way, and Victorias Way are all alleyways with a narrowed path of travel and a lack of street parking. These would be maintained by a private entity like the New Town Residential Association.
Sidewalks
As a general rule, the entity that owns the land on which the sidewalk sits bears responsibility for maintaining that sidewalk. These sidewalks would include a sidewalk leading from your residence or business to the street (running perpendicular to the street).
Sidewalks that run parallel to the street are typically the responsibility of the entity that maintains the street. For example, sidewalks that run parallel along Casey Boulevard would be the responsibility of VDOT because they maintain Casey Blvd and its respective right-of-way. The right-of-way in this case extends from the outer edge of the sidewalk across the street to the outer edge of the opposite sidewalk. Within that right-of-way, maintenance obligations fall to VDOT.
Sidewalks that run along alleyways (like the previously mentioned Melanies Way or Victorias Way) would not fall under VDOT because the alleyways themselves are not maintained by VDOT.
Additionally, VDOT usually will only maintain concrete and asphalt surfaces, meaning brick crosswalks are maintained by another association. One exception is the bumpy transition into crosswalks installed for ADA guidelines. VDOT will usually maintain those as a matter of public safety.
Who to Call, Where to Start
Town Management’s Randy Casey-Rutland notes that there are exceptions to every rule in knowing which entity is responsible, but the fastest way to make an issue known is to report to VDOT (to https://my.vdot.virginia.gov/) even when you’re not sure which entity is responsible. Even if the repair isn’t theirs to make they will typically respond quickly and let you know the status or let you know that the repair does not fall under their maintenance obligation.
Casey-Rutland adds that more residents reporting an issue with streets or sidewalks usually leads to a more timely repair.
Posted on April 1, 2021 7:04 AM by Town Crier Staff
Categories:
General, Life in New Town
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