Town Crier Articles

 

 

 

If you’ve noticed a little extra buzz around the neighborhood lately, there’s a good reason for it! Over the past several years, the Landscape Advisory Committee has been hard at work helping keep New Town beautiful and welcoming. From our annual spring clean-up event to planting flowers that brighten our common areas, these projects have truly been a community effort — powered by the enthusiasm and generosity of neighbors of all ages.

 

One of our favorite newer traditions has become the fall bulb-planting event. As the weather cools, volunteers gather with gloves, shovels, and plenty of good spirits to plant tulips and daffodils that will reward us with vibrant color in the spring.

 

This past fall was no exception. A lively group of 15–16 volunteers — including one enthusiastic helper just 8 years old — joined forces to tuck hundreds of bulbs into their winter homes. Plantings took place throughout areas that have been turned over from the developers, including Charlotte Park favorites like Roper Park, Elizabeth Davis Blvd, the corner of Casey and Center Street, Lydias Park in Savannah Square, and Chelsea Green Park.

 

While spring may seem like a long way off, there are already clues about what’s to come. Keep an eye out for our cheerful “Blooming Soon” signs sprinkled around the neighborhood! These markers, generously provided by Kurt and Susan Schlimme, not only build anticipation for the colorful displays ahead but also help ensure our landscapers know exactly where these hidden treasures lie.

 

We can’t wait to see the neighborhood come alive with color — and we hope you’ll enjoy the blooms as much as we enjoyed planting them!

 

 

On Wednesday, January 28,  Zach Shepherd, PE, RS, with Giles Flythe Engineers presented the initial findings of its Shirley Park Transition Study at Legacy Hall and over Zoom. To develop the study, Mr. Shepherd and colleague Brandon Smith, PE, walked the neighborhood with NTRA Board members and Shirley Park residents to hear first-hand concerns and compare their observations to the original development design plan. The resulting study documented structural and cosmetic issues in the common spaces of Shirley Park and provided rough estimates for the cost to repair, replace, or redesign those deficiencies.
 
Thirteen of the report's 20 line item deficiencies were related to drainage, aligning with residents' previously expressed concerns about grading, bioretention areas, erosion, and the main stormwater ponds. The engineers found that multiple bioretention facilities throughout the community were not properly constructed. Overall, the performance and long-term maintenance of the stormwater system are negatively affected, and investigation by "the Civil Engineer of Record" was recommended.

 

The expenses related to several larger line items, for example "Evaluation and design of grading and stormwater management," could not be estimated without a more detailed survey. The cost for repairs that could be estimated came to nearly $70,000, but surveying to determine the scope of the "TBD" line items may nearly double that. While Mr. Shepherd could not formally provide a comprehensive estimate without survey results, he suggested the total repairs could easily reach several hundred thousand dollars.
 
The NTRA Board commissioned the study in anticipation of the property developers — ABVA — initiating the turnover of the neighborhood to the association. While the developers have not yet proposed a date for that turnover, the study will provide the NTRA negotiating leverage to hold ABVA responsible for conducting or funding the repairs. (For more background about the turnover, read the December Town Crier article, "Q&A: What Is Going on with Shirley Park Transition?")
 
Also discussed in the meeting were the potential need for legal representation due to the extensive nature of the repairs, as well as concerns that James City County has not had greater involvement in assessing the discrepancies between approved design and executed construction.
 
Several Shirley Park residents brought up additional common area issues during the meeting, and Mr. Shepherd will work with the NTRA Board to conduct further observations and finalize the study.