Town Crier Articles

 

 

New Town Pool Volleyball starts today - Monday, July 1.  The NTRA Activities Committee is sponsoring Family Pool Volleyball using a light ball on Monday evenings between 6:00  and 7:30pm.  Everyone, from kids to seniors, is invited to play and no experience or swimming skills are necessary. Come and join the fun!  

   

Any questions, contact Liz Fones-Wolf at efwolf@wvu.edu.

Spring and summer bring the end of the school year, summer vacation and - - yes - - dealing with necessary maintenance on our homes. Homes in New Town are part of the New Town Residential Association (NTRA) and are subject to certain rules and restrictions regarding alterations to their exteriors.

 

NTRA’s governing documents establish the Architectural Review Committee (ARC) which is charged with the responsibility of preserving the aesthetic appearance of the community to help protect the value of the homes. To carry out this purpose, the ARC has established guidelines for approving modifications to the exterior characteristics of a home and/or improvements to a lot. Here are reminders of a few of the requirements.

 

Obtain ARC Approval BEFORE Starting: It’s important to remember that an owner must submit an application and obtain ARC approval before starting construction or renovation that changes the exterior appearance of the property.

 

Projects that Require an Application: An Application and approval are usually required for routine maintenance projects such as painting (new color) and re-roofing, and are always required for projects such as the addition of patios or other hardscape features, fences, storm doors, generators, solar panels, trash can enclosures and other exterior changes. General guidelines for these and a number of other exterior changes can be found in NTRA Policy 4.1, Architectural Review Committee Guidelines/Standards. If in doubt, contact NTRA’s Managing Agent.

 

Owners should not rely on the appearance of other NTRA residences as assurance that their project will be approved. Due to differences in home types and great variation in lot sizes and configurations the ARC must sometimes make a determination on a case-by-case basis; NTRA’s governing documents expressly allow for such consideration.

 

Installation of certain ARC-approved features may result in other requirements. For example, owners installing a fence must provide a buffer zone if required by the landscaping contract then in effect, and installation of a fence may limit certain landscaping services. More details about a homeowner’s landscape responsibilities can be found on the website in NTRA Policy 9.2, Landscape Services and Responsibilities. 

 

When requesting approval, homeowners are responsible for submitting accurate descriptions and drawings for their proposed project. Sometimes projects are given conditional approval and homeowners should take care to ensure that all conditions for their project are followed.

 

ARC Application: The ARC Application and Instructions can be found on the NTRA website. A completed ARC Application must be submitted to Chesapeake Bay - the NTRA's management company, not to ARC members directly or through the NTRA ticketing system. Applications must be submitted at least one week before the ARC meeting which is held on the second Monday of 

May has been a month of change for the administration of our HOA with Chesapeake Bay Management assigning a new community manager and administrative assistant to the New Town Residential Association.

 

 

Jim McEvoy brings years of hands-on management experience which will be valuable for New Town. He has had approximately 15 years’ experience in hotel and resort management in the Atlantic City New Jersey area.  

In addition, he has performed well working in the vacation ownership industry for 16 years with both Wyndham Vacations and Bluegreen Vacations (where he won the Resort Manager of the Year Award in 2014). His prior assignments with community association management were with United Property Associates in Newport News, and Everest Property Management in Williamsburg. At Chesapeake Bay Management he worked as the community manager for seven small communities (all at the same time) in the Williamsburg area. Imagine what managing projects in seven communities, dealing with seven boards of directors, and seven different sets of governing documents must be like!

 

Jim became a Certified Manager of Community Associations (CMCA) in 2022 by completing the required training on financial management, community leadership, association communications and community governance.  He is a lifelong learner and is currently working towards completing the requirements to become a certified Professional Community Association Manager (PCAM).  This coursework includes risk management, legal aspects of community governance, facilities management, and leadership.  Chesapeake Bay Management has confidence in Jim’s ability and potential and shows this by funding his tuition.  He currently has completed one-third of the M-200 courses (a pre-requisite to the PCAM exam) , after which he will be eligible to apply for the PCAM credential.  His goal is to attain this prestigious credential by the first quarter of 2025.

 

Jim enjoys managing community projects that improve and maintain the community.  Several of his past projects have been so large that the execution had to be spread over multiple years.  He excelled at writing specifications and obtaining multiple competitive bids from vendors.  As the projects were executed, he ensured that contract specifications were met.

 

Jim was born in Camden, New Jersey and grew up in multiple locations throughout South Jersey.  He has successfully raised a son and daughter and together with his wife Tina enjoys spending time with his four grandchildren.  When he is not at work he can usually be found reading about American history, history in general, and world literature.  Jim and Tina enjoy traveling and visiting historical sites.  They currently reside in Norge Virginia and have lived in the Williamsburg area since 2010.

 

Zoom Room (5129 Main Street) is a nationally franchised training center for people and their pets. The focus of each Zoom Room is on positive reinforcement for dogs to help them with socializing, agility and obedience. 

 

New Town Zoom Room owner, Tamara Lembke got involved with Zoom Room about a year and a half ago. Her background in marketing combined with her experience training animals at SeaWorld Orlando was a key motivator for her opening the local center. She chose Zoom Room especially due to the focus on positive feedback to the animals and their owners. There is no “bad dog” shouted at the pets and no use of shock collars or other negative training methods. 

 

Every Zoom Room employee must undergo a minimum of 40 hours of offsite training conducted by the national headquarters. Consistency in employee training and methodology is key to ensuring that every dog and owner are made to feel special.

 

Tamara and her family (husband, four children and two dogs) are Williamsburg transplants and consider themselves permanent residents. They love the feel of Williamsburg, the kindness of the folks who call Williamsburg home and how good it feels to raise their family here. 

 

Zoom Room is open seven days per week and currently has five employees. Since it’s part of a respected franchise (with over 64 locations in the USA) consistency is key. Each Zoom Room franchise is decorated the same, uses the same training equipment, the same training methods and offer the same items for sale. Training gear, toys, treat, beds, bowls, collars and leashes are all available for purchase. Some of the treats had very interesting names; Peanut butter Himalayan chew and Bacon Himalayan chew are a few examples. 

 

Every dog that comes into Zoom Room must be on a leash and dogs are not permitted to engage socially face to face. All dogs must have up to date vaccinations and special puppy classes are held on weekend mornings for the very young pups. In order to ensure cleanliness the entire room is cleaned, swept and mopped every night. 

 

Puppy programs start at eight weeks. Puppy Plus programs start at four months. Puppy agility classes start at five months of age and adult dog agility class starts at eight months of age.  When I inquired as to why agility training is needed for pups and young dogs, Tamara said it helps especially with dogs that are shy and those that might be coming from pasts that may have had issues. Training and education are key to help owners know how their dogs are growing mentally.   

While I was talking with Tamara, I watched as Rachel, one of the trainers conducted a class for four dogs. Each dog and owner were at corners of the room and were being coached through several exercises. As part of the training, I watched as Rachel went around the room past each dog with a pair of crutches, gently tapping the crutches on the floor as she walked around. One young dog stood at the edge of his training mat and then sat quietly as Rachel passed by. All the while the puppy was given positive encouragement by the owner and Rachel. She did the same with a walker. It was wonderful to observe, something I would not have thought of – using crutches and walkers as training aids. Tamara pointed out that part of the training uses different sounds, different items – all to help install calmness into each dog for as many situations as possible. 

 

I asked Tamara and Rachel what their favorite dogs were to train. Rachel quickly replied, “rescue dogs and service dogs” and Tamara said she loved the puppies. As we discussed various breeds of dogs Tamara noted that retriever pups need training as early as possible. They love to chew on things! As an owner several times of golden retrievers I can heartily concur and wish we had a chance to have our goldens, Pepsi and Ruff trained when they were young. Would have saved us chewed brake lines, air conditioning wiring (low voltage thank goodness) and a kid’s pool that had a hole chewed in it the very first day we set it up! 

 

When asked about special memories of a dog they helped train they both laughed and said the same thing. A 219-pound mastiff. “Wow” was all I could say. 

 

The energy and positivity of Tamara and Rachel and their love for animals was clear. I certainly gained a lot of admiration for how they train the dogs and owners and as a New Town resident who walks frequently, I can only hope that many of the cute puppies and dogs my wife and I encounter daily have been trained at Zoom Room.   

 

For more info on Zoom Room: https://zoomroom.com/location/williamsburg/

 

The New Town Community Pool is set to open Saturday, May 25th for the 2024 season. Your Pool Committee is excited to bring you a number of terrific improvements this year, including a computer sign-in at the gate! Additionally, the NTRA Board has generously approved 5 new umbrellas and stands which will help to accommodate pool patrons, while a new, second lifeguard chair will better accommodate the needs of our very appreciated lifeguards! Keeping the pool area leaf and debris-free is a full time job of the lifeguards, and to help with that, the Board also approved the purchase of a leaf-blower for their use. 

   

This season 2024 pool pass registration is available in-person and easily accessible every Tuesday morning through May and into pool season, from 10:00 – 12:00, and two Wednesday evenings (5/15 and 5/22)  from 4:00 – 7:00PM at the NTRA Meeting Room - 5118 Center Street. Most importantly, you’ll get the 2024 DECAL STICKER that indicates your pass is current for the 2024 Season. (Households with pool passes issued in 2022 and/or 2023 must bring their passes to registration.) 2024 Pool Season information has been sent via eblast to NTRA and NTCA homeowners and is posted on this website’s Pool & Clubs Page. 

     

The safety of pool users, and especially the safety of the children is paramount in the enforcement of Pool Rules and the regulation of pool hours and usage. The lifeguards have a big job, but also truly appreciate getting to know the New Town personalities and create some special relationships over the summer. Stay tuned for several events planned by the Activities Committee at the pool – a real opportunity to meet neighbors and make new friends! 

       

A lot of effort, dedication and time goes into the three months of safe and fun pool days for the residents of New Town. Many thanks go to the friends and neighbors who serve on the committees and the Board to make this all possible! We look forward to seeing you at the pool throughout the season!

Flooding may result from a variety of causes to include overflowing waterways, dam failures, heavy rains, or clogged storm drains. Further, per the National Center for Environmental Information “Ninety percent of all natural disasters involve flooding.”

 

For many reasons and also because a single inch of flood water can cause $27,000 in damage to a home, it’s important to take steps in advance of a flood to mitigate any possible damage.  

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, has some suggestions in this regard:

• Know your area’s type of flood risk.  Visit FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center at https://msc.fema.gov/portal for information.    
• Sign up for your community’s warning system.  The Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio and provide emergency alerts.  Register for Williamsburg JCC Alerts at https://www.jccalert.org/.
• Learn and practice evacuation routes and shelter plans, and flash flood response.  
• Gather supplies in case you have to leave immediately or if services are cut off.  Keep in mind each person’s specific needs, including medications.  Don’t forget the needs of pets.  Obtain extra batteries and charging devices for phones and other critical equipment.  
• Obtain flood insurance.  Homeowner’s policies do not cover flooding.  If you need help finding a provider, go to https://FloodSmart.gov/flood-insurance-provider or call the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) at 877-336-2627 or your home insurance agent or a private insurance provider.  
• Keep important documents in a waterproof container.  Create password-protected digital copies. 
• Protect your property.  Move valued items to higher levels.  Declutter drains and gutters.  Install check valves.  Consider a sump pump with a battery.    

 

 

The landscaping contract that the New Town Residential Association (NTRA) has with James River Grounds Management (JRGM) is for specific commercial services provided in our common areas and the areas around our residences.  It does not include custom services for each resident.  The March and April Town Criers outlined the services that residents should expect to receive during the spring cleanup, mulching, and turf management activities.  Here are the additional services that are provided to lots under our contract.

 

Application of herbicides and pesticides.   JRGM is required to notify Chesapeake Bay Management (CBM) about the application of all herbicides, pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers used throughout or community at least one week in advance of those applications. CBM advises the community regarding all pending applications.  Information about the specific materials that are being applied by JRGM is available by request from CBM. The MSDS data sheets for every chemical that is being used are available. In addition, notices will be posted in each area one week in advance of every pesticide and herbicide application.

 

There will be applications of pre-emergent crabgrass and weed control materials applied to all turf areas and in all mulch beds two times a year based upon the site and seasonal conditions. Two applications per year of fertilizer with the proper nutrient blend for the fescue’s turf or warm season (Zoyzsia) grass will be applied to all turf areas throughout our community. Of course, weather conditions sometimes govern and can change the actual application date.

 

Three applications per year of a broad leaf weed control chemical to control chickweed, broad leaf plantain, and other broadleaf weeds are provided.  They will be applied in the spring, summer and late summer as appropriate based upon the site and seasonal conditions.

 

Weeding.  Every two weeks, all landscape beds, shrubbery beds, tree beds, cracks in walkways, driveways, parking areas, and curbs will be weeded. This can be done either mechanically or chemically to prevent the growth of grass and weeds.  Weeds and grass killed chemically will be subsequently removed to retain a neat and manicured appearance throughout our community.

 

Our contract does not provide for customizing any these landscaping services.  Homeowners cannot pick and choose the specific landscaping services that they wish to receive.  However, there is some flexibility.  Homeowners may elect to opt out of JRGM landscaping services every year.  Once homeowners opt out of services, those services will not be provided for the rest of the calendar year.  Residents may begin receiving services again the following spring if they so desire.  CBM maintains a list of homes that have opted out of receiving landscaping services and updates them each year.  Homeowner annual assessments will remain the same whether or not homeowners opt out of landscaping services.