Town Crier Articles

As you may know, the two large stormwater retention ponds (BMP–04 and BMP–06) located adjacent to the Village Walk neighborhood are owned by CPT Settlers Market LLC. Both of these ponds have only received interim approval for use by James City County and require a significant amount of work before they can be formally accepted by the county.

 

On September 17, 2023 James City County approved the plans submitted by Settlers Market to mitigate the multitude of problems with the two ponds. This work includes the enlargement of BMP–04 by the movement of the large retention wall on the northwest side of the BMP, installing survey markers to track possible movement, outflow barrel pipe repairs, fixing erosion issues, and adding 6-foot-high fencing. Work required on BMP–06 is significantly less and includes a spillway subsidence repair, downdraw angle corrections, and adding 6-foot-high fencing.

 

This project, with an estimated cost of between $1 to $2 million dollars, went to contractors for bid on September 26, 2023. Settlers Market plans to award the contract to the best qualified contractor on October 31, 2023. It is anticipated that the demolition and reconstruction work will begin on or about November 15, 2023. The work on the project is planned to be completed next spring.

 

This project is solely the responsibility of Settlers Market LLC and will be fully funded by them alone.

 

Resident Impacts: The only access for BMP–04 is off of Trailview. As a result, the largest impact of this construction project will be on the residents along Trailview. Representatives of Settlers Market have assured the NTRA Board of Directors that access to Trailview and parking in that vicinity will not be blocked or impacted by the construction. The materials staging area and parking for construction equipment will be in the Settlers Market parking lots adjacent to Settlers Market Boulevard.

 

The community will be kept informed as this project progresses.

 

 

The New Town Residential Association Activities Committee is again sponsoring an old-fashioned fun-filled, free, fall event at the Village Walk neighborhood on the corner of Casey and Settlers Market Boulevard.  New Town adults and children as well as family and friends are invited.  Activities will include cake walks, pumpkin painting, and games including corn hole, croquet, and shark toss, races, an obstacle course, pie face showdown, and more.  New this year will be a Halloween “egg” hunt, which will kick off the festival at 2:15 across the street from the main venue.  

 

Guests will also enjoy cider and other goodies.  Come to participate or just share the good time and music.

 

Join us as we celebrate the fall season on Saturday, October 14 (rain date Sunday, October 15) from 2:00 to 4:00.  

 

We need volunteers to help run the Fall Festival.  If interested, please contact Liz Fones-Wolf at efwolf@wvu.edu.  

This summer, the New Town Women’s Lunch Club donated nearly 50 bags of classroom supplies to the Teacher Supply Shop, a program of the Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools (WJCC).  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, public school teachers, on average, spend close to $500 of their own money each year on unreimbursed classroom supplies. Teachers serving in low income areas spend considerably more. WJCC established the Teacher Supply Shop as a way to reduce this financial burden on our public school teachers.  WJCC accepts donations of classroom supplies from the community and then distributes these to teachers. Information about this program can be found on the WJCC website.

 

When the New Town Women’s Lunch Club learned of this opportunity, many eagerly participated in contributing supplies. Some also expressed interest in learning about other programs or needs where, together, we might be able to make a difference.  An informal grassroots workgroup of New Town women formed for the purpose of exploring opportunities for those of us living in New Town to give back to the greater Williamsburg community.  The hope is to involve not only the Women’s Lunch Group, but also other New Town neighbors and groups to participate in giving back initiatives on a quarterly basis.  

 

With colder weather approaching, one area of need is for warm coats for children of all ages. After reaching out to several organizations, Williamsburg  House of Mercy and FISH, Inc. both expressed a strong interest in receiving children’s coats and are capable of distributing these to those most in need. Our group of New Town women want to make it easier for anyone interested in making a donation of a NEW or NEARLY NEW coat to do so.  

 

Women attending the New Town Women’s Lunch may bring donations to the October, November, and December lunches.  If you would like to participate or make other arrangements to donate a child’s coat or if you would like to learn more about our giving back initiatives, contact Gale Hyatt (ladyhappy73@gmail.com) or Eden Glenn (edenaglenn@gmail.com). If you would like to learn more about the New Town Women’s Lunch Club, contact Angela Lesnett (Alesnett@verizon.net).

 

A New Town resident recently commented to a Board member about a large number of trash and recycle containers left in the streets on the Thursdays after our scheduled Wednesday trash pickups.  They asked if something could be done about the situation as it is really an eyesore and detracts from our community. Article VII, Section 7.1(p) of our Master Declaration of Protective Covenants and the 2005 NTRA Rules document as amended in 2019 addresses trash can storage. 

 

Here is what you need to know: 

• "Trash containers and refuse disposal systems must be maintained in enclosures and screened as approved by the Architectural Review Committee." (Article VII, Section 7.1p)

• "All garbage and trash stored on property shall be kept in covered containers and inside a privacy fence, shed, garage, or other concealed screened area, except when placed at the pickup site the evening prior to the pickup and removed the evening after pickup. Trash containers shall not be kept in driveways and sidewalks or in front yards." (Rules, Section II para. 39)  

However, a few home/cottages within New Town were designed without facilities for shielding trash cans. Others were designed with very small enclosures not large enough for both a trash can and a recycle bin. These homes are identified by street address here in the 2019 Rules Amendment.  Allowed locations for trash can and recycle bin storage are specified for these exceptions only.

 

The Association will begin tagging and documenting improperly stored trash and recycle containers throughout New Town. It is the Board’s desire to attain voluntary trash can and recycle bin storage compliance without having to resort to using the possible $50 per occurrence fine for violations. Please be sure that your tenants are aware of these requirements!

 

Keeping trash containers out of sight, and properly stored is a common courtesy which helps keep our community looking attractive and a pleasant place in which to live.

The New Town Activities Committee hosted a pool pizza party on Saturday, August 26th to celebrate the end of summer together. We were pleased with the large turnout of neighborhood families who enjoyed the pizzas with a variety of toppings, watermelon, brownies, cookies, and drinks. Everyone had a fun time visiting with neighbors and meeting new ones.

 

 

We look forward to having more events this Fall so everyone can keep in touch with each other. The next event is our second Fall Festival on Saturday, October 14 at Village Walk from 2:00-4:00.  Hope to see you there!

Our New Town Residential Association (NTRA) website was launched in March 2019. As our community grows, it’s always good to review how the site is being used. Some restructuring appeared beneficial, so a few tweaks have been made to the website layout. 

• NTRA business-related content for the site has been moved to a new tab “ASSOCIATION.”  This is an owner-access area of the website where you can find the current Committee files, Governing Documents, annual meeting packages, and financial information (now in a standalone page).

• General information for residents, including the “Report an Issue”/ticketing feature, remains under the "RESIDENTS" tab. There is a new page "Tools for Residents" to make some of the homeowner resources, like the list of neighbor suggested vendors and the Village Walk maintenance chart, more visible.  Do you have ideas for what you’d like to see linked to this page? Just let us know.

We still need volunteers to maintain the currency of our website info and to keep it relevant to the community.  Please consider sharing your skills with the Communications Committee. Writers for our monthly newsletter articles, photographers to provide new banner photos and capture events, and any techies who want to spruce up our Facebook communications are most welcome.  

Can’t find something on the new layout? Send an email to ntrawebsitecommittee@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Manor on the Green, scheduled to be completed fall of 2024, is moving along presently with sitework, including the concrete pours to support vertical construction of the buildings. Our intent was to get as much of the site utilities, including water and sewer connections in the streets along with stone for the parking lot, completed prior to the installation of the building foundations. Due to the limited space available onsite, completion of these site items early allows for construction parking and storage of materials in the future parking lot as the work continues with the buildings. 

 

Framing is now underway. The contractor, Henderson Inc. has been asked to walk the property edge and parking areas to look for trash. They are doing this daily to keep the site and surrounding areas clean. We installed the parking lot in the center of the site also earlier than typical to prevent tracking of mud on the roadways and keep dust down. We are doing the best we can to stay good neighbors during this process.

 

Challenges of being able to procure materials due to the impact of the pandemic is a constant constraint on being able to perform at the level of efficiency that we are accustomed to. We have already started to compile a list of interested individuals, a majority who already live locally, who are wishing to lease a residence at Manor on the Green. That level of interest is a testament of how wonderful the New Town Community is. In addition, we have heard from many businesses in New Town inquiring about our completion as they are encouraged by the opportunity to be supported by these future residents.  

The free concerts in Sullivan Square are restarting in mid-September on Wednesday evenings – starting at 5:30 PM.  Let’s hope for some cool evening weather. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and enjoy being outdoors. Dogs welcome! Gates open at 5pm. Shows start at 5:30pm.

 

Here’s the lineup!

 

Mike Youngblood Sr., of Twiddy Realty, is the new President of the New Town Commercial Association (NTCA), an inherent part of the community almost since its inception. Mr. Youngblood has been involved with New Town for 25 years and on the Commercial Association Board for “a while.” He expresses great confidence in its existing systems and solid reserves, and hopes to continue that success.

 

Other members of the incoming NTCA Board of Directors include Scott Grafton (Vice President), Leigh Houghland, Sean Hughes, and Drew Haynie. After 20 years of service, previous President Larry Salzman has stepped down, but will be on board as an advisor. As Mr. Youngblood says, “Mr. Salzman’s continued involvement will provide continuity while we embrace change.” 

 

The Commercial Association exists to represent and serve the business owners. Its members include the owners of New Town's multifamily buildings with hundreds of residential units, so therefore thinks in terms of benefitting the whole community often through the work of its Marketing and Charging Stations committees. Chaired by Scott Grafton of Ironbound Gym, the Marketing Committee and its volunteers coordinate enhancements such as programming and decorations for the holiday season. The Committee has a separate budget and professional assistance. Mason and Markwith helps to create the marketing plan, including an in-house media department. Culture Fix is their events coordinator. Some of these events are in conjunction with James City County and draw in visitors. Along with our residents, an increasing number of visitors drive electric vehicles, so the NTCA’s Charging Stations Committee is working on a long-term plan to add more facilities. 

 

There is also a single cooperative committee with the New Town Residential Association (NTRA), the Shared Amenities Managing Committee. The NTCA and the NTRA both contribute to expenses for certain joint amenities (e.g. decorations, dog station maintenance, BMP’s, some trails), so Mr. Youngblood would like to see “more direct interface and involvement between the two organizations.” Although the NTRA and NTCA use different management companies, Mr. Youngblood feels comfortable working with NTRA’s Chesapeake Bay Management while also touting mutual cooperation strategies. An amendment to the Shared Amenities Agreement which would reflect the reality of separate management companies was approved by the NTRA during its annual meeting in December 2022. The amendment will be on the Commercial Association’s agenda for consideration at its annual meeting in the last quarter of 2023. 

 

Residents have expressed concerns about the empty store fronts on Main Street, which are owned by a Connecticut company. NTCA Board member, Drew Haynie, is their local leasing agent. He has commitments for some of the storefronts, with Planet Fitness in the final stages of construction, Virtual Reality Gaming Arcade recently opened, and Zoom Room dog training’s staff is already working during construction. As we all know, most retail has suffered since the pandemic, but services are on the upswing, so perhaps we can again look forward to a vibrant Main Street.  Meanwhile, roughly a million square feet of commercial space in other areas of New Town is occupied by various businesses and government entities. There are thirty-four different owners of commercial properties, with Settlers Market being entirely separate from New Town. 

 

Of course, all of the members of the Commercial Association want a vibrant, full community that will keep their businesses active. To that end, NTCA Marketing and a group of volunteers coordinated with James City County Recreation to sponsor the summer concert series, bringing lots of toe-tapping, seat 

 

Ahmed Desouky, the NTRA's new Community Manager, brings a rich and varied background to his new position.  A native of Egypt, he arrived early in the 1980’s and lived in Northern Virginia--Arlington, and then, Alexandria--until mid-decade. He then moved to the Tidewater area and lived there until 1991, at which time he married and moved back to Northern Virginia. He commutes early Monday mornings to Williamsburg and leaves after work on Friday afternoons to journey back to his home in Northern Virginia.

 

Ahmed was originally a mechanical engineer, working in the shipbuilding industry for both the Navy and the Coast Guard; and later, as a civilian in the nineties, renovating large cruise ship for a time. When the recession hit, he used his scientific and technical education to transfer to entity maintenance and management. For 28 years, he managed and maintained high-end condominiums in the Georgetown area in Washington DC until he was recruited by Chesapeake Bay Management and accepted the position of Assistant Executive Director (Colonial Heritage) in 2020.  He is now 3-months into managing New Town and believes our Board of Directors and committee members are a great team who make his work a good deal easier. His main challenges, at present, are the transition of common area ownership and maintaining the exterior of properties without changing the assessment fee.

“It is an honor to be part of the CBM team, a management team that sees customer service as its major priority. You will probably most often see me or contact my assistant, Imani, but the skills and experience provided from unseen members of our main office are the cornerstone of our stability. CBM offers the most up-to-date programs to all employees. Our monthly meetings are very effective ways to share solutions and gain new management skills. All this helps us to make sure all resident calls and emails are answered daily and that we do our best to deliver solutions to all problems and issues the same day. We work with many vendors and contractors that must be contacted for services, regularly.  These vendors, in turn, must be reviewed and approved by the Board, first--and expectations of vendor services are very high. Consequently, solutions take time. By way of example, we are working hard daily with James River Grounds Management to make sure all common and private area landscaping needs are met. Services are improving.  A slow process, but it is proving fruitful.”

 

Ahmed has travelled since an early age and enjoys exploring other places and cultures. He looks to travel as a means of adding to his store of cultural knowledge.  He enjoys cooking and creating new recipes, swimming, sailing, and modern classical music. He used to play tennis but now just enjoys sitting back watching main championships.

 

 

Imani Harris is a native-born Williamsburg resident, having been born and raised here until her middle-school years.  The family moved elsewhere when she was a young teen; but after Imani married, in October of 2022, she moved back to the Tidewater area.

 

“I graduated from Bridgewater College with a degree in Communication, Media, and Culture, and used my degree to pursue a career as a program director at various summer camps and daycares throughout the East Coast.  I have been with Chesapeake Bay Management since the beginning of April 2023. At CBM, we each have our own community for which we are responsible, but there are ultimately close to 20 communities in the Williamsburg area that CBM manages.  All CBM employees work together as a team so that we can best service our residents, whether it is for the residents of the community for which we are immediately responsible or not.”

 

Imani shared that Association management, in addition to overseeing routine maintenance needs and schedules, has many proposed projects from amazing vendors to help sustain our community’s reputation as a beautiful place to live. “I’d like to remind our residents that this information can be found on the NTRA Williamsburg website and during our monthly community Board of Directors meetings.”

 

But Imani has a very fun and exciting interest outside of her work.  She co-owns a dog treat business with her in-laws, online. It is called 4Grandpups Homemade Dog Treat Co, and its amazing offerings can be viewed at https://www.4grandpups.com/.

 

She is also pursuing various licenses within the beauty industry and is about to obtain her second license as a wax technician.