Town Crier Articles

 

You may have noticed new fences at New Town’s New Town Ave entrance and around the Olive Drive stormwater retention pond (commonly called BMP). Another new fence is scheduled to be installed in the first half of November at the Rollison Drive pond. All three fences have a different appearance, and I will address the considerations and reasons for the choices made by the NTRA Board.

 

All the wooden fences along the BMPs in New Town had deteriorated to the point that a painting contractor said they were simply not worth repainting.  So what began as a maintenance activity turned into three capital replacement projects. Since the wooden fences required painting every two or three years, the Board begin looking for more durable fencing solutions.

 

We felt the existing fence style along New Town Avenue at the entrance to our community needed to be replicated, but with a material other than wood.  There are no plastic or metal fence sections commercially available that match the custom stick-built fence we decided to rebuild the fence with solid PVC planks. Although more expensive than wood this material does not require painting and reduces future maintenance to just pressure washing every few years. Also, the PVC planks will not develop the rot and deterioration that was prevalent in all of the wooden fences in our community. For those who are interested, the material used in the New Town Avenue fence is Kleer TrimBoards, www.kleerlumber.com]

 

 

For the BMP fences, the Board looking at metal fencing.  The New Town Design Standards allow the use of chain-link fences around BMPs.  This was the least expensive mental fence option. The Board liked the appearance of the aluminum fences recently installed around the Settlers Market BMPs.  This fencing was attractive and sturdy. The Board felt that this option was better than the cheaper chain-link fence. We also considered replacing the fences with white PVC boards matching what was done along New Town Avenue, but this option was simply too expensive.  Aluminum fence panels were significantly less expensive than rebuilding the existing fences with PVC boards.  In addition aluminum fences have proven durability with their factory applied coatings.  For example, the aluminum fence around the NTRA swimming pool was installed in 2012 and has been maintenance free.  This black aluminum fence was the guiding model for changing the Olive Drive BMP fence to black aluminum. The Board decided to encircle the Olive Drive BMP with fencing in light of the tragic drowning in the Olive Drive BMP about two years ago. This extension almost doubled the Olive Drive BMP fence's length.  

 

All of the current fences surrounding the Rollison Drive BMP and the Goddard School are white.  Rather than use black fencing, the Board decided that white aluminum fencing would provide a more compatible visual appearance to the Charlotte Park neighborhood and Goddard school.  This factor justified the additional cost for the white powder coated aluminum fence, Since the earth retaining wall on the east side of the BMP is lower and less steep than the Olive Drive BMP we decided to leave it unfenced.  Only the existing wooden fence will be replaced along Rollison Drive.  This work will take place in November 2024.

 

 

Several years have passed since any paving repairs or seal coating have been done to the NTRA’s alleys and parking areas and they were beginning to deteriorate.  When one neighborhood requested that their alleys be seal coated, the Board decided that it was time to evaluate at all of our asphalt surfaces.  The inspections revealed that ALL of the alleys and parking spaces needed some level of maintenance. This spring, inspections occurred and bids were received from three contractors.  The Board assisted by the NTRA manager negotiated additional repair work and lower prices from the bidding contractors.  In August the NTRA Board approved a contract with Finley Asphalt and Sealing that was executed in September.  All NTRA neighborhoods, except Shirley Park (still under developer control) have had the alleys and parking spaces repaired and maintained with a quality seal coating.

 

The current swimming pool cover is the original one from 2012 and it is beginning to show its age and is close to the end of its useful life.  The cover protects the pool during the winter and keeps the water clean.  It makes opening the pool in the spring easier and significantly reduces the yearly water costs. The NTRA Board is planning to replace the pool cover at the end of the 2025 swimming season.  

 

Remedial maintenance to the Olive Drive and Rollison Stormwater Retention Ponds (BMPs) is planned for 2025.  This work will include the removal of the small trees and brush that have the potential for weakening the earth filled dams on the sides of the BMPs.  The Board attempted to do this work in 2024, but James City County 2024 BMP support funding had already been allocated before our applications were approved.  The applications for 2025 funding have already been submitted. Assuming approval, James City County will pay for half of the tree and vegetation clearance from these BMPs thereby saving the Association significant financial expenditures.