Category: News

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Fall Reminders

School’s Back, Park Reminders & More

Hello Neighbors,

It’s hard to believe but summer vacation is coming to an end and fall activities are starting to ramp up. A few reminders for the coming weeks…

School is getting underway!

  • Busy Bus Stops
    Please keep an eye out for the kids during the morning and afternoon school bus hours.

 

  • Street Side Parked Cars
    If you park street side please be sure to leave the busses plenty of room to turn.  Stay close to curbs and away from intersections when possible.

    Park Reminders

  • Anyone under the age of 14 should have a parent or guardian with them at all times while at the park.
    This is to ensure all park rules are being followed and property treated appropriately and safely.

 

  • The park is private property and should be treated with respect.
    Climbing on the equipment should be limited to its intended use and climbing on the top of the shelter or park equipment is strictly prohibited. All park rules should be followed at all times.

 

  • There is no lost and found box at the neighborhood park.
    Keep an eye on your belongings and ensure all personal items are taken when leaving.

 

  • Please “bring it in, bring it out”.

The trash can at the park should capture the odd need while folks enjoy the park. This trash can is emptied by your neighbors (in their personal trash cans) so please be courteous when throwing away items. Please take empty beverage cups and pet waste bags to your own container.

 

Additional Updates

  • Speeding and Parking – Speeds on our main thoroughfares have been ticking up higher recently.  We have many folks parking along our roadways on these main roadways. This can make seeing folks crossing streets much more challenging – especially when coming around corners/bends.

Please make sure that vehicles parked along roadways are inline with curbs and not obstructing mailboxes/driveways. Also please slow down when traveling through these densely packed areas, beyond vehicles in the roadways there are children outside playing and utilizing sidewalks or streets for bike riding or just to grab an errant basket or soccer ball.

 

  • Alton-Darby Construction – We have all been experiencing the frustration that the closure of Alton-Darby at Feder and other local roadwork projects have brought to those in our community. In the coming weeks as new school routines are taking shape please be sure to add extra time to your morning commute to allow for the additional traffic.

 

  • Fiber Line Installation – The installation of the utility lines has created even more frustration within the community with homeowners now dealing with reseeding areas of their lawns or dealing with further issue left by this utility work. We encourage homeowners with concerns about their property and how this work may affect them to contact Ohio Utility Protection Service (OUPS/Call811), they may be able to assist in identifying the party who is completing work on their property. You can also look up permit applications with the City of Columbus at: https://www.columbus.gov/Business-Development/Get-a-Permit/Get-or-Track-a-Building-Permit

 

  • Yard Waste Bags & Landscaping Updates – As homeowners begin to prune back and make adjustments to landscaping for the fall and beyond a reminder that yard waste bags should be screened from view until the next pickup date. Also, before making any permanent landscaping changes (like removing trees/bushes) – take a moment to review the handbook landscaping requirements to ensure your home doesn’t fall out of compliance. Some adjustments may require a Request for Review application depending on the project scope.

We hope everyone finds this information useful. Blog posts are the main method of communication to our community – we strongly urge homeowners to NOT unsubscribe from this mailing list to ensure you receive all blog updates.

Have a great week everyone!

2024 VAT Board

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Roadways within VAT

Hello Neighbors,

As many homeowners are aware, there are several roadways within our community that are showing signs of deterioration. The Board has reached out to our Neighborhood Liaison, Rebecca Deeds, with the Department of Neighborhoods as well as the Department of Public Service about roadway maintenance and here is what was communicated:

Please find an image of the City’s pavement condition map for your area. As you can see from the second attachment, most of your neighborhood’s streets are in either “Fair” or “Poor” condition. With the City’s vast number of lane-miles to maintain and limited funds, it is not uncommon for streets to degrade to “very poor” condition before they are scheduled for resurfacing.

Below is a screenshot of an internal map that the city uses to track roadway conditions.

As you can see we have several streets in our community in the fair to poor condition with one isolated area marked as “very poor”. Complaints about roadway conditions are handled by Columbus 311. The Board STRONGLY ENCOURAGES all homeowners to contact Columbus 311 and report any adverse road conditions. When reporting online or via the Columbus311 app you will also have the opportunity to add photos to your report. Including these photos will also have an impact in how quickly our roadways are addressed.

As with previous years we expect the city to provide access to a “Capital Improvements Budget Recommendation” form that allows citizens to provide direct feedback on projects they feel should be addressed – however this form is not available at this time. As soon as the form is available it will be posted for homeowners to provide their feedback.

We hope this information provides a clearer picture of the status of our roadways and what steps are needed in order to make our roadways a priority for the city to resurface.

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Utility Markings and Construction

Recently many members of our community have had questions regarding the utility markings being found throughout our community.

There have been several Ohio811 (“call before you dig”) requests for utility markings on different streets within our community. This is related to new fiber optic lines being installed throughout our area. This is not an HOA related project. This construction occurs in the public right-of-way, so the HOA is not notified or involved.

The public-right-of-way is a strip of land dedicated for use by the City, in addition to the roadway, that is usually between the roadway edge and the sidewalk or utility poles. Generally it is ~12′ from the edge of the roadway, depending on what part of the City you are located. The City of Columbus requires permission and approval through specific ROW permits for use of the City’s public ROW.

Typically the construction vendor marks their intended construction locations with white spray paint. Then the construction vendor notifies utility protection service to locate and mark underground utilities only near the planned construction. By law the construction vendor must notify Ohio Utility Protection Service, or OUPS/Ohio811, (excluding weekends and legal holidays) at least 48 hours but no more than 10 working days prior to their work starting.

Want to know what all the different colors represent?

Red: electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables
Orange: telecommunication, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit
Yellow: natural gas, oil, steam, petroleum or other flammable
Green: sewers and drain lines
Blue: potable drinking water
Purple: reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
Pink: temporary survey markings, unknown/unidentified facilities

 

We encourage homeowners with concerns about their property and how this work may affect them to contact OUPS, they may be able to assist in identifying the party who requesting the markings. You can also look up permit applications with the City of Columbus at: https://www.columbus.gov/Business-Development/Get-a-Permit/Get-or-Track-a-Building-Permit.

We hope this information helps homeowners find out more about how this construction may be affecting their property.

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Mailbox Painting Starts June 10

Weather permitting, our mailboxes will be painted June 10-14!
Please prepare your site if you have any objects that might impede the ability to reach your post or properly apply the paint.
The visible quality and consistency of our mailboxes is often one of the many compliments we get on our community.

Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash
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Continued Thefts Within VAT

Hello VAT Community,

As previously posted – there have been a rash of recent thefts in our community. General details about those thefts are listed below:

1st Occurrence – 4/21/2024

Hadshire Ct – A backyard was entered and a patio set was stolen
Manshire Ct – Front porch patio rockers and table were stolen
Marhurst Ct – Front porch patio chairs and table were stolen

2nd Occurrence – 4/29/2024 – Between 2:30-3AM

Aldengate Dr – A truck was broken into and tools were stolen
Thorncrest Dr – A truck was broken into, tools were stolen and they attempted to steal the vehicle. Later there was an attempted entry into the home.

3rd Occurrence – 5/8 – Between 3-3:30AM

Graylock Ct – A backyard was entered and a gas grill was stolen
Claytonbend Dr – A backyard was entered and a child’s trampoline was stolen

4th Occurrence – 5/9 – Overnight/Early Hours

Claytonbend Dr – A vehicle that was parked on the street had its tires and rims stolen.

Video images from homeowner security cameras have captured a suspicious SUV traveling throughout our community at the same time in multiple instances. In one instance the theft was caught on camera but it is difficult to make out any suspects.

We are kindly asking any homeowners within the area of these streets to review any security cameras they may have to help further identify this vehicle. Should you have captured any useful footage please reach out to our community liaison officer, Officer Paulus, via email at: (TPaulus@columbuspolice.org). Please use the email subject: “Village at Thornapple Thefts”.

We also ask everyone to speak to your neighbors. One of these thefts was only discovered by a casual conversation with a neighbor. Keeping our community informed will help us all be more aware of incidents in our community and increase our safety.

While the Board does not manage an official VAT Facebook group there are three unofficial groups we are aware of that are fairly active. We have included their information below for reference, however please note that these groups have their own specific descriptions and intents. Please review all group rules prior to joining/posting. 


Thornapple Community Facebook Group  – This is a group that consists of neighbors within VAT, Thornapple Meadows, Thornapple Highlands, Thornapple Grove and George Fox (essentially all the interconnected neighborhoods).

 

Village at Thornapple Unofficial Facebook Group – This is a self managed group of neighbors within VAT only.

Thornapple Community Block Watch – This group posts any security concerns within the area. Please note that there is NOT an active meeting/patrolling block watch at this time – however this group is useful to post any security issues/concerns.

Several homeowners may also use Nextdoor where you can indicate that you live in the Village at Thornapple neighborhood and get digests of information similar to Facebook but with a neighborhood and surrounding area focus.

We are sharing these groups as we want to make sure neighbors are aware of what is happening in the community and often the participants in this group are posting photos and videos that would be useful for neighbors to review in real-time.

To be very clear: the VAT Board does not own, administer, or manage any of the content nor access to these groups. We are sharing this information ONLY to further help keep our community safe. The only official communications from the Board will come from the community newsletter posts or letters/emails sent directly to homeowners.

Columbus Police are aware of the incidents noted above and are exploring additional ways they can provide a presence within our community. The Board has been reaching out to CPD after all incidents to ensure their awareness and that we are actively following what is happening in our community.  CPD indicated they have begun providing a closer police presence looking for suspicious vehicles in the early hours but given the multiple ways to exit our community (two entrances off Alton-Darby, and also an entrance off Feder through Thornapple Grove) this is still challenging.  CPD is also reaching out to the Franklin County Sheriffs office to see if they may be able to assist in providing patrol coverage.

The biggest feedback from Officer Paulus is that homeowners need to report these incidents or suspicious vehicles/behavior as soon as possible. If you file a police report on the phone or online please inform Officer Paulus via email as well. Should you witness an attempted entry into a home or open garage – call 911. Other calls can be directed to the Police non-emergency number (614 645 4545) and officers will be dispatched as available.

Homeowners with security cameras are encouraged to review their footage for any suspicious vehicles/behavior especially in the overnight hours for these dates. We would also encourage homeowners to learn more about the features of their security systems to see if settings can be changed to capture more footage in the short term while these known issues are present.

 
All homeowners are encouraged to remove any property which is considered valuable from outdoor settings or use locks/cables to make these items more difficult to take. We understand that these are simple interventions but removing the simplicity from the theft opportunity may be what makes the difference. 
 

Additional details are noted below on ways to discourage theft – stay safe everyone.

  • Be sure to secure any vehicles left outside as well as securing doors and windows at night

If at all possible park vehicles in garages where they are most secure.

  • Secure any valuables left outdoors

Make use of locking cables for any items that are too large to move indoors. Ensure all walkthrough gates are locked when possible.

  • Make best use of any security features you currently have on your home

Be sure to keep exterior lights on or on timers at night. Make sure motion lights are powered and have functioning light bulbs. Increase the sensitivity of any motion detectors or video cameras on your property to ensure that they are capturing as much video as possible when motion is detected. Add locks to any gates to make removing property from your yard more challenging.

  • Use landscaping to your advantage

If your property has easily visible sightlines to property you feel is valuable (like patio furniture, gas grills, yard decorations, etc) try to obscure the view by using well placed plants, flowers, and shrubs. This is particularly important for any homeowners on corner lots where more of their property is visible.

  • Add the Columbus police non-emergency number to your phone’s contacts

If you see anything suspicious in the neighborhood contact the non emergency line at 614 645 4545. Be prepared with as much of a description as you can safely provide – vehicle or clothing descriptions, identifying characteristics can be very useful to police. As always, DO NOT APPROACH ANY SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE OR PERSON. Your safety is paramount.

  • Check your property and any camera motion-alerts daily

A quick review of your exterior property will ensure that you are aware of when anything may have been taken as well as give you an opportunity to ensure your safety measures are always in place and working as intended. Reviewing doorbell or other security camera footage may show any suspicious activity even if your home wasn’t directly affected.

  • Report any crime/theft to Columbus Police

Obtaining additional patrols in the area of our community will not happen if there are not documented reports with the Columbus police of any issues. Please take the time to file the appropriate reports at the time of any incidents.

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Street Sweeping This Week

Hello Neighbors,

The city of Columbus has advised the following:

Street sweeping in your zone is currently scheduled for the week of 5/6-10. As this time nears, your schedule may be adjusted to reflect any changes due to weather or other factors impacting the citywide Residential Street Sweeping Program schedules. Please recheck your schedule when your expected time frame is near and park your car off-street when sweeping is expected.

With the exception of interstate highways, the City of Columbus’ Division of Infrastructure Management is responsible for sweeping all curbed public roadways within its boundaries on an as needed basis. * Please note, there are some areas within the City of Columbus that are maintained by other agencies as it relates to the street sweeping function.

All published street sweeping schedules are subject to change due to adverse weather conditions, the temporary reassignment of personnel to the performance of other essential services, or equipment maintenance.

Please be sure to keep vehicles off roadways to ensure the best possible sweeping for our community. Thank you.

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Recent Thefts Within VAT

Hello Neighbors,

The Board has been made aware of some recent thefts that occurred in our community and wanted to make sure that homeowners were aware as well as issue some reminders when it comes to securing homes and valuables.

As posted to online Facebook groups we are aware of the following incidents:

    • Hadshire Ct – A backyard was entered and a patio set was stolen
    • Manshire Ct – Front porch patio rockers and table were stolen
    • Marhurst Ct – Front porch patio chairs and table were stolen

All three incidents occurred on April 21st. As far as we are aware there was no video caught of any of these incidents.

Safety is of paramount importance to our community and the Board has reached out to our community liaison officer, Officer Paulus ([email protected]), who is reaching out to local patrols. Per conversation with Officer Paulus he indicated he has not heard anything specific about thefts like this but that given the size of the items in question it was likely more than one person and a large vehicle to remove them. He urged review of any nearby security cameras to see if any large vehicles were captured. If someone should find any vehicles on the night of April 21st that were captured please advise Officer Paulus via email.

As always, homeowners are encouraged to call the police non-emergency number (614 645 4545) to report any suspicious vehicles or persons within our community when it is able to be done safely.

Sadly, crimes of opportunity will always occur so with that in mind we want to reiterate some best practices when it comes to home safety.

  • Be sure to secure any vehicles left outside as well as securing doors and windows at night
    If at all possible park vehicles in garages where they are most secure.
  • Secure any valuables left outdoors
    Make use of locking cables for any items that are too large to move indoors. Ensure all walkthrough gates are locked when possible.
  • Make best use of any security features you currently have on your home
    Be sure to keep exterior lights on or on timers at night. Make sure motion lights are powered and have functioning light bulbs. Increase the sensitivity of any motion detectors or video cameras on your property to ensure that they are capturing as much video as possible when motion is detected. Add locks to any gates to make removing property from your yard more challenging.
  • Use landscaping to your advantage
    If your property has easily visible sightlines to property you feel is valuable (like patio furniture, gas grills, yard decorations, etc) try to obscure the view by using well placed plants, flowers, and shrubs. This is particularly important for any homeowners on corner lots where more of their property is visible.
  • Add the Columbus police non-emergency number to your phone’s contacts
    If you see anything suspicious in the neighborhood contact the non emergency line at 614 645 4545. Be prepared with as much of a description as you can safely provide – vehicle or clothing descriptions, identifying characteristics can be very useful to police. As always, DO NOT APPROACH ANY SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE OR PERSON. Your safety is paramount.
  • Check your property and any camera motion-alerts daily
    A quick review of your exterior property will ensure that you are aware of when anything may have been taken as well as give you an opportunity to ensure your safety measures are always in place and working as intended. Reviewing doorbell or other security camera footage may show any suspicious activity even if your home wasn’t directly affected.
  • Report any crime/theft to Columbus Police
    Obtaining additional patrols in the area of our community will not happen if there are not documented reports with the Columbus police of any issues. Please take the time to file the appropriate reports at the time of any incidents.

There is no 100% effective solution to address crime but we certainly hope that homeowners take some time to review their properties and the ways they can minimize their risk of property loss.

Finally, with the Spring weather starting to improve soon and graduation around the corner it is also anticipated that yearly activities like “Senior Tag” (played by graduating high school seniors) will be occurring soon. This game can have dangerous consequences especially if a community is on edge from other recent crime. For more information see this article: WBNS 10TV – Police urge teens to find healthier outlet instead of senior tag. Please take some time to talk to your graduating seniors about the timing of this game in light of recent concerns.

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Community Park Updates

Hello Neighbors,

As mentioned at the annual community meeting, our community park has reached the point where an equipment change and resurfacing would need to take place.

Equipment at the park was adjusted a few years ago to extend the life of the equipment. However, at this point replacement parts are either not recommended or not available for our equipment. In addition to this, our playground surface has reached its natural end of life, with several cracks within the surface spreading from annual freeze/thaw cycles.

In speaking with several suppliers of playground equipment and surfacing it was universally acknowledged that for the best results of both equipment and surface life going forward, the two changes should be made simultaneously.

The Board is kindly requesting that all registered homeowners take a brief survey about our community park. We’d like your thoughts on the playground’s current use, design, and what you would like to see for the future. This feedback will be used to guide the quoting process. The link to the survey is noted at the end of this post.

This survey is ONLY open to homeowners within the VAT community. Homeowners are asked to enter their REGISTERED email addresses (where you receive email notifications from the community). These registered email addresses will be used to confirm membership within VAT.

Please keep in mind, the community park is designated green space per our community planning. Removing the park/playground will not change the space’s designation and would come at considerable cost as well. It is the Board’s hope that with the community’s guidance for the park, we will be able to present 2-3 options for the future park that homeowners will be able to weigh in on before a final selection is made. Exact timing is still to be determined.

We hope all homeowners take this opportunity to provide feedback to the Board for consideration. Homeowners are always welcome to send any additional feedback to the board directly – [email protected]. Please use the subject: Community Park Updates.

Click here for the survey: Community Park Feedback
The survey will open in a new window and should take less than 5 minutes to complete.

Thank you for your time and we look forward to seeing your feedback.

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2024 Annual Meeting Reminder

A reminder that the VAT annual meeting has been scheduled. All homeowners are encouraged to attend.

Details for this meeting were included in the annual assessment packet and can be found below as well.

Date: Sunday, February 4, 2024
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Location: Southwest Area Library at Westland – 4740 W Broad St

The primary purpose of this meeting is the election of Board members.

Join the Board – Be a new member on the Board! A full HOA board consists of seven members with seats split into even and odd years. Due to seat terms, four members have just completed their two year term and those positions will be open for new members. One member of the odd year group will be moving, which results in a total of five available board positions. This means we can have up to five new faces on the board in 2024 – and one of them could be yours! 

Serving on the board is a great way to learn about our community and get to know your neighbors. All knowledge is welcome but in particular, experience with finance, accounting, or maintenance would be very helpful in serving our neighborhood. Want to learn more about the time commitment and responsibilities before volunteering? Send an email with your contact information to Board@thornappleassociation.org for more information.

We look forward to seeing everyone.

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Winter Weather & Snow Removal

Hi neighbors,

Our first accumulating snow of 2024 is in the forecast so while the kids are dreaming of snow days, sled rides, and snowmen…for the rest of us it is time for a refresher about VAT snow removal.

Snow removal – City and private trucks will once again be out cleaning our roadways when snow is projected. To keep our neighborhood as safe as we can we need your help. We encourage everyone to observe the following guidelines at all times but most especially when snowfall of 3″ or greater is expected in our area.

    1. Park vehicles in garages or driveways
      Fewer vehicles impeding plows and salt trucks will ensure better snow removal. When possible keep vehicles off roadways until after plows come through. This is especially important for residents in our courts and cul-de-sacs where extra vehicles can create impassable lanes for these large trucks.
    2. Remove any debris from storm drains
      Water runoff and snow melt that cannot drain will refreeze along roadways and crosswalks creating more hazards for residents. When conditions allow, please check storm drains on your property to ensure they are clear and allowing runoff to freely access drains.
    3. Slow down and add time to your commute
      Several bus stops in our community are near tight intersections where children may be waiting for busses. Please take your time navigating slick or snow covered streets especially in the morning hours.

We understand that not everyone will be able to do all of these items, but the more members of the community that participate, the safer our streets will be.

Stay safe everyone!

©2026 Thornapple Association, Inc.