Category: News

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Dues, Volunteering, and Annual Meeting

Happy New Year VAT neighbors!

A few reminders and announcements as 2024 gets underway for everyone:

Dues – In 2022 our annual assessment (i.e. dues) deadline changed to January 31st to give homeowners a bit more time for payment after the busy holiday season as well as cleanly align neighborhood income and expenses in the same calendar year.

If you would like to pay online using a debit or credit card (MC/V): You will need to email our property manager (information below) for a link to pay – some additional fees will apply as well. Payment cannot be made via the community website.

If paying via check, money order, or bank check payment can be made to: The Thornapple Association Inc

Total: $315

Mailing Address: 
The Thornapple Association
c/o VB Business Service
1209 Hill Rd N., #150
Pickerington, OH 43147

Payment due date: January 31st, 2024

Annual dues are subject to the Village at Thornapple Homeowners’ Association collection policy. Please note if you have a past-due balance on your account, you must include the entire balance due to be considered current on your annual assessment. Payments received will be applied to the oldest assessments on the property.

Further questions? Please email our property manager, Vida Burns, at [email protected] or call her at 614 402 5039.

Volunteers needed in 2024 – What makes our community great? You! In 2024 we would love to see more members of our community take an active role in its governance, care and social events. We have 275 homes in our community allowing everyone the opportunity to volunteer and serve on the board or assist with social or caretaking events. Since 2020 less than 5% of homeowners have volunteered in some capacity within our community. Over 20% of homeowners in VAT moved here since 2018 and we want you to get involved. So, how can you participate?

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.

Board seats are voted upon at the annual meeting so anyone with interest is encouraged to attend the meeting to submit their application or learn more. 

Other ways to volunteer – Within VAT we often have several odd jobs that extra hands could help complete. Examples include: cleaning graffiti from park equipment, changing light bulbs, removing trash from the park and community fence, or helping prepare or clean-up social events like the Easter egg hunt or National Night Out. Volunteering to assist with these items helps keep our dues down and foster a better community for everyone. Worried about the time commitment? Don’t be! Most volunteer needs are less than an hour. Plus, the more volunteers we have, the faster the work gets done.

Annual Meeting – Finally, as a reminder our annual association meeting is scheduled for Sunday February 4th at 2PM. The meeting will be at the Southwest Public Library at Westland (4740 W. Broad St). We look forward to seeing you there.

Wishing everyone a safe and warm week and all the best in 2024!

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Tree Updates – Fall 2023

Happy Friday!

It appears the city of Columbus forestry team has done another review and marked additional street trees within our community for review or removal.

A reminder on street trees: These trees fall under City of Columbus ordinance and are subject to specific city code. In our conversations with the Forestry section, they explained that trees marked with a blue dot indicates that the City is keeping that tree under review for possible future removal. Trees marked with a blue “X” are scheduled for removal. Exact timing is unknown. Please keep this in mind as you walk around the community as their may also be coinciding sidewalk repairs as determined by the city.

Should a tree on your property be marked for removal and you would like a replacement you will need to contact the city of Columbus 311 (614 645 3111 or Columbus 311) to arrange.

Finally, if you have a tree in need of pruning due to low branches over sidewalks or a tree that is creating a hazard that needs to be removed, please contact the City of Columbus 311 (614 645 3111 or Columbus 311) to report – phone hours are M-F 8:00AM – 5:00PM. This is especially important with Trick or Treat coming up in a few weeks where more community members will be walking our sidewalks at night and the tree branches will be more difficult to see. 

 

For more information about street trees please visit: https://www.columbus.gov/street-tree-faqs/

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Back to School and other reminders

Hello Neighbors,

We hope everyone is doing well and that neighborhood families are getting back into the routine a new school year brings. Several reminders as the school year resumes and activities increase this coming fall:

School is getting underway!

 

  • Busy Bus Stops
    Please keep an eye out for the kids during the morning and afternoon school bus hours. Add a few minutes to your morning commute to help keep our neighborhood safe.

 

  • 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. Empty beverage cups and please take pet waste bags to your own container.

Neighborhood Safety

Please be sure to keep an eye out in all courts and cul-de-sacs for small children who may be playing. Homeowners have expressed concerns that small children are very difficult to see while playing and especially so with cars parked along roadways.

Parents please remind your kiddos that while they might be able to see the cars, the cars can’t always see them – please stick to the sidewalks and yards as much as possible.

Thank you to everyone in our community who help keep us safe!

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2023 Community Garage Sale – Mark Your Calendar!

Everyone must have spring cleaning on their minds as we have had several inquiries for when our community garage sale is going to be happening. It’s great to see so many households eager to participate!

The dates for 2023 are going to be June 9th and 10th.

We hope to see some great community involvement and hope folks use this as an opportunity to get out and speak with neighbors and new faces within the community.

Don’t forget to mark your calendars.

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Spring Reminders

Despite the chill this week spring is finally here. A few reminders as the season progresses:

  • Watch out! – The nicer weather means more folks out walking, running and riding. Please keep speeds down and make sure to take corners with caution.
  • Use your safety equipment – Nighttime riders and walkers especially – please make sure the reflectors or lighting on your bikes or clothing is readily visible to drivers. Children under 18 are REQUIRED to wear a helmet in the City of Columbus. Visit this link for more rules of the road. Also, don’t forget to lock doors and windows at the end of the day and keep garage doors closed when not actively using. The simplest methods can avoid injury and prevent theft.
  • Keep driveways and sidewalks clear – Not only from vehicles or objects on the ground, like bikes or grass clippings, check for overgrown landscaping, creeping beds, and low hanging branches from trees as well.
  • Review the handbook prior to taking on exterior projects and file your Request for Review (RR) forms early – The spring and summer months bring on many outdoor projects that are subject to Architectural Review (ARC). Make sure to allow time for ARC to receive and process your application before scheduling vendor work.

Looking forward to warmer days ahead – have a great week!

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Open Board Member Position

Have you been looking for a way to participate more actively within the VAT community? Apply to be a board member.

A member seat is available and we would love for you to join!

The Board will be accepting applications for interested members starting today through April 17th.

Information about serving on the Board can be found our website at:

https://thornappleassociation.org/homeowner-resources/board-of-directors-application/

Applications can be submitted via the webform above or you can complete your application offline using the document below. Once completed please submit via email to [email protected].

VAT Board Member Application Form – V 1.0

We look forward to working with you!

 

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2023 Annual Meeting Follow-Up

Happy Spring VAT!

Hopefully our days of grey skies and cold winds will be a distant memory soon.

As you know, last month was the annual Village at Thornapple meeting and the documents below reflect the handout given to homeowners who attended as well as the official meeting minute records.

PDF – 2023 Annual Association Meeting Agenda

The major topics presented during the meeting were: 

Election of officers – No applications were received prior to the annual meeting.  During the meeting, requests were made for potential board membership with no response.

Financial Report– Association income is slightly off due to homeowners that did not complete the payment of their annual dues. This is predominantly caused by the change of the due date of the annual HOA fees changing from December to the following January (at homeowners request). Capital expenditures includes the cost of ash tree treatment in 2022. The Net Income from the end of 2022 will roll into the Reserve Fund for 2023 once all closeout of invoices expected for 2022 are completed.

Reserve Overview –

The initial reserve funding was created by a lawsuit judgment in our favor for a chemical treatment that significantly damaged greenery within our community. There has been a reserve balance of approximately $76K for several years with no significant growth.

A third party engineering company does a review of the community and all the owned and maintained assets. The report was done in 2021 but it was received by the Board in early 2022. In looking at the report under current funding we were underfunding based on the forecasted expenses for the next 20 years which would require special assessments in order to fund repairs at a later date. We took into account 3% inflation for the next 20 years when determining what the appropriate annual dues increase will need to be. Our current reserve balance is sitting at approximately $76K.

In order to meet the needs of the report we need to be at approximately  $106K in order to fund the reserve to the appropriate amounts. The reserve study did not include the costs of maintaining the ash trees within the community.

Snow plowing to the community has been added as a service – this is not in lieu of city services – the city plows will still service our streets. The funds for snow will be reassessed every 5 years to determine if funding is appropriate and any adjustments will be made at that time. Also there was an addition of an incidental account to cover items not budgeted but not capital expenditures. Examples of this include: broken lights/equipment.

Financial Goals: Increase reserve funding, fund snow plowing, fund ash tree treatment.

ARC Report – ARC (Architectural Review Committee) exists as a checks and balance system for the community to upholds the standards of our association. Items that affect the exterior of the home typically require RR (Request for Review) forms. Due to the age of our community more of the “big ticket” home repairs are showing up (roofs, driveways are the most common). 

ARC received a total of 57 applications in 2022.

Following official adjournment of meeting an end of year recap Q&A Session was hosted for homeowners. Below is a summary of questions and responses.

 A brief history of the association was shared.

Q: When ash trees (treated or not) are removed are they at the expense of the community or the association?
A: These are replaced at the expense of the city if “sidewalk trees”.

 

Q: Are the city lights maintained and chosen by the association?
A: No. The replacement bulbs are LED and not the original incandescent style. The newer bulbs are very bright. Columbus 311 can be contacted but given that they are the cities to maintain we may not be able to request a smaller lumen bulb.

UPDATE 3/21/2023 – Per the City of Columbus Utility Department – all street lights are switching to LED and bulbs need replaced. The city typically only has one lumen option for each type of fixture. Homeowners are welcome to report their concerns to Columbus 311.


Q: Has the city been contacted regarding the status of our streets?
A: Beyond calling 311 for review of potholes and general feedback of the streets no official communication with the city by the part of the HOA has been undertaken.

UPDATE 3/21/2023 – The association has been in touch with the City about the status of our community roadways and more news on this will be coming in the days/weeks ahead.

Q: How are the streets being approached for resurfacing? Has anyone contacted a city councilmember to revisit this issue?
A: No city councilmembers have been contacted about the resurfacing of the streets. The HOA can look into contacting the appropriate party but it might involve some community outreach (i.e. petition) to get our streets prioritized for resurfacing.

UPDATE 3/21/2023 – The association has been in touch with the City about the status of our community roadways and more news on this will be coming in the days/weeks ahead.

Q: Can the association lobby with our city council member to get some community involvement?
A: We can determine the appropriate contact and see what can be done as a community to get more attention for our community needs.

Q: Do we know anything about Aldengate speed bump removal?
A: No, but we will make the appropriate follow ups to determine what the status is on this project. Also there was a concern raised as to why one bump was addressed but not the others.  

UPDATE 3/21/2023 – The association has been in touch with the City about the status of our community roadways and more news on this will be coming in the days/weeks ahead.

Q: How old is the current surface on the park?
A: Board members did not recall exact date of installation. Will look up in old files to determine age.

UPDATE 3/21/2023 – Records indicate the safety surface was replaced in 2015.

We hope everyone finds this information helpful and we look forward to seeing you all at next year’s meeting!

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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 5, 2023
Time: 1:00 p.m.
Location: Westland Area Library – 4740 W Broad St

We look forward to seeing everyone.

 

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Home of the Holidays Winner

The votes are in! The VAT best Home of the Holidays is 6089 Broadwell Court, where Stephanie and Scott Krummel are making merry! Congratulations! They won a yard sign boasting their festive status and gift cards donated by your local JOANN store on West Broad Street, and your neighbors, The Vidosh Family. Thank you to everyone who let their spirits and lights shine this year! Our neighborhood sparkles because you’re in it!

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VAT Snow Removal

Hello Neighbors,

In 2022 the Board heard many homeowners’ concerns about snow removal within our community. Many homeowners in courts and cul-de-sacs told us that by the time plows arrived, the snow was so packed down that plows did not drop their blades, and instead spread salt. Homeowners on main roadways often had slush and ice building up around curbs due to lack of drainage. All-in-all, homeowners dealt with icy streets to try to maneuver through and lots of frustration.

In response to these concerns, the Board has arranged for private snow removal within our community in 2023. It is our plan to continue with these services should they improve the safety of our community. There are some parameters for these services and they are outlined below:

  1. Snow removal will only occur once 4″ of snow has fallen (NOT forecasted)
  2. Snow removal will occur as quickly as possible within our contractors territory but a service time is not “guaranteed”
  3. Any salting services will remain with the city of Columbus

City of Columbus plows will still service our community however it is our goal that our private contracted services will clear our roadways faster once the snow stops. Making for clear and safer streets.

To take the best advantage of this service we kindly ask homeowners to do the following when heavy snow is in the forecast:

  1. Park all vehicles in garages or driveways to leave roadways clear.
    This is especially important within our courts and cul-de-sacs. If these vehicles stay off the street until plows come through it will greatly improve the quality of service we receive and the clearing of your streets.
  2. Do not throw snow from sidewalks or driveways into the streets once plowed.
    Keeping this additional snow away from streets will help make sure we take full advantage of this service.
  3. Take note of any drains near your curbs and sidewalks.
    Please keep sewer drains and gutters free from debris and uncovered from snow if you are able. Allowing this runoff to access drains will help keep streets safer from ice.
  4. Slow down.
    We have several icy corners within our community. Be sure to give plenty of stopping distance and allow your fellow residents ample space to make turns when snow and ice occur.

We hope residents find this new service an enhancement to our community and we will welcome feedback as snow events occur so we can follow up with our contractor as appropriate.

Safe driving everyone.

©2026 Thornapple Association, Inc.