Village at Thornapple News

Posted on

Spring Underway – General Maintenance & Park Reminders

Hello Neighbors,

Well it took awhile, but spring has finally sprung in central Ohio!

Several homeowners have been taking on home improvement projects for the year so just a few reminders for the spring and summer months.

Check if your project needs ARC approval BEFORE you start

Many, but not all, exterior home improvement projects may require a Request for Review (RR) application and review from our ARC committee. These applications and their review are what help maintain our community standards. Some of the most popular RR applications we see at this time of year include: fence installations, exterior painting, driveway replacement, and landscaping refreshes.

Please be sure to check the current association homeowner handbook for more details about your upcoming project. ARC has a 30 day review period, though many applications are approved in a shorter period, please include this time in your project timeline. For more details about ARC and the RR application process please visit: https://thornappleassociation.org/architectural-review/ Should you have any questions for ARC you can email them to [email protected]

Trash and Recycling Bins

As a reminder, trash and recycling bins should be screened from view at all times. Leaving bins in front of garage doors or stored along side homes is not acceptable. Bins should be removed from the curbside day of pick-up and stored appropriately. For more details about this please see the handbook and visit our design gallery for helpful images.

Mulch Deliveries

Several homeowners have had bulk or bagged mulch deliveries in recent weeks.  As a reminder these items should be spread in landscaping beds and their trash disposed of as quickly as possible.

Park Reminders

It is lovely to see so many families taking advantage of our community park in recent weeks! A few reminders to ensure a safe and pleasurable time for all the park guests.

  • 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.
  • Pets should be leashed at all times. 
    Recently there have been concerns about unleashed pets at the park. Pets should be on leash at all times. Please discuss with your family how to stay safe around unfamiliar or unleashed pets.
  • 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. Also please be respectful of the homes along side the park. Children should be encouraged to use all sports equipment appropriately and to keep all sports equipment or toys within the park boundaries 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) throughout the year so please be courteous when throwing away items. Please take empty beverage cups and pet waste bags to your own container to reduce on smell and pests.

We hope everyone is having a great spring and wonderful remainder of the school year.

Posted on

Updates: Roadway Construction, Egg Hunt, Street Lawn Trees

Good Evening Neighbors,

Several updates for this newsletter – please take some time to review.

Roadway Construction
As many folks have no doubt seen – the Thorncrest/Aldengate roadway is currently undergoing construction. We have not been given a firm timeline of when all work will be completed but the current signage is asking drivers to avoid parking on the intended work zones until at least 4/12.

The good news: This is the first project related to roadway resurfacing within our community. We have been told that that the first step in any street resurfacing is bringing crosswalks up to date with ADA standards. Which explains all the sidewalk/crosswalk work. This will be followed with the roadway paving itself.

At this time Thorncrest/Aldengate is the ONLY roadway that had its budget approved and is slated to be resurfaced. However, we have been told by our city contacts that this is a good sign that additional resurfacing in our community is likely to take place in the future. Please keep reporting the street conditions and any potholes to Columbus 311.

The bad news: For the next several weeks we should anticipate at least some chaos with walking and driving through the neighborhood. Please exercise caution when traveling through the neighborhood and keep an eye out for workers and machinery.

Easter Egg Hunt
Thanks to the generosity of our neighbors we are happy to announce we WILL be having our Easter Egg Hunt! This event is rain or shine – so please dress accordingly. The egg hunt is a “blink and you miss it” event so make sure to arrive early! All kiddos will need to “check-in” for the hunt to make sure we get a proper head count.

Event Details:
Saturday April 4th, 1PM at the Community Park. Due to the construction – please use caution when walking to the park!

Please bring your own basket to take home your goodies.

As a reminder this event is open to kids ages 10 and under. Don’t worry parents – the 5 and under crowd always gets a head start. After the hunt we ask parents to please empty the eggshells but please return them closed to the marked bins so they can be reused next year. The Easter bunny will be available for photos so make sure to bring your phones and cameras!

Street Lawn Tree Treatment
In the coming weeks the ash trees that are in street lawns throughout our community will be treated against Emerald Ash Borer. Please keep an eye out for workers and remove any vehicles from roadways as necessary.

With our recent storms we had several downed tree limbs or trees that sustained damage – regardless of tree species. Some trees may now be marked for removal. As a reminder – if you would like to have these trees replaced please reach out to Columbus 311 to request a replacement tree.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Spring!

Posted on

REMINDER – Dues Payments due prior to 3/30

Thank you to everyone who has completed their annual assessment payments this year. We understand that this year was unusual with our unexpected transition to a new Property Manager and are grateful for your patience. We know the transition had some hiccups along the way, but everyone’s understanding was appreciated.

While the majority of our community has completed their assessment payments – there are still homeowners who need to bring their accounts current before late fees will be assessed at the end of this month.

If you have completed your payment, the association thanks you and there is no need to read on. If you have not completed your payment more information can be found below.

Account Payment Options

There are four dues payment options and these are outlined below. Two of these options will incur a nominal fee that is assessed and collected by the payment processor – this is not a payment to the property manager or to the HOA. The options which incur these fees are noted below.

REQUIREMENT:  All dues payments will need to reference the homeowners Towne Properties Account number (T-XXXXXXX) that was provided in the Homeowner introduction packet. If you do not have this packet – please fill out THIS FORM and submit to Towne in order to receive this information. This step must be completed if using options 3 or 4 below.

Option 1: Personal Check – Homeowners can submit their dues payments via personal check however they will need to reference their Towne Properties T-number. As well as submit their payment with a payment stub. If you need a payment stub please reach out to our Property Manager, Vicki Smith at: [email protected].

Option 2: Bank Online Bill Pay – Homeowners can submit payment via their personal bank’s online bill pay service.

To complete payment via your personal bank bill pay please be sure to complete payment with the following information:

Make check payable to: Village at Thornapple

  • Mail to:
    PO Box 621717
    Orlando, FL 32862-1717
  • Reference:
    6883-8582-t####### (these numbers are unique to each homeowner property)

Option 3: Credit/Debit Card – This is handled via the Towne Properties homeowner portal. In order to access the portal you will need to have completed & submitted the Towne Properties Registration Form.

To access the portal please visit: https://www.towneproperties.com/ and select LOGIN, choose the login type: HOA/COA. 

This method will incur an additional processing charge.

Once logged in to the Towner Properties homeowner portal click on the “Pay Now” link which will redirect to allow entry of card details.

Option 4: ACH/echeck – This is also handled via the Towne Properties homeowner portal and their payment partner Alliance Bank. Details are found below and in the welcome packet that was mailed out. This method will incur an additional processing charge.

The management company ID for Towne Properties is 6883. The Association ID is 8582. Also required: Bank routing information and bank account number for the funding bank/account.

Bank account information can be entered by clicking on “ECheck/ACH” which will redirect to an additional portal via Western Alliance Bank. Homeowners will need to create a login on the bank’s website to enter the appropriate account information and schedule payment.

 

Posted on

Easter is almost here! – 2026 VAT Easter Egg Hunt

Good Morning VAT!

Spring is almost here and while the warm temperatures are still hit and miss – the Easter bunny waits for no one.

Village at Thornapple is hosting the annual Easter egg hunt at 1:00pm on Saturday, April 4th at our park! With our sinkhole issue we will have more limited space but still unlimited fun. As always this event is a “blink and you miss it” so be sure to arrive just a few minutes before 1PM.

Bring your kiddos aged 1 to 10 and your Easter baskets for fun and prizes. We hope to have an Easter bunny present for everyone to snap a fluffy photo but no guarantees just yet.

This event is rain or shine, so bring your umbrellas just in case, and hop (or hope) for the best weather!

In keeping with prior years, we are asking for the community’s help with candy donations. We are seeking to fill a total of 900 Easter eggs with candy/prizes. Below is a link to our SignUp Genius for this event. Donations are needed by March 25th at the latest.

Please note: failure to secure enough donations will result in this event’s cancellation.

Posted on

URGENT – USE CAUTION AT PARK

ALERT: There is currently a sinkhole in the turf near the sewer at the park. This space is marked off with caution tape and parties have been notified to address the issue.

PLEASE USE CAUTION AT THE PARK AND OBEY THE CAUTION TAPE THAT HAS BEEN PLACED. DO NOT ALLOW CHILDREN TO PLAY IN OR NEAR THE AFFECTED AREA WITHOUT SUPERVISION.

As a reminder – all children at the park under the age of 14 require supervision per the posted park rules.

Posted on

Annual Assessment Payment Information

Hello Neighbors,

Thank you to everyone for their continued patience as we navigate our transition to Towne Properties. This week it came to light that a few homeowners have had issues logging in to the Towne website/app owing to some confusion about which login/app to use as well as account statements showing incorrect balances.

To clarify see the instructions below:

Logging in via the Towne Properties website
NOTE – In order to begin the registration process homeowners will need to complete the Owner/Occupant Information Request form that was provided in the welcome packet and return to Lexi Scott ([email protected]). Lexi will then make sure your email address is entered into the portal and that will generate a unique link for homeowners to use to complete their registration. Once this step is completed use the following instructions for future logins.

Step 1 – Visit https://www.towneproperties.com/ – Click on LOGIN and then select HOA/COA Login. Log in using the credentials previously established.

Failure to login with the HOA/COA Login type may result in you not having access to the appropriate features and payment options. From this login you can select “Make Payments” to pay your HOA dues online. See further in this post for all account payment options.

Logging in via the Towne Properties app
NOTE – There are two separate Towne Properties apps available in the app store. Please make sure to select the Towne Properties HOA/COA app.

Once logged in you should have the same features as the Towne Properties website.

Account Statements/Invoices
Account statements/invoices were mailed last week and should be received this week. The Board has put in a place a grace period as we know this is after the standard February 1st due date. We appreciate homeowners addressing these invoices in a timely manner and thank homeowners who have already completed their payments.

There is a currently a known issue that caused the statement balances to show up incorrectly. Our dues have not changed for 2026 and the dues for this year are $315. If your statement reads $630, please disregard the $630 total – you can still use the payment slips provided if mailing a personal check. Simply make sure you check/payment is for $315. 

Should you note any other errors in your invoice, please reach out to Lexi Scott ([email protected]) with Towne to clarify the issue. Again, we appreciate your patience as we ensure all homeowner records are up to date and accurate.

Please note the grace period only applies for this year as we transition to a new property manager. The due date of February 1 will remain going forward.

Account Payment Options
There are four account payment options and these are outlined below. Two of these options will incur a nominal fee that is assessed and collected by the payment processor – this is not a payment to Towne Properties or to the HOA. The options which incur these fees are noted below.

Option 1: Personal Check – Homeowners can submit their dues payments via personal check however they will need to wait on mailing payment until the payment coupon is received. These are mailed separately from the Towne welcome letter and should arrive this week.

Option 2: Bank Online Bill Pay – Homeowners can submit via their personal bank’s online bill pay service.

To complete payment via your personal bank bill pay please be sure to complete payment with the following information:

NOTE: You will need to have your Towne Properties welcome packet available to reference your property account number that starts with the letter T.

  • Make check payable to Village at Thornapple
  • Mail to:
    PO Box 621717
    Orlando, FL 32862-1717
  • Reference:
    6883-8582-t####### (these numbers are unique to each homeowner property)

Option 3: Credit/Debit Card – This is handled via the Towne Properties homeowner portal. Details are found below and in the welcome packed that was mailed out. This method will incur an additional processing charge.

Once logged in to the Towner Properties homeowner portal click on the “Pay Now” link which will redirect to allow entry of card details.

Option 4: ACH/echeck – This is also handled via the Towne Properties homeowner portal and their payment partner Alliance Bank. Details are found below and in the welcome packed that was mailed out. This method will incur an additional processing charge.

In order to setup a bank account/ACH payment profile you will need to have your Towne Properties welcome packet available to reference your unique property account number that starts with the letter T#######. The management company ID for Towne Properties is 6883. The Association ID is 8582. Also required: Bank routing information and bank account number for the funding bank/account.

Bank account information can be entered by clicking on “ECheck/ACH” which will redirect to an additional portal via Western Alliance Bank. Homeowners will need to create a login on the banks website to enter the appropriate account information and schedule payment.

Additional Frequently Asked Questions

Have dues increased?
No, there is no dues increase for 2026. Dues remain at $315/year.

What can be done via the Resident Portal with Towne Properties?
This portal can be used to communicate directly with the property manager for any community concerns. Residents may also submit these requests via the ThornappleAssociation.org/contact form that we currently use.

Am I required to use the Towne Properties portal to submit my payment?
No. Homeowners can submit dues payments in the 4 different ways noted above. Two are via the Towne Properties portal, one via personal check, and one via your banks online bill pay.

Posted on

Handbook Updates

VAT Community Handbook Updates
new language indicated in italics

page 21
Exterior House Colors and Maintenance* Request to Review Required (even same color)
Signs of necessary maintenance include but are not limited to weathered or faded appearance; peeling paint; warped, split, or rotted wood or seals; unpainted or untreated wood surfaces; knot holes; torn screens; fogging windows; or mildew.  Exterior house colors shall be of neutral and subdued tones and selected from the VAT Exterior Color Palette, which may be found at www.thornappleassociation.org, Architectural Design.

page 24
Gardening, Landscaping, Building Material and Equipment, and Storage Containers
Gardening, landscaping, building material, including but not limited to mulch, topsoil, gravel, masonry, and lawn treatment material and equipment shall be stored in the garage or 100% screened from view.  Storage containers may not exceed 5’ x 2’ x 30” and 100% screened from view.  Bulk material, including pallets of bagged mulch, shall be removed within thirty (30) days from the date of delivery.

page 24
Mailbox and Mailbox Post/Newspaper Receptacles
The homeowner is responsible for the replacement and repair of the mailbox post and newspaper receptacle unit and mailbox as well as conformity with U.S. Postal Services regulations for height and location. The Association will paint mailbox posts every three (3) years. (adopted 6/2024)

page 27
Solar Energy System- * Request to Review Required

  1. Solar Energy Systems must be neutral in color and complement the existing roof color. (adopted 2/2026)

page 28
Windows * Request to Review Required
Window seals and screens shall be routinely maintained and repaired or replaced. Signs of necessary maintenance include but are not limited to fogging; torn, weathered or faded appearance; warped, split, cracked, or rotted seals.  (adopted 2/2026)

Posted on

Annual Meeting Reminder – Saturday 2/7

Just a reminder that tomorrow is our annual meeting. Details are listed below:

DATE: Saturday, February 7th, 2026
TIME: 2:00 PM-4:00 PM
LOCATION: Prairie Township Community Center
5955 West Broad Street
Galloway, OH 43119

We look forward to seeing you there!

Posted on

Snow Storm 2026

Hello Neighbors,

The first major snowfall of 2026 is shaping up to be the stuff of legend.

A few reminders as we go into this wintry weather weekend:

1. Leave room for the plows! 

Residents are strongly encouraged to park in garages and driveways this weekend. This will make sure that plows have space to maneuver and place snow. Homeowners that need to leave vehicles parked on roadways should make sure vehicles are parked as close to the curb as possible.

2. Snow, snow, snow everywhere!

When plows come through snow is placed where it can be placed. This may require mailboxes and driveway aprons to be cleared multiple times. Please be sure to place removed snow away from roadways. Also, assistance in keeping storm drains clear will greatly improve community safety once warmer weather returns. Heavy snowfalls will mean even higher snow drifts than are typical. Please exercise caution while walking and driving through the community. Children and pets enjoying the winter weather plus vehicles on potentially slick roadways are a dangerous combination.

3. Snow removal is hard work!

If shoveling snow is your workout for the weekend please be sure to take extra care of yourself. Intense cold combined with the exertion of lifting heavy snow can put immense strain on your heart and muscles! Make sure to warm up muscles by stretching prior to going outside, take your time (and frequent breaks!), push don’t lift snow whenever possible, be sure to dress for the weather – especially with a warm face covering and stay hydrated!

Should you fell unwell – stop immediately! Call your doctor or 911 as appropriate.

4. Look out for your neighbors!

Frigid temperatures plus potential high snowfall amounts make this a perfect time to check in on your friends and neighbors to ensure folks are taken care of. The best time to do this is prior to the storm by seeing if anyone has last minute grocery or pharmacy pickup needs. Don’t forget the four-legged friends too!

5. Watch the headlines and “know before you go”

With potential for snow emergencies or road closures be sure to follow local news outlets for the latest updates on road status, weather reports, and potential event cancelations.

6. Check your batteries, charge your devices, and make sure you have washer fluid/scrapers 

This isn’t the time to find out that all the flashlight batteries expired in 2020. Take a minute to make sure you are ready for potential power outages or roadside needs. Charge any electronics you may need and ensure your vehicle is ready to handle slick roadways – top off your fluids, keep safety supplies in your car and don’t forget to put the “good scraper” in your car.

We hope everyone has a safe and warm wintry weather weekend.

Posted on

Transition to Towne Properties

Hello Homeowners,

This week many homeowners began receiving welcome letters from Towne Properties to start the process of establishing their online portal access.

Setting up this access allows homeowners to submit any maintenance concerns and communicate directly with the property manager. This portal also allows homeowners to submit their annual assessment dues payment online, if they wish.

In order to begin the registration process homeowners will need to complete the Owner/Occupant Information Request form that was provided in the welcome packet and return to Lexi Scott ([email protected]). Lexi will then make sure your email address is entered into the portal and that will generate a unique link for homeowners to use to complete their registration.

Some homeowners who were quick to complete this information this week may have had trouble accessing the website site as our community was still being established in their systems. Specifically, there is a known issue that has been causing the ACH/echeck option not to be available on the payment portal. These issues should be resolving however, if you are still having trouble after this weekend, please reach out to Lexi.

There have been a few follow-up questions we would like to answer and clarify for everyone. These are noted below.

How to Access the Resident Portal with Towne Properties

Step 1: Complete the Owner/Occupant Information Request Form mailed by Towne Properties in their welcome packet and return to Towne via to [email protected] or by mail to 777A Dearborn Park Lane, Worthington, OH 43085.

Step 2: Once your email address is entered by Towne homeowners will receive a custom link to complete their registration and access their homeowner profile.

NOTE: This is a unique link the first time you login. Subsequent logins can be done directly from the Towne Properties home page and clicking on LOGIN then HOA Login.

What can be done via the Resident Portal with Towne Properties?

This portal can be used to communicate directly with the property manager for any community concerns. Residents may also submit these requests via the ThornappleAssociation.org/contact form that we currently use.

Have dues increased?
No, there is no dues increase for 2026. Dues remain at $315/year. We encourage homeowners to attend the upcoming annual meeting for more details about current costs for the association.

Am I required to use the Towne Properties portal to submit my payment?

No. Homeowners can submit dues payments in the 4 different ways noted below.

How can I pay my dues?

Homeowners can submit dues payments in 4 different ways – some methods may incur additional charges so please take note.

Option 1: Personal Check – Homeowners can submit their dues payments via personal check however they will need to wait on mailing payment until a payment coupon is received. These are mailed separately from the Towne welcome letter.

Option 2: Bank Online Bill Pay – Homeowners can submit via their personal bank’s online bill pay service. Details on how to complete this payment can be found below to ensure payments are applied correctly.

Option 3: Credit/Debit Card – This is handled via the Towne Properties homeowner portal. Details are found below and in the welcome packed that was mailed out. This method will incur an additional processing charge.

Option 4: ACH/echeck – This is also handled via the Towne Properties homeowner portal and their payment partner Alliance Bank. Details are found below and in the welcome packed that was mailed out. This method will incur an additional processing charge.

Setting up account payment via the Resident Portal with Towne Properties

Once logged in to the Towne Properties portal you will be able to setup your account profile and establish your payment method by clicking on “Make Payments”. There are online options to pay via Credit Card, Debit Card or set up a bank account/ACH payment.

Complete instructions with screenshots are included with the welcome packet.

NOTE: Use of a Credit/Debit Card or bank account/ACH via the Towne Properties website will result in an additional processing fee. To avoid this you will want to either use your bank’s bill pay service OR submit a personal check with a payment coupon which is coming under a separate mailing.

Paying via Credit/Debit Card:

Credit and Debit Card payment can be processed by clicking on the “Pay Now” link which will redirect to allow entry of card details.

Paying via bank account/ACH via Towne Properties:

In order to setup a bank account/ACH payment profile you will need to have your Towne Properties welcome packet available to reference your unique property account number that starts with the letter T#######. The management company ID for Towne Properties is 6883. The Association ID is 8582. Also required: Bank routing information and bank account number for the funding bank/account.

Bank account information can be entered by clicking on “ECheck/ACH” which will redirect to an additional portal via Western Alliance Bank. Homeowners will need to create a login on the banks website to enter the appropriate account information and schedule payment.

Paying via bank online bill pay:

Homeowners may also submit their payment via their banks online bill pay service. To complete payment via your personal bank bill pay please be sure to complete payment with the following information:

NOTE: You will need to have your Towne Properties welcome packet available to reference your property account number that starts with the letter T.

  • Make check payable to Village at Thornapple
  • Mail to:
    PO Box 621717
    Orlando, FL 32862-1717
  • Reference:
    6883-8582-t####### (these numbers are unique to each homeowner property)

We would like to thank everyone in the community for their patience as the Board and Towne Properties work through this transition. We always welcome feedback to [email protected].

 

©2026 Thornapple Association, Inc.