GCA - Welcome

Residents wishing to influence the future of our community are encouraged to attend this workshop! The Albemarle County Planning Department has now issued details on their Village of Rivanna website of the Village of Rivanna Workshop to be held on Wednesday November 19, starting at 6:00 PM in the East Rivanna Fire Station, off Glenmore Way. Three approaches to the longer-term development of areas to the south and east of the (already approved) central area known as the "Rivanna Village at Glenmore" will be debated. These alternatives propose different developments immediately adjacent to both the Scottish Homes and recently approved Livengood areas of Glenmore, as well as the area to the east of the Village, adjacent to Running Deer Road (north of the Q2 section). Concerns include the density of housing adjacent to Glenmore, the ability of Route 250 to handle additional traffic, and the capacity of the wastewater treatment plant.

A full report of the September 23 Planning Commission discussion on the Master Plan, including plans of the proposed approaches, may be found at this Charlottesville Tomorrow web site.

Pond Scum!

Posted 11/9/08

Residents may have noticed a white/brown/green film floating on the 7 Pond surface as seen from Paddington Circle and the golf course. The reason for the film is a late season algae bloom caused by higher than normal fertilization in the area surrounding the pond. This time of year the algae dies off with the cold and the dead vegetation floats on the surface for a bit and then descends to the bottom. Next year the pond will be treated for this as well as other conditions as part of our developing program of storm water pond management. Please do not put anything into our ponds by way of an aquatic "improvement" or treatment. Unplanned and unsupervised pond treatments or plantings may cause fish kills, pond takeover by weed species and significant remedial treatment costs that we all pay a share of. Contact the CARB (Common Area Review Board) instead if you want to volunteer to assist in pond maintenance. CARB also recommends reducing fertilizer use to the bare minimum throughout Glenmore but particularly in any runoff valley near a Pond. All of our ponds are part of the Middle Rivanna Watershed. Let's do our part to keep it healthy.

Recyclables Guidelines

Posted 11/1/08

Allied Waste have now started their weekly recyclables collection service each Wednesday. Here are some guidelines on what may or may not be included in co-mingled items for pick-up in their green containers:

All types of plastic are accepted, even plastic bags.
Cardboard is fine, provided it is not wax-coated.
All types of paper are accepted, including books and magazines.
All types of glass and aluminum containers are OK.
NO batteries or toxic substances are permitted.

If you have not yet signed up for the service, you may do so by calling Aubrey Mintz at Allied Waste Services, at 566-5687.

Board Initiatives on Security

Posted 10/25 /08

Following an ongoing expression of concern by many residents over incidents of crime and vandalism during the past few years, the GCA Board of Directors has decided to take some additional steps to help address security concerns:

At its October meeting, the board accepted the proposals of the Security Study Group, approving the creation of a ongoing subcommittee of the GCA to be known as the Security Liaison Committee. W.A. Pace has agreed to be its chairman. It will take on responsibility for organizing police patrols (which had been a responsibility of the Controlled Access Committee), security education, and act as liaison between residents, Neighborhood Watch, and Albemarle County Police Department and Sheriff's Office.
The board authorized an increase in the level of off-duty police patrols during the evenings and nights of such times as Thanksgiving and Christmas, when historically we have experienced problems.
In addition, the board authorized the committee to purchase and deploy up to three portable video cameras and recorders, which may be used at a variety of locations within Glenmore to capture unusual activity. Should an occurrence of crime or vandalism occur, any such video evidence would be used by the Albemarle police, not the GCA, to assist in their investigations. Please note that privacy of residents will be protected - the cameras will generally be viewing areas around the gatehouse, common areas, or roads. Any use of cameras involving a resident's property would first be discussed with the resident, and their permission would be obtained before implementation. The new committee will develop the specific strategy for their use.
The Controlled Access Committee will no longer take a role in assessing security concerns, and will now focus on gatehouse operations and assessment of road safety improvements.

Glen Lochan

Posted 10/25/08

The Section S pond is no more! It is now officially the natural area of Glen Lochan, in the Rivanna Watershed. Various efforts have been made to ensure the pond remains healthy and attractive, including the recently-approved addition of aeration-type fountains.

Unlicensed Drivers on Glenmore Roads
Posted 10/25 /08
The Controlled Access Committee has expressed concern about the driving of golf carts and other motorized vehicles on our roads by youngsters who do not hold a valid driving license. Previous boards have communicated via newsletters that this is not permitted, but there are still many reports of such occurrences as well as near-accidents. The primary concern is the safety of individuals on our road system. The committee will be proposing an updated policy for the board to review, as well as considering ways to enforce such a policy.

Clean-Up Dates Announced

Posted 10/25/08

The following dates have been announced for fall/winter clean-up activities:

The Glenmore Dumpsters will be available from November 15 through November 23, adjacent to the RV lot. Please avoid toxic materials, and don't leave items on the ground.
Leaf Pick-up will take place on the Mondays of November 24, December 1, or December 8, according to street name. See the fall GCA News for details by street. Pile up leaves by 8:00 A.M. by the roadside.
The Small Limb and Branch Pick-Up is planned for Monday November 17. Please leave branches piled up at the edge of your driveway by 8:00 A.M., oriented with with large ends facing the same direction. Branches must be under six inches in diameter.
Christmas Tree Pick-Up will be on Monday January 5, 2009. Please leave trees (without any stands or decorations) by your driveway by 8:00 A.M.

New GCA Board Members Appointed

Posted 9/26/08

At the September GCA board meeting, three new directors were officially appointed to fill the vacant board positions between now and the February elections. They are W.A. Pace, Jean Zbailey, and Jim O'Kelley.

Road Resurfacing Follow-up

Posted 9/26/08

Most of us are aware of the resurfacing of several Glenmore roads that took place in July. A process called slurry seal was applied, as recommended by external consultants and previous boards. This is very effective in protecting roads from degradation due to cracking, and significantly delays the timing when complete replacement of the asphalt is needed, resulting in cost savings to us all.

One of downsides of slurry seal is that the initial appearance is often less than satisfactory, specifically resulting in a rough, somewhat uneven surface, and loose gravel. However, this appearance normally improves significantly after a few months, and we are already seeing this trend. Several residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the condition of some of the re-surfaced roads. Both the board and the CARB are taking these comments seriously, and we have withheld a portion of payment to the contractor. The CARB has arranged for an Ex-VDOT engineer to report on the road condition, and help us understand to what extent the problems are inherent in the process, or are due to poor quality of application. We will then work with the contractor on remedial action as appropriate.

The CARB will also re-visit the decision to use slurry seal within Glenmore for future roads maintenance, as well as consider ways to improve the appearance of the slurry-sealed roads.

Trevor Joscelyne (President/Communications)