Spring is here and there’s a lot going on in Ghent Square. AAA Pools is making repairs to our pool, EarthScapes is spreading mulch and planting flowers, and the Architectural Review Board is about to start inspections.
Don’t forget that your second quarterly assessment is due in April. Associa Community Group did not send out coupon booklets this year but they will mail you an invoice if your payment is late. HOA assessments in the amount of $260 are due quarterly on the 1st of January, April, July and October ($1040/year). If you mail in your assessment, please include your name, street address and account number on the check and send to:
Ghent Square Community Assoc. Inc.
c/o Associa Community Group
P.O. Box 27898
Newark, NJ 07101-7898
Tel: 757-499-2200
You can find your account number and pay online by logging into your TownSq account. You can also set up automatic payments through your bank.
Annual inspections
It’s that time of the year again … The Ghent Square Architectural Review Board and Associa Community Group will be conducting a spring walk-through in April. The purpose of the walk-through is to review all homes to ensure they are being maintained in accordance with the Declaration and Architectural Guidelines of our Association. The Committee will be reviewing homes in accordance with the Governing Documents of the Association. So please take a look at the exterior of your home and lawn and make any necessary changes or repairs. Remember, community maintenance directly supports the resale value of our homes!
Pickleball gate remains unlocked
The card reader on the pickleball gate is not currently working. Until a repair is made, the gate will remain unlocked.
Please remember that residents are only allowed up to three guests when playing on the courts during the week and one guest on the weekends. Affiliates are not allowed to have guests. If you feel a resident or affiliate is abusing their court privileges, please contact the community manager at the clubhouse.
Pool news
We’re recruiting lifeguards for the summer pool season. If you swim laps, you can easily become a lifeguard at the Ghent Square pool. We’ll really need you mid-August when the high school lifeguards go back to school. Janet Hollowell, our new Pool Coordinator, is organizing a certification class. Sign up today! For more information, contact her at jhollowinn@yahoo.com. Stay tuned for more information about signing your kids up for swim lessons and updating your online pool passes.
Board meets the 3rd Thursday of each month
The Board of Directors meets the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 pm in the clubhouse. Time is set- aside at the beginning of the meeting for a Homeowner Forum, an opportunity for residents to address the Board with issues and concerns. If at anytime you have a question or ocmment, you can call or write to our community manager with with Associa Community Group, Lori Rattan, at 757-627-5757 and lrattan@communitygroup.com. you may also visit the website for updates regarding our community at www.ghentsquare.org or www.ghentsquare.net.
The ARB Board meets the first Thursday of each month at 5:30 pm in the clubhouse to review ARB Request applications. Residents are required to complete and submit an ARB Request Application before changing the exterior appearance of their home and detached structures.
City sweeps our streets the first Wed &Thursday
The City of Norofolk sweeps our streets the first Wednesday and Thursday of each month. Even Addresses + Terminal on the Square are swept on Wednesday and Odd Addresses are swept on Thursday Please be mindful of this and remove any vehicles parked on the public roadways to give the street sweepers full access to the curbs/streets.
PLEASE NOTE: There will be instances when all addresses are handled on one day, and we will not be given advance notice of this nor which day. To that affect, there will also be months where we will have to be skipped entirely – this will happen to all areas of Norfolk, not just Ghent Square. Any questions, comments, or concerns regarding street sweeping must be directed towards the City of Norfolk by calling Norfolk Cares at (757) 664-6510. For street sweeping details, visit norfolk.gov/2658/Street-Sweeping.
As a reminder, the public roadways that the City sweeps include:
Boissevain Avenue – Botetourt Gardens – Colonial Avenue – DeBree Avenue – Llewellyn Avenue – Mowbray Arch – W Olney Road – W Princess Anne Road – Raleigh Avenue – Shirley Road – Westover Avenue
Dear Community Manager
DEAR COMMUNITY MANAGER: My neighbor is always smoking in his backyard. I can’t open my windows or hang out there with my child because it always smells like smoke. What can I do? — ANNOYED IN A GHENT SQUARE TOWNHOME
DEAR ANNOYED: While Ghent Square residents are allowed to smoke on their property, maybe you could work something out with the neighbors where they don’t smoke at certain times, such as when your child is playing outside.
Perhaps you can knock on their door and introduce yourself. Calmly but matter of factly say that when they smoke in their backyard, you aren’t able to have your windows or back door open when it is nice outside and you were wondering if they would be willing to compromise.
Perhaps they could smoke during even hours (noon, 14:00, 16:00, 18:00, etc.) and you could be assured no smoke would enter your home with your door open. They may not only agree to this, but may apologize and thank you for being so kind about it.
And in the spirit of cooperation and appreciation, if they ever have a get together or party, you can tell them they could smoke and not worry about the agreement while they had guests over.
In all fairness here, many times smokers simply do not think their smoke is bothering someone. It is such a natural and common smell to them, they lose sensitivity to the smell and i often does not occur to them at all how irritating the smell is to others.
If you are polite, not demanding and offer a solution or compromise, many people will be happy to try and accommodate their neighbours.
DEAR COMMUNITY MANAGER: People walk their dogs by my property and don’t pick up their dog’s excrement. It’s so gross and inconsiderate. What can I do? — TIRED OF THIS SHIH-TZU
DEAR TIRED OF THIS SHIH-TZU: I want to say thank you to everyone who has been conscientious in the removal of their pet’s poo when walking dogs in Ghent Square. Dog owners who clean up after their pets are so appreciated. The City of Norfolk has an ordinance against any dog, cat or other domestic animal running at large and not supervised or constrained by a leash or fence. Also, per the ordinance, a person having control of the animal must immediately remove the material defecated and disposes of it in a safe and sanitary manner. If you witness the violation of this ordinance, please contact Norfolk Animal Control at 757-441-5610.
If you have a concern regarding Ghent Square, please send it to lrattan@communitygroup.com.
Streetlights are out again?!
If you see a streetlight that’s not working, please call Dominion Energy at (866) 366-4357. They’re responsible for the repair of all streetlights and watchlights in the City of Norfolk.
If the streetlight behind your house is on Ghent Square property, it’s probably a watchlight, and only the community manager can report that.
When reporting streetlight or watchlight problems, please provide the full pole numbers (tags found on the pole, ex: N0### XX###). If there are no indicators or they are not legible, you can them on the Ghent Square Streetligh Map located at https://ghentsquare.net/streetlights.
Neighbors are encouraged to report streetlight outages to Dominion Energy promptly. Please do not wait for management to return to the office. Anyone may report a streetlight outage.
Let’s Get Connected
Who wants to have some fun in Ghent Square? We need people who want to have fun and lead the fun. We currently have yoga classes, mah jong, and two book clubs scheduled in the clubhouse. Let us know if you’d like to organize an event for kids or adults. Share your hobby with your neighbors! Contact us if you’re interested leading some fun!
What is TownSq?
If you’re looking for Ghent Square documents such as the Board Meeting minutes, you can find them by logging into your TownSq account. That’s also the place you where you can look up your account balance, reserve the clubhouse, or find your neighbor’s contact information. If you have a TownSq account, you’ll also receive messages and reminders from your community manager. Go to www.ghentsquare.net and click on the green TownSq button at top of the page to log in.
Learn more about your community and find information about Ghent Square at www.ghentsquare.net. If you still have questions or have suggestions, feel free to call Lori Rattan, the community manager, at 757-627-5757 or send an email to lrattan@communitygroup.com.