Nine neighborhoods have been awarded grant funding from the James City Clean County Commission to be used toward sustainable beautification projects.
Each year the commission is granted $5,000 from the James City County Board of Supervisors to award to neighborhoods throughout the county. For this year’s funding, all of the neighborhoods that applied will receive up to $500, said Dawn Oleksy, the county’s environmental coordinator.
The grant was once used to pay for non-neighborhood specific projects like revitalizing entryways to the county, setting up new signs and installing park benches; however, the commission has since turned to more sustainable projects, she said.
“It’s a great way to support the neighborhoods,” she said.
The neighborhoods and projects are as follows:
- The Braemar Creek Homeowners Association will plant native shade trees along two main streets in the neighborhood to reduce the heat island affect and reduce energy use in the summer
- The Deer Run Homeowners Association will resurface an existing walking path and extend it
- Governor’s Land Adopt-an-Island members will renovate two neighborhood entryways to boost curb appeal and help with water drainage
- The Greensprings Plantation Homeowners Association will install sustainable landscaping on Centerville Road
- The Holly Ridge Homeowners Association will plant native plants, walkways and benches in a common area
- The Lake Powell Forest Homeowners Association will improve the neighborhood’s walking trail to reduce stormwater runoff into nearby waters
- The Villages of Westminster Homeowners Association will renovate median islands with native plants tolerant of droughts
- The Villas at Five Forks Homeowners Association will install a drain and correct erosion problems on the neighborhood’s walking trail
- The Williamsburg Village at Norge Homeowners Association will fix barren common areas causing soil erosion and get rid of a red ant infestation via hydroseeding
The application period for next year’s grant begins Aug. 1. The clean county commission is appointed by the supervisors and comprised of volunteers.