Homeowners representing 53 households (about one-fifth of the neighborhood) attended the 90-minute meeting held July 25th at Eastbridge Presbyterian Church. The overall tone of the meeting was friendly and constructive. Residents generally seemed pleased with the neighborhood, the Board and management.

Association President Bob Lang presided and announced that he would not seek a fourth term as President but would remain on the Board. The Board presented him with an engraved clock in recognition of his service. The Board also presented Lang's wife, Grace, with a potted plant in appreciation for supporting her husband's efforts the past three years.

Later, elections were held to fill three open seats on the nine-member Board. William Ray, who has been serving as chairman of our Architectural Review Committee, was re-elected to another term. Two newcomers were elected: Sheila Anderson and Fletcher Pilling. Rounding out the Board are Gary Jaster, Dick Clarke, Carol Kennedy, Chris Morrell and Robin Richardson.

Gary Brown, a longtime Board member who has been serving as Treasurer, announced he was leaving the Board to spend more time with his family. Byron Burdette, who helped shape our new covenant enforcement policy with his constructive criticism, came up short in his bid to win another term. Both members will be missed.

Board terms are for three years. Office positions for the 2006-07 year will be decided by vote at a regular Board meeting in August. The results of that meeting will be posted on this Web site.

Highlights from the Annual meeting:

• Jason Smallwood of Avtex Commercial Properties Inc., the developer of the Market at Oakland shopping complex planned across Highway 17, displayed some renderings and spoke briefly about the project. He said the only signed tenants besides Wal-Mart are two banks, Wachovia and Carolina First. He said there will be lots of restaurants, including possibly Olive Garden. Construction on the Wal-Mart SuperCenter is scheduled to start later this year with an opening planned in 2007.
• Jim Wilson of Odessa Management, the company that manages our neighborhood, presented budget statements and said we're in good financial shape even though a handful of residents still haven't paid their fees for this year. Wilson didn't indicate whether or not he would recommend an increase in our association fee (currently $150 per year) for 2007. The Board will address that matter later this year.
• Wilson said residents overwhelmingly are complying with the new covenant enforcement policy that the Board adopted in March. He added that Odessa is working hard to get compliance from the "4 to 6 percent" who habitually buck the system. Residents who are parking boats in their yards or driveways are getting particular attention, he said.
• Home values continue to increase in Ivy Hall, but the rate of increase is down from last year (12.7 percent compared to 27.3 percent in 2004-05) and homes are taking four times longer to sell (60 days compared to just 15 days a year ago). The average price per square foot of a home sold in the past 12 months is $171, according the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors. The increasing home values are a credit to homeowners and the Association for maintaining the fine look of the neighborhood.
• We're still probably a year away from getting a traffic light at our entrance, but the town definitely has us on its light installation schedule. The intersection of Highway 17 and Porcher's Bluff likely will get a traffic light before we do because of its closer proximity to the new Wal-Mart.
• Town planners have given the Board a green light to pursue plans to re-do our entrance. Our 12-year-old stucco monument sign and accompanying walls are showing their age. The Board is looking at installing angled walls at the corners of our entrance so that our neighborhood is easily visible from both northbound and southbound lanes on Highway 17.
• Two residential projects on Gregorie Ferry Road are under way. About 40 single family homes are set to go up on a parcel behind the back end of Seaborn Drive. The homes are expected to look much like those in Laurel Grove. The neighborhood will connect to Ivy Hall via a sidewalk on the vacant lot on Seaborn Drive. The other project backs up to the Morningdale Drive "loop" and will consist of about 40-50 townhomes. The project currently is in limbo while the developer works out drainage issues with Laurel Hill Plantation. The Board will continue to keep a close eye on both projects and keep residents informed as necessary.
• Some residents expressed concern about seeing surveyors this summer along the outside of Morningdale Drive near the storage facility. At this time, it is unknown what type of development -- if any -- is planned for the area. But when we find out, we will pass the information to you. 
• In addition to the two banks planned in Market at Oakland, two banks are coming to our side of the highway in front of Laurel Grove -- SunTrust and First National. So it looks like Ivy Hall will be in the vicinity of a "banking hub" in Mt. Pleasant.
• Our neighborhood drainage ponds are doing well, according to the pond specialist who inspects and treats them twice a month. But he says we could use more rain.
• Property owners were reminded that they are responsible for maintaining their mailboxes (click here for repainting information); mowing their grass all the way to the water's edge if their home backs up to a pond; mowing the grass between the sidewalk and the curb if their home has a sidewalk in front of it; installing fences with the "nice" side facing out; and, most importantly, submitting an ARC form before doing any changes to the exterior of their home or property.
• Carol Kennedy, chairman of our Welcoming Committee, said she's given out 18 welcome packages to new owners during the past year. Anyone interested in helping greet new property owners are asked to contact Carol via info@ivyhall.org.
• Over the next year, the Board will look to make improvements to our common area (new benches, new surfacing of the walking path, etc.) and beautify our streets signs (straighten existing signs, replace metal posts with wooden ones, etc.).
• The Board is always looking for volunteers to help make Ivy Hall a better place. Please contact us if you want to help. THANK YOU!