Madison Park

Madison Park HOA 9/8/08 Meeting

Sep 11, 2008

Madison Park HOA 9/08/08
www.neighborhoodlink.com 28210
Madison Park HOA


Welcome . Meeting called to order at 7:30pm. 30 people in attendance, plus one officer and two speakers

Crime Stats Westover Police Dept, given by Officer Lim:
?• 4500 block of Wentworth. Residential B&E
?• 700 block of Gentry- theft from vehicle. Access gained through an open window
?• 500 block of Prentice- tag stolen from vehicle
?• 5800 block of Murrayhill- residential B&E. TV taken
?• 800 block of Fairbanks- residential B&E. Computer stolen.
?• 5400 block of Valley Forge- theft from motor vehicle. Loose change stolen
?• 4500 block of Wentworth. Unknown person entered house and fell asleep on couch during night
?• 1200 block of Barclays- drug bust, arrests made.
Officer Lim wants us to be on the lookout for any suspicious groups juveniles- if anything looks suspicious, call 911.

Zoning Enforcement Donald Moore
?• There have been a couple of problems with home-based businesses in Madison Park recently- one house on Milford and one house on Tyvola
?• You are allowed to have an owner-occupied business, but it cannot change the character of the neighborhood (business cannot be more than 25% of the house, cannot increase traffic, cannot ?“look?” like a business)
?• The zoning ordinance is posted on our website at http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/charlotte/madisonpk/genpage/723118353.html
?• Donald Moore is working on getting the two violations stopped.
?• Other problems recently in Madison Park are satellite dishes (they are not allowed in the front yard) and portable storage containers (such as PODS).
A resident asked about a house on Londonderry- there has been a portapotty and a construction dumpster parked outside the house for a while. Donald Moore offered to take a look.


Mike Fleming, Guest Speaker
In Support of Charlotte/Mecklenburg Wipe Out Waste Program
Composting Presentation- ?“Composting is Easy?”
Mike Fleming lives in Madison Park and is a master composter
?• Why compost?
?• Saves you money (compost can replace expensive fertilizer
?• Keeps useful materials out of the landfill
?• Improve the health of your lawn and garden
?• Improves the water retention in soil
?• About 75% of household waste can either be recycled or composted
?• How to compost
?• There are several types of bins (tumblers, plastic bins, wooden bins, wire bins)
?• Put the bin convenient to the kitchen and hose
?• Compost should be made of 30 parts brown matter (leaves, paper) to 1 part green matter (food scraps, grass clippings) plus water.
?• What to do with compost- add it to lawns, plant beds, houseplants to add nutrients and improve the soil
?• For more information, you can contact Mike Fleming at mf8@bellsouth.net
1. Some resources: http://www.howtocompost.org/cat/education.asp, : www.cra-recycle.org , Easy Composting, Ortho Books



Code Enforcement updates

900 Dent Place made some improvements since the last meeting. Neighborhood residents are pleased with the improvements. Inspector Kirk Young was mistaken that the housing case had been closed out.

1813 Tyvola was secured again by the police, code enforcement, and contractors. The homeless have broken in the rear at least three times. Neighbors were alerted by the police to call 911 if they see anyone around the home again. The actual owner has still not been located.


Community University
Fall Classes are enrolling now!

Community University is a neighborhood capacity building program dedicated to providing high quality training to Charlotte residents to improve the strength and vitality of neighborhood organizations and the overall quality of community life. The courses are intended to engage, inform, and equip participants with the training and assistance needed to help them improve and maintain their communities. All Community University courses are FREE and open to Charlotte residents.

This fall there are several new courses including inside the Quality of Life Study. The course is 10/8/08 (Wed) Inside the Quality of Life Study at Morrison Regional Library 7015 Morrison Boulevard. From 6:30pm-8:30pm. Find out about all the classes and the dates for the course by visiting this link. We also have them all posted on our discussion pages.
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Neighborhood+Dev/Sustain+Neighborhoods/Community+University/CU+Training+Descriptions.htm#HOT


Queens Sport Complex Update
Update: Provided my Mallory C. Benz Assistant Director for Media and Public relations Queens University of Charlotte.
Queens has completed the construction drawings for the new Welcome Center and Field House and has submitted them to the city for permitting. Queens also plans to start construction on these two facilities in September and be completed by July 2009.

President Doss contacted Mallory directly (week of 9/5/08) with the concerns of the resident regarding the Field House that were mentioned in the August 11, 2008 minutes. Queens responded Mr. Nichols would get back the following week when he returned from vacation.. As of the meeting his has not heard anything. UPDATE: Mr Nichols from Queens will be doing a site walk with President Doss in the near future.

Telephone Pole Down at Fairbanks Road and Farmbrook
A Farmbrook resident reported at telephone pole and street light had been down on Fairbanks to President Doss. This person had contacted Duke twice, but the pole remained in the corner yard. President Doss contacted Sandy Wise and Chip Gallup with CDOT. Chip request Duke Energy look into the problem. President Doss also entered the pole down online. Lighting Repair (DPEC-7HWQNT) .

He was told repair crews will make an initial assessment and will complete routine lighting repairs, such as lamp replacements, within three business days. More complex repairs, including underground cable repair, may take longer and will be scheduled accordingly. Please refer to this identification number 4863838 for this transaction if you have questions.

There is a link on our web site for reporting street lights out. This is the link.
http://mdenote1.duke-energy.com/custweb/customerservice.nsf/LightRepairPriority?OpenForm

When reporting street lights provide the best location information possible. Also Duke Energy requests you tie a bright ribbon to the pole to alert the repair crew to the correct pole. This really helps when it is just a light out. In this case the entire pole was broken at ground level. The pole has been replaced and a new light put back on it.

Residents at the HOA meeting reported the Stop sign is missing. You can call this type thing in to 311. President Doss reported it directly to CDOT.

Tyvola Lynx Station Request
President Doss contacted Mr. Keith Parker, Chief Executive Officer for Charlotte Area Transit System, asking if there was any chance of getting some benches placed next to the elevators, or possibly some potted trees on the Tyvola Road Platform. The heat is brutal most days in the summer making any wait miserable on that platform. This is the only station where shelter does not cover any of the benches. He did this after noting people cluster in front of fare machines looking for shade. He also noted a few riders dangerously sit some days on the platforms, on shaded sides of the elevators, with their feet dangling into the platform track bed. That is a violation in itself to sit within so many feet of the edge of the platform..
Mr. Parker responded the following,
?“Martin- I?’m forwarding your note to key CATS staff to evaluate. We will respond back to your shortly.
Thanks, Keith.
Tyvola Rail Road Crossing CDOT Feedback
Refer to Minutes Madison Park 7/14/08
Chip Gallup, CDOT, sent another message to their railroad contact on 8/28/08. He reported that a motorcyclist said it was hazardous. Please advise and thanks?…It is the at grade track (not the LYNX)?…
Marty:
Glad you wrote back in. My original trail ended here. Perhaps Jimmy (our railroad contact) knows how to get this repaired. It appears that is not in CATS purview?…
President Doss followed up since he had not heard anything back or seen any improvements.

Murrayhill Road Sidewalk Update
Residents,
I am writing briefly to let you know that the City is still evaluating the Murrayhill Road Sidewalk Project. Staff expects to be able to provide information on the project to residents by the middle of September.

I am emailing a number of residents that I have emails for. If you know of others interested in this project, if you would inform them that staff expects to have information to everyone by the middle of September and that we are still reviewing the project.

Thank you for your comments and participation in this process.

Vivian Coleman
Pedestrian Program Manager
Charlotte Department of Transportation
600 East Fourth Street

Montclaire Board Member Message
Alice Hayes sent the following message on 8/14/08
Hey there Marty,
Can't believe it's been over a week since NNO. I wanted to send congrats on a great party. Looks like you also had a good turnout... as usual! Anyway, thanks for inviting Montclaire.
~ Alice




Ready North Carolina
Prepare Now for Emergencies
The Ready North Carolina campaign provides North Carolinians with the information you need to prepare for all types of emergencies. President Doss added a link on our web site home page. http://readync.org/
Treasury Report Sue Valentine-Plyler- we currently have $731.51 in the bank. We are waiting on the last check from the city for our matching grant for National Night Out, the grant can then be closed out. Please pay your dues now! Payments made now can count for 2009. You can mail a check to: Madison Park HOA, 5026 Currituck Dr, Charlotte 28210.
Open Discussion/Concerns/ Issues.
Andy Henson- a new member- he just opened the restaurant Andrew Blair?’s on Montford. It?’s a locally owned, family friendly restaurant- check it out.
Adjournment