Madison Park

Minutes of the July 11th Madison Park HOA Meeting

Jul 14, 2005

MINUTES OF MADISON PARK HOMEOWNER'S
NEIGHBORHOOD
ASSOCIATION

July 11, 2005
www.neighborhoodlink.com

Madison Park

28210
Meetings always the 2nd Monday of each month. Martin Doss, President,
called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m.
(Remember doors always open at 7:00 p.m. for 1/2 of social time)

CRIME STATISTICS AND ISSUES:

Westover Division - Officer Hairston (From May, 2005)

1. 4601 Halstead Dr. - Theft from vehicle
2. 1314 Drexmore Ave. - Fraud - suspect used victim's Wachovia
check-card
3. 810 Seneca Place - Damage to Property - Auto window was shot out with
a pellet or BB gun
4. 1100 Seneca Place - Hit & Run
5. 4700 Gilmore Dr. - Crimes Against Nature - Hispanic male asked person
for sex
6. 901 Stanfield Dr. - Harassing Phone calls - suspect also came to
victim's home
7. 5024 Baylor Dr. - Fraud - Suspect used victim's VISA check card

South Division - Officer Monroe (From June 2005)

1. 2200 Tyvola Dr. - Hit & run - Victim states he was run off the road
after being stuck by another vehicle, causing damage to property.


SAFE SPEED CHARLOTTE - Charlotte's Photographic Speed Enforcement Program
Presented by Captain David Haggist, Highway Interdiction Traffic Safety
Unit

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for ages 3 through 33.
Every minute a person is killed in an auto. Magnitude of the problem is
huge. Speeding is a factor in more than 25% of crashes in Mecklenburg
County. Speed limit signs are not mere suggestions. CDOT Traffic Safety
has identified 14 corridors where speed related crashes occur the most. On
our side of town, they include South Blvd. and Billy Graham. On these
corridors, lasers are used to determine your speed. A camera takes a
picture of your license plate if you are exceeding the speed limit and you
(or the registered owner of the vehicle) receive a $50 citation within a
week. Captain Haggist said he allows 5 miles over a speed limit before he
considers issuing the citation. Citations are sent by certified mail.
They do no affect your insurance & no DMV points are accessed.

There are warning signs showing the speed limit with another sign saying
"photo enforced". There are billboards along South Blvd. explaining the
warnings and using the slogan, "SPEED A LITTLE, LOSE A LOT".

SAFE SPEED does not generate revenue for the City. It is self funding.
Citations pay all operating costs. It also does not replace police
officers. It supplements current speed enforcement initiatives and holds
drivers accountable. It saves tax dollars by using technology instead of
police officers.

Safe Light by Charlotte Transportation is an entirely different program
using different technology for taking photos of red light runners.

TRAFFIC HOT-LINE is 704-432-2120 for reporting aggressive or problem
driving or go to http://cmpd.org & click on "hits".

ALIVE AT 55 is another program designed to help those older than 55 years
old be more effective drivers as they age.


BARRED OWLS
Presentation by: Rob Bierregaard, A Professor at UNCC

Rob told us about the barred owl's habitat and how he has tracked where
they live in our area. They nest very close to humans up in the tops of
trees. They need old growth trees which are tall enough to build their
nests in like the trees in our neighborhood. Rob has in fact tracked owls
in our neighborhood. Suburban Charlotte is a very good habitat for the
barred owls. They eat mice, rats, birds & gold fish from your back yard
pond. They are nocturnal so it may be hard to catch a glimpse of these
owls.


QUEENS UNIVERSITY SPORTS COMPLEX
Lorie Guy, VP of Administration and Operations at the University attended
with Victor Jones of Jenkins Perry Architects and Jennifer at Rogers
Builders to give us an update on the progress of the Sports Complex. They
showed us the plans on a large board.

Our neighborhood association had sent a letter, drafted by former
President, Ted Peters, to the President of Queens University requesting
this update and expressing concern over several issues which were not
clear.

Architect Victor Jones gave us the update. Phase 1 includes the mass
grading which has mostly been completed. The challenge has been clearing
as few trees as possible. Concern was expressed about the retention ponds
not working to trap all of the runoff. The contractor is reworking these
basins because we've had more rain than was anticipated. The runoff will
discharge above the flood plain and not into the creek.

Their priority is the championship soccer field which they expect to
complete by the end of August. Some of the parking and sidewalks
associated with this field will be completed in Sept. Phase 1 also
includes the adaptive use field and a practice soccer field with a track
around it. Initially the plans called for a loop road behind the Marion
Diehl Center. This has now changed. Now the road won't continue in a
through pattern to prevent a traffic cut-through. Also, the DOT has said
NO to a traffic light at the complex. Lorie said they will resubmit this
request again.

The entire park will be built over a period of 10 YEARS. Queens also has
a track team so later, there will be a cross country running trail that
will be 5-6 miles in length in the wooded area around the perimeter of the
complex. This will be a dirt trail and will be from 6 1/2 feet to 16 feet
wide depending on the location along the trail. They will be careful to
take out a bare minimum number of trees in building this trail. There will
also be an asphalt paved trail maybe 1/2 mile in length behind the champion
soccer field.

Later, the plans call for a baseball field for which Queens doesn't yet
have a team in place. A concern about the retaining wall on one side of
this field was expressed. The topography is so uneven at this location
that the retaining wall would be necessary to keep runoff out of the creek.
Victor said that this retaining wall has not been designed yet but he
guessed may be 8 or 10 feet tall. Concern was that it wouldn't look good
to the neighbors in the Keystone Court area. Victor said he was sure it
would be landscaped so that it would be attractive and blend in with the
natural habitat such as planting ivy at the base of the wall. Tennis
courts will also be built in a later phase because the University has
courts to use at their current location.


NATIONAL NIGHT OUT STREET PARTY! - TUESDAY, AUGUST 2, 2005 at 7 p.m.
Location is on Murry Hill between Lamont and Wedgewood Drive. The street
will be blocked off to through traffic. Plan on attending to enjoy ice
cream, lemonade and watermelon. You might even meet some new neighbors!
Thanks to all the Murry Hill residents that signed the petition allowing us
to use there stretch of the road! This is a national event celebrating
safe neighborhoods so come out and participate for Madison Park.


TREASURY REPORT - Dee McCandlish reported having $480.43 in the bank with
83 paid members. Dues are $10 per calendar year per family. You can also
sign up on our neighborhood website and mail your $10 dollars to Dee at the
address on our site www.neighborhoodlink.com Madison Park 28210.


WELCOME to our new members! Thank you for attending and participating.

Our meeting was adjourned.

Submitted by Cheryl Furr, Secretary


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