Friends and Neighbors of Freedom Park Neighborhood
The primary objective of this email is to increase neighborhood awareness of an outstanding request that has been submitted to the City of Charlotte Water Quality Department. They are reviewing a request to bypass a city ordinance that is in place to protect water quality and wildlife habitat in our neighborhood.
On Idlewood Circle , there is a plot of land that is land locked with no street access. The lot has NO existing home, is fully wooded, and has a significant grade dropping directly to Dairy Branch creek. The creek runs through the lot which means most of the lot is protected by a 1999 city ordinance called the "SWIM buffer." The ordinance is meant to prevent new construction near bodies of water in an effort to protect water quality, control storm water volume, and maintain aquatic and wildlife habitats.
The ordinance allows for exceptions when there are legitimate, and sometimes not so legitimate reasons. If this request is approved, this lot along with others in our neighborhood can be cleared to make way for construction of more than one new home, in an area where only one house originally stood. On this specific lot, only one of the new homes will have direct street access, the other new home(s) will be positioned in the rear of the lot behind houses, with long driveway for street access.
What does this mean for you?
As we all know, our neighborhood's location near center city is desirable. Sometimes residential developers come up with creative ideas allowing them to unnecessarily profit from our location. In our surrounding area, we've all seen one house torn down to make way for the construction of multiple houses, where only one house originally stood and would be the norm. This decision next week will further expose the neighborhood to the risk of unnecessary residential infill. You can influence the decision!
The Water Quality Department has indicated that no request like this has ever been submitted for our area, so this will set a dangerous precedent for the future.It could clear the way on Idlewood, Cumberland and Clayton for future development of 2 or 3 houses on lots where one house stands now.
There is a chance this request will be approved, however the Water Quality Department has indicated that neighborhood preferences and comments will be taken into account during the review process. They indicated the best method of influencing the process is by receiving a large number of comments from the neighborhood. Comments are due June 30, 2008!
Please consider the following action:
If you would like the department to deny the request and enforce the SWIM buffer ordinance please contact them. Your efforts NOW will help to preserve water quality in Dairy Branch creek and maintain the habitat for our urban wildlife. Additionally, you will be strengthening our neighborhood's protection against future unnecessary residential development and maintaining the character of our neighborhood.
Your request should include the following:
Your name, address and information/reasons supporting your preference for denial of the SWIM buffer request at 2665 Idlewood Circle .
The reasons to deny are ultimately your own; however the following should be taken into consideration.
· Not disturbing the existing natural tree canopy and vegetation within the SWIM buffer provides the greatest protection to the creek and is the best mitigation plan for water quality risk.
- Construction of more than one home in the area increases water run off and pollutants to the creek.
- Removal of the trees and vegetation, the natural creek barrier, and installation of long concrete driveways increases storm water run off, which in turn increases risk of flooding.
- The current proposal to construct more than one home has the most significant impact to the SWIM buffer. If more than one home is a non-negotiable for the developer profit, the footprint of the new homes should be planned in areas that minimize SWIM buffer impact.
- Removal of the forest will displace wildlife.
- There will be a negative impact to neighborhood property values.
- The character in Dilworth, Myers Park , and Freedom park neighborhoods isn't maintained by building houses two deep with only one on house the street front.
Please email your denial request to John McCulloch and Rusty Rozzelle with the Charlotte Water Quality Department.
john.mcculloch@mecklenburgcountync.gov Rusty.Rozzelle@MecklenburgCountyNC.gov
Alternatively, you may mail your denial request to:
John McCulloch
Rusty Rozzelle
Water Quality Department
700 N. Tryon Street
Suite 20 5
Charlotte NC 28202
Please contact me with any questions and especially if you have other ideas to mitigate the risk.
Remember, comments are due JUNE 30 which is next MONDAY!
I also expect there will be neighbors who are in support of this, and I will be glad to hear from you as well. Again, my primary objective is to increase awareness of upcoming decisions.
Thanks in advance for your support,
Brad Fleming
704-340-1524
