Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association

Newsletter Jan 2004

Notes from Cate

MONAnewsletter Jan2004
Mark Your Calendars Now!
2004 General Meeting Schedule January 15, May 20 and Sept. 16
\Cate’s Commentary
Once again, the deadline for the newsletter has arrived and I’m just now sitting down at my computer to write my article. I have the best intentions of getting my letter in early but many things come up at the last minute that always seem to hinder my plans.
My inspiration for this note to you came as I was driving to Florida to visit my parents. A quote from Walt Disney filled the airwaves as I neared Orlando: “You can dream, create, design, and build the most wonderful place in the world, but it requires people to make that dream a reality.”
I believe the first step to living in a clean, safe and well-maintained neighborhood is being considerate of others. I have often witnessed cars speeding down my street and I think to myself, “this must not be anyone living in my neighborhood.” How would this person feel if I sped through his neighborhood? And, when I see the trash and grocery carts strewn around Merry Oaks, I feel like loading up my car and delivering it to the person’s neighborhood who left it here for me! I am amazed at the disregard people have for our neighborhood. They must be visitors, right? After all, we live here by choice and we all love Merry Oaks. Right? We value a sense of community and enjoy interacting with our neighbors and take pride in a place whose name just makes one happy to say.
Many times as I walk my dog, Apollo, in our neighborhood, I see substantial deposits from someone’s dog, left in one of my neighbor’s front yard or right in the middle of the sidewalk. I wonder what was the person thinking as their dog was relieving itself in the middle of our Merry Oaks sidewalk? Then it came to me. This is not someone from a different neighborhood who was being inconsiderate; it was one of my neighbors.
Perhaps dog poop and trash is not the end of the world but its important to the life of this community to be considerate to others. It’s about the person at the checkout at the Harris Teeter who empties his basket and leaves it for you to pick it up. It’s about the person who leaves the grocery cart in the middle of the parking lot for it to roll and ding your car. It’s about all of us and how the things we do affect those around us.
It is important to remember that as a neighborhood we’re all in this together. It is important and considerate to do the little things like picking up your trash even though the garbage truck did a lousy job emptying your trash can. It is inconsiderate to leave oversized trash items out for weeks without calling for a special pick-up. It is considerate to maintain the visual beauty and residential character of our neighborhood.
I don’t believe that we are too busy and too important to be considerate of others. In 2004 I am going to fight this battle by paying it forward. If you haven’t seen that movie, it’s time to rent it. Do something good for your neighbor and someone will do something good for you.
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season and is settling into the new year well. Happy New Year Merry Oaks! Pay it Forward in 2004!

Neighborhood News and Updates

Neighborhood News and Updates
Street Lights
Our neighborhood will get new street lights in three phases, beginning with Merry Oaks Road and Flynnwood Drive in the next month. No new poles or digging of any kind is required. Only the lamps will be replaced. Thanks to Nancy Pierce Shaver and Joyce Weaver for collecting the 75% resident signatures required for this.
Draper Avenue will be next and will probably require new poles. Call Nancy at 704-535-7409 if you can help gather signatures, probably during March. This is not a “petition”. Duke Power and the City requires that 75% of the residents be informed of the work before it can be done. Hopefully they will get to phase three, Arnold Drive, by the spring.
The new lamps will be 150 watt (16,000 lumen) high pressure sodium lights that will focus downward, lighting the street more but cutting down on glare and light pollution. The existing ones are 175 watt (7500 lumen) mercury vapor.
The contact person at Duke is Doug Warren, 704-382-6382.
Merry Oaks-to-Plaza Midwood Connectivity Project
Design is complete. The City has purchased Charlotte Country Club property necessary for the project. Two homes have been removed to make way for the trail and new road. You can view the area by walking or driving down Logie Street. Mid block, on your left, you will see where a home has been removed where Roland Avenue will be extended down to Logie. At the very end of Logie on the right, a home has been removed to make way for the path that will extend down to the Briar Creek Greenway. You can also view this from the end of Masonic Drive. While you’re at it, continue to the end of Masonic and view the Country Club’s new irrigation pond. Construction on the Connectivity Project will begin this Spring and should be complete by the end of the year.
City Project Manager Christy Wenzel,
704-336-7367 or cwenzel@ci.charlotte.nc.us

Briar Creek Greenway
View the proposed design on January 27
Design is nearly complete for this several acre creek-based park and trail. The park entrance and trail head will be on Arnold Drive. You can see the county-owned property on the right at you go toward Central after passing Harbinger Court. The County also owns two flood-prone homes on Harbinger Court which will be removed for the park, as well as several acres on both sides of the creek. The park will feature a bridge over Briar Creek, and together with the City’s Merry Oaks-to-Plaza Midwood connectivity project, will provide a natural area and walking path between the two neighborhoods. The County will show us its design plans for the greenway on January 27. Time and Place TBD.
Lee Jenson (District II Park Planner)
704-336-7694 or jensorl@co.mecklenburg.nc.us

Merry Oaks Campus Park
The old school has been torn down and construction of an athletic field and playgrounds is underway. This has occurred without input from the neighborhood regarding integrating it with our park plans, as had been promised by CMS and the Park and Recreation Department. Park Planner Lee Jenson is currently working with CMS to resolve this issue. The County still has the money for a neighborhood park on the campus, and hopefully this can be used to purchase some additional acreage adjacent to the campus and provide at least two more walkable access points from the neighborhood to the park, as well as develop additional park amenities.
Lee Jenson (District II Park Planner)
704 336-7694 or jensorl@co.mecklenburg.nc.us

Neighborhood Improvement Project
Merry Oaks Landscaping is packaged with two other City landscaping projects. Unfortunately this package was recently delayed a month due to a complication in one of the other projects. The package is now scheduled to be awarded to a contractor in early January.
Neighborhood Improvement Project
Merry Oaks Landscaping is packaged with two other City landscaping projects. Unfortunately this package was recently delayed a month due to a complication in one of the other projects. The package is now scheduled to be awarded to a contractor in early January.
Actual installation of the landscaping should begin between late January and early March depending on how the contractor sequences work on the three projects. Street trees will be planted at the Aztec Apartments on Arnold Drive and on Flynnwood, Graybark, Draper, and Logie. These will be in the City right-of-way but property owners are responsible for long-term maintenance. Two outside corners of the round-about (the school side of Draper at Merry Oaks) will be landscaped with decorative shrubs and trees. The property owners on the other two corners declined City landscaping. A tree and shrubs will also be planted in the circle itself. Vines will be planted in City right of way near a chain link fence at Merry Oaks and Flynnwood Drive.
Construction of the concrete islands in the traffic circle will proceed shortly after the landscaping is finished. Design plans for the islands are complete, but I have held up the project to avoid creating conflicts with the landscaping contractor.
The six-month warranty inspection took place December 5. The inspection team identified many items requiring repair, mostly small cracks in the curbs, sidewalks and driveway aprons. The rip rap will be reset in a creek on Flynnwood Drive.
Todd Thorne,
City of Charlotte Project Manager
Central Avenue Streetscape
We are set to complete the construction on Phase III, Eastway to Morningside, before January 15th, weather permitting. Bellsouth is now controlling the schedule as they have to get their services off a couple of poles before we can complete the curb.
Landscaping for Phases I and II (Eastway to Sharon Amity) should start installation in March and be completed by May or June, depending on the weather. Phase III may be added to this schedule but it may be next planting season before Phase III can be done.
Trees to be planted include Purpleblow Maples, which grow to 20-25 feet, and Nuttall Oaks, which grow 50-75 feet. Both have orange and red fall foliage and are resistant to disease.
Decorative lighting will be installed at all controlled intersections. How many and their exact locations are yet to be determined.
City Project Manager Keith Carpenter, 704-336-3650 or kcarpenter@ci.charlotte.nc.us
Neighbor’s Corner
Reminders
Christmas tree recycling
If you haven’t done so already, remember you can set your Christmas tree out for recycling so the city can turn it in to mulch. The city is asking residents to cut the trees in half this year and leave them by your curb. If the tree is taller than 5 feet, yard waste rules would require it be cut to that length or less anyway.
Make sure all tinsel and decorations are removed, and that you’ve taken off the tree stand. (Sure, that’s obvious, but this time of year, we all need reminders). If you don’t have a saw to cut it in half, check with a neighbor for help.
You could also compost it yourself, or leave it in a “natural area” in the back yard to provide shelter for birds. Just remember that any shelter that provides haven for birds may also attract raccoons, voles or other wildlife you might not want to harbor.
Bulky trash items
You must contact the City to pick up bulky trash items that will not fit into your roll-out container. You are not supposed to put these things on your curb until the day before the pick-up is scheduled. If you put bulky trash on your curb without first calling the City, you could be fined. At the least, you will anger your neighbors and one of them will have to take the time to call once they get tired of looking at your trash. The number is: 704-336-2673. To report tall grass, junky yards or junk cars, call 704-336-7600.
Comments from neighbors
Dogs are still being let out to run the neighborhood. I think there is a leash law. We get a lot of barking from our fenced dogs by dogs coming up on the driveway and around the house...They go nuts and I imagine it irritates some of our close neighbors. Evidently people think if they let the dogs out in the darkness it won’t hurt anything.
Bennie McCaskill

Even though we did not add lights to the outside of our home for the holidays, it was great to see so many of our neighbors that did. It makes our neighborhood seem more like a “homey neighborhood”.
Debbie Reid
MONA Day 2003
MONA day 2003 on October 4 was a great success. The weather was perfect for the yard sales and the picnic. We even managed to get the street blocked off. There were about 50 neighbors in attendance along with a few politicians. Desserts were, by far, the most popular dish to bring, and all very delicious! Thanks to Patty Perkins the hamburgers and hotdogs were expertly grilled. Thank you to Donna Howard Peters who collected signatures to block off the street. The vote is in and we are planning the next one the end of September 2004. It’s a great way to celebrate living in Merry Oaks! If you are interested in organizing/helping, please contact Cate. cate1868@yahoo.com
Cate Martin

Neighborhood Advocacy

Neighborhood Advocacy and Monitoring
Feature
Get To Know…… Merry Oaks International Academy
Although our neighborhood school experienced rapid turnover of students for a few years, the new school building and expert leadership by Principal Stanley Frazier are revitalizing our neighborhood school. End of Grade reading scores are showing steady improvement, according to statistics found on the Char-Meck website. The school itself has a website found at:
http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/allschools/merryoaks/.
Located at 3508 Draper, Merry Oaks Elementary School has a diverse population with about 50 countries of origin represented among the student body and staff. There are approximately 475 students from Pre-K through 5th grade and staff has increased to 115 adult full time and part-time personnel with 17% having their master’s degree. The school’s goal is to see that all students achieve a year’s growth each year. It achieved 1997-98, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2002-03 Exemplary Growth status based on the N.C. ABCs Program.
Academy of Learning: Merry Oaks is one of two elementary schools offering this choice program which focuses on integrating the visual and creative arts, music and physical education into the curriculum. Technology is also integrated by the use of community partnerships and volunteers. Character education is highlighted every day to prepare students as productive, responsible citizens of tomorrow. The community partnerships include Shamrock Drive Baptist Church, First Union National Bank, Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance, Harris-Teeter, Cultural Educators Collaborative and Parks and Recreation. Merry Oaks is an English as a Second Language site and hosts a LifeSpan class. It is also a 21st Century Grant recipient.
Volunteers to help tutor are always welcome. Contact the school at 980-343-6422 for needs or information on how to volunteer, even one hour or two a week can help. Be sure to come to the next Neighborhood Association meeting and have a look at the new school which is well kept with displays of student art in the hallways and an excellent library/media center.
By Nancy Krewson
Did you know? Here are some of the countries of origin for children attending Merry Oaks Elementary School:
Liberia, Bosnia, Mexico, Ecuador, Iran, Jamaica, Pakistan, Kenya, Vietnam, Virgin Islands, Uruguay, Dominican Republic, Somalia, Chile, Eritrea, Congo, Croatia, Cambodia, Honduras, Mexico, El Salvador, Syria, Haiti, Germany, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Nicaragua, and the United States.

Neighborhood Advocacy and Monitoring
Central and Arnold
Mona President Cate Martin, Neighborhood Advocate Nancy Pierce Shaver and Board Member Jasper Parham have been working to resolve two issues near the Central Avenue end of Arnold Drive. One is an informal ‘pathway” at the curve which goes to the back of the strip mall on Central. The path is littered, broken up asphalt was dumped there, and it is used as a cut-through by Central Avenue foot traffic. The owners removed the asphalt, and have agreed to clean up the litter and fence the property after the first of the year. The second is the house next to the Medicine Shop which the owner wants to convert to business use. It is zoned for this but she must provide a wooded buffer and fence and she must remove some of the asphalt from the front yard, which was illegally installed. We have been helping her work through the city paperwork to move this project along.
Nancy, Cate and Jasper
Roseview Lane
A guard rail was installed by the City to prevent vehicles (and hopefully foot traffic) from using Roseview Lane to access The Park Apartments. The next step is street abandonment, which we continue to work on.

Creek Walk
Mark your calendar for April 17.
We had nine participants at the fall creek walk, 6 who got wet feet and 3 who stayed ashore but were an integral part of the event. In the beginning, we discovered a small safe in the creek. We called 911. The police came and they called the fire department to go into the creek. The fire department asked a creek walker to remove the safe from the creek. There was no money in the safe, but there were documents from Fuel Pizza which had been robbed sometime ago, according to the memory of several neighbors. Perhaps MONA crime solvers will get their just rewards. . . . . sniff, sniff.
The creek was in very good condition. There was considerably less litter again. The Charlotte Country Club has adopted the creek upstream and therefore our section of the creek has less litter than a couple of years ago.
We saw many minnows, raccoon tracks, mussel shells, and a partially submerged dead snake (rat snake). No copperheads. We collected approximately 300 pounds of debris including the safe, 3 tires, a waterbed heater, a couple of chunks of concrete with rebar extending, an orange, translucent plastic lawn/patio chair and the usual fast food slough.
Many thanks to Carolynn Richardson, Jan Snead, Caitlin Snead, Jeanne Schweder, Marcus Williams, Nancy Krewson, Cate Martin, Cyndi Harper, and yours truly, Jasper. And a thanks goes out to Gailya Mullis for the use of her gray can to dispose of some of the litter collected.
Call me at 704-537-9765 or jwparham@bellsouth.net to participate in the spring creek walk on Saturday, April 17.
Power Surges
After hearing from neighbors who have experienced electric power surges, MONA Board Member Jasper Parham put out an email request for others who have had problems.. Here is his report:
“I’ve heard from 12 neighbors, most of whom have not had damaged equipment. However a few reported damage. They all expressed appreciation for my pursuing the issue. I asked Duke Power (online) to send a representative to our next regularly scheduled neighborhood meeting on January 15. The power company responded to me that I would be hearing from an engineer for our service area. I also heard from City Council at-large member Susan Burgess who I copied on an email I sent to the Utilities Commission. Susan responded that the city is not directly involved in this issue with the power company but could give advocacy assistance. She also contacted the Utilities Commission on our behalf.
The Utilities Commission said Duke Power sent them a report of all outages, length of outage and reason for outage dating back more than a year, including when I had called the power company because of blinking lights the night before the Ice Storm of The Century (Dec. 5, 2002). Duke Power acknowledged to the Utilities Commission that there are old cables in the neighborhood which are scheduled for replacement during the 1st quarter of 2004.
One of the neighbors who put in a claim with Duke Power for damages to equipment was denied approval. The Duke Power (voicemail) told the neighbor that the voltage checked out okay to the meter and the neighbor should get an electrician to check their home, which is not a responsibility of the power company. (However what the power company didn’t say was that the voltage to the meter was not checked until the power surge was resolved!).
Another neighbor who put in a claim has been playing voicemail tag with Duke Power. This neighbor told me that a Duke Power serviceman was out 12/26/03 and checked a pole leading to the homes affected by the power surge on 12/18/03. The serviceman said he found a loose connection on the power pole and several splices in the power line, which could have caused a power surge.”
Jasper Parham, MONA Board Member
704-537-9765 jwparham@bellsouth.net
Have Paint?
Our newly paved roads really look good. As yet they are unmarred by the numerous paint spills that made our streets look so bad prior to being repaved. Keep in mind that the City’s garbage trucks are not designed to contain liquids, and this includes discarded paint.
When a can of paint is included in your garbage, the compaction mechanism crushes the can, popping off the lid. The liquid paint seeps to the bottom of the truck and drips or pours out numerous openings onto the pavement beneath. The result is a block long stream of paint with a puddle at each stop, usually in a light pastel which contrasts greatly with the black asphalt. It looks terrible and it is permanent.
The solution: follow the City’s guide to disposing of paint, or at the very least, turn your liquid waste paint into a solid by combining it with cat litter. Use the cheapest litter your grocery store carries (it costs next to nothing).
Pour the litter into the paint can or pour the paint into the bag of litter. Stir with a stick until the paint is too thick to run. It takes a little effort, but not doing it will ruin our beautiful new streets. One person can make a difference.
Richard Stenhouse

Rezonings On Eastway Drive
Meeting is January 12
Several properties on Eastway Drive in the vicinity of Arnold were downzoned from R-22 MF (multifamily, 22 units per acre) to R-8 (single family, 8 units per acre) last fall. There is one property on the east side of Eastway, between Townsend and Bentley, that has been clear cut. This was not included in the downzonings. The owner wants to put a large daycare center there and has applied to the City for Institutional, Conditional zoning (it is currently R-22 MF including entrance and parking). There will be an Open House Forum on January 12, 5 PM in the 8th floor conference room of the Government Center. Adjacent property owner Fred Bettin is organizing neighbors to affect this conditional rezoning.
Contact Fred Bettin at 704-566-1208 or fredbettin@aol.com

Real Estate Update
Realtors Tour Features Merry Oaks

Last fall, an East Charlotte “Showcase of Homes” for Realtors highlighted Arnold Drive and Farmington Lane in the Merry Oaks Neighborhood. About 50 Realtors were given bus tours and a fact sheets on more than a dozen east Charlotte neighborhoods. Thanks to Tom Poston, Pam Sigg and Nancy Pierce Shaver for helping with this event. This is what the fact sheet said about Merry Oaks Neighborhood:

Help your clients discover Merry Oaks Neighborhood!
• Merry Oaks is adjacent to Plaza-Midwood and borders the Charlotte Country Club.

• Merry Oaks had 38 average “days on the market” for homes sold since January 2003, compared to a Charlotte average of 100.

• Merry Oaks had a range of home sales prices since January 2003 from upper 80’s (fixer uppers) to upper $140’s.

• Merry Oaks has a very active neighborhood organization for social events, infrastructure improvement and crime prevention.
• Merry Oaks is less than a 10-minute driving commute to uptown.

• Merry Oaks is less than two miles from the hot “Plaza Central” retail and entertainment district.

• Merry Oaks will soon connect to Plaza-Midwood with a bicycle and pedestrian path.

• Merry Oaks will have a neighborhood park on the Merry Oaks School campus.

• Merry Oaks has a beautiful new Merry Oaks Elementary School with an interior courtyard, atrium style entry hallway, and leading edge technology and media center.

• Merry Oaks will soon have a several-acre greenway and park along Briar Creek with an entrance on Arnold Drive.

• Merry Oaks has a nearly complete Neighborhood Improvement Project including curbs and gutter, sidewalks and traffic circle.

• Merry Oaks has a landscape plan to be installed by the City including 65 street trees, shrubs and other plantings.
• Merry Oaks had six new neighborhood signs installed in July of 2003.

• Merry Oaks has a low crime rate compared to the rest of the central city.


Are You Paying Taxes on Your Social Security Benefits?

Most of us have worked hard throughout our lives, with a portion of each paycheck being paid out to the government as taxes. Some of these payroll taxes are earmarked for Social Security, and are intended to provide income during our retirement. However, many seniors are finding that their Social Security benefits are also subject to income tax. In essence, they are having to pay taxes on their taxes.
Whether or not Social Security benefits are taxable is a function is how much income, outside of Social Security, seniors have. For 2003, married couples filing jointly find that 50% of their Social Security benefits are taxable if their income exceeds $32,000. If their income exceeds $44,000, 85% of their benefits are taxed.

For example, a 65-year-old couple with $10,000 in Social Security benefits, $25,000 in pension income, and $10,000 in interest from bank CDs would find that half of the Social Security benefits are taxed. Assuming a 28% tax rate, this would result in a $1,400 tax burden from the Social Security benefits alone.
There are strategies that allow people to reduce or avoid taxes on their Social Security benefits. However, individuals’ circumstances vary greatly, requiring a personalized strategy to be developed.
The Conservative Group specializes in assisting individuals with financial and retirement concerns. For more information on Social Security taxation and strategies to avoid it, please contact me at 704-566-1010.
Sean Rollman, The Conservative Group

New City Parking Ordinance
Ordinance Prohibiting Parking Of
Commercial Vehicles In Residential Neighborhoods

What does the ordinance prohibit?
Overnight parking of large commercial vehicles in residential neighborhoods. It also restricts overnight parking of light and medium commercial vehicles to no more than one per dwelling. Medium commercial vehicles must be parked on a clearly delineated driveway and cannot be parked in the public street.

Large commercial vehicles are defined as those weighing more than 13,000 pounds or those less than 13,000 pounds but with a height of more than 9.5 feet including installed accessories and/or a cargo area/work platform of more than 14 feet in length.

Light commercial vehicles are defined as those weighing less than 13,000 pounds and a cargo area/work platform that is less than the height of the vehicle cab and no more than 9 feet in length.

Medium commercial vehicles are defined as those weighing less than 13,000 pounds with a cargo area/work platform that is less than 9.5 feet in height and no more than 14 feet in length.

Where does the ordinance apply?
The ordinance applies to single family detached, duplex, triplex and quadraplex dwelling units that are located in residential zoning districts.

Are there exceptions to the ordinance?
Overnight parking of light and medium commercial vehicles is permitted, without screening, in true mixed-use developments where residential and non-residential uses occur vertically in the same building.

What is the purpose of the ordinance?
The ordinance supports the City’s model vision of a clean and nuisance free environment for all Charlotte neighborhoods. The ordinance also comes in response to citizen complaints.

What is the effective date of the ordinance?
The ordinance becomes effective April 20, 2004.

What is the penalty for violating the ordinance?
Warning tickets will be issued upon the first violation. The second violation carries a $50 fine. The third violation carries a fine of up to $200, with fines of up to $500 for the fourth violation. Fines will be imposed beginning April 20, 2004.

Who do I call to report a violation?
Violations should be reported to the Mecklenburg County Zoning Administrator at 704.336.3569. DO NOT report violations to 911.

Ordinance Prohibiting Parking On Front Lawns

What does the ordinance prohibit?
Parking of vehicles in front yards and side yards of a corner lot, except on an improved driveway or parking pad.

Where does the ordinance apply?
The ordinance applies to single family detached, duplex, triplex and quadraplex dwelling units.

Are there exceptions to the ordinance?
Exceptions to the ordinance will apply when no parking is allowed on adjacent streets and the principal dwelling is less than 20 feet from the abutting street or the lot width is less than 25 feet. Additionally, special family event or social gatherings occurring no more than once a week will be exempted from the ordinance.

What is the purpose of the ordinance?
The ordinance supports the City’s model vision of a clean and nuisance free environment for all Charlotte neighborhoods.

What is the background of the ordinance?
During the November 2001 Neighborhood Summit and the 2002 Neighborhood Symposium, residents shared concerns about the long-term impact of cars parked on front lawns in their communities. These concerns were included in the City’s vision for the development of model neighborhood standards. The desire for an ordinance was included as an indicator of model neighborhood status within the Model Neighborhood Standards at a Glance publication adopted by City Council in December 2002.

What is the effective date of the ordinance?
The ordinance becomes effective April 1, 2004.

What is the penalty for violating the ordinance?
The ordinance carries a $25 fine with possible vehicle towing. Fines will be imposed beginning May 1, 2004. Warning tickets will be issued during the month of April.

Who do I call to report a violation?
Violations should be reported to the City/County Customer Service Center at 704.336.7600. DO NOT report violations to 911.

What is the expected response time once violation is reported?
The response time is up to (3) working days.