Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association

Newsletter Sept 2004

News and Commentary

Mark Your Calendars Now!
2004 General meeting schedule September 16
MONA Day Saturday, September 25 Block party on Arnold!
Join your neighbors for fun and food! Details on last page
MONA Yard Sale Saturday, October 9, 2004
Notice date change. See page 5
Voter Education Day Saturday, Sept. 18
5 - 9 PM at St. Andrews Episcopal Church
Fall Creek Walk Saturday, October 23 See page 7

Cate’s Commentary
Thanks for your support.
No, I’m not running for office or pitching a new product. I’m merely grateful for the continued support and good works of the Merry Oaks residents who make this neighborhood such a wonderfully imperfect place to live.
Maybe you’re taking care of a small plot of City property (or your neighbor’s property). Maybe you spent a little extra time on your yard and edged and swept down by the street. Perhaps you planted a tree or some flowers. Maybe you now drive exactly 25 miles through the neighborhood and give friendly waves to the car just off your rear bumper. Maybe you called for bulky trash pick-up rather than letting it sit at the curb for weeks. Maybe you picked up litter on one of your walks. Maybe you are now carrying a bag with you when you walk your dog so you can do that very unpleasant job of scooping. And maybe…just maybe, you paid your $5 annual dues to the neighborhood association. A sincere thanks for your help in these and many other ways.
Feeling left out? Not to worry, more opportunities are at hand. First, join your neighbors at our neighborhood association meeting on Thursday, September 16th at Merry Oaks Elementary School. What an easy way to learn about the happenings in your neighborhood. Come out and party at our neighborhood block party on September 25th. It’s the only time of year that you can hang out in the middle of the street with your neighbors. Lastly, be aware of city ordinances. There are ordinances about cars parked in yards, dogs barking and running loose, placement of trash cans, loud music and more.
Pride, responsibility and respect are words that we all want to use to describe our neighbors. Thanks for giving us the chance to do this by making good choices everyday.

Welcome Note

We’re so glad you’re here!

If you are new to the neighborhood or just new to becoming involved, the Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association welcomes you. We invite everyone, homeowners and renters alike, to become active members of our neighborhood association. We need your input to continue to make this neighborhood unique and wonderful.

Our neighborhood association is your link to city government and connects you with people at the planning level who shape our community. It gives us a vehicle to communicate with each other and with the city. It allows the neighborhood to apply for grants for improvements in our neighborhood. The neighborhood association is also the social branch of the neighborhood that facilitates celebrations, fund-raisers and community awareness of issues that affect us.

The benefits of being part of the Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association are yours for a $5 annual fee. If you are reading this, consider paying your membership fee today. It allows us to print this newsletter and have neighborhood get togethers.

Please come to the Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association meeting on Thursday, September 16th at 7:00pm at Merry Oaks Elementary School. Don’t hesitate! Get involved! We look forward to seeing you.

Neighborhood News & Updates
Final Neighborhood Improvement Project Update
The final warranty inspection for the Merry Oaks Neighborhood Improvement Project took place August 13. The inspector searched for any defects or failures in the improvements (sidewalk, curb, drainage, etc.) built by 7Star Construction and its subcontractors. The inspection covered items the contractor is responsible for repairing, such as cracks in the concrete but did not address infrastructure built prior to the neighborhood improvements or normal maintenance items (clogged drains, brush in the street, etc.). Street trees and landscaping installed last spring will be covered by a separate inspection.
Concrete islands will be built in the traffic circle this fall. The islands will be mountable so that buses and fire trucks can easily drive over them, but they will serve to slow automobiles driving around the circle. An exposed aggregate finish will be used on the islands to add texture and aesthetic appeal. Difficulties encountered during the bid phase delayed the selection of a contractor and construction of the islands, but a contractor is due to be selected in September with construction following in October.
Todd Thorne, Project Manager

Neighborhood Improvements

Merry Oaks Campus Park Update
The Board of County Commissioners has approved purchase of two additional parcels of land adjacent to the Merry Oaks School campus to expand the park and add neighborhood connectivity. One long narrow parcel lies perpendicular to Merry Oaks Road at the curve and will become a wide walk-in only park entrance. The other long narrow parcel lies parallel to Merry Oaks Road and is currently landlocked between the previously mentioned parcel and the campus.
Design of the campus park is moving along slowly but surely. Neighbors will be able to view plans before any work is done.

Neighborhood entrance issues
The appearance of the neighborhood entrances on both ends of Arnold Drive, Merry Oaks Road, and Flynnwood Drive affect the public perception of our neighborhood. Public perception directly impacts property values and indirectly impacts safety.
Therefore, one of the efforts of the MONA Board has been to advocate for City Code enforcement at these entrances.
Code violations regarding cars for sale, lawn parking and bulky trash items left out were resolved at the Eastway/Arnold entrance. Vegetative buffer violations were resolved at the Central/Arnold entrance with the planting of shrubs and trees next to the Medicine Shop. The residential property next to the Medicine Shop is still in violation of City Code because of the entire front yard being paved. The owner’s new site plan is in the process of being approved by the City. She intends to eventually apply for business use of the property. It is already zoned for business but its current use designation is residential.
The Woodmere Condominiums have removed the large tree trunk from the property line on Merry Oaks Road in preparation for planting some trees along the property border this fall. Generally the Woodmere condos have a good appearance and the Condo Association officers are doing the best they can to make improvements as they can. Bulky trash items left on the curb continue to be a problem at the condos but someone is monitoring this since the stuff tends to be removed within a week or so.
The duplexes on Central Avenue at Merry Oaks Road generate bulky trash as tenants move in and out, and roll out containers and recycling bins are often left out all week or are left where they are visible to the road, which is a violation of Code. The property manager for these duplexes is very responsive to phone calls.
If you see problems or want to comment, contact Nancy Pierce Shaver, Neighborhood Advocate 704-535-7409 nancypierce@carolina.rr.com.

Merry Oaks Connectivity Project
Go to Logie Avenue and check it out!
Heavy construction on the choker lane (one lane for vehicles) connecting Roland Street in Plaza Midwood to Logie Avenue, and on the pedestrian/bike path connecting Masonic Drive to Logie Avenue, will all be completed by mid-November. However vehicles will not be permitted on the choker lane until landscaping is completed early in 2005. Both the choker lane and ped/bike path will be landscaped with trees, shrubs and native grasses. The City will turn over maintenance of the ped/bike path to the County Parks Department, who will maintain it along with the greenway.

Central Streetscape Improvements Update
The streetscape improvement on Central Avenue between Morningside Dr. and Sharon Amity Rd. is in the final phases. The City is now looking at the intersections with traffic lights (Eastcrest, Briar Creek, Rosehaven and possibly Morningside) to determine what treatment will be done to them. Treatments may include stamped, colored and/or marked pavement for crosswalks and decorative lighting. Staff is currently reviewing proposals for these treatments.
The City is now bidding out the landscaping for Central between Morningside and Eastway, which will be planted this fall.
A few neighbors expressed concerns about the turn radius for the Arnold Drive and Central intersection. The Central streetscape project matched most streets, including Arnold Drive, at their existing turn radius. Changing them can involve drainage, driveway and business right of way issues that were not within the scope of the Central streetscape.
Keith Carpenter, Project Manager (704) 336-3650

New street lights
The Charlotte Department of Transportation and Duke Power have completed a new street light design for all of our neighborhood streets. The most noticeable change will be that the lamps will be changed from 175 watt (7500 lumen) mercury vapor lights to 150 watt (16,000 lumen) high-pressure sodium, lights. The new lights will focus twice as much light downward onto the street and sidewalk but much less light outward and upward. Last spring, these new lamps were installed on Merry Oaks Road and Flynnwood Drive, so you can view how they will look on these streets.
The new lights are safer because they do not cause glare, they do not cause as much light pollution of the night sky, and they do not spill over as much into yards and homes. A few poles will be relocated to make the lighting more even on every street. A few spots that have been inadequately lit will receive better light.
The City requires that 75% of the residents sign a paper indicating that they have been notified of these changes before the work can be done. We are responsible for gathering these signatures before the end of October. Please volunteer to help gather signatures by contacting Nancy Pierce Shaver at 704 535 7409 or nancypierce@carolina.rr.com

Neighbor’s Corner
Neighborhood Yard Sale
Saturday, October. 9, 8 AM - Noon
Join your neighbors at our annual neighborhood yard sale. Permits are $5 each. Your neighborhood organization will pick up the permits, place an ad in the Charlotte Observer as well as place signs around the neighborhood the day of the sale. Set up in your own yard.
Permit fees are due by Mon., Oct. 4.
Contact Carol Herrington at robcar1823us@yahoo.com or 704-563-0288 for more information.

Neighborhood Sightings
Has anyone else noticed the trail if white paint blobs on Draper? It has taken less than one year for someone to foul the new pavement by putting unused paint in their garbage. A bag of cat litter and a little effort could have prevented this but now we all have to look at this “street graffiti” for the next ten years or so. Small acts will add up to big success or big failure. We, the residents of Merry Oaks, are each and every one responsible for the success or failure of our neighborhood.

Neighborhood Web Site
Go to www.neighborhoodlink.com/charlotte/merryoaks when you need latest weather, information of Who To Call for City/County services, contact information for City Council, information on the MONA calendar, link your site to ours and much more. For any questions or suggestions for our web site, E-mail Nancy K at nkrewson@earthlink.net and put “MONA” in the subject line.

Merry Oaks E-mail List
To be included on the MONA E-mail list, please e-mail Nancy Pierce-Shaver at nancypierce@carolina.rr.com and request to be put on the list. Also all newcomers please send her your E-mail! This list is for the exclusive use of MONA Board members to communicate with members and will not be given out to anyone else.

Reporting Non-Emergency Crimes
>From the City of Charlotte
In an effort to respond as quickly as possible to emergency calls, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) is asking citizens who have Internet access to use E-mail for reporting non-emergency matters. //Crimes that may be reported online include larceny, theft from automobiles and property damage.
When a crime is reported over the Internet, Non-Emergency Police Services (NEPS) assigns a report number which is delivered to you by by E-mail or phone. Investigators follow up to online reports in the same manner as when information is provided by phone or in person.
To contact CMPD’s Non-Emergency Police Services by phone, call 704-353-1000. To access the online reporting form, visit www.cmpd.org

Briar Creek Greenway Progress
The stone trail base has been installed on the Masonic Drive side of the creek. There are two remaining parcels on the Arnold Drive side for which acquisition approval is expected at the September 4 Board of County Commissioners meeting. Any day now, the construction team, headed by Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department’s Ron Gentry, will be moving into the Arnold Drive side to clear some underbrush and lay down the stone trail, basically along the sewer line easement. They expect to have it down by mid-October. The asphalt surface will not be put in until after the bridge is set so that the heavy equipment required to dig and pour the bridge footings does not damage the asphalt trail.
They are getting bids on bridge installation now. Digging and pouring the footings should take about two weeks after the bid is approved. The work will be done by a contractor, but the actual bridge will be fabricated out-of-state, shipped in already assembled, then dropped into place. We will try to find out exactly when that is happening so we can watch and take pictures of it.
The 60-foot long bridge will be steel with a red rusty patina. This type of surface is intended to have a rusty-looking surface, but the metal itself will not deteriorate. The walking/cycling surface will be treated wood.
The Park and Recreation Department has done a lot of work to remove invasive species and clear undesirable underbrush from the areas surrounding the trail. No mature trees have been removed. They have sprayed for poison ivy. In the spring, they will remove invasive species as they emerge. Then, the area will be put onto the County’s regular mowing schedule.
A 15-20 foot vegetative buffer on the creek bank has been left undisturbed to help protect the creek. However there are a lot of invasive plants in this buffer and they do not do a very good job of protecting the creek since sediment can flow right under the matted masses of invasives. City-County Storm Water Services Department is in charge of this buffer area. County-wide, they are just beginning to experiment with different ways to manage invasive plants in the 300-400 miles of creek-side buffers in the county. This section of Briar Creek is not currently on their project list so for the time being, the creek banks will remain as they are. If you have questions about this you can contact Eric Bulman, Operations Manager for Mecklenburg County Storm Water Services, at 704 336-3751 or bulmael@co.mecklenburg.nc.us
Two flood-prone houses on Harbinger Court were purchased by the County Park and Recreation Department as part of this greenway project. These will be assessed in the next few weeks for hazardous materials. If any hazardous materials are detected, they will require removal before demolition of the structures. This entire process is expected to be completed by the end of the year or possibility sooner. The area will then be managed and mowed by the Park and Recreation Department along with the rest of the greenway. Passage of the park bonds in November as well as continued advocacy by the neighborhood will result in future phases of greenway development, including more trail mileage and installation of park amenities.

Free fertilizer and mulch for your lawn!
When you mow your grass, please do not leave grass clippings on the sidewalk or in the street gutters. As of March 22, 2004, City Ordinance #2562 prohibits anything but rain and snow from being sent down the storm drains. If you leave grass clippings on the sidewalk or gutter, you are in violation of this ordinance.
Clippings left on the sidewalk are unsightly, they decompose and damage the sidewalk, they are a nuisance to walkers, and — perhaps worst— they run into the storm drains, clogging them and polluting the creeks. What’s more, you are losing out on free fertilizer and mulch!
If you aim your mower so the grass clippings fall back onto the lawn, they will provide nutrients to the grass as they decompose. Or you can rake them up and spread them over a layer of newspaper in the vegetable or flower garden or use clippings as mulch under bushes.
Grass clippings and leaves contain residual pesticides/fertilizers. They clog storm drains and grates and decompose slowly, which decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen available to aquatic life. Remember, when the City has to send a truck to clean out your storm drains, it is costing you taxpayer money!

Neighborhood Advocacy

Neighborhood Advocacy & Monitoring
Walk our Creek on October 23
The next MONA Creekwalk will be 9 AM Saturday, October 23. Meet at the Central Avenue bridge at Masonic Drive. It will last until about noon, when we will end up at the Charlotte Country Club grounds maintenance area bridge. We will walk in the creek picking up litter from the creek and its banks, we will be on the lookout for any potential sources of pollution, and we will observe the flora and fauna of the creek.
If you have been along Masonic Drive recently you will have noticed that the wooded area — our future greenway trail — between Masonic and the creek has been significantly cleared of invasive vines and underbrush. This will give us the opportunity to walk closer to the creek bank than we have in the past and to see it without wading through briars and vines. This is the first section of greenway along Briar Creek. If the Park bonds pass in November, there will be money available to begin extending the trail downstream, eventually to its confluence with the Little Sugar Creek Greenway and beyond into South Carolina. The Greenway Master Plan also calls for it to be extended north to the headwaters of Briar Creek near the Charlotte Museum of History.
Briar Creek is arguably our neighborhood’s most significant natural resource, along with our mature trees. The creek and its adjacent area provide habitat and shelter for a variety of plant and animal life. As a neighborhood, we have been working for eight years to protect this resource with twice-yearly creek walks and with our efforts on behalf of the greenway. Once when I was raking leaves and twigs and rocks from the street curbside, someone asked me, “Why are you doing that? Won’t it eventually just go away?”. Yes, it will eventually go away. But for one thing, it looks better, and for another, that stuff eventually ends up in our creek. Too much organic matter in the creek is not good for the flora and fauna. So those grass clippings or leaves that end up in the street end up in our creek. And they can cause stormwater drains to become clogged, causing street flooding.
We will accept volunteers who walk in the creek (wear knee high boots or old shoes) or along the creek bank assisting. To sign up or for more information, contact: Jasper Parham at jwparham@bellsouth.net or 704-537-9765
by Jasper Parham
Ugly or Overgrown Utility Line Problems
In July MONA Board member Jasper Parham toured the neighborhood with a representative form the City whose job is to monitor citizen’s complaints regarding utility lines (Bellsouth, Duke Power and Time Warner Cable). He agreed that there were some problems — mostly aesthetic but some safety — and he gave us contact people at each of the three companies. As a result Duke Power has been cutting back vines from poles and power lines. Please be aware that it is the property owner’s responsibility to remove vegetation from wires between the main line and your residence. Duke will remove vegetation from the main lines and poles. Call customer service at 704-594-940.
Most of the aesthetic problems are Time Warner cable lines that have been left hanging or coiled on poles when people move or cancel their service. Time Warner has been out in the past couple of weeks cleaning this up. If you have concerns about this, call or E-mail MONA Board members Nancy or Jasper. The contact information is in the back of this newsletter.

Power outages
On August 16 between 2:35 and 4:00 PM there was an electric power service interruption in our neighborhood. According to Duke Power, part of the substation on Commonwealth Avenue was being replaced, something went wrong, and we lost power. As I spoke to Duke Power, the investigation was still in progress. The plan is to totally replace the substation in phases without interruptions to service. I was told that if a planned service interruption were required, we would probably be notified by postcard.
Property owners can help alleviate power interruptions by:
1) Keeping vines and limbs off power lines and poles, and
2) Reporting all power interruptions to Duke Power, 704-594-9400 or 1-800-769-3766.
Jasper Parham, MONA Board member

Survey results from the last meeting
To stimulate discussion and help the Board determine priorities for action, MONA President Cate Martin issued a short survey at the last general meeting. Here is a sample of responses from a survey filled out by 22 people.

1. Asked to prioritize five issues, this many neighbors gave a “first priority” or “second priority” to them:
Upgrade housing 18; Reduce speeding 12; Clean up yards 12; Improve street lighting 2;
Upgrade quality of street paving 0
2. I am most concerned with the following problems (these were clearly the top four out of eight choices)
Traffic and crime, zoning issues, neighborhood deterioration.
3. List the most positive things you can think of about Merry Oaks.
Convenient location, friendly neighbors, mature vegetation.
4. What don’t you like about the neighborhood?
Speeding vehicles, vehicles parked on lawns, barking and/or loose dogs, unkempt houses and yards, vacant houses, absentee landlords, roll-out trash cans left on the curb after pick –up day, bulky trash left on the curb when the City has not been called to pick it up.
5. Do you think it’s important for MONA to ask the City to enforce city codes and rules?
19 = yes 1=don’t know
1 = city should do it (write in)

Planting Tree for the Next Generation
Most of the Merry Oaks neighborhood was built as part of the post-World War II building boom aimed at providing affordable housing for veterans and their families. It has matured into a wonderful, shady, near-center-city neighborhood — one of Charlotte’s undiscovered gems.
Our canopy of hardwood shade trees is our best visual feature. More than a dozen tree varieties grow here, including the eponymous oaks, maple, ash, hickory, sweet gum, poplar, pine, pecan, sycamore…the list goes on and on. Most of the tall shade trees were planted during the construction of Merry Oaks more than 50 years ago. Some have been damaged over the years by drought, wind and ice storms, and insect infestations, but for the most part our tree canopy is in good shape.
But trees do not live forever. Most hardwood shade trees live around 80-100 years in urban environments. Understory trees such as dogwoods live about half that time. Many of the dogwoods in Merry Oaks have been in decline for the last decade due to age and canker disease. Many of our big shade trees have 40-50 more years at most before they die. That seem like a long time to us, and very few of us will still be alive then. We have more immediate concerns, so it’s easy to ignore a time frame of that scale and the inevitable consequences of that neglect.
One high-profile Charlotte neighborhood, Myers Park, is facing those consequences right now. Most of its popular canopy of willow oaks that tower over Queens Road were planted during the development of Myers Park a century ago. Now, you can see the decline of those once-majestic trees. Many have had to be cut due to disease or safety hazard, and holes in the canopy are opening throughout Myers Park. Within a decade or two most of the old cathedral-like canopy will be only a memory, replaced by the young saplings that are being planted today and will not reach maturity in our lifetimes. Within a generation, Myers Park will not look anything like it does now.
We face that same future. Forty or fifty years from now our trees will be dying and the familiar look of Arnold Drive, Merry Oaks Road and the rest of the neighborhood will be gone. But unlike Myers Park, we have time to do something about it. Half a century is long enough for new trees to mature, guaranteeing that our neighborhood will be shady and inviting for our children, grandchildren and future residents.
Planting trees is easy and economical, and autumn and winter are the best times for planting. Take into consideration such factors as root growth and its effects on house foundations and water/gas lines. Be sure to leave enough space for trees to grow. Plant the largest trees in the most open areas, and use smaller trees such as redbuds or Japanese maples for tighter spots and accents. Below are a number of options that can fit any budget:
Purchase 4-8 year old hardwood saplings at garden centers for under $100. These trees are usually 8-10 feet tall. Planting instructions are included, and with care a newly transplanted tree can be growing vigorously within a year. While the expense is relatively high, usually trees like this are strong enough to survive planting as long as the homeowner follows basic care guidelines!
Smaller saplings, 3-6 feet tall, cost less and are a bit more delicate than more established trees. Once they get started they will grow just as fast as larger trees.
The City of Charlotte holds an annual seedling sale every January where you can buy year-old trees for $1 each. Oaks, ashes, sycamores, birches, pines can all be found at this event. I purchased nearly 20 seedlings at the 2004 sale and about half have started growing this year. You can’t beat the price!
Well, maybe you can beat the price! I find new seedlings in my yard each spring and have started planning which ones I will nurture into full-grown trees. You’ll need to think about which ones you want to keep and be careful not to run them over with the lawn mower.
When I was 10 years old, I “adopted” a pecan seedling at my parents’ house in Dilworth. They no longer live there, but I still drive by to see how “my” 50 foot tall tree is doing. Many parents plant a tree to commemorate the birth of a child.
For information on trees native to our area and their hardiness and suitability for use in city yards, check out this Web site: http://wildwnc.org/trees/

Tax relief for elderly or disabled persons
Property tax
If you are more than 65 years of age OR permanently and totally disabled AND you will have a household income of less than 19,200 during 2004, you probably qualify for property tax relief.
North Carolina excludes from property taxes the first $20,000 or 50% of the appraised value (whichever is greater) of a permanent residence owned and occupied by a qualifying owner. For example, if your home and land (less than one acre) is appraised at $120,000 for tax purposes and you qualify, your tax bill will be calculated as if the tax value were only $60,000, saving you approximately $700 on your tax bill.
You can apply between January 1 and June 1 of 2005 for tax relief based on your 2004 income, and the exemption will go into affect for your 2005 tax bill. You can apply now and your name will be added to a list to receive the forms after January 1 of 2005.

Vehicle tax
If you are 65 years of age or older and have an income less than $18,500, you can save about $15 per year on your vehicle fees. Use the contact information below.

Contact:
Tax Customer Service Center 704-336-4600
Individual Personal Property Division 704-336-6394
or mecktax@co.mecklenburg.nc.us

MONA Day Saturday, Sept. 25
Block party
5:30 - 7:30 PM
Arnold Drive between Merry Oaks & Farmington

Bring a chair or blanket to sit on. The street will be closed, so bikes,
tricycles, big wheels, skateboards and roller blades are encouraged!

Hamburgers, hot dogs & drinks will be provided. Donation requested.

If your last name begins with:
A-F Bring a salad G-P Bring a dessert Q-Z Bring fruit, veggies or side dish

Contact Cate Martin at 704-535-3501 or at cate1868@yahoo.com for more information

Neighborhood yard sale
Saturday, October 9
8 AM - Noon
Join your neighbors at our annual neighborhood yard sale.
Permits are $5 each. Your neighborhood organization will pick up the permits, place an ad in the Charlotte Observer as well as place signs around the neighborhood the day of the sale.
Set up in your own yard.
Permit fees are due by Monday, October 4.
Contact Carol Herrington at robcar1823us@yahoo.com or 704-563-0288 for more information