Sherwood Forest

December 2003

Dec 16, 2003

LOOKING BACK AND
LOOKING FORWARD

One of the highlights of the year 2003 in Sherwood Forest was the wonderful celebration of our historic designation, which was marked by a strolling supper on June 5 in the Streets of Old Detroit at the Detroit Historical Museum. Good friends and neighbors, past and present, shared recollections of life in our community over the years.

Introduced this year were the ?“Meet and Greets,?” informal parties in the homes of our residents where we had the opportunity to greet old friends and meet new ones. The first party was held on April 13 at the Warrington home of Emma and Orville Foster. The second was a backyard barbecue Labor Day weekend at the Canterbury home of Sharon Rhodes. Sharon was joined by Debbie Dickens and Nicola Blackman in hosting this event. The third ?“Meet and Greet?” was on October 18 at the Cambridge home of Barbara and Skip Rosemond.

The first party of 2004 will be on March 14 at the Berkeley home of Pat and Bill Vance. Save the date, and look for details in your next Tattler.

Thanks to those who so graciously opened their homes for these neighborhood events. If you would like to hold a party at your home in 2004, call Alfred Greene, Jr., at 861-0554. Al is the chair of the Sherwood Forest Association Social Committee, and he

will be happy to help you with publicity and other details of the Meet and Greet.

As the year 2003 comes to a close, I want to send my personal thanks to the members of the Board of Directors of the Sherwood Forest Association, as well as to all the other residents who worked so hard throughout this year, as they do every year, to make Sherwood Forest such a special community in which to live.

Lois Primas
President, Sherwood Forest Association


REPORTING ABANDONED CARS

We can all help keep our streets free from abandoned vehicles. The city is ready to tow cars and ticket the violator-owners, but it needs our help in identifying and reporting the abandoned vehicles.

A vehicle is classified as abandoned if it meets any one of the following three tests:

1. The vehicle is inoperable and is parked on the street, in a driveway or in a back yard, even if it has current tags.
2. The vehicle has been parked on the street for more than 48 hours without being moved, even if it has current tags.
3. The vehicle has out-of-date tags or no tags.

You can now report abandoned vehicles by calling our Neighborhood City Hall at (313) 578-7580. In September of this year
Neighborhood City Halls were given the authority and ability to issue tickets for abandoned vehicles. (See article below.)


INCREASED POWERS FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD CITY HALLS

Neighborhood City Halls now have the authority to issue tickets to residents, as well as issue building permits. Among its most important new powers is the ability to issue tickets to residents who place bulk items or Courville containers at the curb before the scheduled pickup date or who fail to remove containers after the trash has been collected. Fines start at $100 per day and, if not paid, can result in wage garnishment or a lien on one?’s home until the debt is paid.

Neighborhood City Halls can issue tickets to commercial businesses and to owners of abandoned vehicles.

For questions about these new powers, call our Neighborhood City Hall at (313) 578-7580.


A SEASONAL REMINDER ABOUT
KEEPING VEHICLES OFF OUR STREETS

This is a reminder to all residents NOT to leave cars parked on the street any longer than necessary and certainly not overnight. Our neighborhood is safer and more beautiful when its streets are not cluttered with vehicles.

Most residents are aware that it is a violation of city ordinances to leave a personal vehicle on the street for more than 48 hours without moving it or to leave a commercial vehicle on the street overnight.

As we move into snow season, it is particularly important to remember that our street snow removal efforts cannot succeed without the cooperation of our residents in getting cars off the streets before snow removal equipment enters the neighborhood. We normally have our streets cleared after a snowfall of four inches or more. Our Sherwood Forest Association dues pay for street snow removal, and it is in the interest of all of us that our snow removal contractor works as effectively as possible. That will happen only if our streets are free of cars.
A SAFETY REMINDER

As you leave and enter your home this season, often with arms laden with groceries and packages, take a moment to look about you. We are vulnerable when we are distracted and our arms are not free. Be on the lookout for strangers on or near your property. If you are a member of our patrol service (and we certainly hope you are), feel free to call the patrol for escort service into the neighborhood. Take the time to call the patrol driver if you see a situation that looks suspicious. Good cheer is not the only thing that abounds. We need to be aware that thieves are at work during this holiday season.


LIVING IN AN HISTORIC COMMUNITY

?“Congratulations! The Sherwood Forest Historic District has been designated by the City of Detroit as an official historic district . . .?”

A letter sent to every one of our homes on May 17, 2002 began this way. It continued: ?“Your neighborhood stands among such other districts as Indian Village and Boston-Edison. With the honors and benefits of historic designation there are also responsibilities . . . toward adequately and appropriately maintaining and improving your property.?”

So, the city has declared that because of the history, the architecture, and the distinctive materials used in our homes, our neighbor is an asset to the city and care must be taken not to diminish its unique character in any way.

The Detroit Historic District Commission is the agency responsible for overseeing the appropriateness of work we do on our homes. The letter we received contained a guide ?– new neighbors receive one in the welcome package ?– which outlines what types of work we need to contact the commission about before starting a project. If the work planned involves any change to the outward appearance of your home, such as a new door, porch, walk or windows, removal of a large tree, major landscaping, roof replacement, garage doors, security doors, storm windows, fencing, awnings, new trim color, etc., you must first call the Historic Commission office at (313) 224-6536. Removing original materials or redesigning exterior features of your home could

compromise its architectural integrity and diminish its value.

One phone call often is all that is needed. If anything further is necessary, the commission will guide you through the required process and suggest resources. It will work with you to maintain the beauty and character of your home. A number of residents have commented on the helpfulness of the commission staff.

Please keep this approval requirement in mind when planning your home projects, and if a neighbor mentions a renovation plan, remind your neighbor to call the commission office early in the process. We need to act as a community to assure that renovation plans consistently receive the required approval .

One of the benefits of complying with the requirements could be a state income tax credit of 25% of the cost of your projects, both exterior and interior. See the article below for information on a tax credit workshop to be held in the neighborhood early next year.

NEED HELP WITHT THE STATE HISTORIC INCOME TAX CREDIT APPLICATION?

Do you think you might qualify for the 25% state income tax credit for improvements to your historic home? If so, get help at a work session for Sherwood Forest residents, which will be held in the neighborhood in early March. See the next edition of the Tattler for details on the date, time and place.

Because this will be a WORK session, you should bring your application for the tax credit, a pen, photos or drawings of the work you have done and, most important, receipts to verify the cost of the improvements you have made. Experts will be on hand to answer your questions and help you fill out your application. Call Linda Jones at (313) 863-8310 for more information.


MAYOR KILPATRICK ANNOUNCES
TWO NEW BELLE ISLE PROJECTS

Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and the Detroit Recreation Department have announced two new projects at Belle Isle Park. One project will restore a natural area on the banks of Blue Heron Lagoon; the second project will create a sturgeon spawning reef in the waters just off the island. Both projects are important components of the city of Detroit's Belle Isle Master Plan.

This first effort will eventually enable the city to create a deep-water fish habitat in the lagoon and a direct fishery connection between the Detroit River and the waters of the Blue Heron Lagoon. The second project creates a spawning habitat for the largest fish in the Great Lakes - the Lake Sturgeon, a threatened species that can grow to 7 feet in length. The project will include educational displays in the Belle Isle Aquarium, where visitors can also see live sturgeon. Visual presentations about the sturgeon reef project will also be on display at the Dossin Great Lakes Museum and the Belle Isle Nature Zoo.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN LIBRARY
CELEBRATES DECEMBER REOPENING

The Detroit Public Library has announced the December 2 reopening of the Downtown Library. The branch, located at 121 Gratiot, has been renamed The Rose and Robert Skillman Branch Library to commemorate the commitment and support the Skillman Foundation has given to the community.

The new Skillman Branch Library will feature a business center, a children's library and a cyber cafe. The National Automotive History Collection, the nation's largest public automotive industry archive, has been moved from the Main Library to larger quarters in the Skillman Branch. New infrastructure, from lighting to computer networking, has been installed to meet customer expectations for a contemporary urban library. Modern heating, cooling, plumbing and even a new elevator were added. The branch is now open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. weekdays.

Call the Skillman Branch Library for more information (313) 628-2750 or 833-4042.


BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR


IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT. . .

JOINING THE PATROL: Call Gordon Rodwan at 342-5827

JOINING THE SHERWOOD FOREST ASSOCIATION: Call Sue McMillan at 862-6366

VOLUNTEERING FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD PROJECT: Call Lois Primas at 863-0167

PROPERTY RESTRICTIONS: Call Emma Foster at 861-4642, Bill Vance at 341-8213 or Sandra Ham at 345-5951.

PLACING AN ARTICLE IN THE TATTLER OR READING THE TATTLER ON LINE: Call Gail Rodwan at 342-5827

ACCESSING OUR SHERWOOD FOREST WEB PAGE: www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest