Sherwood Forest

October 2000

Oct 17, 2000

COMMUNITY MEETING ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, WILL PROVIDE UPDATE ON FAIRGROUNDS ISSUES

All Sherwood Forest residents are urged to attend an important meeting on Thursday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m. at St. John's Baptist Church on the corner of Woodward and Woodstock in Greenacres. The purpose of the meeting, which is sponsored by I-CARE, is to update residents in communities surrounding the Michigan State Fairgrounds on the status of the lawsuit to block a racetrack and/or outdoor amphitheatre on fairgrounds property. Although the city of Detroit and the neighborhoods have won the first round in court (see article below), the fight is far from over. The State of Michigan and the Nederlander organization certainly have not given up their development plans, though the shape of those plans is now less clear.

For up-to-the-minute information on this crucial community issue, please attend, and urge your neighbors to attend, the October 26 meeting. Parking will be available on both sides of Woodstock to accommodate attendees. Also see the enclosed I-CARE flier.


COURT RULES IN NEIGHBORHOODS' FAVOR ON RACETRACK ISSUE

Opponents of a racetrack at the Michigan State Fairgrounds scored an important victory when Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Gershwin Drain ruled on October 10 that the fairgrounds property is subject to Detroit zoning restrictions. On the same day, Judge Drain threw out Joseph Nederlander's $40 million suit against the city and the neighborhoods (including the Sherwood Forest Association).

According to attorney Eugene Driker, the next step is for Judge Drain to determine whether either a racetrack or an amphitheatre would be permissible under current zoning restrictions. Petitioners in the lawsuit take the position that either use is barred.

Although Joseph Nederlander announced in August that he was abandoning his plan for a racetrack at the fairgrounds, due in part to strong community opposition, he nonetheless still has a contract with the State of Michigan for development of the property, and he continues to fight the city and the neighborhoods in court.


A HALLOWEEN REMINDER ABOUT TRICK-OR-TREATING

If you want to have trick-or-treaters come to your home on Tuesday, October 31, leave your front porch light on between the hours of 6:00 and 8:00 p.m. We ask that parents make sure their children trick-or-treat only during those hours. We also ask that parents or other adults accompany their children.

On Halloween night and the night before Halloween (Angels' Night), leave porch lights on between dusk and dawn. In years
past, a few cars left on the street had their windshields broken. Please park cars in your garage or driveway, and remind guests to park in your driveway rather than on the street. Drive carefully and watch out for young children.

With everyone's cooperation, we look forward to another happy Halloween celebration in Sherwood Forest.

A HALLOWEEN MESSAGE FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE

Every year, a large number of Detroiters volunteer to patrol neighborhoods, turn on porch lights or "adopt" a vacant or abandoned building during the Halloween season. Because of the efforts of these volunteers, the city has been able to bring the number of arson-related fires down to a normal level on Halloween.

The anti-arson campaign includes a Neighborhood Patrol Program, an Adopt-A-House Program, a Porch Light Program (which requires no more than leaving outdoor lights on between dusk and dawn), the Eyes and Ears Program (which requires no more than looking outside frequently and calling 911 to report arson or acts of vandalism), and the Orange Ribbon Campaign, a show of support for the fight against Halloween arson. Additionally, volunteers are need to provide logistic support "behind the scenes" at neighborhood city halls, police precincts and other locations. These volunteers will be asked to serve for a six-hour period between 6:00 p.m. and midnight on October 30.

To volunteer for any of these programs, call the Halloween Volunteer Hotline at 224-4415 or sign up on the city's web site at www.ci.detroit.mi.us or the special Angels' Night web site at www.angelsnight.com. You may also sign up as a volunteer at any Detroit police or fire station, recreation center or neighborhood city hall.
Again this year, there will be an emergency curfew for anyone 17-years-old or younger. The curfew will be in effect from 6:00 p.m. on October 30 until 6:00 a.m. on October 31.

A NEW FISCAL YEAR HAS BEGUN FOR THE SHERWOOD FOREST ASSOCIATION

In late September, every household in Sherwood Forest received a dues notice for the fiscal year that runs from October 1, 2000 to September 31, 2001. Support for the Sherwood Forest Association is a long tradition in this community. The Association was formed in 1929 and has been in continuous operation since that year. In fact, we recently were notified by Detroit 300 that we will be honored during next year's celebration of the Detroit Tricentennial as one of the organizations that has contributed to our city's well-being for more than 50 years!

Of course, we have existed that long only because neighbors have supported us by faithfully paying their Association dues year after year since 1929. Undoubtedly, the $45 annual membership fee is the best bargain in town. That money supports literally dozens of projects and activities that help make this neighborhood a great place to live. Now, more than ever, the Association is involved in big issues that will help chart the future course of Sherwood Forest. Those big issues include the future development of the Michigan State Fairgrounds, our application for an historic designation and our support for a city ordinance permitting the creation of special assessment districts. Under the capable leadership of our Association president, Lois Primas, we anticipate an unusually busy year ahead.

If you have not paid your dues for the new fiscal year, please support our efforts by sending your check today. If you have questions about the status of your membership, call our treasurer, Sue McMillan, at 862-6366.

LET IT SNOW-WE ARE PREPARED

One of the many projects residents support when they become members of the Sherwood Forest Association is street snow removal. The Association contracts annually with a private provider of snow removal service to have all Sherwood Forest streets plowed whenever there is a snowfall that reaches or exceeds four inches. For the last two winters we have contracted with Sherwood Forest resident J.E. Tabron, the owner of 24-7 Snow Removal Service. This year, 24-7 is offering a new service. In response to numerous requests from neighbors, 24-7 would like to provide sidewalk snow removal to those homeowners who wish to contract individually for that service. 24-7 will go forward with this service only if enough people sign up to make it economically feasible for the company. By now, every resident should have received two notices from 24-7 about its proposal for sidewalk snow removal. The price of the service varies, depending on whether or not a home is on a corner lot.

We want all residents to know that the programs for street and sidewalk snow removal are separate. You will continue to enjoy the benefits of street snow removal, and street snow removal will be paid for from your Association dues. If enough residents are interested, sidewalk snow removal will become available and will be paid for by the individual homeowners. If you would like more information about the 24-7 Snow Removal Service, call (313) 219-6460.


SIGN UP TO RECEIVE THIS NEWSLETTER ON THE WEB

The last Tattler announced that Sherwood Forest now has its very own web page. Just click on to www.neighborhoodlink.com/detroit/swoodforest. There you will find a wealth of information, plus color photographs of the neighborhood. There is a "Community Calendar" that every resident can use to announce events and communicate items of local interest, such as meetings, garage sales, lost pets, etc. There is an interactive bulletin board called "Talk About It," where neighbors can share ideas, pose questions and discuss problems and concerns. There is a link to local newspapers, tv and radio stations, as well as to national news sources, such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.

You will always find the most recent Tattler at www.neighborhoodlink.con/detroit/swoodforest. You will also find the Sherwood Forest property restrictions, the most up-to-date version of the "This Old House" list, and a place to post your own free classifieds.
At the top of the web page, you will find a banner advertisement for St. John's Hospital or one of the other local underwriters of the neighborhood web site program. The advertising is minimally intrusive, and it does allow us to have our own web page at absolutely no cost to Sherwood Forest.

In the last Tattler, all residents were invited to begin receiving their Tattler on the web page rather than through the mail. The advantage is that readers will get more up-to-date information and will get it much faster, and the money saved on mailing can be spent on other worthwhile projects around the neighborhood. Several neighbors e-mailed me at Rodwan@attglobal.net, providing their own e-mail addresses and requesting on-line Tattler delivery. However, I hope that many more residents will decide to receive their Tattler through the web page. Please contact me today and say "Yes!" to this exciting opportunity.


OUR THANKS TO CARL HARDIN FOR ANOTHER NEIGHBORHOOD FUN RUN

Neighbors gathered at Canterbury Park on a crisp and sunny September morning for another successful "Fun Run and Walk Through the Forest." After the run, we returned to the park for refreshments and the awarding of prizes. All participants received a newly-designed Sherwood Forest T-shirt.

Our thanks to Sherwood Forest Association board member Carl Hardin and his committee for organizing this invigorating event. Committee members included Carl and Lana Hardin and their family, Bronzie Dabney and her family, Melanie Johnson. Thanks, too, to the Livernois businesses that so generously sponsored the event. They are:

ALLSTATE-CLIFFORD BLACK 18478 Livernois
ART ON THE AVENUE 19132 Livernois
BP GAS Livernois at Seven Mile
FARMER JACK Livernois at Seven Mile
IN & OUT STORE 19910 Livernois
NATIONAL CITY BANK 18490 Livernois
SKYLINK 19926 Livernois
SUPERIORSCREEN PRINTING AND SPORTSWEAR 19186 Livernois
TERRY'S ENCHANTED GARDEN 19338 Livernois
THE CLEANERS 19377 Livernois
THE SCHOOL HOUSE 19363 Livernois
UNITED EQUITY ALLIANCE 19416 Livernois

Contributor: BASKIN ROBBINS

These business neighbors made contributions, provided refreshments and donated gift certificate prizes.