Schools, flooding and an Elizabeth rezoning

From Under the Water Tower comes a heads up on a rezoning in the Elizabeth neighborhood. Deadline is Wednesday, Sept. 2, to email comments to neighborhood organizers about the rezoning request along Seventh Street. The public hearing is Sept. 21.

The developer is seeking rezoning from R-22 to MUDD (mixed use development) to build up to 390 residential units along Weddington Avenue and Seventh Street, near the historic Palmer Building on Firefighter Place and near Lupie's Cafe.

The neighborhood had a meeting seeking comments about the rezoning on Aug. 27 and is sharing those comments with the developer, Winter Elizabeth of Atlanta, according to the Elizabeth Community Association. You can see some site-plan details at the neighborhood site.


The rezoning doesn't directly affect Merry Oaks, but it raises a couple of thoughts with broader community impact:
1. The comments in a PDF from Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools officials at the Rezoning.org site note that "adequacy of existing school capacity in this area is a significant problem." The officials estimate the development, when completed, could add 118 students to Eastover Elementary School, 80 students to Alexander Graham Middle School and 93 students to Myers Park High School. Those kinds of numbers are important to keep in mind when considering redrawing school boundaries: There is talk of moving some people out of the feeder zone for Myers Park High to East Mecklenburg High. Numbers like these might add more weight to that concept. The numbers also highlight how school quality affects development and real estate. If school performance for the Garinger High School district were stronger, would demand for development and housing in that district in east-central Charlotte be stronger? Would growth and development be more evenly spaced across the county?


2. The comments in a PDF from stormwater services at the rezoning site appear to be minimal. Given the density proposed in this development under MUDD zoning, and given its proximity to Briar Creek, it seems deep consideration should be given to the effects of flood zones downstream. In the long run, that consideration could save Mecklenburg County money and save homeowners the hassle of unexpected flooding. The county has spent millions buying homes in floodplains along Briar Creek in recent years. Should dense MUDD zoning get further examination? Can dense urban design have features that absorb and slow stormwater runoff to avoid urban flooding?

Further links:
Background from the Charlotte Business Journal in 2008.
Planning documents for growth in "Centers, Corridors and Wedges" from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department.
FEMA floodplain maps.

Image credits: Google maps (top) and FEMA maps (middle).

Whither the big box on Eastway?

The announcement Wednesday that Wal-Mart will build a 155,000-square-foot supercenter on Independence to replace the Eastway Drive store could have far-reaching implications for nearby neighbors of both sites.

The new store between Eastway and Albemarle roads is scheduled to open in the first quarter of 2011, according to The Charlotte Observer.

That sounds like ages away, but it’s not really. The Observer’s article notes that Wal-Mart first announced intentions to build on Independence four years ago, and it has taken four years to clear obstacles for that project.

So it’s not too early to ask questions about what will become of the old Eastway Wal-Mart site.

A creek runs behind the property, backing up to homes on Pinecrest and, down further, Carolyn Drive.

The registered property owner of 3042 Eastway Drive is Eastway I Holdings, according to county property records. (It’s possible those records indicate it’s Eastway 1 Holdings, with a numeral “one.”) The property was sold in January 2007 to the owner for $11 million.

A Google search on “Eastway I Holdings” turns up an Excel document that lists an address for the company of P.O. Box 36799, in ZIP code 28236.

Does the property owner have plans for when Wal-Mart leaves Eastway? Does the property owner have any legal responsibilities to keep the property from becoming a degrading big box? I believe I’ve heard of new rules in which commercial property owners face the same responsibilities that homeowners do to keep vacant buildings from becoming eyesores and hazards.

But could the move offer opportunities for redevelopment? Could a larger buffer be made near the creek? Could the parking-lot sea become more green? Could the building or parcel be redesigned to better accommodate local businesses? What kind of new tenants would serve nearby neighborhoods?

The post office in the Eastway Crossing Center is also up for review for closing, and a Department of Motor Vehicles office recently closed at the center. The Eastway Division of the Charlotte Police Department still has offices at the shopping center.

It’s not too early to ask questions and plan next steps, to avoid merely moving the Independence big-box blight to another neighborhood.

Vote early and often (well, maybe not often)

Pundits spent lots of words last year saying increased voter turnout among young people and first-time voters signaled an increase in civic engagement.
This year’s tiny local elections will test that theory.

Charlotte’s primary is Tuesday, Sept. 15, and absentee voting is available now until Tuesday, Sept. 8, if you’re mailing in your ballot. Races with primaries include the Republican Party’s mayoral race, at-large city council races (vote for four) and some city council district races.

The east side of Charlotte has two contested Democratic Party district races, in District 1 (Patsy Kinsey vs. Owen Sutkowski) and District 5 (Nancy Carter vs. Darrell Bonapart). The winners in those districts have no Republican competition in November, so the primary settles the seats.

Some districts have contested school board races. Most of east Charlotte does not, because incumbent Tom Tate of District 4 is running unopposed.

One-stop early voting, which allows you to register and vote at the same time, is available at the Hal Marshall Annex at 618 N. College St. Dates and times: Aug. 27 to Sept. 4, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sept. 8 to Sept. 11, 8 a..m. to 7 p.m.; and on Saturday, Sept. 12, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., according to a flyer from the Mecklenburg Board of Elections. (Click under “Early Voting” here for a PDF of the flyer.)

College students: You can register to vote in the community where you are attending school so long as you don’t register to vote elsewhere. Lots of disinformation on how such a move can affect you and your family has floated around in the past. The best place to get reassurance is Rock the Vote.
If you’re a student from Mecklenburg County going to college elsewhere and you want to vote in Mecklenburg, you can write a letter requesting a ballot or have a relative write or visit the Board of Elections to request a ballot. Details are here.

Unaffiliated voters: Long ago in North Carolina, unaffiliated voters could not vote in primaries. That restriction is gone, with both the Republican and Democratic parties allowing unaffiliated voters to vote in primaries. You cannot switch parties, however, to vote in a runoff, if any exists. This site explains in more detail.

Next question: For whom do you vote?
I’ll leave that up to you, but I do urge you do to your homework through the Mecklenburg Board of Elections candidates list, which includes links to candidates’ websites. (Bonapart’s site is not listed there, but it’s linked above.) First search to find out which districts you are in, to cut down on the number of candidates you need to research. Many of the candidates have Facebook group or fan pages as well, and some updates are available only there.
One piece of advice: Candidates post notes about organizations that have endorsed them, and some caution is advised. For example, the Eastside Political Action Committee has endorsed a candidate in the District 1 City Council race. I’m personally curious whether those making that endorsement live in District 1. (Please feel free to speak up in comments if so.)

Good luck, and vote early.

Image information: City council districts, from the Mecklenburg Board of Elections site. Go here if you want more maps, such as a map of school board districts.

Ghost Busters car visits The Penguin

A car that resembled the Ghost Busters vehicle from the 1984 movie showed up at The Penguin restaurant at 1921 Commonwealth Ave. on a recent Saturday evening.

A waitress said the car's owner was inside eating. She said it was fine to gawk and shoot pictures. I took a couple of shots, and then I took my warm, greasy sweet-potato fries home without stalking the owner.

But a few clues exist on who the owner might be, or perhaps we have more than one Ghost Busters car in North Carolina. A Durham blog, take the bull by the horns, took note of a very similar Ghost Busters vehicle back in March 2009. And the Hendrick Durham Auto Mall blog spotted the same car as the one seen in Durham back in January 2009.


So was the car at the Penguin the same, only new and improved? Have you seen it elsewhere? Give me clues.

The vehicle isn't the only weird, wacky car to turn up in the Plaza Midwood business district and surrounding areas.


An Escher pickup truck showed up in September 2008 outside of Nova's Bakery at 1511 Central Ave. It didn't have an N.C. tag, and a bumper sticker touting Black Rock High School suggested the car had recently been to Black Rock City, home of the Burning Man festival. I haven't seen it lately.



And, of course, the Area Fifteen art car was parked outside of Area Fifteen at 516 E. 15th St. at Davidson Street for Charlotte's first ever Barcamp back on Jan. 24.

The Area Fifteen car appears to be the work of Jared Nicolson, profiled by Weird Charlotte awhile back. The car displayed at the bottom of the Weird Charlotte story was created for Charlotte photographer Jim McGuire, and I remember seeing him drive it around the neighborhoods.

Haven't seen it lately.

Wonder if it still runs.

Regardless, I love living in a place where crazy cars turn up. If you want more, check out the art carz archive at the House of Dioxin.

City council candidates' forum

Charlotte East Community Partners is holding a candidates’ forum for city council candidates from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Hickory Grove Recreation Center Gymnasium, 6709 Pence Road in Charlotte.
All six District 1, District 4 and District 5 Candidates, and 14 of the 15 at-large Candidates are confirmed. This forum is the only East Charlotte forum before the primary on Sept. 15.
Council members for District 1 and District 5 represent East Charlotte. The incumbent in District 1 is Patsy Kinsey. Challenger is Owen Sutkowski. The incumbent in District 5 is Nancy Carter. Challenger is Darrell Bonapart.
The N.C. Women’s Political Caucus has endorsed the incumbents for those districts as well as at-large candidate Susan Burgess.
Details about other candidates are available through the Mecklenburg Board of Elections candidates’ list.
Moderator is N.C. Rep. Tricia Cotham, a Democrat who represents District 100.
Candidates will each make opening statements, answer questions prepared by a committee representing the sponsoring organizations and make closing statements.
Sponsors are Charlotte East Community Partners, Eastside Political Action Committee, Neighbors for a Safer Charlotte, Plaza Eastway Partners and Windsor Park Neighbors.
Questions? Contact Heather Ferguson, CECP President, with questions at HFerguson@CharlotteEastCP.com
Sources: Emails from CECP and Bonapart. MBOE website.

Feeding the hungry

St. John’s Baptist Church at 300 Hawthorne Lane in Elizabeth held a farmers’ market on July 19 to raise money for the hungry.
The sale included vegetables from backyard gardens and plants. Rumor has it that some of the veggies came from Caldwell Memorial Church’s garden as well.
The sale raised a whopping $661.46, said organizer Betty Harkey. The church is considering another sale in mid-August.
A representative from the Society of St.Andrew Gleaning Network was impressed with the results and is planning to suggest the idea to other churches, according to the church’s Family News newsletter.
Want to contribute or help? Call Peggy at the church office at (704) 333-5428.
The best part for me in addition to the money raised: Amazing soup made by my daughter from the plentiful butternut squash. She combined the best of about three recipes. Here’s one.
Tip: Try it with nutmeg instead of rosemary and thyme, and don’t leave out the apple.

Charlotte's outerbelt vs. Independence Boulevard

"See there's a highway to the right of us I took it years ago.”
Distraction #74, Avett Brothers

Circuit City.
Toys R Us.
Service Merchandise.
Barnes and Noble.
Wolfe Camera.
Target.
When I moved into a neighborhood off Idlewild Road on Charlotte’s east side in 1993, I moved minutes away from big-box land along Independence Boulevard ( U.S. 74.) For the parent of a toddler, it was perfect, except in December, when every other consumer swarmed the boulevard and parking lots.

Now that part of Independence Boulevard has many empty big boxes.

Nearby neighborhoods are hanging on, waiting for a widening and realignment of Independence Boulevard, with the elimination of three traffic lights between Albemarle Road and Conference Drive. Some residents hope the widening will spur an increase in home values, which has happened for neighborhoods closer to downtown along the corridor.

And now Gov. Bev Perdue has given Charlotte a choice: Finish the final northern segment of the outerbelt or complete the Independence Boulevard project.

The next step: the Mecklenburg Union Metropolitan Planning Organization is scheduled to make a decision in August. If they don’t pick the outerbelt over Independence, construction on I-485 probably won't begin in 2015, according to an article in The Charlotte Observer by Steve Harrison. That choice followed a February 2009 promise from the governor to speed construction of I-485.

I moved away from big-box land in 1999, toward downtown Charlotte. My commute shortened dramatically. And after a few years of big-box deprivation, Target moved nearby.

So I don’t really have a dog in the fight for or against widening of Independence. But the future health of those east side neighborhoods affects me, and flaws exist in the decision-making process now:

• The vice chairman of MUMPO, Anthony Foxx, is a Democratic candidate for Charlotte mayor. One city council member who represents the area, Nancy Carter, faces a political challenge from Darrell Bonapart, who has led the Charlotte East Community Partners. Any decisions or pronouncements from those candidates will be strongly influenced by short-term political goals.
  
• MUMPO is heavily weighted toward favoring work on Independence. Of the 17-member board, 8 are from Union County. Only three represent northern Mecklenburg towns. And towns in Iredell County that would be greatly affected by an improved outerbelt have no representation on the board.
  
• Plans for Independence are out of date, given our changed economy. The retail industry has moved dramatically online. Federal funding for light rail appears light years away. Housing needs have changed too.
  
• The process isn’t transparent enough. Lists of the landowners affected by either decision should be online, and searchable, with the proper identities behind corporations and businesses available. While a PDF map of the Independence widening has been available online for a while, new technical capabilities of adding transparency are available now, and taxpayers have more reason than ever to check for themselves for conflicts of interest.
  

A representative for Charlotte East Community Partners has said the organization would rather postpone the Independence widening. Representatives of another neighborhood organization, Coventry Woods Neighborhood Association, want the Independence work to proceed before the outerbelt, and they’ve urged Carter and Foxx in email to support that idea.

Given the circumstances, any decision should wait until after the November mayor and council election, though of course broad debate during the political season is in order. And given other factors, perhaps widening Independence first isn’t such a good idea.

Ideas have surfaced about whether the Independence widening should be done at all, or whether it should be done differently, as a boulevard or parkway like in Washington, D.C., and other cities. More time might allow alternative ideas to develop.

Throughout its history, Independence Boulevard has disrupted neighborhoods. A delay might give us a chance to rethink its future.


More information at MUMPO.

Rabbits, raccoons and bears, oh my

Summer brings out all kinds of critters.
Now, in July in Merry Oaks, the visitors appear to be mainly cute and harmless, like the rabbit that hangs out in my front yard.
But earlier in the spring, the neighborhood had its share of raccoons, which often carry rabies and wreak havoc in garbage cans. And friends in the mountains have had larger visitors this summer, as bears wander beyond sanctuaries into private property.
How do you encourage the unwanted critters to go elsewhere?
The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission issued some reminders in late June about bear behavior, designed to give the humans a few tips on encouraging critters to leave. North Carolina’s bear population has rebounded in the last 30 years, and the bears often wander.
The bear rules will work for raccoons in urban neighborhoods as well. The big idea: If the humans provide no food, the critters will go away. (If you’re lucky.)
What’s hard: Many city dwellers and rural friends love to encourage certain wildlife visitors, and compost piles have gained popularity. But hard choices have to be made when unwanted visitors won’t go away. Outside food attracts the unwanted critters as well as the wanted, so listen to tips from the Wildlife Resources Commission:

• Keep bags of trash inside cans stored in a garage, basement or other secure area, and place them outside for pickup as late as possible – not the night before.
  
• Use a secure latch on the garbage cans. (Bungee cords work great for keeping out raccoons; I’ve heard of using ammonia on and around trash cans to deter bears.)
  
• Stop feeding wild birds during spring and summer.
  
• Avoid leaving dog or cat food outdoors. If you must feed pets outdoors, bring the empty bowls inside after all the food is eaten.
  
• Clean food and grease from barbecue grills. Bears (and other critters) are attracted to the smell.
  

With luck, the removal of food will make unwanted critters go elsewhere. If that doesn’t work: Some people recommend borrowing or owning dogs to mark the territory.

If all else fails in urban areas with raccoons, various companies offer critter control services. In rural areas with consistent bear visitors, a hunting season does exist, and the population is not endangered. Personally, I wouldn't want to face that decision.

Best of Merry Oaks: Restaurant secrets

From the Merry Oaks neighborhood newsletter, here's a list of restaurants and bars that Merry Oaks neighbors nominated as best–kept neighborhood secrets. The spots range from NoDa to South Boulevard, but they're all easy to reach from Merry Oaks and other nearby neighborhoods.

This list is alphabetical, with details on why people nominated each place, in their words. Because the list is about best–kept secrets, you won't see some neighborhood favorites like Lang Van at 3019 Shamrock Dr. or Lulu at 1911 Central Avenue, but you will see neighbors' endorsements of some less well–known places.

In addition, the newsletter's listing included favorite things that didn't involve food or drink. I'll share those later. Get a PDF of the newsletter here under community pages if you just can't wait.

Enjoy.

Ben Thahn, 4900 Central Ave.: Tofu hot pots, yellow pancakes with the most beautiful herbs and lettuce you will ever see, fresh mango appetizer. Mai, Kwong and family are so welcoming.

Dish, 1220 Thomas St.: Best dessert: Chocolate pecan pie. Also nominated for its comfort food.

Intermezzo Pizzeria, 1427 East 10th St.: Mushroom pizza and the roasted vegetable pizza.

Landmark Restaurant Diner, 4429 Central Ave.: Best French toast. (Also mentioned recently by Charlotte Observer columnist Tommy Tomlinson for 2 a.m. omelettes.)

Las Delicias bakery, 4405 Central Ave.: Great tamales (chicken, pork, or cheese) and you can get them wrapped in banana leaves or corn husks. Authentic, delicious and cheap. In the back, so you have to ask for them.

Las Margaritas Mexican restaurant, 4426 Independence Blvd. (near Sharon Amity): BEST churros, super cheap. You get a plate of six yummy, warm, cinnamon-sugar dusted churros for under $2.

Laurel Market South: 1515 South Blvd. Owners are Merry Oaks residents. Awesome sandwich shop, fab beer and wine selections.

Petra’s Piano Bar and Cabaret, 1919 Commonwealth Ave.: Super fun to go hang out and hear live music.

Portofino's: 3124 Eastway Drive, in Eastway Crossing Shopping Center: The calamari and inexpensive wine by the glass. Also, pizza and seafood specials.

Revolution Pizza and Ale House, 3228 N Davidson St.: Pizza spot in NoDa has the best pizza in Charlotte (so says one neighbor. I'm sure this claim could be controversial, given the pie competition locally.)

Sub Station II, 1941 E. Seventh St.: (corner of Seventh and Pecan) Best tuna salad.

Taqueria La Unica, 2801 Central Ave.: Near intersection with Logie Avenue. Best taco.

The Thirsty Beaver, 1225 Central Ave.: (tiny spot near the railroad tracks) Fun to hang out and hear jukebox and live music.

Zada Janes: 1601 Central Ave. The Bunnys Rancheros and a wonderful breakfast menu in general, and the best salad, named Noda Salad.

Town meeting with Susan Burgess and Rodney Monroe

At-large Charlotte City Council member Susan Burgess is hosting a town meeting from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday in Room 267 at City Hall, with featured speaker Police Chief Rodney Monroe.
Details from an email to community leaders:
The meeting will focus on public safety and will include updates on the impact of the economic stimulus plan on public safety, presentations on the three top citizen concerns from the 2008 Citizen Survey (burglary, drugs, and gangs), and a question and answer session with the Chief and other police department personnel.
Details or questions: Contact Sergeant M. W. Sloop, Response Area Commander, Eastway Division, at 704-336-8535, or 704-336-3817, or
msloop@cmpd.org

Bean by bean

The wet spring has brought a bounty of peas and beans at my house this year.
We're not sick of eating them yet. But when the overwhelming bounty of any garden crop arrives, we have solutions that can help the broader community.
Loaves and Fishes pantries take fresh fruit and vegetables, to add a little extra to the basic nonperishable groceries given away to the hungry in Charlotte. Generally, the organization seeks nonperishable items, but local produce won't be turned away.

St. Andrews Episcopal Church at 3601 Central Avenue near Merry Oaks houses the busiest pantry in the city. The pantry distributes food and takes donations on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Neighbor Austin Seagrave volunteers on Wednesdays at the pantry, and others have helped hand out food on occasion.

St. Andrews has also plowed up a sunny side yard at the church for gardens, offering plots to recent Nepalese refugees from Bhutan and others in the community.

In addition, St. John's Baptist Church at 300 Hawthorne Lane in Elizabeth plans a farmer's market on Sunday, July 12, 19, outside the church after the 10:30 a.m. service. (Previously published as July 12. My error. Apologies.) Church members plan to bring extras from their gardens for sale, with proceeds going to the church's hunger committee for distribution to hunger-fighting organizations. If you want to contribute, call the church office at 704-333-5428.

Every bean counts. Unemployment in North Carolina has hit 11.1 percent and South Carolina has risen to 12.1 percent, and distrust of some traditional nonprofits has grown because of stories about exorbitant salaries for administrators. At my house, we don't have lots of spare money this year, but if our garden overfloweth, we have at least two choices of ways to help the hungry, in addition to sharing with neighbors.

Consider the extra veggies as backyard micropayments.

Others are stepping in locally and citywide.

Merry Oaks neighbor Nancy Pierce offered her cucumber and zucchini bounty to the neighborhood Google message group, and 14 people replied. She sent more veggies to the Merry Oaks neighborhood summer meeting for giveaway this past week. While recipients might not have been in the same dire circumstances as recipients at Loaves and Fishes, every little bit helps.

And local media have formed Mission Possible, a joint reporting project to alert the community to the most critical needs. Members include The Charlotte Observer, CLTBlog.com, Qcitymetro.com,, WCNC NewsChannel 36, public radio station WFAE, Spanish language newspaper La Noticia and DavidsonNews.net .

In addition, a community-wide panel discussion is planned for 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30, at Little Rock AME Zion Church at 401 North McDowell Street on how best to meet basic human needs in Mecklenburg County. This event is co-sponsored by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Community Relations Committee, the Community Building Initiative, and Mecklenburg Ministries. Panel members include:

• Ruben Campillo, Latin American Coalition
  
• Harvey Gantt, Ganttt-Huberman Architects
  
• Carol Hardison, Crisis Assistance Ministry
  
• John McGillicuddy, Mecklenburg County
  
• Rick Thames, The Charlotte Observer
  

Moderators are Bob Morgan of The Charlotte Chamber and Willie Ratchford of the Community Relations Committee. Those interested in attending need to RSVP to rthompson@ci.charlotte.nc.us .

Bean by bean, we can make a difference.

Top photo: Beans in my backyard garden.
Bottom photo: The side lawn of St. Andrews Episcopal Church, plowed, plotted and ready for planting on June 1.

Plaza Midwood art Krawl

Plaza Midwood's Art Krawl is Saturday, June 13 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Music, artists and stores will hold special events.
Here's a sample of what's happening, based on the event's Facebook page, administered by Jonathan Winn and Teresa Hernandez:

PLAZA-MIDWOOD LIBRARY - Live music with Lunch Money, indie-rock for children, will get children and parents dancing, thinking and laughing. Lunch Money sings about things such as wishing for a pet dog, getting up the nerve to ride a roller coaster, and twirling around in rain and sun beneath an umbrella. (7-8 pm) Free

PURA VIDA WORLDLY ART!- Live music by Marcie Hernandez (7 pm), Virgo Musik (8 pm) and Deformati (9:30 pm). Photography and art by Colombian artists: Pablo Zapata and Nico Amortegui. Free.

BREATHE-BODYWORK - Art by Stefan Duncan. Free

CAST THEATRE - Metamorphoses. A modern telling of ancient myths, in, around, and sometimes under water. (8 pm) Visit www.nccast.com for ticket info.

CENTURY VINTAGE - Live music by Noel Lippard, Dear Druid and Event Horizon. (7 pm) Free.

COMMONHOUSE - Live music by Ample Example, 10pm-2 am (live on the patio)

COMMON MARKET - Live music by Hip-hop troupe, Kid Monsterz (9 pm). Free.

QUEEN'S GALLERY - Realism Found, Charlotte Artists Find New Meaning in an Old Tradition- art exhibit featuring 8 local artists. Live Music by Jeff Brown. (7 pm). Free

THE NOOK - Charlotte Comedy Club Show (8 pm). $10. Comedy/Improv by Robot Johnson (10 pm). $10. Jazz funk/fusion band. (11 pm). $3

REACHING QUIET DESIGNS - DJ all night

SOUL - Art by Austin Alston. and a DJ all night.

SNUG HARBOR - Live Music with M.E.G.O. and Drat (10 pm)

CORNER OF THOMAS AND CENTRAL - D.J. George Brazil and local artists selling everything from purses and jewelry to paintings and photography. Local artists will also be in front of Pura Vida Worldly Art and Tribal Wisdom.

DRINKS AND EATS:
- Coffee Central
- Common House
- Common Market Deli
- Creation
- Dish
- Intermezzo
- Lulu
- Mama's Caribbean
- Nova's Bakery
- Petra's Piano Bar
- Soul
- The Nook
- Thomas Street Tavern
- Penguin
- Zada Janes

SHOPPING:
- 1510 Antiques
- Pura Vida Worldly Art!
- ACE Tattoo
- Alternative Arts Tattoos
- American Beauty Garden Center
- Bead Lush
- Boris & Natasha
- Century Vintage
- City Supply
- Clark's Antiques
- Envy
- Flava Factory
- Georgetown Spa
- Hong Kong
- House of Africa
- Lunchbox Records
- Reggae Central
- Queen's Gallery
- Tribal Wisdom
- White Rabbit

Wide open spaces at the Morningside development

It's hard to imagine that this rural-like scene is less than three miles from downtown Charlotte.

Pictures tell the story better than words for an urban area that once housed Morningside Apartments, brick buildings from the World War II era, with hardwood floors, large rooms and a multicultural community.

The apartments were torn down in August 2007 to make way for new development, which has since stalled. The 33-acre parcel sits between Central Avenue and Commonwealth Avenue, with a small creek running through the eastern part of the property just before Morningside Avenue.

In the mean time, grass and weeds hold down the dirt. For a historical look, check out the Morningside Apartments website, which has some dead links but also holds some great glimpses of the past.

For more photos of the open fields (with captions), and photos of efforts to manage runoff into the small creek, see Flickr.

Aerial map snapshot from Google Maps.






Update: I shared the top photo in this post on Twitter, asking a guessing game of where it was, on May 31. Photographer James Willamor guessed the location correctly, and that's no surprise. He loves to study Charlotte buildings, the skyline, maps and development and write and shoot for CLTBlog. James has built a Google map of good vantage points to take photos of Charlotte's skyline.

Further historical links:
The developer's website, circa 2008:

Karen Shugart in Creative Loafing, talking with residents and nearby neighbors, March 1, 2006:

Hip Hoods on the development plans, Feb. 13, 2008:

Steve Lyttle from The Charlotte Observer, July 29, 2007.
(Note: This is the HTML version of a .pdf from The Charlotte Observer, not available directly from The Observer but available through the developer's website. If The Observer has any objections to this link, please let me know and I'll take it off.)

Doug Smith in The Next Big Thing, The Charlotte Observer,Feb. 13, 2008.
(Note: This is the HTML version of a .pdf from The Charlotte Observer, not available directly from The Observer but available through the developer's website. If The Observer has any objections to this link, please let me know and I'll take it off.)

J. Lee Howard in The Charlotte Business Journal, March 31, 2006.

Charlotte's guerrilla gardeners

Charlotte has a group of guerrilla gardeners, whose goal is “fighting filth with flowers. We adopt wasted urban land and plant fabulous gardens.”

The group has a Twitter account to spread the word about their efforts and to organize meetings to plant a little beauty in ugly areas of Charlotte.

The group also has plans for making seed bombs, globs of dirt packed with seeds that can be hurled or lobbed into waste areas and empty lots. (You can learn how to make your own seed bombs with a YouTube video here. For the South and Charlotte, our ubiquitous red clay would serve as a binding agent quite well.)

Since Merry Oaks has had a number of individual guerrilla gardeners over the years, here are a few unsolicited pieces of advice for members of this great new group:

• Seek perennials and natives for areas that are likely to remain growing for several years. Your extra money spent will pay off over years. Many gardeners also often have extras to dig up and donate to others: “ditch lilies,” (common day lilies), or ground covers like “green-and-gold.” You want hardy, spreading plants, but beware plants that are way too invasive that can threaten other plants (honeysuckle or wisteria.) My back yard has some maturing money plant seeds that will be perfect for a donation for seed bombs shortly.
  
• Beware schools and parks that could get mown down by workers who do not recognize your efforts at growing beauty. Many a heart has been broken by school volunteers over the years when trying to beautify an area, only to have their work trampled, bulldozed or sprayed with weed killer. If you suspect an area could face those kinds of challenges, use annuals or something cheap or free that won’t break your heart later.
  
• Check with community-conscious businesses like Park Seed out of Greenwood, South Carolina. They’ve made donations to PTAs and other groups in the past. They might be willing to help the cause.
  
• Be careful in “rescuing” plants from lots where houses have been torn down or moved. Check with owners to see whether they want their plants rescued. Obey property laws. And in some cases, plants, especially perennials, might be perfect to stay on the lot and beautify an empty space. Only move things if they are truly endangered.
  

Other ideas? Want to help?

The guerrilla gardeners meet next on Wednesday, at Amelie’s Bakery at 2424 N. Davidson St. in NoDa, to plant that evening. Follow them on Twitter as CLT_Guerrillas for details. (You don’t have to create a Twitter account to read what they’re doing.)

Photo information: Top photo by Dave Potts, showing the Guerrilla Gardeners efforts at 2700 Commonwealth Avenue. Bottom photo of money plant seed pods maturing in my back yard.

Holding property owners accountable for renters

Charlotte-Mecklenburg police representatives are pitching the idea of a new Charlotte city ordinance intended to help find absentee property owners and hold them accountable for actions of renters.

The initial plan requires property owners to register rental property with the police department, providing clear details on how the property owner can be reached if renters engage in illegal or disorderly activities.

The ordinance also allows the establishment of fees to pay for the registration costs and establishes a five-member unpaid board that reviews violations and has the power to revoke an owner's ability to rent property.

Police representatives are expecting strong opposition from property owners, and the ordinance review process will likely take several months, according to an email sent to community leaders from Ken Miller, deputy police chief. The first draft will be presented to a council committee on Thursday, May 21.

The ordinance could be welcome among some community leaders as a way to hold property owners accountable for criminal activity that happens on their property. A few questions, to generate discussion:

1. Why can't existing property records be used to find property owners instead of establishment of a separate registration process and database? Perhaps one answer: Often rental property is owned by absentee partnerships or companies where the tracing of responsibile parties is difficult. So would it be more efficient to fund or hire a forensic property tracker or enhance the existing property ownership database instead of creating a separate silo of information? Would it not be better long term for records at the city clerk's office to be made useful for this purpose and other purposes?
2. Will the fee for registration be so prohibitive that it penalizes small property owners in a bad economy who are just struggling to hold on to their properties instead of letting them lapse into foreclosure?
3. If determination of "disorderly" or "illegal" activities on a property happens before the renter goes to court and is convicted, is it right to penalize a property owner?
4. If it's difficult to staff unpaid city and county boards as it is, why establish another unpaid board to review complaints? Is there another way to use the time of existing city staff to handle the work, or is that a legal problem?
5. What are other cities and counties doing to control the problem of crime and disorder in rental properties with absentee owners who are difficult to reach? Has the proposed approach worked in other cities? Has it been challenged in courts elsewhere (leading to legal costs for cities)?

The proposed ordinance addresses a big problem in dealing with crime and safety in rental properties. Let's hope for a strong community discussion that leads to efficient, fair methods of fixing the problem.

First meeting details: Room 180 of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St. at noon on Thursday, May 21. Here's a map.

Full Google document of the draft ordinance.

Eastside Charlotte mayoral forum

More than 75 people showed up for a Charlotte mayoral candidates' forum Tuesday night at Windsor Park Elementary School to hear John Lassiter and Anthony Foxx discuss issues near and dear to the east side of Charlotte.

The forum was sponsored by Charlotte East Political Action Committee and was set up as a moderated Q&A with the candidates, with time for questions from the audience.
Foxx, a Democrat, and Lassiter, a Republican, are both at-large city council members and the leading candidates for Charlotte mayor. The winner will replace Mayor Pat McCrory, a Republican, who is the longest-serving mayor in Charlotte history, according to Wikipedia.

Fred Clasen-Kelly did a fine job of reporting the event at The Charlotte Observer, (temporary link) focusing on low-income housing questions.

The following are raw notes from the meeting. My background is as an editor and designer, so I can't do as fine of a job as Fred, but I offer these notes up to flesh out areas that Fred couldn't address because of time or space constraints. If there's anything I left out or portrayed wrongly, let me know in comments.

In addition, CLTBlog plans a streaming video online town hall with Foxx at 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 17. Anyone can submit and vote on questions for that event by going to Google Moderator here.

The key topics (often overlapping) from Tuesday night:

Fixing Eastland Mall
Both candidates noted that zoning and overbuilding hurt the Eastland Mall and Albemarle Road areas. Both noted that the tough economy is making a fix difficult.
Lassiter: Plans for the mall land will succeed if zoning is mixed use. When the economy rebounds, the area will see folks coming in and buying up these properties. The city planning department will be key in making the rebound a success.
Foxx: Fixing Eastland will involve a number of efforts, including police, infrastructure and rebuilding trust between the neighborhoods and the city. "We cannot leave East Charlotte out."
One questioner pushed for housing on the property at a specific price point: $200,000 or so, not $110,000 to $150,000. Neither candidate promised such a price point in future zoning for the property. Lassiter noted that the east side faces a challenge because existing housing stock falls into a narrow price area, with no ability for residents to move up but stay within the area. Lassiter also said redevelopment of the 90-acre Eastland Mall site would not include subsidized housing.
Another questioner expressed concerns that existing city investment in a bus transit station at the mall site could impede future plans.
Foxx: "There have been alot of false starts." "I'm sorry that folks have felt the city hasn't been paying attention." "We need to rebuild that connection between the city of Charlotte and the east side."

Working for better public transit on the east side of Charlotte
Both candidates noted that the Independence Boulevard widening was a state project that failed to take local residents and business needs into consideration.
Foxx: "As mayor, I'd commit to taking a long hard look at rapid transit on Independence Boulevard." He also noted that he's pushing for a way that the city can move ahead with the trolley line from Beatties Ford Road all the way to Eastland Mall.
Lassiter: "The challenge of getting light rail money is meeting federal rules." He's also working for the trolley, trying to find a way to use mostly local money to fund the project.


Fixing Independence Boulevard
Foxx: Wants new money to pay for the finishing of I-485, preserving existing state money to finish Independence Boulevard. "The N.C. DOT has not historically been a good partner with us" for helping to support the businesses that depended on Independence Boulevard.
Lassiter: Independence Boulevard needs to be the back door for the neighborhoods, not the front door. "I think we can all agree that the state has made a mess of Independence Boulevard."

Maintaining safety and fighting crime
Both candidates acknowledge the strong work of the Charlotte police department (which had at least five representatives at the meeting) and that crime had gone down in the Eastway division. Both noted that the city would find responsible ways to pay for more police officers that would not raise taxes. Both pointed to fiscal responsibility from the city, contrasting it with financial difficulties the county faces.
Foxx: Went to Washington, D.C., on his own dime to talk with U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, D-N.C., and U.S. Rep. Mel Watt, D-N.C., about federal support for fighting crime. He has also talked with the state Administrative Office of the Courts, and is working in the community at West Charlotte High School, his alma mater, to help show young people different, positive paths.
Lassiter: "We have to get chronic offenders off the streets." Lassiter noted he served on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School Board for many years, working to support young people and schools.


Low-income housing
Foxx: Noted a story by Fred Clasen-Kelly in The Charlotte Observer in 2006 that said roughly four of every five Section 8 residents are clustered in 10 ZIP codes in the Charlotte area. "I want to see this city deal with affordable housing in a real way," he said. He mentioned an "incentivized inclusi0onary zoning" fix. If he were mayor, he would establish a task force to handle low-income housing questions.
Lassiter: "I believe the east side of Charlotte has given enough." However, he emphasized a market-based approach to handling housing price points.

Code enforcement
Eastside residents have wrestled with the problem of code enforcement people working day hours Monday through Friday, with no one to verify and follow up code violations such as parking cars and trucks on lawns on weekends and evenings. Lassiter addressed the issue, saying the city was looking at innovative solutions such as split shifts for code enforcement workers. Foxx agreed: "We've got to have weekend code enforcement," he said, and he noted that the city workers must deal with three computer systems to input and track data about violations, with no easy computer interaction with police computers. He said the city needed to increase our investment in technology to address the challenge.


Small-area plans
Susan Lindsay, a long-time neighborhood activist for the east side of Charlotte, questioned why the city had not gone forward with small-area plans for the Milton Road-Plaza area and the Eastway-Plaza areas. Both candidates said they would look into that, with Lassiter noting that the planning staff should have some excess capacity at the moment because of a lack of rezoning cases.

Visit Evergreen Nature Preserve

View Larger Map

Less than a mile away from Merry Oaks is Evergreen Nature Preserve, 80 acres of creek and woodlands hidden between Central Avenue and Independence Boulevard in East Charlotte.

People are celebrating International Migratory Bird Day there from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 9. Activities will include Birding 101, bird hikes, crafts, games and bird-related merchandise for sale.
Get directions here.

Then on Tuesday, May 12, at 6 p.m., the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation commissioners will consider the preserve's master plan for approval, at a meeting at the Mallard Creek Recreation Center, 2530 Johnston Oehler Road. Details: (704) 548-8234. The meeting is open to the public.
For photos, a PDF of the master plan and more information about the preserve, visit the Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation site.
For photos of cedar waxwings and more from the preserve, check out birderbarden1 on Flickr.
(Hat tip: Nancy Pierce from the Merry Oaks neighborhood Google group).

Call for artists and dog lovers

The North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue group is seeking artists and craftspeople who want to sell their work at a family fun day on May 3 at The Palmer Building at 2601 E. Seventh St. near the Elizabeth neighborhood.

All proceeds from sales remain with the artist. All proceeds from space rental benefit animal rescue.

The event includes a petting zoo, adoptable puppies, a Guitar Hero competition and a dog agility demonstration. Plus Lexington barbecue.

Several neighborhood artists are planning to participate, including Patty Perkins, who makes beaded jewelry and teaches friends how to do so at parties. Visit her site for pictures from The Girls Night Out at Cate's recently. Those are her princess pins at the top of this post.

Rebecca Jones, who fostered the feral German shepherds from our greenway, is donating several art pieces along with her husband, Alex.

Here's a list of artists and craft folk.

Kayla from this animal rescue group was the "dog whisperer" who helped Rebecca with the shepherds, so this event is the neighborhood's chance to give back to an organization that helped our greenway feel safer for dogs and people of all sizes.

Details on the event are here.
Information for artists is here.

Public art in progress

Merry Oaks artist Greg Scott was one of three artists to show their works in progress Monday night as part of a public art project for Central Avenue. One of his sketches is above.

The artists showed a small group of Merry Oaks residents their works at a gathering Monday at Café Central at the corner off Central Avenue and Arnold Drive.

The projects are funded by the Arts and Science Council. These images were taken of sketches displayed during the gathering at Café Central and will likely vary from the finished works.

Ceramic artist Amy Sanders is the lead artist, coordinating community meetings to involve residents and artists and working with business owners.

The visual art will be transferred to vinyl panels attached with grommets to walls of businesses on Central Avenue near the intersection with Arnold Drive. Informal word is that a long, thin wall at Dim Sum at 3000 Central Ave. will become home to one of the works, and the tall building at 2821 Central Ave. with a large white wall at the corner of Masonic Drive and Central Avenue will hold another. (That's the old Eastgate Masonic Lodge.) The third location remains to be determined.

Other artists who showed their work in progress:


Sharon Dowell, with one of her sketches above; and


Duy Huynh, with one of his sketches above.

Greg and Amy are also part of a local group of ceramic artists Circle of Eight.

Café Central provided hors d’oeuvres for the gathering, including a beautiful dish of quail eggs, soup and prosciutto (below).

Yard sales, a creek walk and a party

Saturday, April 18, is MONA Day for the Merry Oaks Neighborhood Association. Yard sales, a creek-cleaning walk along (and in) Briar Creek and a party are on the agenda.

Details, from the Google group:
8 a.m. Shopping locally. About 10 yard sales are going on through the neighborhood. Take a walk and visit your neighbors for some good deals.
2 p.m. Creek walk along Briar Creek. Meet at the bridge on the greenway. Wear old
shoes, waders or boots and clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. Bring gloves if you have them. Long sticks are helpful too. Neighbors will furnish garbage bags, some gloves and at least 1 trash-grabber tool. Even if you don't want to wade in the creek, you can come help pick up trash on the greenway. (If you can't make this date, try to remember to bring a trash bag every time you visit the greenway to pick up trash.)
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Party at Cate's. (See the Google group for location). Bring an appetizer to share. BYOB.

Floodplain returns to green space

In August 2008, the remnants of Tropical Storm Fay dumped rain on Charlotte, sending upper Briar Creek out of its banks and into the 100-year flood zones.
Before that flood, Mecklenburg County had been buying out some homes in flood plains, but some residents remained in danger areas.

This time, the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners approved using $4 million in county stormwater reserve funds and up to $2 million of county park and recreation bonds to buy properties in flood zones. County residents pay a fee in their water bill to fund the stormwater program.

Two homes on Harbinger Court in Merry Oaks were bought out and torn down through the program, creating more open space quite near the neighborhood's existing greenway along Briar Creek. For homeowners, the process wasn't easy, giving up their homes filled with memories. But in the long run, the process showed a system that worked, in this case.

The pictures tell the story:



3007 Harbinger Court on Aug. 27, 2008



3000 Harbinger Court on Aug. 27, 2008



March 18, 3007 Harbinger Court



March 18, 3000 Harbinger Court



March 21, 3007 Harbinger Court



March 21, 3007 Harbinger Court



March 29, 3007 Harbinger Court



Demolition sign on Harbinger Court



Storm drain pipe over Briar Creek at the end of Harbinger Court.


Not all the homes affected by the flood have been bought out. Several homes along Masonic Drive on the other side of the Briar Creek greenway were affected. One property owner is raising the level of the house:



Further links:
County stormwater services
FEMA flood plain maps

Eastsiders turn out for Independence

About 30 people turned out Thursday to rally for redevelopment, light rail and strong planning for Independence Boulevard, an Eastside corridor lined by abandoned strip malls and big boxes after road widening.

Mayoral candidate and city councilman John Lassiter plus several television stations turned out as well.

Lassiter spoke with residents about the complicated mix of planning needed for transportation and the luring of business back to the corridor. His main point: The neighborhoods that line the road will likely turn their backs to the road over time as it continues to develop into a high-speed road to deliver commuters into Charlotte.

However, some businesses are planning to return to the area. WSOC reported Thursday that Walmart confirms a new store will be built on Independence Boulevard near Albemarle Road. The store could open in the fall of 2010.

More background:
Eastside Political Action Committee.
Independence Area Plan, from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department.
Map, history and links on Underoak.

Rally for Independence Boulevard

The Eastside Political Action Committee is leading a rally from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 9, for the Independence Boulevard corridor.

The group has been working for more than a year to support redevelopment of the Independence Boulevard corridor: its neighborhoods, businesses and landowner rights.

Independence Boulevard from Eastway Boulevard to Sharon Amity Road was once a thriving retail corridor; many businesses moved or closed up shop when the road was widened five years ago and access was limited.

In March, Charlotte's Economic Development and Planning Committee proposed a change in land-use plans along the corridor that area residents say will make it harder for businesses to redevelop the area.

Details on the rally, from the Eastside political action committee:
How: Show up and bring a sign. (There will be signs provided if you don't have one).
Where: Independence Boulevard, both sides: The sidewalk of Coliseum Shopping Center just east of the Eastway/Wendover bridge, and between Norland Road and Woodland Drive (the former Shoney's parking lot).
Why:
- Support redevelopment of Independence Blvd.
- Support reduction of a 175-foot transitional setback
- Advocate for more information or funding for buyouts of undevelopable property.
- Advocate for an Eastside PAC meeting with the NC Department of Transportation and Charlotte Department of Transportation, as promised at the last rally for Independence a year ago
- Advocate for the support of businesses along the next part of the corridor widening, from Sharon Amity Road to Conference Drive.
- Push for light rail in the Independence Boulevard corridor.

Background links courtesy of the Eastside PAC:
WSOC story, March 2009.
WBTV story, March 2009.
History of the building of Independence Boulevard from historian Dan Morrill
Eastside PAC forum.

Top image from Google Maps. Bottom image from the Charlotte Economic Development and Planning Committee, looking west toward the Independence interchange with Wendover Road/Eastway Drive.

Merry Oaks art crawl: Shop really local

Merry Oaks is having its first ever neighborhood art sale on Saturday,
December 13, 2008, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. It's a great opportunity to visit and meet your artsy neighbors as well as support their efforts by shopping for the holidays truly locally.

A list of those participating with descriptions of their art and links when available:

Liz Primm Design and Vintage Fresh
3401 Draper Avenue 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Home accessories, fun kid's dress-up clothes, recycled fashions and handpainted furniture

Adrienne Dellinger and Greg Scott
Pots with Purpose
2109 Arnold Drive
Ceramics
Adrienne is studio manager for Charlotte's Clayworks, has studied at Penland and has fired pots and dug clay with the legendary Carolina potter Burlon Craig.

Meredith Hebden
the laughing earth
1911 Graybark Avenue
Photography
Meredith won a "Critic's Pick" as Best Local Artist from Creative Loafing's 2006 Best of Charlotte awards. She's also an amazing gardener.

Alex Clark and Rebecca Jones
3430 Draper Avenue
Paintings


Lucy Hazelhurst
1833 Graybark Ave
Pottery


Raed Al-rawi and Beth Brown
3540 Draper Ave
Paintings

And yet another opportunity to support local artists, if you're reading this in time: The Plaza Central business district is hosting its Holiday in the Hood gallery Krawl or crawl from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.

Photo credit: Meredith Hebden, by Meredith Hebden, of the laughing earth

Note to neighbors and participants: If you have art websites, visuals or biographical information you'd like to share, let me know in the comments or through email, and I'll continue to update this post.