Thank you to
The Charlotte Observer, Mecklenburg Neighbors... from their
article:
Build A Better Neighborhood, August 2002
This article is copyrighted by The Charlotte Observer.
City programs offer support for improving
safety, appearance
MICHELLE CROUCH
Staff Writer
Charlotte has one of the state's most comprehensive
neighborhood programs. From installing free streetlights to putting in
speed humps, city officials believe that enabling strong neighborhoods is
crucial for building a strong city. They are now creating a program called
Model Neighborhood Standards to provide even more tools.
City leaders say the
key to creating a strong neighborhood is forming an association, getting
to know your neighbors and taking responsibility.
To help, the Observer has compiled a list of city
services you can use to make your neighborhood safer, more attractive and
a better overall place to live.
Get organized
See how your
neighborhood ranks in the city's annual Neighborhood Quality of Life Study
at www.ci.charlotte.nc.us/cindev/.
Click on "Quality of Life." You'll find statistics about your
neighborhood's crime, economic status, education and income. Enroll
in the city's training program for neighborhood leaders. Call (704)
336-2646.
(AtHomeCharlotte.com compares the
studies from 2000 and 2002.)
Create a free
Web site for your neighborhood. Call (704) 336-3955.
Make the neighborhood safe
Establish a
neighborhood watch program. The program sends a message to criminals that
they're being watched and helps neighborhoods develop closer ties with
community police officers. To start one, call (704) 336-2310. The police
department will require you to invite an officer to a start-up meeting.
The officer will walk you through setting up. If a majority of the
neighborhood's residents attend, police put a sign in your neighborhood.
To stay active, you must have at least two meetings per year.
Resolve parking
issues. City transportation officials will come out and evaluate parking
problems in your neighborhood. In some cases -- if you collect signatures
from at least 75 percent of residents -- the city will install no-parking
signs on one or both sides of the street. They also will place signs
restricting parking near a corner if visibility is an issue. For more
information, call (704) 336-3893 or go to www.charmeck.nc.us/citransportation/forms/parkpet.htm
Add sidewalks.
Charlotte has a 50-year wait for new sidewalks, but it can't hurt to get
on the list. A $50 million bond referendum for sidewalks on the ballot
this fall, if approved, could shorten the wait. To have a city official
evaluate your street for sidewalk eligibility, go to www.charmeck.nc.us/citransportation/projects/sidewlkn.htm
or call (704) 336-3893.
Slow traffic
Reduce the
speed limit on a residential street to 25 mph. First check with the
Charlotte Department of Transportation to make sure the street is
eligible. Then you must get at least 75 percent of the residents who live
on the street to sign a petition. Signs will be installed within 30 days.
For more information, call (704) 336-2261 or see www.charmeck.nc.us/citransportation/programs/25mph.htm. Request
speed humps or other traffic calming devices. To be eligible for humps, a
road must carry at least 1,000 vehicles per day that average more than 5
mph over the speed limit. The neighborhood also must collect signatures
from 75 percent of households on the street. And there's a four-year
waiting list -- unless you're prepared to pay for your own humps, at
$1,300 each.
The city also will consider requests for multi-way
stop signs, roundabouts and turn restrictions. For more information, call
(704) 336-3893 or see www.charmeck.nc.us/citransportation/programs/trafcalm.htm.
Request a
traffic light. To get one, the intersection will have to meet a variety of
conditions. See www.charmeck.nc.us/citransportation/signals.htm
or call (704) 336-3893 for information.
Request street
lights. The city provides free, basic streetlights to any neighborhood
that collects the names of 75 percent of its residents on a petition.
Neighborhoods can pay extra for decorative streetlights. For more
information, call (704) 336-3893 or see www.charmeck.nc.us/citransportation/programs/stlight.htm.
Health, sanitation issues
The Solid Waste Services Department enforces the
health and sanitation ordinances. Call (704) 336-2673 to report:
Properties with
weeds or grass more than a foot high.
Abandoned
vehicles without a current tag on city streets. Property owners can keep
one junked car on their property if it has a form-fitting cover and is
parked at the rear of the property.
Any sign placed
within 11 feet from the edge of any public right-of-way or on any post,
pole, tree, stake, shrub or fire hydrant.
Graffiti.
Control bothersome animals
Nuisance
animals include any that threaten your safety, damage your property or
interfere with your enjoyment of your property. You also can report any
animals that bark, whine, cackle or crow excessively or continuously. In
addition, the city prohibits animals from being kept in an unsanitary
environment. Call the Animal Control Bureau at (704) 336-3786 for more
information.
Zoning violations
Call the city's zoning office at (704) 336-3569
about any of the following violations: Your
neighbors are operating a business from their home without a permit.
Your neighbors
have too many people living in their home. City rules allow a maximum of
six unrelated people in any house.
Your neighbors
have more than four renters or more than two rooms that are rented out.
You see
unsightly signs directing drivers to a new community. City rules allow a
maximum of two signs, no farther than a quarter mile from the
neighborhood, for each development. To learn more about zoning, request a
community seminar on zoning issues by calling Katrina Young, assistant
zoning administrator, at (704) 336-3571.
Get city money for projects
The city's Neighborhood Matching Grants Program
awards from $3,000 to $25,000 to qualifying neighborhoods for
improvements. Neighborhoods have received grants for landscaping, tutoring
programs and festivals. The money must be matched with contributions of
volunteer time, cash, or in-kind donations of goods and services.
Only neighborhoods located within a census tract
where the median household income is less than or equal to $75,267 are
eligible. For more information, call (704) 353-1130 or see www.ci.charlotte.nc.us/cindev/neighborhoods/nmg/nmg.htm.
Staying in the know
Call the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Commission
at (704) 336-2205 to: Place your name
on a mailing list to receive notice of any area zonings or planning
initiatives.
Find out the
city's land use plan for your area.
Ask about a
yellow zoning sign you've seen posted in your neighborhood. A public
hearing will be held to hear residents' comments.
Solve problems
If your
neighborhood has a complex problem you can't solve, call the city's
Neighborhood Problem Solving Office: (704) 336-2929.
