3/13: "Community Organizing in Charlotte, Then and Now" will be presented at the Levine Museum of the New South on Friday, April 9, 2010. Full details may be found here.
2/2: Carolyn Taylor, Erwin Hinson, David and Judy Clark met with Dean and Nathan DeVillers of Cashel Rock Investors (partners with the Levine family, owners of the property), and Keith MacVean (a land use/real estate consultant with King and Spalding LLP) at the Government Center, to discuss the proposed development of approximately 24 acres of land on the west side of Monroe Road between Covedale Drive and Orchard Lake Drive. The developers are proposing a 278 multifamily residential complex along with portions of mixed use. Of the units approximately 230 would be apartments (1,2,3 BDRM) in 3 or 4 story buildings and about 50 two-story town houses. The units were described as being comparable to those at the Gallaria. Cashel Rock built those also. They described the intended rent per month as between $700-$900.
Of interest also to our neighborhood, they describe a wooded buffer zone along the creek that borders the residences of Sardis Woods. The buffer zone would be of varying widths having a minimum of 100 feet. Within the wooded area, they intend to build an 8 foot chain link (black vinyl covered) fence. They would develop a walking path along that fence on the Monroe Road side.
The developers state there will be retention ponds (three) for storm water management. They state that the runoff from the complex would not significantly change the water flow in the creek.
They also state that inquiries into crime incidence of existing neighborhoods after the introduction to multifamily complexes in other locations did not change if the complex was professionally managed in a responsible manner.
They plan to continue Orchard Lake Drive through the complex exiting onto Monroe Road just above the existing veterinary clinic.
They predict there will be no more noise pollution or light distraction than is now experienced from Monroe Road.
We want to stress that all this information given tonight is realistically fluid at this point. The developers say they are working toward these goals but they are not "set in concrete." and can change many details after the fact.
If you have questions or concerns, please call the Levine Properties Office at (704) 688-3315, and ask to speak to Mr. Dean DeVillers.
12/7: At the Block Captain meeting on Sunday, December 7, the request to the city to install the 5 Road Humps on Sunnywood Lane was approved unanimously. The city will be notified and we anticipate the installation will take place during summer of 2009.
10/9: A book club is meeting monthly at the home of Toby Spitzer, 7513 Surreywood. Meetings are on the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. If you would like to join, call Toby at (704) 841-2294.
10/9: Sue McIntosh is interested in starting a Garden Club and/or a Dinner/Cooking Club. If you are interested in either of these opportunities, please contact Sue at: mamasue4@alltel.net.
10/9: Cathy Gress would like to start a Walkers Group. Put on your walking shoes and email Cathy at: clgress@gmail.com.
10/9: Sardis Woods Ladies Night Out becomes a regular event, starting in November, on the second Thursday of each month at 8 pm. Here is the tentative schedule for the next few months:
- November 13th - New Zealand Cafe
- December 11th - Kristopher's
- January 8th - O'CHARLEY'S
- February 12th - Gado Gado
- March 12th - Beantown
- April 9th - Chili's
Please feel free to stop by anytime after 8; there's no absolute start or stop time. Even if you're just out running errands, stop by for a quick drink and chat with neighbors.
Watch this website for updates.
9/5: Ryan Satterfield reports a light gray cat with blue eyes that has been hanging around his home for the last three weeks. If you think this cat may be yours, see Ryan at 9500 Covedale.
6/25: Dan Callahan is sponsoring a Sardis Woods Day at Habitat for Humanity on Saturday, July 19. Please sign up! Details are found here.
6/23: CORRECTION: The June, 2008 newsletter, on page 1, says that speed bumps are to be installed on Sunnywood in the summer of 2009. That is incorrect. Speed HUMPS will be installed, which are wider, and allow crossing at higher speeds.
6/11: We have new information regarding the boarded-up home at 9521 Covedale. Jarrod Salema is the code officer for our zone. He has conversed with the homeowner, and is actively following the case. The former residents of that home were evicted, and the homeowner claims that they subsequently returned to the home and stole appliances and cabinets. Renovations on the home are in progress, and the homeowner plans to have it ready for rental next month. While it is unoccupied, however, he has boarded it up for additional security. Our CMPD officers are also keeping a close eye on the property.
If you have additional questions or concerns regarding this property, please email Rod Turnham at the address below, or give Judy Clark a call.
3/26: From Dan Callahan: We are thinking about organizing a Sardis Woods Habitat for Humanity Day later in the summer or fall of this year. To do this we would need around 15-20 volunteers to meet on a given Saturday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm and complete the task of the day, which can range from framing walls, installing roof trusses and shingles, drywall, vinyl siding, painting, etc. You do not need to have any experience to volunteer, there is a site supervisor at every location that teaches you what needs to be done. If you do have experience in a certain field, they would love your help as well! If you think that you would be interested in an event like this, please send us an email so we can see if this is something the neighborhood would like to participate in this year.
3/26: Louise Snyder is our first winner in Dan Callahan's Thank You raffle, which he sponsored to thank the neighborhood for our business and our referrals. Dan and Cori awarded Louise a $50 Home Depot gift card.
3/18: Sardis Forest Swim Club is open to any Sardis Woods residents who wish to join. It is a very nice facility and is conveniently located for our use. Check their website for more information.
3/2: Some development action is stirring on the Monroe Road land that runs from the Arby's and backs up to Bent Pine and Smokehouse cul de sacs. It may include a strip mall, and high end apartments. The developer is Cashel Rock. It is only in the EARLY stages of planning. We have received an information letter from them. In a subsequent conversation with the developer's representative, some of the details were changed. Details of this development are nowhere clearly understood at this time. He did offer to meet with the neighbors immediately affected, and has been invited to speak at the March meeting.
2/20: Some senior citizens may be eligible for a property tax discount!!
This note from The Charlotte Observer, by Carrie Levine: Senior citizens and disabled residents might be eligible for a break on property taxes.
North Carolina residents who are either over 65 or totally and permanently disabled -- and who earned less than $20,500 last year -- could receive an exemption of $20,000 or 50 percent of the appraised value of their home, whichever is greater.
The application deadline for residents who didn\'t receive the exemption last year is June 1. If you received the exemption last year, you don\'t need to reapply.
For more information or to receive an application in the mail, call 704-336-4600. In Mecklenburg, call 311.
1/11: STREET LIGHT NEWS!!! Our petitions have been verified, and we will be getting formal approval for the project by the end of next week. The neighborhood approved the petitions by 75%. Project dates are to be included in the city approval letter.
12/17: The 3rd annual Sardis Woods Holiday Food Drive is Saturday, December 22 from 10:00 am until Noon, at Crown Point Auto. The food drive benefits Second Harvest Food Bank. Our goal is 450 pounds of food, which would be one pound per Sardis Woods home. Please help those less fortunate than yourself. Requested items are as follows:
- Beef Stew
- Tuna
- Canned Vegetables
- Canned Fruits
- Canned Soup
- Mac & Cheese Dinners
- Peanut Butter
- Dried Beans
- Chili
- 100% Fruit Juices
- Cereals
- Diapers
- Personal Hygiene Items
- Paper Products
- Cleaning Supplies
12/10: Good News! The Sardis Woods Food Drive sponsored by Dan Callahan on December 9 collected 4 barrels (approx. 600 pounds) of food for the needy!! We exceeded out goal, and last year\'s contribution, by 33%! Our thanks to all who participated!!
12/2: Fire ants have been found in the neighborhood. Please be careful when doing yardwork. These ants are very aggressive when disturbed.
10/29: Rod & Phyllis Turnham are the proud grandparents of Matthew K Halstead, born Friday, 10/27, to daughter Kelly and her hubby Patrick. Matthew weighed in at a whopping 9 lbs.! All are doing well. (Investment hint: buy stock in Kodak!!!)
10/17: Let's Band Together (to eradicate cankerworms). Suzanne Butler has provided good information on protecting your trees from the infamous Charlotte cankerworms. Avoid damage to your trees; see her article here.
10/17: Suzanne Butler has contributed an excellent review of a Mecklenburg Quality of Life study, completed in 2006, covering the "statistical area" which includes Sardis Woods. To read her review and find links to the complete study, click here.
9/25:As of today, only five families have expressed an interest in the neighborhood yard sale. Due to the low level of participation, there will be no newspaper advertising for this yard sale ... insufficient contributions to cover the cost. We will keep the same plan, however, for the Spring sale, and hope for much better participation.
9/20: Long-haired gray calico cat. Recently declawed. She is strictly an indoor cat and has never been outside. Yellow eyes. She might still be wearing her blue lead/collar. Her name is Graycie. She is very sweet and skittish. We miss her very much. If you have any information at all (sightings or capture) PLEASE call (704)843-7520. Click for photo.
9/4: The National Night Out photo album, which had been "broken", is now repaired. My apologies for your inconvenience.
8/24: A personal note from your webmaster. Just today, I discovered a GREAT website built for several neighborhoods surrounding Sardis Road and Sardis Road North. The Sardis Roads website is very well designed, attractive, and has quite a lot of information and services to offer. I encourage you to check it out today, and check back often.
8/13: There is a red dinner plate that was used to bring cookies to National Night Out that is looking for its owner!! Call Judy at 704-845-1130.
8/1: Street Light Status: Last fall the team on lighting met and did a survey of Sardis Woods and the report was submitted to the city meeting all the requirements. They received our request and forward it to Duke Energy (Duke Power at that time) on December 2, 2005. They estimated it would be 90 days before we heard back from them. FINALLY we now have a promise from them that the paperwork for the next step of the process will be in our hands "by the middle of next week".
The next step will involve taking petitions to the neighbors who live close to each proposed streetlight to see if they "really want better lighting". They have told us many times that they will not be responsible for re-planting/replacing anything but the homeowner will have that responsibility. This is something that each person should consider before signing the petition, but if we want better lighting for our streets, this is the only way we can get it done unless we each hire an independent contractor to come in and we pay for it. More on this later after "the middle of next week".
8/1: Sunnywood Entrance Sign Status: The fund raising campaign went well and over 100 people contributed a total of $2101.00 toward the project of improving the signs on Sunnywood Lane to "match" those on Covedale. That money is in the bank waiting on what looks like a possible new home development on the corner of Sardis Road North and Sunnywood. The block captain team that is working on the project felt it best to wait until we see what changes will be made to that entrance before putting the new signs up. The information we have says that will most likely happen in October and by waiting until then we avoid building a new sign that could just be knocked down in the changes for the new traffic pattern. Thank you for your patience.
7/27: Our thanks to Ann Marie for her two years of service to her neighbors through the Sardis Woods Neighborhood Association. Probably very few realize all that she has done for us. She has been yard sale coordinator for the last two yard sales, while serving as block captain for three streets!
Ann Marie is now stepping down from these responsibilities to focus on other priorities, and as we give thanks for all that she has done, we also recognize that it will most likely take several people to replace her.
Please consider volunteering to serve as yard sale coordinator (Ann Marie will help you get started), or as block captain for Falls Church, Lone Oak, or Watergate (9500-9595). Email SWNA.