As a follow-up to the April HOA meeting in regards to the proposed "Park at Montford" mixed-use development at Woodlawn and Park Rd (off Drexmore), I have listed all the questions/concerns that the HOA has received to date.
There will be representatives from the HOA board and community at the First meeting with Kevin Nunnery (resident on Drexmore) volunteering to take the questions/concerns listed in this post to the meeting for discussion on behalf of the community. Thank you Kevin!
Thanks,
Valerie Delby
Madison Park HOA
President
Below is the information we have regarding two meetings on the calendar to discuss this project. More meetings are anticipated as we learn more about the proposed development and hear what recommendations the city will make after the inital meeting.
The first meeting to discuss the development will be held during the City of Charlotte's open forum rezoning session (multiple communties will be present at this meeting so the discussion will be high-level vs. detailed at this stage of the process) to be held:
May 5, 2014
5-6 PM at the Government Center (600 East Fourth Street)
Conference room on the 8th floor.
The second meeting will be a Community Meeting to be held:
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Park Road Baptist Church located at 3900 Park Road on May 20, 2014 at 7 PM, in the former Chapel.
This meeting will give interested neighbors an opportunity to review the revised plans based on the city's recommendations to the developer.
Below is the list of questions/concerns mentioned above:
Madison Park
Questions/Concerns for Park at Montford project
(proposed mixed-use development)
Below is the link to the current plan for a development known as Park at Montford. Developer Selwyn Property Group spoke to Madison Park HOA at the April meeting to present the proposed plan while letting the attendee’s know the plans and renderings are tentative.
http://ww.charmeck.org/Planning/Land%20Use%20Planning/ParkWoodlawn/ParkWoodlawn_Adopted.pdf
Also, below is a link to the Site for Rezoning:
Listed are some of the primary concerns the HOA has received from residents with the current plan are as follows:
1) Increased traffic.
a. As described by the developer, the new property is to be pedestrian friendly however, adding more cars and trucks to this area appears counter-intuitive. As Lt. Gwaltney of CMPD can attest, additional vehicles in this area could cause more congestion for the area making it less desirable of a location to reside….and that is definitely not the direction the community would like to head!
2) Height of the building.
a. The current plan depicts a 6-story property, which is 2 stories higher than other buildings in the surrounding area. Selwyn Property Group just completed a 4-story apartment building across the street at Woodlawn and Park Rd so the big question from the community is why would Park at Montford would be taller than what is customary of the community?
3) Size of the development overall.
a. The renderings and plan shows the property backing up completely to houses on Drexmore with a covered parking lot being to the rear of the property…making the deck face the residents homes. This does not map to city ordinance so we hope that this will be vetted by the city at the May 5 meeting. Residents will attend the meeting and have the opportunity to speak with the city and developer to voice their concerns and suggestions.
4) A clause in the plan that would allow for a hotel or office space rather than residential.
a. The proposed property will sit inside the borders of Madison Park, so having a hotel would not be consistent with what is traditionally found in a residential neighborhood. Having office-only space would be similar to other buildings nearby but again, 6 stories and a parking deck backing up to neighbors yards is not a desirable option.
5) If the property is residential, will it be rental or owned?
a. This has not yet been decided but is obviously of great interest to the community as the preference to help maintain property value is to have owned homes, not apartment rentals as part of the neighborhood.
The following concerns have been presented to City Rezoning:
1) Would this project force many (if not all) folks who would reside there to cut through the neighborhood (mainly Halstead, Montford & Drexmore)?
2) With this type of development, could this negatively impact our property values.
3) Does our neighborhood or the surrounding areas need more apartments?
4) Why would anyone on Montford, Halstead or Drexmore WANT this type of development? (In other words: What does the neighborhood gain for the developer using our neighborhood street to access their project? Not just after it’s built but for the 1.5 to 2 years it would take TO build it.).
5) Would the proposed project, because of its type, its height and how many people would live there, be required to be so well lit that 10 to 15 houses that are close may be impacted by the light?
Additional Questions for discussion:
1) Where is the elevation view for the Drexmore/Madison Park residents? What is the view we have to look at from Drexmore? How how would it appears when looking at it from Drexmore Ave?
2) What is the definition of multi-family? apartments?
3) What is the maximum amount of residents allowed in these apartments?
4) How many apartments?
5) How many bedrooms?
6) How many parking spaces?
7) How many cars allowed for apartments?
8) How many parking spaces/maximum cars for office space?
9) How much stress/added volume will this project have on Drexmore/Halstead/Montford/Longwood roads if any part of this project is allowed?
10)Are traffic impact studies required before council votes?
11)What is the Maximum # of cars for rental units, offices, plus rental town homes?
12)What is the potential traffic increase if the cut through is allowed?
13)How are moving vans/delivery trucks supposed to access rental units/offices?
14)What is the maximum height clearance into project apartment building for access from Park road?
15)How do you prevent illegal delivery vans/trucks driving through the neighborhood to get to the apartment complex?
16)Will this apartment project negatively effect the immediate RESIDENTIAL properties near by?
17)How is this rental project enhancing the Madison Park neighborhood?
18)What has this company previously implemented/built that has enhanced prior Charlotte neighborhoods
19)SPG (welwyn properties group) stated that their Drexel project has been ‘well received’. What does this mean?
20)Who has provided feedback? Is this just self promotion? What are the facts/metrics to back up this statement?
21)Are their any crime stats that show increase in apartment volume also have direct increase in crime/theft/car break ins?
22)SPG wants to be ‘good neighbors’. What does that mean? Can they define that?
23)Can we get SPG to guarantee that the town homes will be private owned property and not rentals? SPG seems nebulous and not definite on these being home-owned where residents will have vested interest in neighborhood, contribute to MP HOA, attend meetings, care about neighborhood sustainment.
24)Per the vision statement of the Park Woodlawn plan, what is the definition of ‘appropriately scaled development’? And how does this project adhere to it?
25)Who from the city makes sure this project adheres to the Park Woodlawn Area Plan?
26)How much did the Park Woodlawn plan cost to create? How long is the Park Woodlawn plan good for - what year does it expire (if any)?
27)The landscape for the apartment building is sloped. The 6 stories will look like 7 stories for the residents of Drexmore. How does this project allow one story buildings to be replaced with 6 story buildings?
28)What other projects approved by the council are similar to this project that provided ‘rich variety’ to the neighborhood and did not negatively impact safety or the backbone of the neighborhood?
29)What the screening requirements? How do I know this project will not have parking lights and noise as my new 24x7 neighbors?
30)Can the dumpster be moved inside the covered parking area (this is done in downtown apt/condo areas) - adding a dumpster for 130+ people directly on the other side of residential property area is not being a ‘good neighbor’.
31)Would the apartment and town home renters be considered Madison Park neighborhood residents? Would the join the MP HOA? Would they be paying members?
- Answer from MPHOA – Yes, this property will enter from Drexmore and would be considered part of Madison Park. Renters/homeowners would have the option to join the HOA if they choose to do so as is the case for all other homes in the neighborhood.
