Hurray! Miller St. Sidewalk and Crosswalk Project Finally Surfacing!!

We've been hearing the promises regarding the improvements along N. Main St. and Miller St. for months now and many of our neighbors have expressed frustration at the snail's pace with which the project has moved along. (Truthfully the snail probably moved faster!) It has just been announced that, finally, Salisbury City Council is expected to award the contract this Tuesday July 21st for installation of the new pedestrian crosswalk across N. Main St. at Miller St. and the new sidewalk along the south side of W. Miller St. from N. Main St. to Jackson St. Hurray!!!

The project is connected to the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund's Fit Community Grant, which was awarded to the city last year. Connected with the sidewalk and crosswalk is a new walking program being rolled out by the City's Parks & Recreation Department - Striders for Life. The project ties into the many physical improvements planned for the N. Main Street area in the City's Small Area Improvement Plan and will additionally encourage healthier lifestyles for our residents here. Residents young and old will be able to get to City Park and Hurley Park via the sidewalks where currently they must walk in the streets to get to the parks.

The construction will reduce the width of West Miller Street from 34 to 26 feet with the addition of a 5-foot-wide sidewalk and a 3-foot planting strip. We are very excited to see this project finally reach reality!

Council meets at 4 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 217 S. Main St. where the project will be awarded. It would be wonderful if many of our NoMa residents could be there to witness the award and perhaps offer a round of applause!

New City Curfew: 16 and Under in by 11:00PM

The City of Salisbury announced that Salisbury City Council has adopted an ordinance to protect juveniles, under the age of sixteen, from victimization and exposure to criminal activity. The ordinance amends Chapter 20: POLICE, of the Salisbury City Code, and adds a new section to the chapter entitled Article 4. The adoption came early during the Tuesday, June 16 council meeting and establishes a curfew for youth fifteen years and younger. Beginning July 1, 2009, it will be unlawful for juveniles under the age of sixteen to be in public places, without a parent or appointed guardian, between the hours of: 11 pm and 6 am, Sunday – Thursday, and from midnight-6 am on Friday and Saturday nights. The Youth Protection Ordinance is intended to reinforce the role of the parent in raising and guiding children and to encourage parents to be responsible for the whereabouts of their children.

The curfew ordinance provides exceptions for youth who are traveling to and from school, and religious and civic-sponsored events. In addition, youth traveling to places of employment or responding to emergencies are excluded. The ordinance was not adopted to inhibit positive youth activity or activity that is being supervised properly. The Salisbury Police say that "the Youth Protection and Curfew Ordinance places the responsibility of juvenile action with the parent or guardian. Parents are expected to have concern and knowledge for their children's whereabouts and the safety of their children should be as important to the parents as it
is to us.”

Before taking action, Salisbury Police Officers will approach the apparent offender and obtain the youth's age and reason for being in the public place or establishment during restricted hours. Should the officer believe that an offense has occurred, a juvenile contact report or complaint will be filed, and the juvenile will be removed from the area and taken into custody. Juvenile violators will be subject to referral by complaint to the Department of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. The youth's parent or guardian will be contacted immediately and required to meet with the officer. The police officer may release the youth violator into the hands of a parent or guardian only. Parents or guardians refusing to take custody of their children will be in violation of the City of Salisbury code and subject to an additional fine.

The owner, operator, or any employee of a public or private establishment that allows juveniles to remain on the premises during restricted hours will be in direct violation of the Youth Protection and Curfew Ordinance. Police Cheif Mark Wilhelm informs that “to defend their establishment from violation and potential fines, establishments should request that youth dismiss from the property prior to the onset of curfew restricted hours. If youth refuse to leave the premises, proprietors should take steps to protect themselves from violation of the City of Salisbury Code. Establishments may contact the Salisbury Police Department at 704-638-5333 and request that youth be removed from their property.” Adult violators and parents or guardians of youth violators may be found guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of up to $100 at the discretion of a District Court Judge.

The Youth Protection and Curfew Ordinance describes public or private places such as streets, sidewalks, highways, alleys, rights of ways, public vehicular areas and parking lots, transportation facilities, theaters, restaurants, shops, and bowling alleys. Schools and school grounds, places of business and amusement, playgrounds, and parks are also included. Any similar areas open to the public are covered under the newly adopted code as well as common areas open to or accessible to the public. The definition of public places is inclusive of, but not limited to those areas outlined in the ordinance.

For a copy of the adopted Youth Protection and Curfew Ordinance, citizens may visit the Salisbury Police Department at 130 E. Liberty Street and request a printed copy at the front counter. In addition, an online, printable version of the ordinance is available by visiting the City of Salisbury website at www.salisburync.gov and clicking on the link entitled Youth Protection and Curfew Ordinance, under the heading of Highlights. For more information regarding the City of Salisbury, visit http://www.salisburync.gov/. For more information regarding the Salisbury Police Department, please call 704-638-5333 or visit the department online at www.salisburyncpd.org .

Community Appearance Commission & Landscape of the Month Award

The City of Salisbury's Community Appearance Commission awards a Landscape of the Month Award to one residential and one commercial site each month of the year. The Community Appearance Commission is the team responsible for the Sculpture Sculpture Show, "Discover What's Outside". As we published earlier, the Old North Salisbury Association and the North Main Street Neighborhood were very proud to have one of our neighbors awarded for May 2009.

We're sure you've walked or driven by places whose yards look really great. If you would like to submit a nomination for Landscape of the Month . . .

Send it to:
City of Salisbury
C/O Diana Moghrabi
PO Box 479
Salisbury, NC 28145dmogh@salisburync.gov

SNAG Cookout - Tuesday July 14th - 5:30PM

Do You Know About the SNAG Meetings - Every 1st Wednesday

Most of us who live here will agree that the North Main Neighborhood, N. Main Street from Lafayette to 17th St and Railroad St to N. Jackson St, is a pretty great place to live with friendly neighbors, great homes, and a safe place to walk and live. From time to time, as with any downtown neighborhood, we experience an activity that is less than desirable. Our neighbors on 14th St. have reported how they recently involved the Salisbury Police Department to help with neighboring nefarious activities there and complimented the Police on their response and their willingness to help.

For those of us who would like more Police attention in other parts of the neighborhood, there is a resource. The Salisbury Police Department encourages citizen/police interaction in order to build trust and partnerships. They have a monthly meeting, which is referred to as SNAG or Salisbury Neighborhood Action Group with citizen participation. This meeting has been on going since 1991 and meets the first Wednesday of each month, 10:30 am at the Salisbury Housing Authority on South Boundary St. behind the main Post Office (on Innes St). We encourage all our neighbors and residents to attend these meetings to discuss concerns, problems and solutions. We feel that this meeting is very important in fostering positive relationships and partnerships and may help reduce unwanted activities and visitors.

For more information, you can always call the Police Non-Emergency number: 704.638.5333. Yes - 10:30 AM is a tough hour to make for those with the typical 8-5 workday, but our attendance there could increase police patrolling here and thereby improve the quality of the neighborhood in general.

The Police Department business phone lines are staffed around the clock. We encourage you to call the business line for non-emergency type requests and we encourage you to call 911 for all emergencies.

The Salisbury Police Department ensured us that "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" so if we have issues we should be SURE to call and/or attend the SNAG meetings whenever possible.

Historic Wood Window Repair Workshop ~ Sat July 11th at the Farmer's Market

Historic Wood Window Repair Workshop
Downtown Salisbury Farmers Market
Saturday, July 11th 8:30-10:30 am

Historic wooden windows, while often targeted for replacement, are one of the most significant elements in a historic home.

Comments like "my windows are painted shut" and "these old windows let cold air in the house", lead many to consider replacement windows.

These replacements not only use non-renewable petroleum based products for the production, many have a poor track record of extended use, some failing with less than 10 years in service. Unlike wooden windows, many replacement windows have few interchangeable parts which ultimately require yet another generation of replacement and even more materials in the landfill. Most historic windows are made of old growth heart pine, an extremely durable material that with proper care can last for hundreds of years.

This workshop will show simple techniques for rehabbing original windows for practical operation and energy efficiency. Some skills that will be illustrated include: glass and glazing replacement, sash cord and weight repair, wood reconditioning and replacement, weather stripping and installation of low profile storm windows, and other useful tips for keeping the "eyes" of your historic home working properly for years to come.

Handouts and brochures for resources and supplies will be on hand for your use. The workshop is FREE!!! If you can't make it for the entire workshop, don't worry. Even if you come for a piece of it, you will be sure to come away with some valuable information!

Speaking of Landscapes & Plantings . . . What About the Trees?

Did you know that when we remove trees from our landscapes, we add to the loss of our area’s natural pollutant filtering system – our tree canopy? Trees remove carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants from our environment. The City of Salisbury and its Planning Department are continually looking into ways to incorporate the preservation of our tree canopy here.

If you live in one of Salisbury’s historic districts and you plan to remove trees, measure the diameter of the tree trunk first! Salisbury requires a permit to remove old growth trees that have trunks 18-inches in diameter or more. The permit is obtained from the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). The Historic Preservation Commission is responsible for receiving and approving Certificates of Appropriateness and permits for tree removal. Meetings are held the 2nd Thursday of each month at 5:15 p.m. in City Council Chambers. Contact staff liaison Janet Gapen at (704) 638-5230 with any questions.

If you’ve been out and about in the North Main neighborhood recently, you may have seen a massive tree removal project going on at the corner of E. Steele Street and N. Main Street. Many neighbors were devastated to see the loss of some very large old-growth trees. However, the tree removal was planned, designed, and handled appropriately.

This tree removal project includes the three properties at 901 N. Main, 903 N. Main, and 112 E. Steele St.. The neighbors are collectively replacing the destroyed driveway that provides access to all three homes. Our neighbors followed all City of Salisbury and HPC guidelines for getting approval for the project, which included the removal of the trees. This project will also make it possible to get as many as five cars off of Steele Street (if you’ve ever attempted to drive down E. Steele, you will agree that it is a maze of parked cars due to the limited parking facilities for the homes there), and for the first time in decades one of our Main St. neighbors will have direct access to her home without dangerously parking on the Main St. promenade or on Steele and walking to her house. When these homeowners met with the Historic Preservation Commission, they were complimented for their efforts and design. One of the largest trees that came down had totally destroyed the left side of the foundation of the Steele St. home. The tree was a no-brainer for the Planning and Tree Board to agree to its removal. It was the only way that the house could be saved for the future. We all hated to see the trees come down, but preservation of the Steele St. structure and usability of that multi-family driveway has made some sense out of it.

Trees that grow in cities and towns are called “the urban forest”. Trees are major capital assets in cities across the United States. Just as streets, sidewalks, public buildings and recreational facilities are a part of a community's infrastructure, so are publicly owned trees. Trees -- and, collectively, the urban forest -- are important assets that require care and maintenance the same as other public property. Trees are on the job 24 hours every day working for all of us to improve our environment and quality of life. Life is hard for these trees because of limited space, water, nutrients and extensive pavement covering the soil all around them. Many trees get cut down because their roots crack the pavement as they seek water and nutrients. The urban forest (and its many benefits) will disappear unless people stand up for these trees and work to plant, maintain and steward them. Conscious urban forestry needs to become integrated into the agenda of all city governments and city planners, as well as in the mindset of our residents.

The Salisbury Tree Board is a seven (7) member, City Council advisory board that advocates the planning, preservation, and planting of trees on public rights of way and public properties. Meetings are held the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 12:30 p.m. at Salisbury-Rowan Utilities, 1 Water Street. Contact staff liaison Mark Martin at (704) 638-5255 for more information.


It is interesting to note that if you do remove trees, the City requires for every tree removed – you must plant another to replace it on the property somewhere. In this manner, we can ultimately sustain the tree canopy and help to clean the air in our neighborhoods. Remember, it takes decades for the trees to reach the height and breadth of some of our old-growth trees. Make every effort to ensure that if you must remove this valuable resource, that your reasons for doing so can be justified and that you have plans to replace the trees as soon as possible.

Landscape of the Month Award Comes to North Main Street!

Congratulations to our neighbors at 1442 North Main Street for being recognized with Salisbury’s Landscape of the Month award for the month of May! We are so proud to have one of our own receive this wonderful recognition. Please take the time to drive past and take a look at their very attractive and welcoming property!

The Landscape of the Month Award is issued monthly to one residential property and one commercial property in Salisbury. A Landscape Committee under the City of Salisbury’s Community Appearance Commission receives nominations and selects the recipient. The Thorntons at 1442 N. Main Street are this month’s winner. We hope their fine work on their home plantings and this recent recognition will be an inspiration to all in the neighborhood.

Can’t afford a grand landscaping plan? Maybe you rent and are not inclined to invest in landscaping for your landlord? Another way to make your front yard & the entrance to your home (and the neighborhood) inviting is to place a few potted plants at the door or along your front walk or steps. For a very small investment, you can add color with hardy plants such as geraniums or petunias for sunny spots, or begonias and impatiens for shady areas. (Ask at any of Salisbury’s fine garden centers for help and they’ll send you home with the right plants – or inquire to the Old North Salisbury Association at oldnorthsalisbury@gmail.com and we can make plant recommendations for you.) Remember though – plants in containers do need a bit of maintenance. Their soil will dry out much faster than our in-ground plants and therefore need routine watering. While you are fixing your morning coffee each day, take a jug of water out to your potted plants and everyone will be happy!

Remember to keep your lawns mowed and trimmed throughout the summer. If lawns are not kept up, it is actually an offense under the City’s Code Enforcement. If you are reported for having an unkempt lawn, the City can and may come out and mow it for you. This is NOT a free service and you bet-your-booty you will get a hefty bill from the City. You will agree that there are more important things to trouble the City’s Code Enforcement folks about, so let’s make every effort to keep the lawns tidy. If you are having difficulty with this, please contact us and we’ll see if we can’t get someone out to assist you. We’re in this together!

Remember that City Ordinances do not allow for “indoor” furniture (anything upholstered is a bad idea!) to be placed on front porches so if you decide to put some seating out there with your new plants, please remember to use wood, metal, or plastic/resin furniture. You can paint second-hand chairs and tables a cheery color to add to your front garden – whether it is in-ground landscaping or a collection of pots – and you too could be up for the Landscape of the Month Award!

Congratulations to Tracy and Robert Thornton at 1442 N. Main Street! Thank you for raising the bar for beautiful landscaping in NoMa!

Downtown Salisbury Master Plan Meeting Thurs May 26th 6:00PM

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO RSVP! If you have not already sent your RSVP for the Downtown Master Plan Update meeting please do so by contacting Shuntale Smith /Downtown Salisbury, Inc.
704-637-7814.

DATE: Thursday, May 28, 2009
TIME: 6:05 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
LOCATION: Rowan Museum (Second Floor)
MORE: Dinner will be served so please remember to RSVP.

Our downtown and city core is vital to the growth and vitality of Salisbury and our North Main Street neighborhoods - especially because of our proximity to downtown. Many of you may have suggested changes or ideas that you feel would create a more inviting and vibrant downtown. We need to hear your input and ask that you take an evening to attend the first planning session for the update to Downtown Salisbury, Inc. master plan. Please contact Shuntale Smith at DSI for further information.

Contact Information: Shuntale SmithDowntown Salisbury, Inc. 704-637-7814

Check out www.downtownsaliburync.com to see a copy of the current master plan. The plan was last modified 10 years ago (and about $40 million has been invested!) and if you have been here over that time period you can plainly see many of the changes that have come to be. Let your voice be heard for the changes to come in the next 10 years!

Salisbury Parks Master Plan

Hey Friends & Neighbors!

We attended the Salisbury Parks & Recreation Master Plan Update Meeting last night. You will recall that there was a public meeting back in March where we got to brainstorm our parks "wish-list" to the consultants that Salisbury has hired to update the master plan and to the City Parks & Recreation folks. Last night's meeting was to present the preliminary proposals to the public. It's a long-term plan, as master plans are, that covers about 10 years out. Here's some of what we learned:

The Lincoln Park Pool will undergo a phased improvement plan that should take about 3 years. The existing pool will change to splash pools - very fun for kids mostly. A new pool for swimmers is planned at the Civic Center! There are plans to add more neighborhood parks - but unfortunately there are none slated for the North Main area. Although our landscape architect drawings for the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan show several pocket parks in the area, when we ask the City, we are told that our proximity to City Park will not allow us to have new parks. What can we do about this?

We were told that we should watch for foreclosing properties that could be perhaps purchased inexpensively to be used as park or green-space area. Also, if you know someone who perhaps was left a property as an inheritance, but is not interested in the upkeep they can donate it as a tax write-off. This is largely how the Fulton Heights neighborhood got their park. It is important to note however, that Fulton Heights raised about $40,ooo to get their park by holding fundraisers, etc. and that the neighbors there do much of the everyday maintenance.

It is very interesting to see the Parks plan unfold. The hard part once the plans are in place is funding the changes - as always. It will be even more interesting to see how far we get in the phyisical changes once the new Parks Master Plan is in place.

North Main St Neighborhood Meeting - Apr 13th - 6:30PM - City Park Rec Center

Be sure to come to the neighborhood meeting this Monday to hear the update about the new sidewalks (at last!) planned for West Miller Street! We've been hearing about these improvements to the neighborhood for some time and now it appears very close to happening! This is your opportunity to hear about it first-hand from the City engineers and planners - your opportunity to ask questions.

The meeting will be held this Monday April 13th at 6:30 PM at the City Park Recreation Center on 316 Lake Drive in Salisbury.

We'll be hearing about the sidewalks and proposed crosswalk at North Main Street and West Miller Street. The sidewalk is the first step in a plan to connect our Old North Salisbury neighborhood to the city parks and the Salisbury Greenway system. After we get the West Miller Street sidewalk, we'll see more sidewalks go in along the 900 block of North Jackson Street along the City Park edge, then up and around Lake Drive and over to Hurley Park. The planned sidewalk improvements will provide safer, more convenient access to the parks for our neighborhood residents. These changes were recommended by our neighborhood residents who took part in the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan completed in 2007. The project is being funded by Salisbury City Council and a grant from the North Carolina Health & Wellness Fund as part of the Fit Community initiative. Members of the Old North Salisbury Association attended several of the grant meetings and were instrumental in having Salisbury become a grant recipient.

This is an exciting time for our community and we hope you will find the time to attend this meeting to both show your support and learn more about the whole process. Please come! The more we know, the more we can help initiate more improvements like this in the Old North Salisbury - North Main Street neighborhood.

We hope to see you there!

Old North Salisbury's Tripp Edwards at the Blue Vine Tonight!

Our own Old North Salisbury neighbor, Tripp Edwards, will be playing his original music at the Blue Vine on South Main St in Salisbury tonight from 9 - midnight. Don't know Tripp, from N. Jackson St, or his music? Tripp is co-owner/founder of Stringfellows Music on North Main St. in Salisbury. You can get a sneak preview listen to his music at these sites:

http://www.trippedwards.com/

www.myspace.com/trippedwardsmusic

www.facebook.com/pages/Tripp-Edwards/36754727345

And on iTunes!

So put on your galoshes (yes - it's a rainy nite!) and get out there and have a great time!

More Trolley Pictures from Salisbury Early 1900's

This picture was taken looking north on Main Street from a little bit south of the Square or the intersection of Main and Innes Streets. The "tall" building you see in the background is currently where Spanky's Deli is. You will note that the trolley had to compete with the horse-drawn carriage in the early 1900's here.

This picture, while you don't see the actual trolley tracks, shows the electric street car lines along the road side. The 3rd picture here was taken from the Grubb Building looking south on Main Street and you can make out the trolley tracks in the center of the street and you can again see the electric lines along the east side of Main Street. The large standpipe, a water resevoir for the City, no longer stands but used to be near the Fisher Street and Church Street intersection.

Ever Wonder Why the Trolley Logo for Old North Salisbury?

If you are curious as to why the Old North Salisbury Association has the Trolley Car as its logo - you will find the answer most interesting! It's not about the North Carolina Transportation Museum in Spencer as you might think (www.nctrans.org)! Yes ~ it's down the road ~ but not the reason for the Trolley Logo!

In 1896, the City of Salisbury was primarily a "walking city". The population, at that time about 6,000 people, lived in a clustered area around downtown and could walk to most of their churches, shops, and places of work.

In 1901 the first street car line was proposed to run between Salisbury and Spencer. The Salisbury Light and Power Company (later called the Salisbury-Spencer Railway Company) completed the trolley car line from the Southern Railway Hotel in Spencer along North Main St. to the Square in Salisbury. These were electric trolley lines, not the automated trolley we see today on our Friday Nights on the Town. The company changed hands several times and in 1935 Duke Power took over the electric railway franchise here. Duke Power continued the street car service until 1938 when the lines were abandoned for the bus lines. The old tracks along the street of Salisbury were either removed or covered over.

There used to be a trolley stop at North Main Street and Miller Street to service the residents of the Steele Plantation at the John Steele House. The stop is a current bus stop for today's buses. (The picture above depicting the trolley lines along North Main Street in downtown Salisbury in the days of yore is actually an 18" x 12" poster that is available for about $20.00 from www.allposters.com.)If you click on the picture, you will be able to see it in a larger format and can clearly see the trolley lines.

From time to time in the past, although we haven't heard much about it lately, the topic of resurrecting the old trolley line along North Main Street resurfaces. Many believe it would be a tremendous tourist attraction and revenue generator for both Salisbury and the Town of Spencer. Many even believe that the original old tracks could still be under the pavement on North Main Street! Now THAT would be a rejuvenator for the area, wouldn't it!

The advent of the street car was one of the factors in Salisbury's expansion from a "walking city" into a thriving 20,000 population between 1904 - 1930. Is is interesting to note that of the attractive residential suburbs which developed along Salisbury's major trolley line thoroughfares during this first part of the 20th century (along Fulton to Mitchell Avenue - out Mitchell to Fulton Heights - down Council Street to Caldwell St and out west Innes Street to the Yadkin Valley Fair Grounds), only North Main Street retains much of its original appearance.

So ~ because of its historic significance to the North Main Street neighborhood of Salisbury North Carolina, the trolley was chosen as the most appropriate symbol for the North Main Street Historic District signs and for the Old North Salisbury Neighborhood Association!

Historic Salisbury Trolley Tours
Each Saturday
April 1 – Oct 31, 2009
11 am & 1 pm
Board at the Visitors Center204 E Innes Street Salisbury

Parks Master Plan Meeting

Hello Friends & Neighbors ~

Some of us from the Old North Salisbury Association got the opportunity to participate in the City of Salisbury's Parks & Recreation Master Plan public meeting held this past Thursday evening. This was a preliminary "voice of the public" brainstorming session to ask US what we want from our future city parks. A separate section of the meeting also focused on the concerns at Salisbury's Lincoln Park that has a 40-year old pool (Salisbury's only public pool!) and needs renovating.

At the meeting, people from the City and the Woolpert Engineers from Charlotte divided the attendees into groups where we listed anything and everything we wanted from our park systems. Despite the limited time to compile this we came up with quite a list! We were then asked to list our Top 5. I am afraid that pocket parks in NoMa (the North Main Neighborhood), while on the list, did not make it to the Top 5 as you can imagine. The Bike Trail was on everyone's list. We asked for new and improved Bike Trails both city-wide and in the parks - marked and designated for biking. Festivals or music events in the existing parks was another idea that made it to the top. The opinion was that festivals could possibly generate revenue to allow the City to take care of the parks and add the other features we desire. There were several other ideas - all very very good. Now we just have to see where that takes us!

The engineers are going to take the data from that meeting and compile a plan. There will be another Public Meeting in May. We'll announce it here but keep an ear to the ground for the date. They will present the plan there and again we will have opportunity to voice opinions and suggestions.

We do wonder where the City will obtain the funding for all these wonderful ideas and there was plenty of discussion about that. One idea was interdepartmental sharing of budgets. Couldn't the Roads & Streets department install and maintain a city-wide Bike Trail and share the costs with Parks & Recreation? Just a thought!

Public Meeting Today ~ 6:30 PM

Hey Everyone! Reminder!

Don't forget to go to today's Public Meeting - 6:30PM - at the Salisbury Civic Center on Boundary St. The meeting is about the City of Salisbury's Parks Master Plan!

See you there!

Sidewalks & Crosswalks Coming to W. Miller St.

Hey All!

As you know, the long promised sidewalks and crosswalks are coming to the W. Miller St crossing at N. Main St.!!!

The Old North Salisbury Association's President, Sue McHugh of N. Main St., attended a meeting at Salisbury City Hall today as part of the Fit Community Grant Partnership that is funding this improvement to our neighborhood. Here is what we learned:

A Public Neighborhood Meeting is scheduled for Monday April 13th at the City Park Recreation Center's Activity Room from 6:30PM - 7:30PM (or maybe 8:00PM if question/answer period extends). A postcard from the City is expected very soon - maybe next week that will invite our neighborhood participation and some brief details. Most critically, we need to have our W. Miller St. residents on board with the changes as they will be most directly impacted by the work.

The impact should be minimal. The residents on the south side of the street will be asked to sign easement papers that give the City permission to work on the property. Now in truth - most of the work will be on City property, however this is a courtesy measure should any disruption occur to privately held property. If such disruption does occur, it is general policy to put it back BETTER than it was. Some driveways will be temporarily torn up, however they City will place a stone entryway to the drives so that people can still get up into their property. They may be required to park in the street for one day as concrete is poured. Additionally, where W. Miller St. connects to N. Jackson St will be temporarily closed during the construction.

The sidewalk will be 5-feet wide with a 2-foot planting strip or lawn between it and the curb. Pedestrian level street lighting, something we had really hoped for, is not budgeted for but will be considered as the project moves forward. And speaking of moving forward . . . we should expect groundbreaking in May 2009! The project should take 3-months to complete so we are looking at perhaps an August completion date.

We saw drawings that show the sidewalks and some of the other engineering work we may not often consider - storm drainage, moving utilities such as electric/phone/cable - and the positioning of fire hydrants and sewer lines.

Next year, as Phase II of the project emerges, we'll see additional sidewalks along N. Jackson St. at City Park to Lake Drive and along Lake Drive to Hurley Park. This is when we may expect to see signage incorporated - like neighborhood entrance signs!

The overall aim is to ultimately connect the North Main neighborhood to the Salisbury Greenway and to incorporate a very fine-tuned large-scale walking program.
Please make EVERY EFFORT to come to the April 13th Neighborhood Meeting! Encourage your friends, neighbors, relatives, EVERYBODY to attend. This is our first structural neighborhood revision toward the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan and we NEED TO SUPPORT IT!

Thanks, All!

Some NSP Funding Could Come This Way . . .

We reported yesterday that Salisbury is not slated to receive a grant to assist with home foreclosure from HUD's Neighborhood Stabilization Fund. However if you check yesterday's posting, we listed (3) state-wide agencies were listed as recipients. The grants were issued on a "greatest needs" basis. It turns out that Rowan County was assessed as a greatest need county and the three statewide organizations selected will ensure the areas of greatest need in the 23 counties receive assistance. So we may see some funding after all. We are not sure how this will be distributed or how one goes about applying, if necessary, to receive the funding. We'll try to learn more and post here as we become educated.

In North Carolina, areas in 23 counties met the “greatest need” criteria: Alamance, Brunswick, Buncombe, Cabarrus, Catawba, Cumberland, Dare, Davidson, Durham, Edgecombe, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Iredell, Johnston, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Pitt, Randolph, Rowan, Union, Vance and Wake.

Bad News ~ No NSP Funding for Salisbury!

We received notification that Salisbury will not be receiving any Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) funding. This is very sad news - we were certain that we were well positioned to receive an award. The NSP program was to have assisted communities hit hardest by the housing crisis. States were required to identify areas of greatest need based on the number of foreclosure starts and other housing-related statistics.

Here are the folks in NC who DID receive a portion of the $52 million in grants:

Local Government Recipients: City of Raleigh, $2.5 million; Wake County, $2.5 million; City of Charlotte, $2.5 million; City of Greensboro, $2.5 million; City of Winston-Salem, $2.5 million; City of High Point, $2.5 million; City of Gastonia, $2 million; Henderson/Vance County, $2 million; City of Durham, $2 million; City of Rocky Mount, $2 million; City of Lexington, $2 million.

Non-profit Agency Recipients: St. Augustine, in Raleigh, $2 million; Charlotte Housing Authority, $2 million; Guilford Habitat for Humanity, $2 million; Forsyth Habitat for Humanity, $2 million; Passage Home (in Wake County), $2 million; Greensboro Housing Authority, $2 million.

Statewide Agency/intermediary Recipients: Self-Help Credit Union, $2.5 million; N.C. Community Development Initiative, $3.5 million; and N.C. Housing Finance Agency, $4 million.

There should be additional NSP funding available in the federal stimulus package and the city is hoping to be eligible to apply from some of that funding. Decisions on this program are still being finalized at the federal level.

Perhaps we should feel fortunate. If others are in greater need than we are here in terms of foreclosures, we should count our blessings ~ regardless of how much we looked forward to the revisions this grant could have afforded our community. We will continue our preservation efforts here on a grass-roots level - one house at a time!

City Parks Master Plan Public Meeting Mar 26 6:30PM

Hi Neighbors!

The City of Salisbury is holding a Parks & Recreation Master Plan Public Meeting!

Day: Thursday, March 26

Time: 6:30 p.m.

Where: Salisbury Civic Center

Address: 315 S. Boundary Street

We encourage as many of you as can possible make it to partake in this public discussion. It will include future planning for a number of items such as:

• Expanding existing parks and greenways


• Adding NEW parks (especially important for the Old North Salisbury - North Main St Area)


• Adding specialty parks such as dog parks, x-sports parks (skate-boarding, bmx-biking, motocross, etc.)


• Adding public swimming pools



• Adding athletic facilities



• Additional biking/hiking trails


• Picnic areas

As the City develops this new Master Plan, as any of the items above become incorporated, the taxpayers here will be footing the bill, so you may wish to have a voice!

There is an online survey you can take on the City's Parks and Recreation website (www.salisburync.gov/pkrec) that asks your opinion about a lot of these topics. It takes very little time to fill out and especially if you can't make it to the City's meeting, you may want to input your choices through the survey.

Why should us Old North Salibury residents care about a city-wide park master plan? Salisbury's North Main Small Area Improvement Plan had incorporated several small pocket parks in OUR area. If this doesn't make it to the Master Plan ~ we may never see the reality of these areas that will offer so much to this neighborhood!

City Park New Tennis Courts - Grand Opening This Saturday!!!

Neighbors & Friends!!!

The brand-spankin' new City Park Tennis Courts will open to the public via a grand re-opening ceremony this Saturday, March 21 at 10:00 a.m. at the courts on West Miller Street in City Park. Any and all can attend and the City will be offering light refreshments!

The City Park Tennis Courts were closed down for reconstruction last summer and work began in August 2008. See Old North Salisbury's post "Check Out Changes at City Park" dated August 21, 2008. The work was expected to be complete in about 3 months but if you visit the City's Parks and Recreation homepage (www.salisburync.gov/pkrec ) there is a slide show there about the renovation that lets you see the magnitude of the work.

If you have never been to the City's Parks and Recreation website - it is worthwhile to check out. In addition to the two beautiful parks we have near the North Main St. area, Hurley and City Parks, there are several others throughout the City. Some have additional amenities that we may not have here. If you go to the www.salisburync.gov/pkrec website, you will also find a survey there that you can do in minutes online. It asks about future parks and amenities such as water features, athletic facilities, dog parks and loads of other fun stuff. This is really your opportunity to have a voice so you are encouraged to link-in and participate.

As you may know, part of the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan included several pocket parks in this neighborhood! Wouldn't it be grand to see some of our vacant lots turned into small parks, both scenic and useful to the community? And Hey! If you have NOT seen a copy of the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan, contact Janet Gapen/City Planner/City of Salisbury (704-638-5230 or jgape@salisburync.gov) to get a copy. It is very interesting and shows all the hard work our neighbors put forth to come up with this plan!

Thanks All!

Spring Spruce Up Week Coming ~ April 20 - 24!

Hey All!

Just so you know ~ our Spring Spruce-Up Week will soon be here! You may wish to start getting ready now! The weather is (finally!) starting to cooperate and we can start getting things ready to take to the curb!

Here's the official announcement from the City:

CITY OF SALISBURY
COMMUNITY APPEARANCE COMMISSION & PUBLIC SERVICE DEPARTMENT
SPRING SPRUCE UP WEEK & APPLIANCE AND TIRE COLLECTION
April 20 - 24, 2009

The City of Salisbury will pick up your old appliances, tires without rims and extra bagged trash the week of April 20 – 24, 2009. Place the items at the curb on your regular collection day before 7:00 a.m.

**NO BUILDING MATERIALS (carpet, padding, sheetrock, windows, lumber, commodes, sinks, etc.) WILL BE COLLECTED

This collection is for RESIDENTS living inside the city limits of Salisbury only (NO BUSINESSES). If you have questions, please call Public Services at (704)638-5260.

Thanks in advance to all for keeping our neighborhood beautiful!

W. Miller Street Improvement Update!!!

Friends & Neighbors ~

We learned today that the Salisbury City Engineers are just finishing up the designs for W. Miller Street. Remember that the plan, under the Fit Community Grant that Salisbury was awarded last year, was to install a crosswalk across N. Main St. at Miller St. and to install new sidewalks down W. Miller St. to N. Jackson St. to allow our neighborhood better walking access to our City Park and Hurley Park.

We hear the goal is to get the construction underway in May!!! HOORAY!!!

The City would like to hold a neighborhood meeting in April to explain the changes , especially for those who live on W. Miller who will be most impacted during construction. If you have an opinion about what day of the week is generally best to ensure the best attendance, we encourage you to pass it along to the Old North Salisbury Association. You can leave a comment after this posting or email us at oldnorthsalisbury@gmail.com.

Since Tuesdays are the City's City Council and Planning Board days, we should avoid that day if we can. We will probably suggest a Monday evening in April in order to give folks time to get it on their calendar.

This work is the first physical improvement to come out of the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan that many of our neighborhood resident worked very hard to compile for the City and was approved in July 2007! In addition to the crosswalk/sidewalk we should expect W. Miller St. to be narrower and come to a T-stop instead of the sweeping curves at Jackson St. that do not encourage pedestrian speed traffic. There should also be a planting strip. (and we are really crossing our fingers that the plan includes pedestrian level lighting!)
 

Please make every effort to attend this meeting. Again, if you have a preference of meeting days, let us know. When we hear the confirmed date, we will post it here and on our calendar below, as well as via a direct emailing to all our members.

Thanks to all, as always, for your commitment to making this great downtown neighborhood the best!

Neighborhood Stabilization Program Update!

Neighbors & Friends:

You may have been hearing about HUD's new Neighborhood Stabilization Program that is to provide emergency assistance to state and local governments to acquire and redevelop foreclosed properties that might otherwise become sources of abandonment and blight within their communities. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) provides grants to every state and certain local communities to purchase foreclosed or abandoned homes and to rehabilitate, resell, or redevelop these homes in order to stabilize neighborhoods and stem the decline of house values of neighboring homes. The Historic Salisbury Foundation went through the process of filing for Salisbury to receive this grant. We thought we were in a good position to be awarded.

HSF is still waiting to hear about the awarding of grants for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program from HUD. This is quite a delay as results were expected over three weeks ago and there was extreme pressure to submit applications, award grants and obligate the funds quickly. We have been given no reason for the delay.

NSP funds may be used for activities which include, but are not limited to:

• Establish financing mechanisms for purchase and redevelopment of foreclosed homes and residential properties;
• Purchase and rehabilitate homes and residential properties abandoned or foreclosed;
• Establish land banks for foreclosed homes;
• Demolish blighted structures;
• Redevelop demolished or vacant properties
  
  If you'd like to know more about the program you can read about it on HUD's website at:
• http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpd/communitydevelopment/programs/neighborhoodspg/
• or just Google "HUD NSP" and it should appear at the top of the search list.

As soon as we hear something more, we'll pass it along!

Our Neighbors Set Their Own Block Straight!

Hello Friends & Neighbors ~


We recently heard from one of our neighbors on 14th St about how successful they have been in getting the "traffic" at a neighboring house to settle down . . . completely! Our neighbors had nothing but good things to say about our Salisbury Police force ~ that they were most helpful in every way that they could be. They said that there will be instances where the police truly can not do the things we may expect, but when they can exercise enforcement they will. Our neighbors combined this effort of working with the police with an effort to work with the offending household's landlord! The landlord otherwise would have had no idea that this activity was taking place in and on their property. The landlord also visited the house and let the tenants know that their activity was unacceptable. The "traffic" at this house has ceased.


This is amazing testimony to what the grass-roots efforts can do to help in the neighborhood. Too many either complain - to one another - or turn their heads, believing that nothing can be done. Not true! We need to be involved, watching out for one another and our own segments of the neighborhood. The Old North Salisbury neighborhood is long and wide-spread: from Lafayette St. to the Spencer Town line at 17th St., from Railroad St. to Jackson St., we each have a segment of the neighborhood that is more "our own". Often, what goes on at the north end up 15th, 16th, & 17th Streets and the boulevards in between is unknown to the folks at the opposite end up by Henderson, Steele, and Miller Streets. If we each concentrate on what we can see and manage, we will be more effective as a whole.


We are grateful to our neighbors on 14th for (1) sharing this success story, (2) being proactive in managing activity in their section of the neighborhood, and (3) impressing upon us that we can each have the same success in our own areas of the community.

Thank you & congratulations on this success!