More Miller St. Utility Pole Stuff . . .

Duke Power crews were on site today at Miller and Jackson Streets to move the utilities. We couldn't get the guys to pose for a portait, but anyway - the work is on it's way! North Main Small Area Improvement Plan ~ Hurray!!!!

Proposed Changes to W. Miller Street ~ Traffic Calming AND a New Sidewalk!

The Pole on Miller is Moving!

We have good news to report! It's finally begun! The work on our sidewalk project on Miller Street will happen here very soon. Why? Because the process of moving the utility pole from the island in the middle of the Jackson St/Miller St intersection has finally begun. Yesterday we found that the new pole is installed, but right now it is just that - a pole. The utilities that connect to the pole must still be moved. This translates to all the cables, etc. we see hanging from the poles. We additionally saw some paint markings in the road which is further evidence that our project groundbreaking day is near. More on this as the project progresses!

Maggie Blackwell's Advice to NOMA

Hi Neighbors & Friends!

We mentioned, in a long list of other activities, that Maggie Blackwell visited our neighborhood meeting this past July. Maggie is best known for (1) her work her work with the Fulton Heights neighborhood where she was the driving force behind the creation and installation of their Centennial Park, (2) her candidacy for City Council (election day Nov 3rd 2009), and (3) her writing ~ having authored many articles for the Salisbury Post and other publications.

We had not yet shared the many insights she gave us to help us here in the North Main Neighborhood. Here are some of the many items she discussed with us:

• Maggie said the Fulton Heights neighborhood is NOT an official non-profit agency holding 501 (c) (3) status. We were surprised because this has often been recommended to us. She said in obtaining their grants and contributions for the Centennial Park, that the checks were written directly to the City and earmarked for the Park.


• Fulton Heights sends copies, five to be exact, of their newsletter to City Council.


• Now folks, newsletters are perhaps our most expensive endeavor. We had one distributed last year very successfully, however we did not touch the Old North Salisbury coffers to do it. One person paid privately for postage and another did most of the printing and folding. With over 400 households here in the North Main community, postage alone becomes quite costly. The Fulton Heights neighborhood EMAILS most of their newsletter. They can do this because they have gathered quite a list of neighborhood email addresses. This is why we are now encouraging folks to send us their email information on this site. (see right top corner)


• Maggie says the Fulton Heights community uses their extensive email list to communicate to one another. Birth announcements travel this way, news of folks who are ill and may need community help travels this way, news of any undesireables in the neighborhood travels this way. They have created a wonderful way to communicate with one another! This is definitely something we can work on . . . . again the need to develop a list of email contacts here in NOMA.


• Maggie suggested we try to focus on one topic at a time for the neighborhood. . . . to perhaps address one emotional issue and cover it before we move on to something else.


• If illegal drug issues crop up in our neighborhood, as they do in nearly every neighborhood, Maggie suggested we meet regularly with the "head drug guy" at the Salisbury Police Dept. She said to REQUEST patrolling here. She also said asking for and getting NO PARKING signs to go in front of houses that perhaps have a lot of in-&-out traffic as a method to be able to contact police when cars are there. The NO PARKING acts as a deterrent.


• Maggie strongly suggested we get children involved and engage families with children. We've often talked about perhaps a Halloween Party or Christmas holiday event, and Easter Egg Hunt but we've thus far never gotten these off the ground. Maggie says that by engaging children and families with children we get to KNOW more of our neighbors, and know who should be in the neighborhood and who should not.


• Maggie reinforced something we've supported all along - the appearance of the neighborhood. She called out the "Broken Window Theory" where someone sees a broken window and then throws another rock to break yet another . . . the downward spiral begins. Appearance is important. She recommends getting Salisbury Code Enforcement involved, and perhaps even before that, appointing individuals in our neighborhood to keep an eye out for properties that are falling out of code. This could be as simple as overgrown lawns, cars in front lawns, backyard junkers with no tags . . . or could be more complex as in rentals that don't look up to code, empty houses that are being neglected, etc.


• Maggie's neighborhood, and several others here in Salisbury, have a Neighborhood Watch program in place. We had one here - the signs are out - but we do not meet regularly on the topic. Maggie suggested we find some local handymen who may put up security lights for us. We actually can recommend someone if you email us at oldnorthsalisbury@gmail.com, but this person is for hire. If we could find someone to donate the installation, while each individual purchases their own lights, this might be another way to give back to the neighborhood.


• Maggie recommended establishing relationships with the churches in our neighborhood. This may have been done in the past because several past social events were held in church yards and gardens, but we should perhaps get back on track with that.

Lastly - the most valued advice Maggie gave us: She offered to us that each of us is gifted in some way . . . that each of us brings our gift to the community. Our neighborhood is a diverse community of painters, photographers, teachers, doctors, chefs, musicians, shop owners, business people, gardeners, lawyers, accountants, students, tailors, landscapers, and so much more. While one may be a good blog writer, another is a good fund-raiser. While some may enjoy the camaraderie of meetings, another may prefer not to be involved publicly but may enjoy creating neighborhood flags or signs. Another may be the watchful eye on neglect or crime while another may be the event planner. Some can go to SNAG meetings and City Council meetings, while others may just enjoy to spread the work of the neighborhood association by word of mouth to their friends and next-door neighbors. Find these people and let them know we need and appreciate their gifts!

We can't thank Maggie enough for the gift of her time to our association. Thank you, Maggie Blackwell!

PS: Maggie gave us a nice plug talking about her visit with us in her Campaign blog on her website:
http://maggieblackwellforcouncil.com/thecampaign.html

No Sidewalk Yet!

Well Hey Neighbors! As you may well have noticed by now, we haven't seen the promised work begin on our much anticipated W. Miller Street sidewalk and planting strip that we were told would, by contract, begin on August 10th. We asked the City what the hold-up was!!!

We learned that Duke Power needs to move that utility pole that sits in the little 'landscaped' island that sits smack in the middle of the intersection of Jackson and Miller Streets. They were to have started moving the pole on Wednesday or Thursday of this past week, however the rain 'may' have held them up. (It rained one day last week, didn't it?) As of today, we don't see any evidence that they've visited the site. We're told it will take them about 3 days to move the pole ~ then the City will release the contract to Carolina Siteworks to start the excavation for the sidewalk.

We sure would like to see the work start on this long awaited improvement to our N. Main neighborhood . . . so it can one day be finished! Good thing we didn't have Mayor Susan Kluttz out there on August 10th with a beribboned shovel waiting for a ground-breaking ceremony! We'll just have to have a humdinger completion ceremony instead! We'll keep you posted!

Decorative Pedestrian Level Lighting on W Miller St

Hello Friends & Neighbors!

Here's an update on our potential new project! We got some pricing from the City on our proposed decorative lighting for Miller Street.

For those who did not attend the last neighborhood meeting, the Miller Street sidewalk project, taking the North Main neighborhood to the Parks, does not include any decorative pedestrian level lighting and we had SO hoped for this! They will be installing the conduit to provide for the lighting at a later date. It was suggested that perhaps getting the lighting is something our organization could do for ourselves. If we raised the funds, the City would purchase, install, and maintain the light fixtures. The lights are not cheap!! It looks like we might be looking at roughly $4,000.00 ~ $4,500.00 each! Ouch! And for Miller St alone we would need 6-8 per block or about 12 - 16 lights. This translates to about $80,000.00. That's a pretty ambitious fund raiser, but if the Fulton Heights neighborhood raised the funds for their Centennial Park on their own, perhaps its in our best interest to give it a try. Imagine how nice it would be to have this lighting down Miller Street to the Park! It might even set a precedent and the lighting could be continued on Jackson and up Lake Drive where the rest of the sidewalk project is planned! (By the way, we did the math for lighting that entire sidewalk project thinking we would get the Lake Dr residents involved and it comes out to be over $300,000!! - so just thought we'd concentrate on Miller St. for now!)

The City installed a recommended fixture on E. Council St. between Main and Long Streets so if you are out and about you can go by and see what they look like. They are also installed in the county-owned parking lot at Kerr and N. Main. The difference between regular street lights is that street lighting is much higher and intended to light the traffic way, not the sidewalks. The pedestrian level lighting is 12' high, spaced closer together, and usually far more attractive.

Our proposed Home & Garden Tour, Spring 2010, may be the perfect kick-off event for this. We can look into donations from other organizations too. If anyone is particularly talented at fund-raisers, grant-writing, or down-right begging - now is your chance to shine! Contact us here by commenting after this post, or email to oldnorthsalisbury@gmail.com.

You can also share your ideas and comments at the next Old North Salisbury Meeting, scheduled for Thursday August 27th at 7:00PM at 910 N. Main St. We hope to see you there!

So Much Happening!

The Old North Salisbury Association, the North Main Neighborhood Association, met last night to discuss new projects going forward. We have been very successful in our effort towards getting the new sidewalk and crosswalk at W. Miller St and all who worked towards this should be very proud of your achievements! Here are some of the exciting new topics we covered last night:

1. A possible fund raising effort to put decorative, pedestrian level lighting along the new sidewalk project. We are in the process of obtaining cost estimates from the City to help us determine what is needed and how to go about it.



2. We discussed officially changing the Association name, currently the Old North Salisbury Association, to North Main or NoMa because it is more relative and meaningful. We are checking to see if Old North Salisbury was legally incorporated and what a name change would mean in that regard. We've asked for serious thought and a final vote at the next meeting.



3. Putting together a "Welcome Packet" for new neighbors



4. Dividing the neighborhood into Quadrants with Quad-Captains in order to better communicate with folks throughout the neighborhood.



5. We discussed getting more involved with the Police Department and getting them more involved in our neighborhood. We need to send representatives to the SNAG meetings (see earlier posting) and CALL-CALL-CALL 911 when anything even APPEARS to be amiss in the neighborhood. The squeaky wheel will get the grease!



6. We unanimously voted to include the west side of N. Jackson St. in the neighborhood. Our boundaries before this included the east side of N. Jackson but not the west. That portion of neighborhood currently is not supported by a neighborhood group or association.



7. We are looking at hosting a NoMa Home/Garden Tour in Spring 2010! How exciting - stay tuned for more!



8. We agreed to meet monthly on the 4th Thursday of the month, except for November & December when meetings will be scheduled as needed. A Christmas Party may take the place of a November/December meeting.

In addition to the above, we were very pleased and proud to have Maggie Blackwell join us as a guest. Maggie was president of the highly successful Fulton Heights Neighborhood Association and shared some of her insights and successes with us. We could not be more grateful to Maggie for sharing her time and wisdom with us. Maggie is running for City Council this fall. Not only did we get to meet and speak with this wonderful intelligent woman who shared with us her neighborhoods strengths but we got to know our candidate better as well! Thanks, Maggie!


We perhaps had our biggest turn-out in recent years at last night's meeting. So Cool! For anyone who thinks these meetings are stodgy and stuffy - they are not! We conduct the meetings in a casual atmosphere (last night we were scrunched in Sue McHugh's living room on Main St.) and everyone is welcome ~ all ideas are welcome ~ and the energy is positively electrifying! Thanks to everyone in attendance from all the corners of our neighborhood!
The next meeting will be on August 27th. We'll post the details here as that date approaches.
THANK YOU NOMA!

The Salisbury Bicycle Plan!!! Tues July 28th 6PM

Hi there Friends & Neighbors!

You may recall that there was a lot of activity surrounding a pending comprehensive Bicycle Plan for the City of Salisbury several or more months ago. It looks like the Plan is resurfacing!

You can have input and share an evaluation of the Draft Comprehensive Bicycle Plan at a presentation and open discussion on Tuesday July 28th at 6PM at City Hall Chambers - 217 South Main Street.

We've overheard neighbors asking why, when Salisbury repaves or resurfaces a road, doesn't at least that segment get its Bicycle Path installed? This is the type of info we can share with the City's Planning Board. Your observations and ideas can only make the plan better. You can get a sneak preview of the proposed plan in advance here:
http://www.salisburync.gov/planningboard/pbfrontpage.html

Call or email your comments or questions to:
Preston Mitchell
Community Planning Services
704.638.5244
pmitc@salisburync.gov

This will be really exciting to see the Bicycle Path getting some attention and becoming a reality instead of just the dream! Please share your thoughts!!

The Salisbury Bicycle Plan!!!

Hello Friends & Neighbors ~


If you've been following our neighborhood blog here (http://www.oldnorthsalisbury.blogspot.com/) you are aware that the Miller Stsidewalk project was to be awarded at City Council yesterday. Well - at yesterday's City Council meeting the sidewalkconstruction project was awarded to a company called Carolina Siteworks. AT LAST!!! According to the bid documents, the work is to begin August 10th, however we are told that the contractor can start sooner if they wish. It was interesting to note that the bids came in from several contractors and ranged from roughly $67,000 (Carolina Siteworks = low bid) to roughly $109,000! One of our neighbors, familiar with the contracting world, has already assured us that Carolina Siteworks does great work and that we will be happy!


The City Council members did not discuss the crosswalk at N. Main & Miller Street. Janet Gapen, Senior City Planner, says that the contractor will do the sidewalks and handicap ramps at the intersections, but the City will do the crosswalk.


The Miller St. sidewalk is just a piece of the project to connect the NoMa neighborhood to the Salisbury Greenway. The project is being phased - (1) the Miller St. sidewalk, (2) a new sidewalk along City Park on the west side of N. Jackson St., (3) expected sometime in 2010- a new sidewalk along the north side of Lake Road along City Park toConfederate - will ultimately connect to Hurley Park pathways and further existing sidewalks that take us to the Greenway. We asked if the N. Jackson St. sidewalk would be done in conjunction with the Miller St. sidewalk. It's possible, however the Miller St. work is contracted and the Jackson St. work will be done by the City. We should plug getting the work done as near to simultaneously as possible so as not to disrupt the neighborhood unnecessarily.


About the pedestrian level lighting we wanted so badly... it's not going to happen...yet. The contract calls for the conduit to be put in place for the lighting that MAY come in the future. We asked Janet Gapen and Craig Powers, City Engineer, if the neighborhood were to come up with the funds to get the lighting, what then? We asked if there was a 'catalog' for lighting we could choose from to get cost estimates. Dan Michelson (sp?), Chief Engineer, overheard this discussion and said that if we got the big streetlights we are used to seeing, that they would be free and the City would maintain them. If we chose decorative pedestrian level lighting, the costs - depending on design - are significantly higher and that the City would not pay for this but they WOULD maintain them and pay the electric bill. We should talk about this as a group - it would make a great fund raiser and something that could set a precedent here for the neighborhood.


Lastly, Sue McHugh, Old North Salisbury Neighborhood Association President, spoke on behalf of the neighborhood at the open forum at the end of the Council session and thanked Council for approving this, saying how excited and grateful we were to have the long-awaited project at last begin, how much it would mean to us to have sidewalk access to our parks, places for families to walk, and how we very much hoped that this was the first step toward the balance of the work that was outlined in the North Main Small Area Improvement Plan. She says, "Hey - to walk on water - first you gotta get outa the boat!!"


So . . . look for construction to finally begin on W. Miller St. Thanks so much to all of the neighbors who have taken part in the development of the N. Main Plan, to those who have shown so much patience in waiting for this project to come to fruition, and to those who did NOT show patience and kept bringing this to the forefront so that we could be the squeaky wheel!

You Are Invited! A Midsummer Night's Dream Folk Art Celebration - July 25th

Hi Friends & Neighbors!

We've received a wonderful invitation to participate in the Midsummer Night's Dream Folk Art Celebration at the Green Goat Gallery this Saturday, July 25th from 6pm to 8pm!

The celebration will be featuring artists:

Bruce Chandler

Lisa &Tim Kluttz

Brad Smith

and WHIMZIGGY STYLE

There will be music provided by The Polka Dots Three

The Green Goat Gallery and Blue Ewe Yoga Studio are owned by our neighbors Anne and Andrew Waters of Steele St. It's awesome that they've included the North Main neighborhood and the Old North Salisbury Association in thier list of invitees! You will love the fun stuff Anne has at the gallery!

For more info:

Green Goat Gallery

516 South Salisbury Avenue (North Main turns into S. Salisbury Ave at the Spencer Town Line)

Spencer NC 28159

704.639.0606

See you there!

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