Safety Alert - Fourth Ward

There have been 16 home break-ins in recent weeks, which is a substantial spike. There is no pattern to these crimes in terms of time of day or specific location in Fourth Ward. Various items have been stolen, such as credit cards, purses, wallets and TVs.



NEIGHBORS ARE ASKED TO CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY IF ANY SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED!

Fourth Ward Parking

Parking Signage Changed - New Rules Apply
As you know, we approved new on-street parking rules in February, reviewed with FOFW at our annual meeting and forwarded our recommendations to CDOT. The city has been working on implementing these new parking guidelines including designing signage, installing signage and preparing to enforce the new rules. Signs went up on 07/18/09. The grace period of enfrocement has ended and as of 08/10/09 the new rules are being enforced. Please review and become familiar with the new rules described below:

New Parking Rules:
Residential parking permits are required for cars parked in the designated parking zone during the following times:

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Thursday - Saturday 8pm - 8am

Anyone can park on the street for a two hour period at any time without a parking permit.

Anyone who lives in an eligible address to obtain a sticker can purchase a guest pass for anyone visiting their residence. To determine if your address is eligible contact Park It! Guest passes are available from Park It! for a fee of $3/day/guest.

Park It!: 1440 South Tryon Street, Suite 108, Charlotte, N.C. 28203, 704-375-3177.

FOFW newsletter

Fourth Ward Parking

New Parking Rules: Residential parking permits are required for cars parked in the designated parking zone during the following times:

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm
Thursday - Saturday 8pm - 8am

Anyone can park on the street for a two hour period at any time without a parking permit.

Anyone who lives in an eligible address to obtain a sticker can purchase a guest pass for anyone visiting their residence. To determine if your address is eligible contact Park It! Guest passes are available from Park It! for a fee of $3/day/guest.

Park It!: 1440 South Tryon Street, Suite 108, Charlotte, N.C. 28203, 704-375-3177.

Fourth Ward Parking

On Street Parking Passes

As you know, our on street parking program continues for 2009. Parking passes are now available from Park It! for residences included in the parking program district. At our request to make the parking passes easier to access, Park it! has agreed to offer extended hours one weeknight to renew and/or apply for a 2009 residential parking permit. Park it will add two additional hours and stay open on Thursday, February 5th up to 7pm. The cost of a 4th Ward permit is still $30.00 as in past years. You will be required to bring the appropriate documentation to establish that you are a resident of Fourth Ward and live within the parking district.

To qualify for a parking decal you must bring:

- a current motor vehicle registration card and
- proof of residency (see below) to the Park It office

(The address on the motor vehicle registration must be in the permit zone for which you are applying. That address must also match the address on one of the following proofs of residency.)

Proof of residency can be any one of the following:
1. Current motor vehicle driver's license for the applicant, listing an address in the permit zone.
2. Current billing receipt for rent payment, Duke Power, Bellsouth, or any other utility in the applicant's name and listing an address in the permit zone.
3. Deed or other legal document of the applicant providing ownership or lease of property in the permit area- sub-letters can provide a letter from the legal residence indicating this agreement.
4. Current paycheck stub of the applicant verifying employment within the permit zone or a letter from their employer stating that.

Park It! Office Information
1440 S. Tryon, Suite 108 (South End)
Charlotte, NC 28203
704-375-3177
Open Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm
Feb 2nd open until 7pm

fofw update

Hall House - Temporary Homeless Shelter for Families

On January 5, 2009, Hall House will open it's doors as temporary housing for homeless families. This has been a huge undertaking and I admit to being impressed by the fact that so many organizations have worked together to make this a reality. Along the way various concerns have been raised and the groups involved have worked quickly to address the issues. Below are parts of two emails which explain the project and answer various questions we may have.

This has been an unprecedented response to a crisis in our community. The Charlotte Housing Authority (CHA) is rehabbing the building and providing operations including security services. The Salvation Army is doing screenings, background checks, providing programming and social services for the families. 20% of the families are being referred by the Salvation Army. The remaining 80% are being referred by A Child’s Place. Most families are expected to have at least one working parent. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police department (CMPD) has been consulted on security issues and their recommendations are being implemented. In addition, multiple government, education and social services agencies as well as the faith and business communities and the community at large are working together for a common goal.

The exit strategy is clear. By June 2009, all families will be transitioned into other housing and the building will go back for sale. The hope is at least 50% of the families will move into independent housing. The remaining families will move further along the continuum toward independence and housing through services provided by the Salvation Army, CHA and the County. The ultimate goal is independence and housing for all families as called for through our community’s Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.

There are still many needs for this project for donations, goods, services and volunteers. For more information, contact hallhouse@achildsplace.org or 704-943-9557.

A Child's Place

and from Center City Partners

This morning, we held an information meeting for stakeholders about this project. Some of you on this list did not get word of this meeting...our apologies for the miss. We were moving quickly. I hope this note serves as a brief for you and a recap for those who were able to attend. We want to keep channels of communications open. Please don't hesitate to contact me or Darlene Heater if you have questions or need more information.

Overall, most of the businesses and stakeholders (Library, Mint Museums, ImaginOn, churches) in attendance were supportive of the idea, but many had valid and specific questions about the project that were answered by organizers (A Child's Place, Charlotte Housing Authority, Salvation Army, Mecklenburg County and CMS) in a frank manner. Sgt. Dave Moorefield was there to answer questions about CMPD's view of and role in policing the area around the project.

Much of the pertinent info is in the press release. Here are some other bullets:

The Presidents of First and Fourth Ward Neighborhood Associations are supportive of this project and say their associations will volunteer. The Committee to Preserve Third Ward has made a donation to the project.

CMPD has done a CPTED (Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design) survey inside and outside of the building to make sure it is safe and secure.

There will be two people on duty for 24/7 security.

Background checks will be done on all before they can move in.

All visitors must be pre-approved and cleared.

No loitering will be allowed in front of the building or in the parking lot.

As a result of this morning's meeting, the organizers are looking at other details of the security plan with fresh eyes. A 7:30pm curfew and the idea of using off-duty CMPD officers are being considered.

CHA and the Salvation Army suggested that this would be a great pool of potential workers for part-time or full time jobs.

There was a lot of discussion around other issues of homelessness and loitering on N. Tryon. CHA, Salvation Army and Sgt. Dave Moorefield addressed some of those issues by outlining the strict security regulations that will be in force at Hall House. Also, Sgt. Moorefield is taking the general concerns about aggressive panhandling and loitering on North Tryon back to the Central Division.

Charlotte Center City Partners

Friends of Fourth Ward Celebrates 31st Anniversary of Holiday Home Tour

Three Decades of Yuletide Splendor

The Friends of Fourth Ward Holiday Home Tour celebrates its 31st wonderful year with a three-day event showcasing the grand Victorians and luxury condominiums for which Fourth Ward is famous – all dressed in their holiday finery. The tour includes admission to 7 private uptown homes and the beautiful Gothic Revival-style First Presbyterian Church – organized in 1821 as the Queen City’s first church. On Sunday only, guests may also tour the historic McNinch House restaurant and Victorian home. Tour homes represent the juxtaposition unique to Fourth Ward between the historical neighborhood of single family homes and the new, modern condominium buildings making their mark on Center City. Buy tickets now.


Tour Hours

Friday, December 5th (5:00 – 9:00 pm)
Saturday, December 6th (5:00 – 9:00 pm)
Sunday, December 7th (Noon – 4:00 pm).


Tickets

$20 per person. Valid for all 3 days

Click here for more information and to buy tickets.

Friends of Fourth Ward

Friends of Fourth Ward - Special Parking Meeting

Monday, November 10, 2008, at 7:00 PM at the St. Peter's Episcopal Church Multi-purpose Room, 115

Meeting Notice - Review of New On Street Parking Recommendations
Fourth Ward currently has a Residential Parking Permit Program that is administered by the Charlotte Department of Transportation. The 2008 FOFW Parking Committee met over the summer and finalized changes to the on street parking regulations. The FOFW Board has reviewed and approved the recommendations. As stated in prior email newsletters and at the Sept and Oct community meetings, we have announced a special meeting to review the new parking recommendations. In addition, CDOT has sent a mailer in U.S. mail to addresses of property owners in the Fourth Ward Parking District.

Meeting Details
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a Public Meeting will be held on Monday, November 10, 2008 at 7:00 PM at the St. Peter's Episcopal Church Multi-purpose Room, 115 W 7th Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, to hear public comment and answer questions on the following changes to the Fourth Ward Residential Parking Program:

Current Parking Program
Permits are required for on-street parking 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. 2 hour visitor parking allowed without decal. (Although, only being enforced 8 AM to 5 PM, M-F)

Recommended Program
Permits are required for on-street parking Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM, and Thursday through Saturday, 8 PM to 8 AM. 2 hour visitor parking allowed without decal. Booklets of guest passes will also be available for a small fee to qualified residents.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting. For further information, contact Mark Schnoor, Vice President, Friends of Fourth Ward, at m.s.schnoor@gmail.com.

Jay Biles
President
Friends of Fourth Ward

Uptown Burglary - Arrest

Two individuals entered a condo in Fourth Ward while the resident was home. The criminals were unware they were being observed as the entered. The police were called and an Officer detained the suspects a short distance from the condo. They were passively identified by the victim and the belongings were returned.

The suspects in this case a Rodney Eugene Jones b/m D O B of 9/6/1971 and Ashley Sharon Hunter b/f D O B of 8/20/1989 were arrested and charged and no this is not their 1st time in the system.

Thanks to some good police work and some bystanders willing to get involved this case was brought to a quick conclusion.

The complaint number is 20081020-2301-00



BREAKING AND/OR ENTERING (FELONY)
LARCENY AFTER BREAK/ENTER



BREAKING AND/OR ENTERING (FELONY)
FICTITIOUS INFORMATION TO OFFICER
STOLEN VEHICLE - POSSESSING

Fourth Ward Update

Parking Update
The Committee has been working hard and has made recommendations that will be presented to the Board and the community in September. These recommendations will be published and time for comments from the community will be provided. More to come.

Safety Update
Two 4W residents will address the October 27 General Meeting about public safety. Both were victims in two separate sexual assaults in September 2007 done by the same man – Chris Tabb - within a few minutes of each other. The first woman's chest was grabbed as she walked to work on a Saturday morning on Church Street. The second woman was pushed down and accosted. He only ran away after she threatened to call the police. ADA Samantha Pendergrass - who capably prosecuted the case – will also be coming. A jury acquitted him on the Attempted Rape case in August, but convicted him of several lesser charges. (He had been let out of jail only one month before after being arrested for exposing himself, and masturbating, in front of another 4W resident.)Mr. Tabb has been in jail since the incident and remains in jail pending an evaluation.

Thefts from vehicles continue to be our biggest problem. While we are fortunate to not experience much violent crime (unlike other areas of the city), we are at grave risk of continuing to make Fourth Ward an inviting target to criminals. Today's car thief may be tomorrow's home burglar. So when you leave your valuables in plain sight, you may be taking a risk with your own property. But you are also laying the groundwork for your family's and neighbor's home burglary, or worse.

FOFW Newsletter

Thank You CFD

Yesterday both First and Fourth Ward honored the men and woman of our neighborhood fire stations with a July fourth Feast.

In what has become an annual event many of the Friends of Fourth Ward enjoyed dinner at Fire Station #4 with those who were on duty. In addition to the fire department several members of the Police Department were able stop in as well. The large spread was made possible thanks to the generosity of many neighbors.

Over in First Ward the First Ward Community Fund provided dinner for all who were on duty at Station #1. According to Captain King "Everything was great. There was plenty of food for all of the firefighters and for everyone in alarm. Please express our gratitude to all of your members for their kindness. We had a few families stop by for visits and we enjoyed having them and showing the children the fire trucks."

Fourth Ward - Crime Update

Thefts from vehicles continue to be our biggest problem. While we are fortunate to not experience much violent crime (unlike other areas of the city), we are at risk of continuing to make Fourth Ward an inviting target to criminals. Today's car thief may be tomorrow's home burglar. So when you leave your valuables in plain sight, you may be taking a risk with your own property. But you are also laying the groundwork for your family's and neighbor's home burglary, or worse.

In additional to thefts from cars, we have seen several incidents where fights originating in bars (on Tryon St and 6th St) that have spilled out in to our neighborhood streets. One incident ended in gunshots being fired. We urge residents to call 911 whenever you see these incidents occur.

Finally, if you have a garage door, close it! A recent article in the Charlotte Observer noted a 10% increase in garage related crimes in the first four months of 2008. Citizens leave their garage door open while they are in the house or in the back yard. Thieves take this opportunity to steal items quickly.

Safety Update - Friends of Fourth Ward

CMPD Police have been testing a new crime fighting tool - the mobile tower. You may have seen it recently in Fourth Ward Park and in an article in the Observer 4-13-08. The tower is used for general crime prevention, 'hot spot' areas or special events.

Public Safety Committee has heard from Charlotte Mecklenburg PoliceDepartment that Thefts from Fourth Ward's autos is, and continues to be,our biggest crime issue. It is also one of the easiest crimes to prevent by REMOVING ALL VALUABLES from your car when you park it. REMEMBER, IF THEY CAN'T SEE IT, THEY CAN'T STEAL IT!