Last week and much of Monday and Tuesday there was a continuous flood of "You don't know what you are talking about" directed at myself and my wife Ellie from a person or persons either employed or somehow affiliated or perhaps only aligned with RK Investments Charlotte LLC.
I'm always happy to listen to dissenting opinions and I'm happy to share sources and to seek further clarification at all times.
One issue of heated discussion was the trees along Rea Road. More than one party claimed that since Rea Road was a state maintained roadway that the City of Charlotte had no say in what would certainly be their removal under a by-right development and further that anything that I or City Staff said was not true.
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Above the more than 40 mature Willow Oak trees along Rea Road.
This of course was genuinely concerning. I certainly would not want to support any decision that would cause the removal of the Willow Oak Trees along Rea Road.
One person in particular made a point of calling out my wife Ellie on NextDoor telling her she was "impossible" and that she should talk to the leadership at Piper Glen and Ed Driggs.
"By-right, there will be a sidewalk along the length of Rea (an NCDOT right of way) and those trees will come down in a by-right plan. That is not a threat, that is what will have to happen, despite the blog post that suggests otherwise."
Turns out a lot of people are again wrong:
The presence of NCDOT public street right-of-way (R/W) adds significant complexity. However, I can confirm any trees along Rea Rd that are within NCDOT R/W are considered City trees. Any street trees outside of NCDOT R/W are not considered City trees.
The City of Charlotte maintains trees in NCDOT R/W across the city limits, except on major highways or interstates (e.g. I-77, I-85, segments of Independence Blvd). Maintenance by the City ensures a higher level of tree health and benefits are provided to the community. Trees maintained by the City are considered “City trees”, but NCDOT’s ultimate authority in their R/W prevents these trees from being City assets.
However, in many scenarios the City holds a permit from NCDOT that allows the regulation, planting, and maintenance of these trees while also granting the City a level of decision-making authority over preservation and removal status. The City has been issued permits from NCDOT for the trees along Rea Rd. (shoulder and center median) and therefore they’re considered City trees and the Urban Forestry Group does/will regulate them as so.
Please note that some of the street trees along Rea Rd are not in the street R/W.
I hope this helps clarify a very complex situation.
Best,
Tim Porter
Chief Urban Forester – Division Manager
Community Tree Canopy Preservation Division
(704) 622-4829 | timothy.porter@
7 comments:
Sad that some people just want to argue. Better to just ignore them.
Sidewalks are built in public right of ways. City code requires an 8' planting strip (NCDOT forbids trees in the right of way planting strip) and a 12' sidewalk the length of Rea Road. The trees are 10' from the curb, exactly in conflict with the code required sidewalk.
Vote YES on the proposed compact development plan to save the trees and view along Rea Road.
If Charlotte City Council signs off on this nightmare they will agree to anything. No one is safe.
I'm guessing 6:27 is one of the developer;s goons or Ed Driggs lackies. So OK Jen whatever. Have you even looked at the property? The only trees that are ten feet away are south of the proposed driveway. And there is plenty of room for a sidewalk. No one except you and Ed Driggs supports this pile of garbage.
6:27 is absolutely one of the developer's goons. They are in panic mode. They are lying and they have proved time and time again they are dishonest and will say anything to get this mess passed.
Why are you rehashing the issue of Willow Oaks? I thought it was pretty clear those north of the Gillespie Entrance are city property and they require preservation and those south are the property owners trees and they can do with them as they like. If they want to cut them down for firewood they can have at it. I'm not sure that's the sort of look they want but it they want to be jerks let them be jerks. The fact that Ed Driggs is using this as a threat is pretty disgusting same for RK Investments using that as a threat. I don't have a dog in this hunt but I would not trust any of them.
The area would look really stupid with the Willow Oaks cut down. My guess is that is the developers intent. David and Sinclair Gillespie should be ashamed.
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