Letter To Charlotte Mayor, City Council and Zoning Committee Members

Help stop the Rea Road Gillespie Property Rezoning Request. Send an email today to the following:

Charlotte City Council Members

Dante.Anderson@charlottenc.gov

Dimple.Ajmera@charlottenc.gov
Ed.Driggs@charlottenc.gov
James.Mitchell@charlottenc.gov
LaWana.Mayfield@charlottenc.gov
Malcolm.Graham@charlottenc.gov
Marjorie.Molina@charlottenc.gov
Renee.Johnson@charlottenc.gov
tariq.bokhari@charlottenc.gov
tiawana.brown@charlottenc.gov

Victoria.Watlington@charlottenc.gov

Charlotte Mayor

 
Viola.Lyles@charlottenc.gov

Zoning Committee Members

Douglas Welton, Chairperson - douglas_welton@einsteinslegacy.com
Terry Lansdell - lansdell.tl@gmail.com
Shana Neeley - shneeley@yahoo.com
Will Russell - russellclt704@gmail.com
Clayton Sealey - cltdevelopment1775@gmail.com
Rebekah Whilden - rebekah.whilden@gmail.com
Fredrick Winiker  - charmeckrick@gmail.com

You can use our sample letter or write your own. Thank You!

Dear Charlotte Mayor, City Council Member, Zoning Committee Member:

I'd like take a moment to remind you of Charlotte Citizens' concerns regarding the Rea Road Gillespie Property Rezoning (RZP 2022-121) request by RK Investing, LLC.

As of today more than 18,250 people have signed an online petition opposing this rezoning request.

We in south Charlotte are all very aware of the need for additional housing as Charlotte grows. However, the proposed "luxury high end rental apartment complex" offers nothing in the way of affordable or work force housing and does little to address the limited supply of homes (new or existing) on the market today within the City. 

The proposed project does not address concerns about preservation, protection, or the conservation of our natural resources including the 53 acres of old growth forest (Tree Canopy) which would be destroyed and the likely damage to the Four Mile Creek, FEMA Floodplain, surrounding Wetlands, or Wildlife Habitat (home to a nesting pair of American Bald Eagles named Piper and Glen) that would occur if the rezoning request is approved.

We are also concerned about the continuity of our neighborhoods because the Proposed Project is nearly 10 times the density of the Surrounding Area. In short, the project is proposing urban zoning in a non-urban setting.

Finally, the future costs of the proposed project to the City and County regarding roads, schools, public safety, and other services, is far more than our current infrastructure and budget can absorb. 

Please VOTE NO on the Rea Road Gillespie Rezoning Request RZP 2022-121. 

Sincerely,

Please Plan To Attend The January 16th 2024 Charlotte City Council Meeting

The Charlotte City Council Meeting for the Rea Road Gillespie Property Rezoning hearing is now set for January 16th 2024 in Charlotte City Council Chambers at 5:00PM.

Rea Road Traffic at 5:15 pm on a Weekday typical back up extending past Calvary's exits

and taking nearly ten minutes to cross Pineville-Matthews. 

Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. (Note the meeting is on a Tuesday rather than the usual Monday due to the MLK holiday.)

Address for the City of Charlotte Government Center is:

600 E 4th St, Charlotte, NC 28202 

Parking is located at 232 S Davidson St, Charlotte, NC 28202 

(Driving towards city center on 4th Street, go past the Government Center in the left lane and turn on to Davidson Street. The parking lot is on your right. Follow the people into the Government Center just a short walk across the street.

We need to show a united opposition and your in-person appearance will speak louder than any words we can say. 

Our concerns remain as the developer has failed to address the following issues in any meaningful way:

Continuity of our neighborhoods - Because the proposed project at 644 rental units is nearly 10 times the density of the surrounding area it does not provide for continuity of our neighborhoods, and simply doesn't fit. In short, the project is proposing urban zoning in a non-urban setting.

Preservation, Protection, or the Conservation of our Natural Resources - The proposed project does not address concerns about the loss of at least 70% of the 53 acres of old growth forest (Tree Canopy) bordering the Four Mile Creek Greenway which would be destroyed, or the likely damage to Four Mile Creek, the adjoining 13 acres of FEMA Floodplain, the surrounding 35 acres of Wetlands, as well as the local Wildlife Habitat. The loss of this property would be a loss for all of Charlotte and not just the Rea Road Community. 

Traffic - The City of Charlotte and NC DOT for years have failed to plan or fund roads in the area with any logical method. The result is a patch work of 2, 3 and 4 lane segments, poorly planned thoroughfares, intersections and an interstate with unfinished toll roads. Sidewalks and Bike lanes as well as Curb and Gutter systems that are not even in the planning stages. The solution in the past was to have developers provide band-aid fixes that lack forethought or planning. This project along with other proposed or already approved high density multi family rental properties in the area will add exponentially to the already existing traffic nightmare. 

Infrastructure - The future costs of the proposed project to the City and County regarding roads, schools, public safety, solid waste and other services, is unknown but far more than our current infrastructure and city budget can absorb. The development as proposed will cost CMS alone $5,674,000, and place additional staffing requirements on police, fire and medic as well as city and county services. Duke Energy is currently experiencing random power outages in the area due to unpreceded growth and demand. Outages that never occurred a decade ago.

We continue to ask that all Charlotte City Council Members VOTE NO and to deny this rezoning request. 

If you have not already signed our online petition we encourage you to do so by visiting http://change.org/savepiperglen

Thank you for your continued support.

No Rea Road Gillespie Property Rezoning Hearing Tonight

The Charlotte City Council Meeting for the Rea Road Gillespie Property Rezoning request originally set for tonight, Monday December 18th at 5:00 PM has been postponed until next month.

The hearing is now set for January 16th in Council Chambers at 5:00PM. Please mark your calendars and plan to attend. (Note the meeting is on a Tuesday rather than the usual Monday due to the MLK holiday.)

The standoff between the developer RK Investments Charlotte, LLC and our eagles Piper and Glen continues.

Our concerns remain as the developer has failed to address the following issues in any meaningful way:

Continuity of our neighborhoods - Because the proposed project at 644 rental units is nearly 10 times the density of the surrounding area it does not provide for continuity of our neighborhoods, and simply doesn't fit. In short, the project is proposing urban zoning in a non-urban setting.

Preservation, Protection, or the Conservation of our Natural Resources - The proposed project does not address concerns about the loss of at least 70% of 53 acres of old growth forest (Tree Canopy) which would be destroyed or the likely damage to Four Mile Creek, the adjoining 13 acres of FEMA Floodplain, surrounding 35 acres of Wetlands, as well as the local Wildlife Habitat, which is home to a nesting pair of American Bald Eagles (named Piper and Glen) and countless other species of animals which will occur if the rezoning request is approved.

Traffic - The City of Charlotte and NC DOT for years have failed to plan or fund roads in the area with any logical method. The result is a patch work of 2, 3 and 4 lane segments, poorly planned thoroughfares, intersections and an interstate with unfinished toll roads. Sidewalks and Bike lanes as well as Curb and Gutter systems that are not even in the planning stages. Unlit city streets and the lack of much needed traffic lights. The solution in the past was to have developers provide band-aid fixes that lack forethought or planning. This project along with other proposed or already approved high density multi family rental properties will add exponentially to the already existing traffic nightmare. 

Infrastructure - The future costs of the proposed project to the City and County regarding roads, schools, public safety, solid waste and other services, is unknown but far more than our current infrastructure and city budget can absorb. The development as proposed will cost CMS alone $5,674,000, and place additional staffing requirements on police, fire and medic as well as city and county services. Duke Energy is currently experiencing random power outages in the area due to unpreceded growth and demand. Outages that never occurred a decade ago.

We continue to ask that all Charlotte City Council Members VOTE NO and to deny this rezoning request. 

If you have not already signed our online petition we encourage you to do so by visiting http://change.org/savepiperglen

Thank you for your continued support.

Cato Farms Rezoning Request

I attended last night's Polo Ridge Elementary School community meeting regarding the Cato Property Rezoning Petition. 

First Ed Driggs shows up late and meekly wanders in after the meeting is well underway. I suspect he's been suffering from some sort of illness lately. Could we have a city council member who at least came to the meetings on time and maybe even made the effort to greet those citizens who cared enough to attend the meeting. Is that too much to ask?

Then the PA system must be the worst (maybe on purpose) in CMS history.

The developer was promoting "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" seriously they are bunch of clowns, all you had to do was look around the room (aka cafeteria) at the gathered crowd.  Black, White, Young, Old, Asian and Indian members of our community were represented. And I don't mean just one or two the entire room was a diverse as any public function I've ever seen.

Topics of concern are the staple of Charlotte's past mistakes.

Traffic - misguided ideas which the developer claims are due to the UDO. The developer assuring those gathered that the Golf Links extension to Tom Short would not be a concern because everyone will want to go to Providence Road got a big laugh. 

Here's my traffic take: Decades later it is clear Charlotte City Council has failed to plan for the future. Now in 2023 they despite not having the infrastructure insist on density saturation to ease a perceived housing crisis.  How about we fix the roads and then consider rezoning to higher density.

Unfortunately one neighbor went full NIMBY with the tired old trope of the crime and affordable housing and/or rental apartments connection. Let's not go there again.

CMS Middle School - A slick tactic developers have discovered is to offer up a large parcel of land to CMS for a school. A school that more than likely 20 years from now due to changing demographics won't be needed.

Flooding - Yep it is a concern.

Green Space - The 2020 plan also endorsed by Charlotte City Council promoted green space in the area. It's there a lovely lawn wedged between North and South Rea Park 

There are a lot of promises from developers.

However the continuity of the neighborhood is lacking. 

Currently the property is surrounded on 3 sides by single family housing. Originally zoned R-3. The developer now wants to plop down in the middle of this property a bunch of apartments. More precisely 682 rental units, 211 townhomes and just 24 single family homes.Totally changing the character of the neighborhood. 

Can you imagine buying a home at Stonecreek or Cady Lake and now 20 years later watching your neighbor build a five story apartment building next to your backyard pool?

The plan increases the density by more than 300% but it doesn't stop there. Developers are also wanting to add two more high density projects nearby. Adding to South Charlotte's traffic nightmare as if there was nothing happening south of Waverly. This is madness in the extreme. 

What was not discussed? Fire protection where is the new fire station going to be built? Police? Where will all the needed CMPD Officers come from? Most nights south division has only four officers on duty between 12 midnight and 6 am. Much of the time they are over in Steele Creek lending a hand. 

There much more to dig into but what do you think?

Ed Driggs Latest Email Explained

Yesterday the current district 7 Charlotte City Council representative Ed Driggs sent out an email announcing that RK Investments, LLC had requested a delay in the formal Charlotte City Council rezoning hearing for the Rea Road Gillespie Property set for December 18th: 

To all, 

Some of you may have gotten word that the Gillespie rezoning was on the December 18 City Council zoning meeting agenda for a Public Hearing.  The hearing was in fact on the calendar for that date, but I was advised today by Mac McCarley, one of RK Investments’ advisors, that, in order to allow more time for engagement with residents’ representatives, petitioners have agreed to defer the hearing by a month to the January zoning meeting.   

The petitioner is currently reviewing a five-page compilation of concerns that have been raised by residents to see if they can address enough issues to come up with a plan that is more workable from a community standpoint.  It is important to understand that the existing zoning, as translated into the new Unified Development Ordinance classification, would allow for significant development by-right, with no rezoning process or engagement with neighbors. The point of asking the petitioner to respond to a list of residents’ concerns is to see if a solution is possible that would be preferable to the outcome of a by-right development.  I have asked petitioners and our planning staff for some guidance on what a by-right development might look like, to see if a basis for comparison can be established.  In the meantime, as I have stated previously, I have made clear to the petitioner that I will not support the petition in its current form.  

You should also be aware that Charlotte currently has deadlines in place for Public Hearings and decisions on petitions submitted under the old, pre-UDO zoning ordinance.   The requirement is that hearings take place no later than January 2024 and decisions no later than the following month.  Recognizing that this timeline might put pressure on Council and staff to process some petitions like Gillespie hastily, our Planning Director has indicated that Council will now be asked to move the deadlines back a couple of months. 

I am circulating this message to a very long list of people from whom I have received emails about this rezoning.  I regret that I have not been able to respond to all the emails individually, but I assure you I have read them all. 

Ed Driggs

Charlotte City Council District 7

(704) 432-7077

Opinion

Anyone familiar with Ed Driggs knows he's never seen a development proposal that he didn't like. This move to save the Rea Road Gillespie property rezoning request is simply gamesmanship, as was forcing the hearing during the holiday season, an effort to wear down the opposition. 

In short this is nothing but total smoke and mirrors. Ed’s agenda has always been compromise. In this case his argument is the developer has “by right” the ability to develop the property with a large (but undetermined) number of duplex and triplex units so neighbors better “negotiate” or risk getting nothing. 

I personally asked Russell Ranson,"Why not develop the property as zoned (by right)?" and his answer was it would not work because it was unattainable as zoned. In other words I assume it wouldn’t cash flow given the topography and massive amount of site work required, the logistics and I would also assume the interest rate environment. Seems that without the rezoning approval the project is dead.

Which makes sense RK is not a single family home developer, and Gillespie apparently needs the cash flow from rental vs an outright sale of the property.

But Ed Driggs' use of the UDO and “by right” as a motivating threat is pretty disingenuous. He knows there is universal opposition to this project and yet continues to try to get the HOA’s to agree to a compromise. You'll notice he refuses to meet with individuals or discuss concerns in public but is happy to meet with HOA boards in private.

I’m sure, but only my opinion that he asked RK to withdraw the request and let him try one more time to get the HOA’s to negotiate.

There are a few members of some HOA boards who are looking for "free stuff" some sort of reparations for years of maintaining the Rea Road frontage.  

Yet the "free stuff" will not compensate anyone for our traffic gridlock nightmare ("Not my fault says Russell Ranson") that will just get worse, overstressed infrastructure, need for more schools, increased crime and irreversible damage to the environment and displaced wildlife. 

The Rea Road Collation continues to support smart growth in Charlotte, the protection and preservation of our tree canopy, wildlife and natural resources. We remain fully opposed to the rezoning request.

NOTE: The zoning hearing if held in January will be on Tuesday January 16th rather than Monday because of the MLK Holiday. We will update this as we know more but we really need a show of force for this meeting in January. 

Charlotte City Council Member Ed Driggs' Update on the Rea Road Gillespie Rezoning

 

NOV 7, 2023 — 

To all,

Following is an update on the status of rezoning petition 2022-121, the Gillespie property.

The first thing to note is that, acting on a strong recommendation from me, the petitioner does not intend to proceed to a Public Hearing before December at the earliest.  This will allow time for representatives of residents and me to find out if the petitioner is willing to offer a less controversial proposal and, if so, to determine how that final offer compares with what could happen by-right or as a result of a subsequent zoning proposal that Council might approve for the site. 

Meanwhile, the petition is currently under review by the City Planning Staff.  They will make a preliminary recommendation to Council indicating whether the proposal is consistent with our current ordinance and, in a separate determination, whether staff recommends that Council approve it.  That preliminary recommendation will be shared with Council prior to the Public Hearing.   

Fifteen days after the Public Hearing, the petition would be reviewed by the Zoning Committee, a panel of citizens appointed by Council to vet zoning petitions.  

The seven members of the Zoning Committee in turn would vote on whether they recommend the petition for Council approval.  The Planning staff would then finalize its recommendation prior to a final Council vote one month after the Public Hearing.  

It should be noted that this timeline is not mandatory, each step in this process can be delayed significantly based on whether staff are still working out issues or negotiations with residents are still underway.

The recommendations of staff and the Zoning Committee will have an impact on how much leverage residents and I have to cause the petition to be scaled back or withdrawn.  I have made clear to the petitioner that I do not support it in its current form.  I expect to be able to let you know how the Planning staff review turns out in the next week or two.

Ed Driggs

Charlotte City Council District 7

(704) 432-7077

From Rea Road Coalition:

You can find more information regarding our fight against the destruction of the Rea Road Gillespie Property and our nesting pair of bald eagles here: https://rearoadneighborhood.blogspot.com/

We also encourage you so sign and share our petition, the url is super easy to remember: 

change.org/SavePiperGlen

A Note About Our Wildlife

I realize that wildlife mean little to many of my neighbors but how do you hit a deer in a neighborhood where the speed limit is 25 and it’s not even a through street? This fawn had just lost its spots. 

I understand it happens, but when your 14 year old neighbor comes to your house and asks if you can come look at a hurt baby deer in her backyard in the hope that there is something you can do, this is just heartbreaking.  

The Fawn was alert late last night, laying down with its head up and we had hoped that with no outward signs of injury it would survive. Unfortunately it passed away sometime this morning.

Charlotte's Animal Control won't remove dead animals from private property, only if they are on the street so my husband carried the poor baby to the woods and buried it. So now I need to tell my neighbor so he can tell his daughter.

Seriously, our street is only 1 mile long, the difference between 40 and 20 mph is 45 seconds if you had to drive the entire length of course most drive less than 1/2, nothing can be that important.

I'm going to vent a little so either bear with me or just move along. 

First to many kind and thoughtful words posted on NextDoor about the young fawn, thank you. 

Now to the negative Nancys and know it alls: 

I'm not a wildlife expert nor do I have a background in wildlife management or biology. I'm a career banker, not exactly a ringing endorsement of knowing all things nature.  

However, I do know that some people are cruel, some just mean and others are bless their hearts stupid. In the last year I have found a fox shot to death between No. 1 Green and No. 2 tee box. Watched a speeding neighbor mow down a bunny. (I realize they have the decisiveness of squirrels.) Seen geese dead on Rea Road and read on ND about a deer shot with an arrow. I've even had a neighbor who was mixing dog food with antifreeze to kill racoons. The last thing I want is for a young fawn to suffer. So to the ND jerk, no I did not just leave it to suffer in agony. 

Now what I do know about deer is from common sense and observing them in Mecklenburg. Union and York Counties my entire life and from my backyard for nearly three decades. 

Plus, I have family in Maine a place where if someone says "we have a couple of deer hanging out in the front yard" it has a totally different meaning than here in South Charlotte. (Sarcasm)

Deer are social animals and they travel in groups, they have territories and occasilly interact with other deer groups. The fawn that was killed on Monday was one of from a group of two adult females (Does) two yearling females, a set of triplets born late in the spring along with one other fawn born about two weeks later. The fawn that was killed was one of the three pictured.

This group of eight seldom ventures into Raintree at the end of Payton Randolph or much past the No. 1 tee box at TPC Piper Glen or on to No. 4 Fairway which is closer to 485. They spend their days wandering from place to place in big looping circles grazing as they go.

During the summer the group also included two adult males (Bucks) and two yearling males. The older Does tolerate the males during the summer but at some point in early fall the boys are told to hit the road.  

Because they are social animals they tolertarate and perhaps even welcome other deer groups from time to time.  This seems to happen more during the spring when there are youngsters to look after. Yes they take care of each other.

Besides the Bucks who will travel to find mates, these Does, their yearlings and fawn don't stray from Seton House Lane. 

To be certain they are not hit on Rea Road or 485 and then run a mile just to die in my neighbor's backyard. They are also not so hungry that they dart into traffic. In fact they are in fact very predictable. 

While deer may be more active at dusk but they don't just randomly jump out in front of cars.  They do have a habit of trying to "keep up" with the group and I suspect the fawn that was hit was doing just that. 

In our neighborhood they are like golf carts, if one crosses the road in front of your car you can bet there is at least one more to follow.  So far this year there have been no golfers killed by cars on Seton House Lane or Links Drive. (Again Sarcasm)

Deer typically settle down around midnight often laying down in a safe spot in a familiar backyard right under your neighbor's nose.

They eat everything. But their diet changes as do their coats with the season.  Hosta in the spring gives way to Ivy in the summer, Nuts in the fall and your just planted Pansies during the winter.

My neighbors feed the deer. (Do I hear gasps?).

Here's the theory, deer are grazing animals. They eat they move, they eat some more and they move. They have done this in the Carolinas for a thousand years. By placing deer corn at the edge of your yard they consume the corn and move on. They are hard wired to keep moving. Eat the corn, pass on the hosta keep moving. It is part survival skill and part habit.  

Doesn't the corn "attract" the deer?

Yes and no. Yes they love corn, but the deer are coming to your yard anyway. They eat everything except holly, gardenia, magnolias, mountain laurel, false cypress and juniper.  But will strip the bark off of some cypress varieties. They are not deterred by dogs, fences or wind chimes.

As for the madness of hanging fabric softener strips or wrapped bars of soap from trees, using hot pepper sprays, garlic and rotten egg mixtures, ammonia-soaked rags, and bags of hair and/or blood or buckets of urine; seriously who wants to do all that?

So in the alternative just feed them and pray they move on. 

And back to speeding cars in neighborhoods. What the heck? 

Please slow down.

Ellie McIntire