Not-Steele Creek Presbyterian Church

While linking to the Steele Creek Residents Association website for the recent population/census story, I noticed this very interesting tid bit too:

Steele Creek Presbyterian Church, which has been at the same location since 1760, is not now nor has it ever been actually in Steele Creek!

In 2009, Mecklenburg County NCGenWeb discovered that historic property maps proved that the precise locations of the county's township boundaries have been incorrect for generations. The real northern boundary of the old Steele Creek Township was actually 1,000 feet south of where previously believed, putting Steele Creek Presbyterian Church (and about 60 homes) in the old Berryhill Township. Their findings were sent to the U.S. Census and the mapping changes have already been officially accepted for the just released 2010 Census.

As noted by S.C.R.A., "Is it possible that this historic church, which was the inspiration for the name Steele Creek being applied to the entire southwest corner of Mecklenburg County, was actually outside the original township boundary?"

Read more at the Steele Creek Residents Association website.

Steele Creek Population More Than Doubles

According to statistics just released by the U.S. Census, the new official population of Steele Creek is now 52,014. That's an increase of 106% over the 2000 population statistics.

There is much more information about the new Steele Creek Census numbers on the Steele Creek Residents Association website. Lots of interesting maps and statistics, including:

• 54% of Steele Creek's land is within the city limits of Charlotte.
• 83% of Steele Creek's population is within the city limits of Charlotte.

and what I find most interesting of all...

• If Steele Creek were an incorporated city, it would be the 17th largest in North Carolina, just behind Chapel Hill and ahead of Huntersville.

Footnote: Since the U.S. Census does not count Steele Creek as its own designated area, the population needed to be calculated by hand. Many thanks to Dave Wiggins from the Steele Creek Residents Association for calculating the Steele Creek population statistics, neighborhood by neighborhood and then manually compiling the data.

Steele Creek Library On The Chopping Block?

According to WSOC-TV, Steele Creek Library is one of 9 branches targeted for closure by recommendations presented by the Future of the Library Task Force.

To quote the article at WSOCTV.com:

"The task force’s proposal included closing libraries at Steele Creek"

But according to the Charlotte Observer, Steele Creek Library is not on the list of 6 branches targeted for closure last night by the same task force.

To quote the article at CharlotteObserver.com:

"Among those on the list: Hickory Grove, Plaza Midwood, Myers Park, Davidson and Cornelius could close"

You'll clearly notice that Steele Creek is not on the list of recommended closures. Reading further into the article you learn that the plan would prioritize libraries in three "fragile" neighborhoods, and then a second level of prioritization would protect funding for "branches that are farthest away from regionals, including Steele Creek".

So what the heck is the deal here? One article claims that 9 branches are targeted, including Steele Creek. The other says that 6 is the maximum, and that Steele Creek is actually protected (to some degree). Which is it? Both of these reports can't be right. Steele Creek is either on the list of recommended closures or it isn't. One of these media outlets is, at very least, wrong.

Before I go off on a rant about deceptive reporting, I need to find the truth here. The recommendations presented last night do not appear to be posted for the public on the Future of the Library Task Force's website, so I'm now contacting library officials to get the lowdown. Stay tuned.

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Update 12:30pm

I haven't received an official response from the library system yet but they just tweeted a link to the Charlotte Observer story. In that post they stated "Up to 6 #cmlibrary branches could close under Future of the Library Task Force recommendations"... not 9.

Update 2:00pm

Via Twitter, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library system wrote "To clarify, Task Force looked at a scalable model/list of branches. One outlet chose to include all below Regionals." To me that sounds like closing the Steele Creek branch was just one of many options that were considered, but that Steele Creek was never recommended for closure. @cmlibrary goes on to tweet that they are now "seeking a retraction on errant reporting of branches".

Footnote: These recommendations are preliminary. Final recommendations will be released on March 21st.

SCRA Meeting This Thursday

The 2011 Steele Creek Residents Association meeting is this Thursday, May 3rd at Southwest Middle School. Everyone interested in what's happening in Steele Creek is encouraged to attend. The meeting will begin at 6:30pm.

Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones will discuss the impact of the county's financial situation on Steele Creek. County Commissioners Jim Pendergraph, Harold Cogdell, and Vilma Leake will be on hand to answer questions. And Melony McCullough of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Planning Department will discuss the Steele Creek Area Plan.

Over a dozen local government and community organizations will have tables set up to provide information about their organizations and programs. Visit the Steele Creek Residents Association website for more details.

Two New Traffic Light Coming To Steele Creek Road

The intersection of Steele Creek Road and Sledge Road is the third most dangerous intersection in Steele Creek, but it is the neighborhood's most dangerous intersection to not already have a traffic signal. There have been 28 accidents at this treacherous junction in just the past three years. The Department of Transportation plans to install a new traffic signal at this intersection this spring, as well as new turning lanes too.

A new traffic signal is also expected less than a mile up the road where Steele Creek Road intersects with Sam Neely Road. There were 16 wrecks at this location in the past five years (one-third the rate of the Sledge Road junction). The DOT originally expected to install the light here back in 2008 but couldn't come up with the $350,000 in necessary funds. Construction on this new signal and turning lanes is now slated to begin this summer.

For residents of the Planters Walk subdivision, these new lights can't come fast enough. Planters Walk residents utilize both of these dangerous intersections to access their neighborhood.

Facebook Friends

In case you missed it, the Steele Creek Residents Association is now on Facebook. Click here to "Like" their page.

And don't forget that The Steele Creek Blog has been available on Facebook and Twitter since last summer. Click here to join us on Facebook or follow @steelecreekblog on Twitter if those are more convenient for you.

Steele Creek CMPD Moving Closer

The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department plans to move the Steele Creek Division to a location that is more centrally located to the community it serves.

The Steele Creek Division, comprised of 95 officers, is currently located at 1750 Shopton Road, beside the Charlotte Police and Fire Training Facility. That's location is just 1/4 miles from the northern border of Steele Creek, and only 1 mile from the northern border of their patrol division which ends at Tyvola Road. But they are responsible for patrolling over 60 square miles of Steele Creek [map] that is almost entirely located south of the division headquarters. By contrast, CMPD Steele Creek is located over 12 miles from the southwest tip of the county, which is within their response area, and could take almost half an hour to reach from their current HQ.

To help alleviate this geographical imbalance, CMPD Steele Creek is currently in negotiations to purchase land and build a new department headquarters at the corner of Westinghouse Boulevard and South Tryon Street [map]. This new location is 3 miles closer to the center of Steele Creek.

Ayrsley Tree Lighting

The Ayrsely community will be holding a holiday tree lighting this Saturday, December 4th, at 4:30 p.m. The tree itself is being donated by real-estate company New Forum.

Toys for Tots Drive at Ayrsley

Ayrsley is in the midst of a community-wide toy drive to help provide children in need with gifts this holiday season. The drive started on November 15th and will continue until December 4th. This is the second consecutive year that Ayrsley has organized a community-wide toy drive, but the first in conjunction with the Marine's Toys for Tots Foundation.

New, unwrapped toys can be dropped off at the following Ayrsley locations: Ayrsley Town Rehabilitation, Fintastic, Pi Kappa Phi, Regus, Wild Wing Café, Salsa’s and Saffron. Toys can also be dropped off at the Steele Creek location of Mac's Speed Shop on Sandy Porter Road.

More Dumb Exit Names

A couple of days ago I wrote about how the new interchange on I-485 shouldn't be named the "Garrison Road" exit. Thank to an observant reader who pointed out that poor name choices on I-485 within Steele Creek wouldn't be anything new.

Steele Creek residents have probably seen this highway sign while traveling on the outer loop of I-485. To start off, it really should say "Steele Creek Road" and the fact that it doesn't is almost an insult to Steele Creek, but that's now why this is a bad exit sign. The reason this is a bad highway sign is because for most motorists this wouldn't be the best way to get to Fort Mill.

If you take exit 4 instead of continuing on the highway to I-77 south, it will take more than twice as long to reach the border of Fort Mill (14 minutes rather than just 6 minutes by highway) . Not to mention that out of town motorists looking for Fort Mill are far more likely to want to go the I-77 route anyway for popular attractions like Carowinds. If by chance the sign was referring to downtown Fort Mill instead of the border, there's less than a mile's difference between both routes but staying on the highway and taking I-77 will again be faster, saving you 5 minutes.

As a side note I also wish this sign said "To Fort Mill" to be more clear that Fort Mill itself is not at the end of this exit ramp.

$10,000 in Grants for McDowell Nature Center

The McClintock Outdoors Club has been awarded $10,000 in grand funding for programs at the McDowell Nature Center. The McClintock Outdoors Club is a partnership between CMS and Park & Rec that utilizes the outdoors as a natural remedy to urban social issues. The funding comes from a $7,500 grant from the S.T.E.M. program, an affiliation of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, and $2,500 from The North Face Explore Fund, a program committed to breaking down barriers that prevent children and families from experiencing the outdoors. The money will help support nature education programming and off-site field trips offered by the club as an effort to curb the rate of childhood obesity and gang involvement in area youth.



Read more in the Lake Wylie Pilot.

Why "Garrison Road"?

Yesterday I wrote about the start of construction on the new Garrison Road interchange on I-485. But will it actually be called the "Garrison Road" exit? I haven't heard or seen anything to suggest that this interchange won't be called "Garrison Road", but that really makes no sense at all.


The road crossing over I-485 is indeed Garrison Road at this moment, but when completed, going east from the new interchange will automatically become the newly realigned West Boulevard within 200 yards, and going west from the interchange will automatically become the Garden Parkway within a 200 yards too. The original Garrison Road quickly forks off north or south from the main east-west overpass within 200 yards in either direction of the interchange, so why in the world would you call it the Garrison Road exit when that name is completely insignificant to passing motorists? It would make a lot more sense to extend the name "West Boulevard" another 200 yards beyond the new realignment so West Boulevard is what crosses over I-485. Seeing "West Boulevard Exit" on the giant green interstate signs will be a lot more helpful to commuters than "Garrison Road". And if the Garden Parkway is indeed built, the exit can be called "West Boulevard / Garden Parkway Exit"... but hopefully not just "Garrison Road".

New Garrison Road Exit

Work begins today on the new Garrison Road interchange on I-485. The $1.2 million project is scheduled to be completed by next June. The new Garrison Road interchange will directly connect to a realigned West Boulevard to the east, providing additional access to Charlotte-Douglas International Airport. It will also lead directly to the planned Garden Parkway heading west through Gaston County.

Note: Garrison Road is just barely outside of Steele Creek but the southbound entrance ramp and the northbound exit ramp do connect to I-485 within Steele Creek, so I'm counting this as a Steele Creek development.

Eyesore Finally Being Demolished

The perpetually abandoned building on the corner of Choate Circle and South Tryon is finally being demolished. Long ago the property was a lonely country gas station but has been abandoned for more than a dozen years. The dilapidated structure became a Steele Creek eyesore and frequently attracted further unwanted problems including gang graffiti.

Several years ago the city of Charlotte ordered the property owner to bring the property up to code or face demolition. The city eventually did condemn the structure as unsafe and formally ordered it to be demolished - but then they never followed through and the building has remained untouched for nearly two more years.

Today there was a small non-city crew, hired by the property owner, finally beginning the long overdue process of structural demolition. They've already got half the building knocked down and hauled away via dump truck. After the remainder of the building is removed, you may soon see chain link fencing surround the property in order to safeguard the owner against liability issues.

The future of this highly visible corner property is unknown. The owner has not sold the property to a developer and has no immediate construction plans either, but getting rid of this dilapidated building is a good step nonetheless.

Update: The building is confirmed to be gone now.

Stop The Annoying Observer Ad Circulars

Are you sick and tired of The Charlotte Observer throwing those annoying advertising circulars on your driveway twice a week, even if you don't subscribe to the newspapaer? A lot of people are and many are actually angered by it. Some argue that it's flat-out littering, just like any stranger driving by and throwing unwanted garbage on your property and taking off, over and over again, and calling it a service.

In Atlanta this issue has already come to the forefront in regards to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's similar practice with their "AJC Reach" circulars. Residents have organized themselves, gotten a website for their cause, spoken one-on-one with the mayor, and received television coverage too. The group boycotts any businesses who continue to advertise in the fliers and they encourage others to do the same.

To my knowledge there isn't a similar revolt in Charlotte, yet. Perhaps soon. But regardless of whether the Observer is littering, you can opt-out of this so-called "service". (And the fact that it's opt-out instead of opt-in is another issue altogether.) To stop delivery of the Charlotte Observer's twice-weekly advertising circulars just call 1-800-532-5350, then press option zero. Provide your address and request a do-not-deliver order. Within a week the circulars should stop. Not only will you be saving yourself the trouble of constantly picking them up and thowing them out, but you'll also help reduce waste and help the environment.