Quarterly Newsletter Fall 2021 Edition

Did someone say Pumpkin Spiced Sedgefield? I hope not, it cant be Fall already! Whoa, how did that happen?

Well, it is my favorite season, stunning foliage, the smell of fireplaces, delicious comfort foods - it's the season that delights the senses. Whether you're sipping a warm drink by the fire or just enjoying the sights as the leaves begin to change, there's so much do to, experience, and look at, all autumn long.  We have a number of items to cover so I’ll be quick

Exciting News, we are bringing back the Sedgefield Merch! See the photo above of the limited run of Sedgefield Hats. These are unisex and the first run is a very limited quantity. Price is $24, contact me at sedgefieldnieghborhood@gmail.com, and I’ll hook you up. We will make more as orders come in so get your orders in (great for Holiday gifts too). We will be repeating the wildly popular Sedgefield shirts as well, stay tuned for that release.

Safety: As school has started back and all the construction going on around us, we are seeing a lot more cut through traffic. Most of these fine citizens are not aware of our children nor the speed limits, so please be safe and aware. CMPD advises traffic calming measures like parking in the streets and even putting roll out trash cans in the street next to the curb can slow and calm traffic. After all, the longer and slower folks have to drive in Sedgefield the safer they will be and maybe they will find other short cuts too! We’re also trying to work with CDOT for traffic calming measures, but they are making it very difficult. If you would like to be an active part of the solution or have areas of concern, let us hear from you and as we are trying to make improvements in the neighborhood.

City project updates that impact Sedgefield: South Blvd Water Main update link: https://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/SouthBlvdWaterMain.aspx Dairy Branch Stormwater  update link: https://charlottenc.gov/Projects/Pages/DairyBranchTributarySewer.aspx

Road closure you should know about: Poindexter and South Blvd closed for next 60 days or so. Work on South Boulevard and Poindexter to last to end of the year. Additional updates can be found at the two links mentioned above.

Sedgefield Tree Meeting Sara Gagné, PhD (UNCC Assoc Professor) lab is starting a research project to measure the condition and benefits and disadvantages of trees in residential yards in Charlotte. Come to the tree meeting to learn more about the ecosystem services and disservices of trees, to voice your interest in the trees in our neighborhood and citywide, and to sign up to have your trees measured as a part of our project. All ages welcome! When: Saturday, October 23rd at 9 am  Where: Picnic shelter in Sedgefield Park

2040 plan: Sedgefield is partnering with Dilworth and other neighborhoods to play an active role and give feedback to the Charlotte 2040 plan. First step is go to the site and check YOUR house and make sure it is labeled correctly. If not, give feedback to get it corrected.

The Future is Now - Watch, Learn and Add Your Input Watch the video and then add your input via the survey (links to both below). Your thoughts about the Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map process and direction are important. Here's your chance:

 Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map Engagement Overview Video

Spanish Translation Video Available Here

 Charlotte Future 2040 Policy Map Story Map & Online Survey

Spanish Translation Story Map & Online Survey Available Here

 If you have any questions, please feel free to email cltfuture2040@charlottenc.gov.

As the weather cools, we are trying to organize a few neighborhood events, stay tuned to our social media for details. If you have ideas or what to help organize or host, please speak up, we love to have participation.

Officer Matt Montgomery mmontgomery@cmpd.org

Traffic Concerns

As many of you are aware, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in traffic complaints over the past month or so which can be attributed to several factors in and around the neighborhood.  The construction along South Blvd. is forcing more and more drivers to use the interior side streets as cut-throughs to avoid the blocked turn lanes and bottlenecked traffic.  Needless to say, these folks aren’t driving slowly, or obeying stop signs after being inconvenienced by the construction adding more time to their commutes.  

 Also, with three schools in the area which have recently started back, traffic in the early morning and afternoon hours has only added to the already existing problem around these locations.  Unfortunately, we’re experiencing similar types of incidents throughout our division within nearly all our communities - as well as across the entire city.  

 Recently we’ve utilized our CMPD motorcycle unit to increase enforcement in these areas, along with officers that have received specialized training on our Enduro type (more dirt bike looking) motorcycles.  Both units have been highly effective in issuing citations and making arrests while conducting these operations; however, due to high demand, they are required to rotate throughout the city to focus on other divisions’ issues as well.  And once they leave an area, the speeding picks right back up.

If possible, where there are no “No Parking” signs posted, which includes most neighborhood streets now, I suggest parking your vehicle along the street.  This forces traffic to slow in order to maneuver around the parked vehicles, and naturally “calms” the flow of traffic.  Also, please let me know if you’re having issues with constant speeding as your input can influence where our resources are allocated.  The more complaints from our citizens justifies needing resources in a particular area.  

*The best way to keep up to date is to get on the text notify list (text SOUTHENDWATER to 31996) and/ or to visit the website periodically (https://www.charlotteswm.com/).

Sara Gagné

Instagram: @urban_nature_clt Email: sgagne@uncc.edu

Every evening for the past month, I’ve been treated to the sight of a red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus) swooping low among pine branches or perching regally at the top of a nearby utility pole, oblivious to the alarm calls of wrens and sparrows in the oak overhead. My husband once saw it carrying off a snake in its talons and it regularly lands on the grass in my front yard to feed on dying cicadas. Based on the brown and white, not black and white, plumage, I’m guessing it’s a juvenile defending its new territory using its piercing “kee-ah” call from the treetops. 

I’ve spotted three species of hawk in Sedgefield since I moved here: Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), and red-shouldered hawk. Like Cooper’s hawks, red-shouldered hawks are forest birds. They can and do occur in suburban developments but only if there is some relatively mature forest nearby, like the park and school grounds in our neighborhood. Red-tailed hawks, on the other hand, are an open-habitat species and so do very well in the open conditions of typical residential developments, regardless of whether forest patches are present. As a result, red-shouldered hawks are a relatively rare sight in suburbs like Sedgefield and can be out-competed by red-taileds if both species are present.

Red-shouldered hawks disperse on average 11 miles from where they fledged to occupy a new breeding and overwintering territory, which they will use for life. That means the hawk in my yard may have been born somewhere near Matthews or Mint Hill and flown around for a while before deciding, as many of us have, that Sedgefield looked like a pretty nice place to settle down. Red-shouldered hawks eat a wide variety of prey, such as small mammals, small birds, and, especially in the South, reptiles, cicadas, and even crayfish. 

We don’t typically think of the predators that eat predators so it may come as a bit of a surprise that the main predators of red-tailed hawks are great horned owls (I spotted one in Butterfly Park a few years ago) and raccoons. Both eat the hawk’s eggs and, in the case of raccoons, destroy nests and sometimes adults. Other significant sources of mortality for red-shouldered hawks, and most raptors, are collisions with vehicles and electrocution on power lines. Vehicle speed plays a large part in the former so keep it under 25 mph on our tree-lined streets! 

 I feel blessed to have a majestic red-tailed hawk become my new neighbor this year and grateful that I’ve been able to work more from home and therefore observe its behavior in detail. I hope it decides, like I have, that Sedgefield is definitely the place to be, a neighborhood filled with delicious snakes and cicadas and beautiful mature trees. 

For more on the hawk species that occur in Sedgefield, check out www.allaboutbirds.org.

It’s important to be able to recognize the different hawks that live in our neighborhood. Get your crayons or markers out and fill in the picture below to get an idea of what a red-shouldered hawk looks like. Courtesy of www.michigangreenschools.us. 

Ben Larrick

Charlotte is ranked by Realtor.com as the best real estate market in the Southeastern U.S. positioned for growth in 2021. The report predicts the Charlotte real estate market will have a combined growth rate of 19.0%, factoring in both sales growth and growth of home prices.  

With increasing demand and low supply of homes available in the area, competition for buying is fierce. Trying to navigate the real estate process can make anyone feel uncertain or overwhelmed. Home buyers should expect rising prices and heavy competition with all cash offers and out-of-town investors.  Homes are often going under contract the day they hit the market.

 Getting Pre-Approved

Buyers can prepare by securing a relationship with a mortgage lender prior to shopping for a home and getting pre-approved. This states the loan amount you qualify for and tells the seller you are a qualified buyer.  With houses going under contract in our area in less than 24-hours, don’t let your dream home slip away, and get pre-approved now. Pre-approvals are valid for 120 days.  A professional loan officer can walk you through the process.  

 Cash-Out Refinance 

Home values have skyrocketed over the last few years which means you may have more equity than you think.  A cash-out refinance can free up your equity, giving you money to make home improvements, consolidate debt, or have money available ‘just in case.’  Dreaming of a pool after this sweltering summer? A cash-out refinance can make that dream a reality using the equity in your home.   

Refinancing with Record Low Rates 

If you already own a home, now is the perfect time to refinance. With rates still at historic lows, it’s time to take advantage. If you haven’t refinanced in the last six months it’s worth considering to save serious cash.  

I would love to work with you if you’re thinking about buying a new home or wondering if refinancing is right for you.  I live in the neighborhood with my wife Brandy, my son Wyatt (8 years old) and daughter Katherine (6 years old).   Contact Ben Larrick at blarrick@dhlmortgage or 704-804-6485.

Lane Cloninger

I want more space. Do I add on, build new, or just move?

With all that is going on right now, many homeowners are thinking to themselves, “it’s time for a change”. The question I am getting the most is do I start over and build, do I renovate, or do I sell and buy elsewhere?  There are many factors to consider when making this decision.  First of all and most important, what is your end goal? 

Land value in Charlotte, especially in the Sedgefield area, is at an all time high.  If you love your location and see potential in your current house then exploring a renovation or addition could be your answer.  The biggest positive with this is you can potentially save a lot of money by keeping as much as possible and upfitting what is needed.  This also can normally be done in a quicker timeframe allowing you to move back into your home faster.  On the negative side, you will be limited to what you can do based off of what you have to work with.  For example, if you have 8’ ceiling and really want 10’ ceiling.  Anything can be done but by doing this you are keeping less of the original and jumping your cost.  The more that stays the same the lower your cost.  Another negative is that many companies will charge more on a renovation per ft because you are now adding demolition as well as the time-consuming part of tying into original or opening up areas and discovering issues that may have been covered up.  Regardless, if a homeowner loves their location and have a limited budget, this is the least expensive option to changing the feel of their house.

The second option is to start over on your current lot.  This is happening all over Sedgefield.  With land value being so high, many people have more value in their land then what they originally paid for their house.  Lots in the area are going for on average between $400k to $550k depending on size and location.  The biggest advantage in going new is you can get exactly what you want.  You are not having to compromise based on what you currently have.  The only compromises are going to be on the size and shape of your lot and of course what you are willing to spend on a new build.  The negative on building new is the timing.  Right now, contractors are very busy and most building companies are charging in the low $200s to over $300 a sq foot to build.  Not everyone is willing to take that big of a leap.  The other issue is if you are looking to build a small house you can easily underbuild for your area.   For example, if your lot is worth $450k and you tear down and build a 2300 sq ft house.  At $230 -$240 per ft to build you just spent $550k or more building putting you at $1 mil.  If you were to decide to sell your house rather then move into it you would most likely sell for right under a million.  On top of that you could spend as much as $60k in realtor fees   If you are not planning to sell for a long time then this might not be a concern, but at least something to think about.

The last option is to sell and move elsewhere.  In this case you should definitely start looking for your future home before putting your property up for sale.  Often, I see homeowners that get their property under contract and get excited about what they are getting for it, but then when they try to find their next home in the same area, they realize they can’t afford what’s out there.  If the goal is to move further out of town and acquire something with a little more land then you will find there are more options and the prices get lower the further you are willing to go.

Whether you decide to renovate, build new, sell and move, or just stay in your home the way it is, regardless, it is nice knowing that your home is most likely worth a lot more now than when you bought it.  

Michael Seaton - ReMax Realty

Welcome to the new school year at Dilworth Elementary!  We are so excited to begin welcoming our dragons back in person on August 25. Our custodians worked diligently throughout the summer at both the Sedgefield and Latta Campuses to ensure our facilities are sanitized, organized, and ready to receive students.  Both campuses now have sensory hallways where students can hop, skip, and get their wiggles out. These markers on the floor certainly add some excitement to our hallways. We have also been collaborating with some community businesses to explore ways to use some of our Tip the Scales money to enhance the outdoor spaces at both campuses. We are hopeful to get some of these projects underway soon. The thought of more outdoor learning spaces for our dragons is very exciting.  

In addition to our facility and faculty updates, we will continue to instill a positive behavior management system through our “Dragons are on FIRE” theme. Character education is central to our “On FIRE” plan. Emphasis will be placed on being Fair, having Integrity, being Respectful, and being Exceptional in everything we do. Students earn dragon dollars when they demonstrate these behaviors, and our Dragon House families and celebrations are a time to recognize all our dragons and their outstanding accomplishments. The complementary component, Love and Logic, will continue again this year as well as a strong focus on students’ social and emotional needs. Each classroom will be provided sensory items for students to use when needed, and our teachers will continue morning meetings and personal check-ins to gauge students’ social and emotional well-being.  

Last year was a challenging year for everyone, but we are applying all that we learned to make this year smooth and safe for all. We will still be following social distancing guidelines and wearing masks, and are lucky to have two campuses that allow for smaller numbers of students at each site. These protocols will help keep all students and staff safe and will allow us all to enjoy a collaborative in-person learning experience.  

Everyone at Dilworth is eager for this new year to begin. Inspired by the amazing summer Olympic games, our school theme is “the race for excellence has no finish line.” We are ready to overcome any obstacles as we continue learning and growing, and we appreciate all the community members and families who support us along this journey.  

Sedgefield Middle School had a positive 2020-2021 academic year, despite the pandemic.  The commitment of excellence demonstrated by students, families, faculty, and the community resulted in a school culture continuing to grow in a positive direction.  With the momentum and trusting relationships gained, teacher and administrative leadership teams have spent much of the summer months collaborating, reflecting, and generating initiatives that focus on engagement, environment, and empowerment.  It is through these lenses that Sedgefield Middle School will approach academic and behavioral support for the academic year.  Our desired outcome is to have students, teachers, and the school at-large to grow in self-efficacy, awareness, and leadership to grow our greatest potential.

At Sedgefield Middle School, our goal is for our learning environment to consist of high expectations for all students.  These expectations are not only relevant to academic work, but also target leadership and social-emotional development.  To strategically support the learning environment growth and development this year, Sedgefield will support a positive behavior system.  This system will allow students to grow under consistent school-wide expectations, leadership opportunities, reflection activities, and community service.  Through the development of a strong, positive, consistent environment we will be able to empower students with opportunities to take academic risks within a trusting environment.  

Instructional engagement is also a key component of our comprehensive school plan.  Engagement is critical for students and teachers and can be provided in a variety of ways.  At Sedgefield Middle School, engagement will be demonstrated by staff through intentional planning of creative and relevant learning opportunities that are standards based.  Teachers will analyze data, observations, and interests of students to provide opportunities for cooperative and collaborative learning.  Students will then engage in activities that let them explore, experience, and interact with the content daily.  This engagement may happen in the utilization of technology to explore a topic, experiments within the classroom, interactive clubs to create positive impact within the community, group collaboration, or problem-solving to find an original solution.  When teachers and students both actively engage with content, they are able to clarify any misunderstandings or misconceptions, allowing students the opportunity to deepen their learning or recover any missing components.  Engagement also provides students the opportunity to interact with the content at the level that best supports their learning, whether the level be remedial or advanced.  Engagement is critical as we move into the upcoming year as students may demonstrate gaps within their understanding due to hybrid instruction throughout the 2020-2021 academic year.  Another form of engagement that Sedgefield will utilize this year are enrichment experiences.  Enrichment experiences are opportunities to connect the learning to the real world.  Opportunities may be community-based experiences such as field trips to historical museums or campus-based experiences where community and global leaders are brought to campus for an enrichment experience.  We are confident that through intentional planning and active engagement our Spartans will not only recover skills but will deepen their understanding of content to a complex level.

Sedgefield’s final core focus area for the upcoming year will be empowerment.  Through reflection, goal setting, and interest-based opportunities, Sedgefield will work to empower students with a core understanding of their strengths, areas of growth, and the mindset it takes to achieve their goals.  Students will participate in a social-emotional learning block daily to discuss and analyze middle school experiences, learning and growing by gaining perspective.  Students will also work to reflect in partnership with their teachers to provide teachers feedback on their understanding as well as interest in opportunities that were provided during the academic day.  Reflection allows students to know where concentrated effort must be applied, and where they excel.  Reflective practices support students' long term in developing positive self-efficacy.

With intentional and strategic work Sedgefield Middle School staff and community partners are working to support all Spartans.  We are continually grateful for the collaborative support provided by our community members and families.  We are launching into a great year!

Sheena Miracle Principal of Sedgefield Middle School 2700 Dorchester Pl, Charlotte, NC 2820 Phone---980-343-5840