The purpose of the Myers Park Homeowners Association is to preserve and enhance the historical character and quality of life envisioned in the original garden park design for Myers Park.

I am often asked why and how Myers Park Homeowners Association was formed and what our mission is or should be.  It is helpful to look back and remember why this association came to be.  

The association was formed in the 1970's in response to the action of City Council to rezone property on Dartmouth, Colonial, Hermitage Ct. and Amherst from single family to multi-family.  City leaders and planners determined at the time that those streets should be developed with apartments.  Alarmed that the single-family bungalows on these streets might be lost and concerned about increased density, a number of neighbors formed a committee to lobby the City Council to reconsider this policy.  Because of the work of the Association, the City Council agreed to reverse its actions and rezone the property as single family.  After the zoning victory, the committee continued to meet and discuss issues confronting the neighborhood. 

The association was legally incorporated in 1984 with the stated mission of preserving the original, historic layout of Myers Park and thereby preserving the value of its stock of single-family homes. The Board of Directors of the Homeowners Association is a group of volunteers which meets monthly to discuss issues confronting the approximately 3300 single-family and multi-family residential property owners in what is now considered "Myers Park.” 

Approximately 650 to 700 homeowners have joined the association.  At our 2-3 hour board meetings, we try to deal with the most pressing issues facing the neighborhood.  These are long, tedious meetings, and I am grateful that 25 or so neighbors are willing to spare one night a month to discuss neighborhood business.  Between meetings, board members attempt to follow up with the board's preferences on various issues and to deal with new issues that arise between meetings.   

A portion of the neighborhood is listed on the National Historic Register.  It was listed on the register because of its unique and attractive layout, curving streets, tree plantings and landscape design emphasizing green space, all of which were revolutionary in 1915 and later copied throughout the country.  Compare the square grid of streets in most of the Dilworth and Elizabeth neighborhoods to the curving streets of Myers Park.  The layout and plan for green space was to be preserved through the restrictions placed on the property by the original developers, the Stephens Company.  

Unfortunately, through the last two decades, the Board has had to deal from time to time with violations of the deed restrictions placed on Myers Park by the Stephens Company.   Most often the violations were not created by existing neighbors but by developers constructing speculative projects and trying to maximize square footage.  The economic downturn has reduced this somewhat.  Nevertheless, this does take a great deal of our time and energy.

Some neighbors feel that we are too strict and are needlessly unfriendly in our efforts to enforce deed restrictions.  I agree that we spend more time than we should have to dealing with development issues.  Understandably the landowners who violate the restrictions do not like to be limited in their construction plans, and they often are not happy with our efforts.  However, the effort to preserve the viability of the restrictions is consistent with the mission for which this Association was created.  Further, given the zoning policies in Charlotte and the defeat of the historic district effort, the deed restrictions are the primary tools we have to preserve the planned lay-out of Myers Park and deal with over-development. 

Importantly, we cannot afford to allow violations to go unchallenged.  If the deed restrictions are not enforced in the face of violations, they will become unenforceable over time. 

I feel comfortable speaking for the board when I say that we would much rather spend our time doing other things to support the neighborhood than argue about deed restrictions. However, deed restrictions and development issues are directly tied to the mission of the association as set out in its Articles of Incorporation in 1984.  I do not believe the Board should stop working on these issues unless the association re-writes its Articles to remove the issue of preservation from its stated charge. 

In the past, the association has attempted to organize events in the neighborhood, e.g., bridge clubs, dinner clubs and, for two years, the association sponsored a May Day.  Those events were not successful.  Perhaps they would be now.  The biggest challenge to putting on such events, as you can imagine, is sufficient volunteer time. 

The Board works throughout the year on many issues other than zoning or deed violations.  During the 2003-2004 year the board has: worked with Christ Episcopal Church to address neighbors’ concerns regarding church expansion; worked with the City to partner in the construction of any new bus shelters in the neighborhood to match the traditional stone-and-shingles shelter; began discussions with the City and charitable groups using the neighborhood for walks, runs and bike rides to put policies in place to lessen the impact on the neighborhood; met with representatives of Queens University about their expansion plans; worked with Colony Rd. neighbors regarding their new roundabout; worked with the City regarding a proposed new library branch on Providence Rd. (which plans now appear abandoned); and worked with Carolinas Medical Center regarding its expansion plans behind homes on Kings Dr.  Lastly, everyone recognizes the value of the old oaks that shade Myers Park. We have collected separate funds to support the tree canopy in the neighborhood and continued to work with the City concerning its efforts to renovate the medians through our neighborhood.   We want to keep this effort an important part of our mission.

Cameron Furr, Former President of the

Myer Park Homeowners Association