[RogMar]

Originally Posted by marmac

I didn't realize Cherokee Village has---------350 calls per hour
-------------------------------------------22 residental burglaries per 24 hour period
-------------------------------------------4 homicides per month

If you're not talking about CV, your point is ???????????????????????

That in some places, Marmac, laws are made (ordinaces mostly), that justare a *way* backseat to enforce.

In response to your interrogatory about, Why make the laws if we're not going to enforce them?

Cherokee Village would fit into that "2 or 3,000" niche.

The legislators, and the enforcers, don't meet now, never have, and never will.

[Timtheman]

RogMar,

I would hate to think that what you are saying about the talk of some of those who move in from outside is true. It would be really upsetting and intolerable. It is fair to say, though, that there is talk to be heard in the other direction -- I've heard it -- and a lot of blame gets place on those "Out-of-Staters" who did nothing but fulfill Cooper's vision of an area in which folks came from all over. These people really don't come with bad motives or bad attitudes -- only about as many of them as those locals who hate "outsiders" for no good reason.

As for law enforcement being taken from real crime for idiot lawn and neighbor complaints you have my vote 100 percent. Most places I've lived you'd be lucky to get a timely police visit for anything less than a violent crime. Code Enforcement in the Village is not a branch of the Police. It is an office out of City Hall that does other things as well. They really have been reasonable and everything I've seen them get involve with REALLY needed to be done.

You've seen changes over many years and I respect your long view. What I like about what is going on now is that it seems even-handed and fair. All areas and folks are being expected to make the same basic bare minimum grade. CV is meant to be a "planned community." To have a community there has to be a shared vision on community standards. Again, the three kind of mail boxes thing is fussy, stupid, and deserves laughing at wherever it happens. Having garbage strewn about by dogs isn't. We agree on that.

I would like to hear more about your sense of change since the 70s.

[adysmom]

Originally Posted by sunspring

Property taxes in Cherokee Village are very low but SID (Suburban Improvement District) fees, billed with the property taxes, are about $150 annually.

Not hard to take, but building lots in Hidden Valley right on the border of Cherokee Village do not have SID fees, so you're looking at only about $7 property taxes annually!

That can be favorable if you're planning to just sit on the property for a few years before building, or to buy several lots for investment possibilities.

The only thing I will say about Hidden Valley is, It looks like they pay only $7 in taxes. If you have been in Hidden Valley you know what I am saying.

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by Timtheman

I would like to hear more about your sense of change since the 70s.

I don't think the changes have been bad, Tim.

However, you simply cannot have change and have all happy campers. originally, yes, Cooper's direction was to have a retirement community. That was based on first the fact that he wanted to make money, and that the market supported the premise that people with money wanted to retire to a place that was *very* affordable and had a good climate.

Very good basis, and there was a lot of people that bought into that.

What happens when you have low priced areas, is that you get an element that is less than desirable. Then you end up getting the "cars on jacks so the 6 dogs can get out of the sun" kinda thing which, of course, evolves into what you have today. Rules and more rules.

Then....you get the thing that I equate to "coffee with cream". It's the mixing & thinning to get a diffrent product. When you take black, strong coffee, the more cream you add, the farther you get from that product.

When CV started out in the 50's, people were shown lots in nature, with the vision of nature, privacy, low cost, wonderful climate, with accesss to services.

In time, people came from all over. When you have that many people from that many regions, you are going to have conflicts and a drastic change from the original direction. Some people want more of a "cityscape", and some want more of a "country" atmosphere. In a way, both of those desires are existing there. You have your deer in the yard, and can still jog over to the Copper Feather for food and drink.

Now, you must have noticed, the current state has come to a little bit of turmoil. There was a large movement to incorporate and have a city government, "Just like we had it up north", and not that long ago it took place.

I vividly recall going to BJ's, now called Meachums over on 62/412, and buying a paper that boldly announced the incorporation, and thinking, "Thank goodness I have other properties".

Now, you have a growing movement to unincorporate and go back to just SID, 10 years after the struggle to become a city and install more government.

It is a brave man that strolls into the Copper Feather and utters either the SID movement or the Urban Deer Hunt. Beacuse either one is going to make you lifelong friends or lifelong enemies.

Just observations, Tim.

The ordinances are there for the non-compliant, and if I had a house there I would certainly want them enforced. I hear many complaints of stray dogs and non-mowed lawns, that sort of thing.

[marmac]

When you do a real estate search of CV, it is amazing how many low priced, smaller homes, are available for under $75,000.

With that many lower price homes and w/o codes, that area could soon turn into a dump.

You don't see many areas with million dollars home a dump, but the lower the priice of homes the more likely it is to happen w/o codes and ordinances.( IMHO)

[Timtheman]

I can say for sure that Code Enforcement in CV has been serious and real in recent years. The improvement is major. What it needs is support at the highest level of "mover and shakers" with a broad view that short term economic gain and/or not rocking the boat for certain rental interests are very short sighted and the "real money" will be made in raising up the rougher older areas and not creating a two-tiered system in the Village.

What I like about this City administration is that it has one standard and has dedication to principle, not politics. They just need more staff to keep the pressure on and get the job done. This isn't about chasing ANYONE out. It is about creating ONE community expectation. After years of giving certain areas a pass, it's time to get the job done of one uniform policy and practice. Everyone will be happier in the end.

[william pewitt]

I am from Rockford Illinois and some of the things here you do not want in cv.There are areas here where at one time had very expensive houses and now people do not even want to go on that side of town.Alot of it has to do with the way things are enforced or not enfroced i should say.If cv does not stay on top of things it could end up the same way.It is not so much the price of the house as the class of people.I have seen people with very little money take a lot more pride in what they have than those with money of course you do not want to see someone put a $70,000 house next to a $200,000 house because it will hurt the value,but in a way i would rather see that than a expensive house that is not kept up.In all reality which would hurt your value more?I think i would be just as dissapointed with the slob as the person not as financially lucky as others.

[ChristyinVAtoCV]

I'd like to ask a question if anyone on this thread is still watching. What part of CV is the "bad part". I've owned a couple of lots there for years in preparation for retiring there. Now I'm close to it and getting ready to do the surveys and so on and get my designer working. I'm building a very nice house but don't want to build it mistakenly in a place I wouldn't want to live!

Very few people will be forthcoming with regard to the actual conditions in CV and that gives me pause. Thanks for any info.

[joni51]

I believe this is a whole different world from those who live around the beautiful lakes. Here they have a whole lot of rentals and a whole lot of section 8 living in them. It is where all the low income and unemployed, goverment assissted live with no regard to their neighbors. The rental agencies will rent to anyone just to keep the townhomes rented. You have a lot of young rowdy red necks that live up in here and a lot of them, I mean A LOT drive loud trucks. They roar up and down the roads at all hours of the night. Some have the loud Boom Boxes in there cars as well. No noice disturbance ordinace is in force nor does the police force care about it. If you go to Cherokee Village Web Site they make this sound like the most peaceful retirement place to live, it is far from it! I thought I was moving to a nice quiet little community up in the Ozarks but was I ever wrong. My lease is up in 5 months and I am definately moving out of here and out of AR for that matter. This place has left a bad taste in my mouth.

[ChristyinVAtoCV]

Joni,

Thanks for the frank answer! I sure wish some of the others familiar with the are would answer too.

My lots are on Otalco Drive. Just north of the Airport (not too close) and across the street from that block of properties that aren't in the CV proper (30 acres or so) that are shaped like a square.

If anyone has any idea of whether or not that is a good area or a bad area, I'd be happy to know it.

As for the townhomes, that is a shame. Based on the rules there, I thought I would have to rent there for a while as my house is being built. That doesn't sound like a good way to get some rest and peace and quiet, does it.

Any other CV'ers out there?