TO: Mayor and Town Council
FROM: W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager
SUBJECT: Response to Petition Regarding Illegal Activity on McMasters Street
DATE: June 14, 2004
The purpose of this memorandum is to respond to a citizen petition regarding noise, nuisances and criminal activity on McMasters Street.
BACKGROUND
On April 14 the Council received a petition from Ms. Iris Wadsworth in which Ms. Wadsworth expressed concerns about illegal activity on McMasters Street. Specifically, the petition mentions acts of vandalism, breaking and entering, illegal burning, and numerous alcohol violations that allegedly occurred at or were initiated by residents of four particular properties located on the 300 block of McMasters Street.
Ms. Wadsworth also attached to her petition a proposed resolution requesting that the Council place restrictions on the use and occupancy of properties in the Northside community. A copy of the petition and the resolution is attached.
DISCUSSION
Ms. Wadsworth owns the property at 308 McMasters Street. A structure currently under construction is situated on the property. The structure has been under construction for over thirteen years. (It has not been completed and has not received a Certificate of Occupancy. It has an active building permit. Permits can remain active for extended periods of time if work is not discontinued and if inspections are requested.) At least five of the eighteen properties on the 300 block of McMasters Street are rented to young adults, many of whom are believed to be students at the University of North Carolina.
In her petition Ms. Wadsworth attributes several acts of criminal behavior to members of University fraternities, specifically the Sigma Chi and Beta Delta chapters. We have not been able to determine whether any of the houses in question are occupied by members of University fraternities. According to representatives of the Greek Affairs Office at the University, none of the properties on McMasters Street are owned by or operated as fraternities. Also, Greek Affairs officials are not familiar with a Beta Delta fraternity.
A check of Police Department records indicates that officers have responded to fifty-three calls to properties on the 300 block of McMasters Street since October 1, 2003. Twenty of these calls involved alleged criminal activity. Only three of these twenty occurred at the four properties mentioned by Ms. Wadsworth as problem locations. Only one of the fifty-three total calls involved Ms Wadsworth’s property at 310 McMasters.
A breakdown of the fifty-three calls is as follows:
CONCLUSION
Police officers assigned to the Northside community include McMasters Street in their regular patrols. Officers assigned to Northside report that the residents of the properties mentioned by Ms. Wadsworth are not a source of recurring nuisances. Police records support this conclusion.
The properties on McMasters Street will continue to be monitored by neighborhood officers to ensure that residents of those properties are not violating laws or otherwise creating nuisances.
We believe that the residency restrictions proposed in the resolution presented by Ms. Wadsworth are not consistent with current Town regulations. We do not recommend further consideration of her resolution.
ATTACHMENTS
1. March 16 petition of Iris Wadsworth (p. 3).
2. Resolution of Iris Wadsworth Regarding Housing Restrictions in Northside (p. 4).