Crestwood updates for the second half of May:

Spring Dumpster Day:

Spring Dumpster Day is May 21 (a week from this Saturday) from 8 am to 12 pm. As is tradition, there will be Two dumpsters at Crestwood & Locust and Two dumpsters at Cherry & 54th. Each location will have a dumpster for Trash and a dumpster for Leaves and Brush. Please review the guidelines below for allowable items and proper dumpster etiquette.

Dumpster Guidelines

Spring Dumpster Day Volunteers:

We need volunteers to supervise the dumpsters and ensure proper usage. If you are able to spend an hour on Saturday morning visiting with your neighbors. Let us know when and where you can help: board@crestwoodkc.org. 

May Flowers:

You may have noticed the new flowers around the neighborhood.

We had annuals planted on the four points at 55th and Oak. They will hopefully survive the summer heat. We are going to help with a new watering plan. We added micro sprinklers and will water at least once a week throughout the summer. Thanks to Sue McCord-Belzer and Rose Mendez for the water and to Ben Randell for setting up the sprinklers. 

The points at 55th and Holmes got a major facelift with perennials and ornamental bushes for year-round color. Thanks to Rich Hoffman for the detailed plans, Ben Randell for planting and Jenny Sciara and Jimmy Keown for watering. 

The points at 54th and Holmes are getting refurbished. Thanks to Christine Rankin and Michelle Legg for the input and Michelle for watering over the summer. 

The islands on Cherry and Locust are looking good. They will get several new perennials this year. Thanks to Jill DeWitt for her knowledge and hard work.

The island at Locust and 56th is in great shape. Thanks to John Keeling and Colin Schramm for giving their time and talents.

The pots throughout Crestwood have been adopted and are in capable hands. Thanks to Amanda Bascom, Sue McCord-Belzer, Susan Shank, Susie Nastali, Rose Mendez and Rich Hoffman for volunteering. Thanks to Ben Randell, Susie Nastali and whoever* planted the pot at Crestwood and the Bunny Trail for planting. (Susan and Michelle: Your pots will be planted very soon.)

*If you helped with planting and caring for flowers around the neighborhood and did not get a mention, please let us know. We want to give you a proper "Thank You."   

Looking Ahead:

The Wornall Majors House Museums Garden Tour:

Christopher Filley and Rich Hoffman at 5433 Cherry and George Terbovich at 5531 Crestwood Drive are two stops on the biennial Wornall-Majors Garden Tour on June 4 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Proceeds from the tour support two of Kansas City’s most significant antebellum landmarks, the John Wornall House (1858) and the Alexander Majors House (1856). As many as 500 people are expected to attend.

For more information and to purchase tickets visit the Wornall Majors website. 

Neighborhood Garage Sale:

We have tentatively scheduled the annual neighborhood-wide garage sale forJune 11, 2016. We want to know how many homes might participate on this date. Please email board@crestwoodkc.org to let us know if you might hold a sale.

Independence Day Celebration:

The 4th of July falls on a Monday this year so we are moving the event toSaturday, July 2nd. Hopefully, the move to the weekend and away from bigger events will allow more people to attend. Watch your inbox for more information. 

Email board@crestwoodkc.org to let us know what you think of the change. 

Crestwood is a member of the 49/63 Neighborhood Coalition. The coalition's mission is to support our neighborhoods by providing information to educate, resources to empower, and infrastructure to connect.  

The email below was distributed to 49/63 members with the request that we forward it to our neighborhoods. The St Francis Xavier school project has long been a concern for the nearby residents. Any help they can get from Crestwood residents is appreciated.

Ben Randell
President
Crestwood Homes Association 

-------- Forwarded Message --------

49/63 leaders, neighbors, and friends:

At the City Council's session on Thursday, February 18, at 3:00 pm (Council chambers, City Hall 26th floor), they will vote to approve or deny the Diocese's project to replace the St. Francis Xavier School with a huge college student housing project - even if the project is NOT on the published docket.


There is no public testimony at the Council meeting, but citizens in the seats (with signs saying "NO", if possible) are needed.

• Defend our neighborhood against an oversized project with inadequate parking that could clog up already choked residential streets!
• Defend our environment against plans to remove nearly ALL the greenspace on the site!
• Defend a beautiful block of Troost Avenue against an eyesore!
• Defend our friends at St. Frnacis Xavier Church against the loss of over half their already inadequate parking!
• Defend our city's planning guidelines against a project  that runs roughshod over those guidelines!

The Bishop has stated that this will be the Diocese's last attempt to push this project through Council. NOW is the time to STAND UP FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD!

With icy/snowy weather finally upon us I wanted to take a minute to share some information with you.

As many of you know, snow removal is one of the many services our homes association provides. Combined with the city's snow removal plan, our plowing makes a difference in the neighborhood road conditions.

As a general rule, light duty plows (like the ones we employ) are ineffective if snow accumulations are less than an inch or two. At that depth snow will usually melt the next day from use, relative warmth of the pavement and treatments the city eventually performs.

If accumulation exceeds 1-2 inches, we will have our contractor plow the neighborhood as soon as they can get to it after snow stops falling. Be aware that there may be a thin layer of snow after they plow especially in some of the flat, shaded areas in the neighborhood. The city's treatment should melt the remaining snow and ice. 

Ultimately road conditions are the responsibility of the city. If there is a slick spot in front of or leading to your house after the roads have been plowed, you should contact the city and report it:

 

by dialing 311 or 816-513-1313

by email 3-1-1.Call.Center@kcmo.org

or by visiting kcmo.gov/311/

 
Hopefully the issue will be dealt with quickly.


Thanks,

Ben Randell
President
Crestwood Homes Association

PS- I am including a note the city's communication office posted on Nextdoor.com. If you are not already a member of Nextdoor, you should sign up. It's a great way to get information from your neighbors in Crestwood and surrounding neighborhoods as well as the city.