Elizabeth Stewart has lived in Anderson Forest for 24 years, where she and her husband raised three daughters. She spoke to the City Council February 10, 2026 in opposition to the Big Branch Greenway Connector.
Good Evening.
My name is Elizabeth Stewart and I live in Anderson Forest. I am here to discuss the proposed Big Branch Greenway. I have attended many Parks and Rec and City Council meetings when this topic has been discussed.
In the meetings where the Council voted for the 1B West Streamside route, I was amazed at the complete misrepresentation of the FACTS by the Greenway Advisory Committee and the apparent predetermined outcome of this route.
They were not able to give you, the City Council, a realistic ballpark idea of the cost for the 1B West Route. But, that did not stop them from stating to you that it was the most “economical” solution. When questioned, they admitted they were unable to take into account property acquisition and eminent domain costs for nine homes.
They also gave no mention in the plan which requires the building of a long descending ramp from Six Forks Road. Neither did they make it clear that this 1B West Greenway route will go along side and cross the busiest and most accident prone section on all of Six Forks Road.
ALL of this was conveniently brushed aside on their slide show of the skewed visual representation.
They glossed over the environmental concerns, not taking into account the heavy ongoing development in the nearby areas which will drastically increase the flooding potential in this section of the creek. To this dilemma, they gave us assurance that more greenery would be planted along the creek banks to counteract the already accelerated erosion since the sewer pipeline was recently replaced.
They also assured us that the public would be notified on their website of flooding in this compromised area. (I’m not sure how effective this warning system will be for unexpected downpours in the summer.) When we brought up the fact that there will be no means of escape in this tightly compacted area, they said all greenways are built on flood plains. They barely acknowledged the fact that they have to build this narrow alleyway so very close to our homes and the creek bank that the “scenic” walkway will be fenced in. Again, a total misrepresentation of the visual rendering. One person told me at a meeting when I brought this up that pedestrians and cyclists would just need to “trespass up the hill through our yards to escape the flooding.” Of note is the fact that we have a perfectly fine sidewalk already available to the public in front of all of our homes.
It is amazing that they were so quick to cite environmental concerns on the other proposed routes, but almost totally ignored the even more serious reality of violating and bending the Riparian Buffer Rules and the City’s own policies for this route.
In the meeting with the Parks and Rec Board, there were so many unanswered questions that one Board member stated, “this is fuzzy.” That is why they voted 9-5 AGAINST the recommendation to propose the 1B West Streamside Route.
Please reconsider this decision with facts and not emotions or pressure from special interest groups.
Nine homes were built with the assurance by the City of Raleigh that there was a Conservation Easement in place. This was a promise to us that our homes would be safe and protected. Plain and simple, the City wants to take our property by force.
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