Please Save Our Trees

I am speaking about the greenway approved by Council that is designed to go through the backyards of nine homes in Anderson Forest along Big Branch Creek.

You have heard the valid reasons we oppose this route, including a conservation easement on this property that specifically prohibits paved surfaces and the violation of state riparian buffer regulations that also prohibit it.

Construction of the greenway will violate these rules and regulations that were designed to protect this fragile stream and to protect your drinking water.

Big Branch Creek is often subject to sudden and swiftly flowing floods. It can reach flood levels in as much as nine minutes even when it is caused by a flash flood upstream and no rain at this site. This could be a danger to greenway users caught in it’s narrow channel.

You have heard us speak about the potential exorbitant cost of choosing this route.

Now more than ever costs are so important because of the city budget shortfall.

This particular project was originally funded by a bond referendum of approximately four and one half million dollars, that was intended to fund 3 segments of the greenway.

Our section is only one of them. Projections now  warn that the whole project could exceed $11 million mainly due to the expense of choosing the Anderson Forest route over other less costly routes which city staff also presented. Choosing another less expensive route would go a long way to filling the current budget gap.

Spending $11million on this project is too much for a city with a budget crisis.

One funding source the Staff “found” to help fund the greenway came from Storm Water Management, $1million. Don’t they need the money for  their programs or do they just happen to have leftover money?

No, there are too many other critical storm water remediations needed that haven’t been addressed.

It has been mentioned that another bond referendum could help with the budget crisis.

Bond money isn’t free money. It is like a loan that has to be paid back off by your citizens who voted for you and ask you to be fiscally responsible for their sake.

Raising property taxes has also been mentioned. Who pays that cost? Your citizens again many who are already burdened by taxes and the high cost of living.

One of the other routes presented by City Staff, a far less costly option, passed by the front yards of nine homes but staff opposed it because of that. But what about the greenway in the Quail Hollow segment? How many more driveways does it cross? Many many more. No complaint from staff about that.

Is it better to cross one’s private backyard than the front? To build a 120 foot ramp in one’s backyard or just walk on a sidewalk in front of a house?

That particular option had streets with 60 foot street right of ways that offer plenty of room for a greenway with no acquisition costs. Acquisition costs for our property will be very costly and an unnecessary expense.

Last month Council heard a presentation about saving our trees and embarking on a tree planting project for our city. A wonderful endeavor. But what about the trees on Big Branch?

Do you remember the presentation by staff that shows what a stream bank looks like after stream bank stabilization? It had absolutely no vegetation, no trees, no bushes, void of plant life. That is what the City staff now proposes for Big Branch and the berm that protects our neighborhood from Six Forks Rd. Please save our trees too.

It will not be a pretty sight for greenway users to walk by looking up at the deteriorating parking lot of the 45 Office condos elevated on the other side of Big Branch from the houses.

Please reconsider your decision.

Please use the approximately four and a half million originally allocated by the bond referendum to fund this project instead of possibly eleven million.

Help close the city budget gap and prevent an increase in taxes and fees.

Help cash strapped taxpayers.

Protect your citizens!