Open Space Advocates Challenge Zoo Interchange Plan
Stormwater management proposal would step outside boundaries of DOT land and impact public parks.
The Reduced Impact Plan for the Zoo Interchange would take away far fewer tracts of developed private property and lower the cost of the project from $2.3 billion to $1.7 billion. But not everyone is pleased with the impact of some of the changes the state Department of Transportation made to achieve those savings. Parks and open space advocates were rankled by parts of the plan that would place three large stormwater detention basins outside the boundaries of the DOT rights-of-way and, in two cases, eat up parcels of public parkland. A 5-acre basin would be placed on Underwood Creek Parkway land that is now part of the Oak Leaf Trail route, and a 4-acre pond would replace a woodland along Honey Creek Parkway. “I don’t feel that’s a proper…
Eddee Daniel
7:24 am on Thursday, April 7, 2011
This is not a minor issue. The parks continually get used as an inexpensive, convenient dumping ground and alternative to such problems. In fact, public parkland, where it exists, is irreplaceable. It is also the highest and best use in a densely developed area where demand for open space is high and the need for connection with nature is great. Run off does need to be stored and filtered to … more ›