The Department of Transportation plans to confiscate private property to build a road benefiting Chatham Park, and caused by Chatham Park Investors. Why isn’t Chatham Park ‘s land connecting to 15-501 being used instead of landowners losing their property (they ‘ll be paid, but…) for a road that serves this mega development? Russell Chapel Road, one of the few ways to escape the mega mess of traffic lights around 15-501 and 64 bypass, will probably be ruined. With its ease of movement with grass medians providing a buffer between north and south bound roads, this way of avoiding the horrors of Mosaic, new shopping centers, and North Village may be destroyed.
While Pittsboro already has a former Lowes grocery store empty on 64 east, they ‘ll be building a new one with more paving for parking near Northwood. We also have an empty medical building at the traffic circle near the library. Years ago, developers built new parking lots and shopping centers in Wilmington on College Road right by abandoned shopping centers; Cary ‘s dying shopping center is getting repurposed. Do we need to pave everything for the profits of a few?
At the hearing Jan. 7 on water quality issues, some developers spoke of the hypothetical benefits of Chatham Park instead of addressing watershed issues. While Haven Creek flooding used to be “natural color”, one landowner says floodwaters have been muddy red from construction upstream at Chatham Park the past 5 years. Sediment in the streams and rivers will harm aquatic life and Jordan Lake is already impaired. The new road building has negative impacts on the watershed. When will this craziness stop in the face of our climate crisis in which trees, forests, and greenery are a partial defense against natural disasters? Can the town or county limit how many developments are allowed?
You can still offer your comments about Chatham Park ‘s connector road and its harm to water quality.
Public comments can be sent to DEQ until February 7 at with “Chatham Park” in the subject line.
The CPI/DOT 404 Application is here
(Summary at beginning of application is over 70 pages)
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 2021 10:25:50 -0500
From: Duck Decoy
Subject: DOT – Chatham Park road damage