[Greenway-board] Re: Pipeline down existing American Tobacco Trail
Bill Bussey
billbus at gte.net
Tue Jun 7 11:11:03 EDT 2005
Hi Don,
It isn't the plant that we'll be concerned about.
It is the fact, they will be tearing up the current ATT in Wake County,
removing a lot of trees, ballast, compacted trail and railbed in the
process. It would completely alter the shady nature of the ATT for many
years to come. It would also ruin the years compacted surface and
subsurface of the trail which would necessitate the need for more
maintenance and upkeep.
I'd like to see the plans of how the builders of this pipeline will
restore the trail. There would need to be assurances with actual
planning and construction documents that the trail would be restored to
as good or better shape than it is now. I'd sure like to see as many
trees that are removed, restored. However, even then, they would not
grow back to the nice canopy that currently exists, for many years, if ever.
TRTC's and TGC's boards may not feel this way. We've just started
talking about it. But I think the concern is there.
Also, whoever did the westernwakepartners website used the ATT Indian
Head logo without our permission. This logo is copyrighted and the
service mark has been filed and applied for. I'm checking with our
attorney on this. I'm not sure if Kim Fisher did this or not. While use
of the logo makes no question that the ATT is used for this project -
and that may be a good thing to eliminate any questions - I think the
TRTC Board would be concerned whether use of the logo would indicate we
support this project, when we may or may not.
And Kim Fisher has the dubious honor as being the only governmental
staffer to openly oppose the American Tobacco Trail in general when it
was being planned in Wake back in 1999. He wouldn't allow a parking area
on the edge of the plant, even though there was a separate and secure
entrance and parking area adjacent to the plant next to the trail. It is
there right now unused by anyone. From my contact with him then, in my
opinion he exhibited a lack of professionalism then about the ATT, as
well as with advocates, and even staff efforts to plan it. I question
his motives for assuming that the ATT can be used for this pipeline,
without first talking with the owners of the corridor south of US 64.
From what I understand, Steve Head of the NCDOT Rail Division had not
been contacted until I sent this email to all of you.
In any event, there are a lot of questions we have about this. It is
*not *the same thing as the existing Cary pumping and filtering plant on
Wimberly Road. However, the stretch of ATT between US 64 and the
Wimberly Road plant is cleared of all overhanging canopy, adjacent trees
and vegetation, and is of a completely different character than the rest
of the ATT in Wake, Chatham and southern Durham.
I completely understand that the American Tobacco Trail corridor is
meant to be used for the public good and for infrastructure needs. This
wastewater treatment plant is an example of this. It is needed to
accommodate a growing population. However, we as trail advocates, or
myself as a trail advocate, needs to make sure that the trail is
protected, maintained and restored in any such projects.
Again, while I'm unsure what position TRTC's and TGC's Boards will have
on this, I personally am very concerned about a pipeline built down the ATT.
Happy Trails,
Bill Bussey
919 545-9104
Don.Belk at TownofCary.org wrote:
>Good info, Bill. I would imagine in terms of visual/aesthetic impact, it
>would be no worse that of the existing Cary water treatment plan on
>Wimberly Road....
>
>Donald R. Belk, AICP
>Senior Planner, Long Range Planning Division
>Planning Department
>Town of Cary, North Carolina
>P.O. Box 8005, Cary, NC 27512-8005
>(919) 469-4084 (voice)
> (919) 388-1103 (fax)
>don.belk at townofcary.org
>
>
>
>
> Bill Bussey
> <billbus at gte.net>
> To
> 06/06/2005 09:39 Steve Head
> AM <wshead at dot.state.nc.us>, Tony D'
> Amico <Tony.D'Amico at co.wake.nc.us>,
> Tim Lisk <tlisk at co.wake.nc.us>,
> Doug McRainey
> <Doug.McRainey at TownofCary.org>,
> Don.Belk at TownofCary.org, Joe
> Godfrey
> <Joe.Godfrey at TownofCary.org>,
> tnorman at dot.state.nc.us, Michael
> Hosey
> <Michael.L.Hosey.II at saw02.usace.arm
> y.mil>, Tracy Burnett
> <tracy.burnett at ncmail.net>
> cc
>
> Subject
> Pipeline down existing American
> Tobacco Trail
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Hi ATT Management Team,
>
>I emailed several of you earlier this weekend to find out more
>information on how the proposed Cary-Apex Wastewater treatment plant
>that is being considered for New Hill would affect the currently
>completed American Tobacco Trail.
>
>FYI, we found the following link: http://westernwakepartners.org/ which
>describes this project in great detail.
>
>Steve, as the American Tobacco Trail corridor owner, were and NCDOT
>Rails Division aware of this project and how it will affect the ATT?
>
>The Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is discussing on how we will
>deal with this development. We'd welcome any comments, thoughts, or
>questions from any in this message as well.
>
>Happy Trails,
>
>Bill Bussey
>President
>Triangle Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
>919 545-9104
>www.triangletrails.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://rtpnet.org/pipermail/greenway-board/attachments/20050607/4470a932/attachment.htm
More information about the Greenway-board
mailing list