FRIENDS OF HISTORIC GLASGOW
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Headline La Grange (Barczewski Farm) PLUS Report Highlights Environmental
Degradation, Likely Traffic Problems
Glasgow, DE, September 12, 2005 The State of Delaware's Preliminary Land
Use Service (PLUS) report on the proposed development of the 236-acre
historic La Grange farm highlights the many environmental costs and traffic
congestion that would result. Developer Steve Nichols currently plans to
place 232 housing units, a 135,000 sq. ft. elementary/ middle school, and
82,000 sq. ft. of commercial space, along with roads and parking lots on the
pristine tract of land.
The report contains estimates that the proposed development would generate
nearly 3,000 tons of air pollutantsboth from associated automobile traffic
and needed electric power generationand over 400 tons of solid waste
annually. The proposed construction would also adversely impact the Glasgow
groundwater recharge area and wetlands associated with the environmentally
sensitive Muddy Run.
According to DelDOTıs section of the report, "The proposed development
exceeds both DelDOT and New Castle County traffic volume warrants for a
traffic impact study (TIS). Accordingly, DelDOT will require a TIS for this
development." The submitted development plan calls for five new access
points on the north side of Route 40 West.
While "DelDOT anticipates requiring some of the five entrances to be
consolidatedDelDOT [also] encourages the developer to look for, and to the
extent possible provide for, access to the north." Of course, such new
access will encourage cut-through traffic from the commercial/industrial
center on the north side of the Muddy Run, and further degrade the area's
few remaining wetlands, because of the added road construction across the
creek.
The Division of Natural Resources and Environmental Control's (DNREC)
section of the report characterizes as ³excessive² the impervious surface
area to be generated by the project. Such surface area is estimated at
greater than 50% of the total land area. "Research has consistently shown
that once a watershed exceeds a threshold of 10 percent imperviousness,
water and habitat quality irreversibly decline," the section points out.
DNREC also states that a wetlands delineation and a detailed sediment and
stormwater management plan will be required for the site, neither of which
were presented at the PLUS hearing. Serious stormwater management and
flooding problems have occurred in nearby Bear, DE, due to recent
construction that increased runoff.
Concerns about loss of habitat for the endangered bog turtle resulted in
DNREC further recommending that the developer undertake a Phase I survey for
turtle habitat on the property.
"Unfortunately, allowing a developer to conduct his own habitat survey is
like putting a fox in charge of the hen house," commented Nancy Willing, an
activist member of Friends of Historic Glasgow. "Four months ago, Nichols
hired an archeology firm to conduct a Level I archeological survey, at the
request of the Countyıs Historic Review Board, but the findings have never
been publicly released. Why is this being hidden from the public?"
No representative from the archeological firm of Kise, Straw, and Kolodner
attended the PLUS hearing to answer possible questions about the survey.
Both at the hearing, on August 3rd, and again in the August 23rd written
report, the State Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs requested to
be informed of the archeological surveyıs results. However, even without the
results the PLUS report states, "The Division of Historic and Cultural
Affairs is not in favor of this development."
The PLUS process provides for state agency review of major land use change
proposals prior to submission to local governments, where all final land use
decisions are made. "The report is advisory in nature, and given the history
of New Castle County, it is quite possible that the developer will be able
to avoid complying with some of the stated requirements," added Willing.
Nichols is due to make a final $14 million dollar payment and take
possession of the property by early November. As yet, no New Castle County
public hearings concerning his development plans have been announced.
Friends of Historic Glasgow, a grassroots organization that has collected
over 1,550 signatures in favor of preserving the historic La Grange
property, vows to continue opposing all development plans. A full copy of
the La Grange PLUS report may be found at
(http://www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/historicglasgow).
#
CONTACT INFORMATION
If you would like to help protect this property from development and
permanently preserve its historic, cultural, and natural resources for
future generations, please contact:
The Friends of Historic Glasgow
ATTN: Nancy V. Willing
5 Francis Circle
Newark, DE 19711
Telephone: (302) 366-1855
E-mail: [log in to unmask] or [log in to unmask]
Web site: www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/historicglasgow
Petition: www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/historicglasgowpark/
=========================================================
Important Subscriber Information:
The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).
If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).
|
