On Thursday, January 16, 2020, NC State Parks gave an offer to RDUAA to buy Tract 286 and add it to Umstead State Park. The RDUAA did not accept their offer. 

NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources Chief Deputy Secretary D. Reid Wilson said in the letter:

"However, a fence as proposed presents multiple problems for the park and its users: 

• The proposed fence would bisect the park's popular "Reedy Creek Multi-Use Trail in two places; the trail is used by tens of thousands hikers, cyclists and equestrians every year, and it would be far too expensive for the park to move the trail;
• By creating a permanent eyesore and marring the look and "feel" of the park, the proposed park would greatly harm a fundamental purpose of the park, namely to provide public access to a natural setting for people to enjoy nature and improve their physical and mental health; 
• The degradation of the visitor experience would likely create among trail users a negative impression of the airport; 
• Because the proposed fence would cross four large streams, 19 small streams, and 29 temporary streams or ditches, it would damage stream banks, wetlands, and water quality downstream in Umstead Park;
• The proposed fence would block movements of wildlife, effectively trapping them between airport fences;
• The proposed fence may constitute an adverse effect to the park's status on the National Register of Historic Places, which could trigger review and requirements under federal or state law"

Read the full NC State Parks letter to RDU here. 

Available for just $10 at the Umstead State Park Visitor Center and Great Outdoor Provision Co (Cameron Village).

NC Senator Wiley Nickel made a big announcement on September 19, 2019 on his Facebook page:

“We need to protect the Umstead State Park and stop the RDU Quarry.

I have no control over the Raleigh City Council and the decisions they make. However, as a State Senator I do have influence over the response from the State of North Carolina.

In the event that the lawsuit goes as expected my office has lined up multiple sources of revenue for RDU and will present the airport with a Plan B for their consideration. My plan would allow RDU to get paid the same amount of money they would have received under the Wake Stone lease as long as they keep this land intact and dedicated to nature. This beautiful land should be preserved for ALL Wake county residents, our children, their children and so on.

I want to leave our kids a legacy that includes more park land and open space, not a 400 foot hole in the ground.”

We are also grateful to the Raleigh City Council for issuing a statement stating their opposition to the proposed RDU quarry. They also said the RDUAA should have obtained the City’s permission before entering into the quarry lease. Their statement issued Tuesday September 17, 2019 is:

The City of Raleigh  is not in favor of the use of the Odd Fellows Tract as a quarry and believes that the RDU Airport should have obtained the City’s permission before entering into the quarry lease.  The City will wait for the judge’s decision in The Umstead Coalition, et al. v. RDU Airport Authority and Wake Stone Corporation lawsuit and, following the hearing on Thursday, September 19, will decide if and what legal steps it may take going forward.

View the resolution here.

Plan Wake info and survey link

How will we plan for the next 250,000 residents of Wake County?  You can be a part of this discussion by sharing your thoughts on the priority issues that Wake County should focus on to prepare for the next generation.

Wake County is kicking off the process to develop its first-ever county-wide comprehensive plan and we need your input to make the project a success. Provide your priorities for the future of Wake County on the project website, www.planwake.org. This public-driven process will include three rounds of public engagement and targets revealing the new plan in 2020. The first round, Community Priorities, will last through the fall of 2018.

Learn more about PlanWake on the project website, www.planwake.org, which provides numerous ways of keeping up with the project, including a link to the first of three online public surveys and an events calendar with information about where and when the planning team will provide face-to-face public outreach. You can also sign up for emails to stay up-to-date on the project.

RDUAA request to be exempted to some of the Neuse Buffer Rules FAILED.

Thanks to all the citizens and our local Senators and Representatives that stood up and said "no."

However, the definition of "Airport Facilities" was broadened which allows more options for streams to be destroyed "with mitigation."  That is never as good for the environment as keeping our healthy streams intact.  

We hope that RDUAA works with DEQ to ensure the policy of avoidance first, then minimization, and mitigation as the last option will be followed.  That is the best process to protect the water quality and quantify of Crabtree Creek and Umstead State Park.  All the airport lands drain directly into Umstead State Park, or via Crabtree Creek.

Update:  By the end of December 2018 this latest NC Park Trust Fund Danger was stopped due to huge public outcry - thanks everyone!

NC Park Trust Fund in Danger

Senate Bill 821 had been filed in December 2018 by Senator Andy Wells, Catawba County.  It would sunset the NC Parks Trust Fund and Clean Water Management Trust Fund.  The Umstead Coalition has already sent emails to our Legislatures asking for this very BAD bill to be defeated.

The NC Park Trust Fund and the NC Clean Water Management Trust Fund have been key funding mechanisms to LOCAL GOVERNMENTS and STATE PARKS on a state-wide basis.  The water quality and recreational infrastructure funding provided under these Trust Funds have had multiplicative returns in increased:  water protections, recreational assets, economic growth, and jobs.  As such, they have tremendous support from the local governments around NC.  As well as the Citizens of NC. 

Thanks to all who contacted your Senator and Representative and ask them to OPPOSE S821.  To find who represents your:

https://www2.ncleg.net/RnR/Representation

Update: Wake County Parks and Protected Open Spaces Bond Passed!  

Thanks to the overwhelming voter support, this critically important public funding for our parks, nature preserves, greenways and protected natural and rural land passed! See  www.wakegov.com/parksbond2018

We concur with and appreciate Wake County Commissioner Sig Hutchinson's remarks to WRAL on election night:

“We love Clean Air, We love Clean Water, We love our parks, and we love our greenway system.  This is perfect for Wake County. These are drivers that bring people here.  Economic development, quality of life, active life style, healthy communities. This is the type of thing that makes us unique in Wake County.”

Thanks for all who sent their comments to RDU. We expect another workshop and public input opportunity this fall. 

Information presented at Public Workshop on September 27, 2020: 

What:  The Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority is expanding ParkRDU Economy 3 Lot Expansion on National Guard Drive near the interchange of I-40 and Aviation Parkway, south of Terminal 1. The RDU Airport is preparing an Environmental Assessment (EA).  

This area is extremely close to William B. Umstead State Park and our proposed forested trail system.

There were no specific plans presented. Here is what The Umstead Coalition submitted in our Public Comments in October:

1. Parking lots be sited to work with the steep and environmentally topography and to minimize impact on Hally's branch and other waterways
2. Parking lot be built with Low Impact Development (LID) techniques to minimize storm water impacts to Umstead State Park
3. Maintaining substantial FORESTED buffers between parking lot and Umstead State Park
4. Parking is available for the RDU Forest trails (recall that Wake County is currently under negotiations to put official single-track bike/ped trails adjacent to this proposed parking lot expansion, e.g., “286 trails.” (see our next article for links to concepts we are proposing for the RDU Forest)

Image showing parking Economy Lot 3 expansion and location

Triangle Bikeway along I-40 PLEASE help push this project forward!

Project number:  B171933, Triangle Bikeway

This project is on the cut-off line for funding under the Statewide transportation projects.  A higher local input score could push it into funding, and at least send a strong signal for public support. 

DEADLINE:  July 9.  

PLEASE enter you public support by July 9 by either:

1. Selecting Wake County from this link below.

https://ncdot-stip.metroquest.com

Zooming into the area showing I-40 by Umstead State Park, Click on red line south of I-40.  Vote "YES" for "Is this a Priority Project"

2. Submit an on line comment form: 

https://apps.ncdot.gov/ContactUS/Home/PostComment?Unit=STIPDiv5

Ask for  B171933, Triangle Bikeway to be included as a Priority Project for funding. 

This bikeway along I-40 will connect the Trenton Road Greenway to RDU Forest and Davis Drive (RTP- Triangle Park Center).  More information: Triangle I-40 Bikeway