Friends of Historic Glasgow (Delaware)

Press Release (9/13/05)

La Grange Plus Report- Environmental & Traffic Issues Revealed

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 pollutants - both from associated automobile traffic and needed electric power generation - and 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 DelDOT's 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 consolidated. DelDOT [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 "excessive… 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 County's 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 survey's 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).

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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: historicglasgow@earthlink.net or NancyVWilling@yahoo.com

Web site: www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/historicglasgow
Petition: www.ipetitions.com/campaigns/historicglasgowpark/