20210224 Ver 1_Public Notice Comments_20211028 (258)

Public Notice Comment Form
ID#*
20210224
Project Name*
Westpoint
First Name
Seanna
Affiliation (if applicable)
Friends of Eno River
Phone Number
9196990478
Version*
1
Number only.
Last Name
Horan
Email *
[e-mail]
***The intent for collecting an email address is to allow us send you a receipt for submittal of this comment.
Please pick the response below that represents your stance on the above mentioned project?*
Yes - I agree with the project. k No - I do not agree with the project.

Comment
The Westpoint project will cause direct harm to safety, natural resources and quality of life for residents. I do not
agree that this project should proceed. I advocate on behalf of complete, thorough environmental impact
assessment to include air and water quality, transportation safety and infrastructure, and wildlife management.
The efforts to date are insufficient to warrant the project advancing.
I do not think the assessments accurately calculate the development damage and impacts from the 401
Individual Clean Water Act Permit disturbances. This project and its specific permit are NOT in the Public Interest
of Durham residents or the environment. I believe a Public Hearing should be required for this development. I
also believe that the Save Black Meadow Ridge group has raised many concerns that I share, and I each point
being raised by this group needs thorough investigation.
Westpoint should be deemed to have a significant public impact and it should be required to submit to greater
oversight, obtaining a different permit type, and conducting a higher level of review and community engagement.
Specifically, my feedback is:
1. WESTPOINT WILL POLLUTE DURHAM AND INCREASE FLOODING: Critically important trees, small plants,
ground cover, grasses and soil will be removed for this development. This will directly, negatively impact water
quality. Predictable increases will occur for ground instability, runoff pollution entering waterways, and flooding.
Water management infrastructure is not sufficient to support the impact of new residents, water runoff and
capture due to habitat removal, and consumer demand for water service. Transportation infrastructure does not
meet the predicted load of vehicles and traffic flow that will accompany the population increase created by
Westpoint. The development will exponentially escalate commute times, traffic congestion, and school bus and
safety risks.
2. WESTPOINT WILL CAUSE IRREPARABLE DAMAGE TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND WILDLIFE:
Removing this large swath of land and inserting high density housing with its accompanying traffic, light and
sound impact will irreparably damage natural resources. Life cycles for stable animal populations and plant
species will be interrupted. Where is the wildlife supposed to go when its habitat is destroyed? Deaths to wildlife
and plants are incalculable. It is certain that more deer will enter roadways and contribute to accidents.
Constructing Westpoint will compound North Durham habitat destruction which has already taken a hit from the
new high school on Roxboro Road.
3. WESTPOINT WILL CONTINUE TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT DURHAM CITIZENS' QUALITY OF LIFE: The
uproar caused in our community by hastening approval for this development is appalling, especially on top of a
pandemic. This development did not follow the standard best practice of widely engaging local community in
requirements gathering, input to planning, and feedback. Many North Durham and nearby residents bought
property, built homes and are raising children with the vision of living in a peaceful environment close to natural
resources. Westpoint will bombard the quality of life established by these citizens and enjoyed community
members who frequent Eno River Park. There are other locations in and around Durham that are more suitable
for such a development.
In summary, I strongly request that this development be put on pause and that the correct, thorough impact
assessments be completed by the Army Corps of Engineers and Durham infrastructure agencies for
transportation, water and safety.
Most of all, I advocate that this development should not be built in the proposed location and a more suitable site
be secured after community -engaged planning and environmental assessments are completed.
Sincerely,
Seanna Horan
1212 W. Chapel Hill St. #13
Durham, NC 27701
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