20210224 Ver 1_Public Notice Comments_20211028 (714)

Public Notice Comment Form
ID#*
20210224
Project Name*
Westpoint
First Name
Rita
Version*
1
Number only.
Last Name
Knoop
Affiliation (if applicable)
Durham resident living within walking distance of West Point on the Eno
Phone Number
9195590475
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
I am VERY MUCH OPPOSED to the development of the West point project!!!!
The development will HIGHLY IMPACT the water drainage in the entire area, from the area northwest (Horton
Hills) extending south through Argonne Hills through the Holt School area & the housing developments adjacent,
through the businesses, gas stations & restaurants along North Duke St. and Roxboro Rd. extending towards
downtown Durham. It will also extend & impact the area across Roxboro Rd.into the Riverview Shopping Center
& all the Old Farm residences & businesses east, including JFK Tower, and extending south from that area into
the new Northern HS area, which also HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON WATER DRAINAGE IN THIS
ENTIRE REGIONII!lI
How many people in the Durham city government planning board have actually mad the trip to see the current
state of the construction of NHS? It is SCARY considering how many acres of trees were decimated in order to
build this campus!!! I live across the street in Argonne Hills. After the extension of the Horton Hills residences
into the previously landlocked forested acerage of i don't know how many acres --at least 40-80 I would think --
and in which the decimation of this amount of woods area was begun in probably 2010, the water absorption
from these trees was lost, and the city requirements put in place to maintain flood control was nowhere near
what it should have been, the lower level of our split level house was flooded 3Xs in a year & a half! We were
finally able to find someone who could offer a solution to help prevent the flooding of our house by having french
drains installed into the crawl space.
Not only did the impact of the forest removal cause flooding in the areas below the constuction but in the 5 years
since the destruction of that forested land any time there were forceful winds, the huge, old pine trees at the back
of our property would be blown over. This was due to the loss of wind cover that the woods has provided, and
their root systems that had developed over the previous 30-40+ years had grown up in a wind protected
environment. They were not able to withstand an environment where there was no wind protection at all!! We
had 5 trees fall on our house on three different occasions in the space of 4 -5 years. the last time the tree was so
big it extended over our house with the top almost to the road. it hit with such force that part of roof was moved
away from the frame of the house about 6 -8 inches & the roof over our kitchen & living room had to be
completely rebuilt. We had so much damage in those years that our insurance company had to drop us & would
only let us come back to them if we had no claims for 4 or 5 years. Of course by then all the trees in our back
yard were gone. Even during Hurricane Fran we had no trees fall on our house!!!
Anyway, this is some of the collateral damage that can happen if there is NO THOUGHT BEHIND letting
development happen that SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD IDEA, BUT ISN'T!
Water drainage isn't the only problem that can occur! There is ALSO THE PROBLEM OF INCREASED TRAFFIC
along a currently highly traffic roadway. WITH THE CONSTRUCTION OF NORTHERN HS ALONG ROXBORO
RD, the traffic will increase TREMENDOUSLY" There WILL NEED TO BE 3 TRAFFIC LIGHTS PLACED
ALONG THE ENTIRE ROXBORO RD PERIMETER OF ARGONNE HILLS!!! One @ Chateau & Old Farms, one
@ Argonne Hills Dr., & one at Wellington Dr. Otherwise there will be countless accidents involving people driving
south into Durham from all points north ( and there is a lot of traffic from those areas), from people trying to get
out of adjacent neighborhoods in Old Farm & Argonne, & from the traffic of people trying to get in & out of
Northern HS!!! THIS WILL BE A TRAFFIC NIGHTMARE if some clear headed planning is not done!
With traffic nightmare already in the making, why on earth would the City of Durham add another disaster into
the scheme?
these are only 2 of the problems that would occur if this development is approved & goes ahead.
Have anyone on the planning commission CAREFULLY read all the info from the SAVE BLACK MEADOW
RIDGE committee? It is very concise and CORRECT! the planning committee also needs to go back & review
the various reports prepared for the City of Durham by various research groups who have studied the effects of
development in various regions of Durham along the different watersheds of the different rivers & creeks that
affect the water drainage in Durham. These reports also take into account how development not only effects the
water drainage & run-off, but also the land erosion that would occurr, but also the quality of the remaining soil.
Durham is not only a wonderful city but it is surrounded by
forested land that provides green space & recreation space for all sorts of activites. Durham is also surrounded
by many farming areas & communities that would be impacted by poor planning done by the city. What is done
here in Durham impacts not only the residents of the City of Durham, but the people & communities & land
surrounding it.

Upload Supplementary Files
Pdf file type only
Any information (e.g., personal or contact) you provide on this comment form or in an attachment may be publicly
disclosed and searchable on the Internet and will be provided to the Department or Agency issuing the notice.