My Statement to the RDUAA
Last week, I had the opportunity/obligation to attend a Special Meeting held by the Raleigh-Durham International Airport Authority (RDUAA). The meeting was to hear proposals for potential development on a tract of land owned by the airport that is currently leased to Wake County and is part of Lake Crabtree County Park.
The tract currently has about 8 miles of singletrack trail that is used by runners, hikers, mountain bikers, and whoever else might use a trail. The park is also centrally located in the Triangle, near Umstead State Park, Interstate 40, and greenway trails.
At the time of this writing, RDUAA has scrubbed all information from their website regarding the public notice, so I am going off memory. RDUAA said they are obligated by the FAA to receive fair market value for their assets, i.e. they cannot rent the tract to Wake County for $1 per year as they have been doing. Wake County has also indicated to the RDUAA that they cannot afford to pay fair market value to continue to lease the land.
During the meeting, board member Ellis Hankins shared his vision of the development of the land. He said he envisioned something that would create more trails and connect them to trails that are also on airport property across the interstate. There would also be facilities that tie in the landscape adjacent to the lake that would generate non-aeronautical revenue.
I don’t believe the board will end up sticking with that plan and it will go to the highest bidder to put a strip mall on the space. I think many of the other attendees also have that sentiment. About 200 people showed up to make comments or show support for those who were making comments. There was a line out the door and the people I was with were the last one’s allowed through the door at the start of the meeting.
Hankins said there were enough people signed up for comments to fill five to six hours worth of time if everyone used their full allotted time. Those speaking on behalf of groups were given 10 minutes and individuals were given three minutes. While I was there, speakers on behalf of many groups gave statements on their opposition to development and how these trails were a net benefit to the public in their current state.
My friend, Jen Shetler, gave a statement on behalf of the TUFF Run Club, which she founded and I am apart of. She spoke for several minutes and gave suggestions on how RDUAA could generate revenue if they were absolutely required to do something with the land. She ended her statement with an emotional, original poem she wrote on the subject. Below is an excerpt from that poem.
But now a threat, misguided and grand,
Seeks to profit from this cherished land.
Ignoring the purpose long agreed,
For nature’s peace, not corporate greed.
Your plan to clear, build, and pave,
Will change the park that people crave.
Our forest and trees left to rot,
For restaurants, shops, and a parking lot.
I have used these trails in the past but have not been on them in a few years. However, I do not like the precedent this would set for the land adjacent to the airport and Umstead State Park. I have never gotten involved in something to the point where I was willing to go to a meeting. I damn sure have not cared enough about something to prepare a statement, practice it, and be prepared to get up and deliver it in front of a room full of people.
I did not sign up in advance as I decided to read the room prior to giving my statement. When I heard there was five to six hours of comments, I folded up my statement and put it in my pocket. From the speeches I did hear, my point was shared much more eloquently than I could have.
And even though I did not do anything but show up, you can read the statement I prepared below:
Thank you for the opportunity to speak this evening.
I woke up this morning thankful for progress. Thankful for concrete. Thankful for parking spots. Thankful for strip malls.
This world needs more inside and less outside. More fluorescent lighting and less sunshine. More artificial and less natural.
I envision a world where my kids never have to touch dirt again. I want to thank this board for this proposal that will help usher us into that future.
Personally, I’m glad you want to replace the trees and the trails that line this lake with soulless corporate architecture. These people here standing against this proposal should get back to their cubicles so that they can maximize shareholder value. There’s nothing like feeling that blue light from a monitor warming your face in the morning. It certainly feels better than sunshine.
I’ve been saying it for years. We could use a strip mall in this spot. A UPS Store would go great in this spot. We need another Jimmy John’s. What about a Crumbl Cookie? Yum.
The proposal says it will be an “entertainment district.” If there is one entity I trust to bring that to fruition, it is the Airport Authority. We could all use uncomfortable seating, outlets that don’t charge your phone, and food that costs triple what it should.
I say all of this facetiously1, of course.
This authority should not move forward with leveling of the land that so many love.
When this moves to a vote I hope you will be reminded of your mission statement: “to deliver excellent airport services, facilities and unparalleled customer service.” Nothing says “airport” like “non-aeronautical revenue.” I fail to comprehend how destroying a park for “non-aeronautical revenue” aligns with that mission.
This airport already has enough impact on this land and its surroundings. We do not need more.
Thank you.
“Facetiously” was not included in the original statement because I cannot pronounce it. As it turns out, I cannot spell it either since it took me three Google searches to find the right spelling.