Residents urge council to keep North Van Dyke parcel and landmark Chinquapin oak as green space
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Summary
Multiple residents asked the council to preserve a wooded parcel on North Van Dyke that contains landmark trees and wetlands; speakers said ARPA funds had been used in transactions and urged the city to hold the site as parkland rather than allow redevelopment.
Residents urged the council during public comment to preserve a wooded parcel on North Van Dyke that they said contains an ancient Chinquapin oak and other landmark trees.
"It is just a tree. But it's so much more than just a tree," resident Carol Chi told council, urging the city to retain the parcel as parkland. She said the site contains wetlands, identified landmark trees and that the parcel's master-plan designation (North Van Dyke Area, NVDA) recommends conservation. Chi said federal ARPA funds had been used in a prior transaction involving the site and argued the city should not allow a developer to clear the forested area.
City Manager Mark Vanderpool responded during administrative reports that the city has made a commitment to conservation, citing an 80-acre nature preserve and recent purchases to preserve open space; Vanderpool said North Van Dyke is a redevelopment area and that the city is pursuing a master-plan-driven approach that balances redevelopment and conservation.
No formal action was taken on the public appeals at the meeting; councilors and staff said they would continue to consider NVDA master-plan recommendations and conservation priorities.