Environmental Consequences: What Are We Giving Up?

The proposed K-1 Center &Multi-Sport Complex would permanently transform an area of natural open space into an intensive school & athletic development.

The Environmental Impact Study acknowledges permanent changes involving woodland removal, wetlands disturbance, artificial turf, lighting, air and water quality, habitat fragmentation and potential groundwater impacts.

Consequences extend beyond the property itself.

Environmental impact: six major concerns

1. Transportation, air quality & climate

  • A regional K-1 school eliminates neighborhood-school walking replacing those trips with bus & private vehicle transportation.

  • Additional bus runs, vehicle trips & prolonged idling increase fuel consumption, greenhouse gas emissions & air pollution.

  • Young children are particularly vulnerable to poor air quality because their lungs are still developing.

2. Stormwater, wetlands & watershed protection

  • The project replaces natural ground with buildings, asphalt, sidewalks & artificial turf, increasing runoff & reducing groundwater recharge.

  • A reverse subdivision is requested. Rezoning changes the calculation, not the actual amount of runoff generated.

  • RTMSD received a waiver reducing the required 50-foot riparian buffer to 25 feet.

  • Ridley Creek is a high-quality, cold-water, trout-stocked stream & a drinking-water resource for more than 40,000 people. Additional sediment, pollutants & heated runoff threaten water quality & aquatic life.

  • An expert wetland report is referenced by not included with the application & remains unavailable for public review.

3. Trees, wildlife & loss of open space

  • Tree removal increases runoff, reduces carbon sequestration & eliminates natural erosion control.

  • Wildlife displacement & habitat fragmentation are permanent consequences that cannot be reversed.

4. Groundwater, drinking water & geothermal

  • Nearby homes rely on private drinking-water wells, yet the Environmental Impact Study does not evaluate groundwater quality, quantity or potential impacts.

  • The site does not currently have public water or sewer connections.

  • The study references geothermal wells but does not explain the system design or protections for neighboring groundwater supplies.

5. Artificial turf, heat & exposure

  • The proposed Multi-Sport Complex includes a 4.7-acre artificial-turf field, parking, paved pathways, concession stand & dugout(s).

  • Synthetic turf is primarily plastic & rubber, can reach temperatures exceeding 150°F, & contributes to localized heat & heated stormwater runoff.

  • Synthetic grass breaks down over time, exposing the waterway to microplastics, rubber, and sand and after 8 to 12 years, turf is typically landfilled.

  • Although synthetic grass does not require watering, the plastic turf must be cleaned. Anti-microbial products & water are used to reduce sweat, spit, blood, etc. from generating mold, odor, and bacterial growth.

  • Natural grass management alternatives were not meaningfully evaluated.

6. Lighting, neighborhood impacts & irreversible change

  • The proposed K-1 will have a lighted parking. Although not in this land development plan, the full Multi-Sport Complex calls for more turf fields, bleachers, bathrooms, lighted fields & pathway lights raising concerns about light pollution, nighttime impacts, wildlife disruption & neighboring properties.

  • Longview Park is protected public open space that must be protected from diversion of use.