Floyds Fork must survive. Here’s what needs to change to make it happen.

Steve Henry, Jeff Frank, Harrell Hurst and Lucas Frazier
·3 min read
A large oak tree towers in the new Woodland Garden area in the Parkland of Floyd's Fork Broad Run Park area. May 7, 2019
A large oak tree towers in the new Woodland Garden area in the Parkland of Floyd's Fork Broad Run Park area. May 7, 2019

Louisville and our Metro Council will determine the fate of Floyds Fork when the Floyds Fork Zoning Overlay District comes to a vote this Thursday. Protections placed by Jefferson County on the stream’s main corridor in 1993 have been reviewed. Revisions are through the Planning Commission and on Metro Council to decide the future of the waterway at the heart of the Parklands.

Metro Council Resolution #71, series 2022 directed the Planning Commission to review the Floyds Fork Special District. Over the last two years Planning and Design Services, along with community organizations, reviewed guidance offered by the 1993 standards, proposed amendments to the Land Development Code clarified, and in some cases, strengthened these standards. In other critical areas the language as passed will ensure the rapid continued destruction of the stream wherever they are applied.

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The facts and science are clear — two of the main factors that determine stream health are the amount of impervious surface placed on the landscape (think roads, rooftops, parking lots and other surfaces that shed rainwater) and preserved tree canopy.

At 20% impervious surface, a stream system is irreparably damaged beyond reasonable restoration. You need look no further than most of the streams in Jefferson County to see the effects of outdated land use codes on the natural environment. The proposed regulations allow 40% impervious surface — twice the amount needed to kill a stream.

More impervious surface will permanently damage Floyd Fork

There is already a $12.5 million dollar restoration effort under way on two of the damaged tributaries of Floyds Fork to try to mitigate some of the existing damage. If Floyds Fork gets to to the level of impervious surface surrounding our Beargrass and Mill creeks, partial restoration costs jump to north of $100 million with no hope of reviving its former glory.

Rather than adhere to the adopted South Floyds Fork Vision plan and maintain or establish a 50% tree canopy as we build out Floyds Fork, the current regulations allow wholesale clearing of existing mature tree canopy, in some cases to below 20%.

Taken together these two provisions will ensure the continued degradation of Floyds Fork. Instead, they need to be strengthened by Metro Council, for “the preservation of Floyds Fork as a healthy living creek is paramount.” The reality is that the “Floyds Fork watershed is a natural treasure” and the call to maintain and enhance Floyds Fork’s health are clearly expressed in both the Vision plan and the 1993 regulations.

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The Parklands of Floyds Fork, costing nearly $150 million dollars to acquire and build, and now drawing over 3.3 million user visits annually, is now the number one attraction in Louisville. Preserving the health and integrity of the stream at the center of the Parklands today makes good ecological and economic sense for now and future generations of Louisvillians.

We urge Metro Council to adopt the changes put forth by the Floyds Fork Coalition to the proposed regulations.

This is our generations’ opportunity to preserve Floyds Fork.

The authors, Steve Henry, Jeff Frank, Harrell Hurst and Lucas Frazier are president or chair of The Future Fund, The Friends of Floyds Fork, The Fisherville Area Neighborhood Association and Louisville Keep Your Fork, respectively.

The Floyds Fork Coalition is comprised of: Fisherville Area Neighborhood Association, Floyds Fork Environmental Association, Friends of Floyds Fork, LouisvilleKeepYourFork.org, Eastwood Village Council, Greater Louisville Group of the Sierra Club, Trees Louisville, The Future Fund, Inc., Jefferson County Soil & Water Conservation District, The Floyds Fork Conservancy, Citizen Coalition for Land Development Code Reform 5300+ Petition signers at https://www.change.org/p/help-louisville-protect-floyds-fork

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Floyds Fork’s survival depends on Metro Council. Here’s how