Trees Columbus raises concerns about construction projects at Golden Park, Judicial Center
COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — A Columbus non-profit environmental group is raising concerns with the city over two major downtown construction projects.
Trees Columbus Inc. has questioned if the city is following its own laws when it comes to re-development of the Golden Park and the Judicial Center on 10th Street.
Trees Columbus Inc. Executive Director Dorothy McDaniel has questioned if the city has a site development plan and a tree plan in place as required by city code. It comes as the city is working on two high-profile projects — the ongoing construction of the Judicial Center and imminent redevelopment of Golden Park.
“This is not a big ask,” McDaniel said. “Do a tree plan.”
McDaniel’s organization has the mission of protecting and preserving the city’s tree canopy.”
In a recent email string with city councilors and city officials McDaniel was asking why there was no tree plan on file for the $50 million dollar redevelopment of Golden Park. Demolition is scheduled to start next week and construction at the end of the month.
The historic ballpark has to be ready this time next year for the Atlanta Braves Double A affiliate.
“This is not an effort by Trees Columbus to halt this project,” McDaniel said. “It could be a great project. It could be a wonderful example of redevelopment. It could get people out into a beautiful common space. The issue that Trees Columbus is focused on is the tree ordinance. It’s the tree ordinance and fulfilling the requirements of the ordinance by creating a tree plan.”
Though McDaniel argues otherwise, Mayor Skip Henderson said the city does not have to submit the tree plan until construction starts and ground is disturbed.
“There are two different requests – the site plan and the engineering piece and the demolition piece, which falls into the purview of Inspections and Codes,” Henderson said. “So right now, it’s just the demolition. We did the same thing, for example over at Salvation Army. They got just the demolition permit because they took that building down to the slab and that’s all we are doing.”
McDaniel disagrees.
“Demolition is part of the redevelopment by definition within the UDO,” she said. “A redevelopment project is redevelopment and construction on site.”
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Henderson said the Golden Park Demolition will include knocking down buildings and tearing out the existing seating. The questions being raised by Trees Columbus should not impact the overall Golden Park project.
McDaniel and City Councilor Charmaine Crabb said they had heard of the possibility of someone filing an injunction in Muscogee County Superior Court to halt the project. As of Wednesday afternoon, no such injunction had been filed. McDaniel said Trees Columbus would not be involved if such a civil action was filed.
“Yeah, we don’t want to see it delayed,” Henderson said. “It’s not going to stop baseball. It might create a little bit of a challenge for us to try and get it done in time. Come April, you are going to see the Double A Braves out there playing ball.”
The other site Trees Columbus is questioning in the Judicial Center, which is a $200 million project currently under construction across from the Springer Opera House.
The city says it had a tree plan in place in late January and it was revised earlier this week.
Though demolition and construction are underway on that site, an official groundbreaking is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
“So, we are going to have a groundbreaking for a judicial center which could be a great project,” McDaniel said. “But we are going to be celebrating a groundbreaking for a project that is currently not legal under the UDO. It’s violating the tree ordinance.”
The mayor said he understands the role of Trees Columbus.
“I think that Trees Columbus is very passionate about what they do,” he said. “And they are doing what they think they need to do which is question what’s going on on those sites.”
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