Hellbranch Rezoning

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 10/14/99

DCA Formally Opposes Rezoning of Sugar Property Along Hellbranch Run

The following statement was approved by the Darby Creek Association's Trustees at their October meeting and presented to the rezoning authorities at a hearing today.

October 14, 1999

Statement To: Franklin County Development Department, Franklin County Rural Zoning

From: Trustees of Darby Creek Association

The Darby Creek Association’s mission is to unite concerned citizens to preserve, protect, and restore the scenic Darby Creek ecosystem so that this and future generations may benefit from its rich diversity.

In pursuit of this mission, Darby Creek Association has been active in efforts to prevent further deterioration of Hellbranch Run’s condition. Hellbranch Run is already the most seriously degraded tributary of the Darby Watershed and government actions to restore the waterway’s condition are sorely needed. With this in mind, Darby Creek Association warmly welcomed the Franklin County Greenways initiative focused on Hellbranch Run begun earlier this year.

The Sugar Property is located within the Environmental Conservation District created by the Columbus Comprehensive Plan. This District has been a critical bulwark preventing further destruction of the Hellbranch and other areas of the Darby watershed in Franklin County. Darby Creek Association considers sprawl, such as this development represents, to be the single greatest threat to the future health of the Darby Creek Ecosystem.

With this in mind, Darby Creek Association formally opposes the rezoning of the Sugar Property and asks the Zoning Board to reject this application because:

It is a violation of the spirit of cooperation for protection of the Big Darby watershed. Such protection is a stated objective of the Environmental Conservation District.
The City Council of Columbus has strongly supported keeping the environmental district intact.
Rezoning actions should not be approved until or unless a multijurisdictional approach that can create a consensus plan is generated.
The Hellbranch Greenways program needs to be in place prior to any rezoning discussion.

We respectfully request the application for rezoning of the Sugar Property be denied.

Submitted by,

Paul Dumouchelle, Secretary, Darby Creek Association