Dear FCNC Neighbors,
In a continuing effort to clean up polluted watersheds in Fayette County, LFUCG’s Division of Water Quality, the Hickman Creek Conservancy, and Jessamine County are working on the West Hickman Creek Watershed Management Plan. In Fayette County, the watershed encompasses an area roughly between Nicholasville, Tates Creek, and Richmond roads, and in places it extends as far as Liberty Road and Alumni Drive South. For an exact map, see www.lexingtonky.gov/watersheds-0 and click on the West Hickman Creek map name.
There are seven watersheds in Fayette County from which we get our water, and every one of them is polluted. It would be helpful for our local government to have evidence that neighborhoods are interested in watershed improvements. You may already have information you wish to share about water, and you could appropriately pass that information to this group. It would also be helpful for FCNC members simply to tell the consultant (Palmer Engineering) that Lexington needs to improve its water quality, and the plan when finished needs to focus on compliance with water quality standards and how to meet them. We hope that you will feel inspired to speak on this topic. Recent correspondence from the Fayette County Neighborhood Council is printed below to assist you in preparing a comment on current issues.
The 200+-page watershed plan is complicated, and time is short. All responses need to be received by next Sunday, January 30. Responses need to go to Project Manager Stephanie Blain at SBlain. Please remember that it is helpful to have even a brief statement of concern about Lexington water quality so that we demonstrate wide public interest in the topic.
The plan itself can be found at this link:
West Hickman Watershed Management Plan
Thanks for your help!
Walt Gaffield, President
Fayette County Neighborhood Council, Inc.
Our recent comment to Ms. Blain at Palmer Engineering:
Re: West Hickman Creek Watershed Management Plan
Dear Ms. Blain:
The Fayette County Neighborhood Council (FCNC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation representing neighborhoods in Fayette County. The FCNC has a long history of supporting environmental protection and was the initial plaintiff in the litigation leading to the Consent Decree between the Lexington Urban County Government and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The FCNC especially would like to thank Jennifer Carey and Demetria Kimbell-Mehlhorn for their efforts to improve water quality in Fayette and Jessamine Counties in general and through their work with Lexington Fayette County’s watersheds. The FCNC also commends the West Hickman Conservancy for its involvement and advocacy.
Prior to approval of the Consent Decree, there was a manhole cover elevated as much as two (2) feet from ground level with trenches built next to it so sewage overflowed from the manhole cover into West Hickman Creek. The manhole cover was directly behind Veterans Park Elementary School located on "Clearwater" Way. It was one of the focal points that led to litigation. The Fayette County Division of Water Quality has done exceptional work in the implementation of the Consent Decree, and watershed management plans are an additional step toward cleaner water and an improved environment in residential areas. Lexington Fayette County and Jessamine County need more water quality improvements.
FCNC comments on the West Hickman Creek Watershed Management Plan as currently drafted are as follows:
1. Notably, the public survey results included in the draft plan indicate the priority of the public for West Hickman is water quality. Consequently, the principal recommendations in the final plan should be to both continue best practices that improve water quality and to implement new policies and Ordinances that do exactly that. Other changes, possible new uses, and studies should be secondary.
2. The elevated manhole cover and trenches mentioned earlier are a reminder that sanitary sewer pipes on public land, even those to be completed or renovated under the Consent Decree, should not be within the 50 foot setback lines that are in place adjacent to streams.. Additionally trees, greenspace, and stream buffers in general should receive support in the plan
3. The watershed monitoring and results for West Hickman and other watersheds are very impressive and important. The monitoring should continue so long as results are out of compliance with water quality standards. Of greater importance, the LFUCG should continue to use the results of its monitoring efforts to find the causes of compliance issues and mitigate them.
4. The FCNC supports the recommendations of water quality advocates that the plan recommend a review of large redevelopment projects such as Zandale and K-Mart on Nicholasville Road and make recommendations. Water quality controls and retention requirements on such projects appear to have been minimal. It seems logical to have adequate standards for redevelopment projects to protect watersheds while looking for ways to improve them.
5. The LFUCG and Jessamine County should conduct similar watershed studies where they are not already in place.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the West Hickman project. Clean streams are important for economic development and for people who live in Jessamine and Fayette Counties. The FCNC appreciates the efforts of people who work on improving local streams because doing so benefits everyone.
Sincerely,
Walter Gaffield, President
Fayette County Neighborhood Council, Inc.
This correspondence sent for President Walt Gaffield
by Janet Cabaniss, FCNC Secretary
jcabaniss
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