FAQs

Yes, all of the property other than the affordable housing will be a Town park. This will total about 28 acres and be right next to Ephesus Park which is 12 acres. The type and content of the park will be discussed as part of the Parks & Recreation Comprehensive Master Plan.

An engineering study conducted a few years ago classified the dam as being high risk, which means that the pond (and trees around it) must be drained and the dam replaced for safety. This area will be used for construction staging and stormwater and sediment capture during construction of the affordable housing then turned into a wetland.

Before the pond is fully drained, we will relocate any fish that are currently in it. Staff recently met with a member of the New Hope Bird Alliance who lives near the property and conducts the annual bird counts there. We learned that the late fall demolition timing is not an active nesting time for the only rare species that nests near the pond, the green heron, and therefore lessens the impact of the disturbance. Staff has also checked for important native species plants but has yet to identify any. Staff hopes to relocate the plants in the pollinator garden between the pond and Legion Rd. with the help of Chapel Hill High School students.

The Town’s consultant engineer researched databases of endangered species and learned that two bat species live in the geographic area of the Legion property, though not necessarily on the property itself. Knowing that, they included a requirement for the pond demolition contractor to avoid removing trees around the pond during the deep winter months or late spring/early summer when these bats are in torpor (a kind of hibernation) or breeding, respectively.

Once the new affordable housing is complete, the Town plans to replace the pond with a constructed wetland specifically designed to be an attractive space for native plant and animal species.

The Town’s consultant engineer’s design plans have been reviewed by four entities:

• Two divisions of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Erosion and Sediment Control and Dam Safety, which granted the required permits for removal and replacement of the dam outlet. 
• The Town’s Planning Department which granted a Zoning Compliance Permit after ensuring the plans follow the Town’s stormwater and other ordinances.
• The US Army Corp of Engineers made a determination on the pond and whether it meets certain criteria.

While the pond does contain water, only about one acre of land drains to the pond when it rains heavily. Both today and during affordable housing construction, an outlet pipe sends overflow stormwater downstream. The Town’s consultant engineer has ensured through modeling that no additional water will leave the property than currently does, as required by the Town’s stormwater ordinance.

The area that is a pond right now will feel like a construction site. We will install construction-type fencing to restrict access. Once complete, it will look like a large grass-seeded area. The dance studio will remain accessible until at least the affordable housing construction begins nearby. The Legion building parking will be unavailable for part of the demolition. The trails on the property (ie behind the dance studio connecting to Ephesus Park) will be open for the foreseeable future.

The spring that could be feeding the pond will also drain to the new outlet pipe after the pond is removed. The Town’s consultant engineer has ensured through modeling that no additional water will leave the property than currently does, as required by the Town’s stormwater ordinance.

A constructed wetland uses natural processes to manage water. It helps by holding back water runoff, filtering out dirt and nutrients, and reducing the risk of flooding. It consists of different parts like basins, pools of water, wet soil areas, and edges with lots of native, non-invasive plants and animals. More information about and pictures of constructed wetlands can be found here.

Right now, the Town's selected affordable housing developer plans to build around 150 affordable units on the front 8-9 acres of the property.

No, the American Legion building is closed to the public and it will eventually be demolished.

You are allowed to fish in the pond but it’s at your own risk. The Town hasn’t tested the water quality or fish health.