Save green space

On Nov. 17 at 1:30 p.m. in the Council Chamber, a public hearing is scheduled about a zone change for 478 and 480 Squires Road from Agricultural Urban to Planned Neighborhood Residential (R-3) for 67.58 acres, as well as High Density Apartments (R-4) for 22.01 acres.

This land, surrounding a reservoir, has been held in trust for years. Except for yearly hay-baling, road and drainage maintenance around the reservoir, this land has been left for insects, amphibians, fish and wildlife to thrive.

Once again Lexington-Fayette County should question destruction of green space. It would be more beneficial to our area if endangered bees and other forgotten pollinators were left refuge to recover and thrive. The runoff from lawn-maintenance chemicals and pesticides from two new neighborhoods would be deadly for the insects, amphibians and fish. Loss of topsoil destroys the beneficial worms and insects aerating that soil. Loss of trees will result with land erosion into the water source.

Shouldn’t Lexington, a Tree City, USA Community, spearhead an initiative to utilize this area to reintroduce disease-resistant chestnut trees to help filter runoff into our water source, and inspire other cities to do the same?

This story was originally published November 10, 2016 at 5:43 PM with the headline "Save green space."