Mayor Richard Edwards offered commentary on the Nexus Pipeline project and the green space task force and the city’s director of planning gave updates on the developing community action plan during this week’s city council meeting.
The green space taskforce’s steering committee chairman, Eric Meyers, has resigned from the project and Mayor Edwards will assume the role of chairman to the task force.
“We really do have a lot at stake here, and so I have decided…I’m going to take over the chairmanship of that steering committee,” Edwards said.
He intends to “keep the ball rolling” with the progress the task force has made since its creation in May 2015.
“I believe firmly that this little 1.7 acres over there, the green space that we’ve come to love…is integral to our neighborhood development…and the further development of downtown Bowling Green,” Edwards said Tuesday night.
The green space gets used as it is as just that – a green space – but the task force sees more potential in the space, such as an addition of a pavilion.
Edwards also spoke at-length on the topic of the Nexus Pipeline.
“In previous sessions of council, statements and allegations were made during lobby visitations about the proposed Nexus natural gas pipeline project,” Edwards said. “I have taken these factual statements and combined allegations under review.”
Edwards has sent letters on concern to Nexus and state and federal representatives. He has also been pursuing his “own line of inquiry.”
At this time, Edwards’ own line of thinking on the matter is that the probability of water treatment and quality problems arising from the pipeline and nearby fault line is “very low.”
“The probability will never be zero,” he said.
Edwards likened the probability to that of the city being hit by a meteor – possible, but unlikely.
He did make clear that information is still developing on the topic of the pipeline, and that his report Tuesday night was “incomplete and interim.”
Resident Lisa Kochheiser has attended every city council meeting since the Nexus Pipeline come into public spotlight. She spoke against the Nexus project.
“The city should be demanding a halt to this project,” she said. “Perhaps Nexus can only proceed with its plan as long as Bowling Green remains silent.”
President of City Council Bruce Jeffers commented on Kochheiser’s remarks.
“I think it would be extremely difficult for us to act independently of the mayor,” Jeffers said. “I’m sure we’ll continue to look into this and get more results, more information” and follow the best course of action.
Separately at the meeting, Director of Planning Heather Sayler gave updates on the current community action plan progress.
On Feb. 7, 2017, an open house at the courthouse was held to spread the concept plans that have been created in partnership with Camiros – an urban planning firm hired by the city. About 75 people attended the open house to learn more about the concept plans.
“We still want to make sure that the constituents…are looking at these concept plans [and] really taking in the ideas,” Sayler said.
The plans are on display on the second floor on the administration services building and are also available online. Sayler is seeking resident feedback on the proposed plans.
The code enforcement handout, referred to as the Good Neighbor Guide, is also now available online and in print from the planning department. This guide outlines the city’s codes and provides residents with resources to address neighborhood problems such as noise, trash, parking and snow removal.
