Shoal Creek is the creek that runs through Dearborn Park. It originates near the pond at the Old Methodist Children’s Home property and joins the main branch of the creek in Dearborn Park.

WSE Development is seeking a stream buffer variance for its Weekes Street project in City of Decatur near New Street to build over 300 apartments and 500 parking spaces on 4.2 acres fronting Commerce and S. Columbia Drives, also accessible via Weekes Street.

How Does this Development Effect Dearborn Park?

City of Decatur City code requires the Zoning Board of Appeals to consider the environmental effects of the variance, and mitigate them. The board must consider whether the variance is at least as protective of natural resources and the environment.

Friends of Shoal Creek believe this property presents an opportunity for the City to preserve existing green space and improve traffic safety in this part of Decatur. As mentioned earlier this flows into Shoal Creek at Dearborn Park and we do not know the effect this will have on our park.

As you know there is a great deal biodiversity in Dearborn Park including Blue Heron, Barred Owls, multiple birds and reptiles and even Coyote, so we need to know more about how this project will affect our park even though it’s a few miles away.

We would like to press City of Decatur to honor the code that is already on the books.

WSE Development will come before the ZBA for a public hearing again on Monday, August 12 at 7:30 pm. I invite citizens concerned about the protection and rehabilitation of Shoal Creek to attend the developer’s presentation and participate in the public comment session.

Sign Up with Friends of Shoal Creek for further updates.

Decaturish article which has further details.