Last week, a Wake County judge ruled the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority (RDU) acted legally when it approved a lease last spring that will allow the Wake Stone company to operate a quarry on 105 acres — known as the Odd Fellows Tract — adjacent to the airport, William B. Umstead State Park + the East Coast Greenway trail, one of the most heavily-biked paths in the Triangle.
The legality of the lease agreement was called into question by local residents and park supporters, who sued RDU + Wake Stone, arguing that they should have sought the permission of four local governments before moving forward with the 25-year agreement. Here’s what you need to know:
• The plaintiffs: Umstead Coalition, Triangle Off-road Cyclists group + 3 individual area residents.
• The defendants: RDU + Wake Stone Corporation.
• The complaint: The lawsuit claims that RDU violated the state’s open meeting laws. Since the Odd Fellows Tract is public land owned jointly by the Cities of Raleigh and Durham + Durham and Wake Counties, the plaintiffs argue that RDU should have sought permission from those four local governments and the community before approving the lease. Additionally, the tract was originally acquired from private owners under public domain, and opponents say that use by a private company unrelated to airport operations violates the land’s intended use.
• The response: John Kane, the airport authority’s chairman, says that RDU did its due diligence before approving the lease. Wake Stone has promised to provide $3 million in funds that would help return the land to a recreation area following the 25-year mining project.
• The ruling: In a 12-page judgement from Graham Shirley, the Wake County courts ruled in favor of RDU + Wake Stone, dismissing the plaintiff’s case and refusing to grant an injunction on Wake Stone’s ability to quarry the Odd Fellows Tract.
• What happens next: The plaintiffs will appeal the court’s initial decision, reiterating that the property should be retained for recreational use. Wake Stone will move forward with applications for mining permits, which could take several months to obtain.
The ruling: In a 12-page judgement from Graham Shirley, the Wake County courts ruled in favor of RDU + Wake Stone, dismissing the plaintiff’s case and refusing to grant an injunction on Wake Stone’s ability to quarry the Odd Fellows Tract. What happens next: The plaintiffs will appeal the court’s initial decision, reiterating that the property should be retained for recreational use. Wake Stone will move forward with applications for mining permits, which could take several months to obtain.
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