Lake Crabtree County Park is a parcel of land to which the Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) Airport has leased to Wake County. For decades this park has been enjoyed by thousands. However, RDU Airport Authority is now looking to “redevelop” Lake Crabtree County Park.

However, there is little to no information made available for the public to provide valuable input, despite that the public should have the right to determine how they want to shape Lake Crabtree County Park, as well as surrounding lands that are not zoned for aeronautic purposes. RDU Airport and Wake County are not private companies or entities. They should be working with the public.

Major issues and concerns include:

1. Transparency - RDU issued a request for information (RFI) for development of 136 acres of Wake County Crabtree County Park, open for just two months. This abbreviated timeline likely contributed to only one proposal received on 9-5-24. In the subsequent 5 months, RDU has negotiated privately with the anonymous lone submitter to prepare a plan whose stated overriding goal is “Maximize Airport Revenue”. This hardly instills confidence in RDU’s narrowly focused agenda. This is all too reminiscent of the Wakestone Quarry, where RDU limits competition, negotiates with a sole entity and failed to pursue better options presented by the public. We the people cannot support the airport’s plan for Lake Crabtree County Park, if we do not know the details of the plan before you decide to vote on it.

2. Community Engagement - Please take the time to have multiple community meetings with the people on what they want to see for all of the lands not used for aeronautical purposes. RDU Airport Authority is a public entity, and consistent, long-term community engagement should be part of your best practices. RDU’s role is manager of the Lake Crabtree Park property. This does not mean Commissioners should abdicate their authority. Imagine if a developer came before the County and stated “We’re developing 136 acres of one of your most popular existing parks, competition is limited to a single entity, here’s our plan, and must be approved immediately, or the deal may fall through.” Certainly not, especially in determining the future of existing recreational properties.

Recommendations:

1. Reject the current proposal, negotiate Park lease renewal, and work with the local governmental sponsors to address comprehensive options to increase Airport revenue. RDU’s plans seem to concentrate on sacrificing dwindling natural spaces that benefit the community for ill conceived developments that will not meet the true funding needs of RDU.

2. Consideration of a full master plan for all of the lands not used for aeronautical purposes - The reason for this is because piecemeal destruction without comprehensive planning will lead even further destruction of William B. Umstead State Park beyond the damages of a proposed rock quarry. RDU Airport Authority should work with the community on establishing a master plan that the public can get behind. This includes Lake Crabtree County Park, the corridors along Aviation Pkwy, and Old Reedy Creek Rd where the Odd Fellows Tract is located.

3. Wake County should enforce its zoning and not allow the RDUAA to over-inflate the land value by disregarding zoning.

4. Wake County should purchase Lake Crabtree County Park lands. TORC has confirmed that RDU does not need to meet fair market value for the 148 acres of recreational land that has been serving the public for 30 years, and planned since 1950s to be recreational.