We are now adding to this petition a summary of the official JTA 30% design plans for the proposed 2.3-mile Mandarin Road sidewalk. Please email reneeslatercpa@gmail.com for a copy of the design . 

And what they reveal should concern everyone.

This is no longer speculation. This is their own plan.

📍 This is NOT a small sidewalk project

The design clearly lays out a continuous 2.3-mile corridor stretching from Walter Jones Historical Park to Red Cypress Drive. 

This is not about filling gaps.

This is a full transformation of Mandarin Road into a connected pedestrian corridor.

🌿 Wetlands are present — and NOT finalized

Throughout the plans, JTA repeatedly states:

“Existing wetlands area… to be verified.” 

Let that sink in.

They are designing a project through environmentally sensitive areas

➡️ while still admitting those areas are not fully confirmed or studied.

💧 Drainage and environmental disruption are built in

The plans include:

New drainage structures
Grading changes along the entire corridor
Proposed inlets that will alter water flow  

This is not neutral.

This changes how water moves, which directly impacts wetlands, trees, and wildlife.

🌳 Demolition is part of the plan

Sheet after sheet is labeled:

“Existing Features / Demolition Plan”

That means removal is not incidental —

it is expected and required to make this project work.

🧱 Cheapest design, not the most sensitive

The plans show a standard 4-inch concrete sidewalk design. 

No meaningful evidence of:

Boardwalks
Elevated pathways
Tree-preserving alternatives

Even though we’ve been told some areas are too environmentally sensitive.

⚠️ The bottom line

This 30% plan confirms:

✔️ A large-scale, continuous corridor

✔️ Construction through wetlands not fully verified

✔️ Drainage changes that impact the ecosystem

✔️ Built-in demolition of existing natural features

✔️ A standard concrete approach over environmentally sensitive options

🔥 What this really means

They are moving forward with a full design

before fully understanding the environmental impact.

That is not transparency.

That is not careful planning.

📢 Our voice matters more than ever

We now have over 3,200 signatures and growing.

If you haven’t signed yet, now is the time.

👉 This is about protecting:

Our tree canopy
Our wetlands
The character of Mandarin Road

💬 Final thought

“You don’t design a 2.3-mile concrete corridor through wetlands that are still ‘to be verified’ unless the outcome has already been decided.”