3 Questions Chatham Leaders Must Ask (New Pokeberry Creek Video)
Dear Supporters,
Over the past week, thousands of Chatham County residents, parents, and downstream neighbors tuned into our deep-dive investigation into the proposed Pokeberry Creek Mitigation Bank and its direct tie to the 630-home Fearrington Preserve rezoning petition.
For months, the applicant has pitched stream restoration as a crowning "public benefit" to justify doubling residential density under compact community rules.
Alongside our coalition partners at the Briar Chapel Community Association (BCCA), we examined the public and regulatory records. The findings are clear:
The Explainer Video: We kicked off the week by uncovering how unbuildable floodplains and steep creek buffers are being leveraged into commercial mitigation banking credits.
👉 Watch the Explainer Video on YouTube
The Official Public Factsheet: We published the complete factual synthesis showing that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) already found this mitigation bank site unsuitable in October 2024, Chatham County's ERAC voted unanimously that the developer's Environmental Impact Assessment was incomplete, and the BCCA Board voted unanimously to deny property access.
👉 Read the Full Web Briefing | Download the PDF Factsheet
The Unanswered Questions (and New Video): We published our concluding analysis on the money, the risk, and the unanswered questions behind this proposal.
👉 Watch the New Short Video | Read the Full Article
Our Closing Argument: The 3 Questions County Leaders Must Ask
Before any final vote is cast on Fearrington Preserve, Chatham County Commissioners and the public deserve direct, on-the-record answers to three foundational questions:
1️⃣ Full Disclosure of Business Relationships:
Does Fearrington Property Development, LLC, or its principals hold any profit-sharing agreements, joint-venture structures, or success-fee arrangements with Vivus Viridis, LLC or Pokeberry Mitigation, LLC
2️⃣ Credit Revenue Transparency:
What is the anticipated commercial yield from selling stream and wetland mitigation credits generated on this property, and how will those proceeds be divided?
3️⃣ Public Risk Allocation:
If downstream stream structures fail or run into long-term performance issues due to high-density stormwater runoff, who assumes the financial burden for repairs and stabilization?
Chatham County families shouldn't be asked to bear the risk of increased flooding, mass grading, and traffic gridlock while private entities monetize creek buffers behind closed doors.
How You Can Take Action Right Now
This campaign moves forward when our petition community speaks up together. Here is what you can do today:
📢 Watch & Share the Short Video:
Take 45 seconds to watch our latest video: https://youtu.be/PXHcizmVqbU Share the link on Facebook, Nextdoor, or local community groups.
❓ Post the 3 Questions:
Copy the three questions above and post them on social media, tagging local Chatham County civic groups and community leaders.
✉️ Invite Neighbors to Join the Coalition:
Encourage neighbors who care about transparent governance, school corridor safety, and watershed protection to join the coalition directly at SmartChatham.org.
Quick Copy/Paste for Nextdoor & Facebook:
"Why is a high-density rezoning being justified by a stream mitigation bank that federal regulators already found unsuitable? Watch this 45-sec breakdown: https://youtu.be/PXHcizmVqbU We deserve answers to 3 basic questions: Who profits, what are the credit revenues, and who pays when downstream structures wash out? Join the coalition demanding accountability at SmartChatham.org."
Thank you for standing up for responsible planning, school safety, and our watersheds!
— The Smart Chatham Team