Read an update from our friends at Save East Po:
At 5PM on Friday, October 9th, the government filed a declaration saying tree clearing and cultural landscape renovation would start the next morning at East Potomac Golf Course in East Potomac Park (locally known as Hains Point), Saturday, October 10th — the start of a long weekend. This fly by night, file late on a Friday and start cutting trees less than 24 hours later, is exactly the rapid and unilateral steps we’ve been concerned about.
According to the governments’ statement, up to 529 trees are expected to be cut down and torn out using 20-50 additional staff and newfound funding.
They claim that the work is not a redesign, not a renovation, that the work happening at the park is long-planned, deferred maintenance. However, the same filing describes, in their own words, a lease termination, a stockpile of soil “in anticipation” of golf course improvements, a hired compliance contractor, and a formal historic preservation review already underway.
The government also asked the judge to throw the whole case out in their response to the amended complaint, also submitted on Friday night. In summary, they argue that there isn’t a final decision on the golf course yet….so there’s nothing for a court to review.
Our take: The government claims this tree cutting and landscape rehabilitation work has nothing to do with the proposed golf course redesign. They refer back to a 2019 Cultural Landscape Report, which recommended restoring the course’s original “links style” look, as justification; however, this is happening in the middle of active litigation over this exact site.
We’re concerned about work that occurs under the cover of this proposed “maintenance”. We continue to call for transparency, accountability, and opportunities for public input.
What can you do? We love Hains Point and know you do too. We can help by document the work happening throughout the park.
Please keep enjoying the park by biking, running, walking, bird watching, fishing, picnicking, however you like to, but if you see tree cutting, excavation, or other “maintenance work, please take photos, video, and record the time and location.
Our partner at Saveeastpo.com have a handy photo album if you’re able to upload photos directly. Or, feel free to email photos and videos to us at advocacy@waba.org.
More to come. Thank you for staying on top of this with us.