Over the Top / Inside the Beltline

August, 16, 2007 , by David

The mysterious Over the Top / Inside the Beltline blog has been such a wonderful resource for tracking the irresponsible construction occurring inside of old Raleigh. The two authors seem to be writing under pseudonyms, Fallonia Parker and Irena Dorton, inspired by local landmarks. Regardless of their identity- they are pointing toward both thoughtful and ignorant commentary on the subject of McMansion-biggie-sized development that is occurring at certain Raleigh addresses.

Recently they cited the share.triangle.com triangle ongoing ‘discussion’. This post is too good not to repeat here:

Even when trees are being tagged to be saved by the demolition crew and the home builders, the protection fences often are not placed far enough away from the trees to do much good. Many people believe if the fencing includes the trees’ driplines then the trees are protected. However, roots expand further than driplines. Many new homeowners will experience the death of older trees on their property eight or nine years after purchasing their homes. Are there any developers in the area who consult with arborists prior to demolition and construction within an infill environment?

Another question . . . What precautions are taken when demolitions occur, especially in the infill areas where there is already a density of homes? In homes built prior to 1978, asbestos and lead paint are present. How many demolitions are occurring where water is being used to continuously wet the materials as the older homes are being demolished? In the recent NYC pipe explosion it was said that the steam from the pipes kept the asbestos from becoming airborne. So does that mean if water is not part of the demolition process, then surrounding property owners and their families are being exposed to hazardous pollutants coming from the demolition site?

What are the regulations in Wake County and North Carolina concerning demolitions? Are people who are doing the demolition work required to be licensed or can a builder subcontract the work? Are the workers required to use protective gear? Is there a washdown area for the workers so they will not take home hazardous materials on their clothes and shoes?

While many of the new homes are being built “green,” are builders and community leaders stressing a “green” safe environment for nearby neighbors? And is that same concern being stressed for the demolition and construction crews who are onsite and the most at risk?

Original Post here.
Fallonia’s Post Here