Construction plans for parking lot in Jackson draw criticism

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JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) – Is a new parking lot worth shopping down some beloved trees? The construction plans for a new parking lot in Jackson will required their removal.

Some residents want the Jackson County Intermediate School District to reconsider its plans.

For generations, wildlife in the sky and on the ground have been calling the White and Bur oak trees home.

I think its incredible that its literally living history, said Monica Day, with Jackson Audubon. The roads have changed quite a bit since 1830 when the first map — at least the one Ive seen — was drawn. It looks like they can be seen on the map

But now, their future is uncertain.

The original site plan, through a two year planning process, determined that was the best place to put it, said Jackson County Intermediate School District superintendent Kevin Oxley.

The districts plans to build a parking lot and parking loop will require the removal of the oaks. Tree activists in the area are asking the district to reconsider.

As a community we can come up with some creative solutions that dont involve this oak grove, said Sara Hubbard, with the Jackson County Master Gardener Association.

They said removing the trees would have irreversible consequences and that removing the trees would be removing history.

Bur oaks are known to have the greatest assemblage of species that depend on them, Day said. Theyre hosts to so many different species.

They’re just going to be impossible to replace. Were talking about two or three generations of waiting time, Hubbard said. Once these trees are cut down there really is no going back. Theres no re-do here. This is one-and-done.

Officials with the school district are hopeful they can find common ground.

The good news about this is I think everybody is on the same page. We want to save as many of these big beautiful white oak trees as possible, but we want to do it in a manner that preserves the safety and operation of a building that is going to serve special needs kids for the next 30 years, Oxley said .

The district said the final decisions will be made in the spring.

More: Jackson news

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