Fayetteville board approves grading permit for Ramey Junior High; city easement to preserve trees off-site

The Fayetteville Board of Education on Aug. 28 approved a grading permit to allow geotechnical borings and initial site work for the proposed Ramey Junior High campus and chose an off-site tree preservation easement at Happy Hollow in lieu of an on-site easement.

The decision follows a lengthy public comment period in which neighbors and parents raised concerns about removing trees on the College Avenue parcel, traffic flow, and stormwater runoff. Several speakers urged the district to find alternative sites or preserve larger portions of the forested parcel. “This project will cost taxpayers millions to build and millions more to maintain,” said Andrea Forney, a local business owner and longtime critic of building on the hillside, adding that preserving the existing woodland would be “a priceless asset for our whole city.”

District architects and landscape designers presented a detailed design update and a plan that the design team said aims to balance new construction with conservation goals. Rebecca Sibley of Prism Design Studio described how the building and site are intended to integrate…