Hundreds of residents urge Wake County commissioners to protect Lake Crabtree County Park from development

Dozens of residents urged the Wake County Board of Commissioners on May 5 to block development of 136 acres at Lake Crabtree County Park and to preserve the park’s trail network and natural habitat.

The pleas came during the meeting’s public comment period, when speakers from across Wake County described Lake Crabtree as a vital community resource used for hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and mental-health respite. “Lake Crabtree is our mental-health green space,” said Natalie Liu, a Wake County resident, underscoring the park’s role for many who testified.

Speakers recounted personal memories and neighborhood impacts, described wildlife they see on trails and cited legal and zoning questions about whether the Raleigh–Durham Airport Authority (RDU) must obtain fair market value if it seeks to change the park’s use. Dr. June Spooner of the Umstead Coalition noted the park’s zoning history and said the county retains authority under “General Statute 160D” to enforce zoning decisions enacted decades ago. Hua Wang, a Ph.D. student at NC State, told commissioners she had shared an attorney’s letter listing reasons the county could avoid a fair-market sale, and referenced federal aviation statute 49 U.S.C. § 47107 in arguing limitations on aeronautical conversions.

Speakers asked the board to renew a lease with the park operator or to purchase and keep the land in public hands. Several commenters, including Jessica O’Toole of Morrisville and Camille Mumble, said the park draws hundreds of thousands of visitors annually and that development would harm wildlife corridors and reduce access to green space. Multiple speakers asked commissioners to meet with community experts and to exercise whatever local authority they retain to protect the park.

Chair Susan P. Evans did not respond to individual comments during the public-comment period; commissioners said earlier in the meeting that they would not respond while public comment was underway. Deputy Clerk Womack reported 33 additional online comments, all related to Lake Crabtree, would be emailed to commissioners.

Why it matters: Lake Crabtree is one of Wake County’s most-used parks, offering urban green space adjacent to rapidly growing neighborhoods. Residents argued that loss of the parkland would reduce recreational opportunities, harm wildlife habitat and remove a mental-health resource for nearby communities. Commissioners did not make any formal decision on the park at the May 5 meeting; public commenters urged the board to act in future meetings.

Speakers from the meeting provided detailed local history and legal references that commissioners and staff said they would review as part of ongoing discussions. The record of public comments and the 33 online submissions will be provided to the board for future consideration.

The board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for May 19 at 2 p.m.; several commenters asked that the county hold a formal discussion of Lake Crabtree at a future meeting so the public can hear the county’s position and any next steps.