The Sustainability Plan Feedback Inconsistencies

The Sustainability Plan Feedback Inconsistencies

April 21, 2026

Click here to watch the Board of Commissioners meeting recording. (17:30)

Click here to see my presentation slides.

At the March Board of Commissioners meeting, I heard a presentation on public feedback assessment on Wake Forest’s local environment and risk factors. I listened and read their slides, then went home and filed a public records request with the Town of Wake Forest for all public comments and survey feedback for the Sustainability Open House and online survey.

I compiled the data and presented what I found to the Board of Commissioners. The transcript is below.

COVER SLIDE 1
SLIDE 2
“I come before you tonight regarding the Sustainability Plan’s overview and assessment presented before the Board last month. I was surprised by the presentation, given I attended the Open Houses and took pictures of public feedback, I spoke to consultants, and what I learned there doesn’t match the final assessment finding the public’s hazards of greatest concern are Extreme Heat, Extreme Cold, Drought, and lastly Ecosystem Loss. I filed a FOIA requesting all public feedback from the Sustainability surveys and Open Houses conducted by the Town. Here is what I found.

SLIDE 3
The Open House for the Sustainability Plan was held at the Center for Active Aging on December 5, 2025. This engagement board shows attendees are most concerned about habitat loss.

SLIDE 4
Overall, attendees of the Open Houses consider the largest risk to the environment the loss of Wake Forest’s ecosystem and wildlife habitats. There were 41 comments about habitat loss to only one comment about extreme heat. It is clear by this data that Open House attendees are more concerned about our ecosystem than extreme heat.

SLIDE 5
This is a question from the online survey, asking what the respondent considers the largest environmental risk. Ecosystem and habitat loss is still the predominant concern. I also tallied 200 comments available in the FOIA, excluding several comments that I was unable to read, and found that ecosystem and habitat loss is the number one concern. And again, the data shows that our community is more concerned about our ecosystem and habitat loss than extreme heat.

SLIDE 6
In closing, the raw public feedback data does not match the consultants’ final assessment. Therefore, I request the Town of Wake Forest review the consultants’ data and share with residents how the consultants arrived at their conclusion. The citizens of Wake Forest deserve clarification on this matter.

Thank you for your time.”