Supreme Court refuses to block construction of Obama library in Chicago

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

Source: CNBC

The Supreme Court on Friday shot down an advocacy group's push to temporarily halt construction of the Barack Obama Presidential Center in a Chicago park.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, an appointee of former President Donald Trump who is assigned to handle matters from that part of the country, denied the petition for an injunction without referring the case to the full nine-member court.

The Chicago-based nonprofit Protect Our Parks, along with a group of local residents, argued the proposed presidential library would cause "serious environmental impacts" to Jackson Park on the south side of the city.

They said in the petition that the "wanton act" will lead to the destruction of at least 800 trees, and that it will "have a significant impact on migratory birds and their nesting practices" and lead to more "dust, noise, and a decline in air quality, compromising public health in the surrounding community."

Read more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/supreme-court-refuses-to-block-construction-of-obama-library-in-chicago/ar-AANy1WU?li=BBnbfcQ&ocid=DELLDHP

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Parks are last in the pecking order for private property rights

Obama couldn't find financial backing to buy some distressed properties nearby?

[MissMillie]

2. Do any of the "environmental impact" claims have any merit?

I haven't been following this closely enough to know.

I would hope, if the claims had some merit, the former President would take them into consideration.

[frazzled]

4. Look, this has been going on for 5 years

Last edited Sat Aug 21, 2021, 08:20 AM - Edit history (1)

And has been reviewed up the wazoo in court after court after court. This group “Protect our Parks” seems to consist predominantly of one guy (and two lawyers). They don’t even list a board of directors. All they seem to do is sue.

Jackson Park contains 551 acres, of which the Library will occupy 19 acres in total, which is about 3.5% of the park. It will stand right behind the Museum of Science and Industry, which has been there for more than a century. I go to that park frequently with my grandchildren, and I see the Library as only an enhancement.

The Obama Foundation has endured year after year of these specious lawsuits. It’s over. Ground was broken this past Monday, legally. The people in general are greatly in favor. Done and done, let’s move forward.

[orleans]

6. glad to hear all you said. i haven't followed it that closely so all this info is really

good to know.
thanks.

[twodogsbarking]

7. 3.5%.

[Coventina]

8. 800 trees is a shocking number to me. Do you think it's accurate?

19 acres sounds like a lot as well.

I love Obama, and voted enthusiastically for him twice.
But this report does give me pause.

[RussellCattle]

28. If you picture the entire park as a 4 X 8 sheet of plywood, and draw a 12 inch square on it....

....to represent not just the library building, but the entire library facility with parking, you will have a close approximation of what this really represents.

[twodogsbarking]

30. Think of four pizzas with eight pieces each.

It would be one piece. Y'all git it now, dontcha.

[chia]

9. Thank you for the local knowledge. It's helpful

[former9thward]

10. The community people are not in favor of the park.

I don't know if that is the "people" you are referring to. This "Library" -- which actually is not going to be a library, it will have no books --will close sections of Stony Island Dr. which will cause hardship to people in the community going to and from work. As far as the park itself goes, this project will wipe out the only dog park on the south side of Chicago. It is privately maintained and city says they will not replace. It is a bad idea and a bad place to put it. Especially since Obama no longer lives in Chicago.

[Miguelito Loveless]

12. Check your math

and move the decimal place two spots right.

[PJMcK]

15. Yeah, that was sloppy (n/t)

[frazzled]

17. Yeah, yeah, sue me

I was in the midst of some work, lifted the number from the calculator (0.035), and ran back to my work without changing the decimal.

Does this change the argument one iota? The objections have been turned down by every court over the years. The case is closed now. Do you want to keep fighting because of a misplaced decimal point in a post?

[Miguelito Loveless]

29. Dude, you made a small, but significant error

Correct and move on. Don’t get defensive about an honest mistake. We either are, or are not, the reality based community.

[MissMillie]

13. Thank you for the information

As I said, I hadn't been following closely.

(My asking for information wasn't in any way an indication that I thought construction should stop.)

[Red Pest]

16. Good points! However, let me correct a math error...

19 acres of 551 acres = 19/551 = 0.034 = 3.4%

You forgot to move the decimal point when converting the quotient to a percentage.

[electric_blue68]

19. I hadn't heard about this. Thanks for on the ground info from...

a local who frequents this park!

Chicago has long been top on my list of USA cities to visit at least once! Luckily I've gotten to most of the others already.

🤔 Maybe I'll wait till his Library is finished whichll help me save up.

Want to see the Architecture, the World Class Science, and Art Museums!!!
Check out the big parks! See "The Bean". 😁
Course, I'll have to try out some Chicago dishes. 👍 Part foodie, here.

What may be most fascinating on both a concious and subliminal level s being in a big city by a Great Lake!

Chicago curves around the Lake wherein contrast in NYC the waters curve around the city/Burroughs!

All the other cities I've visited were either landlocked, or coastal ports either Atlantic, Pacific, maybe having rivers, too - like Boston.

Hopefully I will and some point! ❤️

[elleng]

22. It's a good city, and great it's on the Lake;

I lived there for 10+ years, and my last apartment overlooked the lake. (Windows became ice-glazed during particularly cold times.)

[electric_blue68]

23. 👍 Nice view. NYC close in lattitude but maybe lake winds bring more cold?

Last edited Fri Aug 20, 2021, 04:55 PM - Edit history (1)

[elleng]

24. The wind surely does/did aggravate the situation.

I grew up in NY, but not ON big water.

[alfredo]

25. I lived in the snow belt fed by lake Michigan.

[elleng]

26. Fortunately, I didn't!

[alfredo]

27. It was great if you liked winter. I was a lineman for Ma Bell.

I learned how to dress for the weather.

[live love laugh]

3. I've never seen this kind of fighting against a presidential library.nt

[Dream Girl]

5. Wonder why?

[former9thward]

11. Because it will disrupt traffic on the only main street in that area.

It will close sections of Stony Island which is the main street people in that can use to get to and from work.

[Stuart G]

18. Another reason why is it will change the total use of the ..."park" Instead, of a "park" ..it

will become a ...."tourist trap"...People will come from all over to see this place...It is a fairly quiet place now, there
is a major public golf course not far away.........All that will change.......not a little but... a whole lot..

Parking will cost a fortune, and space will be limited...The park will be changed completely. We are talking about a
President of the United States that has a following around the entire world. What was once a ..."park" will
change & never be the same...forever....I have been in that place, and know exactly where it is. It is near
public transportation, and many businesses. But that will all change. That place will become a world wide tourist
place...I don't think anyone in that area wants that there.

[Politicub]

14. Using trees as a justification to stop development seems logical, but it comes across as a joke

in real life. I've seen this time and time again at community meetings, and my neighborhood tried even tried using "the trees" to stop a rezoning. That didn't work, either.

Then someone will inevitably post a change.org petition to save the trees. These petitions get a lot of signatures, but most are from people who live outside of the affected areas. Often signatures come from people from different countries. I have never seen a change.org petition change anything (locally).

On another note, I don't trust Amy Coney Barrett. At all. She will go along with softballs like this, to appear as a moderate, until she has a chance to vote on the big prize, which is making abortion illegal in America.

But, please. Save the trees.

[Stuart G]

20. It ain't about trees. It is all about having a tourist trap ..Trees have nothing to do with it....

What will become of that location when it turns into a world class visiting place?...If you can imagine the worst, then
imagine it. It is now a relatively quiet neighborhood with a high school on that main street. ..............................

...Repeat...............A WORLD CLASS VISITING PLACE IN HONOR OF A WELL KNOWN ALIVE & RESPECTED
FORMER UNITED STATES PRESIDENT WHO LIVED IN CHICAGO......

....Yes, lots of people will come to visit, motels, hotels..all kind of eating places, etc.......................................

..............SO,..........Would you like that happen to your quiet neighborhood?, That kind of change? ................
..................Please give that a thought...Thank You..

[elleng]

21. Thanks for the reminder,

I lived in the area for 10+ years.