Floyds Fork is a beautiful waterway existing long before 2024 and, hopefully, will thrive long after we all depart.

We saw a lot of positive changes implemented in 2024, but we also saw a lot of developmental pressure throughout the watershed. View our 2024 Video Recap.

The pressure along Floyds Fork is real.

Louisville Keep Your Fork‘s mission is to highlight the beauty, wildlife, & recreation while placing a spotlight on development practices impacting the watershed.

We have seen several competing beliefs within our city.

• We need housing…at all costs.
  • We need housing that doesn’t negatively impact livability, which protects the environment and is supported by infrastructure.
• People making $50K or less need housing outside the Gene Snyder.
  • Putting low-income residents in rural areas without the supporting infrastructure is unkind and thoughtless.
• It is okay if the wildlife dies. We are an urban city.
  • The creation of the FF DRO was a statement that not all of Louisville is urban. We should protect life, not let it be destroyed.
• We know NIMBY exists so we want to change the rules to stop the influence of NIMBYism.
  • Metro Louisville should focus on protecting the environment and looking out for residents (current and future), not updating the code to allow elitist bullies to continue using racist tactics.
• MSD knows what they are doing and is monitoring developmental impacts.
  • MSD is in debt and needs to approve more intense developments to pay bills. They are reactive, not proactive. Their concern is keeping sewage out of the waterways, not keeping pollution, oils, and plastics out. They don’t require basins for all developments. Residents and businesses are seeing the impacts.
• The Planning Commission is unbiased.
  • Active real estate agents and brokers serve on the commission. Additionally, there are commissioners who “pre-approve” developments before the arguments are even heard. The political pressure on the commission is incredible.
• The Land Development Code is outdated and too limiting.
  • The Land Development Code is written with glaring loopholes. It is being rewritten to solve the wrong problem. The code is heavily biased for one industry and takes away the true voices of the community. A person can speak or submit information at a hearing, but those voices are viewed as inconsequential unless, of course, they back up the Office of Planning’s staff report.

These are worldviews in conflict. Some people want to create a smoke screen and distract from the real issues. Some want to be loud and drown out anyone opposing them. Some want to create fear and panic. One goal of Louisville Keep Your Fork is to clearly share what is happening within the watershed. We want to expose the smoke screens, eliminate the fear tactics, and be a voice of reason. We know that God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but power, love, and a sound mind.

One thing we saw clearly in 2024 is how residents are treated with contempt. We saw entire developments approved where not a single change was made other than what was required by the government. No matter how vocal residents were, some developers refused to even consider a conversation.

For instance, we reached out for a meeting with the building community and were told, “I don’t see what we would have to talk about.” Bridge builders they are not. We were considered beneath them and not worth their time.

A true neighbor would want to build community –

• unlike the developer who told us, “I could fix this road, but it would cost me too much and I would have to pass that cost on to my houses.”
• unlike the Office of Planning staff member who said, “We shouldn’t even have neighborhood meetings. It’s going to get approved anyway and they just make everyone upset.”
• Unlike the developer who looked right at us during a neighborhood meeting and said “This is bulls**t”

While builders viewed us with contempt and did not see the importance of meeting with us, we definitely did. Now we are anxiously looking forward to engaging even more effectively in 2025.

Consider financially supporting Louisville Keep Your Fork in 2025. Many wise people told us when we started that this is an uphill battle. It has been. The reality is that we can’t do it alone. We need your support.