MCKINNEY - There is passion even in the petition. The North Texas Municipal Water District wants to put a sewage line on museum property.
One-hundred-thousand people visit the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary every year. It has become an island of pristine nature in the middle of fast-paced development. It's that same growth that's creating a need for new sewage lines.
"We have all sorts of different animals that find their homes here," said Amber Caceres, a spokeswoman for the museum. "We're afraid that those animals will be displaced."
North Texas Municipal Water District officials said they listened to the museum's concerns and agreed to an alternate route across the property, which would cost the district another $750,000.
"We agreed to bore, which we would put a casing underneath the property through the wetland," said Denise Hickey, a spokeswoman with the water district. "So, we would minimize any impact or ecological upset to that environment in the wetland area."
But, now the Heard's board of directors say any route across their property is unacceptable.
"We don't want it coming through no matter what," Caceres said.
Water district officials said the dispute is over money. They offered Heard $48,000 to lay the sewer line but claim the museum wanted more.
"They obviously did not accept that value and so now the next step is we have to go to the eminent domain proceedings for the legal issues," Hickey said.
But those at the museum say they have other reasons for their opposition.
"Bessie Heard bought this land to be a sanctuary, and for people to enjoy and it's been here for 42 years undeveloped," Caceres said.
Heard's online petition opposing the sewage line plans has already attracted more than 1,700 signatures.
Both sides say they plan on meeting again before a scheduled court hearing next week.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
