Protesters construct barricade

Angry opposition from local environmentalists hasn't deterred Tom Herman.\nHerman, president of the Indianapolis-based developer Herman & Associates, said he plans to stay on schedule with his Canterbury House Apartments project.\nWhile he was visibly shaken after a raucous protest at last week's County Council meeting, Herman cites a need for more affordable housing in the Bloomington area. The council gave final approval to more than $10 million in tax-free bonds, much to the dismay of the dozens of activists in attendance.\nHerman plans to buy a 50-acre site -- sometimes known as Stoney Springs or Brown's Woods -- from landowner Bill Brown and build a 208-unit complex on the site. Opponents argue the land is environmentally sensitive and one of Bloomingon's few remaining greenspaces.\nSome might spend a long time in jail for their beliefs.\nBrown discovered a barricade blocking off Basswood Drive Tuesday, the only route to the wooded space just east of Ind. 37. Constructed in the dark of night, the makeshift barricade consists of bike racks and thick metal poles filled with cement either chained or cemented into the street.\nThe major act of vandalism -- to a city road -- should cost local taxpayers thousands of dollars, police said. Those responsible are looking at charges of vandalism and theft -- police have determined that most of the materials used in the barricade were reported stolen by local contractor Weddle Brothers, Inc.\nAnd it's only the beginning, Monroe County Sheriff Steve Sharp said. He warned Herman and Brown to hire private security when the construction starts in mid-July. Several opponents to the project have threatened acts of non-violent civil disobedience.\n"It doesn't surprise me at all," Sharp said. "I don't quite know what to expect -- except they won't hurt trees. That's their philosophy."\nFor the moment, Sharp has his hands tied with Tracy McNeely, the 19-year-old woman who scaled an oak tree on the privately owned land March 22 to protest the development. After 88 days, McNeely temporarily left her leafy perch Saturday to visit her sick grandmother.\nFellow activists have been sitting in for her until she returns. They have no plans to leave the site, even when the bulldozers come rolling in.\n"We need to protect our greenspace from urban sprawl," said Donna McNeely, Tracy's mother. "The people's faith in government has been shattered, so the only path is peaceful civil disobedience."\nMcNeely claims that no tree-sitter has ever been successfully removed in Oregon, but Sharp has been drawing up a plan. \n"It's going to be a pain in the butt," he said. "That's for sure. But we're fully prepared to take care of this. Hopefully, they won't do anything to exacerbate the situation.\n"If any of my officers are injured, that'll take it right to a felony."\nA sheriff's deputy has already informed McNeely that she's trespassing on private property. But Sharp said he doesn't plan on moving in just yet.\nHaving McNeely arrested isn't the only option open to the developer. McNeely has been occupying a tree located in the middle of the proposed extension of Basswood Drive that would lead up to the apartments. \nHerman and Associates intend to preserve some of the property as greenspace, and project engineer Steve Smith said rerouting the extension would be easy enough.\n"There's plenty of room to go around," he said.