PARK
AND RECREATION BOARD
NEWTOWN
TOWNSHIP
MINUTES OF MAY 7, 2003
Approval of the Minutes: The recording secretary reported that in the May 7, 2003 minutes, the name McCrane was misspelled, and on page 3, paragraph 2 should read "access to park through Eagle Road".
Mrs. Sutton moved to accept the minutes of May 7, 2003, as corrected. Mr. Clancy seconded and the motion passed 6-0.
The Newtown Township Park and
Recreation Board met on Wednesday, May 7, 2003 in the Newtown Township
Building. In attendance and voting were Bernard Bires, Chairman; Andrew Levine,
Vice-Chairman; Michael Clancy, John Davis, Joel Grosso, Kathy Kelly, Susan
Sutton, and Anne Marie Zambrisczki, members. Also in attendance were Richard
Weaver, Supervisor; Bill Wert, Park and Recreation Director; and Russell Strover.
Call to Order
Mr. Bires called the meeting to
order at 7:30 PM.
New Business
Newtown Friends Village Sketch
Plan
Connie Lazenby, Architect;
Moonlight Tong, Engineer; Will Bauer, Kirk Norris and Lou Wittman, Board
Members of Newtown Friends Village presented a sketch plan for improvements to
the Friends Village property. The expansion includes: an additional laundry
room; an expanded front entrance; a system of ramps and walking trails
throughout the village and to the front entrance that will accommodate
wheelchairs and walkers; a new boiler room for upgraded central heat and
air-conditioning; and three new two bedroom units. The total new construction
is 5000 square feet.
Mr. Levine explained that the
Park and Recreation Board only has jurisdiction over open space or a fee in
lieu of open space. He explained that the Township requires that builders pay a
fee if they do not provide open space.
Mr. Levine asked if the Friends
Village had 501(C)(3) non-profit status.
Mr. Norris said that they are
non-profit.
Mr. Levine moved to recommend
that the Board of Supervisors waive any fee in lieu of open space for this
project, as Newtown Friends has 501(C)(3) status. In the event that the Board
of Supervisors does not waive the fee, then the Park and Recreation Board
recommends that the Board of Supervisors accept a fee in lieu of open space. He
also recommended that Newtown Friends Village consider connecting their system
of internal trails to the Newtown Trail. Mrs. Sutton seconded and the motion
passed 8-0.
Eagle Scout Project
John Kaisar of Scout Troop 280 in
Holland presented an Eagle Scout project for an ADA compliant, handicapped
accessible trail which will run from the handicapped parking spaces at Clark
Nature Center to the outdoor classroom on the property. John said that he had
planned the five foot wide trail with Mr. Strover and Mr. Wert. His project
will be to clear the trail only. Mr. Wert said that wood chip mulch will be
donated and will either be spread as another Eagle Scout project or by Public
Works. Mr. Strover, the Scout Master and a number of parents will be present as
John supervises other scouts working on the trail. If the Playwicki Scout
District approves the project, he hopes to begin in June.
Mrs. Sutton moved to approve
John Kaisar's Eagle Scout Project of clearing a handicapped accessible trail at
the Clark Nature Center. Mrs. Kelly seconded and the motion passed 8-0.
Old Business
Active Recreation
Sub-Committee Report
Mr. Grosso reported that he and
Mr. Clancy had met with Township Manager, Bob Pellegrino, to review the 1999
Comprehensive Plan for the Woll Tract. They found that this conceptual plan
will need modification. He said that they had discussed access to the park and
agreed that an entrance on Rte 413 would be best. This would require road widening
and would need Penn Dot approval. He said that Mr. Pellegrino thought that it
could take up to six months to get Penn Dot approval.
Mr. Clancy said that the project
would need funding, and would need approval from the Planning Commission and
the Board of Supervisors. He said that he thought this would be a three to five
year project. He said that the goal of the sub-committee is a first class
facility with some lighted playing fields. He hoped that eventually the
Township's various sports associations would host tournaments, using the Woll
fields and other township fields.
Mr. Clancy said that the
sub-committee would like to look for some outside funding. He said that USTA
has grants for public tennis courts and instruction, as does US Soccer.
Mr. Clancy said that at the time
that the Woll Tract was acquired by the Township the deed required that Council
Rock School District have access to the fields during the school day until
4:30PM. He said that he would like to meet with School Board representatives
about this.
Mr. Grosso said that he and Mr.
Clancy would make a timeline of all that would need to be done, including
reviewing the community's current and future playing field needs. The
sub-committee will work with the Planning Commission, the Park and Recreation
Department, the School Board and local sports associations, and will review all
census information and population projections as they proceed with planning.
Mr. Jim McCraine a resident of
St. Andrew's Briar said that he and his neighbors had concerns about these
plans to put active recreation facilities on the Woll Tract, as the tract backs
onto their homes. He said he was particularly concerned about lighted playing
fields, evening activities, and noise.
Mr. Clancy said that the
sub-committee would be sensitive to the concerns of the neighbors. He said that
not all fields would have lights, but that the lighted fields would be closer
to the non-residential neighbors. He said that Mr. Pellegrino had suggested
building some buffering berms now along the border between the fields and the
neighboring homes. He suggested that plants would begin to fill in before any
park facilities would be open.
Mrs. Dorothy McCraine said that
she was also concerned about access to the park through Blayze Court and Eagle
Road, and increased traffic on her street.
Mr. Tom Jirele, Township
Supervisor, explained that access to the Woll Tract through Eagle Road is deed
restricted to emergency vehicles only. He said that Elliot Builders was
required to inform all home buyers that the Woll Tract and the 10 acres deeded
to the Township as open space would be used for active recreation. He explained
that passive recreation consists of nature preserves, grass areas and walking
areas. Active recreation refers to playing fields, tennis and basketball
courts, and organized sports.
Mr. Brandon Wind of Newtown Grant
asked who would maintain the park and whether an additional traffic light would
be required.
Mr. Clancy said that the Public
Works department would be responsible for park maintenance, with possible help
from the school district, and that a traffic study would be done to determine
if a light would be needed. He said that a traffic light might not be necessary
because one is planned for North Drive, and it could be timed with the lights
at Durham Road and Wrights Road.
Mr. Paul Zotter of Devonshire
development asked how old the comprehensive plan is, and if a new plan would be
drawn.
Mr. Grosso said that the plan was
made in 1999 and a new plan would be drawn. Some of the community needs have changed since the original plan, with
some sports gaining and others losing popularity.
Mr. McCraine expressed concern
about the plans to host tournaments. He said that this would cause traffic
problems because the park will only have one entrance. He said that he thought
that the sub-committee should limit its scope to the needs of the Township residents only.
Mr. Bires said that Newtown has
already hosted a number of sports tournaments, including girls softball and heroes scholarship. The
events are planned, managed events scheduled throughout the parks system, using
additional parking at the Community College, nearby public schools and other
facilities. These events take place over one weekend and are fun for the participants,
bring in business to the Township, and have created no traffic problems.
Mr. Grosso said that the fields
are needed to accommodate the Township residents. The existing fields are
over-used. The addition of lights adds flexibility to the field use, because
games can be scheduled in the early evening in the Spring and Fall.
Consideration would be given to neighboring homes, lights would not be placed
on fields closest to the homes and games would not be scheduled late in the
evening.
Mr. Grosso said that he was not
sure of the procedure to pursue this project.
Mr. Jirele said that money would
have to be budgeted for a few years to complete the project. He said that the
Board of Supervisors would want to understand the vision of the sub-committee.
He suggested that the sub-committee present its ideas to the Board of
Supervisors at a work session. He said that the comprehensive plan had
estimated the cost at 1.4 million dollars. He said that money would need to be
budgeted for a master plan and then funding would be needed for the next few
years to implement the plan. He reminded the residents in attendance that the
Woll Tract is deed restricted to Park and Recreation use for active recreation
only.
Mr. Grosso moved to recommend
to the Board of Supervisors that the Park and Recreation Board pursue plans for
a first class active recreation facility on the Woll Tract. Mr. Bires seconded
and the motion passed 8-0.
Shade Tree Commission
Mrs. Sutton reported that she had
researched a "tree plan" to deal with planting near power lines, but
she said she had found that the plan had never been approved by the Board of
Supervisors.
Mr. Weaver said that he would
look into the authorization needed.
Mrs. Sutton reported that Arbor
Day had been very successful and that everyone had a wonderful time.
Roberts Ridge Park
Sub-Committee
Mr. Levine reported that he had
met with Township Planner Goldstein about future plans for Roberts Ridge. He
said that they discussed a limited expansion of the playground, and about accelerating
the tree planting program. They also discussed planning a landscaped flower and
herb garden. He said that leaving the park as a largely passive park, with a
picnic area and expanded playground to accommodate about 100 children would
require 60 parking spaces. He said that they discussed the gazebo/bandshell
idea, but felt that this would require running electricity to the park and
would require more parking. He said that he thought that the plan for the park
should be updated.
Mrs. Zambrisczki moved to
recommend to the Board of Supervisors that
the Roberts Ridge Park plan be updated. Mr. Grosso seconded and the
motion passed 8-0.
Silver Lake Park Sub-Committee
Mrs. Kelly said that the Board of
Supervisors had suggested that this discussion be tabled.
Mr. Jirele said that some of the
items that the sub-committee had submitted to YSM for their Master Plan were
more elaborate than what the Board of Supervisors had envisioned. He said that
they had decided not to go forward with the master plan because they wanted a
passive park with a trail. He suggested that the sub-committee should
re-evaluate their plans and scale back on such ideas as a "corporate
picnic pavillion" and a bandshell.
Park and Recreation Director's
Report
Mr. Wert reported that revenue is
down 3% for Park and Recreation Department Programming but that participation
is up 12%. He said that more people are participating in the inexpensive short
term programs. The Day Camp registration is below last year's. He said that
flyers were being sent home with school children, and the camps would be
re-advertised in the Summer Brochure, to be mailed in mid-May. He said that he
thinks that registration may be down because the camps do not supply before and
after programs for working parents. He said that registration was good for the
one week specialty camps.
Mr. Wert said that he had been
asked to testify in Harrisburg against House Bill 298 and Senate Bill 321,
which prohibit Government competition with private enterprise. He said that if
passed, Park and Recreation Departments would not be allowed to offer programs
that are offered for profit in the private sector. For example, he said that he
could not offer dance classes or exercise programs. He said that about 74% of
the programs offered by Parks Departments in the State are also offered by
private enterprise.
Mr. Weaver said that he thought
that this bill extended beyond park programs to road work and other areas.
Mr. Levine moved to adjourn at
10:30PM. Mr. Grosso seconded and the motion passed 8-0.
Respectfully Submitted
_________________________
Mary Donaldson