Residents share land-use wants

Locals voice need for balance in facilities

By: Lacey Korevec
   A number of residents this week called for a better balance of passive and active recreational facilities and more focus on senior services and activities to be part of the recreation portion of the township’s Master Plan.
   Community members presented their ideas and concerns about open space and passive recreation to the Planning Board during a meeting Wednesday night that was part of an initiative started early in the summer to update the recreation portion of the Master Plan. The first meeting, held July 17, dealt with active recreation and open space.
   Those who attended Wednesday were divided into five groups and given a list of topics to discuss. After about an hour and a half, each group presented its findings.
   Participants were given handouts to guide group discussions. The handouts asked groups to list the three best and worst things about passive recreational facilities and open space in the township, as well as to rank passive recreational improvement needs, such as walking or jogging trails at existing parks, a bike path system through existing streets and accommodating people with special needs.
   Resident Jane Helstrom said the No. 1 factor for her group was preserving open space and continuing land acquisition.
   "The group feeling was, if you don’t preserve it, once it’s developed, that’s it," she said.
   She also said most of the group members felt strongly about adding more bike paths and connecting trails to different parks.
   Township Planner Richard Preiss said the board will review the comments made at the meeting. In the meantime, he said, he can tell that many residents agreed that there should be a stronger emphasis on passive recreation for adults and seniors, compared to ball fields and new facilities.
   "There’s a sense that these needs haven’t been as strongly advocated in the past," he said. "We have to take a little time and digest the results."
   The board will meet on its own to discuss the results and write a draft of the new recreation portion of the Master Plan, which Mr. Preiss said he hopes will be completed by January.
   Resident Connie Bauder said she and her group thought the evening was a success.
   "I think this is the best format we have ever had for brainstorming about community needs," she said. "I would really like to see them use this method in the future for other issues."
   Mr. Preiss, who ran the meeting, said afterward that he was very pleased with the attendance and the suggestions made by residents.
   "We got a great range in diversity of opinions," he said. "Everybody had an opportunity to give some input. They’ve given the committee very good direction."