Public expresses its views on Patsy Hillman Park site plan
LUZERNE TWP. – The public would like to see a golf course and additional playing fields built at Patsy Hillman Park, but it doesn’t want to see the road through the park closed in any way. That’s what landscape architects Ron Schipani and Tom Swisher learned at a public input session recently where they presented three different alternatives for a master site plan.
“The master site plan is just a guide of what can occur at the park. What is the preferred plan out of these three is not necessarily one over the other. It could be a combination of the three,” Schipani said.
Combining plans is exactly what the members of the public attending the input session recommended. They liked the golf course that would occupy the former Boy Scout area and other currently undeveloped portions of the park, but didn’t like having an amphitheater overlooking a new football field on the far side of Flagstaff Hill that is part of Plan B. Instead the preference was for an amphitheater overlooking the lake (as shown in Plan C), so that’s what Pennoni will put in the plan that will be presented to the park board Wednesday, Schipani said.
“You can generate a lot of income with golf,” said resident Richard Filchock.
Swisher noted that the golf course is the only revenue-generating item included in the plans.
Common to all three plans are walking trails and areas for biking. Swisher said Plan A is the simplest of the plans, with paved walking and biking trails created by cutting off portions of the park from vehicular traffic. That plan was quickly shot down.
While it may be a good idea to limit access to the park, driving through the park is the only way some people can enjoy the park,” said Barb Carroll, who is on the Brownsville Izaak Walton League board of directors.
The Izaak Walton League is headquartered at the park, and has agreed to partner with the Brownsville Area School District for an environmental education center at the park. The education center also is included in all three sets of plans.
Plan B keeps the current road system in the park, though some changes could be made by closing the Frick Street entrance to vehicles and rerouting them to an entrance on Sixth Avenue in Hiller. It also includes an 18-hole golf course that initially could be constructed as a nine-hole golf course, with two sets of tee boxes.
Swisher said a feasibility study would need to be done before a golf course is built using money from the state Department of Conservation of Natural Resources. He said a zoning variance also might be needed, though Fayette County’s zoning ordinance is unclear on that point. Recreational facilities are permitted in conservation districts, which is how the park is classified, but driving ranges are now allowed without a variance, Swisher said.
Plan B also includes a full-size soccer field, Swisher said, as well as additional playgrounds near the soccer and baseball fields and more picnic tables and pavilions.
“Plan B requires some grading and tree cutting for the soccer fields,” Swisher said.
“I really like Plan B with all the sports facilities,” said Bob Mehalik, who serves on the park board.
Mehalik suggested modifications, including keeping Skyline Drive open through the golf course so walkers and bicyclists could use it.
None of the plans includes trails for all-terrain vehicles, which also would require a variance under the zoning. Swisher said the park board and the master site plan committee recommended eliminating ATV trails as a potential future use of the park.
“There are two things with ATVs, dust and noise,” Schipani said.
“The prevailing winds from the west would take it right across the park.”
There also have been numerous incidents of vandalism at the park caused by people on ATVs, including tearing up the grass near the Hillman Pavilion earlier this year.
“It’s all about catching and prosecuting them,” Schipani said.
“If you have more people out there utilizing the golf course, the fewer ATVs you’ll have trying to use the park,” Swisher said.
Schipani noted that vandalism also is reduced with additional lighting, which is planned for the park. Swisher said studies have shown that vandalism decreases with additional landscaping and beautification around pavilions and other park features.
The park board will review the master site plan at its meeting Wednesday.
All three site plan alternatives may be viewed at www.heraldstandard.com.