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Was there ever a Planning Board review, courtesy or formal, of the privately funded, $850K artificial turf installation and re-landscaping project now underway at Maple Park? And if not, why not?
Village Council members recently requested that the Planning Board provide comment on requests from private donors to construct a bandstand within Van Neste Memorial Park. The fly would be very concerned if it was revealed that the Council did not request a comparable review of the similarly funded complete makeover Maple Park, including the installation of a scoreboard, flagpole, brick pavers, a walking path, team benches, security bollards, boulders with donor plaques affixed, and bleachers.
>Why would you be “very concerned?” Looking for another conspiracy? I would think the two projects are very different and the Van Neste idea would be more “out there” with potential pros and cons and would therefore merit more study or comment or whatever. The Maple project was simply upgrading a sports field to a….sports field. Why would the planning board be needed? Adding a bandstand at Van Neste would significantly alter that space and potentially all of downtown.
>What in god’s name is a bollard…?
>bollard
n : a strong post (as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines); “the road was closed to vehicular traffic with bollards”
>bollards are the posts (usually metal about 3′ high) that prevent vehicles from accessing a pedestrian path.
>I thought you were onto something here. But, I don’t think we can get’em on this one. Here is what I found out…
1) Article III Boards and Commissions: Section D. Powers and duties of the Planning Board of the Village Code seems to apply to subdivision, conditional uses, development and structural construction. It does not seem to apply to the installation of turf (natural or synthetic) or landscaping, both of which I was told are routinely performed by the village continually without requiring review from the Planning Board.
2) The “use” of Maple Park was not altered by the landscaping, which did not include the construction of any new “buildings/structures” on the site. Almost all the items you listed are replacing similar pre-existing items at the park. The exceptions are the flagpole, some ornamental rocks with bronze plaques (similar to those in other public areas around town) and safety bollards, which, as proposed, don’t seem to require Planning Board review.
3) The source of the funds (public or private) doesn’t seem to have any bearing on Planning Board review. Apparently, the difference between the landscaping at Maple Park and the proposed bandstand at Van Neste Memorial Park is that the bandstand concept involves the construction of a new and permanent structure (to be occupied by people) that will permanently alter the nature of the “public use” of Van Neste Memorial Park.
>You can’t fault a guy for trying!
>It’s pathetic that you’re so proud to show that all you’re doing is looking for some way to “get ’em.” Glad to see you have our Village’s best interests in mind. Disgusting. Why don’t you get a new hobby and stop playing games with my family’s quality of life?