New park would be built in five phases, supervisors OK concept
By Kelly O’Hara, Staff Writer, The Times
Erin Gross, landscape designer, presenting plans for Barkingfield Farm Community Park during Wednesday night’s Kennett Township Board of Supervisors meeting.
KENNETT — The plans for Barkingfield Farm Community Park, the first community park in Kennett Township, were front and center during the Kennett Township Board of Supervisors Meeting on Wednesday night.
Erin Gross, township planner and landscape designer with Thomas Comitta Associates, presented the proposed layout and details of planned features to the board. The park will be located off of Bayard Road between Hillendale and Rosedale Roads and is planned to have several phases of completion.
Phase 1 will include the opening of the entrance with gravel parking lot, shade, buffer and orchard trees, and mowed walking trails. Phase 2 will include the addition of a small and large dog park, crushed stone trails and water and electric. Phase 3 will add a butterfly garden, sunflower and wildflower fields, nature study area, managed meadow area, benches and additional crushed stone trails. Phase 4 will add a tot lot with a mushroom or nature theme, a picnic pavilion, comfort station and central gathering space. In Phase 5, the township is considering adding community gardens if there is an interest from the residents.
The process hit a small snag when the Land Conservancy raised the issue that the development area is in a different place than it was on the original plans. The current plans violate the terms of the conservation easement. The designers agreed to get back together with The Land Conservancy and adjust the plans in order to adhere to the easement.
Supervisors expressed excitement about the project and unanimously approved the park plans in concept with the stipulation that the group would come back with the issues worked out.
Chairman Scudder Stevens said that the park “is a great idea and provides a lot to the township.”
The hope is to have a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony at the end of September after the completion of Phase 1.
In other township business, Lisa Moore, Township Manager provided an update on two joint projects. The first, the results of the Economic Development Study done with Kennett Square Borough, will be presented on September 8th at the American Legion. The second, a result of the efforts of the township, borough, Historic Kennett Square and The Creamery, is the Holiday Village that is planned for the first weekend of December. The Holiday Village will be a holiday “festival” held at the Creamery and is a family friendly event with local vendors.
Under new business, the results of a Roadway Sufficiency Analysis were presented and recommendations for traffic impact fees for developers were made for four intersections in the township. The Board of Supervisors also voted to remove Officer Wenrich from her probation period, approved Bob Whipps as a Zoning Board Hearing Alternate and appointed Aecom as the new sewer engineer for the township. The supervisors also voted to re-enact the township’s gun discharge ordinance that governs the use of firearms.
Finally, the supervisors decided not consider the Sterling Act Amendment, which would require the city of Philadelphia to give 1% of the earned income tax collected from township residents who work in the city, back to the township. The supervisors wanted to get more information about the local residents that would be affected before making a decision.
