SCBWA Memo to Centre Region Parks & Recreation Authority

Sent by Brian Heiser, Executive Director of State College Borough Water Authority, to Kathleen Matason, Chair of Centre Region Parks & Recreation Authority Board, and Pam Salokangas, Centre Region Parks & Recreation Director, regarding Whitehall Road Regional Park design.

Transcribed from PDF – 10.22.18 SCBWA Board Comments on WRRP

State College Borough Water Authority Board Comments on Whitehall Road Regional Park

Dear Ms. Matason,

At the regular meeting of the State College Borough Water Board of Directors (SCBWA) on Thursday, October 18, 2018, the Board decided to submit comments drafted by the Source Water Protection Committee as comments supported by the entire Board of Directors.

SCBWA would like these comments to be considered as areas of concern that supersede any previous comments made by this board.

SCBWA is not taking a position of approval or disapproval for this project bout would like our concerns considered as you proceed with the design and approval process for the Whitehall Road Regional Park (WRRP).

We have arranged and differentiated these comments as concerns of high priority with respect to protecting our source water, and additional concerns that should be considered in completing your design.

High Priority Concerns

• Final site design should minimize the amount of grading and rock excavation.
• The entire eastern third of Phase 1 should remain in an undisturbed state.
• The length of the access road should be minimized.
• The location of the sewage pump station should be selected to minimize the length of the sewer force main.
• No artificial turf should be used. All fields should be constructed with natural turf.

Additional Concerns:

• Rock excavation should be performed using pneumatic hammers or other similar measures.
• Any drilling or blasting required for site construction should be coordinated with Ferguson Township and the SCBWA. Monitoring protocols established by the SCBWA should be followed for all blasting.
• CRPR’s turf management plan should be submitted to SCBWA for review and approval.
• CRPR’s plans for soils and seed mixtures used in detention basins, swales, and channels should be submitted to SCBWA for review and approval.
• No dog park should be included in the design

We respectfully request that you consider these comments as the Centre Region Parks & Recreation Authority proceeds with the development of the first phase of the park.

Thank you for considering the comments in this letter.

We respectfully request that this letter be distributed to the members of the COG General Forum.

Should you require any additional information please do not hesitate to contact Brian Heiser, Executive Director of the SCBWA, or Gary Petersen, Chair of the Source Water Protection Committee.

Respectfully,

Board Members: Jeff Kern, Chairman; Rachel Brennan; Emory Enscore; Gary Petersen; Jason Grottini; Bill Burgos; Bernard Hoffnar

/s/ Brian Heiser

cc: Jim Steff, [COG Executive Director]; David Pribulka [Ferguson Township Manager]