Narberth council adopts Master Parks Plan after lengthy public discussion, 6-1 vote

The Narberth Borough Council voted 6-1 Thursday to adopt the Narberth Master Parks Plan and close out the Community Conservation Partnership grant that funded the planning process.

The plan is intended to guide long-term improvements across the borough’s parks — including Station Square, Elm Grove, Norberth Park and Sabine Park — by outlining phased projects, estimated costs and design principles. Supporters said the plan gives the borough a unified vision for future grant applications and investments, while critics urged caution about scale and cost.

Consultants presented the final plan during the meeting, calling out recommended changes from the draft: maintain one-way traffic on Haverford Avenue near Station Square with angled parking retained to reduce the loss of curbside spaces; preserve the Elm Grove concept focused on nature-based play and stream habitat interpretation; and keep flexibility for the Sabine Park court area so it can evolve as needs change. The presentation noted a public comment period that drew 64 respondents and multiple public meetings that informed revisions.

Supporters on council and staff framed the plan as a necessary vision that will help the borough prioritize projects and compete for grant funding. "As you do a smaller project, at least you have some sense of what the end goal was so you don't do something inconsistent," one council member said during the discussion. Consultants also provided a detailed cost spreadsheet intended to help staff phase projects and identify smaller, implementable items.

Opponents and some council members warned that the plan is aspirational and extensive — with multi-million-dollar estimated costs — and urged the borough to prioritize smaller, affordable steps the borough can fund through its capital improvement plan. One council member said the plan felt like a "kitchen remodel with no budget," and asked the borough to scale projects to fit Narberth's staffing and financial capacity.

Council members also debated potential impacts on downtown parking, particularly changes proposed for Station Square, with at least one member cautioning against any removal of curbside spaces until the effects of nearby development are known.

After more than an hour of council commentary and public acknowledgments to the consultant team and volunteers, the council adopted the resolution approving the plan and closing out the grant by a 6-1 tally. Council instructions at the meeting directed staff to use the plan to inform future capital priorities and grant applications, and to break the vision into smaller, fundable phases.

The plan will be forwarded to relevant committees and used in upcoming grant applications and capital planning work. Officials said the borough will seek additional public and committee input as projects move into design and engineering phases.