Council refers Twinbrook long-range planning task to Parks & Recreation Committee

The Cumberland Town Council voted Jan. 13 to refer the task of creating a long-range plan for the Twinbrook Recreation Area to the Parks & Recreation Committee.

Town Manager Matt (presenter) and several councilors described Twinbrook as a multiuse property that contains conservation acreage, a trail network managed by the Lands and Conservation Commission (LCC), athletic fields used by the school and organized sports, informal recreation routes and parking. The manager recommended a “mini master plan” for Twinbrook that would inventory existing conditions, engage stakeholders (abutters, LCC, recreation users, school and conservation volunteers), identify priorities for amenities and natural-resource protection, and produce an implementation plan with a suggested timeline and funding ideas. The manager said available engineering work (cited from prior Sibi/Mehar studies) could be used by a consultant and that a consultant engagement could take roughly six to ten months.

Multiple residents and conservation volunteers spoke in support of a coordinated plan. Public commenters urged strong attention to invasive-species control, trail management, and dog-control measures — specifically citing off-leash dog incidents and safety concerns for pedestrians and children. Several speakers urged that the LCC have a central role in natural-resource and forestry decisions while Parks & Recreation lead the broader planning and stakeholder process.

Council discussion covered prior Twinbrook advisory efforts, the need to balance competing uses (playground, parking, event capacity, and bobolink nesting areas), accessibility/ADA requirements for any playground, and whether a subcommittee or consultant should facilitate broad public engagement. The council voted unanimously to refer the long-range planning task to the Parks & Recreation Committee. The manager and councilors said any plan would come back to the full council for final approval and that stakeholder engagement would be required during plan development.

Why this matters: Twinbrook is a heavily used community resource whose multiple, sometimes competing uses — conservation, organized sports, playgrounds and informal recreation — create recurring management challenges. The referral is intended to produce a coordinated plan to guide decisions about amenities, resource protection and future investments.