Warren planners adopt Active Mobility Plan after debate over Bates Park concept

The City of Warren Planning Commission on Oct. 20 approved the city’s Active Mobility Plan — a subplan to the 2021 master plan — after public comment and a heated discussion about an illustration showing proposed improvements at Bates Park.

The 6-0 vote sends the draft plan, prepared with assistance from Greenway Collaboration Inc., to city council for consideration. Planning staff described the document as a citywide, conceptual guide meant to identify barriers and opportunities for walking, biking and rolling, and to recommend long-term improvements that could be implemented when funding and property access are available.

The plan’s supporters and authors said the draft is high-level and intended to stimulate future projects. Planning consultant Mr. Cox told commissioners that the illustration at issue ‘‘was actually preceded by a plan that had been developed by the city and so we had incorporated that into the plan’’ and that many residents had asked for improved access to natural-surface trails and the Red Run corridor.

But three residents who live near the proposed Riverwalk in the Trimbleton subdivision urged the commission to remove the park illustration. Amanda Stan, 32317 Knapp Avenue, said residents ‘‘did not purchase their homes to wake up to a parking lot, hear added vehicle noise or to see strangers daily’’ and added, ‘‘This will bring an increase to crime, drugs and homelessness in our area while decreasing the safety of our loved ones.’’ Antoinette Frasci, 32357 Nap Avenue, raised flooding and odor concerns near the proposed path. Tina Sotero, 32229 Knapp, said the area has seen tents and break-ins and said, ‘‘We don't want cars in the parking lot all hours of the night.’’

Commissioners debated an amendment to remove the Bates Park illustration from the draft and to retain only the ‘‘river walk’’ concept in the document. Planning staff and other commissioners pushed back, saying the draft plan is conceptual and that leaving indications of potential green space helps residents and future implementers understand how vacant parcels might be used. Planning Director Ron Wirth told the commission the illustration came from prior city work and was included to reflect earlier ideas about Red Run-area connections.

After discussion, the commissioner who had proposed removing Bates Park withdrew that amendment and the commission voted to approve the plan "as is" with the understanding that the document is conceptual, may be revised, and that any specific park or corridor project would require later, site-level public engagement and approvals. The roll call on adoption recorded unanimous support from commissioners present.

Planning staff said the next step is transmission of the commission’s recommendation to city council; if the council adopts the subplan, individual projects identified in the plan will require separate design, permitting and, where necessary, easements or property agreements.

Residents and commissioners repeatedly noted that the plan does not authorize construction and that specific projects—parking lots, pathways or landscaping—would be subject to subsequent public review, engineering standards and, where applicable, floodplain or other environmental regulations.