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Residents and market organizers call for better event coordination after July concert and baseball tournament caused near-gridlock
Summary
Attendees and multiple residents described heavy congestion during the July 10 Farmers Market/Summer Concert night; speakers urged better scheduling coordination, added police traffic control and clearer field-use planning to prevent repeat incidents.
Speakers at the Aug. 4 Green Tree Borough Council meeting said a July 10 Farmers Market and a concurrent weekend baseball tournament created extensive parking and traffic problems near the park gazebo and ball fields.
Resident Al Divar Kawati told the council he estimated about 300 people attended the concert sponsored by the Rotary Club and said parking lots around the fields were fully occupied. He described a narrow roadway near the gazebo that became effectively one-way because cars parked on both sides, and he said he observed a truck driving along a steep hillside that he feared could tip over. "There could have been, you know, people injured or or killed," Kawati said.
Why it matters: Council members and market organizers said overlapping high-attendance events strain available parking and can create safety risks when no police-directed traffic control or designated alternate parking is in place. Several speakers said the farmers market committee and the Green Tree Athletic Association (GAA) need better scheduling coordination.
What was asked: Kawati recommended the borough ensure police coverage and to avoid scheduling a popular band and a large tournament simultaneously. A representative from the Farmers Market said they had asked for help and that the acting chief responded quickly but police resources were limited because officers were assigned elsewhere.
Council response and next steps: Council members acknowledged the problem and said they will revisit field-scheduling practices with the GAA and coordinate with recreation and public facilities staff. One councilor said the borough has in the past stationed police officers or volunteers at traffic pinch points during events and that such coverage should be considered again.
Ending: Organizers and councilors asked staff to develop a plan for better event coordination and police traffic presence for high-attendance events to reduce safety risks and possible ticketing tensions that could deter performers or visitors.
