Portsmouth tables proposal for 18-hole disc golf course at The Glen until Sept. 9

The Portsmouth Town Council on Aug. 12 paused action on a proposal to install an 18-hole disc golf course at The Glen Park, voting 7-0 to table the item and ask the proponents to work with Parks & Recreation and public works on revised 9- and 18-hole layouts.

Roger Dube, a Portsmouth resident who said he is leading the project with partner Dan Mar, presented the proposal and said the course would be town property managed by Parks & Recreation and paid for through donations and sponsorships. "To build a disc golf course, we probably need to get about $10,000 together," Dube said. He and Mar described removable baskets, small tee posts and a course designed to avoid existing active areas such as the Manor House and popular fields.

Supporters, including David Fiorello, chair of the Parks & Recreation Committee, told the council the committee reviewed multiple drafts and voted unanimously 6-0 in May to back the concept after the designers moved pins to reduce conflicts. "We sat every time they came to us, questions arose ... they were more than accommodating to everyone's request," Fiorello said.

Opponents and nearby residents raised concerns about safety, property intrusion, wear on open-space areas and increased foot traffic. Thomas Penning, who identified his home as the Manor House property on Glen Road, said the proposed routing would place a fairway "just yards from my private property" and warned of discs landing in backyards, vehicles or on walking paths. Susan Bates, a longtime resident, said litter and people climbing stone walls were existing problems that increased park use could worsen.

The Portsmouth Conservation Commission informed the council it voted on May 15 not to support the current proposal, urging the council to "preserve these open and aesthetic areas of The Glen by denying the requested disc golf proposal" and citing concerns the course would "clutter the landscape" and affect hikers and other park users.

Several council members and residents suggested design changes to reduce risks near the Manor House, keep tees away from roads and parking, and avoid paths where stone walls and informal cut-throughs exist. Parks and Recreation Director Wendy (last name not provided) said she supports a pilot approach and recommended starting with nine holes and managing organized play and tournaments through the department's registration software. "We could shoot for the 9 holes," Wendy said, and suggested designated hours and permitting for large events.

After extended discussion and public comment spanning proponents, members of the Parks & Recreation Committee, conservation commissioners and residents who live adjacent to The Glen, Councilor Payeran moved to table the matter and direct proponents to rework the layout with Parks & Recreation, DPW and the Conservation Commission and return to the council on Sept. 9. The motion passed 7-0.

Council action on Aug. 12 did not approve construction or permanent installation; presenters emphasized baskets and tees are removable and relocatable. Proponents said the course would be placed primarily on underutilized turf and maintained by the town with financial support from a nonprofit the presenters intend to form; they said the town itself would own the course and parks staff would act as custodian for funds raised through leagues or tournaments.

The council asked proponents to produce two mapped options (a nine-hole pilot and an 18-hole layout), coordinate a site walk for councilors and to include the Conservation Commission in follow-up design discussions. The council set Sept. 9 as the return date for the revised plans.

Ending

The council did not adopt any ordinance or contract at the Aug. 12 meeting. The tabling vote leaves the project in a design-and-review phase: proponents may seek grants, sponsorships and further committee input while staff and councilors evaluate routing and mitigation measures before any formal approval to place permanent hardware in the park.