Union County officials held a public hearing during a regular meeting tonight to present three grant applications the county plans to submit to the New Jersey Green Acres program: a Jake’s Law inclusive playground at Unami Park; upgrades to Wheeler Spray Park in Linden; and a stewardship project to restore the historic landscape of the deserted village at Feltville in Watchung Reservation.

The presentations were led by Commissioner Angel Granados as chair of the Union County Open Space Trust Fund and consultants from Colliers Engineering, including Kelsey Rittner, senior grant writer, and Chris Gamens, regional discipline leader for landscape architecture. Granados said the applications would “allow for significant improvements to park spaces across Union County, enhancing accessibility, recreation, and historic preservation.” The public hearing was held to meet Green Acres’ notice requirements and to solicit input before the applications are finalized and submitted by the Feb. 5 deadlines.

The Unami Park proposal seeks funding under Jake’s Law for a fully inclusive, Americans with Disabilities Act–compliant playground. The county’s application requests $1,000,000 — the maximum for county applicants under Jake’s Law — and proposes a 25% local match already accounted for in the county capital budget. Colliers’ presentation said construction costs are “just over $1 million,” with professional services eligible up to 13% and contingency and incidental allowances per Green Acres guidance; the consultants estimated a local match of about $333,000. The concept includes ADA-accessible walkways from parking and restrooms, restroom upgrades to be family accessible, and play elements designed for physical and sensory inclusion. The consultants reported 108 responses to an online survey as of the morning of the hearing, and said 94 survey respondents agreed it is important for the county park system to have a completely inclusive playground.

Bruce Patterson of Garwood spoke during public comment specifically about Unami Park and urged that the design “have a Unami or an American Indian motif” to reflect the Lenni‑Lenape heritage he associated with the site. Kelsey Rittner and Chris Gamens responded that the team has researched the park’s cultural background and expects to incorporate appropriate symbolic elements; Gamens said they were considering motifs such as a turtle as a respectful nod and that they would continue community engagement to inform design choices.

Wheeler Spray Park’s Green Acres Urban Parks application requests federal/state grant funding for surface replacement, fencing, shade structures, a concession stand and staff facilities. Colliers presented a construction estimate around $1.7 million and said the total project budget submitted to Green Acres is roughly $2,100,000; the program requires no local match. Key elements identified include replacing the cracking surfacing with a rubberized poured‑in‑place safety surface, replacing inconsistent fencing to improve security, adding shade for patrons waiting in line, and converting underutilized locker rooms for concessions and staff relief space. The consultants said Green Acres encourages projects that can be completed within a two‑year grant window and that the application was organized so the work could be phased if a full award was not made. Colliers reported 58 survey responses for Wheeler; the presenters said “70.8 percent” of respondents indicated they or family visit Wheeler Spray Park.

The third application is a Green Acres Stewardship request for historic landscape restoration at Feltville within the Watchung Reservation. Colliers proposed meadow restoration in the Clay Pits, removal of invasive species, sensitive removal of roughly 24 trees within the Wilcox Family Cemetery bridal area to restore historic sightlines, and planting disease‑resistant replacements and native pollinator species. The firm estimated construction at about $400,000 and a total project budget of $500,000, with Green Acres eligible funding of $250,000 and a required 50% county match of $250,000. Colliers said the stewardship work would improve public access, protect cultural resources and support heritage and ecotourism; the consultants reported 36 survey responses and said 97 percent of those respondents supported a historic landscape restoration project at the deserted village.

All three presentations included environmental assessments. Colliers said none of the projects are expected to cause significant long‑term adverse impacts; temporary construction impacts to surface water quality and dust would be mitigated by best management practices and erosion‑control measures. Anticipated permits include Soil Erosion and Sediment Control certification from the local Soil Conservation District and any required municipal permits.

County staff and consultants said they incorporated public survey input — including requests for benches, fencing, quieter play areas, accessible walkways and shade — into the concept designs. The hearing closed after additional public comments and questions about design approach and scheduling. No final grant awards were announced; the presenters said awards from Green Acres are expected to be announced in the spring (around Earth Day) if the applications are awarded.