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Westchester to hold public hearing on 290‑page 'Parks for All' parks and open‑space master plan
Summary
Parks Director presented a consultant‑prepared Parks for All master plan updating the borough’s parks and open space strategy; plan, partially funded by a county planning grant, was posted for a public hearing on Feb. 18 and proposes maintenance priorities, acquisition strategies, connectivity projects and updates to the recreation fee‑in‑lieu ordinance.
Keith Krause, director of Parks and Recreation, presented the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Plan — titled "Parks for All" — and asked council to schedule a public hearing for Feb. 18, 2026, to consider adopting the plan as an addendum to the borough comprehensive plan.
Krause said the plan is the borough’s first major parks update since 1992, spans roughly 290 pages and was prepared with consultants Johnson Mirman Moran & Thompson and Tool Recreation Planning. The plan’s priorities include improving maintenance regimes, updating the recreation fee‑in‑lieu ordinance to capture funds from new development, pursuing acquisition of targeted parcels (including creative rooftop/open‑space solutions), and advancing connectivity projects such as potential trail links with neighboring jurisdictions.
Krause said the project cost $80,000 and the borough received a county planning commission grant covering nearly half the cost; staff will present prioritized short‑, medium‑ and long‑term projects before budget season for council consideration. He also said the plan was publicly vetted via steering‑committee meetings, public outreach at events and an online survey (several hundred responses).
Council placed the parks plan public hearing on tomorrow’s agenda so the public can testify and council can consider adoption by resolution.
What happens next: public hearing Feb. 18; adoption would enable the borough to access grant funding and to update the in‑lieu fee ordinance for new development.
