Hamlet homeowners ask Midway open-space panel to preserve 13-acre easement

Janice Kennedy and Bernadette Nelson, representing the Hamlet homeowners association, asked the Midway Open Space Advisory Committee on April 1 to preserve about 13 acres of open space east of the Hamlets and west of Midway Lane. They said the parcel was formerly a waste dump, has drawn squatters and fire-pit use in the past, and contains a large number of invasive plants that will need removal if the land is maintained for public use.

The Hamlet representatives said the HOA favors public access and habitat preservation but that Midway City Council will decide issues including whether water will be provided and what uses will be permitted. Kennedy and Nelson described the land as steep in places toward the ponds and said earlier nuisance issues are part of the impetus for preserving the site’s wildlife and views.

Paul Berg of Berg Engineering told the committee the city has planning tools that could help secure open space, including clustering development and raising open-space percentage requirements in Planned Unit Developments (PUDs). He said increased PUD open-space minimums can create inexpensive, lower-maintenance public open-space options that do not require manicured grounds or agricultural grazing.

The committee did not vote on a specific proposal during the April 1 meeting. Members recorded the Hamlet HOA’s request and will continue discussing how the city’s planning tools and the council’s pending decisions could be used to respond to the HOA’s preference for preservation.