Residents urge Fuquay Varina to preserve Hilltop Needmore Park as board weighs ball‑fields

Dozens of residents urged the Fuquay Varina town board on May 4 to abandon plans to build ball fields, parking and an armed‑services memorial at Hilltop Needmore Town Park, saying the proposal runs counter to prior promises and community votes.

Kelly O'Brien, a resident of Brushy Meadows Drive, told the board that a previous bond that included similar development was voted down and asked the town to "respect the outcome of the bond vote and preserve this space or provide a new transparent opportunity for the community to weigh in." Several other speakers invoked the failed $60,000,000 parks bond as evidence that residents prefer trails and natural open space to active sports facilities.

Speakers raised safety and access concerns around locating youth ball fields next to busy roads, increased traffic and lighting, and effects on neighbors. William Newman and others described continuing parking and congestion problems near schools and urged caution when proposing on‑street solutions.

Conservation and wildlife impacts were a recurrent theme. Kimberly Diaz, who said she is Wake County’s federally licensed bird rehabilitator, stressed that baby‑bird season is underway and cited federal protections in the Migratory Bird Act of 1918; several speakers specifically warned that the Yellow Trail Pond and Blue Trail are used by bald eagles and other wildlife and that removing mature trees now could displace nesting birds and other species.

Several speakers said the Blue Trail is one of the few accessible and shaded routes for seniors and people with disabilities, and asked that any alternative be equal in safety and accessibility. Lisa Perez noted that a neighbor who survived a drunk‑driver crash relies on the Blue Trail as the only path she can safely walk.

Speakers who said they represent the Hilltop Needmore Town Park and Preserve advocacy group argued the town’s prior surveys ranked walking trails highest and ball fields lowest, and said recent town actions (a request for bids for ball‑field construction posted the prior week) felt like a reversal of staff direction to seek alternate sites.

Mayor William H. Harris and multiple commissioners responded that the town must balance competing needs, including youth recreation, fiscal constraints and available infrastructure. Town Manager Adam Mitchell and several board members said staff had looked for alternative land but that acquiring and bringing infrastructure to new sites would add significant cost (one commissioner cited roughly $10–15 million in additional taxpayer cost for new land and infrastructure). The mayor said the board welcomed public input and would continue conversations to find a path forward.

The board did not take action on the Hilltop proposals at the meeting; public comment was received as information and the board signaled further discussion and outreach. Mayor Harris asked the public for patience while the town evaluates options.

Ending: The debate over Hilltop Needmore remained unresolved after the meeting; the board said it would continue to review alternatives and hear public input before taking any binding action.