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Trustees approve RFQ for Beckett Park West after residents warn pickleball courts will cause noise and runoff concerns
Summary
West Chester trustees voted to advertise architectural/engineering qualifications for a Beckett Park West expansion despite residents’ concerns about proximity of proposed pickleball courts to condominiums, sound mitigation, stormwater runoff and alternatives such as sites near Mulhauser Barn.
The West Chester Township Board of Trustees voted on July 22 to advertise requests for qualifications and proposals for architectural and engineering services for the Beckett Park West expansion, beginning a planning process that residents and some trustees said should more carefully consider noise, runoff and alternative locations.
Miss Brown presented the staff recommendation to issue the RFQ as the first step in selecting consultants to develop site plans and that the township will hold public meetings and a resident survey to shape designs. Trustees emphasized the RFQ starts planning, not construction, but residents said early decisions are shaping expectations.
Several nearby residents, including Tina Trimock (Beckett Lakes Homeowners Association board member), asked for stronger sound mitigation and engineering focused on runoff. "If you plant a tree on the other side, it's not going to help our sound barrier," Trimock said, urging consideration of earthen berms or other effective buffers. She also asked staff to consider shifting the courts across Beckett Road or to other park parcels.
Trustees and staff discussed park‑system benchmarking that flagged playgrounds and rectangular fields as the township’s largest deficiencies; staff noted the consultant’s inventory counted only township‑owned playgrounds (excluding HOAs and some school playgrounds), a standard adopted for cross‑jurisdictional comparison. The chair warned the board that the proposed expansion could be roughly a $3,000,000 project and urged care before committing funds.
Alternatives proposed by trustees and residents included locating courts near Mulhauser Barn, using land south of the park under transmission lines (noting restroom/utility costs), or exploring other township‑owned parcels that could reduce residential impact. Staff said emergency repairs and a comprehensive Keener Park review are planned separately and that the RFQ is intended to develop options with engineering detail.
Vote and next steps: After discussion, trustees approved advertising the RFQ; the roll call recorded one dissenting vote (trustee Welch voted no). Staff said the RFQ will be followed by public meetings and design work that will address sound barriers, stormwater engineering and siting alternatives before any final construction recommendation.
The RFQ approval starts consultant selection; trustees and neighbors will have additional opportunities to comment during the design and engineering phases.
