Public commenter Cindy Hiles says 308 Pen Green open space remains closed and urges transparency

Cindy Hiles, who identified herself during the public‑comment period as a former New Garden Township resident, told the Board of Supervisors she and her family offered the township a path to preserve their property at 308 Pen Green Road and were told they would be involved in future plans. "The open space remains inaccessible to the community," Hiles said, adding that a locked chain and "no trespassing" signs block the driveway and that she has not been contacted by township staff despite a prior request for an update.

Hiles said the township acquired the eight‑acre property on Dec. 16, 2021, to be preserved in perpetuity and to be accessible to residents. She described efforts last spring to raise the matter with the Open Space Review Board and said a group of volunteers had planned to present a proposal for an Arts Heritage Nature Center but were removed from the agenda. "I was told I would be involved in the future plans for the property," Hiles said. "To date I have not received a text, a phone call, or an email from anyone affiliated with New Garden Township."

Hiles also told the board she had found publicly posted Parks & Recreation minutes that included discussion of her property and questioned why those minutes — and related May and June agendas — had not been uploaded to the township website for public viewing. She cited the Pennsylvania Sunshine Law and said the law "requires prompt public access to meeting minutes." Hiles urged the board to allow public investigation and to let volunteer proposals proceed so the township can move forward with a community amenity.

Board members did not take immediate formal action in response to Hiles' remarks; after public comment the board moved on to the published agenda. Staff later discussed a broader grants strategy for the medley/master‑plan/Open Space work and told the board that the township is pursuing state grants and would use the open‑space fund for local matches. The manager also flagged an upcoming special meeting on Sept. 4 for the West Chester University air‑quality study, a separate item the township said would be publicly advertised.

Hiles' claim that she was excluded from planning and that minutes were missing remained unresolved in the meeting record; no board member provided a direct, on‑the‑record response to each of her allegations during the Aug. 19 session. The record shows the board later approved grant certification resolutions and discussed using the open‑space fund for matches, but no formal motion to re‑open public access at 308 Pen Green or to schedule a follow‑up report to Hiles was recorded at the meeting.