Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parks And Open Space topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Residents urge pause on Hilltop Needmore plans and question recent tree clearing; officials cite ownership limits
Summary
Multiple residents told the Fuquay Varina board they want Hilltop Needmore Park preserved and not graded for ball fields; staff said recent tree clearing behind a commercial parcel was done by a private owner and that development rules apply only if a proposal is submitted.
Dozens of residents used the June 16 public comment period to urge the Fuquay Varina Town Board to pause plans to grade the Blue Trail at Hilltop Needmore Park for athletic fields and to seek alternatives that preserve mature trees and natural trails.
Nancy Unwin told the board the Blue Trail is a personal sanctuary and raised concerns about a planned $10 million grading and tree removal program. “There is absolutely nothing flat about this terrain...there is nothing beautiful about destroying mature forest and grading hills into flat turf,” she said, asking the board to pause execution and explore alternative sites.
Sheree Ward and other speakers said residents feel ignored after the budget vote that included park improvements, arguing the proposal would remove tall, mature trees, require bulldozing rolling hills, and introduce field lighting and parking that will change neighbors’ quality of life. “People are frustrated, and people are angry. They feel that they're not being heard,” Ward said.
Mayor William H. Harris and several commissioners acknowledged residents’ concerns and discussed the park’s intended role: commissioners described Hilltop Needmore as a future destination park with both trails and some active recreation. Commissioner Charlie Adcock emphasized a multi‑decade plan that includes greenway connections and on‑site staffing at a large community center adjacent to the park.
In a separate exchange about tree clearing behind the Harris Teeter property, staff clarified legal limits. Assistant town manager Adam Mitchell told the board a private property owner cleared timber on a parcel and that, under town rules, owners may timber if no development application is on file; if a development plan is later submitted, retention and buffer rules would apply and a limited waiting period—staff said up to two years—may constrain the owner’s ability to immediately submit a proposal to develop the site.
The board did not take formal action on Hilltop Needmore during the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to monitor potential impacts and to pursue additional outreach and design review that balances trail preservation with planned active recreation areas. Several commissioners said they expected further conversation as park design and funding advance.
