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Residents urge township to keep proposed trail out of Regency of Providence neighborhood
Summary
Residents from Regency of Providence told the Upper Providence Park & Recreation Board they strongly oppose a trail route that, on some draft maps, would pass through their gated senior community; park staff said no final decisions have been made and urged attendance at a July public meeting to refine the grant-funded trail master plan.
Chair opened public comment and residents pressed the board about a draft trail route that some maps show crossing the Regency of Providence development.
"We're here because we are very concerned with a trail cutting right through our neighborhood," a resident said, describing a proposed alignment up Egypt Road and one on Black Rock and saying many neighbors oppose the route.
Park director (speaker 2) told the meeting that the township has not adopted a final trail plan and that the effort is currently a grant-funded planning project. "Nothing has been decided yet," the director said, adding that staff hope to finish the plan by the end of the year but that construction is not shovel-ready and will depend on funding and property considerations.
When asked whether trails could be placed on private property, the director replied, "We wouldn't be able to build them on private property," and said any land-acquisition or eminent-domain matters would be decided at the township level, not by parks staff alone.
Staff urged residents to submit comments on the township's WikiMap, attend the July trail-master-plan public meeting and email staff with specific concerns; the director said designers contracted under the grant will attend the July session and that planner Jeff Grace is reviewing township properties that could be connected if the community supports them.
A participant noted that the November 2024 comprehensive-plan map shows a "Regency Connector Trail" on page 99, and other residents asked that all relevant maps be posted ahead of the July meeting so attendees can compare earlier plans with current proposals. Park staff agreed to post available materials on the township website and to follow up with the planner before the next meeting.
Next steps: park staff will continue outreach, post maps and meeting details on the township website, and the trail-master-plan public meeting in July will be the primary opportunity for residents to present route alternatives and safety concerns.
