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Residents urge preservation of Hilltop Needmore Park as board moves forward with funding
Summary
Dozens of residents told the Fuquay-Varina board they value the Blue Trail and urged the town to pause plans for ball fields at Hilltop Needmore Park, citing missing environmental and traffic studies and concerns about clearing mature forest.
Dozens of residents urged the Fuquay-Varina Town Board on Monday to halt plans to build ball fields at Hilltop Needmore Park, saying the proposal would permanently alter a unique wooded sanctuary.
"The Blue Trail is worth protecting," said Andrew Rublee, who told the board the park’s mature forests and quiet walking trails are an irreplaceable community asset. Nancy Unwin echoed that sentiment: "We love this beautiful green space. We're not going away, and we will keep fighting to protect it." Several speakers characterized the site as a sanctuary for wildlife and daily walkers.
Public speakers pointed to what they said were gaps in planning and oversight. Terry Hurdum said town officials had acknowledged that "critical environmental well impact, traffic and storm water studies haven't even been completed," and asked the board to pause further clearing until studies are publicly released. Steve Gustafaro and others accused the town of sidelining public input when bond language and budget lines later enabled construction funding.
Several commenters referenced the town's 2023 bond and cited a published article describing a $10 million line for fields, questioning whether the public had a meaningful vote on the specific site. "You added the ball fields to the budget and told them you didn't read the fine print," one speaker said during public comment.
Mayor William H. Harris and board members did not announce a reversal of the funding decision during the meeting. The board took no immediate action specific to the Hilltop site during the session; public comment concluded and the meeting proceeded to consent agenda items and contract votes.
The public record for the meeting includes written and spoken concerns about environmental impacts, traffic, night lighting near homes, and the potential loss of mature trees. Residents urged the board to consider alternative locations, partnerships with schools, or already-cleared parcels before removing forested parkland.
