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Council pauses on removing park status at Cliffwood, solicitor warns of deed restrictions
Summary
Council members agreed to postpone any final decision about removing park status from the Cliffwood parcel pending research into deed restrictions and state law; the solicitor said the 'donated and dedicated property act' could limit future uses and recommended short-term safety measures.
Council discussed whether to remove park designation from a Cliffwood parcel and what to do with the property afterward. Several members said the question involves two separate decisions — whether to remove park status and how the borough would re-purpose the land — and urged more information and public input before moving forward.
“I feel like there are 2 different decisions… one is to, you know, kind of remove this as a park. And then that's one decision… a second piece is thinking about what that property becomes,” Miss Lewis said. The solicitor cautioned that state law may restrict how dedicated public property can be repurposed and recommended short-term steps: post closure signs, walk the property for hazards, and review deeds for legal limitations. He described a statute he called the “donated and dedicated property act” that may affect the borough’s options.
Council members agreed to delay any formal vote and to direct staff and counsel to research deed restrictions and prepare options for future meetings.
