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Post by Ashley on Dec 19, 2018 10:04:07 GMT -5
The parks and recreation need a major revamp for the younger families of Bethel Park. Families are going to the USC township parks and facilities instead of our own. All of the decisions of Bethel Park are based upon the older generations in Bethel Park and not wanting to increase taxes.
We need to stop allowing so many additional housing developments. There are barely any wooded areas and tree coverage left throughout the neighborhoods.
We also need an outdoor basketball court at the high school or near by at the community center.
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Post by Boom on Dec 19, 2018 11:56:54 GMT -5
Please make the constant summer fireworks stop. The 4th of July - I understand. But this goes on for months. Does nothing but wake babies and scare dogs. ALL SUMMER is too much!
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Post by Boom on Dec 19, 2018 12:37:53 GMT -5
The parks and recreation need a major revamp for the younger families of Bethel Park. Families are going to the USC township parks and facilities instead of our own. All of the decisions of Bethel Park are based upon the older generations in Bethel Park and not wanting to increase taxes. We need to stop allowing so many additional housing developments. There are barely any wooded areas and tree coverage left throughout the neighborhoods. We also need an outdoor basketball court at the high school or near by at the community center. YES! Outdoor basketball courts!!! What is the reasoning behind having approximately 8 tennis courts at the HS but no basketball courts? The cost to convert even one or two of the barely used tennis courts would be fairly minimal.
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Post by Tommy on Dec 19, 2018 14:16:50 GMT -5
We need to have better walkability throughout the community in general (sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes). Slow traffic down in residential areas.
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Post by Jason on Dec 19, 2018 14:21:44 GMT -5
We need better walkability throughoout the community (sidewalks, bike lanes crosswalks). We also need better walkability to the light rail stations. More trails and better access to them via biking walking.
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Post by Sarah H. on Dec 20, 2018 10:24:28 GMT -5
I agree with the need for walkability/bikability throughout BP. I also think we need to extend our trail network. This is a huge bonus for this area and we need to take advantage of it. Also, we need to slow traffic in residential areas, please! Thank you!
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Post by Patrick on Mar 5, 2019 8:58:01 GMT -5
We need a new municipal building. Municipality spends millions on the Fire department and public works buildings. Sidewalks would be nice. And a long term fix to traffic congestion.
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Post by falconeer on Mar 12, 2019 19:55:10 GMT -5
The Draft revision (3/04/19 Steering Committee)) of Draft vision statement looks more like a departure from than a revision of Draft. Suggest the following to resolve the two: Bethel Park will strive to provide and preserve a multi-modal, environmentally sound and walk-able, connected community that fosters personal quality of life, development and smart growth, enhanced and new open, natural and green spaces, a safe, well maintained and smart infrastructure of adequate capacity, respect for local heritage, and a viable code to protect our health, safety , welfare and value and beauty of our property.
We're somewhat concerned about the theme/Elements that the Steering Committee has put forth:
The bed-rock that stabilizes ans strengthens a community comprises really four things: people, trust, belonging and togetherness - do we have these? In attending last Steering Committee mtg on 3/4/19 there were several disconcerting items and commentary. The Draft revision statement is not there yet but on right path - weak and does not address these comments; (Goal 1 - Pub Sys Element) ROI as a measure of planning is a tool whose application depends on (land) use. If this borough is solely interested in scale (of development) and all the infrastructure, congestion, pollution and density it entails, the borough has no future; (Goal 4 Prosperity Element) Remove regulatory barriers to desired development types. Rephrase this to something more appropriate and amenable to quality of this community not simply rabid development. Both the Municipal Code and the Building Code (ICC family of codes as per PA Construction Code Act and PA Uniform Construction Code) are "types of regulations in place to protect the public’s safety and the overall quality and value of the community. They seek the greater good over the individual and are based on years of research and data." The rank suggestion that we abandon zoning codes in lieu of building code is ludicrous. They differ in many respects and we MUST not abandon minimums for nothing i.e. garbage. The ICC values in the IZC are for all intents ZIP i.e. tiny, tiny, tiny, dense, dense, dense. Using form instead of use as the primary regulating principle is inherently flawed for a thousand reasons; we've already adopted the IEBC; re-calibrate parking requirements to also integrate minimums as to percent plantings/BMPs to protect our streams, environment and climate; Goal 5 as to code enforcement - "less punitive, more results" - how exactly does that work? - the penalties now are negligible; we need a Design Review Board of citizens, business, and and officials to address these issues in a meaningful manner under the codes; (Goal 9) Eliminate blight in commercial nodes - what about residential nodes? ; (goal 2 - Resilient Element) - use"Enhance" not "Keep"; further develop the environmental protection ordinance to preserve and protect the PEOPLE and properties in Bethel Park; we've already adopted the IECC as to existing residences- implement it - enforce it; General Recommendations - (Goal 1) PC???; Table FLU-1 BP Opportunity Site Description - what about green sites e.g. recreation, buffer zones, trails, etc.; lots of stuff here - some is not worthy of advancement , rest is generally reasonable as to COMMUNITY. and preservation of local heritage, and a viable, up-to-date code that engenders health, safety, welfare and the value and beauty of personal property.
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Post by Cncrndctzn on Feb 5, 2020 12:18:34 GMT -5
... We need to stop allowing so many additional housing developments. There are barely any wooded areas and tree coverage left throughout the neighborhoods... I would like to emphasize this. BP is not short on housing. I already see houses up for sale that are now taking many months to be sold. Adding more housing lowers property values. I do not care to see cookie cutter homes and apartments added to the area.
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Post by Mr no filter on Feb 5, 2020 19:44:46 GMT -5
I have been listening to people say put in a pool and we need a pool like everyone else. I don’t believe so. Also I don’t want it to turn into a theirs is better than ours thing where taxes just keep going up to one up the bordering communities. I will agree some though the area near evens could use a facelift but at what cost. Will taxes go and rent and drive some good businesses out? As far as fires I like to have fires from time to time. I don’t see why that is such a problem. Many of have bigger yards and a group of friends by a fire beats any kind of get together in my book. If cracking down on brush burning is a compromise I would go along with it. Or people that burn their leaves. That makes a ton of nuisance smoke. But a friendly fire shouldn’t be an issue. Now what I don’t like is these microbreweries popping up. They should have additional parking requirements. A few time I’ve almost hit someone driving past the spoonwood but not sure that’s bethel right there or not. I don’t know if it’s possible to have business owners get their property somewhat appealing. If you look at some of the automotive shops like pep boys, meineke, and the shop across from the post office. They look kind of terrible. A little facelift for some and probably a pressure wash and paint for others would go along way. Just my 2 cents.
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Post by Mrs BP on Feb 6, 2020 6:48:40 GMT -5
A community pool would be great. Some changes to the stop lights along South Park road would greatly improve traffic. Especially from 3-7. As soon as someone attempts to make a left onto Brightwood, it gets backed up. Term limits for council. They same people, making the same decisions. It needs a change. No more housing. No wonder there is flooding. All of the trees are gone. The school rankings have fallen dramatically. You can not depend on that to draw in younger families like in the past.
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Post by Pro-BP on Feb 7, 2020 0:09:34 GMT -5
If only in life we had that magic wand to make anything/everything be real. But since we don't, we have to be cognizant and realistic to costs, value, risks, benefits of any idea for improvement. For example, a community pool while sounding good, has many downsides. 1) costs, 2) insurance, 3) maintenance, actual effectiveness/benefits. There have been many studies that even ignoring all of the above, the pools use most likely will dwindle. Especially since we already have numerous accesses to pools: SP Wave Pool, The Y, the BPHS, and other neighboring districts. Many pools close due to lack of interests. And sidewalks, while nice, also have serious issues such as costs and who will be responsible to maintain them during the winter? I agree that beautifications, traffic light improvements, turning lanes, special programs based on needs, and possibly some improvements to our BP Community Day.
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Post by Frank Davis on Feb 11, 2020 16:50:23 GMT -5
I would like to see our softball and baseball fields have turf infields. Eliminate maintenance and non-playable fields when it rains.
Thank you
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Post by MED on Feb 12, 2020 15:17:17 GMT -5
I agree with others that increasing the walkability in Bethel is important. Adding sidewalks would bolster a sense of community, enable people to live healthier lives and enjoy the outside, allow more children to walk to school, and help the environment. I would also like to see Bethel improve the parks/playgrounds. The updated Simmons park is fantastic and a great way to let kids play with kids in their community rather than always going to neighboring communities' parks. I would love to see more in the plan about BP becoming a more environmentally friendly community. I know that there is much going on in the current recycling climate that is out of Bethel's hands, but we could do more. We could offer bi-weekly yard waste recycling (offered by Waste Management) and even curbside compost pickup. Preserving green spaces is very important as well.
Overall I'm very please with the BP plan and look forward to seeing it implemented.
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Post by Seb on Feb 14, 2020 22:34:06 GMT -5
Simply adding onto what others have already said, an improved or expanded rec center would help make Bethel Park a more enticing community to live in and help it compete with surrounding areas, especially with enrollment in the district on a decline while other schools in the area are expanding. A more walkable center business district would help attract more families, the area of the T corridor between Mesta and South Park Road has the basic foundations but doesn't quite cut it. For example, accessing the South Park Road T stop is a major chore, it isn't safe to get to and from because of how the traffic signals are set up (very rare instances of all traffic being stopped long enough to cross the street). Many of the other T stops could be much more accessible with better sidewalks or paths leading to them. We have a major public transit corridor running straight through our town and make it very difficult to access by foot! I also agree with other comments that the area from Mesta to Lytle could be developed more, to have a true "main street" akin to Mount Lebanon or Bridgeville. Additionally, the area between Logan and King's School Road along Library Road could easily be developed and improved more, with better pedestrian access and better use of the space. Some of the buildings there are well-kept while others are very run down. Even with the T line running right behind the buildings, it's a bit unsafe just trying to walk to the businesses along the street from one of the stops. Both areas could not only serve as a great place for Bethel residents, but an end destination for people from other neighborhoods and downtown Pittsburgh through which the T runs, similar to South Hills Village.
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