SOUTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — Township officials soon will vote on park rule changes following resident complaints.
South Whitehall Township posted on Facebook last month that it has increasingly seen “unsafe and unnecessary practices” in the park and will increase police patrols.
Visitors were grilling along the banks of and inside of Jordan Creek, placing picnic tables and chairs in the creek and “playing excessively loud music,” according to the post.
South Whitehall Board of Commissioners on Wednesday reviewed a draft of potential rule changes to township parks to try to stop these behaviors.
The new rules would ban swimming in Jordan Creek. Wading would still be allowed.
Hosting events with ten or more attendees in the parks would require a permit, with the exception of playground gatherings.
“I think overall these changes are going to be a net positive for the quality of life in the neighborhood and in the park."Commissioner Jacob Roth
The rule change is not the only action the township is taking at Covered Bridge Park; township staff put up more fences so people cannot park on the grass and cut down the tree branches where rope swings are normally tied.
Commissioner Jacob Roth thanked township staff for moving quickly to address resident complaints.
“I think overall these changes are going to be a net positive for the quality of life in the neighborhood and in the park,” Roth said.
The board likely will vote on whether to adopt the new park rules at its Sept. 4 meeting, which will be held at 7 p.m. in the township municipal building and online.
What do the proposed rules say?
The proposed rules add some prohibited activities to the ones already listed on the township website.
For example, visitors would not be allowed to take items in the creek, swim in township-controlled waters, play loud music, camp in the park, or release balloons or sky lanterns.
A former draft of the rule change said anyone who wanted to go tubing in Jordan Creek within the borders of the park would need a permit.
Commissioner Chris Peischl said he didn’t see why it would be an issue for small groups to go tubing.
“So if they came down the Jordan [Creek] and they hit the dam, they have to get a permit?” Peishl said.
The board ultimately voted to change the draft to say that groups smaller than 10 people would not need a permit to go tubing in the creek.
Another potential rule change is increasing the pavilion rental fee for nonresidents from $150 to $300, although the board did not comment on that matter.
