Residents: Fence, Earlier Shut-Off for Lights Needed at Shunpike

The buffer zone between Shunpike Field and the homes on Lake Road, as well as the hours the field lights, were subjects of considerable debate during the Chatham Township Committee meeting Thursday evening.

Linda Sisk, who lives on Lake Road, said the majority of the people who live on that street want a fence installed along the length of the buffer zone. Several other residents of the neighborhood echoed her sentiments. Sisk said neighbors are concerned about people trespassing in the area and cutting across their property to access the field.

Mayor Nicole Hagner said there has never been a problem before, and there is already “a pretty good buffer” there with the trees that separate the field and the properties. Township Administrator Tom Ciccarone, a resident of nearby Joseph Street, said there is 30 to 40 feet of trees separating the properties.

Sisk said she has lived in her house for 10 years and has seen people cut across the private property.

“My thought is that increasing the use of the field will increase the number of people coming over,” she said. “The bleachers are very close to our homes and access to the lake area is easy.”

Sisk, neighbor Rinna Lin and others protested the township’s decision to allow field lights to remain on until 10:30 p.m., which they deem “unreasonable.” Ciccarone said that games will be finished by 10 p.m. and the latest and the lights will be left on is 10:30 p.m., to allow people to safely leave the field. Hagner added that there would not be games played that late every night.

Ciccarone also told Lin that if she stands in her backyard while the field lights are on, she will be in darkness as the lights shine downward, not into the windows of surrounding homes.

“You’ll see a glow from the lights, but they won’t be shining into your house,” he said. “Even your backyard will be dark.”

Area residents and the township committee also discussed the possibility of closing off two access points to the field, the first a footpath at the end of Lake Road, just off Joseph Street, and the other on the far side of the field. Ciccarone said it is his understanding from meetings with neighborhood residents that they favor closing off those two access points.

While the rest of the committee was ready to give their approval to that idea, Committee members Bob Gallop and Bailey Brower Jr. said they want to see more proof that area residents are in agreement, adding that more residents should come to the meeting to make their voices heard or at least send an email to the committee.

Ciccarone said he believes closing off the foot path is a good first step toward eliminating any possible trespassing concerns the neighbors have.

“I personally don’t believe a fence is necessary,” he said. “The trees are thick, you can’t even see through them and you couldn’t easily walk through. Shunpike Field has been used for some 30 years. If trespassing becomes an issue, we will address it. But closing off that foot path is a good first step. Putting a fence along entire tree line is unnecessary. It’s a completely unnecessary expense. That’s my only objection to it.”

Sisk, Lin and Mary Ann Fasano, another resident of Lake Road, all spoke at a committee meeting on Oct. 22, 2009 about these same concerns. According to the meeting's minutes, Ciccarone is cited as mentioning a fence twice.

Once, in response to Lin's concern of the insurance liability for the Sunset Lake Property Owner's Association, the minutes state, "Ciccarone said that Sunset Lake would become less accessible from Shunpike Field due to the installation of fencing."

When Sisk asked during that meeting where the fence would be, the minutes state that, "[then Deputy] Mayor Hagner said that the currently proposed fence is at the edge of the field, and Administrator Ciccarone added that a fence might also be installed at the edge of the woods."

Chatham Patch contacted Hagner and Ciccarone in advance of Thursday night's meeting to ask for their reaction to continued concerns from the residents of the neighborhood. Hagner indicated she had a statement prepared via email, but did not send it by Thursday night.

Ciccarone said in an email, "The trees provide a significant buffer and privacy shield and none were removed during construction. There is a path leading from Lake Road out onto Shunpike Field. That path will be closed off."

Sisk said that contrary to Ciccarone’s claim that he didn’t think any trees had been removed, at least two large trees were taken out, and six evergreen trees were put in. Sisk said she would like more evergreen trees planted so that during the fall and winter, when trees are bare, there will still be a buffer between the field and her home. Ciccarone reminded her that no sporting events are held on the field from November until March, but Sisk said she doesn’t want to have to look at the field at all.

Shunpike Field is still under construction although Hagner said it will be open for play soon. The dedication, originally scheduled for this spring, has been postponed until the fall due to weather and other delays.

Ciccarone said most of the work on one side of the field is substantially complete.  While the rest of the work is being finished, parking will be somewhat at a premium to allow the contractor’s crews to use the parking lot.

In other business:

• The township committee honored athletes and musicians from Chatham High School for their performance during the school year. The girls’ swim team, the boys’ ice hockey team and vocal and instrumental musicians all received personalized certificates, congratulation them on behalf of the township.
• Hagner reported that the township has been working with Comcast to fix the connection to the township so that meetings can be broadcast live. Hagner said the township is up on the bulletin board, but there are still some audio issues that are expected to be resolved by the committee’s June 23 meeting.

Chatham Patch Editor Laura Silvius contributed reporting to this article.