Leetsdale officials exploring legal options for parking at Henle Park

Leetsdale officials are considering legal action to create more parking at a popular borough recreation site.

Council unanimously voted on Oct. 9 to authorize Solicitor Daniel Conlon to prepare a plan for Henle Park parking.

All options are on the table, from negotiating deals with nearby property owners to acquiring or rezoning land for a parking lot. The borough also plans to look into possibly expanding on-street parking options.

Efforts are still in the exploratory phase and there is no timeline or deadline for the plan, council President Maria Napolitano confirmed on Oct. 21.

Thousands of people annually flock to the 4.5-acre park along Beaver Street.

The borough hosts a variety of events, including holiday and fall celebrations as well as several summer programs.

“It’s our public green space where most of Leetsdale can access it within a 10-minute walk,” Napolitano said. “The only other public green space we have is Kohlmeyer Park, which is a local neighborhood parklet (by Washington Street).

“Henle Park is really the heart of the Leetsdale community. This is where all our events are. This is where the splash pad is. This is where people gather for the Fourth of July. Right now, we have a great park with no parking. That’s the problem we’re looking to solve.”

Conlon said it’s important to address the parking issue, especially since the borough is investing a lot of funds into upgrades this coming year.

“Parking’s been an issue at the park for quite some time because there is none,” Conlon said. “The borough’s spending money to improve the park, and there’s no parking.”

He did not wish to speculate on parking remedies when reached earlier this month.

“That’s what I’m going to find out,” Conlon said. “I’m going to research that and see what legal options the borough has.”

There are a handful of on-street parking spaces along Ferry Street and two Americans with Disabilities compliant parking spaces next to the memorial.

Two additional spaces were installed last month next to the Leetsdale VFW Post 3372 parking lot.

However, accessing the latter two spots is challenging.

The VFW put concrete barriers near the ADA spaces, making them difficult to access. There are multiple concrete and plastic barriers in a row, less than a foot inside what VFW officials said is their property line.

Post Cmdr. Bill Davis earlier this year said they are there to help protect the lot, which has posted signs notifying drivers that VFW parking is only for members and guests.

It may be possible, but highly unlikely, to strike a deal with the VFW.

In the summer, the VFW came to terms on a parking lease with diVino Wine Bar several blocks away along Broad Street so the business would be in compliance with the borough’s zoning ordinance.

When reached about parking Oct. 22, Davis said the agreement with the business is for temporary, as-needed overflow parking and those allocated spaces have not been used regularly.

He also encouraged the borough to look elsewhere for park parking.

“I don’t think that’s going to work,” Davis said when asked if the VFW would be willing to work out a similar parking arrangement with council. “(The lot and building) belongs to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. It does not belong to Leetsdale Borough. We have the deed and title to it. … We don’t have spaces to lease.”

The VFW also does not plan on making access to the handicapped spots any easier, he said, as doing so could encroach on its parking lot. ADA spaces on both sides of the park were paid for through grant funding.

“They can spend all the grant money doing other projects in the borough, why don’t they spend grant money and put up a parking lot?” Davis said. “It will be the same as far as I’m concerned and the VFW is concerned.”

Conlon said park parking is a bigger problem than just a property line dispute.

“It’s a bigger issue,” the solicitor said. “The bigger question is not just, ‘How can we access our handicapped spots?’ The bigger question is, ‘How can we get (more) public parking?’ It’s a tough one. We’re still very exploratory. Hopefully, as time goes on, we can find a solution.”

Park improvements planned

Improvements include a multi-sport court, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant sidewalks, playground equipment, landscaping, an outdoor fitness area and other additions.

The estimated cost for the overhaul is $500,000.

State Rep. Valerie Gaydos, R-Allegheny, helped push for a $249,000 Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for Leetsdale’s recreation upgrades.

It was awarded in November as part of a nearly $324,000 distribution through the department’s Community Conservation Partnerships Program.

There is a required local match of about $251,000 in order to receive the state grant.

Leetsdale has three years to use the DCNR funds.

Other funding sources being sought to cover Leetsdale’s match include the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development. Those funds, should county grants be awarded, would be administered through the Quaker Valley Council of Governments.

Other park access efforts

Council recently authorized other park accessibility projects.

It awarded a $19,900 sidewalk project to Ambridge-based Avelli Construction.

Borough engineer Dan Slagle said it would create about 150 feet of sidewalk from the war memorial to the basketball court. Avelli was the lowest of seven bidders.

Work is expected to begin in November done by the end of the year, weather permitting.

“Our goal is this year before the snow falls,” Slagle said. The project is being funded by an Allegheny County Department of Economic Development grant administered through the Quaker Valley COG.

Slagle’s team is also working on the next phase of the ADA sidewalk expansion.

Leetsdale plans to use about $40,000 in other county grant funds to create another 500 feet of sidewalk in the park.

The project is expected to go out for bid in January, with work to take place in the spring.