Kennedy Township residents packed the municipal building Thursday night, standing room only, after word spread that commissioners were moving to sell nearly 20 acres of wooded land next to Fairhaven Park. Neighbors say the proposal to carve out more than 30 single-family homes on the site would wipe out one of the last wild corners of the community and funnel more traffic onto narrow, country-style roads. The blowback has already spawned an online petition with more than 1,000 signatures and a GoFundMe campaign to fund a legal fight.
Bids opened as backlash builds
Township officials put the roughly 19.5-acre tract out for sealed bids in mid-May, setting a minimum of $750,000. At a public bid opening, they revealed four offers that reportedly ran from about $775,000 to $1.4 million, according to West Hills Gazette. The public notice tied to the sale calls for at least 32 single-family lots if the land is redeveloped.
Old deeds, new doubts
County records and past reporting indicate the property was conveyed to the township in the early 1950s with wording that links it to park use, and residents argue that language could block a straight sale unless the dedication is legally changed. As reported by WPXI, the original conveyance refers to township park purposes, and any move to dispose of the land could require sign-offs from county and school district officials.
Neighbors lawyer up
A group calling itself Friends of Fairhaven Park has circulated a Change.org petition that has cleared 1,000 signatures and, according to local reporting, hired outside counsel to mount a legal challenge. Organizer Bill Wills also launched a GoFundMe to help cover attorney fees as residents prepare for a possible court battle.
Township pitches it as a money move
Township officials counter that the parcel came into municipal hands through unpaid taxes, not as a donation, and say any sale proceeds could be poured back into park upgrades and help shore up the tax base, the township told WTAE. Township leaders add that the bidding process went through review by the solicitor and that the board of commissioners will weigh the offers before any sale is approved.
Legal hurdles ahead
Pennsylvania's Donated or Dedicated Property Act treats land that is donated or dedicated for public use as property the municipality holds in trust, which usually means a petition to Orphans' Court is needed to change how that land can be used. Attorneys for residents say that process is likely to come into play. Court opinions and legal guides describe a formal path that involves public notice and a showing that the original public use is no longer workable, which would shape any courtroom fight; for background, see a Commonwealth Court opinion available here.
Commissioners were slated to take up the bids Thursday at 6 p.m. at the township municipal building, and residents say they plan to keep pressing for preservation or some alternative to full build-out, whether through negotiation or litigation. How the board weighs immediate cash against long-term public trust obligations will likely decide whether the dispute ends in the meeting room or in a courtroom.
