Senior community urges City of Delaware to fix dangerous Heritage Boulevard

Greg Gerald, a resident of the 4 Seasons of Edison Farms neighborhood, told the City of Delaware council that his community has gathered a petition and is asking officials to act before construction begins on nearby park facilities.

"We are formally requesting the immediate deployment of alternative calming measures, specifically permanent electronic radar speed signs, center pedestrian refuge islands, and high visibility raised crosswalks," Gerald said, calling Heritage Boulevard a "dangerous high speed thoroughfare" that now splits the active 55+ neighborhood.

Gerald said the planned design includes a multiuse path and a basketball court that would "cut directly" from all-age neighborhoods into the retirement community and urged planning and parks staff to cancel the connector path or rezone the park site for lower-impact amenities such as benches and a gazebo. He said the developer, K. Hovnanian Homes, "does not represent us" and that the HOA had not been consulted on the parcel transfer.

Councilors did not act on the request this evening; Mayor Carolyn K. Riggle closed the public-comment period and the item was left for staff follow-up. Planning and parks staff were not asked to present a timeline tonight, but Gerald said his group had already handed a formal petition to the city clerk at the start of the meeting.