Franko Farm Recreation Area and Dodson Park may be added to the master plan now underway for Laubach Park.

That is the recommendation of the consultant for the Salisbury Township William A. Laubach Memorial Park Master Plan committee.

Space limitations and soil conditions at Laubach Park prohibit expansion of athletic fields in use by the Salisbury Youth Association.

“We might need to look at the two parks together,” said Joanne H. Conley of Urban Research & Development Corp., Bethlehem, consultant for the Laubach Park Master Plan, which is being worked on, and the Lindberg Park Master Plan, aspects of which have been implemented.

Conley briefed commissioners at the Nov. 12 workshop following the regular township meeting.

If Franko Farm Park is included, URDC would be paid $28,000, with half of that, $14,000, to be sought in a matching grant application to the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and half paid for by the township.

Commissioners would need to vote on allocating the funds.

DCNR approved a $26,700 Community Conservation Partnership Program Grant for the Laubach Park Master Plan and Recreation Connections Project. The grant is being matched by the township for the $55,400 project, also paid to URDC.

During the approximate 30-minute presentation and discussion at the workshop, Conley said DCNR is recommending Franko Farm Park be added to the Laubach Park Master Plan.

Conley and commissioners are recommending that the 2.83-acre Dodson Park, which has two T-ball fields and one multi-purpose field, be included in the plan.

“Looking at Laubach, there’s not really enough room there for what SYA needs including three baseball fields, one football field, and basketball and tennis courts, plus nine acres of passive recreation (pavilion, playground, paths, pond and creek).

“They [SYA] put 100s of kids through there. They need more fields,” Conley said, noting SYA paid for a lot of improvements to Laubach. “And they kind of expanded into Franko. Laubach can’t meet the needs of the community.

“Laubach Park is really wet,” Conley said, noting Salisbury Township Director of Public Works John Andreas oversaw improvements to drainage at Laubach, much of which has wet areas because of runoff from Susquehanna Street. Also, a portion of Laubach includes a pond and wetlands in an area bordering Trout Creek.

“Franko Farm Park has that area at the top being used for athletic fields,” Conley said, estimating the area comprises about nine to 10 acres of the 87.78-acre park. “Some space is not being used. It’s open lawn,” Conley said.

“What if you’d put the tennis courts in up there [Franko]” Commissioner Vice President Debra Brinton asked.

“We would like to work with SYA,” Conley said.

Comissioner Robert Martucci, Jr. suggested adding Dodson Park to the Master Plan.

Commissioner James Seagreaves raised concerns about parking at Franko Farm Park. “It gets crowded now with one game and you’re adding three fields,” Seagreaves said.

It was noted when Franko Farm Park was developed it was intended to be a passive park.

“That was the goal of the original site plan,” Salisbury Township Director of Finance and Acting Township Manager Cathy Bonaskiewich said.

Brinton was receptive “to try to come up with something that’s as nice as Lindberg.

“I would like to see something like that on both sides of the township,” Brinton said.

While no vote was taken to allocate funds for a Franko Farm Park master plan, Commissioner President James A. Brown said to Conley, “It seems to me you have the consensus of the board.”