SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN October 2008
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN October 2008 DRUMORE TOWNSHIP EAST DRUMORE TOWNSHIP FULTON TOWNSHIP LITTLE BRITAIN TOWNSHIP Prepared by: SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Drumore Township Board of Supervisors Drumore Township Planning Commission Kolin D. McCauley, Chairman David Nichols, Chairman James L. Tollinger, Vice-Chairman Robert Currey, Vice-Chairman James A Wingler Ann Zemsky, Secretary Karen McComsey East Drumore Township Board of Thomas Smith Supervisors East Drumore Township Planning V. Merril Carter, Chairman Commission Scott Kreider, Vice-Chairman James E. Landis, Secretary-Treasurer P. Robert Wenger, Chairman Ruth Gentry, Vice-Chair Fulton Township Board of Supervisors Kristina Welk, Secretary Gary Akers Glenn D. Aument, Chairman Carl Troop Paul Hannum, Vice Chairman William H. Taylor Fulton Township Planning Commission Little Britain Township Board of Gary Kennedy, Chairman Supervisors Carole Huber, Secretary Kenneth Greider Gregory D. Culler, Chairman David Spangler, Jr. Randy Jackson, Vice-Chairman Donald Tucker David Eller Jerry Emling Little Britain Township Planning Jeff Wood Commission Solanco Regional Comprehensive Plan Matt Young, Chairman Steering Committee Elaine Craig, Vice-Chair Jim Bullitt Lancaster County Planning Commission Clark Coates Ronald Criswell RETTEW Associates, Consultant John Sensenig Acknowledgements October 2008 SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS Part 1: Executive Summary Overview …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 1 Implementation ……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 5 Part 2: The Plan Natural/Cultural/Recreational Resources ………………………………………………………………………. 34 Water Resources …………………………………………………………………………………………………. 37 Economic Development ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 39 Housing …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 41 Future Land Use ………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 44 Transportation …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 61 Community Facilities ……………………………………………………………………………………………... 64 Intergovernmental Cooperation – Community Leadership ………………………………………………...... 67 Appendices Appendix 1 – Population Projection Methods ………………………………………………….……………… 72 Appendix 2 – Community Outreach ……………………………………………………………………………. 79 Appendix 3 – Other Relevant Studies…………………………………………………………………………... 93 Appendix 4 – Background Profiles (including Description of Terms) Regional Location, Historic Profile, Purpose of Planning ………………………………. 100 Cultural and Natural Features ……………………………………………………………... 104 Demographics ………………………………………………………………………………. 137 Economic Profile ……………………………………………………………………………. 162 Housing Profile ……………………………………………………………………………… 172 Existing Land Use ………………………………………………………………………….. 188 Transportation Profile ………………………………………………………………………. 211 Community Facilities Profile ……………………………………………………………….. 224 Intergovernmental Cooperation – Community Leadership ……………………………... 240 Water Resources ……………………………………………………………………………. 242 Maps Maps are found within the related text of each pertinent chapter and appendix of the Plan. Table of Contents October 2008 SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN EXECUTIVE SUMMARY WHO WE ARE The four Townships produced this Regional Comprehensive Plan in recognition of shared goals and objectives such as agricultural support and sustainability, natural resource protection, limited non- agricultural development aimed only at satisfying the needs of the local population, and future non- agricultural land use focused primarily around traditional villages. Those goals and objectives are the common ground from which the four Townships of the Region pursue their future together. However, this Plan also recognizes the individual character and personality of each Township and the prerogative of each Township to pursue a different path toward achieving those common goals and objectives. With that in mind, this Plan contains what is best described as a “toolbox” of Implementation Actions from which each Township may choose certain steps to carry out the common goals and objectives of this Plan. Each Township’s elected and appointed officials will decide what “action steps” are the most appropriate for their community and in this way, will tailor the implementation of this Plan to their particular needs. As a result, each Township will retain its independence while pursuing with its fellow Townships the common goals and objectives they share. All four of the municipalities in the study area are part of the Solanco School District, although they don’t comprise the entire district. This common interest, in addition to their adjacency, makes multi-municipal planning an effective tool. This Comprehensive Plan represents the joint effort of the above listed municipalities in developing a plan for the future of the each municipality and the Solanco Region. The region will focus on the preservation and protection of agrarian heritage, prime agricultural soils, groundwater supplies, natural environment, adequacy of housing, historic preservation and preservation of the rural lifestyle while encouraging and implementing smart growth policies recommended and supported by the commonwealth. Planning is not a new concept to the municipalities in the Solanco Region. In fact, all of the municipalities have undertaken some form of planning activity in the past. Drumore Township, Fulton Township and Little Britain Township worked together to form a joint municipal comprehensive plan in 1994. East Drumore Township developed a comprehensive plan in 1980. East Drumore and Fulton Townships have adopted their own Subdivision and Land Development ordinance; Drumore and Little Britain Townships rely on Lancaster County’s Subdivision and Land Development ordinance. All of the municipalities have an existing zoning ordinance while Drumore and East Drumore Townships have adopted Act 537 Plans. However, some of these documents do not address the current growth pressures being faced in the region. This circumstance, coupled with the opportunity to plan as a region has fostered a renewed sense of planning vigor throughout the municipalities of the Solanco Region. The Comprehensive Plan is a policy guide for decisions and for the orderly development and redevelopment of the region. The plan’s primary mission is to promote and improve the quality of life, health, safety, and conveniences for residents of the Solanco Region. It is intended to organize and coordinate the interrelated collection of people, ideas, land facilities, services, infrastructure, land uses and environmental elements that comprise the area as a whole. Thus, the term “comprehensive” is used to express the scope of plan content. Executive Summary October 2008 1 SOLANCO REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN WHAT WE WANT TO BE This Plan, more than anything else, represents a shared vision of our community. The following goals detail what we want to accomplish, both individually and working together as a region: The Solanco Region will retain its unique natural and cultural identity, striving to preserve invaluable natural, agricultural, cultural and historical resources for generations to come, with a strong sense of balance between community needs and private rights. For the safety and health of our community, the Solanco Region will promote high quality water resources throughout the region, both above and below ground, with a focus on community education and cooperative public involvement. The Solanco Region wishes to sustain the presence of agriculture that has historically supported and defined our community. We will support agriculture and those businesses and operations which support the agricultural community, in addition to supporting alternative income ventures for farmers in the region, and encouraging new small business that addresses the daily needs of the local population. The Solanco Region wishes to provide a variety of functional, safe, well maintained, and affordable housing opportunities that support the character of our community’s agricultural lifestyle, and offer several practical options that accommodate a variety of family situational living needs. The Solanco Region will continue to be a vibrant, agriculture-centered community, a place where generations to come will have a quality of life heightened by prosperous farms, the splendor of natural creation, time-tested community values and our treasured agrarian way of life. The Solanco Region will have a transportation network that is well-maintained, safe, and focused on serving the needs of the local agricultural community. The Solanco Region will be served by a coordinated, functional, and adequate system of community facilities that increase the health, safety, and welfare for residents of the region and which are able to adapt to changes in the community. The Solanco Region will establish informal processes or formal methods of communication and coordination among various public and private stakeholders regarding existing and future social, cultural, environmental and economic issues facing communities, in order to provide services, facilities and programs in an efficient and economical manner. HOW DO WE GET THERE The previous two sections identified where we are now and where we would like to get to in the future. This section lays out the roadmap to get from here to there. Each Planning Element includes specific objectives and an implementation schedule to achieve these objectives. Some of the objectives and implementing actions