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CRT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE BOROUGHS OF CRAFTON ROSSLYN FARMS THORNBURG ALLEGHENY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA 1991 Joint Planning Commission Vincent J. Grogan, Chair Allen Biehler, Vice-Chair Allen Herrle, Secretary/Treasurer Richard Glance, Assistant Secretary Craig Easterly Betsy Martin J. Keith Manning Adopted by Joint Planning Commission June 24, 1991; Public Hearing July 22, 1991; Final Recommendation to Borough Councils July 22, 1991 PREFACE The CRT Comprehensive Plan for the Boroughs of Crafton, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg is a timely and vital document. It carefully addresses the range of strengths and weaknesses of the physical development and economic well-being of the three Boroughs. As a future oriented document, it analyzes and recommends a sound and logical arrangement of future land uses. A major objective of this plan is to provide a basis to update the Joint Zoning Ordinance, and create supporting planning legislation to reflect both changing land use and the evolving wisdom of the planning profession. The Comprehensive Plan is the product of a shared recognition by Borough leaders of their common goals, shared challenges, and interdependencies. The preparation of this Comprehensive Plan is a direct result of each Borough's participation in a joint planning program over the past several years. The Boroughs today face important challenges. New residential demands are felt; a changing business and economic environment is evolving; the municipal fiscal framework is changing. These challenges, and others as yet unforeseen, require the guidance of this joint Borough Comprehensive Plan. i CONTENTS Page PREFACE .......................................... i OVERVIEW ......................................... 1 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ............................. 5 THE PLAN ......................................... 9 THE LAND ..................................... 9 EMPLOYMENT AND INCOME ........................ 11 FISCAL STUDY ................................. 16 POPULATION ................................... 24 HOUSING ...................................... 28 TRANSPORTATION ............................... 37 COMMUNITY FACILITIES ......................... 44 SOLAR ACCESS ................................. 50 THE LAND USE PLAN ................................ 52 RECOMMENDATIONS .............................. 59 OVE RVI EW The Plan The CRT Comprehensive Plan for the Boroughs of Crafton, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg is a - basic guide for the development of the area. The Plan is a policy framework, examining existing conditions and anticipating the paths of future development. The Plan includes positions on the use of the land and development of programs to adequately serve the joint communities present and anticipated residents. The Purpose It is its purpose to indicate the nature of the changing environment .and point to opportunities available to the Boroughs to guide their development over the next few years, enrich the life of the communities, and protect the safety and health of children and all residents. There is a long history of planning in the three Boroughs. The Suburbs From the start, the Boroughs were part of an American phenomenon at the turn of the century-the rural railroad suburb, built within walking distance of the railroad stations which provided quick access both to and from the city center of Pittsburgh. Design Examples of early design included a small business area near the railway stop, as in Crafton; rectangular street patterns and streets, curving to the topography of the land, with shade trees lining the streets; and Some areas of streets and homes built linear in form to allow for streetcar lines. From the beginning, the 'three Boroughs were planned as cohesive towns. Early Planning Since their incorporation*, the Boroughs of Crafton, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg have each continued the tradition of planning, as a part of their overall administration. In the beginning, the Borough Councils handled all planning tasks, which were concerned primarily with the installation of roads and intrastructure and actions for the protection of public health and safety. *Incorporation dates: Crafton: January 8, 1892 Rosslyn Farms: May 10, 1913 Thornburg: June 1909 -1- 1. I The Results The results of some early cooperative planning that showed concern for aesthetic beauty and conservation of the neighborhood character are still in evidence today. Biggert Manor, a planned development, the homes of "old" Thornburg and Rosslyn Farms, and Creighton Avenue are some outstanding examples. Early Regulations As growth of the Boroughs progressed through the 1930's, the Councils, each in turn, created ordinances to regulate land use and planning commissions to act as knowledgeable advisory bodies. The advice of these commissions has traditionally been respected by the Councils. The Borough's regulatory ordinances reflected the the best policy goals of the Borough councils in light of existing conditions at the time of their adoption. A Beginning In the mid 1970's individual planning officials from the three Boroughs came together in recognition of the Boroughs' interdependencies and their mutual strengths,problems, and community background. This Ad Hoc Joint Planning Committee I determined that a joint approach to planning would be both economical and beneficial to the future development and operation of the three Boroughs. Motivations Several factors motivated the communities to begin the work of operating their individual plans and ordinances into a joint planning program. The leaders recognized the commonalities of the communities: * shared boundaries * shared flood plain and slopes * common housing types * shared roads * shared shopping centers * shared schools and other social institutions * changing legislative authority and legal rulings. -2- I These planners were also responding to the Pennsylvania state mandate to consider and "indicate the relationship of the municipality and its proposed development to adjacent municipalities and areas." (Act 247 of 1968. Article 111, Section 301.5.) The Pitt Study The Ad Hoc Committee began developing a framework for investigating common areas of concern. About this time, the committee was formally approached by the Urban and Regional Planning Department of the University of Pittsburgh's Graduate School of Public and International Affairs. The University was looking for study sites in area communities as part of their planning program. "The CRT Report" The Ad Hoc Committee, in coordination with the Department of Urban and Regional Planning, designed a regional comprehensive planning project for the four Boroughs. The region was entitled CRIT, an acronym for Crafton, Rosslyn Farms, Ingram, and Thornburg. The project began in the spring of 1980 and was completed in December of that year. Their study report, Choices for the Future, prepared as an academic exercise with the cooperation of the Ad Hoc Committee and Borough Councils, became the first step in the development of a joint Borough planning program. Ingram later indicated that it did not wish to participate in the joint planning effort. The CRIT Report was considered by the Boroughs of Crafton, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg and adopted. The Boroughs of Crafton, Rosslyn Farms and Thornburg adopted joint Zoning, Grading and Subdivision Ordinances on December 18, 1984, November 12, 1984 and December 10, 1984, respectively. Minor amendments were adopted in March, 1987 by the Boroughs. While the Comprehensive Plan and related ordinances have proven to be well conceived and implemented, each of the Boroughs believes that it is appropriate to review the goals and objectives of the plan and update them as appropriate to reflect changing conditions. The Plan, as revised, considers the Boroughs' current assets and liabilities. Assets Assets include: - the close proximity of the region to major centers of employment including downtown Pittsburgh and the Airport Impact Area; -3- - the variety of its housing stock to meet the needs of a varied population; - a stable supply of housing in good structural condition, some of which is of architectural significance; I' - a stable residential base; - well located and maintained parks and recreational facilities; - the varied topography within the region; - a variety of land uses including light industrial, commercial, multi-family and single family. Liabilities Liabilities include: - the natural problems of maintenance accompanying aging infrastructure and housing stock; - very little vacant land is available for development; - some residential roads are burdened with excessive traffic: - declining population and tax bases. Pittsburgh The City of Pittsburgh abuts each of the three Boroughs. This is the outer fringe of the City and is used for some purposes which tend to create economic, public protection, or environmental problems for the Boroughs. Less People, The Boroughs' population has declined \ More Household steadily since 1960. The absolute number of Units people has dropped in the past decade. Households are smaller in size but greater in number. Thus, there is a greater demand for dwelling units. The Automobile Automobile ownership has created parking problems in some areas. And the old business districts, originally designed for pedestrian traffic, have declined in activity and in purpose. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PLANNING PROGRAM In developing the Plan, certain priorities for development are established. These policy statements, which serve as general guidelines, are considered

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