Middletown Township Comprehensive Plan (2020)
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1 Acknowledgements The preparation of this plan would not have been possible without the guidance and contributions of the Steering Committee, as well as the input given from local residents and officials. We would like to thank and recognize the following people and groups for their efforts to make the Plan possible: Township of Middletown Board of Supervisors Mike Ksiazek, Chairperson Amy Strouse, Vice Chairperson Tom Tosti, Secretary Dawn Quirple Anna Payne Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Donna Fiedler, Member of the Middletown Environmental Advisory Council Rich Nuttal, Chair of the Middletown Planning Commission Jim Merrill, Middletown Community Foundation and Inspire Credit Union Jonathan Lippy, Langhorne Athletic Association Bill Appleton, Chairperson of the Middletown Financial Advisory Board Lil Shonewolf, VP of Community Health and Well-Being of Trinity Health Mid- Atlantic Region, St. Mary Medical Center Lisa Kelly, Community Benefit Manager, St. Mary Medical Center Township Administration Stephanie Teoli Kuhls, Township Manager Technical planning assistance provided by Remington and Vernick Engineers: Isaac Kessler, P.E.; Ashton Jones, AICP, CFM; Elizabeth Colletti, EIT; Jerome Stern, AICP; Michael Davis, Julia Williams; Randy Waltermyer, AICP, Planning & Municipal Services Leader, TPD, Inc.; Louis Hufnagle, AICP, Project Manager, TPD, Inc. 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 6 History and Population ............................................................................................................ 7 Location and Setting ................................................................................................................ 7 Government and School District ............................................................................................. 9 Housing Trends ........................................................................................................................ 9 Employment Trends .............................................................................................................. 11 Land Use and Zoning ............................................................................................................. 12 The Public Participation Process ............................................................................................... 16 Organization of The Plan ....................................................................................................... 16 Topic Areas ................................................................................................................................ 18 Redevelopment and Housing ................................................................................................ 18 Transportation ....................................................................................................................... 18 Recreation .............................................................................................................................. 19 Sustainability ......................................................................................................................... 20 Redevelopment and Housing ........................................................................................................ 21 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 22 Validation ............................................................................................................................... 24 Goals ...................................................................................................................................... 25 Strategies ............................................................................................................................... 25 Transportation .............................................................................................................................. 35 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 36 Major transportation corridors restrict walkability across the Township ............................ 36 Public Feedback: Desire for Alternative Modes .................................................................... 38 Goals ...................................................................................................................................... 39 Strategies ............................................................................................................................... 39 Recreation ..................................................................................................................................... 44 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 46 Validation ............................................................................................................................... 47 Goals ...................................................................................................................................... 47 3 Strategies ............................................................................................................................... 48 Sustainability ................................................................................................................................. 55 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 56 Validation ............................................................................................................................... 56 Goals ...................................................................................................................................... 58 Strategies ............................................................................................................................... 58 APPENDICES .................................................................................................................................. 67 Appendix A: Environmental Advisory Committee Recommendations for Steering Committee ............................................................................................................................. 68 Appendix B: Inventory of Historic Sites ................................................................................. 72 Appendix C: Apartment Complexes List ................................................................................ 86 Appendix D: Fire Companies and Tax Information ................................................................ 91 Appendix E: List of Schools .................................................................................................... 92 Appendix F: DVRPC Regional, County, and Municipal Population Forecasts, 2015-2045 .... 92 Appendix G: Floodplains and Streams ................................................................................. 119 Appendix H: Consistency with Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code ....................... 120 Appendix I: Image Sources .................................................................................................. 121 The preparation of this Implementable Comprehensive Plan was financed in part by a grant from the Transportation and Community Development Initiative (TCDI) under the administration of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). 4 Executive Summary This 2020 Comprehensive Plan is designed to provide a framework for achieving short-term (next 10 years) goals. As an Implementable Comprehensive Plan, it is designed to be a living document, one that provides not only a point of reference, but also concrete strategies and actionable items. This Implementable Comprehensive Plan is designed to provide guidance for the future rather than a summation of the past. While Middletown was born out of post-war suburbanization patterns, residents today seek a more dynamic future. Early on in this process, special attention was given to creating a document devised through citizen input that was implementable. Through discussions with the Steering Committee and input received at a public open house, topic areas (Plan Elements) were selected, and specific strategies were developed. This Implementable Plan discusses Plan Elements regarding Housing and Redevelopment, Sustainability, Transportation, and Recreation. Each of these topic areas were discussed heavily at Steering Committee meetings and the public open house, and it was out of these meetings that the specific strategies were developed. In the end, the final and arguably most critical component of this Implementable Plan is the strategies and implementation steps contained within. It is these strategies that allow for the flexibility necessary to develop within an ever- changing future. 5 Introduction 6 History and Population Incorporated in 1692, Middletown Township is one of Bucks County’s oldest municipalities. Originally settled by Swedes, Dutch, English and Germans, Middletown’s first industries included gristmills and sawmills, shipbuilding, and