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1992 EVALUATION AND UPDATE of the COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT PLAN for ECONOMY BOROUGH Beaver County Pennsylvania PREPARED BY: !4. V. Kennedy municipal^ Planning Consultant Beaver Falls, PA IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE: Economy Borough Planning Commission TABLE OF CONTENTS Paqe INTRODUCTION 1 PART ONE - PLANNING BACKGROUND 3 Previous Programs 3 Planning Element Review 4 Natural Features 4 Economic Structure 6 Population Factors 9 Land Use Status 13 Community Facilities 16 Thoroughfares 23 Summary 28 PART TWO - DEVELOPMENT OUTLOOK 3 3 Goals and Objectives 31 Planning Influences 33 Regional Relationships 33 Local Considerations 35 Development Plan 38 Land Use Concepts 38 Highways 51 Public Services/Facilities 56 General S,ummary 60 -l i I -LIST OF PLATES PLATE ONE Existing Land Use Features Appendix A PLATE TWO Area Growth Patterns Page 34a PLATE THREE Development Concept Map Appendix B ii PLATE FOUR Highway Systems Appendix C PLATE FIVE Regional Highway Proposals Page 52a PLATE SIX Water Service Areas Appendix D PLATE SEVEN Sewer Service Areas Page 59a LIST OF TABLES Tables Paqe A Largest Employers - County 7 B Area Population Tr~nds 11 C Area Population Projections 12 D Land Classifications 40 INTRODUCTION Economy Borough was among the initial group of municipalities in Beaver County to officially act to control the growth pressures which were exerted following World War 11. The Borough's first formal Comprehensive Development Plan was prepared in 1962 in response to the impact of this postwar urbanization. As a result of this early planning, many of the problems normally associated with uncontrolled development were deflected by the communities in which planning programs were implemented. I Significant growth was maintained throughout the local area from the early fifties until about a decade ago when many municipalities experienced a reduction in employment opportunities and decreases in population levels. This rather sudden turn of events resulted largely from the collapse of an established heavy industrial base of over fifty years duration. The downward spiral of the past decade seems now to have slowed or to have been largely halted. Although ongoing areawide recovery is expected to be modest in scope, there are indications that many local municipalities will start once more to experience population increases coupled with new and expanded business activities. This outlook, combined with social changes and innovations in development practices, strongly suggests that local governments should reassess development programs and administrative controls to determine if they are ccmptible with the needs and challenges of anticipated growth trends. The following evaluation and updating of the original 1962 planning program for Economy Borough has been prepared to guide ongoing expansion activities during the coming decade. Consideration has been given to basic established features and strengths within the community as well as to the influence of potential developmental impacts. Many features,of the original study remain vlable while others have been adjusted to reflect changing times and conditions. 1 1 I .- i 1 ! iI is j i i Part One -1 Planning Background I I i I i 1 I J i i 4 PART ONE PLANNING BACKGROUND PREVIOUS PROGRAMS Although independent studies had been prepared from time to time which related to utilities, highways, fiscal problems and other specific aspects of local government, the 1962 Comprehensive Development Plan was the Borough's first formal planning effort. That study predated the Beaver County Comprehensive Plan by three years and was me of only a limited number of such programs developed in the regional area during that era. The foresight shown by officials in Economy Borough spared the community from many development related problems during the major growth years that occurred from midfifties through early eighties. The primary stated purposes of the 1962 Plan included the evaluation of established development, conservation of positive community features, elimination of negative influences and the formulation of a guide for orderly growth. Basic findings in the original study suggested that the potential for industrial and commercial expansion was limited and advised that future development. should be focused on residential related I functions and concern for environmental and aesthetic quality. These concepts and opinions remain valid today. Accordingly, this update of the original program is focused on the current status of basic informational data, the updating of inventory material, and a reevaluation of planning goals and proposals for community action within the context of present day condi ti ons . Many of the basic elements of the original planning background material have remained largely constant over the past thirty years. Some of these planning components are highlighted in the current planning evaluation since they continue to be instrumental in shaping future community development. For example, natural features such as topographic conditions have 3 little potential for modification but play a significant role in mandating land use patterns and the overall density of development. The configuration of existing land uses was determined largely in response to local topographic conditions. Land features will continue to be major factors in determining the siting, density and types of land uses throughout the community. Therefore, topography remains a major planning consideration. i The 1962 study includes projections that outline proposed land use types and locations, as well as levels of anticipated population. These projections have been reevaluated and have been revised as deemed appropriate. Particular attention has been directed toward the changes in the areawide economic structure as part of these considerations since the original 1962 planning projections were formulated on the basis of assumptions that are no longer viable. Other major planning elements, such as future land use proposals and thoroughfare plans, have remained largely constant during the past thirty year period in spite of severe modifications in the regional economic climate. Reasons for this local stability and what it portends for the future are discussed as part of the overall evaluation of the Comprehensive 'Plan. PLANNING ELEMENT REVIEW Natural Features The historic capsule included in the 1962 study notes that Economy Borough had aivays been a predominantly rural area that accommodated farming and residential related land uses. This was a result of both the topographic patterns and limited highway accessibility. These factors are classic planning determinants which combine to form effective barriers to significant economic expansion in many areas of the immediate region. Overall, these restraints have probably been beneficial to Economy Borough by limiting negative deve 1opmen t activities, such as speculative 4 enterprises, conflicting land uses and a host of possible land use activities of marginal value to the general public. Natural features such as topography are of a permanent nature and will continue to influence future growth patterns as they have done in the past. Nearly three-fourths of the land area throughout the Borough is in excess of 16 percent slope. Sloped land in the 16 to 25 percent slope category is difficult to develop and thus is more expensive to prepare for use than terrain of more moderate features. Such land can not adequately accommodate high density activities and its use can precipitate drainage difficulties and erosion to surrounding parcels. These areas are also difficult to service with utilities and vehicular access. Tracts of land with slope in excess of 25 percent are not conducive to most active use applications since development problems become even more pronounced than in the 16 to 25 percent category. The costs associated with these slope features limit the financial feasibility of utilizing such .land , areas for concentrated developments. 2. ./ I E -1 - r Land with less than 16 percent slope is found scat,tered throughout Economy Borough. The highest concentrations are situated in the northern portions of the community, particularly the northeastern quadrant. Extensive residential growth has taken place in these areas and remaining vacant land will accommodate additional expansion. Other development sites throughout the remainder of the Borough are generally limited in size because of the lack of ample contiguous land masses of moderate to flat terrain and the resulting difficulty and expense of providing new streets and utility systems. The portions of the community where terrain features and the feasibility for access will most appropriately accommodate additional growth are discussed in Part Two of this report. As noted above, the topographic profile of Economy Borough is a given natural condition that is not subject to major alteration. This characteristic will continue to be a deciding factor with respect to the types and extent of new development, the design and location of the local transportation network and the costs associated with the infrastructure needs of the community. Local planning policy, as well as private development initiatives, will be directly influenced by these indelible terrain conditions. 5 Economic Structure The 1962 Plan includes a discussion of the relationships between local growth and the areawide economy. The narrative includes an outline of the wide scope of the regional industrial base then in existence and the key position of Beaver County within

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