Bucks County, Pa. West Rock H I II East Rockhill Sellersville Perkasie I I 1

Bucks County, Pa. West Rock h i II East Rockhill Sellersville Perkasie I I 1. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN P E N N R I D G E J 0 I N T P L A N N I IV G C 0 M M I S S I ON Bucks County, Pennsylvania a m 1

June 1974 East Rockhill Township Perkasie Borough Sellersville Borough West Rockhill Township iI TABLE: OF COhJTENTS .Page INTRODUCTION ...... i

Chapter 1 COIICEPT ...... 1

Chapter 2 COALS E OSJECTIVES...... 5

Chapter 3 HATUPSiL RESOURCES ...... 9

Chapter 4 I-IOUSIYG ...... 15

Chapter 5 COMMERCIAL-INDUSTRIAL ...... 19

Chapter 6 THE DEVELOPMEIJT DISTRICT ...... 29

Chapter 7 BOROUGH CORES ...... 33

Chapter 8 TRANSPORTATIOY ...... 45

Chapter 9 RECREATION ...... 53

Addendum .. East Rockhill Township ...... 57

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1 LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 1: Natural Planning Areas Follows 10 2: 13atural Resources and Open Space Ratios 12 3: Permeability Follows 12 4: Sewage Problem, Severe and Moderate Follows 12 5: Occasional Flooding or Ponding Follows 12 6: Severe Flooding Follows 12 7: Seasonal High !*later Table FOllOWS 12 Above 1.5 Feet a: Wetlands Follows 12 9: Slopes 8 -. 15% Follows 12 10: Slopes 15 - 25% Follows 12 11 : Slopes Greater than 25% Follows 12 12: Erodable Soils Follows 12 13: Depth to Bedrock, 3 1/2 Feet or More Follows 12 14: Forest Follows 12 15: Lakes Follows 12 16: Ponds Follows 12 17: Land Use Intensity Follows 14 18: Iiousing Need Projections 16 19: Housing Units 16 20a: Population and Employment Projections Follows 16 20b: Housing Needs and Employment by Income Follows 16 21: Number of Establishments and Employees 20 by Municipality and Industrial Sector 22: Leading Commercial and Industrial Sec- 21 tors - Pennridge 23: Pennridge Employment Growth by Munici- 21 pality - Primary Industries 24: Pennridge Employment Growth by Munici- 22 pality -. Secondary Industries 25: Pennridge Employment Growth by Munici- 23 pality - Tertiary Industries 26: Manufacturing Industries in Pennridge 24 27: Commercial Industrial Development Follows 26 28: Pennridge Employment Growth by Munici- 28 pality 29: Undeveloped Land 29 30: Regional Plan Follows 29 31: Development District Follows 29 32: Residential Acreage 31 33: Sewage Treatment Allocations 31 34: Development District Capacity 32 35 t Urban Core Illustration Follows 36 36- Highway Classification Follows 48 37: Weekday Rail Passengers 51 38: Place of Employment 51 39: Hierarchy of Use Relationship 55 40 : Area Requirements 56 41: Proposed Recreation District Follows 56 1 I I ITIT 30 DUCT I 0 N

In May, 1972, Pcrkasie and Sellersville Boroughs and East and I,I West Rockhill To~mshipsformed the Pennridge Joint Planning Commis- sion. The four municipalities felt a common need to update their existing plans and ordinances.

Over the past two years, the regional planning approach has

offered many advantages to these municipalities. Few problems stop

at municipal boundary lines. While the intersection of Fifth Street and Blooming Glen Road, for example, is wholly within Per- kasie, major traffic generators are in East Fockhill:, so intersection improvements benefit residents of both comunities. The pro-

blems of schools arc? related intimately to land use and zoning decisions at the municipal level, yet all residents pay eouzlly to the school district. Sewerage is another regional consideration critical to many sorts of planning decisions.

The Pennridge Joint Planning Commission organized to coordin-

rite planning programs by developing a sin5le comprehensive plan for the region. It is intended that each municipality adopt this plan, by resolution, as its Comprehensive Plan, The power to implement this plan rests where it always has. with the elected officials of each municipality. If a municipality makes changes in this document, they shall be specified in an appendix when the plan is adopted. Each Rockhill Township has prepared such 2.n addendum.

i ChaDter 1 CONCEPT

The concept of the Pennridge Comprehensive Plan is to approach regional problems with solutions that meet locel needs as well as regional ones. Special attention is given to the protection Of natural resources to insure ecologically sound development. Ma-jor emphasis is on ensuring the planned developrent of the Pennridge area. Both of these aims are embodied j-n the Development District Concept which is the basis of this Dlan.

DEVELOPMEMT-- DISTRICT PLANNING PRINCIPLES

The Development District ConceDt has been put forward because it represents a method of coordinating planning and provides a better chance of success than in the past. For a variety of reasGnsS traditional planning has consistently failed to meet its objectives. See page 3 for East Pockhill concept. Planning in the past has relied crlmost entirely upon zoning as an implementation tool. But zoriing must be coordinated with a variety of other tools if it is to work. Zoning has been called a game* which speculators try to use to their own advantage. They gamble that they can obtain a chanpe of zoninp on a niece Of land and thereby increase its value. Vhen a specula.tor wins this game,? the results are almost always bad for the community.

Traditional comprehensive plans are not geared to the incremental nature of growth, but are based on an ultimate land planS Under this scheme, one of two things happens. Either the community zones too much land for various uses, resulting in a random pattern of growth; or the community sets its ultimate plan with a limited pro- jection of growth which zoning distributes evenly over the entire township, with resultant low densities. The courts have called this restrictive or exclusionary- zoning. In Bucks County and many other areas, sewer planning often goes on in isolation from the comprehensive planning process. This results in a lack of coordination between these two very important' types of planning. In some cases, sewers are extended to service problem areas. At'tracted by the new ,sewers, developers build...and the line is soon inadequate to s,erve the volume of development. Under traditional zoning, then, communities all too often end up reacting to the proposals of individual developers or to other outside pressures. The Development District is based on the concept that the community shall control its future; and that in,order to do so, the community must utilize a variety of policies.

* Babcock, --The Zoning Game 1 II i The Development District Concept entails four stages of growth: urban areas, development areas or districts, resource protection areas or districts, and rural holding zones. In the following paragraphs, each of these areas will be discussed and specific implementation policies will be identified.

Urban Areas are mostly developed. The boroughs of Perkasie .. and Sellersville are considered urban areas. Two types of problems that occur within the urban areas are totally different from the growth problems of the rest of the region. One sort of problem is that the old commercial centers of the boroughs lose business to suburban shopping centers, often leading to the decline of the up- ban cores. The municipality must deal with the problem of halting this decline so that neighborhoods surrounding the borough cores , are retained as good living environments. The second type of Pro- blem arises from the small pieces of undeveloped land in the boroughs which often present special development problems due to their shape, size, or physical characteristics. The terms "renewal, 'I "preservation, and "redevelopment more accurately describe the problems of the urban area than do the terms P1growthl'and "development. ''

The Development District is where some development has occurred and sewer lines are available, although their.capacity may not be adequate -to serve long-term growth. The Pennridge Development Dis- trict, described later in the text, is intended to accommodate POPU- lation growth to the year 1990. In this area, the muni'cipality, scho'bl district, and other authorities will provide required facilities such as road improvements, new schools, and police and fire protection, as well as the extension of public water and sewer. The intensity of this district will be greater than was shown in earlier _. comprehensive plans in order to guide most development to it.

The Development District is "intended to reduce the adverse ef- .... fects of scattered urban development. It represents the philosophy of determinfng where development will take place, rather than simply reacting to developers-. The principal tools of Development District ,-. implementation are zoning and capital programming. The thlird element of the' Development District Concept is the -Resource Protection Area. This is an area of unique environmenfal. resources as identified by the. Resource Protection Map.. Develo merit witliin, these areas should be limited to low Zntensities Wi high opdn space ratios in order to insur hat resources such as the rock hills and Perkiomen floodplains- e preserved- for the future.

The Rural Holding -.Zone is where development is to be discour.- aged. Wi'thin the 20-year plpnning period, it will not be provid wit?i'public services such as water and sewer. Although the lack services will 'discourage development, this is not sufficiedt to achieve the holding of this land from development. Capital investment in sewers within the Development District must be coordinated with rezoning the rural holding zone to lower intensities. The zoning and capital programming policies will be coordinated with taxation policies such as Bucks County's Act 515 program which provides lower taxes for those who covenant not to subdivide or develop their land for at least ten vears. All these policies wj-ll be integrated with the Act 537 Sewage Facilities Act policy, with I strict control of on-site disposal in areas where soils are poor. The East Rockhill Concept is one which embodies some of the principles of the development district hut also recofyizes certain other principles as specified in the East Rockhill Addendum. In East Rockhill Township the entire municipality shall be a development district and each tract of land shall undergo the same test and criteria for development potential, based upon the following factors

1. A system for evaluating site conditions will be used. 2. Consideration will be given to the use and preservation of natural resources. 3. Consideration will be given to densitv, imervious surface and open space criteria.

4. Development will be coordinated with the proposed sewer plan.

5. Ordinances will encourage innovative desip and provide the flexibility necessary to support that design.

6. P variety of housing types will be included.

3 Chapter 2

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

As a general guide to municipal policy-making,. the Pennridge Joint Planning Commission has established goals and objectives that are common to the four municipalities. This chapter summarizes material found elsewhere in this document.

GOAL: To develop a plan that will control development and growth within the Pennridge area.

Theprocess of planning is one in which the community seeks to identify a desirable future state and identifies the means (various ordinances and municipal actions) by which this state may be achieved. The philosophy of this process is to controls regulate and direct the growth of an area. Behind this lies a philosophy of placing certain restrictions on private rights in order to gain community-wide or public benefits.

Planning operates in a system with no alternatives by which everyone may benefit , therefore legislative judgements must be made as to the importance of public benefit versus private rights. The common alternative to this goal is reaction to development pressures. In the ''reaction" philosophy, the planning process is intended not to control development but to react to development pressures, seeking to insure the best possible resolution of potential conflicts generated by the individual proposals. With this philosophy one is at a great disadvantage in trying to seek public benefits because the initiative lies with the private sector instead of with the community. Given a situation in which growth is the pre- dominant factor and the land market operates in a manner which for- ces scattered development, the goal of the Pennridge area is to control development through use of the Development District philosophy rather than to react to development pressures. - OBJECTIVES :

1. A development plan based on the concept of control, in which zoning, capital expenditures and the provision of services are coordinated in order to implement the goals.

2. Regulation of the amount and rate of growth by coordination of essential services (sewers, schools, and roads) with - zoning and subdivision ordinances, using a development district to absorb major growth during the plannling period.

5 I I I GOAL: To protect natural systems, natural resources, critical natural features and scenic areas so as to preserve a quality environment that will contribute to the physical 0 and mental well-being of Pennridge area residents, and to insure that the natural environment will continue to function in a manner that permits self-renewal and pre- O vents deterioration to a polluted state. n A good natural environment is the key to the quality of life. In the past, planning has tended to ignore the natural environment. It is the intent of this plan to make environmental preservation and protection a major factor in the development of land in the region.

OBJECTIVES: 1. To preserve natural cycles and balances and to improve H degraded resources and damaged environmental systems.

2. To protect area residents against the undesirable effects of poorly planned development.

3. To preserve the natural beauty of the Pennridge area for the enjoyment of.residents and-visitors, present and future.

4. To identify the land that is naturally most suitable for development. 5. To protect land which is -unique and to impose restrictions on the level and intensity of development that are based upon environmental capacity.

6. To develop zoning and subdivision regulations , policy regulations and controls which will insure environmental protection for all new land developments, public and private.

GOAL: The plan shall seek to insure that adequate, safe, and sound housing can be made available in sufficient quan- tities at appropriate prices to meet the demand for housing in the area.

The Pennridge area has a housing problem. One indication of 1 the problem is the slow growth rate within .the area. ' A second indication is the very low vacancy rates. Another is the rapid increase in land values.. Related to the cost of land is housing cost I which'has risen to a level wher.e a large segment of the popuiation has difficulty finding housing, particularly to own housing , at I

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costs they can afford, While costs are lower in the Pennridge area I than in Central and Lower Bucks, trends indicate that housing will be made available to a smaller) and smaller segment of the popula-. tion. The young and the elderly suffer most from this housing pro- I b lem.

OBJECTIVES:

1.’ To increase the supply of housing to a point where the vacancy rate approaches 6% for rental units and 2.5% for sales housing.

2. To provide housing for approximately 12,400 more people by 1990.

3. TO provide approximately 2,155 new units by 1980, with an ultimate objective of 4,300 new units by 1990.

4. To coordinate the provision of facilities, including Sewers and schools, with zoning which permits adequate densities varieties of housing types, thereby enabling the housing market to satisfy the demand for housing in the area. 5. To cooperate with Federal, State and County agencies to provide low- and moderate-income housing.

6. To create a zoning ordinance which permits a variety of housing types.

GOAL: To develop a plan which will balance commercial and industrial growth with residential growth in the Pennridge area.

The development of a strong industrial base is an objective of many communities ; however, unbalanced and unplanned growth do more harm than any tax benefits could override. Each of the four municipalities is now competing for new economic growth. All growth, especially commercial, should be coordinated with the expansion of municipal services and related to population growth. This will insure that commercial and industrial growth will be economically healthy aspects of the comunity.

GOAL: To establish the framework within which viable urban areas may be maintained.

OBJECTIVES: 1. To study the redevelopment problems of the borough core areas.

7 2. To study the role of mass transportation in the borough core areas. 3. To investigate new urban forms that might be appropriate to borough core areas.

4. To establish alternative planning strategies for carrying out a borough core program. 5. To maintain the viability of existing urban neighborhoods.

GOAL: To establish a system of primary roads that will serve the interests of the entire region.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To establish a road classification system with consistent dimensional standards.

2. To establish a priority for highway construction projects which will support other regional goals.

GOAL: To apply strict controls to land uses around Nockamixon State Park.

a . With the opening of the park in 1974, it is obvious that private enterprise will seek to capitalize on the state investment. In too many areas this has meant ugly, unsafe, strip development which degrades the natural amenities of the area, and overburdens the roads. This regional plan seeks to avoid these problems .

. .. .. Chapter 3

NATURAL RESOURCES

All too often in the past, the environment has been treated as an inconsequential factor in land development. The prevailing attitude has been that with so much land available, man's development of it could do little damage. This attitude persists today. We must begin to recognize, however, that each development should in some way deal with environmental preservation.

Previous plan reports for the Pennridge area each devote a chapter to environmental factors and contain maps that show slopes, forests, soils and floodplains. Unfortunately, the resultant comprehensive plans reflect no substantial environmental considerations, except perhaps for floodpl&ins. Even though few local soils are suited for septic tanks, this has been the main method of sewage disposal.

GENERAL The Pennridge area lies at the top of three major watersheds: the Unarni, the East Branch of the Perkiomen, and the Tohickon (Re- fer to figure #l.) Thus the area is divided into those three general districts. West Rockhill lies in all three watersheds, while East Rockhill lies in both the Perkiomen and Tohickon. Failure to recognize these natural divisions will increase the cost of providing sewage service by requiring that water be pumped up over the ridges.

The dominant feature of the area is the Rockhill. chain, a major outcropping of diabase running across upper Bucks County from Haycock Mountain through East and West Rockhill, where the major hills are the so-called Rock Hills. This chain forms the ridge- line between the Unami 'and Tohickon Watersheds. A second major ridge divides the Perkiomen and Tohickon watersheds. It parallels most of the length of the East Branch Perkiomen a steep natural barrier. The Perkiomen Valley is his ridge on its northern boundary through East Rock- hill and the two boroughs. In West Rockhill, the valley becomes ' more pronounced; both southern and northern flanking hills are of more equal size and slope. Three Mile Run is a very sharply defined valley between East Rockhill and the ridge which divides the Perkiomen and Tohickon watersheds.

The northern boundary of the study area slopes away into what was once the "Great Swamp" in what is now Richland Township. In the upper reaches of the Tohickon are some remnants of the Great

9 0 B Swamp, in and adjacent to the study area. This land is predominantly flat, lying at the bottom of the northerly slopes of the 0 Rockhills, and is poorly drained with many marshy areas and extensive rock out-croppings. It is a unique wildlife habitat as indicated by the state gamelands in the area. m In West Rockhill the diabase formation turns to the northwest, separating two branches of the Unami rather than dividing the Unami watershed from the Perkiomen watershed. Butter Creek to the north 0 and Ridge Valley Creek to the south are the Unami drainage areas, and each has its own characteristics. The Butter Creek watershed flows out of the Great Swamp. The Ridge Valley watershed origi- 0 nates principally on the high ground dividing the Perkiomen from the Unami.

Recognition of the three-watersheds and the areas they com- 1 prise provides a basis for dividing the Pennridge area into natural planning districts which have unique physical characteristics. Five planning districts are identified below. I ,, 1. The Perkiomen watershed, for which Ridge Road serves as a general dividing line. All four of the participating municipalities have land within this watershed. And it I is this watershed that contains the majority of the population in the planning area. I 2. The heavily forested uplands of the Rockhill chain. 3. The Three Mile R’un watershed through East Rockhill and i West Rockhill. 4. The Ridge Valley Stream corridor, starting near Ridge Road and flowing to the northwestern corner of West i Rockhill. 5. The Great Swamp, a smaller area withln which Butter Creek i and an unnamed branch of the Tohickon have their head- waters. i

,I It is -proposed that these planning districts be considered in determining the boundaries of areas to be sewered. Each area has unique characteristics and problems which may be quite different i from those of land elsewhere within the same municipality. i AMALY S I S It is now appropriate to turn to the study of individual nat- I ural resources. The detailed analyses for each of the indTvidua1 resources wiil not be repeated here, but may be found in the Bucks I 10 i

County Natural Resources Plan from which Figures 3-16 have been taken. The importance of forests areas ‘of steep slopes flood I plains, soil characteristics such as perneahifity, seasonal high water tables, and shallow soils, wetlands hiphlv erodable areas and farmland can be demonstrated. The area near the great swamp, I for example, can easily ’be defined by the presence of wetlands, large areag of floodplaihs, and soils characterized by seasonally high water tables. These soils are in fact the sources of the streams that flow out of them and are as such valuable natural features. Major alterations of these lands would substantiallv change their characteristics. This would in turn alter the characteristics of stream flow, availability of ground water, and flooding in the immediate area and at points downstream. .I 3

I COMPOSITE NATURAL RESOURCE ANALYSIS The land use intensity plan (Figure 17) shows macro-conditions and is a composite of figures 3-16 which indicate the intensity of controls required to protect the resources in.that area. Each resource has been assigned an open space ratib which provides the basis for determining overall land use-controls”1in ihtensities. By determining the resources present in each section of‘the stud -area it is possibleyto arrive at general land use intensities, ‘Yhg open space ratios identified on Figure 17 will be discussed at the end of this analysis.

The East Branch of the Perkiornen is on predominantly poor Soil with low permeability. Small concentrations ‘of highly permable soil are found in the West Rockhill portion. The northern boundary of this district has areas of steep slopes, with scattered woo’d- lands mostly in East Rockhill. It is rroderately well suited for . development where sewers are provided. Areas along the East Branch Perkiomen Creek and here and there on the flanking hillside need intense protection* The Rock Hill chain is characterized hv its steep slopes, extremely rocky ground with shallow depth to bedrock, and heavy forest cover. Some of these soils have moderate permeability and are suited for on-site sewage disposal. In general, these areas should be protected from intensive development even where sewers are provided. Vost of the Rock Hill chain should be considered for resource protection.

Three Mile Run Valley is much like the Perkiomen klatershed. It is characterized by steep slopes at its outer edges with moderate to gentle slopes within. Soils have very poor permeability except in small woodlots scattered throurrhout With sewers, this land is moderately well-suited for development. The Ridge Valley Corridor is in an area of predominantly poor

11 permeability. At its upper end, the slopes are gentle to moderate, becoming much more severe in lower portions of the watershed. The area is moderately to heavily forested, especially the lower section. There are areas of exposed diabase, including several pic- turesque spots. A belt of land that runs from the village of Argus along the creek is moderately well-suited for development.

The region of the Great Swamp is one of the few wetlands in upper Bucks County. Seasonally high water tables and large areas subject to occasional ponding or puddling identify this region as a remnant of the original great swamp. Considerable forest cover is noted, and slopes are moderate to flat. This area is not suitable for on-site sewage disposal and should be developed lizhtlv only if public sewers are provided. The character of the land varies much more than in other areas.

The percent of open space figures identified in Figure 17 were based upon the overall degree of protection required for natural conditions which occur in each area, and in accordance with the criteria listed in Figure 2. This criteria indicates the degree of protection that would be required for each resomce as noted and may be+used for evaluation of existing site conditions.

Figure 2 1 WATURAL RESOURCES AND OPEN SPACE RATIOS

Resource --Open Space-Ratio I Floodplains 1.00 Wetlands 1.00 Lakes and Ponds 1.00 Slopes 25% + a 85 Slopes 15-25% .70 Slopes 8-15% .60 Forests -80 Water table, Bedrock, Permeability .40 Ida t er t ab1e .30 Bedrock and Permeability .31) Bedrock or Permeability .oo

In addition to the features shown above, erosion has been taken into account through slope.

~ 'The Open Space Ratios listed here represent the lbest judge- ment of the Bucks County Planning Com.issi,on for maintaining environmental quality. They have been adopted in the Bucks County Comprehensive Plan and have been applied in the comprehensive plans of several Bucks County municipalities.

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Natural resources data have been used to develop a land use intensity plan. The land use intensity plan map identifies open space in need of protection. The three measures of land use intensity are explained below.

In general, density has been the factor most frequently used as a measure of land use intensity. It is, in fact, a poor environmental measure. It is only part of the problem which contributes to erosion, storm water runoff and flooding. Density does not relate at all to the floodplains, and tells little about the resulting impact of development in areas such as forests and steep slopes.

TWO other measures equally important for natural resource considerations are open space and impervious surface. The former is the amount of land that can be left virtually undisturbed by development. It excludes individual lots, roads and road rights-of- way, all of which require ivtensive disruption of the earth by heavy machinery and equipment. It is perfect for evaluating the impact caused by erosion. It can be used for areas of steep slopes, forest land, scenic areas, or agricultural land. Impervious SUP- face is a specific measurement related to open space ratio. The higher the open space ratio, the lower the resultant impervious Sur- face ratio. While impervious surface is an excellent measure of increased runoff ., flooding and erosion, not enough is known about these factors to facilitate precise measurement of the impact of a certain type of development on the environment. In areas requiring high open space ratios and low impervious surface ratios, a better measure for determining land use intensity is open space. Where high intensities are permitted, such as for shopping centers, impervious surface may be a better measure of intensity than Open space. It is intended that a combination of open space, density and impervious surface controls be used to develop a zoning ordinance based on performance standards.

POLICY The goal for the environment will be implemented through the policies in this section. The policies deal with the development Of this plan, and include specific policies which local officials must act on after adopting this plan.

GOAL: To protect natural systems, natural resources, critical natural features and scenic areas so as to preserve a quality environment that will contribute to the physical and mental well-being of Pennridge Area residents, and to insure that the environment will continue to function in a manner that permits self-regulation and prevents deterioration to a polluted state.

13 1. The open space ratios in Figure 2 should be used to develop the land use intensity plan. I 2. The land use intensity plan shall be a prime deter- minant of land use in the Regional Plan. (Figure 30) Only where isolated areas of low intensity are in an area of generally high-intensity will this resource plan be deviated from. The Regional Plan will generalize-the land use intensity pian to fewer classes.

The zoning and land development regulations will ronmental performance standards to insure protection of both large and small areas requiring resource protection. >- -. 4. ~ Due to the area's generally poor soils for on-site sewage disposal, development where public sewers exist wiLl be encourage-d. Standards outside the sewered area will be .II strict. , .I...... ,. , .. . -.,

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14 I Chapter 4 HOUSING i Housing is an indicator of the life of a community. High quality housing .is an index of economic strength; and the availability of new housing is an index of growth. Two factors that influence housing development are population change and land availability. In this plan, both factors are analyzed with respect to housing needs to the year 1990.

During the decade from 1960 to 1970, the municipalities in the Pennridge area experienced rates of growth from 13.1% (Sellersville) to 44% (East Rockhill). On the average, these were lower than the i county's very high growth rate of 34.5%. Since Pennridge has a relatively small population, the numbers of people added were not large compared to some other parts of the county.

The number of housing units in 'Perkasie and Sellersville increased at a faster rate- from 1960 to 1970 than did the population. In the two boroughs, the average age of the population was increasing, there were fewer families with children, the average family size was declining, and there was a demand for small apartment

I units. Part of this demand was met by the conversion of large a homes into apartments or duplexes

In East and West Rockhill, the opposite situation prevailed: population increased faster than housing units. The dominant trend was for an influx of families with children, which tended to Swell the average family size. i1 II Vacancies showed slight increases in the boroughs and slight decreases in the townships, with little net change. In all Cases, 1 vacancy rates were extremely low. A desirable vacancy rate for " Sales housing is 2.5%. The highest Pennridge rate in 1970 Was Oa6%* For rental units, a desirable vacancy rate is 6.0%. In Pennridge, the highest rate in 1970 was 1.9%. East Rockhill had no vacancies '1 at all, either for rent or for sale. Low vacancy rates indicate a tight housing market where buyers have little choice of type, size, lac-ation or price--clear indication of a need for new housing construction in the area.

. Average prices for housing as reported in the census rose by I large percentages during the decade, ranging from 56.9% in _$eLl@rS- vilb to 86.1% in West Rockhill. Rents have not risen as rapidly. The low rent levels reported indicate that the majority of rental 1 uqits. have been conversions of existing housing rather than new apartment construction.

1 15 1 II

Incomes also rose sharply during the 1960-1970 decade, with larger increases in the townships than in the boroughs. In general, 5 incomes rose slightly faster than price and rent levels, indicating that the average family spent a slightly smaller part of its income for housing in 1970 than in 1960. This may not hold true for all segments of the population, Elderly people and young people just I starting out may be most seriously affected by high housing costs. Employment rose faster than the population in all municipali- m ties, except West Rockhill which experienced a decline in employment. Perkasie and Sellersville were important employment centers $ and a large proportion of their workers commuted from outside the m area.

Increases in local employment opportunities combined with some commutation will insure the steady growth of the Pennridge area. i Demographic changes, particularly increases in the number of elderly persons and in the 20-30 age group, will create a need for a larger proportion of small units (apartments or condominiums) than exists. 5 Yqung families in particular will have.-difficulty finding housing at prices they can afford. ' m The table below summarizes projected housing needs for the decade ahead, and determines the extent -of the development district needed to accommodate the area's growth. I Figure 18 HOUSING NEED PROJECTIONS POPULATION I Q E. W. Rockh i 11 Rockh i 11 Perkasie Sellersville Total I 1965 2,530 2,700 5,310 2,550 13,090

1970 2,866 J 3,270 5 ,'451: 2,829 14j416 1975 3,400 3,900 6,430 3,600 17,330- I 1980 3,990 4,724 7,404 4,228 20 ,3'46 1985 4,957 5,733 8,246 4,561 23,497 1990 6,380 6,880 8 780 4,749 26,789 I Figure 19 HOUSING UNITS E 1970 844 1,040 1,891 909 4,684 '70-'90 1,033 1,048 1,480 73 8 4,300 1 Total '90 1,877 ' 2,088 , 3,371 1,647 8,984

From 1970 to 1990, the Pennridge area is expected to grow about I 86%, a rate slightly greater than expected for the county as a whole. 1

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POLICY The Pennridge area intends to meet the need for expanded housing opportunities in the region. The housing goal restated below shall be implemented by the policies in this section.

GOAL: The plan shall seek to insure that adequate, safe and sound housing can be made available in sufficient quan- tities at appropriate prices to meet the demand for housing in the area. 1. The Development District will be of such an area that the 1990 population can be accommodated. In addition, the district is over-sized to insure a safety margin against a higher growth rate, and to insure an adequate supply of land. 2. Within the development district and urban areas will be a variety of densities. The region as a whole will share the responsibility of providing for all types and densities of housing. No one municipality will provide for all densities. However, each zoning district will provide for a range of housing types. The intent is to provide in each zoning district a range of choice in housing so that neighborhoods can provide for a greater range of people and life styles.

3. Of critical concern are the low- and moderate-income groups. It is impossible at present for the private sector to build a single-family house for under $25,000. The region Can- not alter the market price. It can, however, take some pOSi- tive steps to try to get low-cost housing built. The first action is to provide, in the zoning ordinances, density bonuses for developers who build a percentage of subsidized housing. A similar bonus is awarded if the developer reallocates his land and other costs to reduce the price of some units to less than $26,000=

4. The last action is to cooperate with Federal, State and County agencies to provide leased or scattered site housing and to lease or build housing for the elderly.

17 Chapter 5 COMMERC&-INDUSTRIAL STUDY

The economic stability of the Pennridge area lies in its , healthy commercial and industrial businesses which provide goods 3 services, employment and taxes to the local community.

EXISTING BUSINESS

Figure 21 indicates the nature and number of commercial and industrial businesses in the Pennridge area. The pattern is one Of great variety. -East Rockhill has the smallest commercial- industrial base of any of the four communitfies with 26 businesses employing 527 persons. Contract Construction is the largest sector with 6 businesses (24.0%). In terms of employment, Durable Manufacturing provide's 104 jobs (19%).- Perkasie has the largest commercial-industrial base of the four municipalities with 228 businesses employing 3,525 persons. Retail Trade is the largest sector with 63 businesses (27.8% Of Perkasie's C-I base). Like East Rockhill, Durable Manufacturing provides the greatest employment with 1,468 jobs (41.6%).

Sellersville has the second largest C-I base in the Pennridge area with 136 businesses employing 2,434 persons. There are more Retail Trade establishments (34) in Sellersville than in any other Single sector, except the number is only half that of Perkasie' So Employment is dominated by Durable Manufacturing, as with East Rockhill and Perkasie , which employs 1,516 persons j more than mY other single sector in Pennridge.

West Rockhill has 34 businesses employing 373 persons., Con- tract Construction is West Rockhillls largest sector, but Durable Manufacturing employs more people.

From Figure 21 and the brief paragraphs above, we Perkasie is the major retail center of the area, with S a minor center. - Sellersville and Perkasie are approximately equal in terms of manufacture. East and.West Rockhill have no lead in I

I/ any sector but are generally well-balanced for,rural townships. For the entire Pennridge area (425 businesses providing 6,860 jobs), Retail Trade makes up the largest number of businesses (104) but Durable Manufacturing has the greatest impact on employment (3,176) jobs. .. I.. .. . _. . .. i . .. ,- ,, , .. Figure 21

NUMBER OF ESTABLISHMENTS AND EMPLOYEES BY MUNICIPALITY AND INDUSTRIAL SECTOR

1 Agriculture 2 5 5 18 4 6 1 1 13 30 I

Mining - - 1 3 - - - 1 3; Contract Cons. 6 45 44 197 22 69 6 14 78 325; I Manuf.non-dur. 4 102 18 630 4 249 2 90 26 10711 Manuf .durable 3 104 22 1468 15 1516 4 88 44 31761

T.C. E U.l 50 10 38 4 28 2 3 19 119; Wholesale Trah3 e - - 17 105 11 68 2 1 30 1741 \

Retail Trade ' 2 15 63 301 34 156 5 ' 32 104 504ii

Pers .Services - - 8 20 4 6 - - 12 ' 26! I J * I Bus.6Repr.Ser. 1 1 6 66 5 96 - 12 1631 Auto Service 1 2 4 5 1 . 1' 3' 50 9 58

1 i Entertainment - - - (1) (1) - - 1 li Prof. Services - - 11 36 '"15 , 33 4 11 30 80 i

Other Services 2 17 6 28 8 75 1 50 17 1701 Gov. Services 1 186 1 425 1 116 1 27 4 7541

TOTALS 26 527 228 3525 136 2434 34 373 4.25 6860'i Est. - Establishments Emp. - Employees lTransportation, Communication F Utilities 2Real Estate , Finance , Insurant? Source: Bucks County Planning Commission

20 Figure 22 LEADING COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL,SECTORS - PENNRIDGE # of Businesses # of Employees 1 - Retail Trade 104 1 - Durable Manuf. 3176 2 - Contract Cons. 78 2 - Non-Dur. Manuf. 1071 3 - Dur. Manuf. 44 3 - Retail ‘Trade 504 4 - Wholesale Trade 30 4 - Contract Cons. 32 5 5 - Professional Ser. 30 5 - RE., Fin.,-. Ins. 198 Other Misc. 139 Other Misc. 1586 TOTAL 42 5 TOTAL 6860

Clearly these sectors include most of the important businesses in the Pennridge area that contribute to the area’s economic stability. The continued health and growth of these industries has the most influence on planning for Pennridge.

GROWTH

Commerce and industry generally keep pace with the needs Of the area served. Thus certain industries showed declines while others grew in the 1960-1970 decade. It is helpful to divide con- merce and industry into classifications: Primary, Secondary and - Tertiary as defined in Figures 23, 24 and 25. Figure 23

PENNRIDGE EMPLOYMENT GROWTH BY MUNICIPALITY Primary Industries (Agriculture and Mining) ,. 1960 1970 1980 1990 Municipality Number No.- Change -No. Change -No. Change East Rockhill 45 44 - 2.2% 41 - 6.8% Perkasie 3 21 600.0 18 -14.3 18 0 Sellersville 0 6 600.0 5 -16.7, 5 0 West Rockhill 68 65 - 4-4 55 -15.4 45.- 18.2 Total Pennridge 116 136 t17.2 119 -12.4 104 - 12.6 Upper Bucks 1539 1748 +13.6% 1664 - 4.8% ‘1527’- 8.2

” Source:. 1960 figures prepared by Barclay Jones, 196<7; 19.70’-1990 figures compiled by Bucks County Planning Commission from .. Dunn E Bradstreet, Bureau of Employment Security, yd

I United Fund Campaign statistics.

21: I 1

In general, no growth has been projected for Primary Industries. This is in line with national trends which foresee agricultural I land falling to suburban development and smaller farms falling to larger “corporate” farming interests It is difficult to foresee the effects of the current food crisis on Primary Industries in the 0 Pennridge area. The hope is that this 17crisis’rwill be so short- lived that there will be no effect at all. If, however, the food crisis becomes long-term, the probable effect will be idle acreage I Put back into production. Although it is unlikely that such a result would increase the number of farms, it would increase acreage and perhaps employment. I Figure 24

PENNRIDGE EMPLOYMENT GROWTH BY MUNICIPALITY II-1 SECONDARY INDUSTRIES (Contract Const. , Manuf. , Trans., Corn., Utilities) .JU 1960 1970 1980 1990 Municipalit y Number No. Change No. Change No. Change East Rockhill 98 301 +207.1% 550 82.7% 1800 227.3% 4 Perkasie 1412 2333 + 65.2 2900 24.3 2900 0 Sellersvi1le 1933 1862 - 6.1 2050 10.1 2200 7.3 West Rockhill 141 195 + 38.3 500 156.4 1100 120.0 ‘1il TOTAL Pennridge 3584 4961 t 30.9 6000 27.9 8000 33.3 Upper Bucks 8691 13039 + 50.0% 15920 22*1% 20225 27.0 5 Source: 1960 figures prepared by Barclay Jones, 1967; 1970-1990 figures compiled by Bucks County Planning Commission from Dunn E Bradstreet, Bureau of Employment Security, and 1I: United Fund Campaign statistics.

Secondary employment is expected to grow by slightly decreasing amounts in each period to 1990. In Figure 24, the percentage- change figures are significant’ only when read horizontally by Corn- ..: munity. For instance: although East Rockhill experienced a 207% I increase between 1960 and 1970, this accounted for only 203 additional employees. Perkasie, on the other hand, experienced a 65% increase in the same period, which accounted for 667 additional I employees.

The increases take into account existing development. In the .II townships which are generally undeveloped , larger increases are foreseen than in the boroughs, where large lots suitable for industrial development are scarce. Two major factors will influence employment growth in Pennridge at different times: 1) Continuing de- 0 velopment pressure from the Philadelphia SMSA in the south, and 0 22. 0 2) the opening of the Route 309 corridor which will create pressure from the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton SMSA in the north. The second factor is reflected as an increase in percentage figures between 1980 and 1990, Figure 25

PENNRIDGE EMPLOYMENT GROWTH BY MUNICIPALITY Tertiary Industries (Wholesale and Retail Trade, Real Estate, Finance, Insurance, Services, Public Admin. 1

1960 1970 j 1980 1990 Municipality Number No. Change No. Change

East Rockhill 140 221 t 36.7% 400 81.0% 900 125.0% Perkasie 817 1171 + 43.3 1800. 53.7 2100 16.7 Sellersville 202 566 t180-2 1020 80.2 1150 12.7 West Rockhill 400 177 - 55.8 400 126.0 1100 175.0 TOTAL Pennridge 1559 2135 + 36.9 3620 70.0 5250 45.0 Upper Bucks 59 59 7683 t 28.9% 11200 45.8% 16185 44.5%

Source: 1960 figures prepaped by Barclay Jones, 1967; 1970-1990 figures compiled by Bucks County Planning Commission from Dun E Bradstreet, Bureau of Employment Security, and United Fund Campaign statistics.

Tertiary employment will increase in direct proportion to population growth because these industries make sales and supply services, dir- ectly to residents.

, The figures presented the three preceeding charts ,reflect rates of growth for each of the four municipalities. The figures do not take into account the effects of the development district in redirecting growth through high-intensity use concentrations. The figures do reflect the probable amount of growth for individual municipalities under traditional zoning procedures. In Summary Conclusions of this report, these figures will be modified to reflect employment based upon land allocations within t

L L

moment manufacturing in the Pennridge area. In an earlier discussion, ufacturing was iaentified as ’ the leading employer, ranking third in number of establishments. The Pennsylvania Department of Commerce Industrial Census, however, shows a decline in manufacturing in Pennridge.

23 the borough core will be treated in Chapter 7.) Yew industrial development should be located: l) near transportation facilities SO that out of town workers do not congest local roads, 2) away from or buffered from residential neighborhoods, and 3) on land that is unsuited for a higher use. No undeveloped area in Sellersville aR- pears to meet all the above criteria. Rather than providing land for new industrial development, Sellersville should concentrate on maintaining the conditions which allow existing industries to stay in the borough.

Perkasie should concentrate its efforts on 'tiphtening up' its commercial area, This is not to say that Perkasie should create the congestion that drives most people away from downtown areas; but Perkasie should encourage the gradual elimination of residential and dilapidated corimercial uses in the urban area. The Bor- ough should also strengthen the core by encouraging new and outlying business ventures to move to the core area, Some of the existing residential buildings could temporarily suit business ventures with little renovation, while other business uses would require new facilities. (See the borough care study, Chapter 7, for more detail on the form this concentration of businesses could take.) Industrial development should be provided for? using the same criteria as noted in the above paragraph on Sellersville. See the section below on East Rockhill for more information. East Rockhill has attempted to focus its commercial base, as evidenced by the recently built (and still expanding) showing center on Fifth Street. Because this shopping center will draw business away from the traditional shopping centers of Sellersville and Perkasie and cause further deterioration, we must recommend that no new plans for expansion of commercial uses be approved before a substantial increase in population occurs. Although the concept of 'new centers" was once fashionable, current thinking among planners is that drawing business away from traditional centers causes a "slow death" which could create 'slum conditions' in what was a viable town center. The possibility of this occuFring in the two boroughs is not remote. At the same time, East Qockhill should avoid the possibility of 'strip commercialv along the arterial roads. Proper controls such as reverse frontage lots and marginal access roads will protect the flow of through traffic while providing a degree of safety for motorists. The township should now concentrate on industrial development. Lands surrounding the Penn- ridge Airport are currently beinF planned far an industrial park. Until Ridge Road is replaced as a major truck route the uses in this area should remain small in scale. Wooded should protect adjacent residential uses.

West Rockhill has little land n commercial or industria but a major transportation facility (Route .309 Bypass) and large tracts of undeveloped land make West Rockhill ,ideal for development. Commercial uses that would compete with the boroughvs commercial centers are inadvisable; however, the existence of Grandview

26 Figure 27 is not a zoning map, nor does it indicate the intention to change the status of any exis-- ting non-conforming uses in the Pennridge Area. It is not a complete map of commercial and industrial. uses. It is intended to show the scatteration that exists among comn?ercial and industrial uses in Penn- ridge.

Hospital near the Ridge Road - Route 309 Bypass interchange opens the door for a "special di~trict'~reserved for hospital-related uses- (See next paragraph.) Areas of West Rockhill adjacent to Telford's commercial district are appropriate for commercial development if accomplished in an orderly way. The State Street- Route 309 Bypass interchange is ideal for light industry. The location of the Reading Railroaa near this area provides rail service as a primary mode of shipping goods or as a secondary mode in favor of road transport.

The Special Hospital District would be established around Grandview Hospital and would allow a mixture of uses which relate to the hospital, including commercial, light industry, insti-tu- tional and residential. Thus, a pharmacy would be consistent with the intent of this district, as would the manufacture of surgical supplies and prosthetic apparatus. Doctors offices, medical schools, nursing homes, ambulance service, and even housing for the elderly would seem appropriate. Some uses require greater consideration, and the list above is far from complete. Each application for land use and siting within the district should be evaluated on its own merits.

Under the development district concept, growth in Pennridge ' Will not be lessened, but rather, redirected. With reference to figures 23, 24, and 25 we will make summary changes which will reflect Perkasie's commercial growth, and East and West Rockhill's light industrial development.

The development district concept will mean a slightly greater decrease in Primary Industries in the townships than previously indicated. This is because most farms lie in the lowlands of the Perkiomen watershed, which will be the development district. In the boroughs, Primary Industries will become non-existent.

Secondary Industries, including contract construction and light industry, will increase most in the townships. Of the two industrial parks, West Rockhill is expected to develop first because most industry is oriented toward truck transport and ease of access to highways is more important than the availability of air transport= Current projections for Pennridge indicate approximately 3510 new jobs in Secondary Industries by 1990. (West Rockhill, 2280; East Rockhill, 800; Perkasie, 255; and Sellersville, 175.) Tertiary Industries will increase mainly in the boroughs, with Perkasie getting the most development. This classification includes the commercial and office sectors. Current projections indicate approximately 2300 new jobs in Tertiary Industries- in Pennridge. (Perkasie, 1500; Sellersville, 460; East Rockhill, 230; and West Rockhill, 115. )

27 The following table is a compilation of preceding data with comparative statistics.

Figure 28 PENNRIDGE EMPLOYVENT GROWTH BY MUMICIPALITY DEVELOPNEflT DISTRICT - ALL INDUSTRIES

1960 1970' 1980 1990 Number No. % Change No. % Change Mo. % Change

East Rockhill 283 566 100.0 1,075 99.0 1,600 48.8

Perkasie 2,232 3,525 57,9 4,455 26.4 5,505 23.6

Sellersville 2,135 2,434 14.0 2,730 12.2' 3,110 13.9

West Rockhi11 609 437 -28.2 1,480 238.7 2,585 74.7

TOTAL Pennridge 5,259 6,962 32.4 9,740 39.9 12,800 31.4

Upper Bucks 16,189 22,470 38.8 27,950 24.4 34,770 24.4 (incl. Pennridge 1 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES GOAL: To develop a plan which will balance comercial and industrial growth with residential growth in the Pennridge area.

OBJECTIVES:

1. To provide for the economic growth of the area bv expanding the tax base without burdening existing municipal services. 2. To provide for commerce and industries which will support the employment needs of the area residents. 3. To provide for coordination, rather than competition, among individual municipalities in terms of economic goals and objectives. POLICY The Pennridge Joint Planning Cokission will encourage individual municipalities to plan' fo,r development which will bepefit the,Pennridge area by complimenting existing developmentL Perkasie and Sellersville , the traditional comercial centers should remain so; while West Rockhill with its transportation facilities should accommodate industrial uses. East Rockhill should coordinate industrial development with funding for highway construction.

28 I I Chapter 6

l THE 199 0 DEVELOPMENT PLAN

I The development plan, based upon studies of natural resources, housing and commerce, will be presented here before proceeding with 1 more specific investigations. The first step is to identify developed land. Generally, this means land in Perkasie and Sellersville, but it includes small parcels in the townships. Approximately 1,810 acres of developed land 'I are found in the four municipalities- 835 in Perkasie, 281 in Sellersville, 363 in East Rockhill, and 365 in West Rockhill. De- ~I veloped land is identified on Figure 30, the Regional Plan Map. The next step is to apply the natural resources data of Figure 17, the Land Use Intensity Map. In general, the area west of Ridge Road and the land along the floodplain of the East Branch Perkiomen I Creek are considered unique and in need of special protection. Ap- proximately 4,330 acres of land have been identified for resource protection as shown on Figure 30, the Regional Plan Map. See East I Rockhill addendum. Land on which future development should occur is the third consideration. In general, it is the land along the East Branch I Perkiomen Creek, with Fifth Street as its backbone and generally bounded by Ridge Road and Branch Road. Approximately 8831 acres I of developable land are in the Pennpidge area. Under the development district concept (outlined in Chapter 11, 8831 acres of Pennridge land have been identified as "developable." 3 This vast acreage will support approximately 93,000 people at typical densities and family sizes. The estimated demand for the year 1990 is 4,300 dwelling units, or approximately 9,500 peonle. If I all the developable land were identified for immediate use, scattered development would result. By limiting growth to one area, capital programs can provide municipal services to that area within 1 the time frame of the plan. See East Rockhill addendum. The Development District as shown in Figure 31, Development District Map, is broken into the following land areas (exclusive I of Rural Holding):

Figure 29 I UNDEVELOPED LAND (ACRES) Total Rural Development District 1 Municipality Undeveloped Holding Industrial Commercial Residential East Rockhill 2,890 165 6 2,719 Perkasie 549 .- 46 - 503

Sellersville 303 I 37 5 261 II West Rockhill -L5 089 3,723 -610 -133 623 8,831 3,723 858 144 4,106 I 29 Figure 30 - See East Rockhill Addendum. Figure 31 - See East Rockhill Addendum. E Figure 31 - The area around Grandview Hospital, which is designated Commercial (red), is intended for hospital service type uses, many of which would be of a commercial nature. See text 12 pages 26-27.

Figure 31 -. The west side of Ridge Road near the Penn- ridge Airport, which is designated Indus- trial (purple), is currently developed in single family detached hones. The desiq- I nation for these single family homes should be .Urban Area (gray):

1 :

._ .. . , .. .

I I

Of particular interest is residential land. Figure 31, the I Development District Map, breaks residential land into six cate- gories, varying in density from 0,7 dwelling units per acre near the floodplain of the East Branch Perkiomen Creek to 8.0 du/ac 1 near the urban cores of the boroughs. In general, the densities and open space ratios were applied to larpe, unbroken tracts of open land and were based upon existing neighborhood densities with increased open space at the fringe of the development district. I Figure 32 indicates the residential acreage per municipality for each density proposed on Figure 31, the Development District Map.

I Figure 32

-RESIDENTIAL ACREAGE I Total 1.85 2.5 3.0 4.9 8.0 Perfor- Municipality Residential DU/AC DU/AC DU/A< DU/AC DU/AC mance -

East Rockhill 2,719 &. -. -. - 2,719 I Perkasie 503 .1 165 46 272 20 - Sellersville 261 46 169 46 .- Vest Rockhill 673 207 356 GO - .., ." -- II ------I 4,106 207 567 106 441 66 2,719

The area of the Development District is closely related to the I area to be sewered. Figure 33 indicates sewer allocations'based upon the design capacity of the upgraded Perkasie Sewer Plan (1978 I completion date scheduled). Figure 33 I SEWAGE TREAT MEhr T AL LO CAT I 0 N S Equivalent Additional Municipality Allocation' (MGD 1 Dwelling Units ~opulation3 East Rockhill 0.350 1,000 3,500 Perkasie 1.330 3,800 12,250 Sellersville 1. 0954 3 ,115 '10,900 I We st Rockhill -- 0.240 715 2,500 I 2.905 8,630 29,150 'Perkasie Borough Authority memo 2Based upon 350 gal/day/dwelling unit 3Based upon 3.5 persons/DU. These figures do not allow for industrial usage, but are useful for comparison with the next table. 'Combined allocations from Perkasie and Telford Sewer Flant s . 31 0 0

Based on the residential acreage of Figure 32, the following table indicates the zctual residential capacity of the Development I District. Figure 34 B DEVELOP,MENT DISTRICT CAPACIT,Y (PEOPLE July 1973 1990 0 Municipality Existing ' Proposed Development Total East Rockhill 3,103 3,277 6 ,380 i Perkasie 5,617 6,544 12,161

Sellersville 2,933 4,557 7,490 *I \?est Rockhill 3,083 --5,223 8,306 14,736 19,601 34,337 0

Comparison of the data in Figures 33 and 34 to the data in U Figures 19 and 20, Housing Need Projections and Housing Units, shows that the Development District actually has more canacity than the projected needs. The reasons are that* (1) not all parcels I will be sold for development, (2) not all developers will be able to build at the density indicated, and (3) usually 10% of residential land is used for roads, easements) and utilities. Thus, because more land is in the development district than is necessary to I support the 1990 population estimate, not all land in the Develop- ment District will be developed by 1990. I % Comparison of Sewage Treatment Allocation Equivalent Dwelling Units (Figure 33) to Housing Units (Figure 20) shows that the need is for 4,300 dwelling units, while 8,630 are provided for in sewer I capacity. This compares to 12,400 persons (Figure 19) versus 27,150 persons (Figure 33). Much of the sewer capacity which was noted in Equivalent Dwelling Units (EDU's) will be used for industry; therefore, the actual population supported by sewers will be closer to I the population projections of Figure 19 than the sewer capacity population (Figure 33) figures indicate. 0 These, then, are the considerations used to design the Develop- ment District Map. The map should b.e reviewed periodically along with the population projections and industrial base. Normally, five I years would be an adequate time interval between reviews of the De- velopment-District map; but during periods of rapid growth, a shor- ter interval should be considered. I

32 I 0 Chapter 7

PENNRIDGE URBAN AREAS

The major portions of Perkasie and Sellersville are urban areas. Both boroughs serve as community centers for many of the region's commercial and employment needs. Urban areas, by def ini- tion, have different problems than the development district. Por- tions of the two boroughs (about 1/31 are within the development district and these areas are not the subject of this section. There are two major zones within the urban area: the borough cores and the neighborhood areas. The Borough Core consists of the I commercial centers and their immediate environs (Figure 27) and represents the most difficult area of concern. The remaining portions of the urban area are already largely developed, primarily in residential, industrial and institutional uses , and might be called I neighborhoods. This section of the plan deals with both areas, al- 1 though emphasis is on the borough cores. Borough Cores

Taking a long view of the development of towns and cities, un- I til recently growth was not a major problem., Villages and towns grew slowly over decades or centuries. Most of the growth in Per- kasie and Sellersville folhowed this pattern. After World War 11, I Bucks County and the Pennridge area entered into a period of rapid growth. The pace quickened and larger subdivisions were developed around the boroughs. ,Perkasie and Sellersville, along with other I urban cores Throughout the country, face enormous difficulties. Old commercial areas are no longer attracting new investment. AS more new commercial land becomes available on the edge of the urban I area, economics dictate declining activity in the borough cores. A the central area will spread to surrounding urban residential areas. So far, the problem has not been so critical in Perkasie and Sellersville as in many communities; however, it could worsen. This section is based on the premise that the P-ennridge area needs a healthy centr

The borough core of P is defined as the area bounded by the Reading Railroad trakks, both sides of Walnut Street, South Fifth Street and West Arch Street, and extending north along North Seventh Street beyond West Arch Street. The core contains' a mix of urban uses: single-family homes , shops and offices with apartments above, banks, the rail station, and the borough offices. Within the I area is a 1.3-acre redevelopment block whicli was cleared several years ago but re'mains undeveloped. It is held by the Bucks County

Redevelopment Authority ' and I falls under e control of the U.S. De- I partment of Housing and Urban Developmen s Urban Renewal Program.

I 33 n n The borough core of Sellersville is defined by the Reading Railroad Tracts, the East Branch Perkiomen Creek and both sides Of 0 Main Street. The core contains a mix of residential, commercial and industrial uses, including many small shops, a bank, a textile mill, the fire station and single- and multi-family dwelling units. 0 REDEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS 0 Parking and structures which do not meet the needs of today's commercial establishments are the principal problem of the borough cores. Across the nation, businesses continue to leave downtown areas and move to commercial shopping centers on the edges of com- 0 munities. The costs of providing adequate parking in downtown areas to attract new development and major stores often are prohi- bitive. n Urban Renewal has been ilnable to deal with the needs of Small boroughs. In Perkasie, urban renewal has failed entirely. The a- 0 mount of land that could be classed as in need of renewal is Simply to0 Small for a modern commercial center. A prime tenant (Super- market or small department store) cannot be attracted unless an adequate site is available. Factors of size, visibility, I population of the service area are foremost in the develo mind. 1 With lack of adequate population, small size and poor visibility, it appears impossible for Perkasie to attract a prime tenant to its downtown area. Without a prime tenant, .it is,difficult a to create a traditional downtown center. Sellersvil-le lacks. a major Store- While several stores. would be. considered prime. t,enants in Perkasie Borough, they are considerably smalle-r than similar stores of the same type being built today. The only chain supermarket has I left the core area. It appears likely that new prime tenants mus-t be found for both Borough Cores, but they cannot be made competitive with shopping centers built on the periphery until access and bop- a ough streets are improved and the parking problem is solved. The abundance of sound structures and small parcels make it difficult to assemble an adequate amount of land for urban'renewal. 0 Redevelopment of the borough cores will be a problem. Based on experience to date and the lack of federal funds for urban re- a newal f indications are that larger governments cannot provide real assistance to the Boroughs. Redevelopment will have to be accomplished locally by residents and businessmen if it is to be done at all. ,- 0 < An example in Buck County of an area that has substantially renewed its business core using mostly private funds is Bristol 0 orough. Many,of the buildings in Bristol have been refurbished 0 34 i n I I and remodeled on the outside. It should be noted, however, that I the Grundy Foundation spent several hundred thousand dollars to solve the parking problem. Nevertheless renewal is possible when the businessmen and residents of an area get together to improve I the central core. A najor advantage of the Borough Cores' is the rail line which serves commuter traffic. If the energy %crisiscontinues , with in- I creasingly strict environmental controls and lack of adequate funding for secondary road improvements, central areas such as Perkask and Sellersville will become more desirable as residential lOCa- I tions. Rather than remaining as primarily business centers, they might become central places or urban cores: a mix of business and commercial uses with high-density residential uses. The traffic problem in the borough core can be reduced if people switch to mass I transportation. Similarly, certain types of commercial uses which serve residential areas could function quite well downtown and de- I pend largely on pedestrian traffic. I MASS TRANSIT AS the development district grows, it is inevitable that congestion will worsen unless capital investment is funneled into roads Or mass transit. In a built-up area, road improvements which use I UP land on either side of the road are a costly and unpopular solution. Recently there have been interesting experiments with mass transportation which seem to work. They involve small buses -or I mini-buses that carry 8 to 30 passengers. No fixed routes are assigned and the passengers are picked up and delivered on call.' I This system is often referred to as "Dial-a Ride." The system has some very special advantages: it can meet the> flexibility of the auto with door-to-door service; vehicles are small and operate more like a taxi than a bus; older residents and e women feel safe (most vehicles come equipped with a spot light and drivers can be told to wait until people are inside at night); the vehicles do not operate on fixed' routes, so'when demand is low they I travel only to pick up passengers. I There are disadvantages: labor costs are higher per passenger I than for the ,bigger vehicles, and all mass transportation systems operate at a loss; but careful planning of such a system can'make it work with minimal losses,. Special trips to take workers to specific plants can be pre-arranged with$area businessmen and this could provide a guaranteed base revenue. These systems shave. also been used to make deliveries from merchants to cus I tion drugs , for example). 1 For the central area, this type of system could augment rail I transportation. It could reduce parking needs for cOm.merCial I 35.: I 0 industrial and higher density residential land uses and make the central area more attractive. A mini-bus system is not a quick answer to all problems. Such an approach depends on broad-based u support for the system: the public must want it and be willing to pay taxes to subsidize it. a Although a changing role for the borough cores has been suggested above, it should be pointed out that substantial blight does not exist. Many buildings are well-maintained. The problem is ex- ternal: new commercial construction will occur outside which will 0 hurt the. central areas. It seems time to seek a workable alterna- , tive . ii While time 2s critical, seve-ral years of careful planning and organizing should be spent to arrive at a final plan. This docu- merit Will suggest solutions intended to begin the process. il

NEW URBAN FORMS 0 What should the new urban core area look like? At present, about 16% of the Sellersville borough core is taken up by streets. The figure is much lower in Perkasie, although in the urban renewal b area it is quite high. The area above the streets is a substantial amount of land which cannot be used. New York City has had considerable success using air rights as a bonus to develgpers who provi- I ded specific capital improvements. The same sort of strategy would work in Sellersville and Perkasie Boroughs, although obviously the types of bonuses and types of requirements must be tailored to the needs of the two boroughs. Inadequate parking, even with mass I transportation, would still.be a major problem. The one way to provide adequate parking would be to elevate buildings above parking lots. I Figure 35 shows how new construction could be used to redevelop the core areas. i By permitting building to occur over streets, using the air rights above the streets, the boroughs would be providing an important subsidy to developers in terms of buildable area. The borough B can provide additional incentives by increasing allowable densities within these areas. In return, developers will be expected, to provide parking. Carried to an ultimate solution, this type of concept i would convert the ground level of the central area to a parking garage. The actual pedestrian-access level would be at the second story, with residences and businesses located at this level rather 1 than at ground level. Obviously, this implies a great deal of CO- operation between landowners, and willingness on the part of the boroughs to consider taking on a totally new character. I 1 1 36 I I Figure 35 I I URBAN CORE ILLUSTRATION I I I 1 I I \ I I I I

I I I Legend

I EXISTING

PROPOSED u \\

I 0 200 400 600 Feet I I I I BOROUGH CORE PLANNING ALTERNATIVES There are, of courses alternatives to the solution proposed on the previous page.

I Status quo-- One alternative is to continue present policies: seek new commercial zones on the edge of the urban areas. Sellersville is pursuing this end, and Perkasie and the sur- I rounding Townships may follow suit. Attempts to provide additional municipal parking should continue. Variances on park-' ing requirements for business seeking to locate or expand in ' the urban areas would be granted. This is a two-directional I policy: 1) it seeks tax ratables in the form of new commercial uses, which will inevitably affect the character of the central area; and 2) it attempts to prevent-serious problems by good I planning. The status quo strategy has the advantage of letting things take their own course, If this policy led to a major decline in the central area, new actions would have to be de- 3 vised at that time. If the central areas are allowed to decline in attractiveness and economic strength, more problems I Will occur and more costly solutions will be necessary. Individual Improvement-- This alternative would seek the organization of a businessmen's group which would work with real estate and banking interests to encourage local businesses to I stay in the core and improve the general quality of the area., Improvements would'generally be cosmetic in nature: new Or re- painted store' fronts, street plantings, new lighting and street I furniture. Some ideas 'presented previously might be tried on. the urban renewal area. Active recruiting to attract new b ness to the renewal area would be essential, As with the s I tUS quo alternative, the individual improvements strategy Would improve parking. Unlike the status qub alternative, new .fringe shopping centers would be discouraged. The possible exception ' to this would be the Sellersville Estates area which is 'adja- I 8. Cent to the borough core and might be developed as an extension of the Borough Core. The boroughs would need support from the " townships, since a 'shopping center across the borough line has I an adv.erse impact on the boroughs. 3) Incremental Approach-- This may be the most feasible approach: I the ideas suggested earlier would generally be accepted. The various concepts would be broken down according to ease of implementation. Under this approach, the least radical solutions would be tried first; the more complicated, expensive inndva- I tions would be phased in later. Continuous moni nece8sary: it is easy to accomplish the first st lose'interest or defer action on the others. If this is al- I lowed to happen, the concept will fail. 'Support from the townships is desirable, but fringe shopping centers need'not be I totally excluded.

I 37 I I I I 4) The last alternative is to develop'a single plan for re-use ! 1 and apply all possible tools to develop the borough cores in i accordance with this plan, This has much less flexibility I i than the incremental approach and is so radical it might never .I i get off the ground. I I 1 I ! Based on similar situations,across the country, plus the ex- i perience of the two boroughs, we are reasonably confident that the 1 first alternative, "the Status Quo,Fi will not lead to desirable re- I sults. There are occasional succe,$sful examples of "Individual Im- provement." Success depends largely on local support. It does not alter the basic problem but manages to maintain a healthy situation I for the next decade, At some po.int, more effort will be needed to maintain this situation and more radical solutions must inevitably be tried. For any of these solutions.to work, a continuing effort I is needed. The total plan solution QP an incremental approach ~01~- tion represent the best alternatives.

The cooperation of the businessmen and residents of the area I is essential. Because of the very small property sizes,. and the small blocks, it is necessary for landowners to work together, even if the ultimate development plan would take 15 to 20 years to I achieve. Landowners would have to be willing to operate .together to develop a well-coordinated, phased program. They should be willing to work with the borough to bring about the program at a reasonable cost to the community. If iodividual landowners are I opposed to the project, or if they seek to get more than their fair share of value from the project, it will be doomed to fail. Urban renewal no longer appears a viable possibility for future redevelop- I ment, and the boroughs simply cannot afford to condemn land for private redevelopment. 0 Before the boroughs implement any strategy dealing with the borough'sores , extensive meetings should be held with the borough planning commissions, borough councils, landowners and businessmen I If the concept appeals to the community as a whole, then the borough should enter into more detailed studies using its planning commission and a group of representatives from the borough core to work on detailed plans and ordinances which could implement the basic I study. Public support and participation are essential to the SUC- cess of any plan. Below is a rough work program to be followed. I I, .. ''1 .. .. Program ...... I 1. *Create an organization of intere,sted residents and businessmen to work with the Borough Planning Commissions to identify problems, define the area of concern, and study alternatives. I 1 38 I I I 2. Present alternatives and explore in-depth costs and I impacts on the.borough cores and community at large. 3. Conduct detailed feasibility studies to develop final plans for municipal action, to develop appropriate I ordinances, and to explore funding sources.

4. Adopt a plan and develop a capital program for its I implementation. 5. Work with community leaders, banks, real estate in- I terests, and governmental bodies to fund and support the plan e

I Several preliminary meetings have been held in Sellersvilh and Perkasie to discuss the alternative concepts mentioned above I Following is a summary of the thrust of those meetings. Sellersville has maintained an up-to-date comprehensive plan over the years, but has discovered that most of the major goals in that plan are now impossible to achieve because of the changes in I The flood- land use that have occurred since the plan was adopted. ' Plain of the Perkiomen Creek is quite wide at the fringe of the bor0,ugh core. While there appears to be much undeveloped land, I existing structures already encroach on the floodplain. Several buildings are vacant , but they are not contiguous; and individual lot sizes are too small to comply with current on-site parking re- I quirements. Single-family uses take up a great deal of 'space in relation to adjacent commercial uses. Sifice the comprehensive Plan was adopted in May 1965 and revised in June 1967, a few new Comer- cia1 buildings have been built, several units of townhouses have I been constructed, and a duplex residential unit is approved awaiting sewers. These residential uses are on lots that were identified for commercial uses in the comprehensive plan. Although hindsight is I always' more acute than foresight, it is obvious 'that SellerSvilb has not been able to effectively-carry out its comprehensive plan in I day-to-day decision-making duties. Several things are obvious in Sellersville; A few stores have modernized their facades. The borough has opened a parkin large enough to accommodate existing needs. A small block of resi- I dential uses has deteriorated to a point where renewal will be essential in the near future. Removal of blighted or abandoned buildings is difficult. While the borough has powers of condemnation, I experience has shown that these powers are weak when contested in court. And the borough does not have the power to act (as an Urban renewal authority) to buy up land as it is put on the market with I the intention of holding it until several contiguous parcels can be put together for resale. The borough does not have theSe,powers Or I I 39 the working capital to support them; but private individuals can act, and if this were done with an ultimate plan in mind, renewal could take place.

For the above reasons, a two-fronted program is recommended.

1) Involve the interest of local civic organizations. If these groups are not very active now, the reason may be that they do not fully understand the problem or are waiting for the goals to be articulated. The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Act 247, allows local planning commissions to r7pr~m~tepublic interest in, and mderstanding of, the comprehensive plan and Plan- ning'. and to "make recommendations to governmental, civic and private agencies and individuals as to the effectiveness of the Pro- posals of such agencies and individuals." In framing a comprehensive plan, the planning commission automatically becomes the advo- cate of the goals of the plan. Coordination of the efforts of those who have the power to implement the plan goals is essential. The Junior Chamber of Commerce seems to be the most ideal civic group to coordinate with. Storekeepers, 'organized by blocks , might buy residential properties on their block when they come'up for sale and develop the properties into a parking lot or turn them Over to the borough for the same reason. They might also act as a corporation to hold the land for future development. Parking lots could be a temporary use.

It is also apparent that certain properties have large yards which are not related to commercial use. The borough or civic- group might encourage the subdivision of unused (or little used) Yards for future development e

Sellersville officials have agreed to the basic concepts Of. -Promoting cooperation among various groups to solve the problem! which affect the downtown area. The Sellersville planning CO~lS- sion and borough cpuncil should become the advocates of upgrading . Plans, which will hopefully "SnowballJ' throughout the community

A public relations effort is needed to kick off this program. Aibrochure listing the goals of the comprehensive plan and the pli- CY of the borough co,uncil with respect to the downtown area, coupled with Pictures of. renovated businesses, parking facilities and other ammities of Sellersville will not only invite new growth ,but wil stimulate other businessmen to do the same for their facilities

1, Perkasie has a situation different from that in Sellersvklle: Several years ago, a block at the center of the downtown area was Programed for urban renewal. All buildings were demolished with the exception of the borough hall, and, in the intervening years a branch bank has been built. The size of the project is about 1.28 acres. Because this project will be the focal point of downtown Perkasie, there is intense local interest from borough'officials and citizens. The Urban Renewal Plan calls for the site to be put to commercial use. Local officials should ensure that the land use and site design are appropriate to the project's location.

Of major concern to Perkasie are the increasing numbers of elderly. The 1970 census listed 1,433 persons over age 65 and 3,052 persons between ages 45-65 in the four municipalities. Most Of these people currently reside in Perkasie. Borough Council should undertake a survey of residents to ascertain the current need for subsidized apartment units; and, if the need is great enough, they should work with regional. social agencies to meet the need. Such housing should be located within or adjacent to downtown Perkasie, where shopping, medical and public transportation facilities are easily accessible to all.

When the urban renewal project is completed, parking will again be a problem in downtown Perkasie. As an interim solution, we recommend that borough officials work with local businessmen's and Civic groups to provide parking by purchasing land (as it comes on the market) and converting the land to small parking lots which Will ve small groups of stores. The only ultimate solution to the parking problem is the multi-story parking garage (this solu-tion probably won't be economically feasible until 1985 or later) and/or the ground floor parking lot with shopping or apartments on the second story and above. These solutions are recommended because of the need for parking in maintaining vitality, yet it is recognized that parking lots consume much land for which little economic return is received.

Urban amenities appear to be lacking in Perkasie. The Borough should begin a program of planting street trees on Market, Chestnut and North Seventh Streets. Trees buffer and soften the hard mater- ials common to the urban environment; they absorb heat and filter sunlight in summer; they diffuse winds in winter; they absorb car- bon dioxide and other pollutants; and they produce oxygen to purify the air.

Because each plant has its own-inherent qualities and draw- backs, professional guidance should .be sought to determine which species-are best suited for Perkasie; and more specifgcally which species interfere the' least with above- and below-ground utility lines , which species require the least maintenance and which species will tolerate the special environmental facto at various 10- cations in the Borough. -.

41 urban Neighborhoods 1 With respect to the non-core portion of the urban areas (the various neighborhoods) the problem in Perkasie and Sellersville is less complex. The boroughs have a sound industrial employment basee Housing is generally sound and well-maintained. No significant deterioration is apparent, although many homes are quite old.

The problem of neighborhoods is related to the success of the urban cdre plans. If the urban core is not improved, problems will spread out from there.

A major goal is to maintain the quality and integrity of the existing neighborhoods. Only a few small parcels of land remain to be developed within these neighborhoods, and some of those parcels have remained undeveloped because of specific site problems Adja- cent land uses may make the properties less than desirable: their size and shape may not be conducive to good layout, or their physical characteristics may present serious problems for the developer.

Performance Zoning offers flexibility in developing the remaining vacant lands in the boroughs. To deal with tfie problems of these sites, it is important that the boroughs look at each vacant site before drawing new zoning boundaries.

The following check list should facilitate decisions on how to zone the undeveloped parcels.

1) Character and quality of existing land uses in the area.

2) Adequacy of parking, streets, and &her utilities which might affect development of a’good plan.

3) Size and shape of the site. LL 4) Physical characteristics of the site. When a developer comes in with a sketch plan, guidance from the planning commission is very important-. All too often planning commissions are reluctant to provide clear, strong guidance about what -they’desire to see on a site. Doing so should set the tone for the subdivision review process, leaving the developer no doubt that the planning commission has a positive idea of what ‘is des?red for the site. The provisions of Act 247 which permit the planning ..., commission to vary design requirements should be used ’where appropriate. This provision gives the planning commission the power to remove specific requirements which prevent good design from being achieved. Care must be taken not to abuse these provisions. A check list may be helpful.

42 Is the plan improved by varying the standards? Are traffic, parking, and ingress-egress improved or made worse by the proposed variation?

Will varying the standards impose unfavorable conditions on existing or future adjacent uses? Does the change facilitate better handling of environmental and physical conditions of the site? Is density changed? (If density is increased without other positive advantages , no change should be granted.)

older communities, maintaining the quality of existing neighborhoods is important. There are several types of situations the boroughs should identify. The first are deteriorated homes and areas. The second are structures that are being under-maintained. The best method of maintaining the neighborhoods is a code enforcement program aimed at early identification and prevention Of de- teriorating structures. Code enforcement is always difficult, but it works best where the problem is least severe. Any obviously de- ficient units should be placed under a strict enforcement program- Where the elderly or others with limited funds are involved, the borough should devise special financial assistance. Where units seem under-maintained, strict inspection when they go on the market for sale or rent is a sound basis for an inspection program. In this way, purchasers are made aware of defects. Where rental units I are involved, the landlord must upgrade the unit to be able to lease it, so repairs are in his best interest. I I I I I I I 43 I 1 Chapter 8 1 TRANSPORTATION - PENNRIDGE

I Streets , highways, rail lines, walkways, and bicycle paths connect a town with other towns and with its hinterlands. They are the means by which the various modes of activity in a town are 1 bound together. Types of land development and the distribution Of land use activities determine the need for transportation facilities. Transportation facilities in turn affect the rate, pattern, I intensity and long-term stability of all types of land development. This chapter will deal with the highways and rail transporta- I tion in the Pennridge region. I Highway Classification A long-range highway improvement program should be based upon priorities which are determined with the help of a system of street I classifications and standards, The road classification system recommended for Pennridge is defined below and relates to Figure 36, the Highway Classification 1 Map. Expressways are limited-access highways which are designed I to provide high-speed uninterrupted movement for large Vol- umes of inter-regional traffic. Entrances and exits are limited to selected areas, usually at intersections with I arterial highways and other large traffic carriers. Arterial Streets carry large traffic volumes to the expressway system and to regional business and employment 1 centers. Access to arterial streets should be strictly controlled. No private drives should be permitted. Where no alternative exists, drives should be doubled up and 1 turn-arounds provided. Individual property access des- troys the function of these roads. Reverse-frontage aC- cess roads are a necessity. Acceleration and decelera- tion lanes are needed for major residential development I and for all commercial or industrial development. Access points should be well spread so that speeds can be main- I tained on arterial streets. Major Collector Streets move large volumes of traffic to and from arterials and expressways. They also provide I access to major local traffic generators--business, industry, and important public buildings. Access to major 1 collector streets should be limited to the least number I 45 1 I of driveways necessary to support development. For even the smallest housing development, cul-de-sacs should be I required for access to property; For commercial and industrial development , access lanes and parking lots should be combined. 1 Automatic traffic signals control traffic flow where collector roads intersect other collectors or arterial streets. Collector traffic has the right-of-way Over 1 traffic on intersecting access streets.

Minor Collector Streets serve the important function of receiving traffic from access streets and distributing II it to the collector and arterial system. To accommodate higher traffic volumes, these streets are wider than access streets and traffic movement is less restricted by I ifstop'' signs. On-street parking should be prohibited. Minor collector streets also serve as the circulation system for intensely developed land uses such as apart- P ment projects, commercial centers, and industrial subdivisions. The more intense the development, the more critical it is to limit access to these roads. 1 Access Streets are usually two narrow lanes which carry traffic in a stop-start manner, reflecting this street's primary function of serving abutting properties, not I moving large traffic volumes a long distance. Traffic flows from.the access streets to collector streets. Curb parking is normally permitted on one or both sides of I the access street.

c Existing Cond 1

Pennridgc is served by expressways, arterials, collectors 3 and access streets. The routes of these streets generally follow nat- I ural features such as land forms and waterways, with some streets in the borough cores and in newer subdivisions forming small grid patterns. I 1. Expressways. Two expressways exist in Pennridge. I a, Pennsylvania Turnpike - Northeast Extension.

The turnpike, which traverses Pennridge in a north- south direction at its westernmost point, has little m impact on the area. The nearest a ss is in Quaker- town, 10 miles north of Sellersvil a

... i 0 46 m I I b. Pennsylvania Route 309. I I Formerly an arterial that ran through Sellersville Borough , from Philadelphia to Wilkes-Barre , Route 309 now bypasses Sellersville a few miles to the west. This I road is built to expressway standards, and three interchanges serve the Pennridge Area, It is a very important road since it provides access to major employment centers I in Philadelphia and Montgomery Counties as well as to the Allentown-Bethlehem area. Regional shopping facilities in Allentown and in malls along the Pennsylvania Turnpike are accessible via Route 309. 2. Arterials. Three arterials serve the Pennridge Area. a. Pennsylvania Rout,e 313

Route 313 runs from Quakertown (Route 309) in the northeast through Doylestown to U.S. Route 202, a major north-south route. Because of the connections available to users of this road, it is the backbone of central and upper Bucks County for truck and local traffic. bo Pennsylvania Route 563.

Route 563 previously followed Ridge Road from 309 to U.S. 611. Recently, the state has opened a new see- tion of Route $6,3 approximately one mile north of Ridge Road, involving a jog north along 313. Ridge Road now terminates at the lake which will be formed in Nockamixon State Park. The new road requires intensive zoning protection since only a few large properties now front it. c. Bethlehem Pike - Main Street The original Route 309, Bethlehem Pike, serves the Sellersville Borough core and provides direct connection with Route 309 south of Pennridge and approximately one mile north of Sellersville.

3. Major Collectors. Nine major collectors traverse Pennridge. a. Allentown Road. Running north-south in the western part of Pennridge, this road has little impact on the area's transportation system. The road is remote and services no major activity centers in Pennridge; rather, it serves functions outside the region.

47 b. Fifth Street. The most important major collector serving Pennridge Fifth Street, runs east-west and connects Route 313, Perkasie and Sellersville, and Old Route 309. This is the backbone of the development district. To prevent its becoming too congested (it is limited in capacity in Perkasie and Sellersville) , parallel roads are needed.

C. Walnut Street (Route 152). This north-south route connects the boroughs of Silverdale and Perkasie and intersects other major collectors: Park Avenue and Fifth Street. It is very poorly aligned in Hilltown Township, although it is the only major road between Pennridge and Chalfont-New Britain.

do Old Bethlehem Road. This road, located in the eastern part of Pennridge, runs north-south and connects Route 313 with Haycock and Springfield Townships. Its impact on Pennridge is minimal, since it traverses low- density areas, although at one time it carried regional traffic from Bucks to Bethlehem. e. Park Avenue. A relatively short road that connects Walnut Street (Silverdale Borough 1 with Sellersville Borough.

f. State Road. Runs from Diamond Street (south Of Pennridge) to the southernmost Route 309 interchange

g. Diamond Street. Runs south from Park Avenue and Main Street intersections into Hilltown Township.

h. Callowhill Street. A relatively straight street running east-west which connects Ridge Road with Hilltown Pike.

i. Branch Road. A long road which connects Route 313 with Diamond Street.

4. Minor Collectors. Six minor collectors have been iden- tifieainnnridge region, generally roads with long, uninterrupted runs which connect higher priority roads. These include Ridge Valley Road, Old Bethlehem Pike, Blooming Glen Road, Schwenk Mill Road, Three Mile Run Road, and Seventh Street. Access Streets. This category includes .all the remaining streets in the Pennridge area.

Analysis of Existing Conditions Analysis:

The street pattern of Pennridye has evplved at the municipal level and does 'not' serve needs beyond that'level. Few major COl- lectors connect regional nodes or connect to"higher priority roads. With the opening of the new Route 563, there is a one-mile jog to the west for travelers; there is no direct connection between the two boroughs and Route 309 interchanges. There is no direct north- south route through Sellersville. Several roads begin at important traffic generation nodes and end abruptly. The existing system Of roads disperses through-traffic onto residential streets. Policy:

Recognizing the limitations of the local road system, Penn- ridge realizes that an efficient road system is mandatory to serve the higher density.resideritia1 uses anticipated in this plan. 1. Continue plans to relocate Route 563 by providing a direct,connection between North Park Road and the Ridge Road-Route 309 interchange. North Park Road should be limited access. A downgrad- ing of Ridge Road from an arterial to a major collector should follow. 2. Upgrade some minor collectors to major collectors: a. Branch Road (the southern-most east-awest road in Pennridge 1 has several "hard curves: 'Upgrading 'would permit it to relieve Fifth Street traffic to Diamond Street. It should be extended to connect to State Road and the Route 309 interchange. This is a possible new location for PA 152. This connection should-be designed and coordinated by the

ge municipaliti-es with Eilltown Township e -- g Glen Ro'ad. Currently a minor collector,

because of an unpa'ssabla covered bridge-, this I roadl9's proximity to 'the school district complex * . (high school, junior h'igh school, and an inter-

's 's mediate school) makes it an important bus route the southern part of the school district. '- The shopping center at Fifth Street is also .a'$ major traffic generator. The bridge should be bypassed and the road aligned with lower Blooming - Glen Road.

c. County Line Road should be upgraded to conform to residential standards.

49 0 I

,. 3. Extend existing collectors: . ;!

a. Access from new Route 563 to the Airport Indus- I trial Park should be provided if and when needed.

b. An extension of Seventh Street to Route 313 would I relieve Fifth Street as the only reasonable access to the center of Perkasie. This would be useful to the residents of the borough core and to resi- P dents of the development district.

Conclusion c Carrying out these recommendations would not solve all the traffic problems of Pennridge, but it would be an important move ii toward opening up the development, district to the volumes of traffic anticipated in the next 20 years. I A strategy to achieve these goals must be based upon an established set of priorities. These priorities'must be carried out by concerted lobbying and by granting zoning bonuses to encourage developers to carry out the goals. 0

Lobbying for highway projects is nothing new for Pennridge communities; however the key to success is that municipalities will il not lobby for their own projects, but ratfier they will lobby for Pennridge based upon the priority list. For instance, the proposed Route 563 will probably benefit East Rockhill more than any other 1 municipality; but West Rockhill, Sellersville and Perkasie should be as avid as East Rockhill in support of this project. Lobbying should occur both at the County level (to raise the priority of the project on the list of county-wide projects) and at the State Level I (to secure funding and a timely construction schedule). For, local projects, a system of zoning density bonuses should I be established to induce developers to upgrade roads and to carry out the specific projects identified in the comprehensive plan. For instance, bypassing the covered bridge on Bloominq Glen Road is c an important improvement in the Pennridge transportation system. If, for example, the lands near the bridge are developed at 4.9 dwelling units per acre with 40% open space, and if the developer were willing to construct the road identified in the comprehensive I plan, he would be allowed to build at a slightly higher densitv: for example, 5.4 units per acre and 35% open space. The added density would?make it profitable for the developer to make the capi- 1 tal improvements. I

50 I 1 Rail TrGnsportation .

Description: i:;.

The Reading Railroad serves the Pennridge area with stations at Sellersville and Perkasie Boroughs and at nearby Quakertown and Telford, enroute from Philadelphia to Allentown. Analysis:

,I I The rail stops in tBe Pennridge,area are of major importance to the borough core study. A form of mass transit is available to Penmidge residents and night become a major consideration in a family's decision to move to Pennridge. If the gasoline shortage, higher auto maintenance zosts, higher parking casts, heaviel- road tolls and taxes and greater restrictions on auto use in center city Philadelphia all persist, rail tra-sit wi31 become more desirable-- even for those who commute only short distances. If local bus Ser- vice or dial-a-ride were developed as suggested in the borough Core analysis, then it might be more convenient to reach rail stops and use the trains. *' ,, Less than 1% of the population of Pennpidge now uses rail transit. Statistics given in Figure 37 ,provi.de insight into existing ccxditions. I,

Figure 37 I. WEEKDAY RAIL PASSENGERS * Station Yay '19 6 6 May 1972' Pqrking Sellersville 30 54 8 Perkasie 62 68 40 Telf ord 62 68 11 Quakertown 99 140 41 *, based upon SEPTA report dated November 13, 1972.

Figure 38 PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT

Total employed workers $;* 5,301 100.0 Live and work in Pennridge 2,693 50.8% Work in:Upper Bucks 671 12.6 Work in Central Bucks 257 4.8 Work in Lower Bucks 15 .3 Work in

51 From the statistics in Figure 38, it is apparent that the Pennridge area is not a "bedroom community" because over 50% of workers have found employment in the community. However, almost 25% of Pennridge's workers commute to job? in Montgomery County. This wes-tward commutation pattern has cts on both auto and rail traffic. *-

The 122 workers who use rail transit reg ent only 2.3% of the Pennridge work force. With the Reading Railroad serving Lehigh, Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia, probably 10% of the workers could be servo,d on a stati?n-to-stqti,Qn basis. Vast problems- occur because the work centers d3 ilot coincide with the rail station. Shopping centers, factories and other employment generators are' 10- cating in outlying areas. As mentione2 previousIy,Lbus and dial-a- ride systems could solve this prGblen1. FOY mzjor employment centers, special comrnuter shuttle buses could be used only during the rush hours. In any event, the poten-tial passensers exi'st; and their numbers grow daily. The d velopment disti? t ~111fmther reinforce the borough cores as community centers.

$4 The major problem witli inc-?eased r>idershipwill be the increased need for parking. Cgirrently, 48 parking spaces exist for the 122 riders. This implies that car POO~S,drop+offs, :and foot travel are employed to reach-the station. -.As stated in the borough core study, zdditional parking can oe made available by-using air rights , allcwing ground-level parking and shopping 2nd living accommodations above. No special considerations should be given to commuter parking. Rather, the boxtoughs should allow the commuter tG fit into the parking patterns znJ other means of getting to rhe station as they evolve,

#. Policy:

The Pennridge area intends to support mass transporta the region as an alternative to private automo3ile travel. This Will reduce traffic co,ngestion and other environmental problems caused by the increase in private automobile ownership, will reduce costly maintenance of collector streets, arterials and expressways, and will support higher densities in the development district areas.

Goals :

1. The higher density uses in the borough cores.wil1 relate to ,the railroad station in such a way as to vide for ease of movement.* from apartment to train. 2. Parking will be provided for cornu near the railroad s tat,ion. \ 3. Local bus or dial-a-ride service will be supported to get the worker from the train to his place of work. . ..

52 .(_ I I Chapter 9 I RECREATION STUDY AT NOCKAMIXON STATE PARK

I In 1967, Pennsylvania announced plans to open a state park in Upper Bucks County. Named the Nockamixon State Park, it Occupies 5,192 acres in four upper Bucks townships including East Rockhill. I A seven-mile-long lake was created and opened for boating in Sum- mer 1974. The construction of other park facilities will continue for several more years. Ultimate papk attendance is projected at I 2,100,000 people per year. In East Rockhill Township, as in other areas adjacent to the park, pressure is already mounting for comepcial recreation and 1 other service facilities. This report anticipates that this pressure will continue in East Iiockhill and may be felt in West Rock- 1 hill as well. Rather than reacting to plans proposed by developers, the Pennridge area should set aside an area for commercial recreation and related uses. In doing so., proper desip controls will be in- 1 stituted to: (1) maintain .Route 563 as a limited-access highway, (2) prevent the sprawling of businesses, (3) prevent the profusion of signs that characterize the types of businesses that would lo- B cate there, (4) promote the most efficient use of the land, (5) protect existing natural resources, and (6) perrnit uses and buffer I them so as to avoid adverse impacts on the area:s'residents, This study will deal with the types of businesses that might attempt to locate near the park, with the area requirements of such businesses, and with some interpretations of what appearances the I area might assume.

I Business Types Living Accommodations - With a projected attendance of I 2,100,000 visits per year (40,995 persons per day), certain forms of overnight living accommodations will be in demand. The park will provide space for 5,135 visitors to stav overnight at tent and trailer campsites. There will probably be limited demand for addi- I tional facilities, depending.upon the variation in amenities between public and private campsites. I Motel rooms and rental vacation cabins will be another demand. For non-campers and those without travel-trailers more *'civilized" accommodations will be in heavy demand--motels for short-term stays B and family cabins for longer vacations.

I 53 I Long-term-lease campsites are another consideration. As parks become more crowded, camping facilities become less available. Nation-wide, there is a severe shortage of public campsites. Some campers have become accustomed to being turned away, and they are prepared to be told to vacate a site after a prescribed number of days. Other less patient campers have turned to lease campsites to solve this problem. Sites ranging from 600 square feet to a few thousand square feet would be leased for a season or a year. The lessee would have full use of his site for the duration of the lease.

Ideally, all of these types of living accommodations would be operated and managed under single ownership. This would ensure efficient use of the land.

Restaurants : These facilities are related closely to living accommodations, and the motel complex owner would probably want to operate a sit-down type of eating facility. The need for a less expensive stand-up type service is also evident; however, national chain hamburger stands should be discouraged. Ideally, the sit-down restaurant might be encouraged to operate a fast-service lunch counter and to provide take-out service. This would limit the number of eating facilities needed. Road Service: Certainly, gas stations will be among those who request space and their services will be welcomed by many a park user who is embarking on a long journey home. More than one station would not be necessary.

Strict sign control will be a must. If signs for the complex are strictly controlled, the gas station owner, like other tenants, will have to comply.

Shops: The need will exist for certain types of goods to be sold. Certainly a "corner storeif which sells canned foods for campers, tourist gifts, water-sport equipment, photographic film, etc. would be in demand. More than one store might be necessary to accommodate all needs, and several specialty stores might be appropriate. The first would be a market that sold the types of foods that campers, and picnickers would require. Another would deal in camp equipment and hardware: tents, air mattresses, sleep- ing bags, lanterns, stoves, heaters, and hunters supplies. A camera shop might sell camera equipment, postcards, gifts, etc.

An innovative developer could probably think of a few more shops that would be necessary, but too many shops might give the area shopping center appeal. The criteria for approving a use should stem from answering the questions: 1) Does the store serve

54 the park user? 2) Will the store compete unnecessari.ly with other stores in Pennridge?

Public Recreation

As a part of this development, active and passive recreation will be a basic requirement and will comprise 80% of the site. This could include swimming facilities, tennis and other court games, softball, and hiking trails. This area should relate closely to the park so as to create a hierarchy of uses.

Figure 39

HIERARCHY OF USE RELATIONSHIP

Commercial Active Hiking Park Uses 4Sports- Trails+

Human i s t i c ,. Naturalistic

Area Requirements

Ideally, a single developer could be found who would do the entire project. This, however, is not the way in which development is likely to occur. First, there are several properties that. might be suitable. Second, the developer may not be able to do the entire project-or might be interested in only a few uses.

A total circulation system shall be designed by the developer of the first increment with guidance from the local planning corn- ' mission. A planted buffer 50 feet wide will separate it from Route 563. Subdivision will be permitted. The entire.site will have to be laid out so as to provide sound circulation and separations for all land uses.

As a guide, Figure 40 presents a table of area requirements. The reader should note that these figures represent a degree of efficiency in land use that does not take site limitations or multi- ple developers into consideration. The number of units to be provided for is arbitrary, not based upon criteria a developer would ' use. Market analyses will be made by the developer during the planning stages to determine the actual need for the various facilities. To summarize Figure 40, the area allotments are reasonable for the scale of business envisioned. The added requirement that 80% of the land remain in open space is also reasonable$ considering the adjacent park.

55 Figure 40 AREA REOUIREMENTS (SF) (No. 1 (SF) Function Unit Area Units Total Trailer sites 600 20. 12,000 Lease sites 1,300 40 52,000 Tent sites 500 10 5,000 Cabins 1,200 40 48,000 Motel (2nd floor rooms) 300 60 -- Restaurant (1st floor) ------Motel lobby, service, storage, kitchen -- -- 6,000 Tables 100 120 12,000 Parking 200 180 36 ,000 Gas Station (2 bays) -- 7,000 Shops 1,400 3 4,200 Parking 200 40 8,000

20% Functional 190,200

80% Open Space and Buffer 951,000 1,141,200 = 26.198 AC.

To achieve the desired level of land use efficiency, the principles of total design-cluster development must be employed. Strict controls must be instituted to maintain the integrity of the area.

Appearance

Figure 41 indicates the forms on which the area requirements were based. They are not the only allowable designs, but rather typical of how the area could look.

Policy

I The Pennridge Joint Planning Commission recognizes that pressures for development will be put on lands adjacent to the Nocka- mixon State Park and wishes to control development of these lands.

Goal: To maintain the integrity of the park area by: L Setting.aside a limited area for this-type of development and allowing it in no other area. 2. Instituting strict controls and standards to insure high-quality design and to protect the natural resources of the area.

56 I I FIGURE 41

I PROPOSED

l RECREATION DISTRICT 1: , K I; I I 3 I

1. ' I 1 I I I J I I i +\\ \ I '\\, PENNRIDGE PLANNING AREA

L I PREPARED BY: BUCKS COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION I I I . t, I ADDENDUM I EAST ROCKHILL ANENDMEI~JT INTRODUCTION 1 East Rockhill Township, a member of e Pennridge Joint Plan- ning Commission in Upper Bucks County, Pennsylvania, had developed this Comprehensive Plan as an addendum to the Pennridce Comprehen- sive Plan of 1974. This document has been designed to be used in I conjunction with the Pennridge Plan.

$ -* I Chapter 1

I C 0 NC E P T The concept of this plan is based upon the landownerfs right to develop his land subject to the physical-limitations .of his I land and the ability of public services to satisfy the public health, safety and morals. I The major goal of,this plan will be to maintain the rural environment within the framework of suburban growth. This will I be achieved by: I, A system for evaluating existing site conditions; Consideration of the use with respect to the pre.7- I servation of natural resources; Consideration of density, inpervious surfaces and I open space criteria; A sewer plan which directs growth in an orderly I fashion; Land ordinances which encourage.innovative design and provide the flexibility necessary to support I that design. I Encouraging a variety of housing types. , I

I 57 I Chapter I1

SEWE R S P- The following text is a summary of the report, Plan for Sew- age System Serving Areas of East Rockhill Township, Bucks County, O Pennsylvania, March 14, 1969", by Richard S. Cowan E Associates, Inc. , Quakertown, Pennsylvania. I I LI ,.. I. Introduction This is a feasibility study for public sewers in the more heavily populated areas of East Xockhill Township. The report gives due allowance for growth and relies on. U.S. Geological Survey topographic maps for grade, and house counts for estimating' population. 11. Preface The, most heavily populated ar'ea southeastern part of the township,

A. Surface drainage. The Sewerage District is the land 'on both sides df Ridge Road: the Three l!ile Run Week 'Valley and the East Branch Perkiomen Creek Valley. The change' in grade varies from 100' to 140' respectively. The two creeks are 7,000 feet apart.

B. Water Resources ut Three Mile Run Creek flows northeastward to the Wockamixon reservoir. Generally it floods in the spring and dries up in the summer.

111. General Explanation/IV. Estimate of Flows/V'. ' Costs The Sewage District was divided into ten

flowing into the Perkasie 'Plant,. Area I Old Bethlehem Pike

Area I1 Old Bethlehem Pike and Park Avenue from Perkasie Borough to three Mile Run Creek, including small sec- . tion of Three Mile Run Road. 58 Area----- I11 I Old Bethlehem Pike near Ridge Road. Area IV

I Three Mile Run Road, Tunnel Road, the Industrial Park and School House Road. 1 Area--- V Located at the end of Schwenks Nil1 Road northwest I of East Rockhill Elementary School. Area VI

Schwenks Mill Road between the Elementary School and Ridge Road. Area----- VI1 Schwenk Mill Road between Ridge Road and Branch Road and Branch Road for 2,500 feet to Area VIII. Area VI11 Parts of Blooming Glen and Branch Roads including Glenwood Village.

Area--- IX Part of Branch Road and Seven Corner Road. Area X

The Hagersville-Route 313 area.

.. 'I . 59 I I I

I I I' I

1 I 1

I I PROPOSED' AREAS FOR SEWERAGE 2000 0 4000 I 'c EAST ROCKHILL TOWNSHIP Date - December, 1974 Source- PLAN FOR SEWAGE SYSTEM Richard S Cowan & Associates. Inc .I BUCKS COUNTY PENNSY LVANlA March 14,1969