Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

e 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Upper Darby Township e e Comprehensive Plan e le 2004 'e~@ e e e e e e e e e e prepared for e e Upper Darby Township e e 0 e with the assistance of e Wallace Roberts & Todd, LLC e Orth-Rodgers Associates e e S. Huffman Associates e e e Adopted by Upper Darby Township Council 0 August 18,2004 e e e e e a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a a UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP 100 GARRETT ROAD a Upper Darby ,PA 19082-3135 4 4 MAYOR 4 F. Raymond Shay 4 CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER a Thomas J. Judge Jr. a a COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE a Donald Bonnett...... Chairman a Richard Borgerson...... Member a John Chang., ...... Member Connie Darmiento...... Member a Joseph Galli...... Member a Jeff Gentile...... Member a Vince Gordon...... Member Vince Ficchi...... ;...... Member a Joseph Manfie...... Member a Joesph McGettigan...... Member a James McHale...... Member Joseph Salvucci...... Member a Peter Smith...... Member a Joan Toenniessen...... Member a Joseph Vasturia...... Member a a TOWNSHIP COUNCIL a a John E. Clark...... President Edwin J. Truitt...... Vice President a Thomas N. Micozzie...... Secretary (I Donald P. Bonnett...... Member a John L. Shingle, Jr...... Member a Daniel P. O’Neill ...... Member Dennis J. Carey ...... Member a Johanna M. Brown ...... Member a Marie R. McCaffrey ...... Member a Constance M. Darmiento...... Member a Joseph P. Mylotte, Jr ...... Member a a a a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

. Table of Contents

Chapter Page

1.0 Introduction 1.1 Regional Context ...... 1. 1 1.2 Need for & Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan ...... 1-1 1.3 Planning Process ...... 1-2 1.4 Vision Statement...... 1-4

2.0 Background and Existing Conditions 2.1 Demographic Profile ...... 2-1 2.2 Land Use and Zoning ...... 2-9 2.3 Transportation...... 2. 15 2.4 Housing and Neighborhoods ...... 2-31 2.5 Community Facilities and Services...... 2-36 2.6 Recreation and Open Space...... 2-47 2.7 Historic and Cultural Resources ...... 2.54 2.8 Natural Features ...... 2-60 2.9 Financial Structure...... 2.64

3.0 Trends Analysis 3.1 Community Conditions...... 3-1 3.2 Economic Trends and Commercial Area Conditions ...... 3.4

4.0 Opportunities for Change 4.1 Overall Implementation Strategies...... 4-1 4.1.1 Neighborhood Preservation & Revitalization...... 4. 1 4.1.2 Economic Development ...... 4-7 4.1.3 Transportation Enhancement ...... 4-9 4.1.4 Recreation & Open Space ...... 4-13 4.1.5 Natural Resource Protection ...... 4. 15 4.2 Area-Specific Implementation Strategies...... 4-18 4.2.1 Reinvestment Neighborhoods ...... 4-18 4.2.2 Market Street Gateway ...... 4.25 4.2.3 Fernwood / Baltimore Pike Corridor ...... 4-28

Table of Contents 0 e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e 4.2.4 West Chester Pike Corridor ...... 4-31 e 4.2.5 Aronimink Station / Ferne Blvd ...... 4-35 a 4.2.6 Garrett / Burmont Rd- Commercial Area ...... 4-36 a 4.2.7 Darby Creek Greenway...... 4-39 a 4.2.8 Naylor’s Run Greenway ...... 4-41 a 4.2.9 Lansdowne Ave- / Garrett Rd- Intersection...... 4-43 e 4.2.10 Primos / Secane Station Areas ...... 4-46 e 5. Implementation Plan a 5.1 Future Land Use Plan ...... 5-1 a 5.2 Priority Action Plan ...... 5-1 a .. 5.3 Plan Monitoring ...... 5-3 a a Appendix A School Facilities A- 1 0 Appendix B Community Conditions Ranking Table B-1 a a 0 e e a a a a a a e e e a a e a e a a e a Table of Contents a a e e 0 e 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e e List of Figures e ChaDter Pape e e 2.0 Existing Conditions 2- 1 Existing Land Use ...... 2. 10 ~e 2-2 Land Use & Zoning Inconsistency ...... 2-11 e 2-3 Roadway Functional Classification...... 2. 16 e 2-4 Average Daily Traffic Volumes ...... 2. 18 2-5 Levels of Service...... 2.22 2-6 Parking Problem Areas ...... 2-26 2-7 Existing Public Transportation ...... 2.27 2-8 Annual Trends in Ridership ...... 2-28 2-9 Mode of Transportation to Work ...... 2-28 2- 10 Neighborhood and Community Facilities...... 2-37 2-11 Flood Prone Areas ...... 2-41 2- 12 Recreation & Open Space Facilities ...... 2.50 2- 13 Historic Resources ...... 2.57 2- 14 Natural Features ...... 2.62 3.0 Trends Analysis 3- 1 Community Conditions ...... 3.3 3-2 Commercial Area Conditions ...... 3-10 4.0 Opportunities for Change 4-1 Opportunities...... 4-3 Strategy Areas: 4-2 Reinvestment Neighborhoods...... 4-20 4-3 69th Street Business District & Market Street Gateway ...... 4-26 4-4 Fernwood / Baltimore Ave- Corridor ...... 4-23 4-5 Westchester Pike Corridor ...... 4-32 4-6 Aronimink Station / Feme Blvd- ...... 4-34 4-7 Garrett / Burmont Rd- Commercial Area ...... 4-37 4-8 Darby Creek Greenway ...... 4-40 4-9 Naylor’s Run Greenway ...... 4-42 4-10 Lansdowne Ave- / Garrett Rd- Intersection ...... 4-44 . 4- 11 Primos Station Area ...... 4-47 4- 12 Secane Station Area ...... 4-48 5.0 Implementation Plan 5- 1 Future Land Use ...... 5-2

Table of Contents a e e a e a 1 e .o e INTRODUCTION a e e e e e a a e e e a 0 0 a e a e e e a a a e a 0 a e a 0 e a a 0 e a 0 0 e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e a 1.O INTRODUCTION 0 e e 1.1 Regional Context a The Township of Upper Darby is located in Delaware County, PA e within the metropolitan area of the City of Philadelphia. Pre- e dominantly a farming community until the early 1900s, Upper Darby developed during the 20* century into a suburban community with the largest population of any municipality in Delaware County. Today Upper Darby Township can be characterized as an “inner ring” suburb of Philadelphia with a major concentration of shopping and employment in the vicinity of the 69* Street transportation hub. Upper Darby is bordered by the City of Philadel- phia (and Millbourne Borough) to the east and a number of Delaware County municipalities to the north, west, and south, including Haverford, Springfield, Ridley, and Darby Townships and Clifton Heights, Aldan, Collingdale, Darby, Lansdowne, East Lansdowne, and Yeadon Boroughs.

1.2 The Meed for and Purpose of a Cornp re hens ive PIan

Upper Darby’s first comprehensive plan was prepared in 197 1. Many changes have taken place in the ensuing three decades and the indications are that change will continue to accelerate in the future. Residents are concerned about issues such as public safety, increased rental properties and abandoned housing, a high tax burden, and a lack of recreational and other opportunities for the Township’s youth. Employment - the key to a healthy tax base - has declined in the Township and is projected to decline further by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. There is very little vacant land available for commercial or residential development, placing a premium on revitalization and redevelopment of existing uses to accommodate future needs.

It is clearly evident that a comprehensive plan is needed to set a new direction for Upper Darby’s future. The key motivation in creating a comprehensive plan is to positively influence change and to promote quality of life and economic vitality so that Upper Darby continues to be the kind of livable, welcoming place in which citizens want to live and work. The Comprehensive Plan e 1.0 The Planning Context 1-1 Upper Darlby Township comprehensive Plan

can be characterized as fulfilling four basic purposes, as follows:

It is a reflection of citizens’ values and aspirations in the form of a shared vision for the future. Just as one would not begin a journey without first identifying a destination, the Comprehensive Plan must begin by defining the kind of place citizens want Upper Darby to be. During the comprehensive planning process, hundreds of citizens expressed candid views about Upper Darby: its strengths and weaknesses, as well as ways to make the Township a better place in the future. Broad areas of consensus on community values and aspirations emerged from these discussions, providing the basis for a shared vision of Upper Darby’s future. Presented in Section 1.4 below, this Vision Statement is the mandate for the Comprehensive Plan, defining citizens’ expectations and directions for the future and providing the benchmark against which progress in implementing the plan can be measured.

a It is a guide for the management of change. The Comprehensive Plan must positively and deliberately influence changing conditions in the Township if the vision for Upper Darby’s future is to be realized. To accomplish this objective, the plan must be used as a framework for making decisions, establishing priorities, and taking actions to advance the Township towards the vision. Existing conditions and trends that should be addressed in this process are described in Chapters 2.0 and 3.0 of the Comprehen- sive Plan.

a It is the foundation for Townshippolicy and decision-making. The Comprehensive Plan is based upon a thorough evaluation of present Township policies, strategies, and regulations. The goals and strategies presented in Chapter 4.0 address a broad range of topics, including neighborhood preservation and revitalization, economic development, transportation enhancement, school facilities, recreation and open space, and natural resource protection, as well as specific geographic areas within the Township. Integration of these goals and strategies into the day-to-day decision-making and long-range planning activities of Township government will result in significant adjustments to present policies, regulations, and investment priorities.

It is Upper Darby’s “To Do” list. The success of the Comprehensive Plan will ultimately depend upon the effectiveness of the actions taken to realize the vision of Upper Darby’s future. Thus the vision must be realized by steady progress in adhering to a well-defined “game plan” that sets priorities for effective short and long-term actions. This game plan is presented in Chapter 5, Implementation Plan.

1.3 The Planning Process

Upper Darby Township mobilized a significant effort to involve the community in developing the Compre- hensive Plan. Components of the public participation process included:

0 Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee: Comprised of 15 citizens appointed by the Mayor and Township Council to represent community interests, this committee met regularly throughout the process to guide and provide policy direction for the planning effort.

0 Public Workshops: A series of seven public workshops were conducted in various locations in the

1-2 1.0 The Planning Context e e e \ a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e Township during Phase 1 of the planning process to hear citizen views on strengths, weaknesses, and le ideas for the future of Upper Darby. A second public workshop was held in Phase 2 to present and e discuss conditions and trends affecting the Township’s future. A third public workshop will be con- e ducted to review the Draft Comprehensive Plan. e 0 Stakeholder Involvement: Stakeholders are persons with varying levels of decision-making influence in the community, including Township Council, Township staff, Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee members, and representatives of county, state, and federal governments, regional and local institutions, a and civic, business, and neighborhood associations. Stakeholder involvement in the planning process e operated at two levels. A series of individual and small group interviews were conducted with commu- e nity stakeholders during the first phase of the planning process. In addition, workshops were held at key e points in the process with the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and invited stakeholders to e solicit focused input for plan development. e The first step in preparing the Comprehensive Plan was to articulate a Vision Statement for the future of e Upper Darby Township (Phase 1 of the planning process). Presented in Section 1.4 below, this Vision Statement expresses the values, priorities, and aspirations of the Township’s residents based upon the input e received through the seven public workshops, stakeholder interviews, and a stakeholder workshop. Also e during Phase 1, information on existing conditions and trends in Upper Darby was collected as context for e the Vision Statement and as background for development of the full Comprehensive Plan. e To begin Phase 2 of the planning process, the existing conditions information was used to depict how Upper a Darby is changing and is likely to continue to change over time, with a special focus on neighborhood and a commercial area trends (Chapter 3.0). Factors for change, including current plans and proposals, the regulatory context, and jurisdictional issues, were considered as part of this analysis. The results were compared e to the Vision Statement to understand how present trends need to be redirected if citizens’ aspirations for the e future are to be achieved. Based upon this comparison, opportunities to positively influence change (e.g., e commercial area redevelopment, neighborhood revitalization, provision of open space/recreational facilities, etc.) in the direction of the Vision were identified. The trends analysis and opportunities for change 0 were presented at a public workshop for review and comment. e Based upon the results of the planning process to date, township-wide action strategies and strategies e applying to specific geographic areas within Upper Darby were identified. The strategies and geographic e areas of focus were reviewed with the Steering Committee and in a stakeholder workshop. They provide e the basis for the implementation strategies contained in Chapter 4.0 of the Plan. e The final step in the planning process was to prepare an implementation plan laying out Township priorities a for implementing the strategies contained in the Comprehensive Plan (Chapter 5.0). e a e e e e 1.0 The Planning Context a 1-3 e a e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan 0 a e Vision State 0 a The Vision Statement expresses what Upper Darby residents want their community to be in the future: 0 0 In our shared Vision of the Future, Upper Darby Township is a a mature and diverse community offering a high quality of life to existing and new residents. It will continue to be a desirable a place in which to live, work, shop, raise a family and retire; a 0 community dedicated to excellence in governance, schools, parks a and community facilities, housing and neighborhoods, commer- a cial vitality, and transportation and public infrastructure. e The specific elements of the Vision are: 0

Quality community facilities and resources.. . 0 Upper Darby's Vision for Citizens will have access to high quality community facili- the Future: ties, including schools, parks, community and recreation 0 centers, and libraries. In addition, residents will have continued access to a variety of cultural resources, historic re- Quality communityfacili- sources, and enjoyment of healthy streams and natural features. a ties and resources 0 Safe, clean, vital neighborhoods accessible to all.. . a Safe, clean, vital Upper Darby Township will have safe and attractive neighborhoods with high quality housing affordable to all socio- e neighborhoods economic groups, charming historic character, walkable accessible to all e streets, access to community services, and well-maintained a properties. A viable ratio of home ownership and rental m fibrant, attractive, safe opportunities will be available in the Township, including a balanced level of low income housing choices. a commercial and employment centers Hbrant, attractive, safe commercial and employment a centers... The 69th Street Terminal area will continue to be the busi- 0 Safe, eficient, ness center of Upper Darby Township. It will be an attractive 0 accessible public and vibrant mixed-use center with regional transit access, transporation walkable streets, historic buildings, entertainment venues, quality retail shops, ample parking, and quality businesses that meet the demands of local residents and draw employment from other parts of the region. The visual quality of other major commercial corridors in the Township, including West Chester Pike, State Road, and Lansdowne Avenue, will be

1-4 1.0 The Planning Context Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

improved to provide an attractive streetscape along high- traveled roadways. Smaller, neighborhood-serving commercial centers will attract fine shops and restaurants, and new parking facilities will be designed to preserve the pedestrian environment and historic charm.

The successful business community will be highly valued because of its high level of civic involvement and its strong relationships with all segments of the community. New businesses will be drawn to the Township because of its reputation for quality development and business friendly practices, thus improving the tax base and helping to offset the tax burden on residents.

Safe, efficient, accessible transportation.. . Upper Darby will be served by a transportation system that accommodates all modes of travel, including vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit. The Township will continue to maintain a strong relationship with SEPTA in the provision of excellent transit service and access to transit stops. The transportation system will reflect high standards of safety, accessibility, and visual quality, with special attention to issues such as landscaping, traffic calming, parking supply, road capacity, and pedestrian accommodation.

The Comprehensive Plan will be the foundation for Township policies, strategies and actions in working over time to achieve the Vision. As a result of these actions, Upper Darby Township will be a community proud of the quality of life it will have helped create and the successes it will have accomplished through vision, comprehensive planning, and continual evaluation of effectiveness.

1.0 The Planning Context 1-5 a a a a a a 2.0 a a BACKGROJND & EXISTING a a CONDITIONS a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a 0 a a a a a a e 0 a 0 a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

2.0 BACKGROUNDAND EXISTING CONDITIONS

This chapter presents information on Upper Darby Township as it has developed over the years, exists today, and (in the case of population and employment) is projected to be in the future. It addresses the following topics:

Demographics (population and employment) Land Use and Zoning Transportation Housing and Neighborhoods Community Facilities and Services Recreation and Open Space Historic and Cultural Resources Natural Features Township Financial Structure

For each topic, background information is presented, followed by an identification of key issues to be addressed by the Comprehen- sive Plan.

Population Trends Upper Darby Township, with its proximity to Philadelphia, has experienced trends similar to many urban centers in the nation over the past 30 years. After the 1950'~~when most American urban centers were losing residents to the suburbs, the population of communities on the outskirts typically increased. Between 1950 and 1970 Upper Darby's population increased by 13 percent. However, between 1970 and 1990 the Township lost a substantial 15 percent of its population. This trend has stabilized in recent years, however, as a slight increase in population (about Upper Darby Township's popu- 0.8%) occurred between 1990 and 2000. The relatively flat population growth seems reasonable considering that the Town- lation has ship is mostly developed, leaving little room for significant remained relatively stable over additional growth. However, population projections prepared by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) the past 10 years with roughly are somewhat more pessimistic. According to the DWC 82,000 residents. forecast, Upper Darby Township is expected to lose over 8 percent of its population by 2025.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-1 Upper Dar0y Tawnship Comprehensive Plan

Table 2.2.1 Population Comparison - 1990 to 2000

Sources US Census Bureau, Delaware valley Regional Planning Commission

Table 2.2. I compares the population trend and 2025 forecast for Upper Darby Township with adjacent communities, Delaware County, and Pennsylvania as a whole. As the table indicates, all of the surrounding municipalities lost population between 1990 and 2000, with the exception of Millbourne Borough. Popu- lation projections for the area indicate that Upper Darby and the all of the surrounding communities except Millbourne will lose population by 2025. The projections also indicate that Delaware County will experience a slight decline in population by 2025. In comparison, Pennsylvania’s population is projected to increase by just over three percent. For a graphic comparison of Upper Darby, Delaware County, and Pennsylvania population growth, see Chart 2.2.2 below.

Chart 2.2.2 Population Comparison - 1990 to 2000

0 1090 Total Population

rn moo Total Population

20 25 Forecast

.MM*r-M -BIOlO~&i~

Yources: U.S. Census Bureau; Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

2-2 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions

1 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Chart 2.2.3 Employment - 1990 to 2025 I

O1990Total Employment

m2000 Estimated Employment

0 2025 DVRPC Forecast

200,mo - 100,mo ,w -- -- ’ zu 0, Upper Darby Delaware bunty Five PA * Momzpmy Dikv** I Township buntias+ Cb.Bur). Plnluybm Sources: U.S. Censur Bureau; Delaware Vnlley Regional Planning Commission

Employment In addition to its traditional 20“ century role as a “bedroom” community in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Upper Darby Township also supports a significant amount of employment. Chart 2.2.3 compares the 1990 to 2000 employment trend and the DVRPC 2025 forecast for Upper Darby Town- ship with adjacent communities, Delaware County, and the five Pennsylvania counties within the Delaware Valley region. Upper Darby experienced a 5.6 percent decrease in the number of employees from 1990 to 2000. According to DWCforecasts, the number of employees is estimated to decrease another 17.4 percent by 2025. In comparison, Delaware County as a whole and the remaining five counties in the DVRPC region are expected to have over 14 percent growth in employment by 2025.

An indication of economic health in a community is the content of the labor force, that is, the type of employment that is prevalent. A strong economy can generally be described as having a diverse labor force, with a significant supply ofjobs that require semi-skilled and skilled employees. These types of jobs are usually found in industries such as manufacturing; construction; professional services; finance, insurance, and real estate; education and health; and public administration. Industries that require less skill and usually provide the lowest wages include retail trade, entertainment, and food services. Chart 2.2.4 illustrates the breakdown of employment by industry in Upper Darby Township in 2000.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-3 a (I

~ Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan @ (I a Chart 2.2.4 Employment Industry - 2000 a a (I a 9 a a a (I a a a 4 (I

Source: US.Census Bureau a (I a a As indicated in Chart 2.2.4,the highest percentage of the labor force consists of employees in the a educational, health, and social services, with over 25 percent. The industry sector with the lowest a percentage includes agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting, and mining trades, with 0.3 percent. The a retail trade and professional, management, and administrative industries constitute roughly equal a (between 11 and 12 percent) portions of the labor force. Overall, the labor force in Upper Darby Township is fairly diverse, with a substantial amount of employees in the higher skilled and higher 4 wage industries. a (I Racial Diversity (I Chart 2.2.5 indicates the change in the racial composition of the Township’s population from 1990 to a 2000. The majority (over 77 percent) of Upper Darby Township’s population is white. The next (I largest racial group consists of African Americans, making up a substantially lower percentage at 11.3 (I percent of the population. Between 1990 and 2000, there was a significant decrease in the White population of over 15 %. The Black population, however, more than tripled in number, with a popula- (I tion increase of over 276 percent. There has also been a substantial increase in Asian and Pacific a Islanders between 1990 and 2000. Overall, the demographic data for the Township indicates an 4 increasing pattern of ethnic diversity. a (I a a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-4 a i a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Chart 2.2.5 Racial Composition - 2000

(92.5%)r- 0 1990 - Total Population = 81.177 70.000 -- k3.222 I 2000 - Total Population = 81,821

60,000 --

50.000 --

r g 40,000 -- c

30,000 --

20,000 --

10.000 --

0- White Black Asian or Pacific Hispanic Two or more other Islander reces

iource: US. Census Bureau

Age Chart 2.2.6illustrates the breakdown of age groups and the change in the age population between 1990 and 2000. As indicated in the chart, the largest age group in 2000 consisted of 25 to 44 year-olds, making up over 32 percent of the population. Be- tween 1990 and 2000, the 25 to 44 age groups decreased by about three percent. The age group with the highest growth during the decade wasshe 5 to 17 year-olds, with an increase of over 25 percent. The over 65 year-old age group had the highest decrease in population from 1990 to 2000 (more than 16 percent).

Income and Education Chart 2.2.7 provides a comparison of the 1989 and 1999 median household income in Upper Darby Township with two adjacent communities, Delaware County, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 1999, Upper Darby’s median income was about 3 percent higher than the median income of Pennsylvania, about 17 percent lower than the County’s median income, 12 percent lower than neighboring Lansdowne Borough’s median income,

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-5 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Chart 2.2.6 Age Distribution - 1990 to 2000

30,ow) 0 19SO -Total Population 81,177 r~dn~,27636 m,83) I I 81,821 I 25.000

2o.m

15.m

10,m

(6.7%) 5,ooO

0 KUnder5 56017 18to24 25-44 456064 65andover Source: CIS. Census Bureau

Chart 2.2.7 Median Household Income - 1989 to 1999

250.092 Median household in 1989 $47,017 income

Median.household income in 1999

Landonme DarbyBorough UpperDarby Delaware Borough Township county

Source: US.Census Bureau

2-6 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions e e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e a Chart 2.2.8 Education of Population 25 Years and Over - 2000 e 1000% 950% 900% 850% 800% 75 0% 0 Delaware County 700% 650% 600%

No High School High School College Degree Grachrate Degree Degree Graduate

Source: US. Census Bureau

and about 25 percent higher than adjacent Darby Borough’s median income. Between 1989 e and 1999, the median income in Upper Darby Township grew at a rate of 28.2’ percent. The median income in the State of Pennsylvania increased during the same ten-year period at a e higher rate of 38 percent. From 1989 to 1999 income increased in the County by just over 34 a percent, in Lansdowne Borough by 3 1 percent, and in Darby Borough by 15 percent.

In the year 2000, over 50 percent of Upper Darby’s population aged 25 and older had received a high school diploma, over 20 percent had obtained a college degree, and close to ten percent had received a graduate degree. Chart 2.2.8 illustrates the breakdown of educational attainment for Upper Darby, Delaware County, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a percentage of the total number of persons aged 25 and older. As the chart indicates, the level of educational attainment in Upper Darby is close to Delaware County’s level and above the level in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a whole.

Housing Chart 2.2.9 presents the change in characteristics of Upper Darby’s housing stock between 1990 and 2000. During this period the overall number of housing units increased very slightly, indicating minimal residential development in the Township. The flat housing growth in the Township is consistent with its largely built out condition. However, some negative housing trends occurred during the ten-year period, including an increase in the number of vacant units e e I Not adjutedfor injlation. e 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-7 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Chart 2.2.9 Housing Units - 1990 to 2000

* OM 1 34,500 33.000 01990 .2000 31,500 30,m 28,500 27.000 25.500 Mm 22,500 .- 21.000 J 19.m g 18.000 ?i 16.500 15,000 13,500 12,000 10.500 9.000 7.500 6.000 4500 3.m 1.500 0 Totel Hotsing Units Vacant Units Owner Occupied Units Renter Occupied Units I Source: US. Census Bureau

and a six percent decrease in the number of owner occupied housing units. Overall, the percentage of owner occupied units is still significantly higher than the percentage of renter occupied units, although the trends indicate that the gap is narrowing.

Demographic Issues Upper Darby’s population increased slightly between 1990 and 2000; however, DVRPC projections indicate a downward trend in the future.

Employment has decreased since 1990 and is projected by DWCto continue declining in the future.

The 5 to 17 year old age group has increased significantly in the Township since 1990, requiring further investment in educational facilities.

Census data indicate a downward trend in the population of young adults (aged 18 to 44). Between I990 and 2000 the Township experienced a rise in vacant housing units and a decline in the number of owner-occupied units.

2-8 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

2.3 Existing Land Use and Zoning Upper Darby Township is a diverse community with a variety of land uses ranging from the dense mixed-use center surrounding the 69” Street Terminal to commercial areas along major roadways to suburban style, single-family residential neighborhoods. Figure 2-1, Existing Land Use, illustrates the distribution of land uses in the Township. Approximately 65 percent of the Township consists of residential uses, 25 percent commercial, 2 percent industria1,and 8 percent other uses (including institutional and recreation. Less than 1 percent of the land in Upper Darby Town- ship is undeveloped.

The overall density in Upper Darby Township is about 10,184 persons per square mile and 6.7 housing units per acre. Com- pared with the rest of Delaware County, which has an overall density of 2,888 persons per square mile and 1.78 units per acre, Upper Darby is exceptionally dense. Of the residential land uses in the Township, approximately 63 percent consist of single- family detached units, 32 percent are row homes or twins, and five percent are multi-family dwellings. Despite the high density figures, Upper Darby remains a predominantly single-family residential community.

Zoning in the Township mostly reflects the existing land use, with a few exceptions. Figure 2-2, Land Use and Zoning Consistency indicates those areas where there are discrepancies between zoning and land use. Most of the inconsistencies involve incompatible land uses, for example: commercial uses in residential or recreational zoning districts, multi-family residential uses in single family residential zoning districts, or residential uses in commercial or industrial zoning districts. Another inconsistency category, located along the Westchester Pike commercial corridor, / is referred to as “incompatible zoning.” This term refers to / / incompatibility between the type of development permitted in the / zoning district and the existing character of the corridor. For example, the north side of Westchester Pike is zoned for neighborhood commercial uses (C- 1 Neighborhood Commercial) and the south side is zoned for office use (0 Office). The permitted uses within each of these two zoning districts are mostly compatible with the existing land uses along the corridor. However, many of the regulatory requirements, including those addressing certain uses, the scale of development, and parking, may limit the type of development that is desirable and suitable along

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-9

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Westchester Pike. For example, the 0 Office district, which permits only office uses along one side of Westchester Pike, may need to be changed to accommodate a more flexible range of commercial uses along both sides of the corridor.

Overall, the Township’s land use controls are in need of updating to incorporate more contemporary regulations that are compatible with Upper Darby’s present land use and development goals. The Zoning and Land Development and Subdivision Ordinances were most recently updated in the 1980’s, and, while the amount of development and the composition of land uses have not changed significantly since then, the goals for how the Township could further develop and redevelop have. This Comprehensive Plan provides a framework with development and redevelopment goals to guide the amendment of the Township’s land use controls in a comprehensive and effective manner. While the plan is not intended to provide a complete amendment to the Zoning Ordi- nance, some analysis of the existing deficiencies and potential strategies for change are presented. Recommended changes address issues such as rezoning, development of overlay districts, and modifications to certain design standards within existing districts. In some cases, the recommended regulatory strategies pertain to specific areas of the Township, as described above along Westchester Pike, while others apply throughout the Town- ship. The following text describes some of the issues and deficiencies related to Upper Darby’s existing land use controls.

Ordinance Issues Land Development and Subdivision Ordinance: The Town- ship adopted Delaware County’s Land Development and Subdivision Ordinance from 1981 , which is currently being updated. Although the County’s ordinance may provide a good overall model, it is not appropriate in its entirety for Upper Darby, which has development issues that are unique to the Township and distinct from the rest of Delaware County. As an example, standards developed for suburban, developing communities (e.g., generous minimum front yard setbacks) may not be appropriate for a largely built out community with traditional neighborhood development patterns.

Parking: Lack of parking is a serious problem in some sections of the Township, particularly in the denser commercial and residential areas. At the same time, excessive park-

~ 2-12 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

ing requirements may have the unintended consequence of deterring developers from investing in Upper Darby. Pres- ently, the Zoning Ordinance provides parking requirements only by individual use rather than by district, which, in a diverse community such as Upper Darby, may not adequately address parking issues for different parts of the Township. For example, many areas of the Township include on-street parking, but the ordinance does not count on-street parking towards the parking requirements.

From a design perspective, the location of off-street parking areas is a significant issue in a community like Upper Darby. Upper Darby’s historic development can be described as a traditional neighborhood pattern, with many historic structures located close to sidewalks providing a pedestrian scale streetscape. However, that character can be compro- mised where parking lots dominate the streetscape. The existing Zoning Ordinance prohibits parking in the front yards only in residential districts and in the Office District. How- ever, the Central Business District and neighborhood commercial areas would also benefit from standards that encourage parking to the side or rear of buildings.

Access and Driveways: The existing Zoning Ordinance includes some regulations for driveway design that address minimum widths of driveways and the location of common driveways. The ordinance also requires a minimum distance between parking lot entrances and street intersections. How- ever, the ordinance does not include standards for the maximum width of driveways, which would prevent the unsightly appearance and safety issues related to continuous curb cuts along many of Upper Darby’s main roadways. A related issue is the number of curb cuts along several arterial roadways in the Township. Excessive curb cuts or access drives can create traffic congestion and safety problems due to numerous conflicting turning movements. Current land use controls do I -- not deal with this issue.

Natural Features: The Zoning Ordinance contains a Residen- tial Conservation (RC) District, which is intended to protect environmentally sensitive features and provide for adequate e on-lot sewage disposal systems, primarily through large lot 8 requirements. The ordinance does not, however, provide a specific standards to protect natural features or allow flexibil- 0 e 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions e 2-13 a a

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e ity in design in order to maximize preservation while main- a taining economic benefit to the developer. The Land Devel- a opment and Subdivision Ordinance offers a cluster development option, which provides very general guidance on flex- e ible lot layout, open space buffers, and street design. These regulations are not, however, connected to the Zoning Ordi- nance in terms of which zoning district the option can apply to, specific lot size reductions, and overall density requirements. The ordinance also includes a section on design standards, which includes general standards for natural features preservation. The standards allow general provisions for amending a zoning district’s dimensional requirements while maintaining the number of units permitted in the district. The basic structure for conservation development is in place; however, some overlap of standards is present in the Land Development and Subdivision Ordinance, there is a lack of coordination between the zoning and subdivision regulations, and the standards lack specific requirements. While there is limited vacant land remaining within Upper Darby, there are properties along Darby Creek that could benefit from a conservation development approach.

0 Floodplain: The current ordinance permits infill, excavation, and building (with restrictions) within the regulatory (100- year) floodplain. Given the identified flooding problems in Upper Darby Township, consideration should be given to strengthening these restrictions, possibly through flexible zoning requirements that maintain development yields while prohibiting development within the 100-year floodplain itself (i.e., cluster development).

The above comments reflect some of the general, overall land use regulations that stand out as needing attention. In some cases, specific areas within the Township may need focused zoning strategies. These areas will be discussed further in Chapter 4, while some potential strategies for Township-wide improvements to the regulations will be described in Chapter 5.

0 0 I 2-14 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

2.3 Transportation

The street and highway network serving Upper Darby Town- ship is comprised of individual routes and segments which perform a variety of functions and serve a wide range of traffic volumes. To provide the greatest efficiency and service, some streets must give preference to traffic movement, others to providing access to abutting properties, and some must serve both of these essential needs. Streets and highways should be planned, designed, and constructed to best provide for the specific function(s) of a given route.

The Township has responsibility for planning, construction, maintenance, and improvementsto the great majority of the streets serving Upper Darby. However, a number of routes, including the most heavily traveled, are part of the state highway system and are the responsibility of the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Part of the state highway system, these routes are shown on Figure 2-3, Roadway Functional Classzfication. This map also classifies the state highways serving the Township according to the function served, as follows:

Major Arterial Routes: Provide for some regional continuity, primarily serve through traffic demand while also providing for some access to abutting land uses, and carry relatively high traffic volumes.

Minor Arterial Routes: Provide linkage within a community as well as for some inter-community travel, connect major arterials and collector streets, generally provide access to abutting properties and carry moderately high traffic volumes.

Collector Streets: Provide for both movement and access, serve as the link between local streets and roadways and the arterial system, and carry light to moderate traffic volumes.

All other streets in Upper Darby are classified as “local streets” that, as noted, are the responsibility of the Township. These streets serve the primary purpose of providing direct access to individual abutting properties and linking these properties with the collector system. These streets generally carry relatively light traffic volumes.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-15 a a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a a Table 2.3.I summarizes the functional classification criteria used to classify the streets and highways which a serve Upper Darby Township. a a a a Trim Served a Trip Length Moderate to Long Moderate Short (less than 1 Very Short a Traffic Volume Moderate to High Moderate mile) Light a Moderate to Light Administrative State State Generally State Township a Classification Sometimes a Township 0 a System Characteristics - System Continuity Regional and Intra-Community Neighborhood Individual sites a Intercommunity and Inter- a community a - Facility Spacing Two to five miles 3/41 to two miles %to % mile N/A (distance between a routes of a similar Limited a type) a - Access Control Partial 30-40 mph None None a a - Level of Speed 35-45 mph 25-30 mph 15-25 mph a a Daily Traffic Volumes a In addition to performing a variety of functions, the street network serving the Township carries a wide a range of traffic volumes. For example, as shown on Figure 2-4, Average Daily Traflc Volumes, average daily traffic volumes along West Chester Pike (PA Route 3) and Township Line Road (U.S. Route 1) range a from about 2 1,600 to nearly 26,000 vehicles (total, both directions). Other heavily traveled routes (with a more than 15,000 vehicles daily) include segments of State Road, Garrett Road, Marshall Road, Lansdowne a Avenue, and Baltimore Pike. Traffic volumes on many local street segments are less than 1,500 vehicles a per day but a number of local streets also serve daily traffic demand of as much as 5,000 vehicles. a Traffic Volume Trends a Effective comprehensive planning of a municipality is best achieved by looking to the past as well as the a present, especially where traffic volumes are concerned. Volume trends, or evidence of changes in travel a and journey-to-work patterns over a period of time, provide some insight into how populations have grown a and/or shifted within a municipality as well as in the municipalities surrounding it. Table 2.3.2 provides a a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-17 a a a a Upper DarBy Township Comprehensive Plaa a a Figure 2-4 a a Average Daily Traffic Volumes a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a

__ a I LEGEND a 2024 - State Route (SR) # a (State-OwnedRoadway) a a 59 580.2-. - Approximate annualized Average Daily Traffic a (AADT) along segment a of roadway indicated a (Two-way volume) a a a a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a -2-18 a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan some indication as to how Average Daily Traffic (ADT) volumes have changed over the last ten to 15 years in Upper Darby. This figure is an assemblage of available data and allows comparisons of past ADT data with more recent data. It highlights significant roadways that have experienced increases, decreases, or, in some cases, no discernable change in traffic volume. This information is presented in terms of traffic increases and decreases during a discrete time period (e.g., 1999-2002 for Township Line Road) and as an equivalent annualized rate.

Significant findings and interpretations regarding Table 2.3.2 are summarized as follows:

Table 2.3.2. Upper Darby Township Traffic Volume Growth Trends

Township Line Rd. between 23,000 Burmont & State Roads I 24.800 I -1.800 I -7.26% I -2.48% I I

2002 I/State Rd between I'I 17.200 I I 1988 ]Township Line & Burmont Roads I 21,400 I 4,200 I -19 63% -1 55% I I I I I 2002 Township Line Rd between 26,000 1999 Burmont Rd & Belfield Ave 28,700 -2,700 -9 41% -3 24%

1995 Burmont Rd between 11,590 1993 State Rd & Woodland Ave 9,700 1,890 19.4 8% 9 31%

2001 Burmont Rd between 8,600 1988 Garrett & Marshall Roads 7.000 1.600 22 86% 1 60%

1994 Bishop Rd between 17,300 1985 Springfield Ave & Delmar Dr 17,400 -100 -0 57% -0 06% I

~~ - 2002 Providence Rd between 18,200 1997 BishoD Rd & North Ave 9.900 8300 83.84% 12 95%

1988 Township Line Rd between 24,800 1985 Lansdowne Ave & West Chester Pike 24,100 700 2 90% 0 96%

I -~~ ~ 1994 Township Line Rd between 27,000 1985 West Chester Pike & Lynn Blvd 26.700 300 112% 0 12%

2002 Township Line Rd between 24,000 1999 Foster Ave & Cunningham Ave 25,000 -1,000 4 00% -1 35%

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-19 a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a a Table 2.3.2. Upper Darby Township Trafiic Volume Growth Trends a a a 1988 (Township Lme & State Roads I 27,200 I 4,900 I -1801% I -1 97% - ~ I I 1- I a a a a a a a a 1990 StateRd between 17,000 a 1986 Park Ave &Beverly Blvd 15,300 1,700 11 11% 2 67% a 1993 Lansdowne Ave between 26,200 a 1991 StateRd & School Lane 28,300 -2,100 -7 42% -3 78% a 2001 West Chester Pke between 22,500 a 1995 State Rd & Keydone Av e 22,300 2,oo 0 90% 0 15% a 2000 West Chester Pke between 22,900 a 1997 GolfRd &Keystone Ave 23,500 -600 -2 55% -0 86% a 1995 GarrettRd between 16,500 a 1993 Beverly Blvd & SherbrookBlvd 15,150 1,350 8 91% 4 36% a 2002 Marketst between 18,200 a 1988 Powell Ln & Welhgton Rd 13,300 4,900 36 84% 2 27% a 1998 69thStbetween 10,600 1988 Walnut St &Marshall Rd 11,900 -1,300 -1 O 92% -1 15%

2000 ProvidenceRd between 12,900 a 1985 ,Springfield Ave & Lansdowne Ave 13,100 -200 -1 53% -0 10% AVERAGE 1.09% a

a a a a 2-20 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

West Chester Pike Lansdowne Avenue: Sections of West Chester Pike west of State Road have evidenced decreased traffic volumes in recent years. The section most immediately adjacent to State Road has dropped from an ADT of about 26,100 in 1989 to 23,700 in 1998, a decrease of about 9%. West Chester Pike carries considerable through traffic (traffic destined to and from homes or places of employment beyond Upper Darby). Part of the reason for the decline is a migration of residents from surrounding areas as well as the emergence of different travel patterns as sections of I- 476 became fully operational during the time period in question, affecting West Chester Pike and other major arterials in the vicinity. A similar drop in traffic volume occurred along Lansdowne Avenue just north of State Road.

69”StreeMurket Street: Unlike West Chester Pike, sections of 69&Street and Market Street have realized fairly significant increases in traffic volumes over the last several years. Just east of 69&Street, average daily traffic along Market Street has increased almost 40% between 1988 and 2002 while a section of 69&Street near East Lansdowne Borough increased about 8% during a similar time period. Part of the reason for these increases is a change in use of homes in the eastern portion of the Township. In this area near Philadelphia, many homes have changed from single-family use to multi-family rental use. This translates to more occupants and thus more automobiles per household.

Springfield Avenueprovidence Road: Traffic volumes have remained essentially unchanged over the last 15 years on these two major roadways that pass through the southwestern portion of the Township, as well as Clifton Heights and Aldan Boroughs. Average daily traffic along Providence Road just east of Spring- field Avenue was 13,100 in 1985 and 12,900 in 2000 while a section of Springfield Avenue near Bishop Road was 17,400 in 1985 and 17,300 in 1994.

Providence Roadmishop Road: The portion of Providence Road between Bishop Road and North Ave. has experienced the most significant increase in traffic volume trends in the Township. Between 1997 and 2002, traffic volumes on this segment of Providence Road increased by close to 84 percent, resulting in an annual growth rate of 12.95 percent. The severe traffic congestion on this road segment is compounded by the presence of the SEPTA regional rail station and associated pedestrian crossings.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-21 a e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a 0 a Traffic Issues and Improvement Proposals a Two relatively recent studies have included an examination of the a adequacy of major portions of the street and highway network a serving Upper Darby to safely and efficiently accommodate a current and future traffic demands. These studies are: 0 A June 2000 report by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning e Commission entitled Pennsylvania Congestion Management a System, US. I/Baltimore Pike Corridor a A February, 2003 report entitled Market Street Gateway, e Upper Darby Township, Millbourne Borough, and the County a of Delaware -Analysis, Concept Planning and Revitaliza- 0 tion Study, by Cope Linder Architects with Pennoni Engineers, a Inc. and the Delta Development Group a Review of those reports, discussions with Township officials and staff, input from the community via public meetings, and a com- a prehensive field view of the road network serving the Township a identified a number of street and highway segments currently a operating with some degree of unacceptable delay and congestion (i.e., Level of Service D or E). These route segments are noted on a the map entitled Levels oJ'Sewice,which also identifies a total of e 26 intersections within the Township that warrant some particular attention because of capacity deficiencies andor safety concerns. 0 As shown, most of the identified problem intersections and route a segments involve major and minor arterials that are part of the a state highway system. However, there are also several isolated e intersections that exhibit capacity andor safety deficiencies. a The DVRPC report recommends a number of possible improve- a ments to address the identified capacity deficiencies along the various route segments now operating at less than desirable a service levels. One specific corridor within Upper Darby is West a Chester Pike (PA 3) between 69" Street and the Haverford Town- a ship boundary. Recommended improvements include improving 0 signal coordination, enforcing on-street parking restrictions e within 30 feet of signalized intersections between 69&Stret and a US 1, installing overhead destination signs at major intersections. a The DVRPC report also includes a number of recommended 0 intersection improvements within Upper Darby, as follows: 0 a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions e 2-23 0 0 0 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan 0 a 0 PA 3 at 69”h Street Terminal: Institute one-hour time limit for on-street parking in high traffic com- a mercial areas, enforce No Parking Zones, install prominent street names on major streets. 0 0 State Road at PA 3: Extend right turn lane on State Road south of PA 3, improve turn radius for 0 traffic turning from PA 3 eastbound to State Road south. a 0 US I at Burmont Road: Expansion to include additional travel lanes on US I to accommodate heavy volumes is needed, may not be practical due to capital costs and property takings. 0 a PA 3 at Garrett Road: Coordinate improvements with signal upgrade work underway along the PA 3 corridor, reduce on-street parking near intersection. 0 0 0 Garrett Road at Lansdowne Avenue: Relocate trolley station east of its current location east of 0 Lansdowne Avenue to minimize pedestrian conflict at the intersection. 0 0 Lansdowne Avenue at State Road: Significant congestion relief not feasible because of substantial 0 capital cost and property takings required. a Baltimore Pike at Church Lane: Provide protected left turn signal phase from Baltimore Pike to a northbound and southbound Church Lane. 0

0 Lansdowne Avenue from Baltimore Pike to Garrett Road: Install left turn lanes and protected left 0 turn signals at signalized intersections, improve signal timing to be responsive to peak traffic flow a patterns a Some improvements recommended in the DWCreport have been implemented and others are under- a way. For example, SEPTA has provided a new trolley stop on Garrett Road east of Lansdowne Avenue to a reduce pedestrian conflicts primarily involving students at Monsignor Bonner and Archbishop Prendergast High Schools. In addition, a new closed loop traffic signal system is programmed for 11 0 intersections along State Road between West Chester Pike and Township Line Road. 0 0 The Market Street Gateway study was directed at determining what physical changes could be made to improve and revitalize the community along Market Street in the vicinity of the 69” Street Terminal. The 0 study recommended a number of changes to the physical environment to improve traffic flow, develop 0 gateways, define roadway edges, and provide pedestrian amenities. 0 The study makes a number of recommendations for improving both vehicular and pedestrian movement e in the vicinity of 69” and Market Streets and the 69” Street Terminal. The proposed improvements 0 include: 0

0 Addition of a median in Market Street (with separate left-turn lanes) wherever there is adequate width 0 Construction of ‘bulbouts’ at intersections to “calm” traffic and reduce crossing widths for pedestri- 0 ans 0 Modifications to the existing intersection of Market Street and Garrett Road to improve pedestrian 0 flow and better define vehicular movement 0 0 Construction of sidewalks where they do not currently exist e

~~ 0 2-24 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 0 0 e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

0 Reclamation of sidewalks and private lot areas where there is excessive roadway width for the required traffic movements

The Township is moving forward with implementation of these improvements as part of a broader, long range redevelopment and revitalization program that will include new office, residential, and retail/commercial space as well as off-street parking.

Parking On-street parking is permitted on most streets within the Town- ship. This parking is generally free but some spaces in the vicinity of 6PStreet and other smaller retail/commercial areas are metered. There are a number of off-street parking facilities -both garages and lots - in the vicinity of 69" Street. These facilities serve commuters who use the 69" Street Terminal as well as employees, shoppers, and others who travel to and from the 69* Street area on a regular basis. The Market Street Gateway report recommends construction of new parking structures as part of the overall redevelopmenthevitalization program for that area. There are also numerous private parking lots at various businesses throughout the Township serving employees, customers, and visitors.

Review of Township records identifies a number of street segments where illegal parking appears to occur on a more or less regular basis (see Figure 2-6, Parking Problem Areas). Many of the parking complaints appear to involve 'spillover' parking from commercial/retail activities onto nearby residential streets. Illegal parking along some arterial routes (e.g., West Chester Pike and Garrett Road) and in the vicinity of trolley stops/stations can impede traffic flow and create unsafe traffic situations.

Public Transportation Upper Darby is well served by public transportation due to its location next to the City of Philadelphia and within the service area of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA). Figure 2-7, Existing Public Transportation identifies available transit routes and types throughout Upper Darby, including light rail, regional rail, elevated subway, and surface bus service. Despite the widespread availability of transit in the Township not every service is highly patronized, although most have enjoyed increases in ridership over the last decade. Figure 2-8, Annual Trends in Ridership summarizes trends in ridership as surveyed at

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-25

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Figure 2-8 UPPER DARBY TOWNSHIP Annual Trends in Ridership

69th Street Terminal Annuai Annual Year Passengers Year Passengers Difference Diff.%

Market Frankford Line 1992 4,146,161 2000 3,949,269 -196,892 47%

Nonistown High Speed Une ( Rt. 100 1 3991 71,017 P80.648 91.6%

Bus Routes 21 ’I 994 183 012 86 t 999 103 1994 104 I994 lo5 i g94 i06 1994 lot 1994 106 1999 109 2000 110 2000 Ill 1995 H2 19w 119 2000 ,120 2000

Figure “2-9 UPPER DA Mode of Tran 90% 80% 70% 60% I-

40% 0. 30% 20% 10% 0%

CATEGORY

2-28 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 0 e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a 69” Street Terminal between 1991 and 2000. It should be noted a that the comparison years vary by route due to the data available. Figure 2-9, Mode of Transportation to Work shows the change in a mode of transportation to work used by Upper Darby residents in a 1990 and 2000 based upon U.S. Census data, According to the a data, use of transit as a mode of transportation to work decreased a from 1990 to 2000 while vehicular use rose. The decrease in use a of transit was entirely due to a significant drop in rail ridership. a In addition, several key transit stops have been identified as a needing improvements to the pedestrian environment in order to improve safety and bolster ridership. The stops were acknowl- a edged as important because they serve a significant regional a market, are located near employment, andor are located on or near 0 a problem intersection. The key stops are identified on Figure 2-7, a Existing Public Transportation and include: a Fernwood Station a Primos Station a Secane Station a Aronimink Station a 0 Lansdowne Avenue a Sidewalks and Paths e Sidewalks are provided along most streets within the Township. a However, sidewalk conditions vary greatly since maintenance of a sidewalks is considered a property owner responsibility. A number ~a of “gaps” in the sidewalk system interrupt the continuity of pedestrian movement. In addition, the provision of on-street bicycle ~a lanes or off-street bicycle/pedestrian paths is limited. Currently, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, in coordina- I: I: tion with the Township and Delaware County is working on an on- road bicycle path within the Baltimore Pike corridor. “The Bicy- a clists’ Baltimore Pike” extends from Nether Providence Township 0 to the Philadelphia City line. The latter route uses Rose Valley a Road, Yale Avenue, Franklin Avenue, Providence Road, Baily Road, and Longacre Boulevard. Improvements would include a signing and bicycle lanes. Design of Bicyclists’ Baltimore Pike is ~a currently underway. e a a 0 a a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-29 a a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a a The Market Street Gateway report includes a number of a recommendations to improve the safety and convenience of pedestrians in the 69" Street area. Consideration should also be given to improving the sidewalk network in other parts of a the Township. a a Transportation Issues a The potential for major road improvements to address a traffic congestion problems is limited because of cost considerations and impacts on adjacent development. a However, much can be achieved through operational a improvements such as signal timing, protected turn a laneshignal phases, and parking restrictions near con- a gested intersections. a 0 Parking problems in Upper Darby Township relate in a large part to development patterns that largely predate the current era of automobile dependency. Parking is a costly to build, maintain, and manage. The Township a should consider a range of parking supply strategies, a pricing strategies, and management techniques to ad- a dress parking issues as they arise. a 0 The widespread availability of public transportation is a one of Upper Darby's strengths. Transit service in the Township would benefit from improvements to enhance a the accessibility, safety, and attractiveness of transit a stops for pedestrians. Well-designed, well-used transit a stops can enhance property values and stimulate private a investment in the surrounding area. a 0 A Township-wide assessment of sidewalk conditions a may be called for to provide a basis for improving the continuity and condition of the Township's sidewalk a system. In addition, Upper Darby residents would a benefit from a more fully developed pedestrianhicycle a trail system. a a a a a a a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions I 2-30 a a e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e 2.4 Housing and Neigkborkoo e Upper Darby can be characterized as a community of diversity. From the continually growing mix of ethnic populations to the vast range of housing styles, the neighborhoods are a fascinating, yet complex element of e the Township’s character. This section analyzes some of the neighborhood and housing characteristics, both positive and negative, that influence the decision to live in Upper Darby Township. e e Demographics An in depth analysis of the demographics of block groups within selected tracts has been done at the e Block Group level and is summarized in Chapter 3, Section 3.1 (Community Conditions). The implica- e tions of some of the trends that have occurred in those block groups are discussed in that section. How- e ever, a few general trends are worth noting at the tract level, as summarized below. e The Township’s Black population tends to be concentrated in the Census tracts in the eastern part of e the Township. The Asian population tends to be concentrated in the eastern part of the Township as e well, except for one concentration in the Drexelbrook section, adjacent to Springfield Township. e The median age of those living in Upper Darby’s Census Tracts ranges from a low of 3 1 years of age e to a high of 40.5 years. Tracts with higher median ages are generally scattered throughout the Town- e ship. a e Average household sizes range from 1.88 persons, again in the Drexelbrook Apartments, to a high of e e Chart 2.4.2 Median Housing Value - 1990 to 2000 e 5140,000 I I oMedianhouse 5128,800 value 1990

5120,000 -. - DMedian house 5111,700- MIUB 2000 1105,200 $i03,900 - e - a 5100,000 e oso,o00 - e - e %0,000 e opo,oao -

920,000 -

Lanhwne Darby Borough Upper Darby Delaware e Borough Township County iource: US.Census Bureau e 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-31 a 0 I a 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a 0 3.35 persons in Tract 4002 at the Township’s eastern edge. The e Township’s average household size is 2.5 persons. The a majority of the population in all but two tracts is comprised of family households, but many tracts throughout the Township a contain a significant number of single person households. a a 0 Aside from the Drexelbrook apartment complex, which occupies most of one tract, owner occupancy ranges from a e low of 10.7% (Tract 4008.01) to a high of 86.5% (4015.01, a adjacent to Springfield Township). The overall owner occu- 0 pancy rate for the Township is 62.3%, which is down slightly e from the 1990 rate of 65.9%. The highest concentrations of homeowners are generally found in those tracts in the central a and western part of the Township. i e 0 The Township’s overall vacancy rate is 5.2%. The lower vacancy rates (less than 3% vacant) tend to be concentrated in e the central and western parts of the Township, with Tract 4009 a having the lowest (1.7%). The majority of those tracts with 0 vacancy rates in excess of 5% are found in the eastern part of the Township. Census Tract 4008.01 has the highest vacancy rate of 12.5%.

0 The median value of homes in the Township is $93,700, compared to $128,800 in Delaware County as a whole (see Chart 2.4.2). The median values of owner-occupied homes varies widely by Census Tract. Values in excess of $150,000 can be found in Tracts 4009,4010, and 401 1.03, all located in the western half of the Township. The lowest median housing values (under $75,000) are found in Tract 4002,4003.01, 4003.02,4004.01, and 4004.02,4005, and 4008.01, all in the eastern part of the Township.

Affordable Housing Programs A limited number of Federal, State, and local programs deliver a affordable housing programs to those who can not pay for hous- a ing on the private market, and Upper Darby has very few examples of most of these programs. The Township contains no 0 conventional public housing developments and one small devel- a opment (Meson, located on Burmont Road) that serves the dis- 0 abled community. There are also two homeless shelters, one on Long Lane and the other on Market Street near the Philadelphia a border. a e e I 2-32 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions e a a e e e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e e The major source of funds for affordable rental housing is the Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program, which provides financing for e the development of rental units targeted to households that earn e 60% or less of the area (regional) median. There are only seven e Tax Credit units in Upper Darby, all developed in the late 1980’s. e Five are on Township Line Road and two are on Long Lane. There are four entitlement communities in Delaware County that e may apply directly to the United States Department of Housing e and Community Development (HUD) for Community Develop- ment Block Grant fwnds. These communities are the County itself, which administers grants to non-entitlement communities e within the County, Haverford Township, Chester City, and Upper e Darby Township. Every five years each entitlement community is e required to submit a Consolidated Plan to HUD for the expendi- e tures of CDBG funds. Upper Darby spends about 27% of its e entitlement funds on homeowner assistance and housing rehabili- e tation, all for single-family dwellings e The Section 8 rental housing program,now called the Housing Choice Voucher Program, is a federal program that provides low e income tenants with vouchers allowing them to pay no more than e 30% of their income for housing. The local housing authority e administering the program then pays the difference to participat- e ing landlords. There are two housing authorities in Delaware e County that administer this program for Upper Darby: 0 Established under State law, the Delaware County Housing e Authority (DCHA) is governed by a five-member board appointed by County Council. The Housing Authority man- a ages 785 units of public housing, of which 586 are family e units and 179 are for the elderly. It also administers approxi- e mately 3,000 Section 8 vouchers countywide, except for those e in the City of Chester.

8 0 The Chester Housing Authority owns and operates public e housing and administers a Section 8 program in the City of 0 Chester. e According to Upper Darby’s Consolidated Plan, last done in e 2000, there were between 550 and 670 Section 8 units in the Township, or about 30% of the County total at that time. Current DCHA estimates are that there are approximately 822 Housing Choice Voucher tenants living in Upper Darby, about one third of

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-33 a a a Upper Darby Township Cemprehensive Plan a the Housing Authority’s total. The exact number is elusive, how- a ever, since records are kept on the basis of postal zones rather than a Census Tracts. a Housing Choice Vouchers are portable and can be used almost a anywhere, and there are another 120 Voucher tenants at locations a throughout the County whose vouchers came from the Chester Housing Authority. DCHA has no way to track these tenants or a units. There are no limitations on the number or concentration of @ Voucher units in a municipality, although HUD encourages the a deconcentration of Voucher rental units. 0 According to the 2000 Census, Upper Darby has about 12,270 a rental units, of which about 8,000 are located in rental complexes. a About 4,200 rental units have recently been licensed under a new effort to extend licensing to single-family or duplex units that a make up much of the Township’s housing stock, but which are a now renter-occupied. Approximately 70% of these units, or 2,940, are absentee-owned. The approximately 822 Voucher a occupied units in Upper Darby total about 7% of the Township’s a rental housing stock. a (I This is the second year of Upper Darby’s efforts to license all units, an important tool in monitoring all rental housing. A rental (I unit receives an initial inspection, with follow-up inspections (I carried out annually. DCHA gives a list of all Voucher units to the 0 Township’s Health Department and the Township and DCHA try to do the initial inspection of Housing Choice Voucher properties together. If a rental unit does not comply with the Township code 0 upon the initial inspection DCHA will not approve the unit for 0 Section 8 occupancy. e A unit also receives a special or emergency inspection if there are 0 complaints at any time. The owner has 30 days to correct a viola- 0 tion if a unit does not meet Upper Darby’s standards during these special inspections. In the case of an emergency violation, the 0 owner has 24 hours to correct it. 0

DCHA may withhold payment from a landlord if he/she is determined to be at fault for a substandard unit. The Township may a also close the property and bill the owner for the cost of the tenant’s stay in a motel. It may also revoke the landlord’s license. 0 If the tenant is determined to be at fault the Housing Authority 0 may revoke his or her voucher. DCHA does not, however, remove 0 0 0 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-34 a a e e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e the tenant from the property. In this instance, the burden of remov- e ing that tenant would fall on the landlord or conceivably on the a Township. e The Upper Darby Police Department works with DCHA to do background checks on tenants. Township and Housing Authority officials have developed a good working relationship over the past two years, and both parties describe the lines of communica- tion as “open and working.”

Housing and Neighborhood Issues Central tracts in the central and western parts of the Township tend to be characterized by higher owner occupancy, lower vacancy rates, and higher median values that tracts in the e eastern portion. Absentee landlords and excessive Housing Choice Vouchers were identified as priority issues by the public in the visioning meetings conducted for the Comprehensive Plan. The Town- e ship contains 12,270 rental units, about 8,000 of which are in e complexes and have been operating under a licensing program for some time. There are 4,200 newly licensed rental units in single-family and duplex housing and 70% of these, or 2,940, are owned by absentee landlords. About 822 of the total rental a units, or 7%, are occupied by Housing Choice Voucher tenants. The numbers alone point to the likelihood that many of the problems that occur with these newly licensed rental units are related as much to absentee ownership in general as to tenants holding Housing Choice Vouchers. This is especially true since the Township knows the locations of Voucher units e the general public does not. Problems with rental units will only be solved by addressing issues with all rental units e equally, which the Township is beginning to do. 0 e

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-35 a 0 I 0 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e a Facilities and Se 0 0 The quality of a municipality’s community facilities, including government services, police and fire, public utilities, schools, libraries, religious institutions, health institutions, and recreation 0 facilities all contribute to the attractiveness of an area as a place 0 to live and work. In the public visioning sessions conducted for 0 the Comprehensive Plan, Upper Darby’s community facilities were highly praised by residents. In particular, the police and fire 0 departments, the schools, and the recreation facilities were 0 singled out as excellent services. However, changing circum- 0 stances in regional economics and the changing composition of the population in the Township over the past 30 years has affected 0 the quality of these services. For example, the number of school 0 age children has increased significantly since 1970, putting 0 pressure on a school system that has little room to grow. Like- wise, the lack of available land in the Township has severely e restricted the ability to meet the open space and recreation needs of a large population. Budgetary constraints require that realistic limits be set on public facilities and services and that services be a administered in as cost-effective a manner as possible to avoid 0 undue burdens of taxation on residents and businesses. 0 0 Municipal Services 0 Upper Darby is a first class township with government consisting a primarily of a Mayor, a Township Council, a Chief Administrative 0 Officer, a Treasurer, and a Municipal Clerk. 0 Most services are located within the Municipal Building, includ- 0 ing Administrative Services (Mayor, Chief Administrative Officer, 0 Treasurer, Clerk), Community Development, Public Works, Finance, Public Health, and Licenses and Inspections. The 0 Department of Administrative Services is primarily responsible 0 for running the administrative operations of the Township, includ- a ing managing the Township’s computer system, maintenance of 0 municipal buildings, managing municipal employee resources, and assisting departments in carrying out their duties. The De- a partment also administers the nuisance complaint hotline and the a Request Department, where residents can request services ranging e from health issues and trash pickup to action on code violations. a The Municipal Building also houses several key departments, a including Community Development, which is responsible for a 0 0 2.0 Background 8c Existing Conditions a 2-36 a 0

Upper Derby Township Comprehensive Plan

applying for and administering state and federal grants. The Department of Licenses and Inspections is responsible for the administration and enforcement of all development and structural codes. The De- partment of Public Works administers the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of all the physical structures and facilities which are owned and maintained by the Township. The Department is also responsible for providing waste disposal, transportation, and similar operations and services. The Public Health Department is responsible for protecting and preserving the public health of the Township through regular inspections of commercial food establishments and rental residential properties. The Finance Department is responsible for the administration of activities pertaining to the expenditure, accounting, investment, custody and control of municipal funds and assets.

Other departments located in various parts of the Township include Leisure Services, Parking Enforce- ment, Electrical, Police, and Fire. The Department of Leisure Services, also known as the Department of Parks and Recreation, operates the parks and playgrounds of the Township and develops and super- vises recreation programs and Township library services. The Department of Parking Enforcement is responsible for the installation, maintenance, and repair of all parking meters and for the collection of parking fees and enforcement of all parking laws and ordinances. The Electrical Department is responsible for installing and maintaining electrical and traffic signalization equipment in or on Town- ship operated property. The Police and Fire Departments are responsible for ensuring public safety in the Township. Fire Protection: The Upper Darby Township Fire Department operates out of five stations located throughout the Township. These locations are illustrated on Figure 2-10, Neighborhood and Commu- nity Facilities. The Fire Department is a combination department consisting of approximately 150 volunteer fire fighters and 33 career fire fighters. Other personnel include one Career Department Chief and three Career Deputy Chiefs, five District Chiefs, fifteen Assistant Chiefs, six Career Cap- tains, ten Volunteer Captains, ten Lieutenants, one Career Fire Marshal, one Training Coordinator/ Administrator, and one Department Secretary.

The department responds to over 3,000 calls per year, including fires to buildings, structures, automobiles, trash, and brush; automobile accidents, and EMS assist calls with the Delaware County Memo- rial Hospital Paramedics. The Fire Department also operates a Fire Prevention Unit, which conducts Fire Prevention programs in all 23 schools and a major hospital, as well as for senior citizens groups, various businesses, home day care providers, and day care centers within the Township. The Fire Prevention Unit conducts fire drills throughout the year at the many Township schools and also works with the business community to conduct fire drills upon request. The Department also operates a Smoke Detector Program for senior citizens, handicap persons, and low-income families.

Police Protection: The Upper Darby Police Department has 125 sworn officers and 2 1 non-sworn support staff. The sworn force is made up of the Superintendent of Police, four captains, six lieutenants, eight sergeants, and 106 patrol officers. There are five top-level divisions in the police department: the Patrol Division, the Investigations Division, the Special Services Division, the Police Ad- ministration Division, and the Operations Division. The department operates out of the Public Safety Building located on West Chester Pike. Three police substations are also located on 69" Street, Long Lane, and Bishop Ave. at Springfield Road (see Figure 2-10, Neighborhood and Community Fucili-

~~ ~~ 2-38 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 0 e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e ties). a The Patrol Division is the backbone of the Police Department with 8 1 officers assigned to patrol duty. The Investigations Division a includes 15 officers responsible for conducting follow-up investi- e gations and preparing criminal cases for court. The Special Ser- e vices Division consists of plainclothes officers and four bike patrol officers whose primary responsibilities include conducting e specialized enforcement tasks, such as narcotics interdiction and e various anti-crime initiatives. The Police Administration Division a is responsible for oversight of police training activities and tech- e nology initiatives and the Operations Division is responsible for a the day-to-day operations of the Police Department. a In addition to law enforcement activities, the Police Department operates a Community Affairs unit offering a number of community a awareness programs. These programs include crime prevention 0 programs, home safety inspections, personal safety programs, fraud I* and scam awareness programs, internet safety presentations, and 0 police department tours. e Crime: Criminal activity in Upper Darby Township has been e documented through the Uniform Crime Reporting System, a compendium of data on criminal offenses reported by local law a enforcement agencies and compiled by the Pennsylvania State e Police Department. The report includes data on Part I and Part I1 a reported offenses between 1998 and 2002. Part I offenses involve the most serious crimes, including murder and non-negligent e manslaughter, forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, e larceny-theft, motor vehicle theft, and arson. Part I1 offenses include forgery and counterfeiting, fraud, embezzlement, stolen a property, vandalism, weapons, sex offenses, drug abuse violations, a gambling, domestic abuse, driving under the influence, liquor law a violations, public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, vagrancy, and a all other offenses. a In 2002, there were 1,542 Part I and 1,646 Part I1 offenses re- e ported in Upper Darby, for a total of 3,188 crimes. Between 200 1 and 2002, the number of Part I offenses decreased by 11.3 percent a and the number of Part I1 offenses decreased by 3.1 percent. The e total number of offenses decreased by 7.2 percent between 2001 0 and 2002. As illustrated in Chart 2.5.1, from 1998 to 2002, the total number of reported offenses decreased by 7.6 percent. This a included a 20.0% decrease in the more serious Part I offenses and a an 8.1 YOincrease in Part I1 offenses.Within the five-year period, a 1999 experienced the highest number of reported offenses, with a 3,749 total offenses. In 2000 the number decreased by 7.8 percent. e e 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-39 e a

Upper Darby Township Cempmhensive Plan a (I a Table 2.5.1 Reported Offenses - 1998 to 2002 a a Part I 1,927 2,079 1,736 1,738 1,542 -20.0% a Part I1 1,522 1,655 1,705 1,698 1,646 8.1% Total 3,449 3,734 3,441 3,436 3,188 -7.6% a a a a The total number of 2002 reported offenses in Upper Darby equals a approximately 36 1 offenses per 10,000 population. In comparison, Delaware County reported about 385 offenses per 10,000 population in 2002, and the City of Philadelphia reported about 586 a offenses per 10,000 population. The total number of offenses a reported for surrounding municipalities, collectively, equals a approximately 362 per 10,000 population2. a Overall, while crime is a significant issue in Upper Darby, crime a statistics indicate a downward trend over the past five years. a Statistics also indicate that Upper Darby has a lower per capita a crime rate than Delaware County as a whole, Philadelphia, and the a aggregate of surrounding municipalities. a a Utilities a Public Water Service: Upper Darby Township’s public water is a supplied by the Philadelphia Suburban Water Company. Upper a Darby’s source of potable water is the Springton Lake Reservoir on Route 252 in Delaware County. Public water service is avail- a able throughout the Township and there are currently no water a quality issues. a a Public Sewer Service (Sanitary and Storm Water): Upper Darby Township is currently served by three different sewer authorities: a the Philadelphia Water Department, the Darby Creek Joint Au- a thority, and the Muckinipattis Sewer Authority. Most of the Town- a a a a Includes the Boroughs of Aldan, Clifton Heights, Darby, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, a and Millbourne, and the Townships of Darby, Haverford, Ridley and Springfield. a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-40 a a

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

ship is served by public sewer except for parts of the Hilldale/ Roselawn residential neighborhood. This area is expected to be served with public sewer service by the end of 2003. In 2002, there were approximately 137 out of 33,925 occupied housing units using on-lot systems3.

The Pennsylvania Sewage Facilities Act of 1966, or Act 537, requires municipalities to submit either an individual or joint Official Sewage Facilities Plan to the Department of Environmen- tal Protection. Because Upper Darby does not have an individual plan, in 2002 the Township adopted the Delaware County Act 53 7 Sewage Facilities Plan Update for the eastern portion of Dela- ware County. The plan was developed on a regional basis and includes 24 municipalities that lie primarily to the east of Ridley and Cmm Creeks. The primary criterion used for dividing the County into eastern and western regions was the percentage of each municipality served by public sewer. The eastern half of the County is considered developed and mostly served with public sewers, while 14 municipalities in the western half are considered mostly unserved. Evaluation of the eastern area, including Upper Darby Township, placed emphasis on the condition and capacity of the existing sewer system. Between 1996 and 1997, a series of infiltration and inflow (I&I) studies were conducted in the 24 municipalities and three municipal authorities in the eastern region. The studies were used to provide recommendations for corrective action and related costs.

The Act 537 Plan identified sanitary pipe problems in Upper Darby Township requiring priority corrective action, including areas that surcharge during heavy rain and sources of significant I&I. For Upper Darby Township, the sewage facilities plan recommends an estimated I&I reduction of 620,000 gallons per day (gpd). The total estimated cost for the recommended reduction is $774,893.

Stormwater management is a significant issue in Upper Darby Township. Because most of the Township developed prior to the adoption of standard environmental and land use regulations, a substantial amount of development occurred within the 100-year floodplain without restrictions, leaving many areas susceptible to severe flooding (see Figure 2-1 1, Flood Prone Areas).

Delaware County Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan Update, 2002

2-42 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

The Township does not have a stormwater management ordi- Some of the major stormwater nance. However, the Delaware County Planning Department is currently preparing a stormwater management plan for the Darby issues cited in the Phase I study and Cobbs Creek watersheds, the Darby-Cobbs Watershed Stormwater Management Plan, including a model ordinance and for Upper Darby Township permitting process for municipalities within the watersheds that the Township will be required to adopt. Under the Stormwater include frequent flooding, Management Act of 1978, or Act 167, each county in Pennsylva- accelerated erosion, water nia is required to prepare and adopt a stormwater management plan for each designated watershed in the county. Delaware pollution, and property dam- County has recently completed the Phase I process for the Darby- Cobbs watershed, which provides a preliminary assessment of age. watershed characteristics and hydrological conditions and identifies stormwater related problems in each municipality and in the entire watershed. Some of the major stormwater issues cited in the Phase I study for Upper Darby Township include frequent flooding, accelerated erosion, water pollution, and property damage. Phase I1 will be a technical document that includes runoff modeling, development of technical standards for effective stormwater control, administrative procedures for implementation, and municipal adoption and implementation of a model stormwater management ordinance and permitting procedures.

Health and Human Services Upper Darby is home to the Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DCMH), the largest private employer in the Township. DCMH is one of the founding hospitals of the Crozer-Keystone Health System. Founded in 1927, DCMH has 236 beds and currently admits 11,600 patients, treats 34,500 Emergency Department patients, and delivers nearly 1,000 babies each year. The hospital is a not-for-profit facility that offers a broad range of acute and specialized services, including The Delaware County Regional Cancer Center, an affiliate of the Fox Chase Network. DCMH also includes the Woman’s Diagnostic Center, a neonatal intensive care nursery, the SurgiCenter, a full range of inpatient and outpatient surgical services, an outpatient rehabilitation and sports medicine center, orthopedic services, community education services, home healthcare, and senior health services. DCMH is also considered the MRI center of Delaware County.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-43 a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a Other public health and human services facilities located in Upper a Darby include the Mercy Wellness Center at Upper Darby (part of a the Mercy Health System), which provides clinical care for low and moderate income families. The Delaware County Human a Services Department is also located in Upper Darby, providing a adult services, behavioral health services, child care information services, children and youth services, mental retardation programs, and early intervention programs. Also located in Upper a Darby is the Northwestern Human Services of Delaware County, a a non-profit organization that provides services for adults and a children, including adult mental health services, child abuse family services, children's alternative school programs, juvenile a justice services, mental retardation services, and substance abuse a services. Upper Darby Township recently opened the Immigra- a tion Welcome Center, which provides multilingual assistance to a new international immigrants moving into the Township. a In addition to public health and human services institutions, many a of the religious institutions throughout the Township, as well as (I several private non-profit agencies, provide a range of social and a welfare services. a Education a Public School System: The Upper Darby School District, which a includes Upper Darby as well as Clifton Heights Borough and a Millbourne Borough, has a reputation as one of the best public school districts in the region. The school district includes one a high school, two middle schools, and eight elementary schools. a In 1997, the District added the Kindergarten Center, which serves a students from five neighborhood schools. In all, the 12 schools plus the Kindergarten Center serve nearly 12,000 students. a Although the Upper Darby School District currently maintains a a quality reputation, the Township has undergone significant a changes in population over the past 30 years that have put pres- a sure on the public school system. Census figures indicate that the school age population is increasing while the overall Township a population has decreased. Census data also indicate continuing a increase in poverty status within the Township. With more chil- a dren to educate, an increasing amount of children with special needs, and less residents to pay property taxes, the school system a is becoming seriously strained and taxpayers have become over- a burdened. To complicate matters, the lack of undeveloped land in a the Township restricts the ability to expand the schools to accom- a modate the growing demand. Currently, most of the schools are a a I 2-44 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a a e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan (b e overcrowded, particularly Upper Darby High School, despite a e recent expansion project. The District has been forced to deal with the problem by purchasing a number of temporary buildings e to accommodate the growing student body. The issues facing the e Upper Darby School District threaten to undermine the quality of e the public school system and ultimately the overall quality of life in the Township. 0 The gravity of the current situation in the public school system is e beyond the capacity of the Comprehensive Plan to adequately e address. The public education element requires a specialized e study to provide a thorough understanding of the issues and potential solutions that cannot be accommodated at the Compre- e hensive Plan level. Therefore, a separate document will be e provided in Appendix A of this plan, as prepared by the Upper e Darby School District, to focus on education issues and potential e strategies for improving the current condition of Upper Darby’s a public schools. a Private Schools: In addition to the public school district, Upper Darby is home to several prestigious parochial and private schools for children. The Monsignor Bonner Catholic High e School for boys and the Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High e School for girls are the largest private schools in the Township. Both schools offer grades 9- 12 curriculum, with a combined e enrollment of close to 2,000 students4. In addition to the two high e schools, there are nine parochial primary and middle schools a located in the Township, including the St. Lucy Day School for Children with Visual Impairments, with a combined enrollment of 2,8675. Almost all of the private academic schools in the Town- e ship are administered by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, except for the Holy Family Academy, which is a Catholic academy run e by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus. There are also several a private, for-profit pre-schools in Upper Darby, including a e Montessori, nursery schools, and child learning centers. e Several adult and higher education services are provided in various locations throughout the Township. The Delaware County e Community College provides a branch facility in Upper Darby, a utilizing the Upper Darby High School for evening classes. The two main private technical andor trade schools in the Township e are the PJA School, which provides short-duration training lead- 0 ing to Specialized Associate Degrees in legal and business appli- a cations, and the Star Technical Institute, offering one to two year a programs in computers, medical technology, and business. 0 Archdiocese of Philadelphia Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Holy Child Academy

~ ~ ~~ ~~~ 2.0 BackgroGd & Existing Conditions 2-45 0 0 a a (I Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan (I a

Recreation and Open Space a Upper Darby Township includes a range of recreation and open a space facilities, including both passive and active parkland, tree- a lined nature trails, pristine stream corridors, and a variety of a indoor recreation programs. However, while the general condition of the parks and recreation facilities is good, the overall a supply is limited in serving the recreational demands of the a Township. The historically urbanized development pattern in the (I Township left a limited amount of land preserved as open space, resulting in a significant shortage of outdoor recreation facilities. a The deficient supply of open space in the Township is a signifi- a cant issue that warrants further study. Therefore, the next section a is devoted to the analysis of open space and recreation facilities. a a Community Facility and Service Issues a 0 The Township does not have a redevelopment authority, or any department with authority to purchase property for rede- a velopment purposes. 0 There are no community development corporations in the 0 Township. The Community Development Department is 0 responsible for applying for and administering grants, but the department director serves a dual role as the Director of (I Licenses and Inspections. The workload generated by these a two departments hinders the ability of the Township to focus a on community development planning. a 0 Flooding is a significant problem in the Township. Current efforts on stormwater management planning will help identify a and prioritize corrective measures; however, there is limited funding available for major stormwater system improvements. a 0

0 The quality of the public school system is being undermined by a combination of factors, including an increasing school 0 age population, decreasing tax base, increasing poverty, and limited available land for expansion. 0

0 The limited supply of undeveloped land and limited public 0 resources for acquiring private land has resulted in a shortage of open space and recreation facilities for Upper Darby resi- 0 dents (see Section 2.6). 0 0 a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-46 e 0 a a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a 2.6 Recreation and Open Space

As an older, inner ring suburb, Upper Darby is essentially built out and has little opportunity to purchase or develop new recre- a ation space. A Study of Leisure Services was prepared for the a Township in the 1970’s. A subsequent Survey of Parks and Recre 0 ation Facilities was prepared by the Township in 1995 and up- ,a dated in 1999. This information, as well as personal interviews and field trips, were used to prepare an inventory of existing a recreation space lying totally or partially within the Township. a The updated inventory is summarized in Table 2.3.1 and Figure 2 a 12, Recreation and Open Space Facilities. The numbers to the a left of the table correspond to the numbering system on Figure 2- a 12. a As indicated in Table 2.3.1, there are 36 Township parks and/or a recreation facilities with a total of 197.45 acres in Upper Darby. One of these parks (Pilgrim Park, on North Darby Creek Road in a the northwest part of the Township), has an additional 10.7 acres e located in adjacent Haverford Township. Of the Township a parkland, 117.3 acres are classified as active and another 69.45 a are classified as passive. a Three County parks are located within Upper Darby or next to a Upper Darby Township: Darby Creek Park, Kent Park, and Shrigley Park (located in Lansdowne). These parks have a total of a 3 1.5 passive acres located along Darby Creek. In addition, the a Cobbs Creek Park and Golf Course, under the jurisdiction of the la City of Philadelphia, stretches along the Township’s eastern edge a and totals 153 acres that are useable for golf (9 1.4 acres) or la passive recreation (61.6 acres). ~a It is the opinion of Township staff that all recreation facilities that a are generally accessible to Township residents are well, and often a over, utilized. However, some parks, especially those that offer passive recreation - are not generally accessible, either because a they have limited or poorly marked access or because they are not identified as available for walking, picnicking, or other passive e activities. Findings on specific passive recreation facilities are:

a 0 Pilgrim Park is largely within Upper Darby Township, but is a largely undeveloped and not easily accessible. There is some a feeling that nearby residents would be concerned if the Park * were more heavily utilized. a a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-47 0 0 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan I 0

~ 0 Table 2.3.1. Upper Darby Parks and Recreational Facilities Inventory 0 0 Township Parks 0 1 Pilgrim Park* 44.7 0 2 Dermond Circle 0.2 3 Mansion Park 4.3 0 4 Collenbrook Farm 4.3 0 5 Dermond Recreation 12.5 0 6 Drexel Gardens Park 10 7 Kirklyn Play Area 0.5 0 8 Westview Play Area 0.5 a 9 Observatory Hill Recreation Area 4 0 10 Parkview Play Area 1.3 11 Sellers Play Area 5.5 0 12 Naylors Run Park 32 0 13 Golf Road Play Area 0.5 0 14 Keystone Play Area 1 15 Beverly Hills Recreation Area 17.4 0 16 Windemere Play Area 0.5 0 17 Clark Play Area 0.7 0 18 Huey Park 4.4 19 Gillespie Park 13.4 0 20 Scullion Park 4.5 21 Lower Swedish Cabin 2 0 22 Evans Lane Park 2.7 23 Blanchard Road Play Area 0.3 a 24 Stratford Play Area 0.2 0 25 Bishop Park 7.1 a 26 Brookwood Park 2 0 27 Penn Pines Park 6 28 McKinley Play Area 0.5 e 29 Second Ward Play Area 3 a 30 69th Street Park 7 31 Neighborhood Park A 0.2 a 32 Neighborhood Park B 0.3 a 33 Traffic Island 0.1 a 34 Michele Park 0.25 35 Cardington Recreation Area 3.5 a 36 Wellington Road Lots 0.1 I e /Total Township Parks 197.45 e * 10.7 acres in Haverford Twp a a e e a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-48 a 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Table 2.3.1. Upper Darby Parks and Recreational Facilities Inventory

37 Aronimink Elementary 10 38 Upper Darby Kindergarten Center 3.2 39 Drexel Hill Middle School 6 40 Hillcrest Elementary 14 41 Highland Park Elementary 3 42 Upper Darby High School 20.5 43 Bywood Elementary 2.5 44 Beverly Hills Middle School 6 45 Stonehurst Hills Element. 2.5 46 Garrettford Elementary 5 47 Westbrook Park Elementary 7 48 Primos Elementarv 20 Total School

Other Public Parks Delaware County Parks 49 Kent Park 11.8 50 Darby Creek Park 15.2 5 1 Shrigley Park** 4.5 City of Philadelvhia Parks 52 Cobbs Creek Park 61.6 .1

Private Facilities 53 Idle Hours Tennis Club 4.3 54 Aronimink Swim Club 9.2 55 Monsignor Bonner High School 12.7 56 PECO Golf Club 72 57 Addingham Manor 10.8

** located in Lansdowne Borough

Mansion Park and Collenbrook Farm are located fairly close to Pilgrim Park in the Township’s northwest section. There is a historic house at Collenbrook Farm that is open to the public for tours of the house and grounds. Again, there is some resident concern about greater utilization of these parks. The Beverly Hills Recreation Area on Marshall Road is largely passive (13.4 acres), but includes four active acres with tennis courts, a baseball diamond, and additional facilities such as as parking, picnic tables, and drinking fountains.

~~ ~ 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-49 e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Darby Creek Park (1 5.2 acres), Kent Park (1 1.8 acres), and Shrigley Park (4.5 acres) are county-owned passive recreation areas located close to each other along the Darby Creek e in the southern end of the Township. Shrigley Park has no e facilities, and there is one basketball court at Kent Park. All are relatively inaccessible and not well identified as public 0 open space. Addingham Manor, located near Garrett Road and the Darby e Creek, is a privately-owned, 10.8 acre green strip close to the e banks of the Darby Creek. The Swedish Cabin, located in e Addingham Manor, is open to the public by appointment. All Upper Darby active recreation facilities have been upgraded, e and it is the opinion of Township staff that the 117.3 acres of a active recreation space in the Township are heavily used. e Following are the major active recreation areas in the Township: 0 Dermond Recreation Area, located near the border of e Haverford Township, is generally thought to be the most e heavily used. It has 12.5 active acres with facilities for basket- e ball, tennis, baseball, and football. It also has parking, a 0 playground, picnic tables, and drinking fountains. Observatory Hill Recreation Area, located just north of e State Road, is also among the most heavily used. It has four e active acres with a basketball court, tennis courts, baseball diamond, football and soccer fields, and a volleyball court. e Naylors Run Park has 32 largely active acres at Garrett and e Naylors Road, but also includes a wooded area. Facilities at 0 Naylors Run include tennis, baseball, volleyball, golf, a camping area, restrooms, water, parking, and a playground. e Scullion Park (at Whitehall and Gramercy) and nearby e Gillespie Park have 14.5 active acres between them, with 0 another 3.4 passive acres in Gillespie. Facilities include a 0 basketball court, baseball diamonds, football and soccer fields, as well as playgrounds, restrooms, picnic tables, and e parking. e Penn Pines Park has six very well used acres, including tennis and baseball facilities, a camping area, restrooms, a water, parking, and the Township’s most attractive picnic area. e The 69thStreet Park at Patterson Avenue has seven acres with e baseball, football, and soccer fields, as well as parking, a restrooms, play facilities, and picnic tables. a Cardington Recreation Area is a new 3.5-acre recreation e area on the site of the old Cardington Elementary School,

e 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a 2-51 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

which has been demolished. There are facilities for soccer and softball, as well as a playground.

There are another 99.7 acres on the 12 school sites that fall under the jurisdiction of the Upper Darby School District. The largest of these is at the Upper Darby High School, located on a 20.5-acre site. Other relatively large sites are at Aronomink Elementary (10 acres), Hillcrest Elementary (14 acres) and Primos Elementary (20 acres). All other schools are on sites that are six acres or less, and all space on School District property is used for active rather than passive recreation.

Finally, there are several private facilities within the Township including the Idle Hours Tennis Club (4.3 acres), the Aronomink Swim Club (9.2 acres), BonnerRrendergast High School (12.7 acres) and Addingham Manor (two historic houses on 10.8 acres). Finally, the private PECO Energy Golf Club, which caters to that utility company’s employees, is located in the northeast corner of the Township adjacent to Township Line Road and Cobbs Creek Park. This facility is now open to the public for an annual membership fee, and has about 300 members.

Table 2.3.2 below summarizes information by type of space (active or passive) and by jurisdiction: Township, School District, County, and private. A grand total of just under 500 acres within the Town- ship are devoted to either active or passive recreation. About one hundred of those acres are private, meaning that they are generally not open to Upper Darby residents unless those residents are able to pay user or membership fees. Thus there are about 400 acres that are generally open to the public.

Table 2.3.2. Active and Passive Recreation Space by Jurisdiction

Upper Darby 197.45 69.45 117.3 10.7 Schools 99.7 0 99.7 0 Delaware County 31.5 27 0 4.5 Cobbs Creek 61.6 61.6 Sub total 390.25 158.05 217 15.2 Private 109 10.8 98.2 0 Total 499.25 168.85 315.2 15.2

Over the past several decades, methods of assessing the adequacy of open space have changed from the mathematical to the subjective. Twenty years ago it was common to evaluate the adequacy of a community’s recreation facilities by dividing the total population by the total acres of recreation space of all types in the community. Now, the demographics of a community, including its age distribution, ethnic mix, and educational levels are all taken into account, on the assumption that different segments of each community have different needs and desires for park and recreation facilities and programs. Community values now play a key role in determining the ideal mix of passive and active recreational offerings.

Because this is a comprehensive plan rather than a more detailed parks and recreation plan, the older recreation standards have been applied to Upper Darby to get a general sense as to whether the Township has adequate park and recreation space to serve its residents. The most recent National Parks and Recre- ation Association standards, published in the 1980’s, established a standard of 10 acres of active recreation space per 1,000 residents.

The population of Upper Darby Township in 2000 was approximately 82,000 people. Using the level of

2-52 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 0 e a e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e service standard established by National Parks and Recreation, a Upper Darby should have 820 acres of active recreation space. As 0 show above, it has only 2 17 active acres available to the public. Even if all passive acres and all private acres in and adjacent to 0 the Township were added to its total, it would still fall over 300 e acres short of the recommended standards. Chart 2.3.4 illustrates a the comparison of Township park facilities with this national e standard. e e Chart 2.3.4 Recreation and Open Space Inventory e e 900

800 a IPrivate Feulit~es 700 0 0 Other PuMic Facilities 600 School Facilities

yI 500 OTownship Facilities e g National Standard * 400 ea a for Recreation Facllitie 0 300

0 200

e 100 e n 0

Township Recreation Programs e Upper Darby operates a full range of recreational programs at its e recreation centers, schools, and other facilities. The summer 0 programs offer a variety of opportunities for children between the ages of three and 18, including child care, games, sports, special e interests such as music and nature, and swimming programs at the e Upper Darby High School Pool. The Upper Darby Summer Stage e is in its 28&season and staged seven productions during the summer of 2003 (see Section 2.7 Historic and Cultural Resources below). The Township’s summer recreation program runs for six 0 weeks during June and July, and is usually over-subscribed to the e point that the Recreation Department turns people away. Children 0 can sign up for as few as one or as many as all six program e weeks. 0 e 2.0 Background 8c Existing Conditions e 2-53 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

After school care is offered at all four elementary schools and the Upper Darby Kindergarten Center on State Road. Programs for senior citizens take place at the Watkins Center at 326 Watkins Avenue and at the new community center at 501 Bywood Road, which also has programs for teens.

Recreation and Open Space Issues

0 Comparison to national standards indicates that Upper Darby has a deficiency in the acreage of publicly accessible parkland. However, opportunities for the acquisition and development of additional acreage are limited due to the built out nature of the community.

0 The Township’s active recreational acreage is heavily used and facility maintenance is an issue.

0 Delaware County is currently preparing a Greenway Plan for the Darby Creek Watershed, which includes a significant portion of Upper Darby Township. The plan includes a network of greenspace along the creek, including some analysis for increasing the amount of open space and recreation access. The greenway initiative is described further in Chapter 4, as well as some other potential strategies for increasing the supply of recreation facilities in the Township.

2.7 Historic and Cultural Resources

The Swedes are thought to be the original settlers of the area now known today as Upper Darby Township. About 100 Swedes lived in the settlement in 1653. The Lower Log Cabin, thought to have been built in 1654, is located on Creek Road along the Darby Creek and is believed by many to be a remnant of the early Swedes, who introduced the log cabin to this area. Today the “Swedish Cabin” is designated with a Pennsylvania Historical Marker. The cabin is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Upper Darby Township was settled by Quakers and formed out of Darby Township in 1786. In 1798, Upper Darby was one of several municipalities that voted to secede from Chester County and form a new county, hence Delaware County was established with the seat at Chester City. In 1851 the seat was moved to

2-54 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions e e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e Media, where it remains today. 0 The abundance of creeks and streams in the area favored the e development of mills and it was in Upper Darby that the first a mills in Delaware County were located. The mill trade greatly 0 increased the population of Upper Darby, from just over 800 in e 1800 to almost 5000 by 1890. Modern inventions found their way into Upper Darby. e Runneymeade, the home of investor Christopher Fallon, was the first home in Delaware County to use gas for lighting purposes. Philanthropist Anthony J. Drexel, after whom the Drexel Hill e section of Upper Darby Township was named, later owned the e home. e The pre-Civil War era was a busy time in the Township. Reflect- e ing its Quaker beginnings, Upper Darby was active in the antisla- c very movement. In fact, many homes in the area were “stops” on @ the Underground Railroad. Upper Darby was also home to several abolitionists, including Abraham L. Pennock, who lived in e Hoodland, now the Sellers Library. Another abolitionist, Thomas e Garrett is honored at his home called Thornfield, which is still a standing today and located on Garrett Road in Drexel Hill. During 0 the Civil War, two regiments from Upper Darby took part in the fighting and one, the 106th, was involved in the crucial battle at 8 8 e Antietam. c e Upper Darby grew dramatically during the 20¢ury. In 1907, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company recognized the potential e for growth in the Township and extended the Elevated line to 69th e and Market Streets in Upper Darby, where it currently serves asa a major regional transit hub. The development of the 69th Street shopping district in the 1920’s by John McClatchy made Upper e Darby the second busiest shopping area in the region, second only e to Center City Philadelphia. By the 1960’s the Township ranked e as the seventh most populous municipality in Pennsylvania, e eclipsing such cities as Harrisburg, Chester, and Bethlehem. e Beginning in the late 1970’s the Township experienced a large e growth in population from various ethnic groups. Many Greek e families settled here during the 1970’s. During the 1980’s and 0 1990’s, African-American, Asian, and Hispanic families moved into the area. Asians now own many businesses in the 69th Street a area of the Township. 0

a 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-55 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

The historic mills are gone, but the Township was spared the large-scale urban renewal that affected so many American cities in the 1960’s and 1970’s. The core of the 69th Street business district remains intact, as do almost all of Upper Darby’s original neighborhoods. As a result, Upper Darby maintains a very rich cultural heritage that is both historically and architecturally significant. To date only two buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places with three more deemed eligible, as follows:

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places

0 Collen Brook Farm 0 The Swedish Cabin Deemed Eliglible for the National Register of Historic Places

0 The McClatchy Building 0 69th Street Terminal Building 0 The Tower Theater 0 Lukens House

In addition, the Delaware County Planning Commission has identified the following areadneighborhoods as potential Historic National Register Historic Districts:

0 Addingham 0 Cardington/Stonehurst e Fernwood 0 Kellyville/Oakview 0 Primos/Secane

This small number of formally recognized resources does not accurately reflect the number of historically significant sites located throughout the Township. The Upper Darby Historical Society and the Delaware County Planning Commission recognize more than 125 buildings and sites (neighborhood commercial areas, buildings, apartment complexes, residences, cemeteries, churches, schools, and landscapes) as being historically andor architecturally significant to the Township and region. These siteshuildings have been entered into the National Park Service’s Integrated Preservation Software computer database, available to for consultation at the Delaware County Planning Department in Media, PA. Buildings and sites considered particularly significant by the Delaware County Planning Commission are shown on

2-56 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Figure 2-1 3, Historic Resources, along with National Regis- ter listed properties, properties deemed eligible for the National Register, and potential historic districts. The latter category includes areasheighborhoods identified by the Delaware County Planning Commission and additional areas considered worthy of consideration based upon evaluation done for the Comprehensive Plan.

The Upper Darby Historical Commission was established in 1991 to advise the Township Council concerning the administration of any property designated by the Township as a “Historical Property” or a “Protected Property.” These terms refer to any property determined to be of such general significance and value as to be deserving of protection from physical deterioration through Township acquisition of ownership or the right to administer and operate. In this capacity the Commission does not serve as a regulatory body overseeing designated historic resources in the Town- ship. It has, however, worked in partnership with the Upper Darby Historical Society to acquire, preserve and protect a handful of Upper Darby’s historically significant properties: the Swedish Cabin, Collen Brook Farm, Lukens Home, Hill House, Valley House and Burnley Mansion.

As the largest township in the United States, Upper Darby is culturally diverse with more than 50 ethnic groups represented among its more than 80,000 residents. Institutions such as the Upper Darby Historical Society, Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, and the Tower Theater offer special programming and events, helping to celebrate diversity and enrich the community.

The Upper Darby Historical Society was founded in 1985 by a small group of individuals dedicated to preserving historic sites, documents, monuments, and artifacts relevant to the history of Upper Darby Township. Notable endeavors of the Society include preservation of the Lukens home, the Swedish Log Cabin, and historic mill properties along Darby Creek. At the present time, the Historical Society is working with the Township Council and the Upper Darby Historical Commission to preserve and restore Collen Brook Farm (c. 1696) in Drexel Hill. The Society has created the “Farm House Museum” at this property and is working on the development of an education facility known as the

2-58 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a C e e SmithLewis Center for Local History. Tours of the facility, educa- e tional programs, and research are available to the public year round, as are tours in the fall and spring to places of interest a throughout the Township and beyond.

The Upper Darby Performing Arts Center was established in 1987 as a partnership between the Upper Darby School District and the Township of Upper Darby. Located on the campus of Upper Darby High School and administered by the Department of Recreation and Leisure Services, the Center provides youth and family based performances attended by more than 50,000 persons a a year. The Center’s programs include: Professional performances (Philadelphia Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, Peking Acrobats, the Nutcracker, etc.) 0 Youth performances (attracting groups from schools from throughout the region) e Local arts groups (Lansdowne Symphony, Philadelphia Youth a Orchestra, Delaware County Youth Orchestra and Ensemble, a etc.) International events (In-Young Sohn Korean Dance Troupe, I .- a Fiesta en la Plaza, Irish ensembles, etc.) The Upper Darby Summer Stage (Since 1976 this highly successful program has involved more than 500 young people from surrounding communities each summer in the produc- tion of children’s shows and Broadway musicals.)

In 1928 John H. McClatchy opened the Tower Theater, one of the Township’s first movie houses. The theater helped to make the 69” Street area a “shopping and cultural center” - a revolutionary concept at the time. During the mid-20” century Upper Darby had e one of the most successful shopping centers outside of downtown e Philadelphia. Originally a movie house, the Tower Theater today 0 is one of the Philadelphia region’s premier music venues, drawing thousands of people to concerts featuring a broad range of artists. 0 The Tower Theater is a major asset both economically and cultur- a ally for Upper Darby Township. a Historic and Cultural Resource Issues The Township lacks a comprehensive approach to historic e preservation. In its present capacity, the Upper Darby Histori- cal Commission is limited to preserving and protecting those properties for which it has acquired ownership or the rights to a administedoperate. Many historically significant properties e 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions e 2-59 a Upper Darby Tawnship Comprehensive Pian

are located throughout the Township and some attention needs to be directed at these sites by Township Council and the Township Historical Commission.

The Tower Theater draws thousands of people a year to Upper Darby ;however, related entertainmentlrestaurant venues in the Township are very limited. The potential to capture and retain concert-goers is considerable. Designation of the 69" Street area as a National Register District could provide potential entrepreneurs and investors with financial incentives through federal preservation tax credits, loans, and grants.

2.8 Natural Resources

Upper Darby Township is located within the Delaware River Basin and the watersheds of four tributaries of the Delaware River: Cobbs Creek, Darby Creek, Hermesprota Creek and Muckinipattis Creek (see Figure 2- 14, Natural Features). Devel- opment and urbanization have altered each of the watersheds and their associated waterways significantly, with many small streams having been removed altogether. Because Upper Darby is a largely built out community, natural features are concentrated along the remaining major stream corridors that traverse the Township from north to south, including Cobbs Creek, Naylor's Run, Darby Creek, and Muckinipattis Creek.

Cobbs Creek flows for 13.7 miles along the entire eastern boundary of the Township between Upper Darby and the City of Phila- delphia. Areas of 100-year floodplain are located along the length of the creek. Cobbs Creek Park, part of Philadelphia's Fairmount Park system, extends along Cobbs Creek and includes parkland on the Upper Darby side of the creek. The Philadelphia side of Cobbs Creek Park supports trails, a variety of recreational activities, and the Cobbs Creek Community Environmental Education Center, which has a variety of programs to teach residents about the Cobbs Creek watershed and involve them in environmental issues. While Cobbs Creek Park provides some degree of buffering between Cobbs Creek and adjacent developed areas, urbanization and the amount of impervious cover in the surrounding watershed have significantly impacted the creek's hydrology and water quality. The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental

2-60 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Protection (DEP) has classified the Cobbs Creek Watershed as completely impaired by urban runoff/storm sewers and habitat modification.

Naylor’s Run enters Upper Darby at Township Line Road west of the Landsdowne Avenue intersection and then flows southeast to Cobbs Creek. Substantial areas of 100-year floodplain are located along the length of the stream. Between State Road and Garrett Road, Naylor’s Run is bordered by steep slope areas in the vicinity of Upper Darby High School and Naylors Run Park. This area supports some of the few natural woodlands remaining in the Township. South of Garrett Road the natural channel of Naylor’s Run has been removed and much of the stream now runs in a culvert underground. Land above the submerged creek is heavily developed with commercial corridors, row homes, and streets. This urbanization has created severe flooding problems in the Stonehurst Hills neighborhood where Naylor’s Run flows underground. As part of the Cobbs Creek Watershed, Naylor’s Run is classified by the Pennsylvania DEP as completely impaired by urban runoff/storm sewers and habitat modification.

Darby Creek flows from the northwestern corner of Upper Darby Township at Township Line Road to the southeast, running along the Westbrook Park, Garrettford, Kellyview/Oakview, and Hilldale/Roselawn/PennPines neighborhoods. For much of its course Darby Creek marks the boundary between Upper Darby Township and adjacent municipalities, including Springfield Township, Clifton Heights Borough, Lansdowne Borough, Aldan Borough, and Darby Borough. While Darby Creek’s 100-year floodplain is the most well preserved and heavily wooded of the Township’s three creeks, it is at risk from adjacent development. Steep slopes along much of the creek’s edge have helped to protect the bordering 100-year floodplain; however, the tops of these slopes are built almost to capacity, resulting in pressures for alteration of floodplain areas. In one example, natural habitat areas associated with the creek have been removed and filled to create a development site. Like Cobbs Creek and Naylor’s Run, the water quality of Darby Creek is classified as impaired by DEP. Urban runoff, siltation, and variable water flow have eroded the riparian buffers of Darby Creek and contributed to flooding in downstream municipalities.

Efforts to address these issues and restore the health and vitality of both the Darby and Cobbs Creek watersheds are currently in

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-61

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

progress. The Darby Creek Watershed River Conservation Plan was prepared by the Darby Creek Valley Association with assistance from Delaware County and the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. The Cobbs Creek Watershed Management Plan is being prepared by the Philadelphia Water Department in cooperation with the Darby-Cobbs Watershed Partnership and Pennsylvania Environmental Council. The goal of each plan is to foster local initiatives that aim to preserve, restore, celebrate and conserve these three incredible natural resources. In addition, as noted in Section 2.5 above, Delaware County is currently preparing the Darby-Cobbs Watershed Stormwater Management Plan.

The Darby Creek Watershed River Conservation Plan proposes as a central initiative the establishment of a Darby Creek Greenway, or “ribbons of green” along Darby Creek and other streams within the Darby Creek watershed. The goal is to establish contiguous green spaces that preserve and protect woodlands, wetlands, and riparian buffers; create new open space and public access; and ultimately link some of the region’s most important natural, cultural, and historic resources. The plan calls for 4.25 miles of trail to be created in Upper Darby to link various resources, such as the Lower Swedish Cabin, an historic mill complex, and SEPTA trolley stops.

The fourth major stream corridor within Upper Darby is Muckinipattis Creek, which flows through the southwestern corner of the Township. This creek eventually flows into Darby Creek within the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge to the south. Like the other three creeks, the Muckinipattis’s water quality has been substantially impaired.

Natural Resource Issues Upper Darby’s natural resources are concentrated along the Township’s creeks, which have been significantly impacted by urbanization within their watersheds. These creeks would benefit from efforts to reduce the impacts of urban runoff, prevent development encroach- ments, and restore natural habitat.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-63 a a (I 4 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a a The Darby Creek Greenway initiative proposed in the Darby Creek Watershed River Conservation a Plan provides a potential model for addressing flooding and other environmental problems associated with the Township’s creeks and transforming these resources into positive community assets. a (I (I 2.9 Financial Structure a Almost any action that the Township may take to revitalize neighborhoods, attract businesses, increase a open space, etc. will have ramifications for its tax base. For this reason, a brief discussion of the a Township’s existing tax base is included here, with some comments as to where the Township might look a for new revenue sources, and the advantages and disadvantages of levying any new taxes. a Table 2.9.I summarizes the sources of revenue upon which Upper Darby currently relies. The Township a is heavily dependent on its real estate tax, but it has not levied two taxes that are heavily used by other a municipalities. The first of these is the real estate transfer tax, all of which goes to the Upper Darby a School District. The School District is large and growing, and it is quite probable that sharing revenue with it may not be appropriate. The second is the Earned Income Tax, which is a major source of revenue 4 for many other municipalities. a a Table 2.9.1 Revenue Sources by Percent - Two Year Period (2000 and 2001) a a a a a a a a a a a Source: PennJylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Municipal Summary a Information a Table 2.9.2 summarizes data on the four Pennsylvania counties in the Delaware Valley Region where a municipalities may levy and the Earned Income Tax. The current limit for the tax is 1’30, and a municipal- a ity may share this tax with its school district, which many do. The table shows that close to 84% of a Chester and Montgomery County municipalities levy this tax, and 75% of Bucks communities do so. a Only 26.5% of Delaware County municipalities levy the tax. a a 2-64 2.0 Background & Existing Conditions a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

0 0 Table 2.9.2 Earned Income Tax a e Bucks 56 42 40 71.4% Chester 74 62 55 I 83.8% I 74.3% 0 Delaware 49 13 4 26.5% I 8.2% Montgomery 62 52 50 83.9% I 80.6% 0

A municipality that levies the Earned Income Tax receives 100% of the tax from all of its employed residents and has the option of sharing part of the proceeds with its School District. It also receives 100% of the tax from persons commuting to the municipality to work if their home jurisdiction does not levy an Earned Income Tax. If a Township does not levy the tax, all residents working outside of the Township are taxed at their place of work if located within a municipality that has an Earned Income Tax, and no tax is returned to their township of residence. The one exception is Philadelphia, which has a wage tax that takes precedence over any other jurisdiction’s earned income tax.

Because of the very large and growing number of municipalities that levy the Earned Income Tax (70% in the four county area), it is likely that many Upper Darby residents are paying this tax where they work and that Upper Darby does not realize any benefits. While there is a case to be made that jurisdictions that do not levy this tax are in a better position to attract new business, it is a potential source of revenue that may become more feasible as more neighboring municipalities enact it.

2.0 Background & Existing Conditions 2-65 a e @ e e a e 3.0 TRENDSANALYSIS e e e e e 0 e e *e e *e e e a 0 a e e e e a e e e e e e e e a e e a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a 3.0 TRENDSANALYSIS a a a Upper Darby is the largest township in Pennsylvania. It has 23 a Census Tracts comprised of 74 Block Groups. A block group is a portion of a Census Tract made up of contiguous blocks and is a particularly useful in analyzing the demographics of a community a at a finer grain. There are usually anywhere between two and a eight block groups within a Census Tract. a Because of the Township’s large size and diversity and the difi- a culty in drawing meaningful conclusions from the volume of a available data, the demographics of each Census Tract were further analyzed at the Block Group level. A limited number of e indicators of neighborhood change between 1990 and 2000 were a then selected for further analysis. These particular indicators were a chosen because they are those that are the most useful in measur- a ing the social and economic health of a community. They include data on the changes over the ten-year period from 1990 to 2000 in a housing tenure, value, vacancy, median incomes, the percent of a residents below poverty, and the number and percent of persons a below poverty. In most cases, the ten-year trends in a block group, a rather than absolute numbers or percentages from the most recent a Census, were thought to be the most significant indicators of the a economic and social health of that block group. Two additional indicators were obtained from the County that did a . . ._.. not come from the US Census. The first was the number of J a Section 8 units, and the second was the number of tax delinquent a units. It was felt that tax delinquencies are likely to lower prop- a erty values, since having a lien on a property will cause it to be I sold for a lower price. In addition, the number of comments about a the growing number of Section 8 units in the Township indicated a that this issue should be taken into account in the analysis. a a The indicators and the rankings assigned to these indicators were: a 0 Change in vacancy rate: Block Groups with decreases in a vacancy rates or increases 4%were assigned a 2, those with a increases between 1% and 2% a 1, and those with increases a >2% a 0. a

3.0 Trends 3-1 0 a 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan - a 0 Change in % owner occupancy: Block Groups with increases a in owner occupancy were assigned a 2, those with decreases 0 up to 2.9% a 1, and those with decreases >3% a 0. % belowpoverty in 2000: Those Block Groups with less than 0 5% of their population below poverty received a 2, those with 0 5% to 10% a 1, and those 10$ or more a 0. 0 Change in poverty 199U-2UUU: Block Groups with a decrease 0 or minimal increase in the percent below poverty were assigned a 2, those with an increase of 1 % to 2% a 1 , and those 0 with an increase over 2% a 0. 0 Number of Section 8 uniis: If a Block Group had fewer than 0 5% of the total Section 8 units in the Township it received a score of 2, if 5% to 10% a 1, and if more than 10% of the total 0 Section 8 units in the Township, a 0. 0 Tax delinquentproperties: If a Block Group had fewer than 0 1% of the tax delinquent properties in the Township it re- 0 ceived a score of 2, if between 1 % and 3% a score of 1, and if 3% or more of the tax delinquent properties, a zero. 0 0 Scores for each of these indicators and total scores for all Census a Tracts and Block Groups in the Township were recorded on a ranking sheet, and the total score for each was tabulated. These 0 tabulations, and the resulting scores for each block group, are 0 shown in the Community Conditions Ranking Table in Appendix a B and graphically depicted on Figure 3-1 Community Conditions. This map shows which block groups fall into each of the follow- a ing categories: 0 0 Excellent: Total score of 9 to 12 (the highest possible score), 0 and characterized by overall minimal vacancy rate and poverty status and high home ownership. 0 0 Buble: Total score of 5 to 8, and characterized by overall low 0 vacancy rate, low poverty status, and moderate home owner- 0 ship. Reinvestment: Total score of 0 to 4, and characterized by a overall high vacancy rate, high poverty status, and low home 0 ownership. a While neighborhoods that fall into the “excellent” category are a found at several locations in the Township, the majority are a located along State Road in the Aronomink, Waverly, Llanerch a Hills, and Drexel Hill areas. Other locations include Kellyvillel a Oakview and some block groups near the border of Haverford 0 Township. a a 3-2 3.0 Trends a e a

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Neighborhoods that fall into the “stable” category are basically healthy, but have some indicators that change may be occurring. These block groups can be found at locations throughout the Township. In some cases, housing values or median incomes may have risen at a somewhat lower rate during the 1990s compared to the “excellent” neighborhoods. In other cases, they may be experiencing a slow shift away from owner occupancy toward rental occupancy. In still other instances, there may have been a small increase in the percent of persons below poverty. These factors, while not indicative of major shifts that have occurred, indicate trends that the Township should recognize and be prepared to address.

Neighborhoods that fall into the “reinvestment” category are those in which major population and housing shifts have already occurred. They are characterized by decreasing rates of owner occupancy and increasing poverty rates. In some cases, housing values may have declined as well. Because the housing stock is not holding its value and can not be sold for a profit, rentals are increasing, along with management by absentee landlords. The analysis of demographic and housing data placed these neighborhoods in the eastern part of the Township.

Employment Trends Table 3.2.1 provides basic informationbn past, present, and projected employment, key indicators of the economic health of a community. There was a 5.6% decrease in the number of employees in Upper Darby Township from 1990 to 2000. According to DVRPC forecasts, the number of employees is estimated to decrease by another 17.4 % by 2025. In comparison, Delaware County as a whole and the remaining five counties in the DVRPC region are expected to experience over 14% growth in employment by 2025.

3-4 3.0 Trends e e e 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a Table 3.2.1. Employment Estimates and Forecasts e Upper Darby and the Region e e -- e 11997 Estimated EmDlovment I 20.607 I 234.406 I 1.994.044 I 2000 Estimated Employment 20,090 236,330 2,015,910 e 2010 Forecast 18,640 249,900 2,121,110 e 2025 Forecast 16,600 269,890 2,305,150 e % Change 1990 to 2000 -5.6% 2.5% 2.4% e % Change 2000 to 2025 -17.4% 14.2% 14.3% e Source: Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission e *Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties e e Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indicates that the rate of employment among Upper Darby residents, which historically has been lower than either Delaware County or the region, is now as e high as or higher than those areas. Table 3.2.2 summarizes trends in the unemployment rate since 1990. In e that year, Upper Darby’s unemployment rate was .3% lower than the County’s and 1.2% lower than the e region’s. Since 2000, Upper Darby has had approximately the same unemployment rate as the region and e the County. e Table 3.2.2. Annual Unemployment Rate, 1990 to 2002 e Upper Darby Compared to Delaware County and the Region e a

1 1995 I 3.6 I 5.5 I 5.9 I e 2000 3.9 3.6 3.9 e 2002 5.2 5 .O 5.5 e e A closer look at Township unemployment statistics from the 2000 Census indicates that the six Census e Tracts with the highest unemployment rates (5% or higher) are 4002,4003.01,4003.02,4004.01,4004.02, e and 4005. All of these tracts have at least one Block Group that has been designated a reinvestment area per a the analysis summarized in Section 3.2.1. e In the spring of 2003, the Township released the Market Street Gateway study, prepared for Upper Darby a Township, Millbourne Borough, and the County of Delaware by Cope Linder Architects. According to that e report, Upper Darby Township has 2,438 business establishments with a total employment of 23,220 per- e sons. Data from that report on the distribution of industries by sector in Upper Darby is summarized in a Table 3.2.3.

3.0 Trends 3-5 a a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a a Table 3.2.3. Industry Distribution, Upper Darby Township a Services 45 % a Retail 24% 4 ConstructiordSDecial Trade 10% Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 8% a Manufacturing 3% a 4 a a a a a Table 3.2.3 indicates that close to half of the jobs in the Township are in the services sector, with another a quarter in retail trade. The manufacturing base in the Township is quite small. In fact, there are no major corporate headquarters and no large industrial parks in the Township. The Township does contain a large 4 number of shopping areas with stores of various sizes, and there are a number of workers in business and a other services. Much of the daytime population is located on or near 69* Street, the current focus of eco- a nomic development in the Township through the Gateway project. a The Market Street Gateway Study identified seven different industry sectors to target for economic develop- a ment within the Market Street Gateway Area. The study portrays a community with a diversified employ- 4 ment base consisting of small businesses in a variety of industries. These industry sectors reflect existing a business patterns within Delaware County and Upper Darby, indicating that they are already attracted to the a . area: a 0 Services 4 0 Business (information technology) Health a Legal a Educational a 0 Engineering and Management Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate, including depository institutions, insurance carriers, agents, and a brokers, and holding and investment offices a a The Market &eet Gateway Study proposed that these industry sectors be targeted as potential occupants for a 375,000 square feet of proposed office space to be built on four separate sites in Upper Darby, and for another 180,000 square feet of office space on the former Sears site in Millbourne. That Study also pro- a posed decked parking for 410 cars with a bank on the first floor, and 21 townhouses in Millbourne. In a addition, the historic McClatchey Building has another 45,000 square feet of ofice space. a a a a 3.0 Trends a 3-6 a a e a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e ., a The economic impact analysis prepared as part of the Market Street Gateway Study estimated that the project would result in an additional 3,397 permanent jobs at build-out, and that those jobs would over $120 million in employee compensation annually. These jobs in turn would generate over $4 million annually in 0 Federal, State, and local taxes. The Gateway Project is the focus e of the Township’s major economic development efforts at the present time, and its success should result in a major positive economic impact to the Township.

Retail Trends Two major organizations study and classify shopping centers: the International Council of Shopping Centers and the Urban Land Institute. In addition, local city and county planning organizations sometimes categorize shopping areas within their own jurisdictions as part of studies of retail establishments or community conditions. Each of these classifications differs in detail, but each relies upon basic indicators such as number of square feet, the size of the population served, and types of anchor tenants. For the purpose of the Comprehensive Plan retail areas have been classified as neighborhood convenience centers, community centers, and regional centers, as follows:

Neighborhood convenience centers: These are the smallest retail commercial areas. They generally have fewer than 100,000 square feet and if there is an anchor, it is likely to be a supermarket or mini-market. Their customer base is com- e posed of households that live nearby who visit frequently to a buy a limited number of items. 0 Community shopping centers: These centers are larger, e ranging from IO0,OOO square feet (although some may be a smaller) to as much as 400,000 or 500,000 square feet. An- chor tenants may be a supermarket, a discount store or small e department store, a very large drug store, or a large specialty a store. These centers draw from a larger geographic area, and e customers generally come for several reasons. e Regional (and sub-regional) shopping centers: Generally a larger than 500,000 square feet, these centers are anchored by e department stores, large discount stores, and fashion apparel. 0 True to their name, they draw customers from other locations a within the region. a a 3.0 Trends e 3-7 a e e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e e Upper Darby is situated half way between Center City Philadel- e phia and Springfield Township. According to the Center City District, Center City had a total of 2,135 occupied retail establish- e ments in 2001, with over $4 billion in retail sales. Its major retail 0 categories are apparel, jewelry and gifts, hair and cosmetics, arts, e antiques, and collectibles, and shoe and book stores. In addition, it has over 500 eating and drinking establishments of all sorts, e ranging from bakeries to nightclubs to restaurants. It offers a e variety of shopping experiences coupled with a walking environ- e ment and a number of unique, one of a kind shopping venues. It serves as a regional shopping and entertainment center.

Springfield Township’s retailing is located on a four-mile stretch e of Baltimore Pike that supports close to 2.5 million square feet of e retail space and hundreds of retail establishments. Included are six separate shopping centers with over 100,000 square feet each, e plus a number of free standing “big box” retailers. The character e of retailing in Springfield Township is auto-oriented and lends e itself to larger purchases, including groceries and household e items. It is quite different in character from that of Center City, and draws from the western suburbs, including much of Delaware County and parts of southern Montgomery County.

In effect, Center City and Springfield Township both operate as major regional centers. Upper Darby’s 69&Street retail area is located halfway between the two, with approximately 600,000 square feet of retail space. Sixty-ninth Street hctions much like a successful sub-regional shopping center. Anchor stores includes Sears, Modells, G&G Clothing, and a variety of smaller stores. There are approximately 50,000 people living within one mile of 69&Street, and the estimated 95% occupancy rate for this shop- e ping area would indicate that they, as well as others outside a one- e mile radius but probably residing in West Philadelphia and Dela- ware County, support it. Most stores on 69” Street are chain 0 stores, and price points are lower than those in Center City or e Springfield Township. Sixty-Ninth Street has its own clearly e defined market niche of loyal customers and has been very suc- 0 cessful in catering to their needs. e Figure 3-2, Commercial Area Conditions illustrates the evaluated e condition of the shopping centers and retail areas within Upper e Darby. Data was gathered through secondary sources of informa- e tion and through field trips. Information on type and size of e e I 3-8 3.0 Trends e a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan facility, as well as some subjective comments on condition, was presented to the Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee, which in turn was able to identify several additional shopping areas, and to supplement information on condition. When an area identified by the Steering Committee was found to be in other uses, such as industrial or automotive, the estimated number of square feet was removed from the inventory. In some cases, a shopping center may be large enough to be regional center, but the tenant mix is closer to that usually found in a community center. In other cases, it may be smaller than a typical regional center, but may in fact draw from the region. In these cases, it has been categorized to reflect its function rather than its size.

In summary, there are a total of 32 shopping areas in Upper Darby ranging from less than 5,000 square feet to well over 600,000 square feet in size. The total retail space in the Township is estimated at more than 2,600,000 square feet of retail.

The following two retail areas are categorized as regional centers:

0 69thStreet Shopping Center (-600,000 square feet), 0 Home Depot Shopping Center, Baltimore Pike (-300,000 square feet).

The following six areas are categorized as community centers:

0 Drexel Line Shopping Center, State Road (-625,000 square feet) Pilgrim Gardens, State Road (-85,000 square feet) 0 Barclay Square Shopping Center (-100,000 square feet) 0 Drug Emporium Plaza (-95,000 square feet), South 69thStreet Bond Shopping Center, State Road and Lansdowne Avenue (-1 00,000 square feet) Providence Village Plaza (-50,000 square feet)

The general rule of thumb in the shopping center industry is that a regional shopping center requires a minimum of 150,000 people to support it, a community center needs a minimum of 50,000 people, and a small neighborhood center needs a minimum of 5,000 people to succeed. Upper Darby's population in 2000 was just under 82,000. Clearly, several of the shopping areas in the Township (especially 69thStreet and the Home Depot on Balti- more Pike) are heavily supported by people from other municipalities, making them true regional centers.

3.0 Trends 3-9 a a a e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a

Of some concern is the fact that there are too many square feet of Trends indicate that there community and neighborhood retail space in Upper Darby to be are too many square feet of supported by its population. With the exception of the 69" Street community and neighbor- a Shopping Area, there are also too many square feet to be sup- hood retail space in Upper a ported by the population of neighboring communities, given the Darby to be supported by its a location of Center City and Springfield Township, and the fact population. that most of these communities have their own community and a neighborhood shopping centers. This fact is born out by the lack With the exception of the a of maintenance and the vacancy rates of a number of these 6gfhStreet Shopping Area, 0 smaller retail areas. there are also too many a square feet to be supported by the population of neigh- a boring communities, given a the location of Center City e a nd S pr i ng f ie Id Towns hi p . . . . . 0 e 0 a e a 0 0 a 0 a 0 a e 0 e 0 0 0 0 a a 0 e 3.0 Trends 3-11 0 0 4.0 OPPORTUNITIESFOR CHANGE

0 a a a 0 Up p e c Da c by Townsh i p Co m pc eh e n s ive PIan a 4.0 OPPORTUNITIESFOR CHANGE

The Background Information and Trends Analysis in Chapters 2 and 3 identify specific issues in Upper Darby Township that a require strategies for improvement if the Comprehensive Plan a Vision is to be achieved. Figure 4-1 , Opportunities, provides an a overall representation of these issues, in terms of both geographic location and the types of opportunities on which implementation a strategies can be focused. These types of opportunities can be a broken down into two categories:

Market Street Gateway Plan 1. Overall strategies (i.e., strategies that deal with issues that are Source Cope L,nder Associates common to the Township as a whole) @ 2. Strategies focused on specific geographic areas @ 0) The overall strategies, as determined through the background and @ trends analysis, are divided into five general categories as de- a scribed in Section 4. l : a 1. Neighborhood Preservation and Revitalization a 2. Economic Development 3. Transportation Enhancement a 4. Recreation and Open Space a 5. Natural Resource Protection

Specific area strategies are presented in Section 4.2. Overall Implementation Strategies: 4.1 Overall Implementation Strategies I. Neighborhood Preservation 4.1.1 Neighborhood Preservation and Revitalization and Revitalization a Upper Darby’s neighborhoods are very diverse, with a wide range of housing types, densities, conditions, and overall quality of 2. Economic Development living. As described in the Community Conditions analysis in Chapter 3, the Township’s stable neighborhoods are not in imme- 3. Transportation Enhuncement diate danger of significant decline. However, demographic trends verifying population loss, increasing vacancies, and decreasing 4. Recreation and Open Space homeownership, as well as comments provided by the public, indicate that strategies are necessary to ensure that the quality of 5. Natural Resource Protection these neighborhoods remains intact. In addition, as identified on the Opportunities Scenario map, several neighborhoods in the Township have been identified as historic. Historic in this case a a a 4.0 Opportunities a 4-1 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

does not mean actual historic district designation, but that these neighborhoods may qualifl for designation based on the age of the neighborhood and/or the presence of historically significant structures and thus should be considered for preservation strategies. Conversely, the Community Conditions analysis identified neighborhoods in need of specific revitalization strategies due to issues related to poverty status, concentrated Section 8 housing, increased vacancies, and disproportionate rental properties. These neighborhoods are identified on Figure 4-1, Opportunities as “Neighborhood Revitalization Opportunities.”

Neighborhood Preservation & Revitalization Goal and Objectives The Vision Statement presented in Chapter 1 indicated the need for “safe, clean, vital neighborhoods accessible to all” as a goal for Upper Darby’s future. Objectives for achieving this goal include the following:

Increase homeownership. Reduce dependence on rental housing subsidies. Reduce the tax burden on residents. Maintain a high-quality, affordable housing stock. Preserve the character of historic neighborhoods. Preserve the quality of existing stable neighborhoods. Promote revitalization of neighborhoods in need of reinvestment. Improve parking in residential neighborhoods. Improve safety in residential neighborhoods with traffic calming techniques.

Neighborhood Preservation and Revitalization Strategies Issue: Based upon the neighborhood conditions analysis summarized in Chapter 3, as well as citizen and stakeholder input during the planning process, revitalization of selected neighborhoods is an important need if the future Vision for Upper Darby’s neighborhoods is to be achieved. Of particular concern are those neighborhoods identified as “Reinvestment Neighborhoods” in Chapter 3. However, Upper Darby presently lacks an organizational structure with the resources to address neighborhood revitalization needs.

Strategy: Establish a Community Development Corporation(s) (CDC) to operate in the Reinvestment Neighborhoods.

4-2 4.0 Opportunities

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Establishing a CDC should be one of the first steps in promoting neighborhood revitalization in Upper Darby. Managed by professional staff and citizen boards, CDCs typically address a defined geographical area. Many of the following neighborhood revitalization and economic development strategies rely on the use of grants for implementation. CDCs have more time and resources to pursue the array of funding sources available for community development initiatives than do municipal staff.

Typically, many of the members of the citizen board of a CDC live in the community they serve, not only having a personal interest in improving their community, but also an intimate knowledge of how to do it. Other board members represent businesses and institutions and bring valuable resources and insight to the development process. CDCs can create a variety of development opportunities in their communities, including commercial, industrial, and residential initiatives. They have buy-in from the community. Using diverse skills as entrepreneurs, along with financing, marketing, and management tools, they are uniquely posi- tioned to bring success to community development programs.

Issue: Homeownership is a stabilizing factor in a neighborhood, and much of Upper Darby has high and stable homeownership rates. Over the past ten years, however, homeownership rates in several Upper Darby neighborhoods have declined, particularly in the Reinvestment Neighborhoods. This issue has been compounded by continual dependence on subsidized rental housing programs such as Section 8 (now referred to as the Housing Choice Voucher Program, or HCVP).

Strategies: 1. Supplement and increase existing Township effort3 to promote homeownership, including: 0 Continue and expand the Township’s First Eme Homeownership Assistance Program. The Township currently sponsors first time homeownership programs with local financial institutions. 0 Coordinate with the existing Delaware County homeowner / homebuyer counseling program. This will involve working with homeowners who are unable to keep up with their mortgage payments and helping to prevent foreclosures on these properties. The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) has a Homeowners’ Emergency Assistance Program that provides loans to homeowners for up to two years for this purpose. 0 Coordinating with PHFA and its local participating lenders to increase homeownership among the low and moderate income population. Again, homeowner counseling must be a key component of this effort.

2. Establish a relationship with the Chester City Housing Authority. This relationship will be similar to the relationship with the Delaware County Housing Authority, so that issues regarding the HCVP program may be addressed promptly.

Issue: The limited supply of ofice and industrial development in the Township increases dependence on the property tax for the School District and the provision of municipal services, placing the bulk of the tax burden on residents.

Stratem: Aggressively support and promote commercial developmentYreinvestment,in particular the Gateway project. This strategy is discussed further in Section 4.1.2 Economic Development Strategies below.

4-4 4.0 Opportunities Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Issue: Most of the Reinvestment Neighborhoods developed prior to adoption of a zoning ordinance. Con- sequently, the density in these neighborhoods is far higher than the existing R-3 zoning permits. Combined with small housing sizes, these densities impact quality of life by reducing opportunities for modern housing equipment, creating overcrowded living situations, and limiting parking opportunities. In addition, despite improvements in housing condition as a result of the new rental housing inspection program, absentee landlordism and poor property maintenance continue to negatively impact neighborhoods.

Strategies: 1. id en ti^, condemn, and acquire properties that are substandard, with redevelopmentfor homeownership as a primary goal. Lots that are substandard due in part to their small lot size should be a primary target. These small lots could be combined into larger lots that can accommodate off-street parking and larger unit sizes to meet 21g century market preferences. Strategies for using the power of eminent domain are discussed below under 4.1.2 Economic Development.

2. Promote renovation of older housing stock. Much of the housing in Upper Darby’s older neighborhoods is basically sound but is in need of renovation and updating to meet current market preferences. Units that are too small for families with children could be attractive to the non-traditional households (empty nesters, young professionals, etc.) that are an emerging part of the housing market. This strategy would supplement the Township’s current housing rehabilitation efforts through the CDBG program by encouraging more widespread reinvestment in Upper Darby’s older housing stock. A CDC could play a key role in this effort.

3. Market the quality affordable housing stock in Reinvestment Neighborhoodsfor homeownership. Marketing of Upper Darby’s housing stock should be a strategy pursued throughout the Township, not just in Reinvestment Neighborhoods but also in neighborhoods that are in excellent condition and those that are stable but may have some indicators of change. Such an effort would help to encourage new residents and to maintain the stability of the neighborhoods.

4. Continue the work that is underway with the newly expanded housing inspection program.

Issue: Upper Darby’s rich historic and architectural heritage helps to define the Township’s identity and attractiveness as a place to live. As indicated on the Opportunities Scenario map, most of Upper Darby’s neighborhoods were built before the 1950’s and are architecturally and historically significant. However, the character of these neighborhoods could be threatened by sporadic property maintenance, neglect of historic structures, andor incompatible development practices.

Strategies: 1. Explore approaches to preserving and marketing Upper Darby 3 historic resources while providing benefits to property owners. Preserving, celebrating, and marketing Upper Darby’s history is a potentially powerful way to enhance the quality of life and economic vitality of the community. A variety of preservation approaches are available that can help maintain the historic character of these neighborhoods while providing financial

4.0 Opportunities 4-5 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

incentives to assist property owners with repair and maintenance of buildings. Available approaches include: - Listing on the National Register of Historic Places: National Register listing acknowledges the impor- tance of and increases awareness of historic properties and makes them eligible for federal tax credits, but does not provide regulatory protection. - Local Historical Designatiodordinance: This approach establishes regulations to protect the integrity of historic resources and can provide additional incentives (state tax credits) for rehabilitation of historic properties. - Neighborhood Conservation District: This is a regulatory approach geared toward protecting the character of existing neighborhoods with less stringent requirements than a local historic district ordinance. Neighborhood Conservation Districts are initiated by the neighborhood residents. Regulations typically incorporate more flexibility than historic ordinances and contain less detailed design requirements to address specific neighborhood concerns and features. They do not, however, provide any financial incentives.

2 Reevaluate the role of the Upper Darby Historical Commission in Township historic preservation activities. Working with the Upper Darby Historical Society and the Delaware County Historical Commission, the Upper Darby Historical Commission’s role could be supplemented to encompass the larger issue of neighborhood preservation, including identification and nomination of significant historic resources and districts, as identified in Chapter 2, Section 2.7 and the Historic Resources map. Ordinances can be designed to address the needs of each neighborhood as deemed appropriate by the local community.

Historic districts and ordinances, however, are may not be appropriate for every part of the Township, especially where the regulations may restrict economic development initiatives. It is therefore recommended that appropriate sites for historic preservation districts are identified through a Historic Preser- vation Plan. The Historical Commission, in conjunction with the local historical society and the County, could prepare a Historic Preservation Plan to define a comprehensive approach to identifying potential historic districts and developing preservation guidelines. The plan should include an educational and marketing element on financial incentives and benefits of private investment in historic preservation. Grants for historic preservation planning are available through the Pennsylvania Histori- cal Museum Commission.

Issue: The lack of garages and off-street parking facilities in Reinvestment Neighborhoods has led to a serious deficiency in residential parking. In addition, most residential streets in Township neighborhoods are impacted by cut-through traffic and excessive speeding.

Strategies: Prepare a parking management plan and a traffic calming strategyfor residential streets. These strategies are described in more detail in Section 4.1.3 Transportation Enhancement Strategies below.

4-6 4.0 Opportunities 0 0 0 e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

4.1.2 Economic Development The Economic Trends and Commercial Area Conditions analysis in Chapter 3 identifies several issues of concern with respect to Upper Darby’s economic climate. Overall, the Township’s economic condition can be characterized as good; however, analysis of commercial trends and the financial structure of the Township indicate that the commercial tax base is not meeting the Township’s fiscal needs. As illustrated onFigure 4-1, Opportuni- ties, Upper Darby contains several strong retail centers. However, there are also commercial centers that are considered in poor condition, and others in fair condition that are susceptible to Market Street Gateway Plan decline due to competition with retail growth in the western Source Cope Linder Associates suburbs. Upper Darby’s economic condition is also affected by a trend of declining employment, which can primarily be attributed to a lack of investment in office and industrial development in the Township. Not only do these two labor markets provide quality employment opportunities, they traditionally generate substantial tax revenues. Currently, the largest private employer in the Township is the Delaware County Memorial Hospital, which is a non-profit institution that does not contribute to the Township’s tax base. While the DVFVC projections for continued employment loss appear to forecast a bleak future, the Township has many options available to counter this prediction. The overall economic development strategies, therefore, focus on improving the Township’s market for office and industrial employment, as well as on improving under-performing commercial areas and maintaining strong ones.

Economic Development Goal and Objectives The Vision Statement emphasizes that Upper Darby’s future must include “vibrant, attractive, safe commercial and employment centers” in order to maintain a viable employment base and relieve the tax burden on residents. Objectives for accomplishing this goal include:

Improve the market for office and industrial development in the Township. 0 Update zoning regulations to encourage commercial development while maintaining visual character. 0 Redevelop or improve the appearance of select commercial areas. 0 Provide sufficient parking in select commercial areas. 0 Improve traffic safety along commercial corridors.

4.0 Opportunities 4-7 8 a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a Economic Development Strategies a Issue: Upper Darby Township is an inner ring suburb with few large sites for development that might lure a corporate headquarters or other types of major employers. If other smaller industries can be attracted, it will 8 be to the sites of older, abandoned or underutilized manufacturing facilities, or to vacant buildings like the McClatchey Building. However, the Township lacks an agency with the authority to purchase key proper- 8 ties for redevelopment. a a Strategies: (I 1. Continue to support andpromote the Gateway project. The Gateway project is the Township's first priority for economic development. Establishing a CDC 0 and/or a Chamber of Commerce to promote commercial reinvestment would facilitate implementation a of the Gateway and other economic development plans (e.g., the Femwood industrial area). Alterna- tively, the Township may wish to explore establishing a Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with a neighboring communities (perhaps those with which it participated in the Renaissance Planning Project), in order to 1) develop and implement a regional marketing plan for economic development and a 2) promote economic investment. (I 2. Establish the power of eminent domain to expedite economic redevelopment opportunities. a To achieve its economic development objectives the Township will need to either establish a redevelop- a ment authority, perhaps on a multi-municipal basis, or establish a stronger relationship with the Dela- ware County Redevelopment Authority. Regardless of the selected direction, the power of eminent domain will be a necessary component of the Township's economic development strategies. a 8 3. Expand economic development tax incentive programs. a The Township currently has a Local Economic Revitalization Tax Act (LERTA) district in the 69" Street area. This program should be expanded to other commercial areas in need of economic development, a including the Gateway now underway, the West Chester Pike corridor, and the Femwood area. The a Township may also wish to introduce a Tax Increment Financing program to attract business to these a areas. a Issue: Antiquated zoning regulations may be inhibiting redevelopment and commercial investment in a Upper Darby. In particular, existing parking requirements do not account for on-street parking or access to 8 transit. In some areas, such as the West Chester Pike corridor, the zoning is inappropriate for the types of a uses desired. (I Strategv: Update commercial /parking requirement3 in the Zoning Ordinance. a Parking requirements should be applied based upon location in the Township rather than individual use. a Areas that have nearby on-street parking and are close to transit stops should have reduced parking requirements. Other zoning strategies include creation of a new district that promotes ofice and commercial a development in the Market Street Gateway area and West Chester Pike corridor. The district should include a elements of the Ofice and C3 districts, including the types of uses permitted and additional building height. a The Township may want to consider restricting certain uses that may detract from the character of the corridor, such as automotive repair services, gas stations, drive-through restaurants, etc., to a Conditional a Use or Special Exception status. Parking should be encouraged behind buildings as much as possible. a

I a I 4-8 4.0 Opportunities 0 a a 0 0 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e Zoning strategies for these and other commercial areas are described further in Section 4.2.

Issue: The Township has lost employment over the past ten years, a trend that is projected by DVRPC to continue in the future. In addition, younger educated people are leaving the Township, reducing the supply of young skilled labor.

Strategy: Establish relationships with more educational institutions to attract and retain youngpeople to the Township. The Delaware County Community College (DCCC) has a branch facility in Upper Darby, utilizing Upper Darby High School. This institution is very aggressive in providing job training programs to address individual employers’ needs, including the design of 0 courses to meet those needs. DCCC should be encouraged to expand its local program, perhaps by locating a facility in the Gateway area. The Township needs to build a partnership between a the Community College and any economic development organiza- e tion that may evolve. The Township should also pursue four-year e collegiate institutions to locate a branch in Upper Darby. 0 Neumann College, a private catholic college in Aston, PA, has already expressed interest in expanding its program to Upper a Darby.

4.1.3 Transportation Enhancement

The transportation issues described in Chapter 2 provide the basis for developing transportation enhancement strategies. Chapter 2, Section 2.3 presents a series of transportation related concerns in the Township, including congested traffic corridors, problem I/- I intersections, insufficient parking, impaired pedestrian amenities, and declining transit use. Many of the traffic related issues, including congested corridors and problem intersections, have been studied previously in a report published by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. The report recommends specific strategies for transportation improvements for most of the problem corridors and intersections, and these strategies are reinforced by this plan. Other strategies focus on increasing transit use, encouraging pedestrian travel, implementing traffic calming techniques, and managing parking. 0 a 0 a * 4.0 Opportunities e 4-9 e (I a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a

(I Transportation Goal and Objectives a The Vision Statement for Upper Darby includes provision of a (I “safe, efficient, and accessible transportation system” as a goal. a The objectives for implementing this goal include: a

0 Reduce congestion on significant road corridors. a 0 Eliminate safety problems for drivers and pedestrians at major a intersections. a 0 Improve sidewalks and pedestrian trails. 0 Provide safe accessibility and pedestrian amenities at signifi- a cant transit stops. a Locate employment near transit stops to encourage transit use. a 0 Increase the supply of parking in parts of the Township where additional parking is needed. a * Improve safety in residential neighborhoods with traffic a calming techniques. a Transportation Enhancement Strategies a Issue: As described in Chapter 2, a number of roads throughout a the Township are experiencing deficient levels of service and a intersection problems. a Strategy: As described in Chapter 2, Section 2.3, the DVRPC a US. l/Baltimore Pike Corridor study presents a number of a proposals to increase capacity and improve traffic flow along a routes and at intersections, including: a o West Chester Pike from 69“ Street to the Haverford Township a line West Chester Pike and State Road a 0 Township Line and Burmont Roads a 0 West Chester Pike and Garrett Road a 0 Garrett Road and Lansdowne Avenue (I 0 Lansdowne Avenue and State Road 0 Baltimore Pike and Church Lane a c- a The Township should continue to cooperate and coordinate with Delaware County, the Pennsylvania Department of Transporta- a tion, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission to (I implement these improvement proposals. a Issue: Sidewalk conditions vary greatly since maintenance of a sidewalks is considered a property owner responsibility. In a addition, there are a number of “gaps” in the sidewalk system a which interrupt the continuity of pedestrian movement. a a I 4-10 4.0 Opportunities a a a a e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Strategies: 1. Implement the pedestrian improvements recommended by the Market Street Gateway study. The Township is currently following through on recommendations presented in the Gateway study to improve the pedestrian environment in the Market Street and 69* Street area. Major recommendations include new sidewalks, street plantings and landscaped medians, street lighting, and bulbouts at intersections to reduce pedestrian crossing widths.

2. Develop and implement a township-wide sidewalk improvementprogram An inventory of sidewalk conditions throughout the Township might be undertaken and a program of improvements developed to address poor sidewalk conditions and “gaps” in the pedestrian system.

Issue: Overall transit ridership has decreased over the past ten years as automobile use has increased, further exacerbating traffic problems. Increased transit use, particularly during the weekday commute, could dramatically improve road conditions in the Township.

Strategies: 1. Improve the pedestrian environment of and connections to key transit stops. Decreasing transit ridership could be counteracted by working with SEPTA to improve the pedestrian environment at key transit stops, as identified on the Opportunities Scenario map. This strategy should include ensuring that clear, safe pedestrian connections are available between transit stops and nearby residential and business areas.

2. Promote transit-oriented development in the vicinity of transit stops. Focusing development, particularly employment, near transit stops is another way to bolster transit use. This idea is being pursued as part of the Market Street Gateway plan to take advantage of the regional transit access at 69* Street Terminal. Transit-oriented development strategies should also be pursued for other significant commercial / employment areas, including the Fernwood redevelopment area and the Primos station area. Incentive programs could also be used to promote transit-oriented development, including zoning incentives and expansion of the LERTA program to areas around selected transit stops.

I Issue: Lack of parking in several commercial areas and residential neighborhoods is inhibiting economic development and diminishing neighborhood quality. Lack of parking also contributes to illegal on-street parking and resulting traffic safety issues.

Strategy: Prepare a parking managementplan for the Township,focusing on areas identified on the Parking Problem Areas map (Chapter 2, Section 2.3). The Township is pursuing recommendations presented in the Market Street Gateway study to, among other actions, provide new parking structures in the 69th Street area. The Township might consider other actions in those parts of the community where parking deficiencies or conflicts between residents and businesses exist. Consideration might be given to the following approaches:

0 New off-street parking lots aimed at serving residents and businesses 0 Shared parking among commercial uses 0 A residential permit parking program 0 Alternative parking strategies for on-street and off-street spaces

4.0 Opportunities 4-1 1 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Alternative on-street parking regulations involving time of day and duration

Consideration should also be given to establishing a parking authority to manage all public off-street and on-street parking within the Township.

Issue: Congested arterial and collector roads encourage motorists to “cut through” residential neighborhoods, usually traveling at higher than posted speed limits. This unwanted cut-through and speeding activity is common in older municipalities where the presence of numerous streets in a grid layout affords multiple alternate ways of travel.

Strategy: Apply “traffic calming” in residential neighborhoods to reduce speeds and discourage cut- through traffic. Traffic calming is any measure generally aimed at reducing inappropriate vehicle speeds and through traffic volumes on neighborhood streets. The most effective way to dissuade this type of activity is to treat the source of the problem, which, in most cases, is the congestion along the major roadways in the study area. Because this approach can take years to correct, the short term-techniques identified in Table 4.1.3 can be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Table 4.1.3 Traffic Calming Techniques

Curb extension / Areas of expanded curbing that extend across a parking lane and bulb-out may narrow a travel lane. Series of3 bulb-outs, staggered at mid-blocklocations on Chicane alternating sides ofthe street. Entrance treatment, typically using physical and textural changes, Gateway that provides identity to an area. Onstreet parking Provision of on-street parking that reduces roadway width. Raised median island Narrow islands, at mid-block or intersections, between travel I pedestrian refuge lanes with breaks in landscaping and curbing for pedestrians. Raised island in the center of au intersection that requires

Use ofpavers or other material to demarcate crosswalks and alert Textured motorists thatthey are entering a pedestrian-friendly area. Raised humps in the roadway, typically 3 inches high with a 12 Speed hump or 22-foot travel length. Marked pedestrian crossing elevated 3 to 6 inches above street Raised crosswalk grade at intersections or mid-block. Intersections, including crosswalks, raised 3 to 6 inches above Raised intersection ~~--~

Semi -diverter Directional closure created by physically blocking half the street. ~~ physical barrier placed diagonally across a four-way intersection Diagonal to create~~ two unconnected intersections. The use ofraised islands to prevent left tums and through Right-in/right-out.. . movements. to and from side streets, and intersections major island with streets. Raised median Median banicrthough an intersection that discourages though though intersection traffic in aresidential area by restricting movements. The use of a cul-de-sac to close a roadway by extending a Street closure physical banier across the entire width, obstructing all traffic movements.

1 4-12 4.0 Opportunities a a

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

4.1.4 Recreation and Open Space The recreation and open space trends identified in Chapter 2, Section 2.6 indicate that Upper Darby lacks sufficient open space ...> and recreation facilities to meet the demands of Township resi- , a I dents. Because there is a limited amount of undeveloped land in I a the Township, strategies to expand the capacity for open space a facilities will be especially challenging. While the school district a has partially addressed the lack of Township-owned parks by a providing access to their numerous indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, the supply is still unable to keep pace with the recre- a ational needs of the residents. The Opportunities Scenario map a identifies the few vacant sites that are potentially available for a open space expansion. The map also identifies the opportunity to implement a system of greenways along Township creeks. a Recreation and Open Space Goals and Objectives a The Vision Statement articulates the need to provide “quality a communityfacilities and programs” to Township residents. Quality community facilities include ‘preserving open space for a passive and active enjoyment” and ‘providing a variety of a recreation programs to meet the needs of residents of all ages. ” a The objectives for meeting these goals include:

a 0 Seek site specific opportunities to acquire open space. a 0 Identify potential redevelopment sites for long-term open a space conversion. Expand recreation capacity by partnering with other agencies a (e.g., Delaware County, adjacent municipalities). a Support current greenway efforts along the Darby Creek and a Cobbs Creek. a Develop a greenway plan for Naylors Run, ideally as a multi- a municipal effort. a Recreation and Open Space Strategies a Issues: The primary issues with recreation and open space in a Upper Darby are interrelated and include: a The lack of sufficient recreation space to serve its population a 0 The limited amount of available vacant land to create new e open space a 0 The heavy financial investment required to purchase vacant e land or convert developed land to open space a For these reasons, creative approaches to increasing the supply of

4.0 Opportunities a 4-13 a a a Up p e c Da c by Towns hi p Co m p c eh e ns iwe PIan a a recreation and open space facilities will be necessary. The following strategies present options that the a Township could pursue to maximize the use of existing open space and to increase the overall amount of a recreation space. a Strategies: a 1. Seek opportunities to convert undeveloped properties to recreation and open space uses. a There are a few undeveloped properties remaining in the Township in private ownership, and some in public ownership, that could be converted to recreation space. These sites are shown on the Opportuni- a ties Scenario map as “Open Space Opportunities.” The Stephens Tract, located on Providence Road in (I Primos, is currently owned by the Township; however, the property is currently being leased to a private a tenant. This site could eventually be converted to a public use. The Addingham Manor property on a Bloomfield and Garrett Roads in Addingham is also owned by the Township and leased to private tenants. This property is identified on the Recreation and Open Space Facilities map as private open a space since it is only used by the current tenants. This property could also be converted to public use in a the near future. a Privately owned vacant or undeveloped properties with public recreation potential include the PECO a Golf Course located on Township Line Road in Highland Park, which is currently private but is periodi- a cally rumored to be up for sale. If acquired by the Township the property could remain in golf course a use, thereby generating revenue, or could be redeveloped for more active forms of recreation. Other a privately owned open space opportunities include the Mozino property on Bond Avenue in Pilgrim Gardens, the Doyle property adjacent to the Swedish Cabin, and the Thompson tract on Providence a Road in Hilldale. Two other opportunties include a portion of the Drexelbrook development and a a portion of the Whalen tract located in the floodplain, which could be donated or acquired as easements. a Because acquiring land or access on these three properties will be key to implementing the Darby Creek a Greenway, a County Open Space Grant would be a mutually beneficial funding scenario. a 2. Partner with neighboring communities and the County to expand the capacityfor recreation. a Specific locations where there are opportunities for this type of partnership are Pilgrim Park, which a extends into Haverford Township, and areas along the Darby Creek that are part of Philadelphia’s Cobbs a Creek Park or the Delaware County parks system. a 3. Inventory access routes and signage for public open space and realign those routes so that they are a more direct and easier to identijj. Some very attractive facilities, such as the Swedish Cabin, are very difficult to find under current cir- a cumstances. a a 4. Seek opportunities in floodplains to redevelop built space for passive recreational purposes. Currently, undeveloped floodplain opportunities along Darby Creek and Naylors Run are limited. a However, the Township could look into acquiring easements on private lands along the creeks, perhaps a through the Natural Lands Trust. Also, there are developed floodplain areas located in the Reinvest- a ment Neighborhoods along Naylors Run. Redevelopment plans for these areas might include acquiring a floodplain for open space as part of a hazard mitigation plan (see Section 4.1.4 below). These opportu- a nities are discussed further in Section 4.2. a

4.0 Opportunities a 4-14 a a a a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a

a 5. Consider use of cemeteries as passive open space. Using cemeteries as places to walk or relax during specified time periods is common in other parts a of the country. One benefit of this approach is that it tends to increase support of these often under- a funded facilities. a 6. Establish a linkage from Upper Darby to the future East Coast Greenway. a The East Coast Greenway is under development by the East Coast Greenway Association as a a long-distance, city-to-city transportation corridor for cyclists, hikers, and other non-motorized users. It is planned as a continuous, safe route from Maine to Florida that connects existing and a planned trails. Coordination with the East Coast Greenway Association could be undertaken so a that, when the trails and linkages through Philadelphia are established, there is access to them in e Upper Darby, probably through Cobbs Creek Park. This would greatly expand hiking and bicycling opportunities in the Township, which are currently quite limited. a 7. Investigate other Rails to Trails opportunities, such as the one proposed for the Beverly Hills a area for hiking and bicycling purposes. a 8. Partner with non-proft organizations in the Township (e.g., churches) to maximize the use of a their facilities, eitherfor Township sponsored or their own recreationprograms. a 9. Identi2 older, under-utilized commercialhdustrial space that is unlikely to be reused for a commercial purposes and explore the potential for new active recreationfacilities on those sites. a a 10. Coordinate with the State Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to a understand their priorities and to identifv the projects that they will be most likely to fund. a 0 4.1.5 Natural Resource Protection a The discussion of Natural Features in Chapter 2, Section 2.8, reveals that, while Upper Darby is a mostly built out, there remain some areas of woodland, steep slopes, and open space that are worth a preserving. Particularly in the Roselawn/Penn Pines area, where new sewer service is about to be provided, there are several lots that are large enough to be further subdivided. Many of these areas 8 have extensive wooded areas and/or are located within stream corridors. As noted in Section 2.8, the a water quality of the streams has been severely impacted by runoff from development along the corri- a dors, not only in Upper Darby, but across the entire watershed. The water quality in the Cobbs Creek, Darby Creek, and Naylors Run has been classified as impaired by DEP. Urban runoff has also eroded a stream riparian buffers and contributed to severe flooding in municipalities downstream. Several a regional planning efforts are in progress to deal with watershed management and stream corridor a preservation issues, including the Darby Creek Watershed River Conservation Plan, the Darby-Cobbs Watershed Management Plan, and the Darby Creek Greenway Plan. In addition, the Philadelphia a Water Department is preparing a watershed conservation plan for the Cobbs Creek Watershed. Al- a though the primary role for Upper Darby should be to provide local support for these watershed plans, a there are some strategies the Township can pursue at the local level to facilitate watershed manage- a ment and greenway planning efforts. e a a 4.0 Opportunities 4-15 e 0 0 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan 0 0 Natural Resource Protection Goal and Objectives 0 The Vision Statement provides that citizens will have access to 0 “quality communityfacilities.. .[including] the enjoyment of 0 healthy streams and naturalfeatures.” The objectives for meet- 0 ing this goal include: 0

0 Restrict development in floodplains. 0 0 Prevent further erosion and contamination of stream corridors. 0 0 Protect existing woodlands. 0 0 Redevelop flood prone areas as open space. 0 Support regional watershed conservation and greenway 0 planning efforts. 0 Natural Resource Protection Strategies 0 Issue: Development within the 100-year floodplain has contrib- 0 uted to water quality problems within the watersheds and serious 0 flooding within the Township and in municipalities downstream. 0 Strategy: Create a Floodplain Conservation District thatpro- 0 hibits building or filling within the floodplain. 0 The regulations for this district could incorporate flexibility in 0 design standards, such as allowing variances in lot sizes, setbacks, 0 and parking to maximize development yields while preventing floodplain encroachment. DCED’s Floodplain Land Use Assis- 0 tance Program’ can provide a grant for preparation of the regula- 0 tions. 0 Issue: Excessive development within stream corridors has led to 0 erosion of streambeds and water contamination. 0 0 Strategy: Create a Riparian Corridor Conservation District to protect streamside buflers. 0 This district would include regulations prohibiting development a within a certain distance of the stream bank (consistent with the 0 Floodplain Conservation District regulations), prohibiting clear- 0 ing of vegetation within the stream corridor to the maximum extent possible, and requiring planting of additional vegetation to 0 stabilize the streambed and filter runoff. Flexible design stan- 0 dards should also be a part of the Riparian Corridor Conservation e District. Areas located within the conservation district that are not developed should be dedicated to the Township as conserva- e tion easements to increase public access to the streams. e e e ’ http://www inventpa.com/default.aspx?id=344 a 4-16 4.0 Oppottunities a e 0 e e e 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e e e Issue: Existing woodlands could be threatened by further subdivision of large lots in the Township. e Strategy: Develop a Tree Preservation Ordinance. e This ordinance would restrict the number of trees of a certain caliper that can be removed for development e purposes, requiring tree replacement. It should also include flexible design standards to maximize preserva- e tion and development yield. Incentives (e.g., height or density bonuses) could be included to encourage tree e preservation. e Issue: Several developed areas of the Township are susceptible to excessive flooding (see Figure 2-9, Flood e Prone Areas). e Strategy: Develop a Hazard Mitigation Plan. e It is not legally viable to require evacuation of flood prone areas. However, it is possible to include non- e conforming use regulations within the floodplain district, which would restrict rebuilding in the floodplain e should a structure be demolished for any reason. It is also possible to relocate at-risk structures located within a floodplain as part of a Hazard Mitigation Plan, which would identify a removal and relocation e strategy for such structures. Part of the strategy may include identifying properties that should not be e removed, such as commercial properties that contribute significantly to the municipal tax base. e Upon completion of a Hazard Mitigation Plan, the Township can apply for a grant from the Pennsylvania a Emergency Management Agency, which administers the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP).2 The e HMGP provides funding to local governments or non-profit agencies for acquisition and relocation or e removal of structures from flood prone areas. Properties included in an acquisition project are purchased by 0 the local government, which holds title to the land subject to a deed restriction requiring the community to maintain the land as open space. Property owners must participate voluntarily, as the grant prohibits the use e of condemnation powers. Assistance for flood mitigation planning and funding is also available at the e federal level through FEMA’s Flood Mitigation Assistance Pr~gram.~ e As previously mentioned, there are several regional planning efforts in the works to improve the quality of e the watersheds that encompass Upper Darby Township, including the Darby Creek Watershed River Con- e servation Plan, the Darby-Cobbs Watershed Stormwater Management Plan, and the Cobbs Creek Conser- e vation Plan. The Darby Creek Greenway Plan is a regional effort creating a “green ribbon” along Darby Creek, preserving the stream corridor and increasing recreational opportunities. The Township has been e closely involved with all of these efforts and can further support implementation of the plans by improving e overall preservation regulations, as well by as applying some site-specific strategies within the stream e corridors. Section 4.2 presents some localized strategies to promote implementation of the Darby Creek e Greenway, as well as to introduce a greenway along Naylors Run in support of the Cobbs Creek Watershed e planning effort. 0 e e e http://w.pema.state.pa. us/pema/taxonomy/site-index.asp?pemdm=%7C2374%7C 0 http://w.fema.gov/doc/fima/guidefma7a.doc e e 4.0 Opportunities 4-17 e a e 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a e 4.2 Area-Specif ic Implementation Strategies e While Section 4.1 presented strategies that are applicable on a Township-wide basis, this section takes a 0 more geographically focused approach to implementation. Figure 4-1, Opportunities provides a geographic 0 representation of the major issues and trends analyzed in Chapters 2 and 3. From these trends, ten areas of 0 concern, or “Strategy Areas”, have been identified as needing special analysis. These areas were singled out (I either because the problems associated with the area are serious enough to warrant immediate attention, or because improving the area would create a substantial benefit to the surrounding neighborhoods and the (I Township as a whole. The following ten Strategy Areas were identified for analysis: (I 0 1. Reinvestment Neighborhoods: Stonehurst, Cardington, Stonehurst Hills, Chapman Park, Fernwood, (I Bywood, Beverly Hills, Highland Park (I 2. 69* Street Business District / Market Street Gateway 3. Fernwood / Baltimore Avene Corridor 0 4. Westchester Pike Corridor 0 5. Aronimink Station / Feme Boulevard 0 6. Garrett / Burmont Road Commercial Area 0 7. Darby Creek Greenway 0 8. Naylors Run Greenway 0 9. Lansdowne Avenue / Garrett Road Intersection 0 10. Primos / Secane Station Areas 0 0 In September of 2003, the Township invited a group of stakeholders to participate in a workshop to consider a the above areas. The stakeholders included persons with varying interests in the areas of concern, including residents, business owners, Township staff, Council members, and a state representative. Building on the 0 trends analysis, the stakeholders refined the issues and discussed solutions for change in each of the strategy 0 areas. It should be noted that, although the participants had extensive personal knowledge of the strategy 0 areas, the scope of the workshop and the Comprehensive Plan limited the outcome to a relatively schematic 0 overview of ideas for each area. Therefore, some further analysis and planning - particularly in the Rein- vestment Neighborhoods - may be necessary to develop more tangible recommendations. 0 a 4.2.1 Reinvestment Neighborhoods 0 The Community Conditions analysis in Chapter 3 identified a series of neighborhoods in need of major a reinvestment (“Reinvestment Neighborhoods”) based on Census Block Group data indicators. These neighborhoods include parts of StonehurstICardington, Stonehurst Hills, Chapman Park, Fernwood, Beverly Hills, Bywood and Highland Park. With the Census information as background, participants in the Septem- a ber 2003 workshop brought their understanding of the community to bear on local issues and problems a within the identified Reinvestment Neighborhoods. Specifically, the participants subdivided the Reinvest- a ment Neighborhoods into three categories requiring application of different sets of the overall neighborhood a preservation and revitalization strategies described in Section 4.1 : 0 a 4-18 4.0 Opportunities a a a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Redevelopment Neighborhoods require substantial public investment if they are to be stabilized, i.e.: - Redevelop major areas for new uses - Aggressively promote public and private investment in housing and other uses that are worth retaining

Rehabilitation Neighborhoods are in need of moderate public investment compared to Redevelopment Neighbor- hoods. Examples of strategies to pursue in these areas include housing rehabilitatiodweatherization programs, homeownership assistance, aggressive code enforcement, and possibly redevelopment of selected properties / areas.

Stabilization Neighborhoods are considered to be in fairly decent condition, requiring only minor investment. Examples of strategies to be pursued in these areas include code enforcement and promoting homeownership.

Areas identified by workshop participants as Redevelopment and Rehabilitation Neighborhoods are shown on Figure 4-2, Reinvest- ment Neighborhoods. (Stabilization Neighborhoods are not highlighted on this map.) It should again be noted that additional planning at the neighborhood level is needed to define the specific actions to be taken to promote revitalization in the Redevel- opment Neighborhoods in particular. In addition, as described in Section 4.1, an organizational structure (Community Develop- ment Corporation and existing or new redevelopment authority) must be put in place if the neighborhoods are to be successfully revitalized.

I The following text describes the results of the workshop analysis for each block group within the Reinvestment Neighborhoods.

Stonehurst/Cardington Census Tract 4002, Block Group 1 (Stabilization): This Block Group was initially designated as a reinvestment area because of decreasing homeownership rates and an increase in the percentage of persons living below the poverty level. Workshop participants described it as a relatively stable neighborhood of twin housing and generally agreed that it requires a minimal level of treatment in order to stabilize it. Three of the participants noted that there is a parking problem in this area, and that some form of off-street

4.0 Opportunities 4-19

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

parking is needed. Better maintenance of the housing stock and encouraging homeownership were also noted as important issues. There are, however, some drug issues that are a drain on both the Police Department and the School District.

Census Tract 4002, Block Group 2 (Stabilization): This block group was classified as a reinvestment area because of an increase in the vacancy rate, a decrease in homeownership, and an increase in the number and percent of persons below poverty. The workgroup felt that this Block Group is similar to Block Group 1, although several felt that the problems here are slightly more severe. Specific problems that were mentioned included parking, drug use, the need to encourage homeownership, and trash / illegal dumping on the Wellington Road median strip.

Census Tract 4003.01, Block Group 1 (Stabilizatiofledevelop- ment): Issues revealed by the Census for this Block Group include vacant properties and the number and percent of persons below poverty. It also has a high number of tax delinquent properties. The large number of rental units (especially those thought to be Section 8 rentals), the need for code enforcement targeted towards those units, and homeownership were recurring themes raised by workshop participants. Inadequate parking and the Prescott Apartments were also mentioned as problems. The area bounded by Marshall Street, Perry Avenue, Harrison Avenue, and Short Lane was identified by the workgroup for redevelopment and is so indicated on Figure 4-2, Reinvestment Neighborhoods.

Stonehurst Hills Census Tract 4003.01, Block Group 2 (Redevelopment):This Block Group was an area of great concern for the workshop participants. It was designated as a reinvestment area because of the number of Section 8 units, the number of tax delinquent properties, a decrease in owner occupancy, and the percent of residents below poverty. The workgroup generally agreed that this area was one where redevelopment should occur. Perceived problems included absentee landlords, a high percentage of Section 8 units, lack of parking, congestion, and sanitation. “Complete redevelopment” and “needs everything” were frequent comments.

Census Tract 4003.01, Block Group 3 (Redevelopment): This Block Group has a large number of Section 8 properties and tax

4.0 Opportunities 4-2 1 a a

~ a Upper Oarby Township Comprehensive Plan a a delinquencies, as well as increasing vacancies, decreasing 4 homeownership, and a relatively large percent of the popula- a tion who are identified as living in poverty. One respondent noted that it was “the same as Group 2.” Specific issues a identified by the workgroup included the large percentage of a Section 8 rentals, absentee landlords, the need for a homeownership, lack of parking, and sanitation. a Census Tract 4003.01, Block Group 4 (Redevelopment): a Problems identified through the Census for this Block 4 Group include an increase in the number of vacancies, a a decrease in the number and percent of owner occupied units, and an increase in the number and percent of persons living a below poverty. Other issues include the relatively large (I number of Section 8 units and tax delinquent properties. a “Same as Block Group 3” and “needs total redevelopment” were typical comments by workshop participants. Specific 4 issues mentioned included lack of homeownership, sanita- a tion, parking, and periodic flooding. a a Census Tract 4003.02, Block Group 2 (Redevelopment): According to the Census, this part of Stonehurst Hills has 4 experienced an increase in vacancies, a decrease in a homeownership, and an increase in those living below a poverty. It also has a fair number of Section 8 units, as well 4 as tax delinquencies. There was general agreement among workshop participants that this Block Group needs complete 4 redevelopment. Specific comments included the number of a Section 8 rental units and insufficient parking. a 4 Chapman Park a Census Tract 4003.02, Block Group 3 (Rehabilitation/ a Redevelopment): This Block Group is a long, narrow stretch of land bounded by East Lansdowne Borough on the a east, Lansdowne Borough on the west, and Baltimore 4 Avenue on the south. It has experienced an increase in 4 vacancies and a decrease in homeownership. A fairly high percentage of its population is below poverty, and it has a a relatively large number of tax delinquencies. The area at the 4 southern end of the tract between Baltimore Avenue and a Pembroke Avenue is characterized by underutilized com- a mercial uses and was identified by workshop participants for a redevelopment. Several participants noted that some of the a a 1 4-22 4.0 Opportunities a (I (I 0 a e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a a housing to the north of this area was in relatively good shape a and could benefit from code enforcement. However, a Guilford, Shefield, and Coverly Roads at the north end of the Block Group were specifically mentioned as being e appropriate for redevelopment.

a Fernwood Census Tract 4003.02, Block Group 1 (Redevelopment): a This Block Group was not initially identified as a reinvestment area because it does not have a large number or percent of persons below poverty, or a large number of Section e 8 units. It does, however, have a fair number of tax delin- a quent properties and has seen an increase in vacancies and a e decrease in homeownership.

The workshop participants universally agreed that Block a Group 1 should be a redevelopment area. It is a triangular tract bounded by Baltimore Avenue on the north, Fairview a Avenue on the south, and Union Avenue on the west. SEPTA'S R-3 runs through it from east to west, and a Fernwood Station is located at Church and Oak. The southern and western part of the Block Group consists of large a underutilized industrial sites and the eastern part has some a smaller commercial sites and some residential uses. The a consensus of the workgroup was that the entire area should a be redeveloped for commercial purposes. a Bywood a Census Tract 4004.01, Block Group 1 (Rehabilitation): a Major issues identified through the Census for this Block 0 Group include a decrease in homeownership and the number a of persons below poverty. In addition, there are a relatively high number of tax delinquent properties. Lack of parking a was universally agreed upon as a major issue in the work- a shop. Others issues raised by participants included absentee landlords and the Sears Parking Garage. They also noted e that conversion of large older homes into multi-unit build- a ings has caused severe parking problems, especially along a Ashley, Copley, and Brandon Streets. Several comments 0 were made about the excellent quality of the architecture on a these blocks, and the need to reconvert and rehabilitate e them. e a a 4.0 Opportunities 4-23 a 0 0 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan 0 0 0 Census Tract 4004.02, Block Group 1 (Stabilizatiofledevel- 0 opment): Problems identified for this Block Group through the 0 use of Census data include an increase in vacancies, the number of persons below poverty, and the poverty rate. Workshop a participants identified Court and Sansom Streets as areas in a need of redevelopment. Parking was mentioned as a major problem by all participants, and there is a need for better a maintenance of properties and assistance for first-time homeowners. a

Beverly Hills 0 Census Tract 4004.01, Block Group 3 (Stabilization): While 0 somewhat more stable than other adjacent Block Groups 0 according to the Census Data, Block Group 3 has seen a de- a crease in homeownership and an increase in those below a poverty. It was identified by workshop participants as an area of some concern, but was not designated for redevelopment. The major concern was flooding in the area along Marshall 0 Road, and the suggestion was made to acquire and demolish 0 properties in the floodplain for open space conversion. a Census Tract 4004.02, Block Group 2 (Stabilization): Census 0 data indicate that a relatively large and growing percentage of 0 the population of this Block Group is below poverty. In addi- 0 tion, there are a large number of tax delinquent properties. Lack of property maintenance and parking were generally listed as a the major issues by workshop participants, related to the high a percentage of renters, the number of Section 8 units, and a absentee landlords. There is a need for a first time homebuyers program to encourage homeownership. Other specific issues a 1 included social problems around the apartment building and the a church, drug problems, and the large number of cats and dogs. 0 a Highland Park a Census Tract 4005, Block Group 3 (Stabilizatiofledevelop- a ment): Issues identified through the use of Census data include a a decrease in homeownership and an increase in the number and percent of persons below poverty. Drug activity, social 0 issues, and parking were the major issues identified by work- a shop participants, along with the large number of Section 8 a units and a need for more homeownership. A triangular area a

~ e 4-24 4.0 Opportunities e e e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan bounded by State Road, West Chester Pike, Merion Terrace, and Leighton was identified for redevelopment. Because the area abuts an industrial area and the West Chester Pike commercial corridor, redevelopment for commercial and/or office uses might be considered.

4.2.2 69th Street Business District and the Market Street Gateway Historically the 69thStreet and Market Street area has served as a regional shopping center for Upper Darby and West Philadelphia. A substantial market population of over 50,000 people lives within one mile of 69" Street. The large Sears store on the comer of 69" Street and Walnut Street and other national chains have kept occupancy on 69" Street at over 90 percent. The business district continues to attract new development, with a 40,000 square foot retail addition currently under construction by Willner Realty, the largest single property owner on 69" Street.

Issues: 0 Despite the abundance of retail activity, 69thStreet is primarily limited to daytime use and carries a negative perception as dangerous during the evenings. While the streets appear clean and safe, quality of life issues are a continuing problem. Graffiti, safety, homelessness, panhandling and illegal vend- ing have been cited as problems, especially near the 69" Street terminal, which appears unsafe at night. Township bicycle patrols have helped, as has a Police mini-station. Most stores have security guards.

0 The Tower Theater on 69* Street and Ludlow, a historically significant entertainment venue, is a major regional attraction. Despite its function as an evening anchor, however, the lack of related entertainment or restaurant venues in the area limits the potential to leverage significant nighttime street activity.

0 The SEPTA terminal fimctions as a regional transit hub, anchoring the northern end of 69* Street with a pedestrian bridge over Market Street. The heavily used terminal provides an opportunity to generate additional transit-oriented development in the area. However, the vacant McClatchy Building, an architecturally and historically significant structure located at the "1 00 percent" corner of Market Street and 69* Street, reinforces the perception that the market for commercial

4.0 Opportunities 4-25 e 0 0 e Up p e r Da r by Townsh i p Comprehensive PIan e office development in a prime location across from the SEPTA terminal is wanting. This 45,000 square foot structure is vacant on all upper floors, with rehabilitation work reputedly being held up by a dispute between the insurance carrier and the mortgage holder. The owner of the building, Willner Realty, has applied for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, but the status is as yet e undetermined. 0 The long-range future of 69* Street appears to be stable as long as occupancy remains high and rents stay in the $16 to $24 per square foot range. The new 40,000 square foot center at 69* and Chestnut e Streets is fully leased with Old Country Buffet as the main tenant. Improvement to the pedestrian e environment with removal of graffiti and police presence should be a short-term objective. 0 Strategies: e Implement the Market Street Gateway Plan. In response to the lagging office market in Upper 0 Darby, the Township embarked on a major redevelopment and revitalization study for the Market e Street and 69’hStreet area. The Market Street Gateway Plan recommends major reinvestment in the e Market Street Corridor as an employment center. Although the office market is weak now, improvements to the streetscape and major promotion by the Township suggest that redevelopment will help e revive the area, with the intersection of Market and 69” Streets as the symbolic center of Upper e Darby. These strategies are illustrated on Figure 4-3, 69th Street Business District and the Market e Street Gateway. Continuation of the plan is a vital element to improving economic conditions in the e area as well as throughout the Township. e Implement streetscape improvements to enhance the pedestrian environment of the 6YhStreet and e Market Street area. The “Gateway” study recommends major streetscape improvements at the inter- e section with a median on Market St., street trees and better signage and lighting. The continuity of improvements should extend to 69” Street in the form of landscaping, lighting, and banners that e celebrate the history of the community. 0 Explore the possible establishment of a “Special Services District. ” The vacant McClatchy Building 0 and the lack of evening traffic at the terminal contribute to a perception of blight in the area. One technique that has worked to improve the physical environment of many shopping areas is a “Special e Services District,” whereby a special assessment on property owners in the district pays for mainte- e nance, improvements, and special events. This approach has been extremely successful in Center City 0 Philadelphia. However, since so much of the property on 69* St. is owned by Willner Realty, a pub- e licly sponsored Special Services District may not be feasible. Nevertheless, the advantages of such a e district should be considered, including: - Districts can employ uniformed staff to keep the area clean and safe. - Districts can plan events and special promotions. - Districts can raise funds for street improvements. 0 - Districts have a dedicated funding source. e a Establish a “Planning Task Force” to promote revitalization of the 69thStreet area. The Tower a Theater has been upgraded under new ownership and serves as an important anchor that activates 69’” e 0 4.0 Opportunities e 4-27 e a I 0 0 Upper Darby Towniship Comprehensive Plan 0 0 Street in the evening. Nevertheless, the area between the theater and the terminal is in need of revital- 0 ization. The new owners of Tower Theater, SEPTA, Willner Realty, and the Township should address 0 the issues of revitalization as a task force rather than as separate interests. As employment increases in the “Gateway” area, the demand for restaurants may grow. Improvements to the interior of the 0 terminal, the McClatchy building and the Tower theater could also reflect on the history of 69* Street. 0 An increase in visitors who come by transit would help rebuild a positive image of the northern end 0 of the street. A special study bjr the task force should address how to attract new business and link the 0 Tower Theater, The 69* Street Terminal, and a restored McClatchy Building. 0 Other programs that might be pursued by the Planning Task Force include the New Communities 0 Program and Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program (LUPTAP) developed in 2002 by a the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The New Communities Program includes development grant opportunities for Enterprise Zones, Downtown Reinvestments, a and Anchor Buildings. The Moorish style McClatchy Building is a candidate for Anchor Building 0 funding. a a 0 Promote redevelopment of neighborhoods adjacent to the 6PhStreet Business District area that are in need of revitalization. While the occupancy and physical conditions of 69* Street appear to be a stable and the immediately adjacent community is in good condition, the community to the south at a Marshall Road has many problems. Redevelopment of high-density neighborhoods showing signs of a blight will help keep 69* Street from decline. Section 4.2.1 above discusses conditions in Census a Block Groups and targets specific areas for application of redevelopment strategies. a

- 4.2.3 Fernwood / Baltimore Avenue Corridor a The Fernwood area along Baltimore Pike is part of a multi-municipal planning effort sponsored by the a County called the Delaware County Renaissance Action Plan. The plan provides analysis of and recom- a mendations for economic revitalizai ion in Delaware County’s Planning Area Five, which includes Upper a Darby Township along with Clifton Heights, East Lansdowne, Lansdowne, Millbourne, and Yeadon a Boroughs. Although the plan includes strategies for locations throughout the six-community planning area, the primary multi-municipal elyort is concentrated along Baltimore Pike, including the Fernwood a area. a a Issues: The Renaissance Plan essentially follows through with a funding strategy on a plan prepared by the a Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission in 2001 entitled the Baltimore Pike Corridor Revituliza- a tion Assessment. Issues raised in both plans for the Fernwood area include: a a 0 The area has a number of vacant and underutilized properties. 0 The Fernwood train station has experienced deterioration. 0 0 There is traffic congestion along Baltimore Avenue. a 0 Baltimore Avenue is characterizcd by poor sidewalk conditions and a poor pedestrian environment, as a well as continuous and multiple curb cuts. a 0 There are land use conflicts resulting from residential uses in and adjacent to the industrial zoning a a I 4-28 4.0 Opportunities 0 0 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

district. Severe flooding and inadequate sewer lines have impaired the economic viability of the area. 0 Long Lane is in poor condition. Strategies: Recommended strategies for the Fernwood area to address the above issues are illustrated on Figure 4-4, Fernwood / Baltimore Ave. Corridor and listed below:

Prepare a coordinated economic development plan for the municipalities along Baltimore Pike. This strategy includes hiring an Economic Development Coordinator as part of the Renaissance Plan. The coordinator would be responsible for marketing the area and seeking redevelopment opportunities. In addition, coordinated zoning and streetscape improvements can be pursued to stimulate development.

Improve the Fernwood train station. Improved accessibility and comfort levels at the train station may increase ridership and spur development in the area. Specific improvements include directional signage on surrounding roadways, expanded parking, improved platforms, lighting, and shelters. e Implement measures to improve trafjc circulation along Baltimore Avenue. Recommended improvements currently listed on the state Transportation Improvements Program (TIP) for 2003 to 2006 include signal coordination and designated left-turn lanes at key intersections. Other congestion mitigation measures include widening Union and Nyack Avenues to provide more efficient access to Lansdowne Avenue.

Improve the Baltimore Avenue streetscape. Recommended improvements include new sidewalks, street lighting, street plantings, green buffers between pedestrians and traffic, removal of continuous and multiple curb cuts, crosswalk improvements, and bus shelters.

Work with the Delaware County Redevelopment Authority to acquire and relocate residential properties and clear the sites for industrial or ofice redevelopment. e Coordinate with the County and the Planning Area Five

4.0 Opportunities 4-29

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

communities to identijy stormwater and sanitary sewer system replacement needs and collectively identijyfinding sources for replacement.

0 Reconstruct Long Lane. The segment of Long Lane that abuts Upper Darby and East Lansdowne Borough is currently undergoing a fagade and streetscape improvement project. The Renaissance Plan also recommends reconstruction of the deteriorated roadway.

Amend the M&I Manufacturing and Industrial District to address buflering /compatibility between industrial, commercial, and residential uses. The current regulations address buffering from residential districts only and could be amended to include residential uses. The Township may also want to consider establishing a distance requirement of 500 feet between adult businesses and residential uses and schools.

4.2.4 West Chester Pike Corridor The West Chester Pike corridor is an important gateway into Upper Darby Township. The corridor is highly developed with commercial uses. However, the types of commercial activities do not ideally support the desired character of this major thorough- fare. Commercial uses include automotive repair shops, small doctors’ offices, and small retail stores. Many of these businesses are struggling or have even closed due to lack of expansion opportunities. In addition, the existing zoning along West Chester limits the types of larger, more intensive commercial uses that are more suited for the corridor. Participants in the September 2003 workshop identified the following issues and potential strategies for West Chester Pike. The strategies are illustrated on Figure 4-5, West Chester Pike Corridor. Issues: The 0 Office and C-1 Neighborhood Commercial zoning are not appropriate for attracting higher end commercial development. The corridor includes unsightly signage and facades, poor sidewalk conditions, and excessive and continuous curb cuts. 0 The pedestrian environment is not friendly or safe. 0 The corridor lacks a business association.

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Strategies: Change zoning to err courage more and better-suited commercial oflce and retail uses while protecting quality of lifefor adjacent residents. A new zoning district should be established that provides for a mix of appropriate commercial and office uses while restricting drive-through restaurants and gas stations to special exceptions. The district should include standards allowing higher building heights to attract office and hotel development. Additional standards should count on- street parking toward parking requirements, provide incentives for shared parking, encourage parking behind buildings as much as possible, set maximum widths of and spacing between driveways, require landscaped buffers or screening from residential uses where possible, and update signage controls.

Focus initial investment on the segment of West Chester Pike between 69" Street and State Road. This would create an extension of the Market Street Gateway concept. SEPTA owns the property around 69+"Street Terminal, which may present a significant development opportunity to complement the Market Street Gateway.

Make the corridor more pedestrian friendly through sidewalk and facade improvements, better defined crosswalks, and signage. A pedestrian way could possibly be created within the median.

Continue enforcement of property maintenance along the corridor.

Work with business owners to establish a business association and create a business improvement district.

~ 4.0 Opportunities 4-33

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

4.2.5 Aronimink Station / Ferne Boulevard The Aronimink Station area is a mixed-use neighborhood commercial area located at the intersection of Ferne Boule- vard and Burmont Road. The area is anchored by the trolley station and the Waverly Theater, an historic former theater that is now used for storage. Aronimink Station is included in the Delaware County Renaissance Action Plan as an area in need of revitalization to improve the economic vitality of the neighborhood. Issues and strategies for this area were identified from the Renaissance study and the September 2003 workshop, which included area residents and members of the Drexel Hill Business Association. Recommendations for improvement are illustrated on Figure 4-6, Aronimink Station / Ferne Boulevard. Issues: A decline in commercial activity has generated a 15 percent vacancy rate of local storefronts. Keeping the existing business association active has been difficult. The area is not conducive to pedestrian activity due to heavy traffic, lack of lighting, and lack of directional signage. The railroad tracks are a major barrier to pedestrian crossing of BurmontRoad. 0 Parking at the trolley station is limited and disorganized. Strategies: Evaluate the current commercial trends in the County and identi@ niche market(s) to best position the area for future business development.

Establish an Entrepreneur Business Incubator to attract small businesses and stimulate investment in the area. Q Provide the business association with leadership and leadsfor potential funding opportunities. This could e possibly be accomplished through a Main Street pro- e gram supported by the Township. A Main Street Pro- e gram andor historic district could provide incentives for e reinvestment capital and tax credits for renovation of a commercial properties.

e 4.0 Opportunities 4-35 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

e Promote restoration of the Waverly Theater. Restoration of _- r this historic building is key to revitalizing the area. The interior is intact except for the screen.

Apply forfunding for streetscape, sidewalk, and facade improvements to attract investment in the area and improve the pedestrian environment. Because Feme Boulevard is wider than necessary to accommodate traffic flow, there is an opportunity to create an actual boulevard with street trees, on- street parking, and wider sidewalks.

Work with SEPTA to improve pedestrian access to and around the trolley station.

0 Pursue redevelopment of the Post Office site. The Post Office is looking to relocate to another section of the Town- ship. This site has excellent potential for commercial or mixed-use redevelopment and, like the Waverly Theater, is a key to revitalizing the area.

Q Explore the potential for municipal purchase of the vacant lot between the trolley station and the gas station for daytime commuter parking and evening business parking.

e Work to convert the apartment buildings on Burmont Road north of the trolley station to condominium ownership. These buildings are very high density with limited parking. The Township and/or the business association could work with a progressive developer to convert them into less dense, owner-occupied condominiums.

4.2.6 Garrett Road / Burmont Road Commercial Area The architecturally attractive commercial area at Garrett and Burmont Roads offers a significant opportunity to provide pedestrian-scale commercial activity. Many of the existing restaurants and stores are successful; however, high traffic volumes, lack of parking, and lack of a business association are hindrances to the area’s growth as a vibrant, neighborhood serving commercial center. Issues and opportunities raised by participants in the September 2003 workshop are listed below and illustrated on the attached Figure 4-7, Garrett Road and Burmont Road Commer- cial Area.

4-36 4.0 Opportunities

Up pe c Da c by Townsh i p Co mp c eh e n s i ve PIan

Issues:

0 Garrett Road is too narrow for the volume of traffic it carries. 0 The irregular alignment of Burmont Road at Garrett Road causes traffic problems. 0 Parking is very limited, the supply of on-street parking is sparse, and there are few available lots for off-street parking. Lack of parking poses a significant problem for keeping and attracting businesses. 0 Sidewalks are narrow and in poor condition. There is little room for additional streetscape improvements. 0 There is a lack of business organization in the area. Strategies: Work with PennDot to realign Burmont Road at Garrett Road. This will involve straightening the intersection and improving traffic flow and pedestrian crossing. The realignment would also create space for pedestrian plazas east of Burmont Road.

Organize a business association and create a business improvement district in the area.

Apply for funding to acquire properties for public parking to serve the commercial area. Available sites include the currently vacant Amoco gas station.

Coordinate with Garrettford Elementary School to provide evening and summertime parking for the commercial district.

Apply forfunding for streetscape, lighting, crosswalk, and sidewalk improvements.

Work with the existing produce market to improve its parking area, possibly aspart of the Burmont Road realignment.

Pursue redevelopment of select sites, potentially with the Delaware County Redevelopment Authority, to anchor the area as a neighborhood commercial center. Targeted businesses may include a bookstore and a coffee shop.

4-38 4.0 Oppottunities Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

4.2.7 Darby Creek Greenway The Darby Creek Greenway is a multi-municipal planning effort sponsored by the Delaware County Planning Commission to create a system of trails and a “ribbon of green” along the creek. The Township is currently working with the County to implement the plan. The greenway concept was discussed with area residents and members of the Darby Creek Valley Association at the September 2003 workshop. The following issues and strategies to support the greenway concept were identified by workshop participants and are illustrated on Figure 4-8, Darby Creek Greenway.

Issues: 0 The floodplain along Darby Creek has been overdeveloped. 0 Properties along the creek experience severe flooding. 0 Because there are multiple private owners along the creek, purchasing private land is cost prohibitive. 0 Continuous access to the stream corridor is limited by private development. Strategies: Create a Floodplain Conservation District to restrict further development or expansion within the floodplain. This district could include flexible regulations to preserve the floodplain while maximizing development yield.

Explore dedicated conservation easements as a method of extending trail access to the stream without having to acquire tracts of private property.

Partner with private and public organizations to buyhre- serve open space. Organizations that the Township could work with include land trusts, local/regional watershed organizations, other conservation groups, and Delaware County. Some properties could be acquired through a Hazard Mitiga- tion Plan and Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (see Section 4.1.5). Important pieces to protect and preserve are: - Thompson tract - Whalen property conservation piece - Drexelbrook conservation piece - Mozino tract - Ava Electronics - Doyletract

4.0 Opportunities 4-39

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Establish a local committee or organization dedicated to greenway development and opedgreen space acquisition that is associated with it. This organization should work in coordination with the regional greenway effort.

Provide better access to Pilgrim Park. Even with increased public access, this park is used for passive recreational purposes and should remain so.

4.2.8 Naylors Run Greenway Naylors Run has great potential as a greenway system to link trails along the creek and to increase recreational opportunities the Township. The Philadelphia Water Department is currently working on a conservation plan for the Cobbs Creek Watershed, in which Naylors Run is located. Some localized strategies could be pursued to create a greenway, thus helping to implement this regional planning effort. These strategies are illustrated on Figure 4-9, Naylors Run Greenway concept diagram and listed below. Issues: The floodplain along Naylors Run has been overdeveloped. Properties along the creek experience severe flooding. Because there are multiple private owners along the creek, purchasing private land is cost prohibitive. Continuous access to the stream corridor is limited by private development. A significant portion of the stream is culverted. Strategies: Many of the strategies are similar to those of the Darby Creek Greenway, including floodplain conservation zoning, conservation easements, hazard mitigation planning, forming partnerships to acquire properties, and forming a local organization for greenway development. Additional strategies include:

IdentiB funding opportunities to “daylight” the culverted segments of the stream. Most of these segments are already developed and it may not be feasible to daylight these areas. For example, the Bond Shopping Center is a successful shopping center that probably will not be redeveloped in the near future. Other culverted segments are located in identified redevelopment neighborhoods in Beverly Hills, Bywood, and Stonehurst Hills. Redevelopment efforts in these areas may

4.0 Opportunities 4-41

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

include removal of structures in the floodplain, daylighting of the stream, and open space preservation along the stream. This strategy could potentially be pursued as part of hazard mitigation hnding.

Explore extending a “rail trail” from Beverly Hills up the length of the vacated rail line. This trail could potentially connect into adjacent municipalities as part of a coordinated effort.

Connect a Naylors Run trail network to recreation spaces in the Township. The system could eventually link across the creek to the Cobbs Creek trail in Philadelphia. The Cobbs Creek trail is planned to connect to Bicyclists Baltimore Pike, an on-road bike path proposed between Nether Providence Township and the Philadelphia city line in Yeadon. The path would connect to Cobbs Creek trail via Longacre Boulevard in Yeadon and extend west via Providence Road, where a connection to the Darby Creek Greenway trail is possible. The Cobbs Creek trail connection would also link Upper Darby to the East Coast Greenway, an interstate, multi-modal trail extending from Maine to Florida.

4.2.9 Lansdowne Avenue and Garrett Road Intersection The intersection of Lansdowne Avenue and Garrett Road is marred by conflicting multi-modal transportation activity, including pedestrian crossings, trolley movement, and heavy traffic volumes, creating dangerous situations for pedestrians and motorists. The recent relocation of the Lansdowne trolley platform to the east side of Lansdowne Avenue has helped the situation considerably. However, substantial pedestrian crossings, primarily due to students leaving Upper Darby and Bonnermrendergast High Schools, remain a significant problem. Issues and strategies identified by workshop participants are listed below and illustrated on the attached concept map Figure 4-10, Lansdowne Avenue and Garrett Road Intersection. Issues: Substantial traffic congestion occurs between 7:OO A.M. and 8:OO A.M. on school days. A secondary peak occurs between 2:OO P.M. and 3:OO P.M. Delaware County Memorial Hospital has a shift change around 3:30 P.M., which contributes to traffic congestion. School buses on Lansdowne Avenue are major problem,

4.0 Opportunities 4-43

Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

especially during the A.M. peak. Schools (Prendergast, Bonner, Upper Darby High) believe situation would be significantly improved if school buses used School Lane or Huey Avenue. However, residents of Drexel Park on west side of Lansdowne are vehemently opposed due to concerns about noise, air pollution, traffic, etc. Strategies:

0 Widen the sidewalk on the east (school side) of Lansdowne Avenue between Garrett Road and HueyAvenue. The retaining wall between the hospital and Upper Darby High School prohibits further extension to the north.

Explore possible creation of a pedestrian path behind the schools and the hospital to provide rear access. The vacated railroad right-of-way might be converted to a pedestrian path with improved rear access to Upper Darby High School. Upper Darby High School might receive most benefit from a pedestrian path, but both Bonner and Prendergast are in favor. Security might be an issue also, but the hospital does have security cameras and has offered cooperation.

Create a new pedestrian crossing of Garrett Road (if possible).

Prohibit right-turn-on-red from Huey Avenue onto Lansdowne Avenue.

0 Improve traffic signal coordination along the Lansdowne Avenue corridor (Penndot). 0 a Explore providing more parking for students to the rear of e Upper Darby High School. Access would be to the rear of the a high school to alleviate traffic conflicts on Lansdowne Av- e enue.

4.0 Opportunities 4-45 a a a Upper Darby Towniship Comprehensive Plan a a 4.2.10 Primos / Secane Station Areas a The Primos and Secane regional rail stations afford great potential a to increase transit usage through transit-oriented development. a Although the station areas are currently mostly developed, there a are a few development and redevelopment opportunities. The primary challenge with both stations is to make the surrounding a areas safe and attractive for pedestrians and park-and-ride patrons a so as to lure new and maintain existing riders. The Primos station a area is predominantly surrounded by commercial and industrial uses, with some properties in good condition and many with poor a aesthetic quality. Secane station is challenged by awkward a intersections, severe traffic congestion, poor commercial facades, II and a hazardous pedestrian environment. Secane was the subject a of a recent study, Making Secane a Walkuble Community, prepared by DVRPC. Issues and strategies identified by workshop a participants are listed below and illustrated on Figure 4- 11, Primos Station Area and and Figure 4-12, Secane Station Area. 4 Primos Station Issues: a a Primos Station attracts more park-and-ride patrons than a Secane. The SEPTA parking lot on Secane Avenue has a limited spaces, inadequate signage, hard to find access, and confusing circulation. a 0 Traffic problems occur at the at-grade train crossing. a o Facades along Oak Avenue on the Upper Darby side are Q unattractive. The new Giant in Aldan is a stark contrast with its attractive landscaping and streetscaping. a (I Primos Station Strategies: a o Work with SEPTA to improve theparking area on Secane Avenue. Improvements should include station and parking a area directional signage, more defined access, surface repav- a ing and restriping. a a 0 Promote development of the vacant lot next to the day care centerfor office uses. Workshop participants indicated that (I the property should be developed for more SEPTA parking, a although a shared parking arrangement could be arranged for commuters. The new development would bring badly needed a physical improvements to the area, as well as taking advan- a tage of the prime location adjacent to both a regional rail (I station and a day care center. a 4 4 a 4-46 4.0 Opportunities a a a

e a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan e a e e Alleviate traffic congestion on Oak Avenue by relocating 0 access for the Wawa and adjacent commercial uses to the a rear via Mildred Avenue. a e Pursue funding for streetscape and faqade improvements a along Oak Avenue. 0 Secane Station Issues: e The Providence Road / South Road intersection has the e most complicated signal in Delaware County. Multiple turning movements are required to accommodate north- a bound traffic. Congestion is exacerbated by haphazard 0 pedestrian crossing to and from the train station and the at- e grade train crossing. Pedestrians cross wherever is most convenient and don’t 0 necessarily use a crosswalk. Therefore, the crosswalk e improvements recommended in the DVRPC report are e questionable. 0 Because the SEPTA parking area is too small, commuters park at the church and restaurant nearby. e There is no direct connection from the station to the adja- e cent Laurel Manor apartment complex. e The commercial strip mall on Providence Road is mostly vacant and would benefit from streetscape and fagade a improvements. e The sidewalks are in very bad condition and in need of 0 repair. a Secane Station Strategies:

a e Implement improvements to eliminate pedestrian / ve- a hicle conflicts. This would address the most significant a problem at Secane station. Some type of channelization of a pedestrians, plus timing of signals with pedestrian move- a ment is needed in the short term. 0 e Explore tunneling of the tracks under Providence Road. This long-term strategy raised by workshop participants a would be a very expensive alternative, but would open up a ample opportunities to improve the area. Tunneling would 0 significantly reduce traffic and transit conflicts and would a allow potential realignment of South Avenue to intersect directly with North Avenue. Reducing turning movements a for northbound traffic would provide much more efficient e e e a 4.0 Opportunities 4-49 0 0 0 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan 0 a and safer traffic circulation. Affected businesses would need to be relocated, potentially to the area 0 created by the realignment as a long-term redevelopment strategy. Admittedly this would be a very a expensive project, but it may be worth exploring with SEPTA and PennDot because of the signifi- 0 cant safety improvements arid other benefits it would yield. a 0 Establish direct access to the Laurel Manor Apartments. These apartments are able to command a high rents because of their proximity to the Secane Station. Providing direct access from the apart- 0 ment complex to the station would further improve marketability and provide safer access. 0 Encourage SEPTA to explore expansion of parking through the acquisition of adjacent residen- 0 tial properties. 0 0 0 Coordinate with SEPTA to improve signage, lighting, parking area access, and sidewalks around the station. e 0 e Applyfor funding to improvefacades and remove continuous curb cuts of commercial uses along Providence Road. Combined with the location near the train station, such improvements 0 may attract more businesses. 0 0 a 0 a a 0 a 0 a a 0 e 0 e a a e e e e e a 4-50 4.0 Opportunities e e a a 0 0 e e a 5.0 a e IMPLEMENTATIONPLAN a a 0 a a e a e e 0 e e e a a a e 0 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

5.0 IMPLEMENTATIONPLAN

This chapter organizes the recommended strategies presented in Chapter 4 into an overall implementation plan that prioritizes short-term, mid-term, and long-term actions. The chapter also presents a map of Future Land Use in the Township based upon the Comprehensive Plan strategies and addresses the issue of plan implementation.

5.1 Future Land Use

Figure 5-1, Future Land Use depicts a generalized pattern of future land uses in Upper Darby Township. It is intended to guide land use policy by the Township as it implements the Comprehensive Plan, while allowing for flexibility in decision-making through its generalized nature. As illustrated on the map, many of the proposed land uses are consistent with existing ones since the Township is mostly developed. The primary differences occur along the proposed Darby Creek and Naylors Run greenways, where generally continuous corridors of green space are envisioned. This pattern is most pronounced in the reinvestment neighborhoods located along these creeks, where substantial redevelopment within the floodplain is proposed. Future land use in the reinvestment neighborhoods outside of the floodplain is represented as being generally consistent with the existing, high-density residential pattern. However, the existing density in these areas - which averages about 16 units per acre - may become lower as potential redevelopment strategies are implemented. Other changes from existing land use represented on the map include industrial and/or commercial office land uses throughout the Fernwood area and concentrations of commercial and/or office land uses along Market Street and West Chester Pike.

5.2 Priority Action Plan

Table 5.2.1 synthesizes the strategies presented in Chapter 4 into a series of priority actions. This Priority Action Plan is intended to guide the Township on actions that should be pursued early on as opposed to those that may be more reasonably attainable in the mid or long term. Short Term actions are high priority actions that the Township should begin pursuing within the two years following Comprehensive Plan adoption. This category also includes strategies that can reasonably be accomplished within a relatively short timeframe. Mid Term actions are recommended for implementation during the period two to five years from plan adoption. These actions either have moderate priority, or require the completion of a short-term action before they can be pursued. Long Term actions typically are more complex strategies that require extensive planning, coordination, and/or securing of capital funding before they can be implemented. They are recommended for implementation during the period five to ten years from plan adoption.

5.0 Implementation 5-1 e Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan a e The action plan is further organized according to type of action. Three types of actions are identified: e 0 Regulatory actions involve revisions to the existing Zoning Ordinance and other development e regulations by the Township. 0 Planning and coordination actions require the City to undertake additional, more specific planning e andor work with other jurisdictions and agencies to achieve implementation. 0 Capital investment actions involve direct expenditures for capital projects by the Township andor e other agencies (e.g., Penndot) and should be included in the appropriate Capital Improvement e Program. e Table 5.2.1 also identifies the entities (e.g., Delaware County, the State, other public agencies, private a nonprofit organizations) that will be responsible for each action. It is evident that partnerships will be 0 necessary to implement many of the actions. 0 Many of the costs of the proposed actions can be supplemented with public grant and loan programs. A few examples of these funding opportunities are provided in the table. 0 0 e 5.3 Plan Monitoring 0 The Comprehensive Plan - including the Priority Action Plan presented in Table 5.2.1 - should not be viewed as a static document, but rather as one that will evolve over time as circumstances in Upper Darby change. To ensure the success of the Plan, it is important that the Township establish a process 0 for monitoring progress made in implementing its strategies and actions over time. This process should e involve periodic systematic reviews to 1) assess progress and 2) make adjustments to the Priority 0 Action Plan based upon the progress made to date, new priorities, and changes in Upper Darby’s internal and external environments. Ideally, this review should take place every year and be coordi- 0 nated with the capital improvement programming process. Amore extensive revision to the Compre- 0 hensive Plan, including a public process to confirm or change the Vision Statement and supporting strategies and actions, should be conducted every five years. e e e e e e 0 e 0 I.e a e 5.0 Implementation 5-3 Upper Darby Tawn,ship Comprehensive Plan 0 Table 5.2.1. Priority Action Plan a e

Upper Darby LVTAP Update Land Development mil a Subdivision Ordinance a Upper Darby LUPTAP Crcatc n new zoning district for Wen Chcstcr Pike nnd Mnrket a Street Gntcway Upper Darby LUPTAP 0 District Flwdplnin Land Use Asislam Propm’ 0 Upper Ddy LUPTAP Cnalc a Ripmkm Corridor Rim Comemiion Conservation District Grnnt Propram’ 0 Upper Daby Create B Tree Praiwtion Ordinance + 0 Wghborhood Eslnblish a CDC in 7Upper Dnrbuby Community 0 levltnlizntion Neighborhoods I Develoomenl BIWk Grant (GDBG)‘ 0 cornnitmitics of opponunity Pmgmm5’ @ Umr Dnrby, ndjmnt Dclsuwc County muniurmli ties. Remismnce hopram Delnaare county 0 wdhomeownmhip progmmr Uwer D~Y, Delnware County e Housing Authority. PFHA 0 Prcpare tnrgeted r,ed&lopment CDC ICommunity plaos’in Reinvestmen!! Development Bkk Neighborhgs I .Gd a Communities of oppamuu-tyRogram a Prepare Hisfark @esedon !mplemenl Historic UD Historical Ceitified Lot! Fib , PrescrvntionPinn commission, uti Govemmenl Gmnt a H+O~~CA Socieiy, ROW RICo. Historicnl 0 Society a a a Pennsylvania Dcpartmcnt of Community and E:onomic Dcvciopmcnt (DCED] - http~/~~.~vcnQ~.c~dc~ulmspx?i~345 ’DCED - http://wrvw.invenrpncomldefnulLnspx )id=344 e ’DCNR - htrp://www.dcnr.scrlte.pn.u~r~~~itogmo!.qspx ‘DCED - hnp://www.inventpn.com/dcfaul1.~x?id=321 a DCED - bttp://www.inventpa.com/defaul~a~x?id~320 PA Historical and Museum Commission - httpr’/www.ansnet.ordphmcl~de.h~l a a e e a 5-4 5.0 Implementation e 0 Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

Table 5.2.1. Priority Action Plan cont.

'lannlng and Coordination Actions -___ ~-__ __ - - - -_- - lconomlc Conlinuc to implement the Markct CDBG levelopment Street Gateway plan [ongoing) Communitics of redevelopment Opportunity Expand LERTA District

Establish a regional CDC or Upper Darby, djannt CDBG Chamber of Commerce municipalities Commbiucs or Opportunity Establish 691bSI. Planning Task Willner, Tower Force Theatcr, SEPTA Continue coordination on Upper Darby, Renaissance Plan (ongoing) Delaware County, Planning Area 5 municipalities Establish redcvclopmcnt authority Upper hrby, or strongcr coordination with Delaware County CounG authonty Redevelopment Authoriiy Establish 69" SI. Special Scrvicer Willner Realty District Establish business nssocintion along Upper Darby a*/ West Chesrer Pike business owners Establish Aronimink Main Strect Upper Dnrby rv/ Mnin Strcct Pmgrnm' Prom Drcxcl Hill Business Association Pursuc development and Main Street Mnnagcr. Mnin Street Program rcstorntion nmtcgics in SEPTA Aronimink

Organize a business association at Business'O\mrs Gmnand Burmont- Pursue redcvclopmcnt and Business Association, CDBG momtion strategies in Garrett SEPTA, Communities of and Burmont mdevelopincnt Opportunity authority PI+TUCdevelopment nnd SEPTA, CDBG rcdevclopmcnt strategies at rcdeveiopmcnt Communities of Pnn% & Seeanc stations authority Opportunity rmnsportatlor Revise zoningordinancc parking Identify residential srcets in TEA-2J' rcquircmenis Pkparc M invcntory ofsihcwalk occd of tmffic dming condi lions measures Prepare a Township parking Establish a p~kingauthority Upper Darby, management plan Recreation Puqner yth neighboring Upper Darby. DCNR Tqhnical c(rmmunitic_s.the County. and Dclnwarc County, Assistancc Gmnls' noii-profi~'gmups tp expand Haverford Township, recreation opponunitics Fairmount Pnrk Commssion. local churches &cemeteries Contique caordinntionpn Darby Dclnwan: County Crcek Grcenwny

' DCED - http://www.invenrpi comldefaul~.aspx?id~325 a Transportation Equity Act for the 2 leCentury, Federnl Highwny Administration - http.//w.fiwdorgov/tea2 I/sumtoc.htm http //www.dcnr.statc.po.usmrdgrnnt~ita~~aspx

0 5.0 Implementation 5-5 Upper Darby Township Cemprehensive Plan

nnd Coordlnntion r\ctlons - ___ - - - ______tGri&n Establish n local greenway cont'd) or.&itian Dcvclpp Naylon RunGreGmy Plan

Coordimc With DCNR on fundin2 oppoduhitics

:eotu res

Impkmnt capitol P~JCC?fmm CDC. rcdevdoprncnl redcvcbpment plk i nothority

Upper Dni%y, ,Deln\vnrc Couniy Delnmr6 County, Rawisssncc Pmgom Plyning7Ared 5' municipalities.

CDBG Communitiu tif Opportunity Mnin Slml Pwmm Begin implementing DVWC rccommendcd mid I inten&tio'n improv'cmt~(onpoiqp)

1 TEA-2 I

TEA-21

Delnynre Couiity Open SpmGnnrs DCNR Community Gmnt Pmgnur

Zecreatlon -- DCNR Community ijmt bgmm PHaC H@cnl Mnrken Grant Pmgnm Rails-to-Tmits Gnnr Pmgmm"

' DCNR - htlu://www.dcrir.~te.pa.u~~~nts/i~~~tnspx I' FEMA - hap~///www.femn.gov/do~fi~~dcfm3:'n.d~ I* PA Emergency Mnnnpment Agency (F'EMA) - hnp://www.pemsstnte.pn.uslpem3/CWP/view.o~?n=1988Q=230 184%pemNnvDLTEST=H7 I5p74914752) " hitp://www.dcnr.snrc.pn.usmrc'lgmntJitI

5-6 5.0 Implementation a a a a a a APPENDIX A a a SCHOOLFACILITIES a a a a a a a a a a RESERVED a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a e e e e e e e APPENDIX B e e COMM u N ITY CONDITIONS e e RANKINGTABLE e e e e e e e e e I@ 'e e e e e e e a e e e e e a e e e e e e 'e e a a Upper Darby Tounship Comprehensive Plan e e Appendix B Community Conditions Ranking Table le le ‘a I@ a a a e e e e a e e a e e e a 0 e e a e a e e a a e a e Appendix B B-1 a Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan

BG 1(BG 1) 1 1 2 0 0 6 BG 2(BG 2) 2 1 1 2 2 10 BG 3(BG 3) 2 2 0 2 1 9 BG 4(BG 4) 1 1 0 2 2 8

BG 1(BG 1) 2 2 1 2 2 11 BG 2(BG 2) 1 2 0 2 0 7 I 4010 - 2 2 2 2 2 0 10 - 2 2 1 1 1 2 9

BG 2(BG 2) BG 3(BG 3) 401 1.03+4011.04 (4011.02)' 401 1.03 BG l(4011.02 BG 5) 401 1.03 BG 2(4011.02 BG 6) 401 1.03 BG 3(4011.02 BG 7) 401 1.03 BG 4(4011.02 BG 8) 401 1.04 BG l(4011.02 BG 1) 401 1.04 BG 2(4011.02 BG 2) 401 1.04 BG 3(4011.02 BG 3) 401 1.04 BG 4(4011.02 BG 4) 4012

BG 2(BG 2) 2 2 2 2 0 10 BG 3(BG 3) 1 1 2 2 10 BG 4(BG 4) 1 1 2 0 8

2 I 2 1 1 0 0 17

Discrepancies occur due to cbanges in tract boundaries

B-2 Appendix B 0 a e Upper Darby Tounship Comprehensive Plan e

0 e e e a m

Reinvestment=O to 4 Transition=5-8 Stable=9-12

Sources: US Census Bureau, Upper Darby Township, Delaware County Data Services

' Discrepancies occur due to changes in tract boundaries

Appendix B B-3