COLEBROOKDALE TOWNSHIP PIKE TOWNSHIP Berks County, Pennsylvania
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, , , ,- . .... .. .. >, . .._. .. -. ' ,.,.I . .. ', . r. .., . .. I. .. --. .. THE -. '. BOYERTOWN BOROUGH COLEBROOKDALE TOWNSHIP PIKE TOWNSHIP Berks County, Pennsylvania e JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2005 Adopted by Boyertown Borough March 7,2005 Adopted by Colebrookdale Township March 7,2005 _. Adopted by Pike Township on March 1,2005 -_ Consultant Urban Research & Development Corporation -1 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania .. BOYERTOWN BOROUGH COLEBROOKDALE TOWNSHIP PIKE TOWNSHIP JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS Boyertown Borough . Jane Crowe, Borough Council Frank Deery, Borough Council Paticia A. Spaide, Borough Manager Colebrookdale Townshie Thomas Herb, Township Commissioner John Lea, Zoning Hearing Board Pike Township Jeffery E. Gorrin, Township Supervisor Steffan R. Helbig, P.G., Township Supervisor Gary M. Reider, Township Supervisor Berks County Planning Commission Scott Wales, Planner Bovertown Area School District Dr. Charles Amuso, Superintendent :. CONTENTS .. PAGE .. INTRODUCTION ............................................................. 1 Thevision ............................................................. 1 ThePlan ..............................................................2 BACKGROUNDREPORTS .................................................... 3 Regionalsetting ....................................................... 3 ... Historical Highlights .................................................... 5 Population, Housing and Employment ...................................... 9 NaturalFeatures ....................................................... 17 .. Existing Land Use ..................................................... 33 LocalGovemment ..................................................... 43 Parks and Recreation ................................................... 45 ... PublicSchools ........................................................ 49 Community Facilities and Services ......................................... 53 Land Use Policies In the Region .......................................... 61 .. Transportation ........................................................ 66 Borough Revitalization ................................................. 71 Summary of Assets and Limitations ....................................... 72 .. THE PLAN FOR THE FUTURE ................................................ 75 .. Goals and Objectives ...................................................75 Plan Interrelationships .................................................. 77 Timing .............................. ; ......... :..................... 78 .. Future Land Use and Housing ............................................ 78 Environmental Conservation ............................................. 95 .. Agricultural Preservation ............................................... 101 .. Historic Preservation .................................................. 104 Borough Revitalization ................................................ 105 Transportation ....................................................... 110 Community Services and Facilities ....................................... 113 Energy Conservation .................................................. 116 THEACTIONPROGRAM .................................................. 117 SummaryofRecommendations .......................................... 117 Implementing This Comprehensive Plan .................................. 121 Fundingsources ..................................................... 126 APPENDIX Public Participation .................................................. A- 1 II CONTENTS (Cont.) II. PAGE . Maps and Other Graphics RegionalLocation' ............................................................... 4 I-: Historic Sites Map and Additional Sites List (following map) ............................. 7 PhysiographicSections .......................................................... 17 Steepslopes ................................................................... 23 I-: WaterFeatures ................................................................. 25 Woodlands .................................................................... 27 PNDISites ..................................................................... 29 I Soils ......................................................................... 31 Agricultural Features ............................................................. 37 Existing Land Use ............................................ : ................. 39 Existing Land Use, Boyertown Enlargement .......................................... 41 r' Recreation Sites and Public Schools ................................................. 51 Public Sewer and Water Service Areas .............................................. 55 Soil Suitability for Septic Systems ................................................. 57 1 Adjacentzoning ................................................................ 63 Trafficvolume ................................................................. 69 FutureLandUse ................................................................ 85 1 Future Land Use Plan, Boyertown Enlargement ........................................ 87 Open Space vs . Conventional Subdivision Design ..................................... 92 Suburban vs . Neotraditional Design ................................................ 93 I .i Traditional Neighborhood Development ............................................. 94 The Pennsylvania Highlands ...................................................... 96 Streetscape Improvement Concept - Route 73 Looking West ............................. 108 1- Streetscape Improvement Concept - Route 562 Looking North .......................... 109 -! Tables I; 1 . Total Population. 1960-2000 ............................................... 9 -.i 2 . Total Population. 1990-2000 .............................................. 10 3 Population Density. 1990-2000 ............................................. 10 . I_ 4 Total Population. Adjacent Municipalities and Berks County. 1960-2000 ............ 11 .. 5 Age Distribution. 2000 ................................................... 12 6 . Average Person Per Household. 1990-2000 ................................... 12 1.1 7 . HousingType. 2000 ..................................................... 13 8 . Housing Tenure and Vacancy, 2000 ........................................ 14 9 . Housing Value, 2000 ..................................................... 14 1-: 10 . Median Income and Poverty, 2000 .......................................... 15 11 . Median Income and Poverty, Adjacent Municipalities, 2000 ..................... 15 . 12 Top Ten Employers in Berks County, 2003 ................................... 16 I-. 13 . Streams with Protected Use Designations, 2004 ............................... 19 14 . Operating Fund Revenues, 2004 ........................................... 44 ... 15 . Operating Fund Expenditures, 2004 ......................................... 44 . I-., 16 . Boyertown Area School District Enrollments, 2004 ............................ 49 17 . Zoning Adjacent to the Boyertown - Colebrookdale - Pike Area .................. 61 18 . Summary of Recommended Future Land Use Planning Areas .................... 89 19 . Guidelines for Protecting Important Natural Features ........................... 97 1-1 20 . Highway Functional Classifications and Recommended Design Features .......... 112 21 . SummaryofRecommendations ........................................... 117 .. 22 . Fundingsources ....................................................... 126 1. I .. -. .. .: . INTRODUCTION Introduction INTRODUCTION The Vision TheB~yerto~Boreu~~~leb~ookdale~crwlnship---Eike~o~nshi~~~~~p~ehe~i~~l~is----- ____ a locally-generated vision for the fbture of a unique area. The plan shows how the region can grow in selected, appropriate locations while still preserving open space and conserving its best features-both natural and man-made. Growth in the Boyertown-Colebrookdale-Pike region should be concentrated in and around existing . -. developed areas. In Boyertown, community revitalization and adaptive reuse should be the corner- stone of both residential and business growth. In Colebrookdale, most growth should occur in _. locations near Boyertown and close to existing public water and sewer facilities. In the more rural .. parts of Colebrookdale and in Pike, farmlands should be preserved for agriculture to the greatest extent possible. In these areas, permanent open space should be a prominent feature of all major _' subdivisions and land developments. The vital environmental functions and physical limitations of .. steep slopes, woodlands, floodprone lands and other natural areas in these two townships should also .. be respected. -. New homes in the region should be sited on the most suitable portions of a tract of land. Open space .. preservation within new developments should be maximized. Public facilities should be engineered to maintain public health and protect local water quality without spurring unplanned growth. .._._, .. New commerce and industry in the region must be well planned, environmentally safe and properly located. Where feasible, businesses along major roads should use common entrances and exits to 1- ' improve traffic safety/circulation and help prevent commercial strip development. In both residential I I. and non-residential areas, people should exercise care in maintaining and reusing historic structures. Commercial signs and landscaping should complement,