I I 1992 I SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY COMMISSIONERS I Warren R. Williams, Chairman Josephine Marshall, Vice-Chairperson John Blachek I Jerry Myers, Chief Clerk
I SUSQUEHANNA COUNTYPLANNING COMMISSION Gerald W. Balmer, Chairman I Frank A. Kwader, Vice-Chairman Walter Galloway, Secretary Ted Place, Treasurer Catherine Hough I Polly S. Pritchard Carl Stahl Lee Walker I Jerome E. Fives
I STAFF Carl Pease, Planning Director Eleanor Xurosky, Planner I Robert G. Templeton, Planner Peggy Sprout, Assistant Secretary I I NORTHERN TIER REGIONAL PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION Phil D. Roos, Executive Director I Gordon P. Davis, Graphic Specialist
PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS I SCRANTON REGIONAL OFFICE Edward F. Dempsey, Regional Director Joseph Kneidinger, Planner I Cindy M. Stefursky, Planning Secretary I I I LOCATION SUSQUEHA"A COUNTY
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I Source: Northern Tier Regiod Planning and Development Commission 8 I I' I LU CAI'1 0 N 1 SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY I I I I 1 I I I I I I I I 7- 1 8 I POLITICAL BOUNDARIES
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LANDMARK PLA"IN(3 SERVICES, Inc. CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction and Summary...... i -iii Physiography...... l- 8 Community Facilities...... 9 - 22 Housing...... 23 - 29 Land Use...... 30 - 33 Population...... 34 - 44 Transportation...... 45 - 51 Goals and Objectives...... 52 - 78 . LIST OF MAPS
Location Map Political Boundaries Map Topography Map General Soils Map Hydrogeology Map Fire District Map Ambulance Map School District Map community Facilities Map Transportation Network PennDOT State Route Designations I Planning District Map u I LIST OF TABLES
Municipal Land and Buildings Emergency Services Municipal Police Summary Professional Health Care Licensees Community Water Systems Land Use Classifications Housing Summaries Population Summaries I Mileage and Daily Vehicle Miles traveled by maintenance I functional class for state roads. I INTRODUCT I ON AND SUMMARY I I INTRODUCTION AND SUM-MARY -r,e cennsyivan~aNunicipaiicies riailfiiny LaGe jnc~ii0 or ,983) requires that Tennsylvania counties prepare and adopt ii I comprehensive plar, by February 21, 1992. Sach an action has both binding and non-binding consequences. I Legally, once a comprehensive plan is adopted, in whole or in part, any action of the governing body, its departments, agencies, and appointed authorities must be submitted to the I planning commission when the proposed action relates to: - the location, opening, vacation, extension, widening, narrowing, or enlargement of any street, public ground, I pierhead, or watercourse; - - the location, erection, demolition, removal, or sale of any I public structure located within the county; - the adoption, amendment, or repeal of an official map, subdivision and land development ordinance, zoning I ordinance, or provisions for planned residential development, or capital improvements program; or I - the construction, extension, or abandonment of any water line, sewer line, or sewage treatment facility. In addition, any action of a school district, following the I adoption of a comprehensive plan or any part thereof by the County, relating to the location, demolition, removal, sale, or lease of any school district structure or land, must be submitted I to the county planning commission for their recommendations. For these situations, then, the County's adoption of 211 or part I of a comprehensive plan has legally binding consequences. For all other situations the Comprehensive plan's effect is non- binding, but no less important. 1 Generally, the purpose of a comprehensive plan is to set policies. Policies are set in relation to an inventory and evaluation of as many aspects of the natural and manmade I environments as feasible and an assessment of community interests and concerns. Policies should be set with this 'big picture' in mind. In addition, they should be long range in perspective and I slightly utopian or ideal in character. As such, the plan's primary non-binding function is to guide decision-makers as they face the many difficult choices before I them. It serves as a reference; an overview of the way things are in 1989 and 1990 and how county residents feel the future of Susquehanna County should be. It should be referred to again I and again during the course of carrying our County business. 1 Act 170, the Municipalities Planning Code, stipulates that I i comprehensive plans shall include, Sut not 5e lirnited to, the I following:
- 3 statement of objectives cor:cerning frrttrre developmeat including the Iccation, zharzcter, and timing of I ue iief upmac ,
- 2 ;?Ian for land cse which may inclzde 2rovisions for the I amount, intensity, character, and timing of various land uses: 1 - a plan to meet current and future housing needs; - a plan for movement of people and goods; 1 -a plan €or community facilities and trtilities; - a statement of the Interrelationships among plan I components; . - short - and long-range plan implementation strategies, and I - regiosal trends. B The chapter on Transportation primarily addresses the road Retwork as a limit on economic development. It identifies the I- 81 corridor and connecting highways as the primary locus of I potential commercial and industrial development and recommends that the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission's 1979-81 Corridor Study be updated and adopted as part of the County's comprehensive plan. I Susquehanna County's comprehensive plan consists of seven component chapters - Physiography - Community Facilities - I Housing - Land Use - Population - Transportation - Goals and Objectives. These components address in full or in part, those items listed above and stipulated to be in a comprehensive plan. I The first six chapters are largely descriptive, the latter contains the recommendation for action. I Summarizing: The chapter on Physiography describes the county's topography, 1 surface and groundwater resources, wetlands, soils, geology, and climate, while attempting to draw attention to the natural environment's limitations on development. I The chapter on Community Facilities is an inventory of county and municipal public and quasi-public facilities, noting any deficiencies. In general, the County is doing an adequate job I providing, maintaining, and improving county owned facilities and supporting a variety of non-County owned and operated facilities and activities. The only weak area might be in the category of U
ii I I I County owned recreational facilities. 1 .. mho ~~,,-,+..'q v-l- TJ I Susquehanna County lies mainly within the Glaciated Low Plateaus section of the Appalachian Plateaus Province. However, a small part of the southeastern comer of the county belongs to the I Appalachian Mountain Section of the Valley and Ridge Province. The area is characterized by moderate to steep hills trending generally in a northeast - southwest direction. This is a result of the direction of glacial movement. The last of at least three glacial 1 advances which ended some 7000 years ago covered all of the area except the peaks over about 2200 feet. As the ice sheet advanced from the northeast, it ground down the hilltops, 6Ug some valleys and I deepening others, depositing glacial drift over virtually the entire area. Later, as the ice melted and the glacier retreated, much of this drift was transported by the swollen rivers and deposited as outwash. Some of the present streams are flowing over buried valleys as deep below the surface as I 300 feet. In some places they cut a series of terraces into the varied deposits of outwash. The highest point in the county is in the southeast comer of Herrick township where the North I Knob of the Elk Hills reaches an elevation of 2693 feet above sea level. Much of the rest of the county is high and rolling with, for the most part, elevations above 1500 feet. Elevations above 2000 feet are common in the eastern portion of the county while 800 to 900 feet is typical in the vicinity of the Susquehanna River near Great Bend. The mtucimum county-wide relief, therefore, is about I 1800 feet. The maximum local relief occurs at Elk Mountain which boasts a vertical drop of 1000 feet. The typical local relief amounts to 500 or 600 feet and generally occurs where streams have I made deep vertical cuts through hard sandstone, as they wind through the county's many hills. In contrast is the broad Susquehanna River which dips into the north central part of the county and which flows through the softer Chemung Rocks (Lock Haven Formation). The few large areas of I flat land which occur in Susquehanna County are found along this river. I SURFACE WATER Surface water, in the form of rivers, streams, lakes, and ponds, covered about one percent of the area's land. The major feature, of course, is the Susquehanna River which dips into the northeastern I portion of the county near Great Bend before tuming back into New York State. The Susquehanna River eventually receives all the run offfrom the county. Major drainages include the Salt Lick, Choconut, and Snake Creeks in the northern part of the I county. The southwestern portion is drained primarily by Wyalusing, White, and Mehoopany Creeks; Tunkhannock and Martins Creeks drain most of the central and eastern portions; and the I Lackawanna River drains the extreme eastern part foe the county. For detailed information about major streams in the county see "Water Resources Bulletin No. 16: Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams, Part 11, 1984" which is available from the state bookstore in I Harrisburg. In addition to these major drainages, the region boasts numerous ponds and lakes, including ponds of less than one acre to ponds and lakes up to about 100 acres in size. Many of these were formed I by glacial action. Many more are man made. The high water table renders the area extremely conducive to pond building for aesthetic, recreational, and other purposes. I s 1 I The State requires permits for the construction of some dams. These must be on a stream and drain an area of 100 acres or more or be over fifteen feet high or impound more than iXty acre feet of water. If the dams are not on a stream they must be greater than fifteen feet high and impound more than fifty acre feet of water. There are at least 147 such permitted facilities in Susquehanna I LOUnty. There is no complete inventory of non-state permitted bodies of water. However, the Soil I Conservation Service participated in the planning and/or construction of 208 ponds between 1947 and 1965 and had an additional 170 pending. No records are available from 1966 to 1977. In 1978, they assisted in the construction of seven more. The yearly totals increase steady until 1982 (the most recent data records were kept) when 17 where built. Many other small ponds not requiring I permits or public planning assistance have undoubtedly been constructed over the years. For detailed information regarding dams and lakes see "Water Resources Bulletin: Dams, Reservoirs and Natural Lakes: Bulletin No. 5, Comprehensive Water :Resources Planning Inventory No. 1; 1970" i (and updates). I GROUNDWA1B Groundwater is the major source of water for residences and businesses in Susquehanna County. The importance of keeping this vital resource clean cannot be too strongly emphasized. l The term "hydrologic cycle" implies that groundwater cannot in principle be separated from surface water or atmospheric moisture. They all compose an integrated system or cycle. At any given point I in time however, a certain amount of water exists beneath the earth's surface that fllb or saturates the voids of porous earth material or cracks in rocks. If the water in this "zone of saturation" is ' sufficiently abundant and the medium within which it is contained is sufIiciently permeable such that I economically significant quantities of water are yielded to springs or wells, then it is called an aquifer. Contrarg to popular belief aquifers are rarely underground lakes or streams. More often, they are R simply those "zones of saturation" just described, consisting of unconsolidated material or a maze of interconnected voids or gaps in rock. I Another easily dispelled myth is that the source of grclundwater in the area is one or more of the Great Lakes. It only takes a moments reflection to realize that most of our region sits more that a thousand feet higher in elevation than these lakes. 14s we all know, water does not travel uphill. Even under pressure, water is not likely to travel such a distance. I In point of fact, most aquifer recharge takes place within a very short distance from the point of discharge. The largest source of recharge is rainfall. T'he county receives about forty-two inches I of rain per year. Twenty inches of this is lost to the atmosphere as a result of evaporation and plant transpiration. Six to nine inches constitutes runoff to surface waters. Twelve to fifteen inches seeps down to the saturated zone. This amount is between 397 and 496 gallons of water per minute per I square mile. This water continues to move downward and laterally until it returns to the surface as springs or channel seepage, where it makes up stream base flow. Nationally, about twenty to thirty percent of stream flow is groundwater seepage. In this area, sixty I to eighty percent of stream flow is groundwater. This reflects the abundance of groundwater in our area as well as it's shallow depth below the surface of the earth. I Depth,to water in the area is not far. Median water levels in domestic wells in the Appalachian Plateaus Province were measured by the Pennsylvania Topographic and Geologic Survey at twenty- five feet in valleys (145 wells), sixty feet under hillsides (513 wells), and 108 feet under hilltops (1 17 I wells). In the Valley and Ridge Province median depth to water is fifteen feet (63 wells), thirty- I L I I five feet (235 wells), and forty feet (62 wells), for valley hillside and hilltop locations respectively. I In Susquehanna County, for 224 wells measured by Lany E. Taylor of the state Bureau of Tmno,rarhic and Geologic Siu-vev in 1977 ~~101979, fortv-foix VP:PDR~ wpte undv Sftv-nre feet deep, seventy-one percent under 10 1 feet deep, and 87.5 percent were under 15 1 feet deep. Median I depth was sixty-three feet. While the water table is higher under hills than under valleys, there is a relationship between topography and the availability of water, both in terns of bringing water to the surface and of I contaminants reaching the water table from the surface. In general, availability is less under hillsides and hilltops than in valleys, gullies, and draws. This is due to large measure to lithology and rock structure. I Water availability depends on the size and degree of interconnectedness of water filled openings such as fractures, bedding plate partings, or small voids between the grains that make up the rock. Hillsides and hilltops are often underlain by the rocks which are more resistant to the forces which I cause primary and secondary openings such as glacial movement, water movement, erosion, and weathering. Valleys, on the other hand, are often formed where the rocks are more susceptible to these opening-causing agents. Lithological variations and weaknesses in rocks caused by bedding I partings, joints, cleavages and faults can result in low lying areas of high porosity and permeability. Permeability may also develop in the vicinity of fold hinges because the amount of stress placed on the rocks in these areas. Sandstones are particularly brittle and vulnerable to fracturing when I stressed either by natural forces or man-made operations. Groundwater nearer to the earth's surface, if unadulterated by surface activities is generally of a I higher quality than the deeper water. This is because deeper water moves more slowly and has more contact with subsurface rocks, thereby increasing the mineral content of the water. The most troublesome natural constituents in the groundwater in this area are iron and manganese. Other I contaminants from various sources include trichloroethylene,nitrates, dissolved solids, chloride, lead, chromium, acetate, cadmium, barium, selenium, and mercury. Also found are benzene arsenic,'and copper. About forty percent of the wells in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin (of which I Swquehanna County is a part) exceed EPA standards for one or several of these contaminants. Groundwater contamination in the Upper Susquehanna River Basin comes from a variety of sources. Non-waste related sources include leaking underground storage tanks, mine drainage, prehistoric I brine (saltwater) intrusion, water wells causing flow between aquifers, oil, and gas wells, surface water intrusion, agricultural activities (manure, herbicides, pesticides, algaecides), highway de-icing salts, I and atmospheric contaminants (dust, auto emissions, pesticides). Sources of contamination related to waste disposal are industrial wastewater impoundments, landfills and dumps, septic tanks and cesspools, municipal wastewater (leaking sewers, treatment plants, I residual solids), landfiig and/or spreading of sludge, mine wastes, and animal feed lot wastes. Extreme care must be taken in the disposal of any waste. Most aquifers are in the flat lying sedimentary rocks of the CatskilI and Lock Haven Formations and within the unconsolidated sand I and gravel along streams (Alluvium). These types cover the majority of the land area in the region Much of this discussion was derived from Lany Taylor's 1984 Water Resource Report 58 and from I a groundwater seminar sponsored by the Pennsylvania Environmental Council, November 13, 1985. I WETLANDS Wetlands are the transitional area between clearly defined aquatic environments and clearly defmed I I 3 terrestrial environments. These areas are inundated by water at or near the surface of the land or are covered by shallow water. Wetlands can be scientifically delineated by the presence of hydric I Soils (indicating frequent saturation), hydrophytic plants (which require substantial amounts of water), and water at least part of the growing season each year. II Wetlands are commonly know. 99 ~wawms,manbe? or bogs ‘Rev n€ter fom slonp riven gtrepmq lakes, ponds, and in upland depressions where surface water collects or springs percolate up to the surface of the land. Historically, they have been treated as undesirable, insofar as they may be inhospitable to many of man’s activities, such as d~:velopmeinlor certain kinds of agriculture. 1 More recently, after many years of wetland losses due to drain and fill activities, we have begun to recognize the value of these vulnerable areas. For e:uample, wetlands temporarily store flood waters I and protect downstream lands from flood damage. Wetland vegetation reduces soil erosion, dampens wave activity, and reduces the velocity of current, also protecting downstream areas from costly damage. 0 Wetland vegetation also reduces turbidity and helps to improve water quality. Wetlands help purify water by filtering out sedimentation and removing nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, and chemical and organic pollutants, before reaching rivers or lakes. Because of this characteristic, they I are sometimes used as part of a sewage treatment process. In addition, wetlands are prime groundwater recharge areas. This is very important in Susquehanna I County where the vast majority of w The US. Forest Service estimated that there were 61 wetland sites over 40 acres in size in Susquehanna County in 1979. This mounted to about 3,800 acres. No one knows how many acres I of smaller wetlands currently exist in Susquehanna County, or have been lost to development of one kind or another in the past. Statewide, between 19561 and 1979, there was a six percent loss. The Pocono region lost 15 percent of its wetlands. 46 percent of the state’s wetlands losses resulted from pond and lake construction. 37 percent were lost to urban and other development and 17 I percent were lost to agriculture. Soil conditions and the high water table typical of much of the Susquehanna County are prime I determinants of wetlands. It is clear that swamps or bogs are being drained, filled, or otherwise altered with increasing frequency in the county for farming, home sites, and ponds. Real estate advertisements often tout pond sites as a desirable feaiture of Itand for sale. These sites are usually I small wetlands which are destroyed b:y pond construction. As noted above, (see the section on surface water) ponds are being built in relatively large numbers throughout the county. Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, administered joinlly by the US.Axmy Corps of Engineers, and I the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is the priniary federal law governing wetland activities. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Sexvice and state and local governments have review authority under this act. Because of some debate over the precise mandate accorded the Corps by Section 404 and the I problem of enforcement with limited staffing, many timall wetlands, like most of those found in Susquehanna County, go unregulated by federal authorities. I The state also has permitting authority for wetland activity under Chapter 105 of the Dam Safety and Encroachment Act. This act gives the state the authority to regulate virtually all encroachments into the waters of the Commonwealth including wetlands. Once again, however, because of limited I 4 I 1 I time and resources, many small local wetlands continue to be destroyed each year. I Consequently, county and local governments should act to protect local wetlands using existing xthoiitizs .1;.&hblz to then;. X32)yxtz -xd.!x:d p-otection xi: i;?xc~c$~kd to varyLqg &gr~cs using one or a combination of regulatory tools including floodplain, subdivision, zoning, sewage, and wetland ordinances, building codes and permits, as well as private and public acquisition. Several I recommendations are offered in the Goals and Objectives section of this plan. Comprehensive analysis of these options as they relate to the other goals and objectives (such as the need for a land use pian in support of both wetland identification and a zoning ordinance) should precede their I adoption. An excellent overview of wetlands and their defense (on which much of the preceding is dependent) I can be found in "Protecting Nontidal Wetlands", by Burle, Meyen, Tiner, and Groman, American Planning Association Planners Advisory Service Report, number 412/413. Also see "Mid-Atlantic Wetlands: A Disappearing Natural Treasure, by Ralph W. Tiner, Jr., published cooperatively by the US. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, June, 1987, and I "Pennsylvania's Recreation Plan: Wetland Addendum 1986- 1990, published cooperatively by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources and the Pennsylvania Department of I Community Affah, January 1988. I SOILS Moderate to steep slopes and high groundwater conditions combine with the county's soil configuration to become the area's greatest limitations to development. The most extensive soils in the area are deep, gently sloping or sloping, and somewhat poorly or moderately well drained. I The single most limiting factor to development.however, is the existence of a barely permeable fragipan about fifteen to forty inches below the surface. The fragipan is loamy and brittle and composed of silt and sand. The slow permeability of the fragipan diminishes the soil's capacity to I assimilate sewage and solid wastes. The following table indicates just how extensive these soil limitations are. I PERm OF COUNIY lAND ARE4 SUITABLE FOR ON SI"! SEWAGE DlSPOS4L BY SOIL LIMITATION CATEGORY I I Factors entering into the sewage limitation categories are permeability, slope, depth of bedrock, I depth to seasonal water table, susceptibility to flooding, existence of boulders and stones, and erosion and slippage hazard. Considerations for landfill use include depth to and kind of bedrock, flood hazard, depth to seasonal water table, presence of stones or rocks, slope, soil wetness and ease I of excavation. AU the information about soils contained in this profile is taken from the Soil Survey issued in I August of 1973 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, Pennsylvania State University and the State Soil and Water Conservation Commission. This is an invaluable document which should be referred to befdre any type of development occurs. In addition to soils mapping and descriptions, it contains soil capability analyses, productivity ratings, evaluations of soils for woodland and wildlife uses, and I engineering test data and interpretations. It also provides a matrix depicting how each of the soil types relate to various uses such as sewage disposal, buildings, landscaping, streets and parking I small I 5 I lots, landfills, cemeteries, and much more. Soils are formed by such factors as climate, plant and animal life, parent material, topography, and 0 me. he ceiacive uiriuence of eacn viuizs Irum piace bo ~MX.Luiiaequ Thirty-five percent of the county is of this association. Topographic characteristics are similar to that where the Volusia-Mardin soils are found. Twenty percent of the association is of the Moms I type, mainly in drainageways and on lower slopes. A firm fragipan restricts water movement and the penetration of roots. Wellsboro soils make up twenty percent of the association and is found upslope from the Moms and Volusia soils. The fragipan is deeper so the soil dries more quickly I than the others in the association. Volusia soils make up tweRve percent of the association and is similar to the Moms soils except in color. The remaining forty-eight percent is primarily of the Bath and Lackawanna types developed in glacial till on deep and moderately deep, well drained uplands. These soils are more conducive to farming,. They 'are generally found in the southern I portion of the county where the soil iwms and drier; faster in the spring. Wood lots and ponds are common. A seasonally high water table and slow soil permeability limit the kinds and intensity of other uses. I Mardin-Volusia-Oquaaa Association I Roughly thirty-five percent of the county is of the Mardin-Volusia-Oquaga Association. The land where this association is found is usually where deep) stream cut valleys dissect the original high plateau. Long slopes, excessive relief, and rapid run-off are common. The stream water often deposits gravel fans at the bottom of the slopes. This association also includes the sloping and very I stony area around Elk Mountain where a high propoirtion of moderately deep soils are over hard bedrock. I Mardin, Volusia, and Oquaga soils are present in equal amounts,. Each covers about fifteen percent of the association. Mardin soils are found upslope from the Vcrlusia soils and are moderately well- drained due to a layer of friable soil material over finm, slowly permeable fragipan. Volusia soils I are somewhat poorly drained. Oquaga soils are well drained to bedrock which is about twenty to forty inches below the surface. The remaining fifty-fife percent of this association is primarily made I 6 I GENERAL SOIL MAP LEGEND MARDIN- VOCUSiA- U09UAGA CHENAlrOO - 0AHBOUA- VOLUSIA T SCALE IIN LYESJ ?!2S SO1L ASSOCIATION SOWEa USQA SOL CONSEI)ULTU)(I SERVICE BaY HAP XuRiE. PI%"N OCmRlHLNT OF TRANSPORTATION LANDMARK PLANNING SERVICES, Inc. I I up of the Chenango and Barbour soil types. Verv little fm~$notakes place in these areas %ade earlv and late b the dav from the hi& steep hiUsides diminishes an already short growing season. Restricted depth to bedrock and slow permeability constitute severe limitations for most uses. However, where the Barbour soils are I found, the limitations are only slight. Generally, these soils are good for woodland, open space, and recreation, I Moms-Wellsboro Association The soils in this association are found on gently sloping plateaus with broad swamps, swales, and large lakes. Elevations are high at 1700 to 2100 feet but relief is minimal. Streams are few and I shallow, gradients are low and temperatures are cool. Thirty percent of the association is of the Moms type and twenty-five percent is of the Wellsboro type. Soils of the Moms type can be found on broad gentle hilltops and ridgetops. The Wellsboro soils are found on hilltops, lower I slopes, and ridgetops. These are similar to the Mgrris soils but are deeper to the fragipan. Minor soils make up the remaining forty-five percent of the association. These are mostly deep, poorly drained Chippewa, very poorly drained Norwich, and moderately deep well-drained Oquaga and I Lordstown soils. Very little farming takes place on these soils due to wet soil, cold temperatures, and a short growing season. Poor drainage, slow permeability and a high water table limit the kinds of uses possible on I this land. Many sites are suitable for ponds. I Chenanno-Barbour-Volusia Association These soils are the least limiting soils in the county. They are found on floodplains, fans, terraces, and low valley sides under 1100 feet. About three percent of the county’s soils are of this 1 association. Much of this land is covered by roads and villages. Chenango soils make up about thirty percent of the association. These soils are deep, permeable, and well-drained and are found on terraces and alluvial fans. Ten percent of the association is of the Barbour type, also found on floodplains and alluvial fans. These areas are subject to flooding. Another ten percent of the I association is composed of Volusia soils. These are generally found on the lower slopes at the edges of valley bottoms. The remaining fifty percent of the association is composed of Basher and Unadilla soils on low terraces and floodplains. These soils are good for farming but limited for I sewage disposal. I GEOLOGY Exposed rock formations in Susquehanna county (from youngest to oldest) include: Alluvium along the major drainages, the Pottsville Group and the Llewellyn Formation in the extreme southeastern I corner, the Catskill Formation (underlying the majoriv of the area), and the Lock Haven Formation (originally Chemung) along the northern and westem boundaries of the county. I The major structural feature is the Lackawanna syncline (trough) which ends in the southeastern comer of the county, but whose axis tums and runs due north along the Wayne Countg line. To the northwest of this synclinal axis, the strata dip steeply to the southeast but flatten out in four or I Eve miles to a nearly horizontal plane, which typifies the bulk of the study area. Then comes a reversal of dip towards Tunkhannock Creek, to the northwest, on the axis of an anticline (arch) whichxontinues southwestward beyond the county line. This anticline dies out to the northeast in about the center of Hemck Township. Rocks in the remaining part of the county lie nearly I horizontal but are folded locally into minor anticlines. I Several folds enter the county from Bradford County but flatten out and disappear to the east. The I 7 1 Wilmot anticline enters at the southwest comer and extends across Auburn Township. Its southward dips are rarely more than fifty to seventy-five feet to the mile so that the strata in the I zofi+he~.??I-+ qf +>e coii~ty?re $so nearly hnT:?mt~~ The Towanda or Rush anticline of Bradford County crosses Rush Township and fades. The Rome anticline enters the county from the west and extentis throua Friendsville to Hallstead. I Much of the descriptions of structural features is taken directly from Stanley Lohman’s 1937 “Groundwater in Northeastern Pennsylvania“. I CLIMAI’E I Available climatological information firom the Montrose Station of the U. S. Weather Service, covers the years from 1951 to 1980. While statistics will vary with topography and change throughout the county, Montrose data are thought to be fairly representative of the entire area since it is centrally I located and its elevation of 1560 feet is common to much of the county. In general however, average temperatures decreases while average precipitation amounts increase from the western to the eastern portions of the county. 1 It is an area of cold winters, cool summers, and a relatively short growing season. Cold weather usually begins in early november anid continues through March with only occasional periodic moderations. Frigid conditions varyjing from a few days to a week or more are common from I December through February. Abundant sunshine, mild to warm days and comfortabjiy cool nights characterize summer conditions. I Summer temperatures range from the fifties at night to the eighties during the day. During the period from 1951 to 1980 ithe average daily maximum (ADX)temperature was 54.3 (F). I The average daily minimum (ADN) temperature was 34.5 (F). The extreme months were January with an ADX of 28.7 (F) and an ADN of 12.0 (F), and July, having an ADX of 78.7 (F) and ADN of 56.0 (F). The average monthly temperature for these years was 44.4 (F). I The average number of days having a high temperature of 92.0(F) and above was only one; a high of 32.0 (F) and below was 64. The average number of days with a low of 32.0 (F) and below was 166; a low of 0 (F) and below was 13. I Alternate periods of freezing and thawing are most numerous during the fall and spring. The average date of the first 32.0 (F) temperature in the fall was October 1st; the last in spring was 1 May 14th. Freezes have been reported as early as mid-September and as late as midJune. There is only a ten percent chance however, of a freeze occurring before September 16th of after May 28th. The growing season, defined as the last 32.0 (F) temperature in the spring and the first in the fall averages 140 days. Although from 1903 to 1967 it has ranged from 97 to 171 days in I Montrose. Precipitation is normally plentiful and well distributed tikOU&OUt the year. Annual rainfall amounts, 1 while ranging from 34 to 59 inches (1951-1974) averaged 42.14 inches (1951-1980). Monthly precipitation averaged slightly more th.at 3.5 inches. Seasonal snowfall, averaged about 88 inches per year but varies widely. In the winter of 1952-53 only 40.5 inches fell, while the 1969-70 season saw 131 inches (53.1 inches fell in one, month). The ground is usually covered to varying depths I about 80 days per year. Only June through September are without some snowfall. I I 8 HYDROGEOLOGY -e e-, cI*eok 1 LANDMARK PLANNING SERVICES, Inc. COMMUNITY FACILITIES ? COMMUNITY FACILITIES The term 'community facilities' refers to all land, buildings, and equipment owned by county and local government or by quasi-public civic organizations which provide services to the community. Thus, in addition to those facilities directly owned by govenunent, they also include such things as libraries, schools, senior centers, churches and the like. For the purposes of this plan however, we are primarily concerned with an inventory of major 'public facilities', defined as those for which county and local governments have some level of financial responsibility and therefore, some beaxing on the provision of those senrices. Those communiv facilities over which the county or local governments have no control are generally omitted (although some of extreme importance such as hospitals and schools have been included). This inventorg is based on local government responses to a questionnaire and follow-up telephone and field work. County Facilities The county owns the Courthouse, Courthouse Annex, Wamer Building, County Office Building, Widmann Building, jail, and several parcels of land. Constructed in 1854 and renovated in 1972, the Courthouse contains the offices of the commissioners, prothonotary, treasurer, register and recorder, tax claim, assessment, probation, and auditors. It also houses the county's data processing facilities, judges chambers, law library, large courtroom, and archival storage. The Annex, which connects the Courthouse to the Warner Building, wa8 remodeled during 1973 and 1974. It provides space for probation, the sheriff, dfstict justice, district attorney, senior judge, court administrator, and domestic relations. Previously the Lake Avenue school, the Warner Building was renovated in 1988 by the county for office space. Space is leased to Trehab, a private non-profit organization which provides a variety of services such as weatherization, energy conservation assistance, drug and alcohol counseling, and other human services. The basement may, in the future, be turned into a doxmitory for work release prisoners. Kitty-corner to the Courthouse on Public Avenue is the County Office Building. Renovated in the early 1980'~~this building is home to the Planning Commission, a conference room, Sexvices for Children and Youth, Agricultural Extension Service, Aging Services, Emergency Managment Agency, Red Cross, Soil Conservation District, Forestry, Recycling, and Veterans Affairs. Next to the County Office Building the county owns the Widmann Building. It is presently leased as retail storefront. Behind the Wamer Building on Lake Avenue is the jail. Constructed in the 1860'~~the jail is a large stone and brick structure. It contains a total of twelve cells with accommodations for twenty inmates. Because of its age and the fact that it wasn't designed to meet the needs of present day jail facilities, the county is seeking funding and a site for a new expanded jail. The county also owns two small park areas on either side of the courthouse and a 1.6 acre parcel on South Main Street previously owned by the Caroline Moms estate. In addition, it leases district justice offices in New Milford and Harford. The county also leases part of the fairgrounds in Montrose for emergency management transmission towers. 9 I While the county has sold off most of its holdings outside of IUontrose, the county retains ten acres in Rush Township from the old County Home property. In addition, it has a short term lease on the Kerr Motors building in New Milford where the Recycling Processing Center is presently 1 located .?E b7s 2 lease ppribipg !and omer! by V;.w 2Wfrird "?n;r.s>jp on Rxt3 I1 in ahizici? it plans to build a new recycling processing center. 1 County offices have continuously been expanded and improved. At present, there is room in the Warner Building and perhaps the Widmann Building to expand still further. Even so, county officials anticipate a shortage of office space in the future as services continue to expand. I In addition to physical facilities owned by the county and the services provided in them, the county provides financial support to several other organizations including: 1 Art Exchange, Inc. Elder Guild Endless Mountains Tourist Associatioln I Firemen's Association . Hallstead Library Harford Fair Humane Society 1 Literacy Council Mental Health/Mental Retardation Pratt Memorial Library I Special Olympics Susquehanna County Library Association Vo-Tech Nursing Trairbg I Municipal Land and Buildinns i For most rural municipalities, municip,al ownership of land andl buildings has historically consisted of a lot with a garage to house maintenance and road equipment. Municipal and community meetings were held in a church, school, or secretary's Ihome. Municipal records, if kept at all, were! I transferred from one secretary to the next. Now, as local government responsibility increases, officialsare flnding it necessary to have a spacious and warm public meeting room and a permanent home for important papers. In addition, with the I closing of many local primary schools, residents need a place to hold meetings of civic groups, scouts, senior citizens, and the like. 1 All municipalities, except several boroughs who contract out their road work, have a maintenance building. Several townships have built new municipal lmildings in the past decade, combining the garage with public meeting facilities. However, many 0.f the co~ifsmunicipalities are still holding I meetings in the garage of their maintenance building air in the secretary's home. Ownership of vacant land is important in this regard iLS site selection and acquisition can be the greatest obstacle to locating a municipal building. Vacant land is also important as many I municipalities recognize the need for public recreational facilities. Some boroughs acquire land in hopes of encouraging commercial or industrial uses to enhance their tax base and create jobs. I The following table indicates the presence or lack of maintenance buildings, meeting rooms, vacant land, and park land in each municipality. Deficiencies are noted where appropriate. I 1 10 I MUNICIPAL LAND AND BUILDINGS No No No No hhng for Sae to build Q. bldg on YU YeS No No Mlg. mom used for voQ oalg. YeS YB No YeS Mlg. room for public ufc. Baafield & Auburn h&. YB YeS No YeS Msint bldg contain$ mt& room Twp. lwa ballfidd. YeS No No No M@ beld in maint bl& look@ for dle to build nw Q. bl& W& to pudw .lem trhol m ‘92 for communitg center and put grout& Ya No No No MtgE beld in maint bldg. No No Ye, No Pour auea 9mt land QRt u)IZ Looking for central iile to build twp. bl& No No Ye4 YPS 1$. owlu 5 am with bWand gravel pit nu vi?lage Tmuble getQ p on lhh lot hhng for oile for @. Map. YB No YeS No Twp. OWIU ten acre parcel 11 Gdfh & Rike Rdr Twp. b in prom of building nm Lp. bl& and baopaftoathisrite YB Ya No No Mtg room L not for publ~cw except POQ, Y€l No No YU Maint bldg. ii ued [or voting. Ballpark io South Giin YB YPS No No Maint bldg. mtab mlg. foom open to public Y€l YeS No No Mlg. mom u 2 stoq commurdy M wilb Wed lot for partinp. Maint bldg bas obs FIem school In lagewill won be vacaled - hpp. nay be0 be without ballfield No No No No “wp. bin pm ofpunbqland and bldgr for maint, mtpr, and voting. Ye0 YeS Ye0 YeS YeS YeS YeS No Maint bl@ w$Ii rnb mom i on 14 m Ha0 no septic sgptem YeS YeS No YeS Tq.om Irn with part and 2 bldgs. for main4 itorage, and mtgp Ope! to pubk No No No No YeS YeS No No Maint bldg. has rnb mom Open to public hkq to site a ballpart Yet YeS No YeS Maint bldg hy m@ mom Open to public npP. law multiple use part Y6 YeS NO No M.bldg. for maint and m@ Open to public Playgmuod equip. located I llind YeS YeS YeS YeS No YeS No No YeS YeS Yet Yet Ya No Ys Ye0 Y6 No YeS Ye, I acres vmt land on maint bl@ rite. 2m ballpart in villa& YeS No NO No Maht Mdg, ned tuna& Boor, idation, c&g, heat No YeS Ye0 YeS 3 EQborn$ ball conbh hy,wnior ceog borough and police offim, ad large ball with stage Multiple R part la toran 13 acre vml parcel la ryiebrd bp. ured [or aazu storage Borough ne& gvage No No No No Ye0 Y6 YfY Y6 Maint bldg on Warbvlgton S, OhMdg on Canon S, Commuuify Cater on Ezab h S, additional pmpertg on Carroil St and Spa !X for economic ddopment Sman pwd end of Erie st and motb~~at eod of spring st 3 multiple Ipa& 1v&u faditis tiwugbout town Some pah need matiollo. YP8 No Y6 YfS No YfS lmbamBaa No Ye No YfS lpdcyaQRh No Y6 No Y6 r w Y6 Y6 Y6 Ye4 Y6 Y6 Homugb gulge off Monlrow street Borough hall on Spiq SM eonlab offias and mtg mom. Needs paint Mdt@ w park induding pool behiod old lcfiool small park downtown - needr playgmund quip. replaced Old garage on rmalI lot for itorage No Y6 Y6 Muaidpal bMg. b old grade Echool Space Q leared to a machine hop and the Couo$ 1 dmlop- mat Auh, Open to public for public m@ Ne& fumace, mmetic repain Born. ou.4 23 m io boro and twp. for ecoIlomic depelopment Muiapal park u vddeveloped ballpark, mis eowt, piaid& and tat-lat Ne& wm renooation YfY YfY YfY Yes No No No YB MtgS,andwtinginfi~ehallBaIlpartoaWakStreet No No No No I- f. Emergency Services C-r.'.r?Jiz?r! -x-_mr2:atinns '>?tween th? I7:blic L:? '5s mr'.xs ?:or$&- ?f smergrncy services throughout the county is facilitated by the Emergency Management Center located in the county office building. The center is operated 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The center also coordinates other Emergency Management Agency operations including planning for hazardous waste, weather, and other disasters. They cany out ongoing expansion of communication capabilities. Fire Protection There are eighteen volunteer fire companies scattered throughout the county. Ten are located in boroughs. The remaining eight are located in townships, some of whom operate from two stations. The twenty-two municipalities not home to an organized fire company contract with nearby companies for service. Fire companies from a wide area will respond to emergencies as requested. Fire houses are frequently used as meeting places for community meetings and events. Fund raising firemen's carnivals are often the highlight of summer activities in a community. Fire protection services are supported by local governments, fund raising activities, and grants and loans from local, state, and federal sources. Most fire companies do an excellent job within their limitations which include the difficulty in financing equipment needs, maintaining an adequate number of properly trained volunteers especially during working hours, and slow response times in areas greater than four miles from the fire house. County government should provide technical assistance to local communities and fire companies in planning for expansion and financing equipment purchases. Fire protection is provided by the following companies: Clifford Township Volunteer Fire Company. Primary area served: Clifford Township, parts of I Gibson and Lenox Townships. Columbia Hose Company No. 1. Primary area served: New Milford Borough, New Milford I Township, parts of Franklin, Jackson, and Great Bend Townships. Elk Lake Volunteer Fire Company. Primary area served parts of Dimock and Auburn Townships. 1 Forest City Fire Department. Primary area served Forest City Borough. Forest Lake Volunteer Fire Company No. 1. Primarg area served Part of Forest Lake Township. I Great Bend Hose Company. Primary area served: Great Bend Borough and part of Great Bend Township. I Hallstead Fire Engine and Hose Company. Primary area served: Hallstead Borough and parts of Great Bend, Liberty, and Franklin Townships. Harford Volunteer Fire Company. Primary area served Harford Township and parts of Gibson and Lenox Townships. Hop Bottom Hose Company. Primary area served: Hop Bottom Borough, Brooklyn and Lathrop I Townships, and part of Lenox Township. 15 Little Meadows Volunteer Fire Company. Primaq area served: Little Meadows Borough and Apolacon Township. iviunrrose Umcw rire ~ompany.rnl;nary area serveci: Monu-ose ljorougn, bndpewacer i ownsnip, and parts of Franklin, Dimock, and Jessup Townships. Rush Volunteer Fire Company. Prim,ary area served Friendsville Borough, Rush and Middletown Townships, and parts of Auburn, Forest Lake, and JIBSUPTownships. Silver Lake Volunteer Fire Company. Stations in Brackney and Laurel Lake. Primary area served Silver Lake and Choconut Townships.. Snake Creek Volunteer Fire Company. Primary area served: Parts of Liberty and Franklin Townships. Sprinmille Volunteer Fire Company. Primary area served Springville Township and parts of Aubwn and Dimock Townships. Susquehanna Chemical Engine Company No. 1. Primary area served: Susquehanna, Oakland, and Lanesboro Boroughs, Harmony and Oakland Townships. Thompson Hose Company. Primary area served Thompson Borough, Ararat and Thompson Townships, and parts of Oibson and Jackson Townships. Union Dale Volunteer Fire Company. Primary area served Union Dale Borough. In addition to the companies located in the county, several out-of-county companies also serve Susquehanna County communities. Th.e Behnont Fire Company serves Herrick Township and the Meshoppen and Lacyville Fire Companies serve parts of Auburn Township. Ambulance Service Ambulance service is provided by volunteers trained as EMT’s or first responders. Like fite protection, such services are dependent on local governments, volunteers, local fund-raising efforts and grants and loans from local, state, and federal sources. Ambulance sexvice is provided by: WordAmbulance. Primary area served: Clifford Township, and parts of Hop Bottom Borough, Gibson and Lenox Townships. Forest Citv Area Ambulance. Primary area served Forest City Borough. Great Bend/Hallstead Ambulance, Primary area served Great Bend and Hallstead Boroughs, most of Great Bend Township and part of Liberty Township. Harford Ambulance. Primary area served: parts of Hop Bottom 13orough, Gibson, Lenox, and New Milford Townships. Little Meadows Rescue. Primary area semed Little Meadows and Friendsville Boroughs, Apolacon Township, and part of Middletown Township. Montrose Minutemen. Primary area served: Montrose Borough, Bridgewater, Brooklyn, Dimock, Forest Lake, Franklin, Jessup, Rush, Springville Townships, most of Lathrop Township, and parts of Hop Bottom Borough, Auburn, Lenor:, and Liberty Townships. 16 I New Milford Ambulance. Primary area served: New Milford Borough, most of New Milford I Township, and parts of Harford and Jackson Townships. Sllver Lcixe &AL.UG. Tfiildij ai&i SW~G~.biiuCGiiaL ciiici AtGr L~KE:iDbiiBbUpa. I Susquehanna Ambulance. Primary area served: Susquehanna, Oakland, and Lanesboro Boroughs, Harmony and Oakland Townships. Thompson Ambulance. Primary area sewed Thompson Borough, Ararat and Thompson I Townships, and part of Jackson Township. I In addition to these ambulance services which are located in the county, the Belmont Ambulance serves Union Dale Borough and Herrick Township and the Laceyville Ambulance sexves part of Auburn Township. I * Police Protection I Twenty-four hour police protection is available to all of Susquehanna County through the State Police stationed at Gibson. There is also a county detective and county sheriff. I However, because of the rural character of the county, response time can be very poor. Consequently, some communities are hiring officers for local duty. These are: I mHm! PlUTTM 2Mom I(oHK1IpAL 0- 0- OPFKZM oDvpBM% CAB 1 0 1 Ya YtJ I I 1 No No 2 10 Yt4 2 I 0 1 No No I 2 6 No 3 0 1 No No I 0 I No No 1 0 No 1 I 0 3 No No I 0 1 No YtJ 2 1 No 1 I 0 2 No No I 0 2 No 1 I 17 I SQwi=k 2 1 No 3 0 lbDaploph 0 I No No U Some communities have contractual arrangements with other communities for mutual aid in police protection. 1 Every municipal police department in Susquehanna County suffers from a significant lack of funding. Most communities cannot afford to hire even a single full time officer. Fewer can support a late model car and 24 hour coverage. Crime lab equipment is a luxury for most Susquehanna County I police departments. The county should provide technical assistance to local police departments in the form of planning I and grant writing and administration. Further, the kncouragement and coordination of cooperative efforts between municipalities probably has the greatest potential for easing the financial burden of providing local police protection. I Health Services I Many county residents avail themselves of the sewices of doctors and hospitals in areas surrounding the county. Hospitals in Binghamton, Scranton, Carblondale, Honesdale, Tunkhannock, Towanda, and Sayre are utilized. From some areas of the county, travel time to these facilities is no greater I than to in-county senrices. However, for many residents, travel time to any medical facility, whether in or out of the county, is much greater than optimal. Within the county, Montrose General Hospital and names-Kasson Hospital (Susquehanna) are I within a one-half hour drive of most locations. In addition, Montrose General has satellite clinics in New Milford and Leraysville (Bradford County) and Barnes-Kasson Hospital operates clinics in Susquehanna, New Milford, Lenox, and Lakewood (Wipe County). I As of February 27, 1989, there were '605 health care professionals and facilities licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of State in the county. Some of the health care professionals live locally I and work elsewhere. Roughly one-half actually practice in the county. Susquehanna Countgr is fortunate to have a sound, if sparse, front line of health care specialists. Like many rural areas, however, the quamtity, diversity, and depth of health care options are less I than desirable. As always, the issue is the lack of a market to support expanded services. The need is there but the money is not. I The County itself can do relatively little to better the situation. It may, however, provide planning, administrative, and technical services for existing institutions. In addition, it should cultivate an environment in which new health care specialists would want to settle and practice. The County I may also seek to attract research and development firmi;, pharmaceutical companies, and satellite hospital clinics as part of its combined health care and e!conomic development initiatives. I I 18 I I1 1 I Professional Health Care Licensees in flrsquehanda Countg Chiropractor 4 Professional Nurse 307 I Dental Anesthesia 1 Registered Nurse Practitioner 1 I Dental Branch Office 4 Optometrist Branch Office 1 Dental Hygienist 12 Optometrist 2 Dentist 14 Osteopathic Physician & 4 I Surgeon Dental Auxiliary Personnel 15 Supenrising Osteopathic 1 I P&ysician ‘I Medical Physician & Surgeon 44 Pharmacy Permit -Hospital 1 Medical Interim Limited 1 Pharmacy Intern 3 License I1 Supervising Physician 6 Pharmacy Permit 6 I Practical Nurse 180 Pharmacist 12 I Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs Schools I Susquehanna County is divided into six school disticts. Each does its own long range planning and is financed by their own taxing power, Consequently, county and local government have little I bearing on school district activities. However, it would benefit all parties, including the school district, county and local governments, and the general public alike, if the school district and governments worked in tandem to achieve expansion plans insofar as local and county land use ordinances may effect such plans. In addition, the county should provide technical assistance with regard to grant opportunities and the coordination of sewage treatment plans and projects to help meet the needs of the rest of the I communities. What follows is a brief description of the highlights of each district as provided by that officials of that district. All districts except Forest City note an increase in current and projected student I populations. This increase is due to the combined factors of the ‘baby-boomer’s baby-boom’ and new settlement in the area. I Blue Ridge School District The Blue Ridge School District serves the north central portion of Susquehanna County. The 45 acre New Milford Township campus contains two buildings divided into grades K-6 and 7-12. A I current student population of about 1250 is expected to increase steadily during the 1990‘s. While there are no fum plans for the future, district of€icials suspect that an addition to the elementary school and some remodeling of the high school may soon be necessary. In addition, District officials are looking into sewage treatment options. 19 n Elk Lake School District ll n,lc T,ake C.rhnn1 nistr',c+SFYS the ;-i*tFnrest ~~3r"_~~r-f the -JIL~~; v.3 1 -,rr?dl ?art ~f 'Yyoxi~g County. Their physical plant consists oE two buildings located in Dimock Township along SR3001. The 120,068 square foot Main Building was constructed in 6957 with an addition completed in 1968. f Connected is the 40,138 square foot Primary Center. Also attached is the 32,889 square foot Susquehanna County Area Vocational-Technical School. Both the Main Building and Primaq Center have gymnasiums which will seat approximati4y 750 students. Current enrollment is 1,440 students. The District projects a 1996 student population of 1,889. The largest classes are in the I early primary grades. The District plans a 10 million dollar expansion project including 30 new classrooms in the Primary 1 Center, a swimming pool and an auditorium which will seat 575 students. Forest City Regional School District . I The Forest City Regional School District semes the southeast corner of the county and small portions of Wayne and Lackawanna County's. A single building built in 1961 with additions in 1964 and 1967 house the District's 835 stud.ents. An enrollment history provided by the District shows I that student population has dropped by about 200 students since 1970. Their projections indicate a stable population of around 850 students for the next ten years. I They report that with routine maintenance and repairs, the physical plant is adequate to maintain their present educational program. Montrose Area School District I The Montrose Area School District serves the northeast and north central portions of the county. Three buildings comprise the physical plant of this district: I - Choconut Valley Elementary School - Frien&xille. 53,000 sq./ft. - Lathrop Street Elementary School - Montrosa. 48,000 sq./ft. I - Jr./Sr. High School - Montrose. 115,000 sq./ft., 2 gyms, and 800 seat auditorium, 200 seat cafeteria and an outdoor stadium seating 2500. Total enrollment is 2,201 students. The lower grades are increasing in population. I The District anticipates no major changes in the near future. I Mountain View School District The Mountain View School District serves the south central part of the county. It consists of I elementary schools in Brooklyn, Harford, and Clifford, and a high school off Rt. 106 in Lenox Township. The age and condition of the elementary scholols has spurred an initiative to build a new 80,000 square foot central elementary school across Rt. I06 from the high school by 1991, 1 Student population, with a 1990 census of 1373, has remained stable during the 1980's. Growth is expected however, The District projects 8 2000 population of 1565 students. I Susquehama Community School District The Susquehanna Community School District sefves the nlortheast and and east central portions o'f I the county and a small part of Wayne County. Two buildings are situated on an 80 acre campus near the Susquehanna - Lanesboro boundary. I1 20 (I I The 66,000 square foot elementary school, constructed in 1955, has a current enrollment of 704 students. The 71,000 square foot high school, built in 1975, presently has 461 students. Enrollment I at the lower grades is increasing. The District is beginning a 2.6 million dollar renovation project in the High School. Completion D- is set for the fall of 1991. susquehanna Area V~~ati~d- Technical School I Situated on the campus of the Elk Lake schools, the Vo-Tech houses seven separate shops. The school runs health assistant, cosmetology, food management and restaurant production services, carpentry and cabinet making, electrical, plumbing, and heating, and power D mechanics programs for high school students and adults as well. A three-year R.N. program is also offered in conjunction with the Luzerne County Community College. Four school districts including Lackmanna Trail, Mountain View, and Blue Ridge, as well as EIk I Lake, send students to the Susquehanna Area Vo-Tech. With a capacity of 299 students, the Vo- Tech currently has 265 students and 60 adults. They expect to be at capacity in 1991 with the I addition of the Montrose Area School District. Utilities I Water The vast majority of county residents obtain water from on-lot water-wells. With minor exceptions, I the quality of this water is adequate. Where problems exist, the major sources of contamination are malfunctioning septic tanks, agricultural run-off, landfill leachate, and leaking underground I storage tanks. Permitted community water systems, as provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources, Bureau of Water Quality are: I Brooklyn Water Company Brookside Mobile Home Park Elk Meadows I Hallstead Trailer Park Harford Water Association Hop Bottom Water Company I Lake Raylean Corporation Lake Walter Water Company Lazy Brook Trailer Park Liberty Mobile Home Park I Montrose Terrace Mobile Homes New Milford Manor Trailer Park New Milford Water Company D Oakland Borough Water Authority Oakland Trailer Park Pennsylvania American Water Company - Montrose I Pennsylvania American Water Company - Susquehanna Pennsylvania American Water Company - Thompson Prospect Park Apartments Stillwater Mobile Home Park I Village of the Four Seasons Association Walden Hill I Weida's I 21 Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company provides w'ater to Forest City. Brooklyn and Harford I Townships and Hop Bottom Borough have indicated problems with their water suppy. So important to public health, the county and local municipalities should spare no expense in ensuring quality water resources. Several suggestioiis relating to water quality are offered in the 1 P .. 1 Goals 2nd Obj:-ti<,~~a~~tl~.. r)- ..-u yij.ll sewer I Like water supply, most sewage disposal facilities in the county take the form of on-lot systems. However, the area's predominantly shallow, poorly clrained, and barely permeable soils, combined I with a high water table, leave individiial on-lot dispclsal options somewhat limited. Residents find it increasingly difficult to obtain a pennit for a traditional septic system and are frequently forced to spend large sums on more sophisticated elevated sand mounds or individual wastewater treatment systems. In the future, areas of residential concentraitions such as small villages, around lakes, and I new multiple lot subdivisions, will find it necessary to install ?;mall community treatment plants. Currently, there are 19 federal National Pollution Discharge Himination System (NPDES)permits I to discharge into waters of the Commonwealth in 'the county indicating the presence of wastewater treatment facilities: 1 Blue Ridge School District Camp Archbald Camp of the Nations I Elk Lake School District Elk Mountain .Association Elk Mountain Ski Center, Inc. I Forest City Filter Plant Hallstead/ G.B,IG.B. Township Municipal Authority Keystone Water Company Keystone Water/Montrose I Montrose Municipal Authority New Milford State Police Barracks Quaker Lake Rest Area I Roadside rest #56 Silver Lake Tomship Municipal Authority/Laurel Lake Susquehanna Depot Borough Thompson Borough 1 Tri-Borough Municipal Authority Village of the Four Seasons I The borough of Forest City is sewed by public sewer but it is located outside of the Susquehanna county limits. I Many of the county's municipalities are addressing the wastewater issue by updating their Act 537 Wastewater Facilities plans. For the sparsely populated areas, on-lot systems are the most feasible, I so long as an adequate monitoring program is implemented to detect malfunctions. For built-up areas, small sewage treatment plants are necessary. The county should provide technical assistance to llocal governments in planning for adequate I sewage treatment facilities, in developing appropriate ordinances, and in obtaining and administering financial assistance for the development and construction of sewage treatment facilities. 1 22 I I HOUSING I 'I EOUSING I While Susquehanna County's population grew (5.2 percent &zing the 1980's, the number -.. cA hausing ;;nir;s xcreasea ~y i3.3 ?ercecc--?eariy xcee Limes raster :nan gopuiation. This Countywide housing growth race was twice the Statewide average of 1 7.4 percent. %ile owner-occupied homes ixreased by nearly 1500 wits, a rate nearly double the State growth rate, the perce-r?tage of owner-occd2ied boxes fell from 60 percent of the total county units in 1380 to 58 percent in 1990. ?e,?ter- I occupied Liics increased at three times the Statewide rate by 12.4 percent. Clearly, it became more difficuit for County residents to own their own 5ms in the 1980's. This fact is in part expiained by the rise in median home value. The i980 I r.edian value of a home in Suxpehanna County was $32,230, representing 82 percent of the State danvalue of $39.:03. By 1990 the County median value had doubled to $64,200, 92 percent of the Statewide value of $69,700. Durir?g the same 2eriod. I average per capita income rose by oniy- 40 percenc ir? Susqu&ma County. 3uring the same period from 1980 to 1990, over I000 new seasonal or recreationd uiiits appeared, representing a.?.?increase frm 17 percent of ail hosing stock in I 1980 to 29.5 aercent in 1990. This growth was ai increase of 2'c perc%?t over te~ years. As vita! as this sector of the housing ixiustry is, iliustrating Swcpe~knna County's development as a recreationai and second home market, this rate of increase 1 was only half that of the State in which this rrarket grew Sy 45.7 percent. While it is cSfficult to predict whether this trend will continue at its mre modest rate or accelerate towards the higher regional and State levels, it's impact on Swquehanna I County will be an important consideration in the years ahead. I SUSQUMANNA COUNTY HOUSING CWWCIERISTICS 1990 CENSUS I CATEZORY NUMBER PERCENTAGE I 'TOTAL ,YOUSING UNITS 20,308 100 YEAR-ROUND UNITS 16,365 80.5 1 CCCLTPIED UNITS 14,898 73.4 C"ER OCCUPID 11,798 58.1 I 3ENlm CCrnIED 3,100 15.3 1 VACANT 1, 467 7.2 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS 14 ,417 70.9 I MOBILE HaME UNITS 3 ,76% 18.5 icIULTI-FAMILY UNITS 2,123 10.4 I SEASONAL/RECREATIONX 3,943 19.4 I BUILT PRIOR TO 1939 7,9i6 38.9 I 23 I 1 CHANGE IN HOUSING STOCK CHARACTERISFCS 1980 TO 1990 I HOUSING TYPG -% COUNTy % CHANGE/STATF I TOTAL UNITS +15.3 , +7.4 OWNER OCCUPIED C12.7 +7.6 I RENTAL UNITS +12.4 +4.0 I SEASONAL/RECREA'I'IONAL - +26.1 +45.7 VACANT +13.2 -0.5 I MEDIAN VALUE ($64,200) +lo0 +78.2 ($69,700) I I a I I I 0 I O 0 24 0 I As discussed earlier with respect to population, the growth of both housing stock and the increase in median home value is distributed unevenly throughout Susquehanna County. Once again the trend of growth and decline is in evidence and must be recognized for effective and beneficial decision-making in the future of Susquehanna County. The following tables illustrate this pattern and reinforce the earlier observations of changes at work in the County. COMMUNITIES OF GROWTH IN HOUSING STOCK I (MORE THAN 150 PERCENT OF COUNTY AVERAGE) MUNICIPALITY 1990 UNITS % CHANGE; I SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY . 20,308 +18 I AUBURN 783 +27 CHOCONUT 374 +29 I CLTFFORD 1,081 +28 FRANKLW 465 +42 I FRIENDSVIUE 42 +31 1 GIBSON 534 +33 HARFORD 634 +29 HARMONY 345 +60 LANESBORO 292 +55 MIDDLETOWN 236 +33 NEW MILFORD TWP 1,053 +29 SILVER LAKE 934 +32 SPRXNGVILLE 628 +28 25 I I COMMUNITIES OF LOW GROW!L"/DEC3;INE IN HOUSl$G STOCK (MORE THAN 150 PERCENT BELOW COUNTY AVERAGE) I MUNICIPALITY EL90 urns ?i CHANGF; SUSQUEHANNANTY 20,308 I BROOKLYN 369 +5 I FOREST CITY 961 +1 HERRICK . 523 +1 I HOP BOTTOM 145 -8 LITTLE MEADOWS 124 -3 I MONTROSE 868 -1 I NEW MILFORD BORO 409 -4 OAKLAND BORO 260 -4 I SUSQUEHANNA DEPOT 765 -3 THOMPSON BORO 152 +7 I UNIONDALE 145 +8 D I I U I 0 0 26 0 a SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS 1 MEDIAN VALUE--UPPER QUARTILE COMMUWES MUNICIPALITY % CHANGE MEDIAN VALUE 1 SUSQUEHA" A COUNTY -+lo0 u&.Lm 1 APOLACON +81 $ 78,400 BRIDGEWATER +92 $ 75,400 I CHOCONUT +87 $ 85,600 CLIFFORD +92 $ 83,600 I FRIENDSVILLE +151 $ 85,000 I GREAT BEND TWP +lo5 $ 72,300 HERRICK +92 $ 82,300 I JACKSON +lo5 $ 74,300 SILVER LAKE +87 $ 80,400 SPFUNGVlLLE +98 $ 74,800 ,I 27 1 I SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY HOUSING CHARACTER&TICS MEDIAN VALUE--LOWER QUARZE COMMUTES I M U NICIPALITY -% CHANGE MEDIAN VALUE, I SUSQUEHANNA COUm .-+loo U!uQQ FOREST CITY +121 $ 50,200 I GREAT BEND BORO +94 $ 51,900 HALLSTEAD . +98 $ 57,600 I HOP BOTTOM +92 $ 48,400 I LANESBORO +129 $ 51,100 OAKLAND BORO +lo7 $ 40,300 I OAKLAND TWP +80 $ 57,200 RUSH +70 $ 57,500 I SUSQUEHANNA DEPOT +125 $ 44,500 D UNIONDALE +112 $ 52,200 Clearly these tables, while not exhaustive of the data available (for an excellent m representation of Susquehanna County see "Fair Housing Analysis, Susquehanna County, 1991" and "Susquehanna County Planning Commission Annual Report 1991"), portray the general outlines of the changing face of Susquehanna County. Seven 0 of the County's eight Boroughs showed the greatest percentage of population decline. Population increased the! most in communities fringing on more urbadeconomic centers both within and outside the County. 0 More careful consideration of these separate tables in composite fashion reveals the inter-relatedness of population characteristics, housing growth and median home values with the trends of growth and decline! in Susquehanna County. Obviously, 0 changes in population totals are strongly correlated to changes in the number of housing units (60%correlation). Growth communities in Susquehanna County are increasing in population and housing units. More subtlely, however, the 0 relationship of the loss of population and the stagnation or decline of housing in the County's older, traditional population centers is alsa very strong. Median home value is moderately correlated to community population change 14181, largely due 0 to the lack of new construction and existing home value. Surprisingly, median home value is only modestly correlated to communities with housing unit increases in the County 129%). While virtually no correlation exist between population change and the percentage of youth or elderly in the community, the percentage of elderly 1 is inversely correlated to a moderate degref! (-41%)with median home value, that is, as percentage of elderly rises median value tends to decrease. The presence of children under 18 years, while strongly inversely proportional to the number of I 28 Il I I elderly in a community (-741, is only mildly correlated to new construction and I median value I178 1. What this means to Susquehanna County's public officials, decision makers and citizens is not easy to simply state or grasp. Growth and decline are both complex I challenges. They are both a fact of life within Susquehanna County. The communities undergoing these changes are comprised of different populations with different needs, concerns and aspirations. The challenges to community officials will vary from diminishing tax bases and deteriorating infrastructures in the I traditional population centers to overdevelopment and increased demand for services and public works in the emerging communities. The delivery of a range of health and human services, quality of education, opportunity for young adults I will need to adapt to the changing demands of communities at opposite ends of the spectrum. In short, the characteristics of growth, decline, youth, age, new construction and wealth, economic difficulty, will present the most complex set of I needs and concerns yet faced by the people of Susquehanna County which will require sensitivity and attention if they are to be successfully met and answered. I I I 1 I I I I 1 I I 29 I LAND USE LAND USE Introduction Basic to the art and science of strategic planning for land use is the conviction that man is able to shape the future environment by effecting the rate and direction of development and change. To do this, one must recognize that the environment is comprised of many different elements, none of which can be planned effectively on an individual basis but rather must be identified, evaluated, designed and developed in some relationship to each other. The activities of the governmental unit which affects them must be coordinated as part of the total land use planning program. . Sound land use planning is based upon a careful analysis of the many social, economic and physical forces that interact within a borough, township or county and that determine its overall character. These forces relate to both the public and private sectors and the physical and social organization of the community. The process of an effective land use program seeks the integration and coordination of certain elements into a unified plan for desirable development. Elements with which land use planning are generally concerned include: schools, housing, transportaion, existing land use, employment, commercial business, industry, public facilities, and community services and recreation. Tools used in the process of effecting these elements in an efficient and orderly manner are: a comprehensive master plan, zoning ordinances, subdivision and land development ordinances, building codes and enforcement, and housing and community facility programs sponsored by county, state, or federal government. The ultimate objective of this process is to provide the means to create a future environment for the citizenry which is responsive to social needs as well as aesthetically attractive, economically sound, and realistic in terms of the financial resources of the borough, township or county. General Land Use Patterns In consideration of the aforesaid one needs to begin by examining the existing land use patterns throughout the county and the occurrence pattern for each land use. The following table defines the existing land use in the county as of 1992. 30 A~REAGE 13?8 i Agricultural and 398 ,494 504 ,848 Forest Lands I Comerc i a 1 a, a42 760 Public/Quasi Public/ 19,334 !O, 160 Exempt Industrial 1 ,80:2 i 40 Res ident i a 1 85 ,2713 . 3 ,400 Misc. 5,458 N/C Transportation/ 10,102 10,102 Utilities Water 3,810 3,810 Total 533 ,120 533,120 Source: NTRPDC and Susquehanna County Board of Assessment As shown in the above table the vast majority of the county's land area is in "non-intensive" use, agricultural and forest land. Of the urban-type uses the largest percentage is in residential. The acreage attributed to transportation/utilities is dominated by 1-81 and railroads that bisect the county. Chanses in Land Use While changes in land use on individual properties have occurred over the last twenty five years: the enactment of the County Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance appears to have had the effect of maintaining the predominantly rural character of the county. For example, while there are fewer working farms in the county, most of the acreage that is no longer used for agriculture has been converted to seasonal , recreational and residential uses. While the use may be different the basic character or environment appears similar due to the low intensity of the development and the fact that most of the open space still remains. Effects of Change in Land Use The effect of such a change in land use on the economy and lifestyle are profound. The net result of conversions from agriculture to residential uses is manifest primarily in a change in productivity obtained from the land, altering the basic economy of the county. The economy is changing from one which, 31 to a certain degree, was relatively self-sufficient, utilizing ;t_c loczl ~atl'r?' ~-sourcec: +r, 3 ~on-r-qollrc~hzsed erlonomv which depends on the service industry (dependent on a good regional economy) and on employment from outside the county. This dependency on outside resources leads to the next factor in the county's current land xse, that of absentee ownership. Absentee Ownership When the county's land use changes from locally owned, self sufficient farms to large tracts of available land for sale, the prospect of a county resident aquiring that land is minimal. The local economy does not afford the local residents to handle the I large mortgage payments and high.taxes necessary to own that type of residence. Rather, the opportunity is there for non-residents to acquire what, to non-county wages, is a "bargain". Therefore, I another factor of significance that could influence the future land use in the county and needs to be considered within the frame of this document is the amount of acreage presently under the control of absentee ownership. A detailed survey in 1986 of I ten municipalities (two boroughs and eight townships) revealed that 36% of the property owners, representing 30% of the total acreage of these ten municipalities were absentee owners. The I transition of land into absentee ownership does provide a market for the land, a larger tax base, and, to some degree, less demand for services. However, this form of ownership has the potential I to alter the overall character of the community or county if the value of open space and rural character are not respected and I maintained. Concl usi on I The mix of individual property land uses in Susquehanna County is changing and is expected to continue to change. Despite this, the predominantly residential nature of these changes is not 1 expected to dramatically alter the rural character of the county. The lifestyle and economy that go along with these land uses will continue. County residents and their local governments will not immediately be faced with overtly visible changes in their 1 environment beyond the presence of new houses here and there. On the other hand they will have to adjust to an increase in the number (and a decrease in the familiarity) of people in the area I and the differences in lifestyle values and expectations these people bring with them and the services that they demand. Thus, maintaining the rural character of the county, a primary goal of the residents, requires that the county accomodate the transition from a primarily self-sufficient, extractive resource based economy to an economy based primarily on a bedroom, seasonal and transient (tourism/recreation based) population, without destroying the resource base which defines its rural character - namely the open space, agriculturally oriented types of land use. 32 I 'lowever, this is easier saic? than done. Easier, herhaps, than dealing with the ripple effects of the change in poprrlation and P :+c =p-nm?inving ?\if+ irl 3ercc3ived or real recessities: increased demand GT? ixfrastructure and publlc services and changing societal values, 50th of which can tax1 the current residents' ability to adjust to "new ways". 1 Maintaining the rural character might be acc{implished by continuing to effect the physical patterns of change in land use. I However, since a rural character or environment is defined not only by its physical nature but also by the social factors, the development of a !and use guidance! system which is sensitive to the natural and social impacts of development pressures as well I as the purely physical or locational factors could be of greater benefit. . I Conserving the rural character, defined by the physical and social environments, can be accomplished by guiding the type and location of uses occuring in Susquehanna County now and in the I future such that the negative effects of new and changing land uses on the land and on the people utilizing the land are minimized. This could be accomplished at either the local municipal level or county level. I I I I 1 M I 1 I I 33 0 a POPULATION POPULATION AND ECONOMY Population Changes Over the last twenty years outmigration of population from the industrial northeastern United States to the western and southwestern states has become a major trend. This is evidenced by a loss of 0.5 percent in population from 1970 to 1980 in the northeast states compared to an 11.4 percent increase nationally. During this same period, the growth rate of Pennsylvania was only 0.5 percent. From the years 1980 to 1985, Pennsylvania's total population declined by 210,000 people. The 1990 Census reports an ipcrease in Statewide population of only .15 percent during the decade of the 1980's from 11,886,000 to 12,064,000. I In contrast to the statewide stagnation and regional losses, Susquehanna County's population (ranked 56th of the state's 67 counties) maintained a modest growth rate, from 33,137 in 1960 to 37,876 in 1980. A 10 percent increase since 1970 represented the ninth highest growth rate in the state. By 1985, an additional 800 people resided in the county. The 1990 Census places County population at 40,380; a 6.2 percent increase over 1980. (See Chart 1.1) Population projections for Susquehanna County vary, depending on the source of data. Indications from communities in the County in recent years suggest a modest growth rate and a county-wide permanent population of 42,000 to 45,000 in the year 2000. Much of this growth has occurred in communities outside of the boroughs which heretofore have been the County's tradi~nalpopulaaon centers. The population of most of these areas of more concentrated population has been declining while rural areas are increasing in population Size. (See Charts 1.2 & 1.3) TABLE 1.1: COMMUNITIES OF DECLI" G POPULA'I'ION MUNICIPALITY 90 CENSUS % CHANGE; Forest City Boro 1,846 ( -4.05) Great Bend Boro 704 ( -4.86) Great Bend Twp 1,817 ( -6.15) Hop Bottom Boro 345 (-14.81) Little Meadows Bora 326 (-13.07 New Milford Boro 953 ( -8.37) Oakland BOK) 641 (-12.67) Susquehanna Depot 1,760 (-11.74) Uniondale Boro 303 ( -5.61) 34 I I I SUSQUEHANNA COITNTY 1 POPULATION TREND I Thousands 50 I . 1 I I 1 I I I ...... I 0- 1 COUNTY POPULATION 1 1 1960 1970 E1 1980 1990 1 Chart 1.L:County Population 1960 to 1990 I _. -__ - __- - __ POPULATION DECLINE-SELECTED COMMUNITIES SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY 1960 TO 1990 3000 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Forest City Hallstead Montrose Susquehanna 1960 1970 01980 1990 Chart 1. .2 I I POPULATION GROWTH - SELECTED COMMUNITIES SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY 1960 TO 1990 2500 2000 -...... ,...... 1500 ...... 1000 500 ... 0 - Auburn Lenox Liberty Bridge water 1960 1970 1980 1990 Chart 1.3 I I I SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY AGE DISTRIBUTION I TOTAL NUMBER BY AGE GROUP, 1980 to 1990 I AGE GROUPS I Under 5 I 5-20 I 21 -24 I 25-44 I 45-54 I 55-59 I 60-64 I 65-74 I 75 + I 0 2- 4 6 8 10 12 14 i Thousands I 80 CENSUS 90 CENSUS 8 Chart 1.4 I 1 1 1 TABLE 1.2: COMMUNITIE S OF POPULATION GROWTIf I MUNICIPALITL 90 CENSU$ 8 CHANGK Ararat Twp 420 (+17.98) Auburn Twp 1,639 (+17.91) Brooklyn Twp 873 (+16.71) I Clifford Twp 2,147 (+26.00) Forest Lake Twp 1,846 (+16.601 Franklin Twp 913 ( +21.57 1 I Gibson Twp . 1,015 (+16.801 Herrick Twp 563 (+23.19) Jessup Twp 483 (+15.55 I Lanesboro Boro 659 (+41.721 Lathrop Twp 794 (+11.051 Len= Twp 1,581 (+14.401 Silver Lake Twp 1,542 (+43.71) I Springville Twp 1,424 I+23.08 1 U Age Distribution Following previous trends, the nation's population continued to age in the 1980's. I The 1980 median age of 30 years had increased to 30.9 by 1983 and is projected to be 33+ by 1990. This trend is expected to continue as the baby boom generation ages. In the early 1980's, the only age group less than 24 years old to increase I was the under-five population. This group represent& 7.2 percent of the 1980 population - the lowest total ever for this age group. By 1983, this group had grown to 7.8 percent. Age groups between 5 and 24 decreased, while most age I groups over 24 years increased in total size (The 55 to 64 group showed a small decline). Of these, the most notable growth occurred in the groups 25 to 54 and 65 & older. This aging trend can also by seen in the population of the state where median age mse to 32.1 years in 1980 and to 35 years by 1990. [Changes in 1 population totals and percentages are illuslzated in Charts 1.4 and 1.5) I I I I I 1 35 1 1 8 SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY AGE DISTRIBUTION PERCENT OF POPULATION BY AGE GROUP 1 I I AGE GROUPS 80 CENSUS 90 CENSUS I Under 5 i 1 5-20 B 21 -24 I 25-44 1 45- 54 I 55-59 1 60-64 1 65-74 I 75 + , I I I I I I 1 I I I I I 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 I PERCENT OF POPULATION 8 Chart 1.5 I The age distribution for Susquehanna County in 1980 was fairly similar to that of the nation and the state. The population of the County is aging. A median age of 31.6 in 1980, up 2.2 years from 1970, increased to 34.9 years by 1990. Despite the similarities contained in the 1980 Census and the current median age values, the 1990 Census shows a County population which is changing in much different fashion from the State population (See Chart 1.6). While there is general agreement in the direction of change between all age groups, there are significant differences in the rate of those changes. Both County and State figures reflect the "Mini-Baby Boom" of the middle and late 1980's with modest increases in the "Under 5 Years of Age" segment of the population. Both show significant decreases in the "5 to 20" and "21 to 24" age groups. However, the rate of decredsefor the for the County "5 to 20" group was only one fourth the State's rate of decline for this group. Conversely, in the age group "21 to 24 Years," the County population demeases at twice the Statewide rate. Painting with a broad brush, the expectation of importance here is for a school age population in Susquehanna County which should remain relatively stable while the Statewide school age population diminishes. The other infxmmce to be drawn from the accelerated decline in the County's "21 to 24 Years" age group is I the apparent attraction of opportunities for education, work and lifestyle of locations outside the County for this age group. I Growth in the number of people in the age group "25 to 44" are similar for both Susquehanna County (+17.4%)and the State (+19.4%). Both populations show an increase in the age group "45 to 54," however, the County increase is nearly I threefold (+16.7%) that of the State (+6.34%). This, coupled with a County rate of decline one half that of the State (-9.65 to -22.43% respectively) for the age group "55 to 59," indicates growing County middle-aged population when compared to the Statewide trend. The senior population groups of "60 to 64," "65 to 74" and "75 I and over" changed at essentially the same rate on the County and State levels. Locally, however, the percentage of the County population age group "65 and over'' increased three percent from 1980 to 1990. On the whole, entering the last decade of the Twentieth Century, Susquehanna County's is characterized by stable xhd-age and mature-adult populations, a shrinking pool of young adults, and portionally larger middle-age and senior representation. The needs and concerns of a Rgion are in part determined by the makeup of its population. While population characteMcs are nut the sole determinates of need, they can be important points of departure for the goals and direction of County decision makers. In general, a correlation exists between communities of growth and youth and between communities of decline and age, a further consideration in defining future need. 36 i I I COMPARSION OF CHANGE IN AGE GROUPS Susquehanna County versus Pennsylvania I I COUNTY STATE I AGE GROUPS . I Under 5 I 5-20 I 21-24 I 25-44 I 45 - 54 I 55-59 I 60-64 1 65-74 I 75 + I I I I 40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 PERCENT OF CHANGE I Chart 1.6 Change in Percentage, 1980 to 1980 I I TABLE 1.3: COMMUmES OF YOUTH AND AGK MUNICIPALITY % UNDER 18 8 65 & OVER sueqwhanna county 26.8 15.3 Apolacon 30.0 Ararat 19.3 Clifford 20.6 Dimock 29.6 Forest City . 30.4 Forest Lake 31.0 Friendmille 32.4 Great Bend Boro 20.5 Harmony 29.8 Hop Bottom 29.3 Lanesboro 31.3 Little Meadows 29.1 Montrose 24.3 Silver Lake 29.6 Susquehanna Depot 31.0 Thompson Boro 29.6 Thompson Twp 19.8 Uniondale 22.4 (Communities listed have 10% or more youth or 25% or more senior population than County average 1 37 I R Families and Households Susquehanna County has a much higher percentage of young ,families compared to the state, as illustrated Mow. Slight differences exist betwFn state and County I percentages in the categories of female single head of house, one person households over 64, female over 64 non-family household, male single head of household, and two or more person over 64 households. I \ TABLE 1.4: HO- 9 CatWaY Stat0 County Married/l or more . I under 18 years old 30.0% 36.8% Female Single I House holder 14.0% 12.2% Over 64/1 Householder 9.8% 10.3% U Female over 64 Non-family household 8.0% 8.1% I Male Single Householder 8.0% 7.0% I Two or more over 64 Households 15.7% 17.0% I Education Statewide, 64.6 percent of the p0pUl;ation held high school diplomas in 1980. I Susquehanna County is similar, with 6'5.1 percent graduating from high school. However, while the state population included 13.5 percent with college degrees, college graduates represented only 8.7 percent of the County's population. This 1 is despite the fact that the County ranked ninth in the state for local government spending on educauon at $500 per capita. Income I The 1980 state-wide median income was $19,995 for families and $16,880 for households. The County's median income figures are 18 percent less for families 1 ($16,384)and 16 percent less for households ($14,182 - 52nd of the state's 67 counties). 1980 per capita income for the state averaged $7,077. Susquehanna County's 1980 per capita income was 21 percent lower at $5,615. While this figure 1 grew to $8,243 by 1985, the County still ranked only 48th of the 67 counties in Pennsylvania. l 38 0 B Labor Force Pennsylvania, as part of the industrialized northeast, has experienced the loss of a number of significant industries over the last 25 years and with it, significant job losses. State-wide unemployment in March of 1983 was a staggering 13.9 percent. However, with the national economic recovery beginning in the mid-l980s, the employment picture in the state has improved dramatically. In July 1989 the adjusted unemployment rate for the state was at 4.5 percent and the national rate at 5.2 percent. The total of 5,562,000 employed persons in the state was higher than at any time prior to 1989. Despite this revitalization, the representatAon of manufacturing jobs as a percentage of the overall labor force continues to decline. In the category of non-manufacturing jobs, construction, wholesale trade, finance- insurance-real estate, and service occupations are at or near an all time high. The county unemployment rate since 1985 has CharacteMdy run about one percent higher than the state, as illustrated below. Y- Stat9 County 1979 6.9% 8.4% 1980 7.8% 9.4% 1981 8.4% 9.5% 1982 10.9% 10.6% 1983 11.8% 10.2% 1984 9.1% 8.9% 1985 8.0% 9.8% 1986 6.8% 8.1% 1987 5.7% 7.1% 1988 5.1% 6.0% 80 EMPLQYMENTORSUSQl1E"NA COUrrrX # % Total Labor Force employed, male 9,082 55.9 Total Labor Force employed, female 5,836 35.9 Total Unemployed, male 857 5.3 Total Unemployed, female 471 2.9 TOTAL LABOR FORCE 16,246 100.0 39 Industry, Business and Occupation A 1982 study of retail trade and taxable service industries in Pennsylvania iden- 64,266 retail establishments which generated in excess of $49 billion in sales, employed 697,826 people and paid over $5.6 bUon in'wages. Retail trade includes general merchandise group stores, food stores, apparel and accessory stores, and eating and drinking places. Per capita sales under;these four headings totalled $2,088. Under taxable service industries (hotels, mote+, and other lodging, health services except hospitals, and legal services) 55,022 establishments were idenmed, with receipts of over $19 billion dollars, 485,850 employees, and a total payroll of more than $7 billion. In this same study, Susquehanna Coune accounted for 172 retail trade businesses, generating $87 million in sales, and paying $7.5 million in wages to 964 employees. An additional 572 persons were employed in 87 taxable service industry establishments which generated total receipts of $11.1 million and supported an annual payroll of $3.1 million. Significantly, county-wide per capita sales under the four major headings totalled only $829 as compared to the state per capita sales total of $2088, or 40% of the state average. Regionally this compares to per capita sales in Wayne County of $1630, Wyoming County at $1212, Bradford County at $1317, and Lackawanna County's $2191. Clearly, much of Susquehanna County's purchasing income for basic necessities Like food,clothing, and general merchandise and entertainment, is being spent outside the county. A 1986 study of County Business Patterins for selected industries in Pennsylvania reveals that 597 establishments operated in Suaquehanna County, employing 6,024 persons, with an annual payroll of $76.4 million. A breakdown of the 597 businesses by employment-size class is illustrated below. 97 percent of the County workforce worked in businesses with less than 50 employees. 64 percent worked in businesses employing less than five persons. TABLE 1.7: 'RU- OF EMPLOYEES Number of Employees Number of Businesaas 1 to 4 384 5 to 9 99 10 to 19 60 20 to 49 36 50 to 99 9 100 to 249 6 250 to 499 2 500 to 999 1 40 I I -, rL-~c:sale ~YL.J~Vbrakc: ;he 23iiiicy jiidiid- ~A~~~:~AA;O ixne ~el~~cilLLLC-JGiACL, detaUng number of businesses, number of employees, and annual payroll. 1 Businesses in Susquehanna County accounted for 40 percent of the 14,918 jobs held by county residents while 60 percent worked outside the county. 1 TABLE 1.8: -COUm RUSINESSPATTERNS.19M I #Bushmema #Employees payroll 7 29 $ 285,000 1 6 56 $ 1,304,000 Construction 63 241 $ 3,347,000 I Manufacturing 47 2039 $34,203,000 Transportaidon I & Public Utility 27 257 !$ 5,388,000 Wholesale 26 210 $ 3,042,000 1 Retail Trade 168 1159 $10,606,000 Banking,Insurance I & Real Estate 34 285 $ 4,033,000 Services 152 1583 $l3,039,OoO I Undassified 67 165 $ 1,134,000 I TOTAL 597 6024 $76,380,000 1 1 I I I I I 41 The following two tables detail the employment by industry[ and by occupation according to the 1980 census. Note that these numbers repect employment of Countv rmidents reuardIess of +he 1-r.ztion cf t% jilb, .9s such they clz”? ?.ot an indication of employment opportunities in the County. -0N.S 1 AY INDUSTRY category Number Percent Agriculture, F~restrll,Fisheries, Mining 1,332 8.9 Construction 885 5.9 Manufacturing 5,489 36.8 Transportation 736 4.9 Communication, Public Utilities 270 1.8 Wholesale Trade . 422 2.8 Retail Trade 1,755 11.7 Finance, Insurance, Real Estate 391 2.6 Business and Repair Services 369 2.5 Personal, Entertainment and Recrc?a&n 437 2.9 Health Services 1,043 7.0 Educational Services 1,153 7.7 Other Professional and Related Services 334 2.2 Public Administration 302 2.0 TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 14,918 100.0 42 U I I TABLE 1.10: WEDPERSONS BY OCCUPATION 1 Category Number Percent Executive, Administrative, Managerial 878 5.9 Professional specialty 1,431 9.6 I Technicians and Related Support 387 2.6 Sales 837 5.6 Adm-tive Support, Clerical 1,701 11.4 Private Household 71 0.4 I Protective Service . 112 0.7 Other Service 1,381 9.2 Farming, Forestry, Fishing 1,298 8.7 1 Precision Produdion, Craft, Repair 2,310 15.5 Machine Operators, Assemblers, Inspectors 2,686 18.0 Transportation, Material Moving 985 6.6 I Handlers, Equipment Cleaners, Helpers 841 5.6 I TOTAL EMPLOYMENT 14,918 100.0 Economic and social indicators from the 1980 census report describe the labor force I of the County as having the largest percentage of employment in manufacturing, the second largest category being retail and wholesale trade. The 1988 estimates, however, indicate that the service and retail/wholesale categories are gaining while I the manufacturing sector is declining (Chart 1.7). I Category County PA 1980 PA 1988 Estimate I Service 9.2% 20.4% 26.4% Retail/Wholesale 14.5% 20.7% 22.8% 1 Manufacturing 36.7% 27.8% 21.0% Between the years 1977 and 1982 the number of Susquehanna County's manufacturing jobs increased 22.7 percent (ranked 1st of 67 counties) while the I state-wide number dropped 11.2 percent. With the previously mentioned downturn in manufacturing, nationally and regionally, the inevitability of a decline in such I occupations does not bode well for more than one third of the local workforce. This trend in fact has continued through the 1980's to the present. Data from the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry and the Harris Industrial Directory I demonstrate the loss of manufacturing jobs in Susquehanna County, particularly in the manufacture of nondurable goods [Chart 1.8). In 1980, manufacturing accounted for 2500 jobs, approximately 35 percent of county-based occupations. By 1988 the number of manufacturing jobs had declined to 2200, representing 28 8 percent of the labor force. Loss of jobs in the manufacture of nondurable goods category accounted for most of this decline. I 43 TOTAL INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, 1980 TO 1988 Year 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Thousands of Jobs Durable Goods Nondurable Goods Nonrnanufacturing Chart 1.7 Source: FA Department of Labor Industrial Employment Susquehanna County MANUFACTURING JOBS 3500 3000 ...... 2500 ...... 2000 1500 1000 500 0 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 YEAR Total Employmen Chart 1.8 Source: Harris Industrial Directory The loss of manufacturing jobs in the County has been offset by a steady increase in the number of non-manufaduring occupations. Between 1980 and 1988, an additional 1000 jobs were created in this Sector of the labor market (Chart 1.9). As a result county-based employment grew from 7200 to 7900 jobs during this period. Summary County population increased by 10 percent between 1970 and 1980. From 1980 to 1990 it appears that population has continued to increase but at the more moderate rate of 6.3 percent over the ten year period. In addition, as noted in the Regional Considerations Section of this plan, housing stock grew by nearly 18 percent, about 25 percent of which can be attributed to growth in seasonal population. With respect to age distribution, it is noteworthy that the population is aging while a new contingent of under-five population is also growing. These factors have a significant bearing on the types of services required. An aging population will require more health services, better transportation, more recreational opportunities, and the like. The up and coming under-fives will soon be school age, requiring expansion of educational facilities. If the trend continues, more natal health care services will be in order. Economic conditions are also changing in Susquehanna County. Following a brief spurt of growth in the manufacturing industry in the late 1970's and early 1980's, jobs in this category locally and regionally, appear to be on the decline. Offsetting this is the growth in the service and retail/wholesale sectors which have supported local employment growth by absorbing some of the new population. These industries are greatly dependent on the amount of disposable income that is available. Susquehanna County residents bring home substantially less income than the state- wide average. A lack of vocational education opportunities and the fact that fewer County residents attend college than do across the state may contribute to this deficiency. Another paramount deficiency is the lack of sufficient local employment. Appraximately 60 percent of the workforce must travel, at no small expense, outside the County to find work. Aggressive and progressive efforts must be make to counteract these deficiencies by making use of local talent and resources. For example, the retired can be put to work teaching the young vocational and business skills. Valuable hardwoods can be processed locally into cabinet grade lumber or finished furniture. Efforts can be made to cultivate the second home and tourist population by sensibly and tastefully marketing the County's abundant open space and natural amenities. These are just three suggestions in a virtually unlimited array of locally available opportunities. While none of these things will come easy, the most essential ingredient necessary for alleviating these deficiencies is local initiative. The County can do much to encourage and support such initiatives [see the Goals and Objectives Section of this plan). 44 INDUSTRY TRANSITIONS SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY, 1980 TO 1988 Nondurable Goods 1100 Nondurable Goods BOO Durable Goods 1400 Goods 3 kilo 1B% 18% Nonmanufacturing Nonmanufacturing 4700 72% 65% 1980 1988 Source: PA Dept. of Labor &t Industry TRANSPORTATION 1 I TRANSPORTATION I Efficient an2 convenient transportation is a vital factor to the economic well5eing and the stable growth and development of any modern community. The livability of an area is effected greatly by its roads, bridges, rail lines and today its airport 1 facilities. This is particularly true for Susquehanna County, whose patterns of topography and physical development requires a pattern of major roads to provide local access and to connect the I county to outside crban centers upon which the economy partially depends. The volume of motor vehicle traffic on the county highways has I been increasing at a faster ratelthan the population for the last thirty (30) years. This increase reflects a national trend toward multi-car families and higher rates of car ownership. I Each car is being driven more miles. Today, it serves as a shopping cart, school bus and work and pleasure vehicle. These trends are expected to continue and will add an estimated average 1 increase in traffic volume of 3 to 5 percent each year to Susquehanna County's highways. Since the County is rural in nature and there are no major commuter bus lines, and no railroad or scheduled air passenger services available in the county, the I emphasis on the rise of individual motor vehicle transportation is magnified. 1 The location and condition of the major roads in Susquehanna County are vital to the development of its economic potential. In order for new industry to settle in the area, it is necessary 1 to have reasonable accessibility to modern efficient highways. The growth of recreation and tourism throughout the county will reflect to a high degree, travel conditions in the area, as compared to those on alternate routes out of the area. In the 1 past, the county's relatively slow rate of economic development and population increases has reflected gaps which exist in the present highway system. The major roads traversing the county I have not been improved consistent with the growing needs of modern traffic in a technological society. The major roads of Susquehanna County generally follow the 1 terrain which consists of rolling hills and valleys. Due to the lack of any length of large waterways in the county, this source of transportation was in the most part unavailable to early 1 settlers. As a result of similar terrain in most parts of the county, development and growth has been fairly uniform. There are no remote areas of forest land in the county as a result and I roads also are well spread throughout the county's boundaries. However, some areas do have better access than others due to better or more frequent construction resulting from higher travel demands. That factor will continue to influence the improvement 1 of roads in the county, since they affect overall costs and the I benefits which the traveling public will achieve. 1 45 I I Susquehanna County has 1,877.29 rniles of .road.s within its borders. 820.28 are state owned and maintained bylPenn DOT, and 1,051.01 are owned an.d maintained by local tjownships and 0 1-,-<- ... -.Le -- 1 _. four ;.s '3Qn...T,';' :,..>7:7 ' - r- -+...?----'. ?Y L2ve -.3or? . - ..a .-- - . -__._- ...... miles of roads per person than Susquehanna County:. A complete inventory and description of both ;state and local municipal roads I is on file in the planning office. l Poorly maintained roads, a frequent complaint healrd around the county, are often cited as an obst.acle to development. However, 1 that situation notwithstanding, permanent population rose by 16.64% during the period 1970-90 and total housing units rose by 64.97% during the same period (figure given for housing includes I seasonal and year around units). One can readily getermine from those percentages, poor roads are not deterring permanent and seasonal residential development in the county. On the other hand, while transportation is oniy one of many factors entering B into location decisions, the quality of the transportation network, as presently exist does inhibit economic development in the county. Narrow, hilly and winding roads are an obvious P impediment to commerce in general. \ If the creation of jobs through the attraction of light, clean I industry is desirable to the community (see section on Goals and Objectives), some attention must he given to the adequacy of the road network. However, it would appear that PennDOT and local governments find themselves in a "catch-22" situation in this I regard. Businesses may not be s:ited until and unless the road nefwork is improved. on the other hand, the state cannot justify the input of significant resources that do not immediately serve B anyone and local governments cannot afford to improve their road network until and unless their tax base is increased by the siting of new businesses. I Aggravating the situation further, PennDOT operates on a priority system based on traffic volumes an.d which emphasizes the networks serving commercial and industrial. needs. Clearly, Susquehanna B County's highways will take a back seat to the highways in the more developed areas of the region when it comes to maintenance and improvement. 1 The solution to the apparent "ca.tch-22" situation lies in the fact that it is not necessary to upgrade the entire network of B roads in the county in order to at.tract businesses. At this very early stage of Susquehanna Count.y's commercial and industrial development, it is only necessary to identify those few areas most likely to be attractive to business and utilize the II resources available to local communities and businesses to upgrade the highway facilities serving them, if necessary. I The most obvious and attractive place for commercial and industrial development in the Susquehanna County is the 1-81 corridor. About 27 miles of the interstate run north and south I through the eastern third of the county. 1-81 has a significant impact on the area insofar as it makes it easily accessible to Il 46 % I the entire Mid-Atlantic region. In terms of the transportation I network, its-. five Susquehanna County interchanges represent 7.. --.A:--uA ,-J;Aopmen~ yaLd.A~AdA iijr LLie area. I In 1979, the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission published "A Highway Corridor Study of Development Opportunities - Interstate 81, Susquehanna County, PA". This study provides an excellent evaluation of the development 1 potential of the corridor based on physical, social and economic conditions and offers several useful suggestions on how to I implement and maintain a development strategy. HIfEAGE RVD DAILY VEHICLE HILES 3AVELED (YWT) SY YAINTZ?WNCE FUNCTIONAL CLASS I ?OR SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY. STATE ROAD NETWORK 1 !ILES 3HVT !!?Cub" (Interstate) 24.78 325,726 1 UPC "1" (Other freeways/expressways, b other principal arterials) ------I !!!C "C" (Winor arterials) 1!6.26 240,133 HPC "9" (Yajor b Hinor Collectors) 346,70 303,494 1 HPC "E" (Local) 33.52 87,013 HPC "P" (Ramps) 5.51 169 I xoxaL I Source DennDOT I ! MUNICIPAL HILEAGE SUMMARY TCRHSHIPS SOROUCHS TOTAL I Act 655 853.950 48,840 902.790 I Tsrrback 147.670 49,390 148,220 1 TOTAL 1001.620 49,390 1051.010 I Sonrce PennDCT 1 47 TRANSPORTATION NETWORK I While the authors of this study >arrow development potential down I to two of the five interchanges based on several important IZCC~TS SUCE zs SO~~S,slope, labor aiia ilotisiiig CO~~~LLOAS,LOL general purposes it is sufficient to recognize that the entire I corridor has one of tke most desirable attributes the county has to offer for commercia! and industrial development; zroxirnity to I the highway. Bighway services, the first commercial activities usually drawn to these areas, are already established at all but the Lenoxville exit. These will surely be expanded to include more lodging, I restaurants, and gas stations to take advantage of highway traffic and increased county growth. I Proximity to the highway is essential to potential industry because of ease of access to ana from markets. While there is not an over abundance of flat land with adequate soils for sewage treatment, there is enough to support several small industries. I Furthermore, if other conditions are attractive enough, small individual package treatment plants may be a feasible solution to I the sewage problem. Including the network of primary connectors into the area under consideration effectively widens the 1-81 corridor. These I primary roads make places somewhat farther removed from the highway quite accessible. Consequently, the number of reasonably level sites increases proportionately, as does the number of I sites which have water and sewage facilities. Of the other roadways that have been experiencing recent growth pressures, nearly all intersect 1-81. Route 11 between I Hallstead/Great Send and Route 706 just south of New Milford - especially near the boroughs and interstate interchanges - have seen numerous commercial activities crop up. In fact, the 1979 I NTRPDC Regional Transportation Plan singled out the development at the intersection of Routes 11 and 171 as being uncontrolled and dangerous. They recommended zoning as a method to guide I growth and protect citizen safety. The eight mile stretch of highway between the two borough centers, has considerable development potential, particularly if I the sewer lines are extended south from Hallstead/Great Bend and if New Milford develops its own community sewer system. I Routes 92 and 106 are being developed because of the interstate and partly because an intersection of several primary highways in an otherwise rural area is a prime commercial center for the surrounding region. Both Routes 92 and 106 could see a fair I amount of commercial and industrial development In the future, particularly Route 92, since it is relatively flat. I Route 706 east of Montrose in Bridgewater Township, connected to 1-81 Sy Route 11, is experiencing commercial strip development. Development in this area occurs because of the importance of I Xontrose and the surrounding area as a population center. This I 48 particular strip is occurring in part becausd Bridgewater E Township has no zoning while the borough of MontrosL does. Route,. AT 7 CY -- ’. ,I - i. __,-2-3 :--,:::: d+A2 ,\lont;,s- -dAr L-4u 52 -- ---.L--dZ -; some development in the future. Route 171 between Hallstead/Great Bend and the Tri-Borough municipalities of Oaklaind, Susquehanna, and Lanesb’oro is likely to see some pressure in the near future because of the 1-81 access and the proximity of two of the most dens’ely populated areas in the county. As the Susquehanna, Oakland, and Lanesboro Industrial Development Authority’s (SOLIDA) efforts, to create an industrial park on Route 171 :!n Oakland Township come to fruition, additional development will probably be pulled towards and into the Tri-Boroughs. The :proposed new briqge connecting Susquehanna and Oakland across the Susquehanna River will facilitate development into and bx!:yond these towns. Because it is the most attractive area for co,mmercial and industrial development in the county, the 1-81 corridor merits special attention from development organizations and the county planning office. These interchanges and surrounding areas, already starting to feel some pressure, will most certainly be among the heavily developed areas in the county in the future. It is, therefore, important that haphazard development be avoided by the County taking a modicum of control as soon as possible. Consequently, the County should update the NTRPDC’s 1979 study and adopt it as part of this comprehensive plan. These actions would give local and county officials supporting information about areas under review for development in the corridor and give them a leg to stand on should an undesirable use be proposed for the area which is not consistent with the goals contained in this plan. The Planning Commission, in conjunction with the 1-81 Advisory Committee, if still in existence, or the Susquehanna County Industrial Development Authority, should actively seek small commercial and industrial firms to locate the 1-81 corridor, while the Planning Commission ensures a rational development pattern by utilizing the physical, data in an updated corridor study. The county should also give special consideration to this area and the study results when developing its zoning ordinance. It was previously suggested that the road network in Susquehanna County was not an impediment to residential growth. In fact, a few roads may actually be facilitating such growth. Routes 858, 267, and 29 in the northwest portion of the county are prime examples. People who work in the Triple-Cities area of New York State are making rural northwestern Susquehanna County into a bedroom and second home community. Routes 247, 106, 171, 92, 371, and 370, all service traffic stimulated by recreational attractions in the southeastern and east-central portions of the county and its environs. These attractions are causing additional large lot residential 49 I I I development in these areas. Ta"--3-?3.-%L ..,?ZS~T~E.- 1 , ?-,J... ~ L---.-.i.L3ient ?CIFY' -+.: -----~, ?."? 2.1 1, ??_. &'e rise. Increasing settlement will continue as long as the economy I remains strong, land prices remain below Pocono and Catskill levels, fuel prices remain relatively low, and opportunities for work continue to expand locally, and in Scranton and Binghamton, and through advances in electronic media (allowing people to work I at home). As growth occurs, there will be greater demand for better roads. While the existing network is adequate for the kinds of single large lot subdivisions typical thus far in the I county, the larger multi-lot subdivisions of the future will require bigger and better roads. When this occurs, the state will need to improve many of its I secondary roads. The greatest-burden, however, will fall on local governments as new residents, accustomed to city and suburban streets, demand improvements to the mostly dirt, locally I owned, network of roads. In sum, the transportation network has little bearing on where I permanent and seasonal development is occurring. In fact, there is a large element which prefers the quiet and relative seclusion afforded by the lack of large volume roads. Furthermore, there is sufficient room for a fair amount of commercial and industrial I development along the best highways in the county. Development organizations and the Planning Commission should direct development to these locations. Once filled, the level of I traffic should motivate PennDOT to improve more roads under its jurisdiction. An increased tax base, as a result of this first phase of development, should allow improvement of local roads in I the county. Where development pressures do not follow this ideal scenario, three alternatives present themselves. First, the developer can I enter into a transportation partnership with PennDOT. Act 47 of 1985 authorizes PennDOT to enter into formal or informal arrangements with the private sector to share the costs of I highway improvements to accommodate new developments. This can expedite development where existing PennDOT funds are inadequate to meet the traffic demands resulting from the new development. I It can also work to the advantage of the municipality insofar as it can require the highway improvements on this public/private cost share basis prior to subdivision approval, thereby avoiding traffic safety hazards that might otherwise be associated with I the development. Secondly, the county can utilize PennDOT's 12 year planning I process to improve roads of strategic importance to its economic development efforts. Specifically, those primary connectors located in the 1-81 corridor - especially Routes 92, 106, 171, I 492, 706 - should be widened and straightened. In addition, traffic control measures should be undertaken at I several hazardous intersections such as Routes 171, 370, 171 b I 50 E 371, 11 & 492 & 858, 11 & Franklin Ave. in Hallstea(d, 706 and 29 in Montrose and others. 6 Third and finally, when circumstances are right and; the economic development benefits warrant, ].oca1 governmenTs should be I prepared to incur some debt to finance improvements to local roads. With assistance from the state, county and Ithe NTRPDC if necessary, municipalities should pursue funding 'from various federal and state agencies, and through bonds and lioans arranged I by private lending sources. The map on the following page was provided by the' Pennsylvania I Department of Transportation, District 4.0 - Dunmor,e Office, for general informational use. Updated data can be obtained difectly from that office on the I following items. State Route Designations I Posted and Bonded Roads Roadway Network Traffic Generators Bridge Obstructions I Other Obstructions I I I I I I I I I I 51 II GOALS AND OBJECTIVES . GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ~ornmunicgclttiulecl goills are tne nearc 01 a comprenensive pian. ijg- ueimciori, plariruiy require:s that goals be set in order to define the things a community is to plan for. The goals presented in this plan are based on a two sources: questionnaires and a series of community forums. The responses to the questionnaries and forums, when reviewed within the framework of the physical, historical, social, and economic conditions existing in the county, help define the kinds of activities that county and local governments should undertake. As such, they serve as a guide for policy makers when making decisions about the future of Susquehanna County. If goals are the heart of a comprehensive plan, objectives are the life-blood. Objectives are specific implementable actions designed to achieve goals and satisfy community needs. The objectives presented in this plan are derived from numerous sources including the county's previous goals and I objectives statements, various readings on the subjects. addressed, and the consultant's experience. I QUESTIONNAIRES Questionnaires were sent to all municipal governments, school districts, fire companies, and approximately 30 other community leaders and agencies in the county. Local governments were asked to inventory their community facilities and list their needs with respect to municipal land and buildings, fire, police, and ambulance services, medical services, schools, libraries, historic and cultural sites and buildings, parks and recreation, arts and culture, public water, public sewers, and solid waste. Non-governmental recipients, such as fire companies, school districts, banks, industrial development authorities, chambers of commerce, and agencies dealing with such things as housing, aging, I families, handicapped, and so on, were asked to spec@ particular needs that they noticed based on their daily immersion in problems faced by the county, They were requested to address, at a minimum, topics relating to housing, land use, economic development, transportation, recreation, historic preservation, environment, and arts and culture. Of the approximately 50 questionnaires mailed to non-governmental entities, 18 (36 percent) were returned. On a scale of 1 to 10, where 1 is most important and 10 is least important, the 18 respondents ranked their concerns in terns of the following categories: hma 201 1 Land Use 3.19 3 Houoing 3.9 4 52 Environment Waste disposal topped the list of environmental issues important to this group of respondents. They were concerned about garbage and landfills first, roadside littering second, junk and junkyards third, sewage disposal fourth, and garbage burning, fifth. I A plurality felt that there are too few regulations in force to adequatedly protect the environment. About half this number thought that current regulations are sufficient but more effective I enforcement is necessary for this taslr. Other environmental topics listed were concern over the possibility of a low level nuclear waste dump in the county, the use of pesticides in agriculture, and the filling of wetlands. One person I felt that the county is underutilizing its natural resources, arid one other thought that too much enviromental regulation inhibits economic development. P Economic Development Economic development was a strong issue among the non-governmental community leaders who I were the primary respondents to this questionnaire. Of most concern was the lack of retail senrices. Grocery stores, large discount chain stores, and shopping centers were noted as desirable. The 1-81 corridor generally, and Hallstead and New Milford specifically, were thought to be prime 1 areas for development. Forest City and Susquehama were dso mentioned. Most thought that small environmentally safe industry would provide the most benefit to the I cpmmunity. Two respondents felt that the quality of life and the freedom afforded by the "communications age" would allow the location of corporate offices away from major cities and that . these should also be cultivated. One respondent €elt that the county should locate processing activities locally rather than exporting raw materials, such is valuable hardwoods, to be refined I elsewhere. Other topics included the need for main street rwitalization, the need for local beautification I measures, and more education options to attract businesses. Land Use I A variety of environmental concerns prompted a iseven to one margin of respondents to favor stronger land use ordinances. Stronger and more comprehensive regulations were thought to be necessary for such things as the filling of wetlands, the proliferation of of undesirable land uses, the I pollution of water resources by sewage, and the abuse of other resources such as timber and quany stone. A plurality favored zoning as the preferred method of guiding growth. I The few respondents who objected to current land use ordinances as being overly stringent felt that such regulations are too great an obstacle to econo'mic development. I Housing Most respondents agreed that a preponderance of low to moderate income households have resulted in many rundown houses and trailers in the county. The most needy category of citizens, according I to the survey results, is the elderly. The main recommendation was for additional elderly housing to be constructed in the Hallstead/Great Bend area, New hdilford, and Harford. Other topics of concern related to the need for single family rentals, the need for affordable housing (such as can I be found in mobile home parks) in high density areas and near central sewage facilities, the enforcement of a building code to maintain certain standards of quality, and the need for low interest mortgages for young and low/moderate income peolple to remain in the county. I 53 I I PLANNING DISTRICTS W i FOREST 1D N w m.FOfl0 D NEW MILFORD 0 HOhTROSE BORO BRIDGEC WATER I I ARARAT 0 i I I '1 ',, HARFORD i GIBS ON '. i .r SCALE (IN MILES) 012 .1L MAP SOURC' - WNhA. OEPARTMI '4T OF TRANSPORTAT ,N I Transportation The condition of the county's road system is a very emotional issue. Nearly all respondents felt that I the county's roads are a detriment in terms of safetv and economic development. The need for trarric control ana stormwater dramage in the boroughs was also stressed. I Respondents were split on the issue of public transportation. 50 percent felt that it is necessary, and 50 percent felt that it is too expensive and not feasible in a rural area. 1 Two respondents listed specific traffic problem areas including Route 57001 between Auburn Center and Elk Lake and portions of Route 171 in or near the Tri-Borough area. 'I Recreation The majority of respondents agreed that there is a great need for local community centers for senior citizens, and especially, teens, Several felt that the county needs more children's parks. 1 One suggested a county park. An indoor swimmin8 pool was also mentioned. One respondent felt that more commercial recreational activities are needed, such as movie theaters, ice and roller skating rinks, and the like. I Several respondents felt that sufficient recreational opportunities are readily available as a natural result of the rural and open character of the county. These people felt that residents should utilize the available resources and avoid the expenditure of public funds for recreational purposes. I Examples given are the game lands, woodlands in general, and the Susquehanna River. I Arts and Culture Nearly half of the respondents to the questionnaire did not comment on this topic. Of those that did, all but one agreed that the county is weak in this area. Most also felt that there are more pressing needs facing the county, and the pursuit of arts and culture should come only after these I other needs are met. Several people specifically stated that these pursuits would best be left to the private sector although the county could play a minor role in coordinating various groups or helping I to find a building for these purposes. Historic Preservation Responses to this topic closely followed those for arts and culture insofar as most felt that historic 11 preservation is a desirable goal but other more immediate needs must take precedence. However, several respondents listed specific historic sites in Susquehanna, Union Dale and Auburn Township I as worthy of preservation. One respondent suggested the formation of a citizens historical committee whose task would be to inventory sites of particular historic value and prioritize them in terms of importance and need €or 11 preservation. Another felt that the county could provide resource materials and guidance to individuals interested in historic preservation. I Others To the list of topics on the questionnaire, two people added the need for expanded law enforcement. I One suggested a county police department, Other comments included the need fox - more fire equipment and fire stations I - local jobs to keep volunteer emergency crews available during the day I - continued enforcement of the county's subdivision ordinance I 54 - local municipalities to plan - a settlement of the solid waste problem - the siting of a countyjail - emphasizing regional needs and impacts in planning Several of the respondents to the goverrunental community facilities inventory questionnaire recorded additional comments regarding county-wide needs. Commenta relating to the following topics, in order of the number of comments received follow 1 . Lwpelrccmd 8 Dlg 1 1 1 seaiorcititenioRK1 3 Homiag PUBLIC FORUMS A series of public fonuns were carried out in April of 1989 in. each of the nine planning districts designated by the county planning commission. About 300 people attended. The smallest group was six and the largest was over 50. Participants were asked to identify what they thought was goodi and bad about the county and how they envisioned the future of the area. Each person was giwn the opportunity to prioritize their interests and concerns at the end of the fonun. Meeting places were selected on the recommendation of the planning commissioner from each district. Primq considerations were a central location and the availability of an adequate meeting place, Meetings were held in the following locations: H~TadnpBlp.lding AtarB, Hem& Ttmmpmn B, lliompson T, Union Dale 55 I I locAnON I I Each participant was allotted ten votes so they could emphasize issues of greatest concern to I themselves by varying the "weight" placed on each of the items on which they voted. They could, for example, place all 10 votes on a single issue or split their 10 votes in any way that they desired. The fact that most people spread out their votes, then, suggests that these were not one issue groups. In fact, it reflects the breadth of knowledge and level of interest participants have in the I issues facing the county. However, it also mea that small variations in percentages between categories may be significant. I Despite some minor regional differences due to variations in the predominant character of each area and local current events, certain common themes arose throughout the county. For purposes of analysis, comments were combined into seven major categories listed below in order of greatest to I least concern, as determined by the participants. I I 1 I Eeowmg 9.65 I Recreatioa 3.64 I The following table, "Percent of Votes by Topic and Location", details the topics of concern under I each of the major categories listed above and indicates the percent of votes for each forum location. I I I 56 PERCENT OF VOTES BY TOPIC AND LOCATION ClifOd EnIdte FriaMe Hallstead Hhd Henid Montmre SilUerLake SJEquehanna nrAL PHYIRONMI?" Solid vute irn - 16.91 231 21.56 1351 4.19 la6 an la91 I3.U 1656 - 730 lU 19.41 - u9 4.n 246 11.74 SA 421 XI8 3.9 3ls 3.71 5660 iii m3 1382 - - 95s lS*O!l 124 1.69 - 13.10 458 - 9.70 1.16 350 IUl 731 - w 459 - 191 1898 - - I236 24.10 6.37 - - 9.01 code domal 436 - 3.49 4.8s 5.61 - 3.61 - 054 430 3u1 10.81 11.49 1021 1915 710 260 131 - 5.91 282 4.70 5.4 3.81 216 151 329 291 3.90 276 1.00 235 210 Public pattiupation in got1 I- -- I_ 4.90 10.33 198 281 151 us - w 10.18 489 1I.m nu ECONOMY Job don 11.10 13.06 19 14.08 9.19 I_ 351 Q16 732 17.60 9.65 TRANSPORTATION Rod 3.66 15.59 350 216 6.62 681 56( TRANSPORTATION, C0WD IERPATION Need for more local rec oppd 800 11.70 6.02 - I The number of issues combined into a category has a direct bearing on the significance of the differences in percentage totals for each category. For example, "Government/Government I Services" includes many topics, includine taxes. interaqencv comeration. health care. services for particular age groups, and so on. Conversely, "Environment", only includes three subcategories - solid waste, environmental protection generally, and sewage treatment. Since I "Oovernment/Govemment Senrices" includes more sub-topics than "Environment", but has a smaller percentage of the vote, the differential in percentage points may be more significant than I the numbers, at first glance, would suggest. Another factor to keep in mind when reviewing these numbers is that the process of combining comments into major categories is somewhat subjective. Because so many topics are interrelated many individual comments could fit neatly into more than one category. For example, the comment I that we should give greater respect to natural boundaries when subdividing is related to both the "Land Use and Development" and "Environment" categories. Every effort was made to place the comments into the category most related to the context in which they were made. However, the 1 interconnectedness of nearly all of the issues touched on in these forums should be kept in mind. Environment I Environmental concerns, claiming over 28 percent of the total vote, were of most interest to the forum participants. Solid waste dominated the environmental issues with nearly 16 percent of the vote. Many people were concerned about roadside trash, keeping out-of-state and out-of-county I garbage out of the county, making recycling mandatory, and removing junk cars from around the countryside. I Sewage treatment was another specific environmental concern, especialtg in areas of concentrated housing, such as around lakes, small villages, and strip developments along major transportation routes. Also mentioned were the need for better agricultural waste management and better enforcement of sewage regulations. There was some sentiment that the latter might be accomplished I through a central county sewage enforcement office. Protecting the environment generally, commanded nearly nine percent of the total vote. These I1 people want to protect natural resources such as air, water, forests, wetlands, open space, and the like. Some felt that education about the protection of these resources was important, while others wanted to regulate mine, quarry, and timber operations to ensure proper reclamation of disturbed sites. A few were upset at the high cost of water testing. Land Use & Development Of almost equal concern to forum participants were land use and development issues, accumulating 28 percent of the total vote. The primary concern was in relation to uncontrolled, haphazard growth. Participants felt that certain things such as the natural environment, agriculture, the county's mal character, and its historic and cultural heritage, should be protected. Several methods of avoiding undesirable development were discussed. Eight percent of the votes were cast for growth management in general. Three percent went for better enforcement of existing ordinances. Another seven percent were for the establishment of new zoning laws to help govern land use and development issues. Transferable development rights, a relatively new concept of growth control in Pennsylvania, was also emphasized. Only one half of one percent of the votes indicated that the existing regulatory process is already too burdensome. Of the votes cast for zoning, 29.8 percent favored local administration and 21.5 percent favored county adminstration. 48.7 percent had no opinion about who should administer a zoning ordinance but felt that zoning was necessary, nonetheless. Interestingly, decreasing the number of units per acre by increasing the minimum allowable lot size and increasing the number of units per acre by 60 encouraging cluster development were of about equal interest as methods for maintaining the rural character of the county and its agricultural base. 3ihz~~~ii~~:c~~l~i lil Ais ia;;.goi.j/ uiviudcd paying rrme iiLcefiiion 'CUPKLYSLC~ izacures and respeccing natural boundaries when subdividing, incorporating; regional considerations into development decisions, and keeping large trucks out of residential areas. Government/Government Services A plurality of votes in the "Govemment/Government Services'' category were cast in relation to government revenues and spending. The general conmmus was; that government should seek grants and develop other more innovative sources of funcling for operating costs and financing new projects. Not suprisingly, most felt that local and county governments' should hold-the-line on taxes, if not actually lower them. Yet, it was clear that most participants wanted more and better services such as law enforcement, emergency services, sexvices for youth, families, or the elderly, housing, and education, to name a few. Not high on the list of priorities, but noteworthy nonetheless, is the need for better communicatibn. Comments along this line related to the desirability of a county 800 telephone number, a central refei~alservice €or government services, greater interagency and intermunicipal cooperation, arid more opportunities for public participation in local and county government decision making activities. Economy Jobs were the primary concern in the "Economy" category. A variety of ideas about the best method of creating jobs were discussed. The most hquent refrain in this regard was to stimulate the development of the tourist industry by m2udmizing the county's recreation opportunities and initiating an aggressive marketing scheme to bring people into the area. Other ideas included small business incubators, local job training, especially for young people, attraction of clean light industry to the area, encouraging competition by bringing in additional retail facilities, encouraging new service oriented businesses, stimulating more local initiative, and instituting main street revitatization programs where appropriate. Transportation Poor road conditions was a frequent complaint throughout the forums. Hilly, winding, narrow, and deteriorating roads are safety hazards and a deterent to connmercial and industrial development. The need for some kind of public transportation to EIinghamton and Scranton was also discussed, as was the desirability of bringing back the railroads For travel and industrial development. Recreation Recreation was discussed in two separate contexts. 13evelopment of recreational opportunities to stimulate tourism for economic development was felt to be very important, although most people thought that over-commercialization and recreation on too large a scale, was not desirable. This type of recreation was included in the "Economy" category. The main topic of this category, on the other hand, was the need for more local recreational opportunities. Specifically mentioned were ballparks, t:hildren's parks, swimming areas, golf courses, track facilities, river sports, community halls, and teen centers. Of great concern to many participants is the necessity of providing constructive and entertaining diversions for the County's youth. 61 SUMMARY I Community sentiments were assessed using questionnaires and public meetings. Three distinct ~IOU~pa, iiuyadd in i'h:~)aaacboInenL: local gOVal-MlenL ~eauers,non-govenlmenriu cuii1rIlUllCy I leaders, and ordinary citizens. The community sentiment assessment methodology utilized for this plan was not designed to determine the differences between the opinions of these three groups. Thus, any pronouncements to that effect must be viewed warily. However, based on the results obtained the following 1 comments are offered. Environmental concerns were dominant in all three groups. Government officials focused primarily I on the sewage and solid waste issues. Non-governmental leaders and citizens were interested in these and other environmental problems such as the filling of wetlands, use of pesticides, and resource conservation. It is clear, however, that the disposal of all types of waste is the source of the lions share of the environmental problems facing the county today. Most of the remaining environmental problems facing the county are associated with land use and development. Most land uses are problematic to the extent that they negatively effect our natural I (and social) environment. Generally, participants recognized the need for land use regulation to maintain the county's rural character, to protect agriculture, and conserve natural resources. Non- governmental leaders and citizens placed the need for land use regulation quite high. Interestingly, I local government officials did not. On the other hand, local govenunents stressed infrastructure needs, reflecting the area presently dominating their responsibilities. Road maintenance, streets, curbs, sidewalks, stormwater drainage, I municipal buildings, recreational facilities, and the like, were of special importance to this group. Economic development was very important to non-governmental leaders, in the middle of the citizens' priorities, and of less concern to local government officials. With all the immediate and pressing responsibilities facing part-time local governments, officials can perhaps be forgiven for i'11 their relative lack of interest in this subject. Non-governmental leaders place a high value on the location of new businesses and industries because they see economic expansion and the creation of local wealth throughout the county as a desirable goal. Most citizens, on the other hand, seem to have mixed feelings about this. On one side, citizen comments reflect the desire to keep things as they are: maintain the rural character, protect agriculture and natural resources. They like living in the country and would like to avoid the pressures of traffic and noise and the loss of open space that go along with I development. On the other side is the desirability of local job opportunities and the convenience of retail goods and services close at hand. I Herein lies the proof of the necessity for clear-sighted, long-term, rational planning. Many people desire many things. Clearly, a balance between competing goals must be sought. Trade-offs must be recognized and compromises made. Provisions must be made to allow as many competing or exclusive activities as possible by locating them in a thoughtful and rational manner. Activities that I are harmful to either the natural or socid environment should be prohibited. The following pages in this section are a synthesis of public input into goals statements. These are I presented under the same major categories as found in the discussion of the public forums. Under the goal statements are implementable objectives or recommendations for achieving the goals, while, I it is hoped, recognizing the need to provide for competing activities and uses. 62 I -OVERALL GOAL, I Maintain and improve the general quality of life for county residents by developing and implementing plans to deal with probl.ems from all facets of local life including the environment, land use and development, governmental services, the economy, transportation, and recreation. I ENVIRONMENT I Mission Statement: Maintain and protect the county's natural. resources. I Goal: Minimize the environmental impact of growth and development. - I Objectives: I --County land use ordinances should set strict limits on development in areas of steep slopes, poor soils, wetland areas, and other limiting factors. Density should be tied to some measure of the 'carrying capacity' of the land, water, air and other 1 natural resources. Such a measure should be based on environmental as well as human health and safety considerations. --Where municipalities wish to administer their own land use ordinances, the County I should encourage the adoption of ordinances containing these considerations. The County Planning Commission should provide technical assistance to local municipalities on all aspects of land US(: from thle development of ordinances to their I enforcement once adopted. --Publicize, encourage and lend technical support to local municipalities wishing to create agricultural security areas. Take advantage of state funds available for the I purchase of transferable development rights through the Agricultural Security Act. I Goal: Ensure the availability of clean safe and plentifiul water supplies for consumption, recreation, wildlife habitat, fire protection, etc. I Objectives: --Develop performance standards for 'development OR or near ponds, lakes, streams, I rivers, wetlands, aquifer recharge areas, or other areas where the condition of water resources may be jeopardized. I --Require developers to identify wetland areas and establish limits to development on these areas in land use ordinances. I --Institute a water testing program throughout the county, as a protective device, to establish benchmark data for comparison with future data as water quality problems arise. The expense could ble mitigated by collecting the results of water testing already being camed out in the private sector. I I 63 I I --Ensure compliance with state and federal waste disposal regulations by passing disposal complaints on to the appropriate authorities. Develop a monitoring system I in conjunction with local governments and encourage citizens to notifv local. cnuntv and state otficlcus It they see a nolation. I --Contact the Department of Environmental Resources, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, and the Army Corps of Engineers for assistance in I identifying primary wetland areas. --Incorporate provisions in county and local land use ordinances requiring identification of wetlands, as delineated on the National Wetlands Inventory maps (found in the planning commission office), and hydric soils (as identified by the Soil 1 Conservation District and mapped on the county soil swey), to help determine if wetland permitting is required and/or if approval should be granted for a 1 development. --Encourage pond construction in bpland areas rather than in prime wetland areas. --Sponsor wetlands training programs for local municipalities and interested citizens, I designed to underscore wetland values and the need for protection. --Consider the institution of a ‘wetlands bank‘ in which developers of wetland areas I must deposit a wetlands mitigation fee. This fee is used to purchase other wetlands for preservation, conservation easements, or development rights for existing wetlands, I or to create new wetland areas. --Establish contact with the Nature Conservancy, Conservation Law Foundation, Ducks Unlimited, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Trust for Public Land, National Audubon Society, Land Trust Exchange, and others, for assistance in wetlands I acquisition. --Establish contact with the Environmental Law Institute, National Wetlands Defense I Council, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation, Association of State Wetlands Managers, Society of Wetland Scientists, Sierra Club, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Penn State University, Soil Conservation Service, Soil I Conservation District, and others, to assist in the organization of educational programs designed to increase public awareness of wetlands values. --Establish a policy of foxwarding wetland regulation compliance problems to the ‘I Army Corps of Engineers, Environmental Protection Agency, the Fish and Wildlife Senrice, and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources. 11 --Require developers to address stormwater and erosion sedimentation concerns. --Preserve floodplains as open spaces. I --Require water quality monitoring of the County’s ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers. --Monitor industrial and residential waste water disposal as well as non-point sources ‘I of waste water such as storm runoff near farms. --Plan a program for the reforestation of high elevation watersheds and for the I protection of wetlands serving as aquifers in order to maintain the natural watertable and stabilize the flow of water courses. I I 64 I Goal: Maintain air quality such that it is free of pollutants and never poses a risk to health. Objectives: I --Contact state and federal agencies for assistance in setting standards for air quality, against which possible violations may be tested.. 1 --Consider the prohibition of open burning in the county. Encourage local governments to adopt and enforce regulations controlling open burning. I --Refer all air quality matters beyond open burning to the Department of Environmental Resources and/or the Environmental Protection Agency. 1 Goal: Minimize the environmental impact of mineral exploration and extraction. I Objectives: --Seek the establishment of an effective surveillance system to assure that mineral 1 exploration and extraction is carried out according to existing state and federal laws. --Investigate the legal role the County can play to ensure that all mineral exploration I and extraction sites are properly reclaimed. 1 Goal: Preserve woodlands to the maximum extent possible for timber harvest, recreation, wildlife habitat and other beneficial uses. I Objectives: --Provide controls and/or incentives for the preservation of woodlands to the I maximum extent possible. --Publicize and encourage proper timber management practices by private land owners. Look for methods of requiring the reforestation of logged sites. I --Promote the use of' trees for soil stabilization, wildlife habitat, windbreaks, noise abatement, and aesthetic enjoyment as well as for their commercial value. I --Provide referrals to consulting and service foresters for assistance with wood-lot management. 8 Goal: Dispose of waste material in the safest, most effective and least costly manner possible while emphasizing safety and effectiveness over cost considerations. 1 Objectives: 1 --Develop a comprehensive waste disposal plan. Look for methods of reclaiming and recycling solid waste. Lobby state arid federal legislators to impose restrictions on I 1 65 . I I packaging material types and amounts, and for the authority to restrict the passage I of solid waste across state and county lines. --Develop a model unitorm ordinance goveming roadside litter and junk and I junkyards. Encourage its adoption by local municipalities. --Encourage the enforcement of sewage disposal regulations by coordinating the Sewage Enforcement Officers working in the County through a county sewage enforcement office to be operated by the planning commission or a county-wide 1 Council of Governments. --Encourage the adoption of local sewage facilities ordinances goveming management I and inspection requirements for on-lot systems. --Encourage and lend technical support towards the update of all municipal I wastewater facilities plans within th? county. --Lend county assistance to local municipalities in seeking funds to develop and I carry out these plans. --Work to develop alternatives for the disposal of septic sludge and discourage its I untreated land application. --Require farms to efficiently utilize and properly dispose of agricultural wastes. I Goal: Maintain a cooperative working relationship with local, state, federal and private conservation I agencies. Objectives: 1 --Identify appropriate agencies. --Open and maintain direct lines of communication with them. Exchange information regarding each other's mission/mandate. Exchange publications and I other written materials. Make and request referrals. Utilize the resources of other I agencies at all times. Goal: Achieve and maintain a high standard of aesthetic quality throughout the county. I Objectives: --Develop standards of quality and beautification plans to include cotnmunity tree I planting programs, screening of undesirable sites, the preservation of historical sites, I and ordinances for signs, litter, junk, and junk yards. I I 66 LAND USE AND DFJEL0PM:ENT 1 Mission Statement: Monitor and guide growth and dlevelopment to minimize its impact on the 1 social. cultural, historic, and natural erivironments while avoiding over-regulation to the extent that ic rmgnt moit ~:COIIOIIUIC:growm aria aweiopment. I Goal: Preserve the rural character of the county. I Objectives: --Through the use of county and local land use ordinances, direct development away from areas having significant physical Limitatiore for growth. I --(Zany out a land use study as a basis for subdivision and zoning decisions. Use a Geographic InformatpionSystems computer system to maintain current, efficient, I and cost effective access to updated land use data. --Establish a building code to provide standards for new construction and renovation I to meet minimum limits relating to health and safety concerns and which encourages the improvement or protection of colrununiQ appearance. --Institute a ‘transferrable development rights‘ scheme, in conjunction with a county- I wide zoning ordinance, to equitably direct high density development away from areas desirable for open space. I --Incorporate provisions in county and local land use ordinances requiring identification of wetlands, as delineated on the National Wetlands Inventory maps (found in the planning commission office), and hydric soils (as identified by the Soil I Conservation District and mapped on the courity soil survey), to help determine if wetland permitting is required and/or if approval should be granted for a development. I --Amend the subdivision and land development ordinances to require applicants to get state and federal opinions regarcling the necessity of obtaining a permit for wetlands mitigation. I --Avoid the location or expansion of growth inducing community facilities in areas desirable for low density development or open space. I --Establish use densities and encourage practices such as cluster and planned residential development, which will preserve open space as much as possible. I --Develop a comprehensive recreation plan and require new major subdivisions to provide recreation areas and open space based ion the recommendations of the plan. I --Develop regulations to control the !proliferation of signs and billboards. --Encourage the location or expansi,on of agriculture related businesses such as nurseries. I --Control common-law nuisances attributable to noise, odors, and unsightly uses. I I 67 I I --Encourage the location or expansion of recreation related businesses which utilize I open space as their prime attraction. --Estaolisn a poucy of mcorporating these goals and objectives into the subdvision I and zoning application process to ensure compliance. 1 Goal: Preserve agricultural land. I Objectives: --Provide taxation protection or other financia incentives Auragricultural land use through a program of agricultural districts, transferrable development rights, I conservation easements, and/or his{orical preservation. --Publicize, encourage and lend technical support to local municipalities wishing to create agricultural security areas. Take advantage of state funds available for the I purchase of development rights through the Agricultural Security Act. --Minimize conflicts between residential or other uses and agricultural uses through I a coordinated land use plan implemented by land use ordinances. --support farm loan programs. I --Encourage programs of specialization on suitable land for crops such as vegetables, small fruit, and/or nursery stock. --Encourage farms to utilize financial and technical aid programs for establishing I natural resource conservation practices. --Encourage farms to properly and efficiently utilize and dispose of agricultural I wastes. --Encourage the appropriate agencies to manage wildlife to minimize agricultural I damage. --Encourage the adoption of management practices and new technologies designed to increase farm production by advocating a program of continuing agricultural I education including the sponsorship of workshops and other educational forums, the active dissemination of information, and the coordination of such groups as may I already provide these types of seflces. --Strengthen local vocational and technical programs in secondary and vocational I schools. I Goal: Preserve local cultural and historical heritage. Objectives: I --Seek state, federal, university, or other resources to identify, inventory, and preserve important cultural or historical aspects of the county. I I 68 --Encourage and support the use and. rehabilitation of older buildings. 1 --Apply for National Register of Historic Places designation for important historic sites. I --Encourage landowners to sell fieldstone from. plowed fields rather than from built stone walls. I Go& Utilize appropriate planning and regulatory mechanisms to achieve a desirable balance between growth and the preservation of community health, safety, and welfare, as well as open I space, agriculture, and cultural and historical heritage. I Objectives: --Develop a land use plan based on .aninventorg of current land uses, an analysis of soils, slopes and other physical.feriture8, th.e availability of community facilities I such as water and sewer facilities, fire protection, etc., and the transportation network. I --Implement this plan through revisions to the county subdivision ordinance and the creation of a zoning law. Encourage umiformiQr in regulations administered by local municipalities throughout the county. I --Develop model ordinances and work with lo~calgovernments to establish uniform ordinances relating to roads, mobile homes, nuisances, sewage, solid waste, etc. and work to streamline and codify a uniform permitting process throughout the county. I --Develop a method of cost efficient 1.0cal code enforcement throughout the county by the encouragement of Councils of Governments, obtaining state funds through I the Circuit Rider Program and/or the Housing and Community Development program, and/or the creation of a county level office of code enforcement to coordinate the hiring and maintenance of local code enforcement officials. I GOVERNMENT/GOVERI\JMENT SERVICES I Mission Statement Provide necessary senrices of the highest quality without burdening residents with unduly high taxes. I Go& Keep taxes to a minimum. I Objectives: I --Increase the use of computers to automate lengthy and tedious functions. --Analyze government offices for duplication of efforts and other forms of I inefficiency. --Require greater agency communication, cooperation, and referrals. I I 69 1 I --Analyze user and permit fees to be sure that they cover costs of services rendered I wherever feasible. --Aggressively seek state and federal grant funds to carry out programs. I --Adopt land use, nuisance, and other ordinances which anticipate undesirable situations before they arise in. order to avoid costly legal battles in the future. I --Use in-house expertise whenever possible. --Lobby legislators for greater financial assistance for rural areas. I --Seek innovative methods of Einancing such as tax increment financing, various types of bonds, leasing, the development of county sponsored projects which produce I revenue, etc. . --Analyze the effects of a county-wide reassessment. I Goal: Ensure adequate police protection. I Objectives: --Provide technical assistance to local police departments especially in regard to I organization and funding. --Promote cooperative agreements and the formation of Councils of Governments to spread the services and costs of police protection over as wide an area as possible I and to make additional funds available through programs which target multi- governmental operations. I --Promote innovative fundinl; techniques such as fund drives, benefits, gifts, balls, fairs, coin drops at checkout counters, and methods of reducing costs such as bulk I purchases of materials, equipment, etc. --Utilize the state muxiicipal consulting service for organizational assistance. I --Encourage the rehabilitation of early offenders. Goal: Provide special services for special population groups such as youths, the elderly, poor, or I the physically and mentally handicapped. I Objectives: --Identify special populations, and their needs by interviews with federal, state, and I local service agencies and org;anizations, random surveys, and public hearings. --Develop and implement a comprehensive outreach program in order to assure that needy persons are aware of the sewices available to them and to obtain information I about the needs and priorities of special population groups. I I 70 0 --Encourage the participation of locall citizens and private sector groups such as service clubs and churches in all aspects of special population needs. I --TeckrucaUy and financially support senrice agencies and programs such as the Area Agency on Aging, MH/MR, Green Tlumb, Loaves and Fishes, Meals on Wheels, Trehab, etc. I --Support federal, state, and local efforts to reduce the tax burden on senior citizens on fixed incomes. I --Construct or renovate senior centers at varioius locations throughout the county. Find productive ways for each center to support itself by, for example, providing 0 tutoring for children and the illiterate, the sales of crafts, cooking for catered functions, baby sitting, day care, etc. --Using local citizen and business support, state community development and I recreation funds, and private service organizations such as churches, Boys and Girls Clubs, Boy and Girl Scouts, etc., provide constiructive diversions for the county's young people such as organized sports or other .recreational activities, youth centers, I community services such as recycling, cleaning and painting local businesses, etc. --Create county sponsored community service employment involving, for example, recycling, day care, tutoring, removal of r0adsid.e litter, teaching of crafts and other I skills, etc., for the poor, elderly, youth, and the physically and mentally handicapped. --Continue the provision of elderly and low income housing and housing I rehabilitation efforts in the county. --Encourage housing rehabilitation by seeking and administering state and federal I grant and loan funds and by coordinating and consolidating agencies that administer separate funds for similar purposes. --Adopt building codes; to ensure safe imd adequate housing for all county residents. I --Encourage the provision of handicapped access and facilities in all public places. Utilize Community Development Block Grant and Bureau of Housing and I Development funds to finance renovations in this area. --Expand the vocational training programs available at the county's public schools I and vocational/technical school. Initi,de a positive public relations campaign to keep classes full. Provide job placement service8 upon completion of each program. --Promote joint community/school educational. programs to spread the cost and to I promote jobs within the community. --Encourage counseling efforts at all ,age and educational levels. I --Publicize and encourage people to tiike advantage of existing services such as Job Training Partnership ,4ct, Civilian Conservation Corps., Green Thumb, Mobile I Workforce, etc. --Encourage local businesses to hire ripecial population groups. I I 71 I 1 U God Ensure adequate health care for all county residents. I Objectives: --Provide technical assistance to emergency service and public health care I organizations. --Encourage public/private partnerships in the provision of health care senrices. I --Promote the institution of 9 11 sewice in the county. --Establishment a grid system for fast identification of locations needing emergency I services. --Aggressively seek federal, state, *and private sources of funding for health care services. I --Promote health education programs which emphasize good health programs as a I type of preventative maintenance. Goal: The participation of all county residents in the decision making processes of county and local I government. Objectives: I --Require each office or agency funded by the county to cany out public relations campaigns to include, at a minimum,annual public meetings, preferably at night and in various locations throughout the county, the advertisement of activities through I press releases, public senrice radio and television spots, and mailings to local government officials, in order to publicize programs, services, and activities. --Obtain and/or create educational literature regarding county services to be I available to the public in the courthouse and the county office building. I --Appoint citizens advisory boards for major tasks. --Prepare and mail periodic newsletters to local government officials describing U county activities, problems, state and federal requirements, etc. --Sponsor workshops on the management of local governments after each election and after major changes in federal and state legislation which require local U governmental action. --Provide each office or agency funded by the county with a copy of these goals and 1 objective. --Educate the county switchboard operators about the services available to county I residents so that they can operate as referral centers. I I 72 --Require representatives of each service agency to meet annually, at least, to discuss their legislative mandates, changes in their programs, and to foster communication and cooperation in solsring citizen pro'blems. I Goal: Provide necessary and desirablle community facilities. 1 Objectives: I --Require a county official or agency, such. as the county clerk or planning commission, to identify and prioritize necessaq and desirable capital improvements each year through a systematic assessment progam to be carried out in conjunction I with local governments. --Carry out a systematic capital improvements program and budget utilizing an aggressive grant and low interest loan seeking program. I --Encourage, if not require, significant citizen and civic organization involvement in the identification and development needed of community facilities. 1 ECONOMY I Mission Statement: Pursue every available avenue to ensure a healthy and stable local economy capable of supporting all county residents. I Goal: Facilitate economic revitalization efforts throughout the count^. I Objectives: I --Expand the role of the Susquehanna County Housing and Redevelopment Authority to include direct and indirect economic revitalization activities such as grant I writing, economic development, coxnmunity development, the development of vocational/technical or other educational prog.rams, and other similar activities. I --Seek state and federal funding for communiity economic revitalization projects. --Develop economic development plans based Ion sound marketing studies and such physical characteristics as land capability, availability of buildings and utilities, fire, I police, and medical services, conchtion of the transportation network, and compatibility with adjacent land uses. I --Support commercial and industrial deve1op:ment organizations financially when possible. Provide technical assistance on economic development projects. Lobby state and federal legislators on behalf of these efforts. Encourage these organizations I to seek the location of small clean industry in the county. --Carry out a land use study to identify land best suited to commercial and industrial uses. I I 73 1 --Encourage local initiative by providing technical assistance and referrals to business I development resources. --Create county sponsored community service employment tor the poor, elderly, I youth, and the physically and mentally handicapped. --Establish a capital improvements program in cooperation with local governments to strengthen local infrastructure components such as housing, medical care, I education, transportation, libraries, emergency senrices, recreation, and other community facilities. Encourage the formation of Councils of Governments to spread these costs over a larger area. I --Maintain a good working relationship with local utilities in an effort to cultivate public/private partnerships in pursuit of infrastructure and economic revitalization. I --Seek methods of funding improvements to local roads and increasing the efficiency of local road maintenance through cooperative agreements and the formation of Councils of Governments. I --Investigate and promote the retum of railroad service to the area. --Sponsor locally held economic development workshops for local governments and I economic development agencies. I --Sponsor locally held small business development workshops for local entrepreneurs. --Establish a good working relationship with federal, state, regional, and private economic development organizations such as the U.S Small Business Administration, the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, the University of Scranton Small Business I Development Center, Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, Pennsylvania State University Cooperative Extension Service, Small Town I Institute, etc. --Utilize NTRPDC's 1-81 Comdor Study as a guide for site locations. --Lobby state agencies to improve the transportation network in targeted areas based I on a land use study and analysis of the county's physical characteristics. --Encourage and provide technical support for main street revitalization efforts where I appropriate. --Encourage the formation of formal and informal transportation partnerships to I finance highway improvements in support of commercial and industrial development. --Encourage local financial institutions to participate in low interest loan programs I to fledgling or expanding businesses. --Promote aesthetic values by working for clean roadsides, scenic overlooks, and the I beautification of village and towns. --Cultivate the support of local civic organizations. I Goal: Improve the economy of the region by encouraging economic development activities which I utilize the county's assets in a safe and clean manner. I 74 8 Objectives: --Encourage the location or expansion of agkultural, recreational, and tourist I businesses which do not alter the preclominantlly rural and agricultural character of the county by the use of tax incerttlves and fast-track permitting procedures incorporated into land use ordinances. I --Encourage the locaition of tourism support businesses such as lodging and restaurants. I --Encourage, promote, and suppont the development of local Chambers of Commerce. --Encourage Chambeis of Commerce or other business organizations to undertake 1 promotional activities; encourage them to band together to fund a full time promotional public relations position to plan cud carry out a coordinated tourism promotion plan. . I --Work with the Endless Mountains Tourist Asrsociation, the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commisr;ion, and. local Chambers of Commerce to I develop brochures, advertising, and other marketing techniques. TRANSPORTATION I Mission Statement: The transportation system is an essential p~artof the social and economic fabric I of the county. County government should see that it facilitates the needs of the current and projected population, especially with regard to commerce. I Goal: Maintain a safe, adequate, and efficient network of roads throughout the county. I Objectives: --Lobby state agencies to improve the state transportation network. I --Assist the state agencies by developing priority lists with special emphasis on areas suitable for safe and clean commeraial, industrial, recreational or other desirable development potential. i --Identi@ accident prone areas and work to have these situations remedied. I --Encourage the state agencies to maintain and enhance the scenic and visual amenities of the state highway system. I --Seek methods of funding improvements to local roads and increase the efficiency of local road maintenance through cooperative agreements and the formation of Councils of Governments to share costs and equipmentand apply for funding available only to multiple government units. 1 --Coordinate state and local road improvement programs. I I 75 I I --Update and adopt the NTRPDC's 1-81 Corridor Study as part of this I comprehensive plan. --Develop a model uniform road ordinance setting standards for new road I construction and encourage local governments to adopt it. --Avoid the creation of highway hazards in new subdivisions and land developments I by developing driveway, parking, setback, and road standards. Goal: Develop and implement a public transportation system which will fulfill basic social, economic I and health needs for all people of the county, with particular attention to the elderly, handicapped, poor, and others who are especially dependent on alternative means of transportation. I Objectives: --Support state legislation which would provide an equitable share of subsidies for I rural transit services. --Support Bames-Kasson Hospital's rural transportation senrice. Offer technical I assistance and financial assistance where possible. --Increase public awareness of existing public transportation service throughout the county by an outreach program which may include posters and signs in all public I offices and in shopping areas, public senrice radio and television announcements, newspaper press releases, and so on. I --Lobby private bus companies to provide senrice to and from various points in the county to Binghamton and Scranton where connections to other cities can be made. I mal: Existing rail service should be presemed. Efforts should be made to facilitate the return of I rail service on the several defunct lines throughout the county. Objectives: 1 --Support legislation providing railroad subsidies. --As part of the County's overall economic development plan, aggressively solicit the I location of industry along existing lines. --Work with potential businesses and the railroads to extend rail service to meet the I needs of new businesses. Goal: The County should have adequate local community airports to support economic and social I development. I Objectives: --Encourage and support basic improvements to existing private airport facilities by I providing technical assistance with regard to the funding of such improvements. I 7.6 RECREATI:S 0 Mission statement: Create and improve recreational opportunities for the well-being of county I residents as well as to promote economic development through tourism. Goal: Develop and improve local recreational facilities throughout the county. I Objectives: I --Provide technical assistance to local governments relating to site acquisition, design, funding, and site development of local parks. I --Provide financial assistance to bcal governments for the development and improvement of parks whenever possible to improve their chances of obtaining state grant funds. These fbnds should-be allocated to communities who have at least I matched the county donation. --Encourage intermunicipal park projects to enhance the chances of state funding I and to serve greater numbers of people for less money. --Encourage the development of facilities which serve the needs of the elderly and the handicapped. I --Encourage the utilization of floodplih and wetland areas as park sites to serve the dual purpose of meeting recreational .needs while presenring these fragile sites from I development. This can be facilitated by provisions in land use ordinances prohibiting certain types of development in these areas. I --Require new major subdivisions to provide recreation areas and open spaces. --Encourage school districts to increase the availability of their recreational facilities for organized after-hours recreational programs. Work to ensure that all new school I facilities be designed with year-round commurlity use in mind. I Goal: Improve the economy of the region by encouraging tourism. I Objectives: --Encourage the location or expansion of agricultural,' recreational, and tourist businesses which do n,ot alter the predominantly rural and agricultural character of I the county by the use of tax incentives and fast-track permitting procedures incorporated into land use ordinan=;. I --Encourage the location of tourisin support businesses such as lodging and restaurants. --Encourage, promote, and support the development of local Chambers of I Commerce. I I 77 I I I I --mcourage dxudxrs of cannerce and other business organizations to undertake pramtianal activities; encourage them to band I together to fund a full tirrre pramtional public relations position to plan and carry aut a coordinated tourism pramtion plan. --Work with the Endless Mountains Tourist Association, the I Northern Tier Regional Planning and Developnent Carmission, and local Chanhers or Cannerce to develop brochures, advertising, and I other marketing techniques. --Investigate the feasibifity of a county owned and developed recreation area, such as a reservoir for the benefit of residents I as well as an attradian for visitors. Eccmanic developmnt, cdtyrevitalization, and recreatian funds should be available for this purpose. A public/private partnership could also be I utilized toward this end. --Ehcourage the location of private recreatianal activities by the I provision of tax incentives and a fast-track permitting process. --Enmurage the developnent of a trail system throughout the county for hiking, skiing, anad snhiling. I --Encourage state acquisition of lands to add to the state game land systan. I --Ehcourage good mintenance practices for all recreation owned County, State and Federal Governments. I facilities by Local, Goal: Improve the ecanany of the county by encouraging agriculture based I activities to pramte tourism. Ob jedives: I --Encourage local agriculture and civic groups to organize pramtianal festivities along the lines of a maple festival or I danestic -1 judging ccmpetitians, tractor pulls, and the like. I I I I 78 I- Susquehanna County Commissioners 717-2784600 . I 7L.rrq 1. xTjer'>. -,,,el L.rix Joan M. Kamansky. Deputy Clerk L. Carter Anderson, soiiCi~or I . 0 BOX 218 - Courthouse - Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 SUSOUEHAXNA COUNTY COURT HOUSE I MONTROSL PE.VNSll VAiVll RESOLUTION NO. 25 SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS I RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY CONCERNING THE ADOPTION OF THE SUSQUEHANNA COUNTY l COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT. PLAN DATED JULY 1992 .. WHEREAS, history indicates that change occurs whether desired or undesired, controlled or uncontrolled. The purpose in I preparing comprehensive plans is to recognize that Susquehanna County will change, and to establish mechanisms to control and guide the changes toward the expressed will and character of the I residents of the county. WHEREAS, in many ways, changes are reviewed as undesirable; one wants the open spaces, the clear trout streams, clean air, 1 rolling uninterrupted hills, a way of life distantly removed from metropolitan areas. However, some change is clearly desired; jobs should be available. The median family income should 1 increase, the young should have the opportunity to rernair, in the county, adequate health facilities should be available, inadequate housing should be brought up to standards; in short, I the quality of life should improve. Controlled development and wise management of resources can lead to an improved quality of life while also preserving the best of current conditions. I WHEREAS, these attitudes became clear in 1989, when the process began with public forums held throughout the county and questionnaires were sent to all municipal governments, school I districts, fire companies and approximately 30 other community leaders and agencies in the county. I WHEREAS, the Susquehanna County Comprehensive Development Plan inventories existing conditions and projects future anticipated conditions, it establishes goals, objectives and strategies, which conditions in the county should be preserved, I what should be improved, and what actions can be taken to reach the desired results. I WHEREAS, the purpose of comprehensive planning is to provide a base to manage, conserve and ztilize land, water, human and hovls'ing resources in a rational manner, consistent with the desires of the local citizenry, for the present and future I population of the region. I I I Susquehanna County Commissioners I 717-278-4600 Warren R. Williams choir,,,(tn ?w-v 4. Myers r'l,cr ~I,, Courthouse - Montrose, Pennsylvania 18801 I MONTROSE. PESNSYl.VA?J/A NOW, THEREFORE, Be It Resolved this date, the Susquehanna I County Board of Commissioners does hereby adopt the Susquehanna County Comprehensive Development Plan as prepared and submitted by the Susquehanna County Planning Commission and dated July I 1992. . I COUNTY OF SUSQUEHANNA I Warren R. Williams, Chairman I Josephine Marshall I J&n Blachek I ATTEST : &&e== I Je ryM y e r Chief C erk I CERTIFICATION I, Jerry Myers, Chief Clerk of the Susquehanna County Board I of Commissioners, do hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution No. 25 was adopted and signed at a property convened meeting on October 15, 199% at which a quorum was present. I A &&$&a=-,. &./ I Jerflpyerd ChiefKlerk * I SEAL' I I