Chester Creek Trail
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PROTECTING SIGNIFICANT VIEWS ALONG THE CIRCUIT: A VISUAL ASSESSMENT OF LAND CONSERVATION PRIORITIES FOR VIEWS HEDS ALONG THE CIRCUIT TRAILS CHESTER CREEK TRAIL March 2019 PREPARED BY: APPALACHIAN MOUNTAIN CLUB Catherine Poppenwimer Patricia McCloskey, AICP Dave Publicover PROTECTING SIGNIFICANT VIEWS ALONG THE CIRCUIT Contents Acknowledgments............................................................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................................... 2 The Circuit ....................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Protecting Views Along The Circuit ................................................................................................................................ 2 Chester Creek Trail ........................................................................................................................................................ 3 Study Area Landscape ............................................................................................................................................... 3 Results for the Chester Creek Trail .................................................................................................................................. 4 Chester Creek Trail Viewshed ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Study Area Key Observation Points ....................................................................................................................... 5 Parcel Value Assessment ............................................................................................................................................... 5 Visual Resources ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Scenic Character ......................................................................................................................................................... 8 Key Observation Points ........................................................................................................................................... 9 Ownership Fragmentation ..................................................................................................................................... 10 Combined Parcel Value .......................................................................................................................................... 11 Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................................................... 12 Appendix A: Key Assumptions and Known Data Limitations ................................................................................. 14 Appendix B: Methodology .............................................................................................................................................. 16 Study Area ..................................................................................................................................................................... 16 Approach ....................................................................................................................................................................... 17 Analysis Components .................................................................................................................................................. 17 Combined Parcel Value Score .................................................................................................................................... 22 Additional Information ............................................................................................................................................... 22 List of Tables Table 1: Study Area Municipalities ................................................................................................................................... 3 Table 2: Visual Assessment Summary ........................................................................................................................... 12 Appalachian Mountain Club, March 2019 PROTECTING SIGNIFICANT VIEWS ALONG THE CIRCUIT List of Maps Map 1: Study Area............................................................................................................................................................... 3 Map 2: Viewshed Area ....................................................................................................................................................... 4 Map 3: KOP Locations and Viewsheds .......................................................................................................................... 5 Map 4: Visibility Resources ............................................................................................................................................... 7 Map 5: Scenic Character Resources ................................................................................................................................. 8 Map 6: KOP Resources, KOPs 1-3 ................................................................................................................................. 9 Map 7: KOP Resources, KOPs 4&5 ............................................................................................................................. 10 Map 8: Combined Parcel Value ...................................................................................................................................... 11 Map 9: Highest Ranked Parcels ...................................................................................................................................... 13 Map 10: Circuit Trails Included in the Study................................................................................................................ 16 List of Figures Figure 1: Visual Resources Score...................................................................................................................................... 7 Figure 2: Scenic Character Resources Score ................................................................................................................... 8 Figure 3: Combined Parcel Value Score ........................................................................................................................ 11 Figure 4: Visibility Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Figure 5: Scenic Character Resources ............................................................................................................................ 20 Figure 6: Key Observation Point Resources ................................................................................................................ 21 Figure 7: Ownership Resources ...................................................................................................................................... 22 Figure 8: Methodology Flow Chart ................................................................................................................................ 23 Appalachian Mountain Club, March 2019 PROTECTING SIGNIFICANT VIEWS ALONG THE CIRCUIT Acknowledgments The Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) would like to acknowledge the many contributors who provided their time and input to the development of Protecting Significant Views Along The Circuit: An Assessment of Land Conservation Priorities for Viewsheds Along The Circuit Trails. Funding for this project was generously provided by the William Penn Foundation. AMC wishes to thank its partners and key stakeholders for their help and support. Cover photos credit: Delaware and Lehigh National Heritage Area: https://delawareandlehigh.org/blog/image-gallery/ Appalachian Mountain Club, March 2019 1 PROTECTING SIGNIFICANT VIEWS ALONG THE CIRCUIT Introduction AMC promotes the protection, enjoyment, and understanding of the mountains, forests, waters, and trails of the Appalachian region. AMC believes these resources have intrinsic worth and provide recreational opportunities, spiritual renewal, and ecological and economic health for the region. Because successful conservation depends on active engagement with the outdoors, AMC encourages people to experience, learn about, appreciate, and understand the natural world. AMC is an active member of The Circuit Coalition and has been advancing recreation planning, conservation and outdoor recreation in the great Philadelphia Region for over 135 years. Currently AMC maintains a conservation office in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and hosts hundreds of outdoor activities and conservation stewardship opportunities every year across the region coordinated by volunteers of the AMC Delaware Valley Chapter. AMC’s members and supporters care deeply about the outdoors. AMC’s conservation approach focuses on sound science, conservation advocacy, and long-term recreational resource planning. The Circuit The Circuit Trails is an innovative, regional urban trail network