Howard Township Centre County, Pennsylvania

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HOWARD TOWNSHIP CENTRE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Prepared for the Howard Township Planning Commission

by the Centre County Planning Commission

1973

The preparation of this report was financed in part through an Urban Planning Grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, under the provisions of Section 701 of the Housing Act of 1954, as amended, and as administered by the Bureau of Planning, Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs. COURTHOUSE BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA 16823 81 4-355-2868

Chairman and Members

Howard Township Planning Commission

. Centre County, Pennsylvania

Gentlemen:

TheCen..e County Planning Commission is pleased .J submit this

report entitled Howard Township Comprehensive Plan which has been

' prepared as part of the Inter-Valley Regional Comprehensive Develop-

ment Program.

This report represents the combined efforts of the Centre County

Planning Commission, the Inter-Valley Regional Planning Commission, the governing body and planning commission of Howard Township, as we1 I as other interested individuals and agencies of the Inter-Val ley

area.

It is hoped that this report and the recommendations contained

herein will furnish the Townshipwith a realistic guide for future devel- opmen t . F"&/Respectfully submitted, Robert B. Donaldson, Jr

Executive Director RESOLUTION .*

.,! A RESOLUTION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF HOWARD ADOPTING A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FORMULATED BY THE CENTRE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION, BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA, AS APPROVED BY THE HOWARD TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION WITH AMENDMENTS RECOMMENDED BY THE HOWARD TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION PURSUANT TO THE ACT OF ASSEMBLY MADE AND PROVIDED.

BE IT RESOLVED by the authority of the Supervisors of the Township of Howard that the Comprehensive Plan prepared by the Centre County Planning Commission together with its amendments be and is hereby approved and adopted as amended in accordance with the recommendations of the Howard Township Planning Commission that said Compre- hensive Plan shall include all of the maps, charts and textual matter attached hereto and made a part of this Resolution by reference, said Plan containing the objectives of Howard Township concerning its future development together with an indication of the future land use within the Township and an expression of the relationship of the Township with the surrounding municipalities.

BE IT RESOLVED that the proper officials of the Township of Howard endorse the action of the governing body upon the maps, charts, textual matter and other material forming a part of the Plan attached hereto and made a part hereof and that the proper officials of the Township be authorized to implement the Plan including all of its related sections as is provided by law.

sc-’ Smehisors

Dated ‘i P. CONTENTS

Page

Letter of Transmittal Resolution of Adoption

Statement of Objectives 1

Location 2

History

Popu lat ion

Ec on omy

Topography

Soils a

Regional Facilities 11

Transportation 12

Land Use 14

Future Plan 16

LIST OF MAPS & ILLUSTRATIONS

, Follows Page

1. Howard Township: Location 2 2. Howard Township: Topography 8, Drainage a 3. Howard Township: hi I Limitations I (On-site disposal) 9 4. Howard Township: Soil Limitations II (buildings, three stories 9 or less with basements).

Howard Township: Development Limitations (Page 10) 5. Inter-Va I1 ey Region : Water & Sewer Systems 12 6. Howard Township: Existing Transportation System 13 7. Howard Township: Transportation Plan 13 8. Howard Township: Existing Land Use 14 9. inter-Valley Region: Future Land Use 17 10. Howard Township: Future Land Use 17 STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES a HOWARD TOWNSHIP The realization of the Howard Township Comprehensive Ian will depend i! largely on the initiative, dedication, and farsightedness of its elected officials, rl appointed agencies and interested citizens. Toward this end it seems reasonable that a Statement of Objectives be adopted by those who will assume the major role d and responsibility in implementing the various proposals contained,or implied in this Comprehensive Plan. The Inter-Val ley Regional Planning Commission, at a Special Meeting of July 23, 1969, unanimously adopted four (4) regional objectives to assist the local com- .. munities in their evaluation of the local comprehensive plans. Thus, the first four items listed below reflect the Regional Commission's recommended Objectives, while the remaining items include locally oriented obiectives. 1. To further the welfare of the people by helping to create an increasingly better, more healthful, convenient, efficient and attractive community en- vironmen t . 2. To formulate general guide1 ines for the orderly development of the physical, social , and economic resources of the community. 3. To determine, on a continuing and flexible basis, the future guidelines for orderly community growth. 4. To provide for the orderly integration of state, county, regional, and local goals. 5. To recognize and overcome where possible the physical limitations of the Township in supporting major urban development. 6. To guide the area in becoming part of the Blanchard Reservoir regional recreation center. 7. To provide a logical overall framework for the orderly expansion of municipal functions and services.

-1- LOCATION

Howard Township completely surrounds the Borough of Howard in the central portion of the Inter-Valley Region. TheTownship is boundedon the north by Curtin

Township, on the west by Boggs Township, on the east by Liberty Township, and on the south by Marion Township - all ofwhichare in Inter-Valley (See Map 1, Howard Township: Location).

The Township originally developed prirnarilyas an agricultural area with some

non-farm development taking place along existing transportation routes.

HISTORY In 1784 WiIIiarnCrossrnanand Richard Gunsallus settled inwhat is now known as Mount Eagle. The surrounding area was referred to as Centre Township, until

1810 when the local court recommended dividing the municipality because of its

size. Howard Township was named after the English philanthropist, John Howard (1726-1790), whodevoted his life to the betterment of the conditions ofall prisoners and captives. Why he was chosen for the honor is unknown. Then after fifty-four years of being part of the Township, the Borough of Howard was established in 1864.

Howard Township has always been an agricultural area, with little or no corn-

mercial or industrial development. The rural non-farm development that did exist

sirnplysprang upalong the roads and rail lines of the Township. Twosmall residential nodes have developed over this period - one is Mount Eagle in the southwesternpart of the Township and the other is the area in and around Howard Borough.

Much of the original development in the Township was eliminated when the

broad floodplain of Bald Eagle Creek was acquired for the Blanchard Reservoir and

Bald Eagle State Park.

POPULAT 1 ON The 1970 population of Howard Township was 732. From 1920 to 1960 the

Township exhibited a slow and rather sporadic increase in population. However,

-2- with the recent construction of the Foster Joseph Sayers Dam, a very large portion

of the municipality's developed land was acquired. Although the project is ex-

pected toprovide a rnuchneeded impetusfor new development in the area, its con-

struction resulted in a temporary drop inpopulation in Howard Township. The population figures show an 8.7% decline between 1960 and 1970.

HOWARD TOWNSHIP POPULATION 19 2 0 -1 9 60 PROJECTED to 1990

1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1990

-3- The 1960 U. S. Census breakdown of population by age and sex for Howard Township indicated a higher percentage of young people (5-14 years of age) and a higher people-per-household figure (3.97) than the National averages. These figures seem to reflect an area of large families andrnany children which is indicative of rural areas. However, the Township figures also reflect a significant drop in

1 .-

COMPARISON OF POPULATION AGE-SEX COMPOSITION 1960

MA LE FEMALE

7 15% 10% 5% 0 5% 10% 15 %

United States I nter-Va I Iey

=Howad Township

-4- young adults (15-24 years of age) which indicates that theyare leaving the area to

seek employment elsewhere. Another interesting characteristic reflected in the age-

sex comparison is the large number of older males (45 and over) in the Township. There appears to be no single cause for this situation.

Thegraph, "Howard Township Population 1920-1970, 'I includes a population projection for 1990. The projection consists of a high (1,500), medium (l,lOO), and low (800) population figure. It is very difficult to accurately project the future population of Howard Township. The completion of the Sayers Dam and develop-

ment of the Bald Eagle State Park provides a major impetus for growth; however,

this growth potential may or may not be realized depending upon the Township's ability to solve the many other problems which will impede futuredevelopment. If no solutions to these problems are forthcoming the low population projection of 800

could be realistic; however, if solutions arefound and implemented the high figure

of 1,500 could be reached. This figure is very significant since it would mean a doubling of the population over the next 20 years. The character of the population will also change as it increases. The new population will beprimarily recreation oriented. There will also be an increase in

seasonal homes and residences.

ECONOMY Any area must have a strong, vibrant economy to grow. In evaluating the

economy of anyarea, a number of factors must be analyzed in order to identifyex-

isting problems and toprojecta reasonable assessment of the economic future of the

area. The major factors involved in evaluating the economy of a region are the

value of the land, any improvements on it, the types of employment and wages

available, and the potential for industrial growth.

The assessed valuation of Howard Township increased 6.0% between 1961 and 1965. However, the land acquired for the recent construction of the Foster Joseph Sayers Dam project represented 52% of the Township's assessed valuation. This loss was a very severe blow to the economy of the municipality. Indeed, the

_- t -5 - percentage of increase per year for the 1965-1968 period was a minus 2.9%. The Dam project does, however, represent an important new impetus for development in the area, and between 1968and 1970 the assessed valuation rose at 7.2%a year. The overall result has been an increase between 1965 and 1970 of some $14,350.

ASS E SSED VALUATION 196 1- 1965 - 1970 %Change per year 1961 1965 1970 1 96 1 - 1 965 1 965 - 1970 Howard Twp. $ 385,390 $ 408,300 $ 422,650 1.5% 0.7% Inter-Valley 17,309,760 19,068,400 21,977,580 2.5% 5.1% County 73,241 ,105 85,661 ,980 110,818,480 4.2% 5.9% Source: Centre County Assessment Office

The latest figures available for an analysis of the labor force are for 1960.

Although these figures are too far out-of-date topresent an accuratepicture of the existing labor force, they do indicate some problems which undoubtedly still exist. In general ,Howard Township's 1960 labor force appears to have been equipped for some skilled, semi-skilled, and unskilled labor jobs. Over 80% of the labor force is in the "Operatives and Kindred, I' "Service Workers except Private Household, I'

"Laborers except Farm and Mine, 'I and "Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred" cate- gories. Overall the Township's labor force is less skilled than either the County's or the Region's labor force. Because of the topography, agriculture has not played a major part in the Township's economy. The Dam project has recently acquired most of the best agricultural land in the Township; thus, reducing the significance of agriculture in the economy even more. In 1960 the median family income in Howard Townshipwas only $3,435; this figure was much lowerthan the median family income of either the County ($5,202) or theRegion ($4,990). The 1960 Census also indicated that 30%of theTownship's families had yearly incomes of less than $3,000. This situation is still one of the area's maior problems.

__- . -6- OCCUPATION OF THE EMPLOYED RESIDENT LABOR FORCE BY PERCENT: 1960 Howa rd Category Twp. Region County Professional, Technical and Kindred 4.7 9.1 20.7 Farmers and Farm Managers , 2.3 3.2 3.2 Managers, Officials and ProprietoTs except Farm 2.3 5.8 6.7 Clerical and Kindred 7.0 12.5 11.8 Sa 1 es Workers 0.0 6.1 5.7 Craftsmen, Foremen and Kindred 15.2 15.7 11.8 Operatives and Kindred 28.8 17.4 13.4

I Private Household Workers 0 .o 1 .o 1.7 Service Workers Except Private Household 18.7 10.6 12.2 Laborers and Farm Foremen 0.0 2.1 2.3 Laborers except Farm and Mine 18.7 11.3 6.6 Occupation not reported 2.3 --5.2 3.9 Tota I 100.0 100.0 100.0

Source: "1960 Centre County Labor Force Report, 'I Department of Internal Affairs, Commonwea I t h of Penns y I vania

Workers in Howard Township, most of which are employed in manufacturing

industries, must commute to either BeIIefonte or Lock Haven for employment, ex-

cept for those women employed by the woolen mill in Blanchard.

Howard Township, if it wishes to develop any sort of economic base, must capitalize on the development of the Sayers Dam recreational facility. By con- trolling the proper development of those areas best suited for recreation oriented

development, the Township can provide itself with not only a new source of employment, but also recover the tax base lost in the Dam acquisition.

, -7- TOPOGRAPHY Howard Township contains two distinct topographical areas. About half of the Township's area is part of the Appalachian Plateau, while the remainder is in the valley at the base of the Allegheny Front. The plateau area consists of very steep valleys and mountains with relatively steep slopes and flat tops. The area is generally too rugged for development. The flat mountain tops are often used for farming, but they offer little potential because of their inaccessibilityand relatively poor soils, The broad Bald Eagle Valley also has a rather limited development potential, since much of the area has been acquired for the Sayers Dam (See Map 2, Howard Township: Topography & Drainage). No large area in the Township exhibits any major development potential; however, through proper control much of the area could be developed to far more

intensive rural non-farm and recreational residential uses.

SOILS A soil can be considered undesirable for a given use for any number of rea- sons. The most common problems relate to slope, depth to bedrock, permeability, depth to water table, susceptibility to flooding, and stoniness. As a result the existing soil conditions must be known and taken into account before beginning development . The classification of limitations (slight, moderate, severe), as portrayed on the accompanying maps, is based to a large extent on the economic feasibility of

use. Soils with slight limitations present no major problem for the proposed use.

On the other hand, soils with severe limitations will probably not be used because

of the prohibitive cost of overcoming their undesirable characteristics. The remain-

ing soils of moderate limitations present some problems which may result in an in-

creased cost, unless the planned use is modified slightly.

Two important factors affecting development in this area are the ability of

the soils to permit construction of foundations and their ability to accept effluent from septic tanks. With the aid of the U. S. Department of Agriculture's (Soil Con-

servation Service) soils surveys and their soils classification, the soils of Howard Township have been interpreted for a variety of uses ranging from farms and wood- land to home sites and roads. It was discovered that there are no large areas suitable for on-site sewage disposal (septic tanks). It was also noted that if the areas of moderate limitations were used for intensive subdivisions, serious problems could result (See Maps 3 & 4, Howard Township: Soil Limitations).

There are almost no areas within theTownship with onlyslight limitations for buildings of three stories or less with basements, and onlysmall areas with moderate

limitations. The major problems are flood inundation, a high water table, steep slopes, and depth to bedrock. These problems can be overcome but only at considerable expense, or through modified design and construction techniques.

The primary problems associatedwith the soils in Howard Township vary from

location-to-location; however, some generalizations can be drawn. A profile of

theTownship has been developed to portray the realtive location of these problems

(See II lustration Entitled: Howard Township Development Limitations, page 10).

Several distinct problem areas can be identified from the illustration. The

area now occupied by the Blanchard Reservoir is a large floodplain which is sus-

ceptible to a high water table much of the year and also to occasional flooding.

During these wetperiods a septictankwill often backupas a resultofwater actually

flowing into the tank rather than out. This problem also occurs in most of the nar-

row stream valleys throughout the Township.

The problems created bya highwater table are also prevalent along the lower

slopes of the Bald Eagle Mountain and the foothills of the Allegheny Front just north of "New" U. S. Rt. 220. Thisproblem is evidenced by the many seeps and springs which occur in these areas during certain periods of the year.

The depth of soil is important since the Pennsylvania Department of Environ-

mental Resources requires a minimum of six (6) feet of soil below the tile line ofan individual septic system. This requirement becomes critical in the foothills area northof "New" U. S. Rt. 220which has relatively thin soils (ranging from a maxi-

mum of six (6) feet or less in the flatter areas to under three (3) feet on the slopes of the hills and mountains. The underlaying geology of this area also presents problems. It consistsprimarilyof highly fracturedshales. (A good place to observe this

-9- I --__ - i--

HOWARD TOWNSHIP

I DEVELOPMENT LIMITATIONS PooelY DQAIMFD SOILS.

I d 0 I

A LUCRMUNG f3L;D.S PPlMACLlLY SHALE WITH INTEEBEDDEO ANDS ST ON E. 7 - --I I- I 1 type shale is the borrow pit along "New" U. S. Rt. 220 just north of Curtin). The combination of thin soils and highly fractured rock in this foothills area will allow

the sewage from a septic tank tile field to drain very rapidly into the groundwater

supply before it is completely filtered and cleaned.

The higher slopes of the Bald Eagle Mountain also have very thin soils while

the geology is composed of alternating layers of sandstone, limestone, and shale

whichstandalmost on end. This results in areas whichare very impervious to water or sewage discharge, and areas of rapid percolation being closely mixed. A septic system located in this area will generally drain either toofast or too slow forproper

functioning. The problems of sewage draining too rapidly through the soil have

previously been described. The problem of a too slow percolation through the soil

is that the soil will become saturated and the sewage will be forced to the surface

creating a seep.

The result of all these conditions is that there are no areas in the Township

which are really suitable for alevelopment using septic tanks and tile fields for waste

disposal. There are some areas within the Township with only moderate limitations

for this type of use; however, the soil Is ability to handle sewage can quickly become

overtaxed if large quantities of sewage (e.g., that created by a fully developed

subdivision) are discharged in the area. The majority of the Township, however,

is unsuited for even limited development due to the above mentioned soil limitations.

A major overall factor which must be recognized is that any untreated sewage

discharged by a malfunctioning septic system will eventually drain into the under-

ground water supply, which is the primary source of water for the Township, and

the Blanchard Reservoir.

REG1 ONAL FAC ILlTlE S

Howard Township is located in the Bald Eagle Area School District and is

served by the Howard Elementary School in Howard Borough and the Bald Eagle

Area High School inWingate. Arecent study conducted by the School District found

the Elementary School to be inadequate while the relatively new high school is cap-

able of hand1ing not only the present enrol lment but also the anticipated growth for 1I __._ _. - 11 - I the next ten years. Fire protection for the Township is provided by two volunteer companies; one in Howard Borough and the other in Milesburg. According to insurance and under- writer standards, the companies maintain adequate facilities for the area. Because of the Township's close proximity to Bel lefonte, other services are readily available

including the County Library and YMCA.

Future plans and projects underdevelopment which will enhance the area in-

clude the completion of the Bald Eagle State Park around the Blanchard Reservoir, with its many planned support facilities, and the recently completed swimming pool

for the Bellefonte area. Also, the recently completed Mountaintop Swimming facil-

ity provides additional recreational opportunities. A more complete description of

facilities in the Region is available in the Inter-Valley Comprehensive Plan, with

recommendations and a plan for future development on a regional level.

There is no municipally provided water service in Howard Township at this time. A small loosely organized association provides water service to the residents

of Mount Eagle while the residents in the rest of the Township rely on individually

developed water sources. The source of water is primarily groundwater from either springs or drilled wells. This situation makes it imperative that these groundwater resources be protected from contamination by domestic sewage or other pollutants.

At the present time there is only one area in the Township which has municipal sewer service. This is the developed area immediately adjacent to Howard Borough. Recognizing this situation and the importance of providing sewer service

in the future a study should be undertaken with the other communities in the Bald

Eagle Val ley, or independently, to develop feasible alternatives for providing waste

disposal service to existingand proposed development within the Township (See Map 5, Inter-Valley Region: Water and Sewer Systems). The need for municipal facilities and services has been relativelyminimal in

the past and appear to be generallyadequate for thepresent; however, if majorde- velopment is to occur in the future new services will have to be provided. Some

plans have already been formulated, and others are presently being developed, but

the most critical needs, sewer and water service, have not been studied in a manner

which provides feasible solutions to the problem.

- 12 - I

TRANSPORTATION

A community's growth depends on an efficient transportation network. The maior systems involved are highways, railroads, and of increasing importance, air-

port fac iI ities. The present road system in the Township includes 35.05 miles of improved roads (those eligible for I iquid fuels tax reimbursement). Approximately 37% of this total is under state control, while the remaining 63% is supervised by the Town-

ship. The Map, "Existing Transportation System" portrays the road locations and

their type classification (See Map 6, Howard Township: Existing Transportation

System). The classifications include Major Arterial, Minor Arterial, Minor Col- lector and Local, defined as follows: Arterial - The function of an arterial highway is to move traffic in a rapid, safe, and efficient manner. Collector - Collector streetsdrain traffic from local roads and provide access to arterial highways or to local establishments, such as schools and shoppingcenters. Local - The primary function of a local road is to provide access to adjacent properties. Secondly, it provides for traffic movement to a collector street. All roads in the Region were type classified; and local conditions were then

summarized and analyzed. The result was a plan prepared for each municipality in

the Region. Each plan was well integrated with existing and proposed state and

federal highways, in order to provide an efficient and functional national, state,

county, regional, and township network.

The Howard Township "Transportation Plan 'I map presents the proposed system

for the municipality (See Map 7, Howard Township: Transportation Plan). Recom- mendations for future improvements includes: 1) improving Pa. Rt. 26 from a proposed interchange on 1-80at Jacksonville to Howard Borough - this road will serve as a major arterial route into the area; 2) the construction of a connecting road be- tweenold U. S. 220and New U. S. 220, to alleviate the long deadend roadsitua- tion created in the vicinii-y of Mount Eagle as a result of the construction of the SayersDam andrelocation of U. S. 220; and 3) the improvement of L. R. 14012 to serve as a minor arterial route. All Township roads should be improved to provide good access to the mountainous areas of the Township for recreational use.

__ - - - 13 - The Township is presently served by the Penn Central Railroad which has a main linefrom Altoona toLock Haven, running the length of the Bald Eagle Valley.

Presently this service is limited to freight only.

Howard Township has excellentaccess to local airfacilities. The Pennsylvania

State University airport is located in the southwestern corner of Benner Township; this facility provides private and commuter service to the area. The Mid-State Air- port, located in the Black Moshannon State Forest, provides major commercial ser- il I vice for theTownship to mostcities in the state andmajor cities along the eastcoast. !~ I In general, the major existing and planned transportation facilities serving the Township are adequate for today's needs and should prove to be a significant factor in future development. The only real need is for some reconstruction and reorientation of the older existing road network in order to take full advantage of the recentlyconstructed majorfacilities (e.g., U. S. 220and I-80)and the benefits they can provide for the community.

LAND USE

Essential in preparing any development plan is a knowledge of the existing types and distribution of land use. The present land use in Howard Township is typical of a rural area (See Map 8, Howard Township: Existing Land Use). The existing development is characterized by an obvious lack of planning and control.

Definite patterns of development do exist for the various types of land use, but often it's not the most expedient use for the area.

There is no industry in theTownship, and only a very limitedamount. of commercial development. This existing commercial development consists of smal I retai I outlets for basic groceries and service items.

The existing residential development in the Township fits into various cate- gories including: areas which are physical extensions of Howard Borough, strip development along existing roads, -scattered farms, some scattered seasonal and recreational dwellings, and one minor node at Mount Eagle. Even though distinct patterns of development are apparent, the total amount of development in the Town- ship is still verysmall so that major service problems have only just begun to appear.

_. - 14- ~--. 5= - - -_ ------EXISTING LAND USE - HOWARD TOWNSHIP (1 969) 1 Use Acres % Total % Developed

Residentia 1 176 1.38 43.8 Commercial 10 0.08 2.5 Industria I 5 0.04 1.2 Public and Semipublic 44 0.35 11.0 Transportation and Communi cat ion 167 1.31 41.5 2 Recreation 0 0 0 Agricultural and Undeveloped 5,639 44.24 0 Public Agriculture 71 0.56 0 Public Open Space 3,639 28.55 0 Wooded 6,704 52.60 0 Public Forest Land 2,082 16.34 0 TOTAL Total Developed 402 1/ Developed land includes: Residential ,Commercial, Industrial, Public and Semi- public, Transportation and Communication, and Recreation. 2/ Recreation includes: Parks, Playgrounds and other intensive public and semipublic recreational activity areas and facilities.

One new pattern which is just beginning to become apparent is the strip commercial

development which is beginning to appear along "New" U. S. Route 220. By far, the largest single land use in theTownship is forest land. Agriculture is the second largest use, but is not as extensive as the forest cover. The existing land use in Howard Township istypical of a rural agricultural area. Strip development is common since the few available services (e.g. , electricity) generally run along the existing roads. All other types of land use in theTownship are fairly logical in location and, therefore, have been integrated into the future land use plan.

- 15 - FUTURE PLAN The purpose of a comprehensive study is to evolve a future development plan.

The overall plan presented here is based on the physical, social, andeconomic conditions existing in the Inter-Valley Region. The future land use plan for Howard

Township must be considered from a regional standpoint, since the Township is simply one political unit in the Inter-Valley community.

The future land use plan for the Inter-Valley Region proposes that development proceed out from the existing Bel lefonte-Milesburg urbanized area in decreasing intensity toward the rural agricultural areas (See Map 9, Inter-Valley: Future Land

Use). Development limitations caused by topography, drainage, soils, and future road plans have been considered in this analysis. The problems of providingsanitary sewers, water, streets, recreation, as we1 1 as commercial and industrial facilities have also been taken into account.

There area numberof small growth nodes scattered throughout the Inter-Val ley

Region. Some of these growth areas will undoubtedly be absorbed by the urbaniz- ingareas of Bellefonte and Milesburg. Other growth nodes will continue to expand and maintain their individual identity. Each of these smaller nodes will serve a specific service or function in the future. These functions wil I vary from community- to-community, depending upon its location and character.

Carrying this concept to the local level, we find that Howard Township has no large areas for prime physical development of any type. However, because of the construction of the Sayers Dam, which completely bisects the Township, there will be a large demand for recreation oriented residential and commercial development.

The areas immediately adjacent to the reservoir have the best potential for this use; however, this area is primarily under government ownership and control. Therefore, development will be forced to take place in the area north of relocated u. s. 220. Commercial developmentwill continue to attempt to occur along U. S. Route 220. Uncontrolled development like this should be discouraged and should be al-, lowed only under certain regulated conditions or at existing nodal areas.

- 16 - Two types of residential use should be encouraged in the Township, low and rural density residential development. The low density development should occupy the areasaround Howard Borough and Mount Eagle. However, special consideration must be given to soil and topographic limitations. Only a few minor areas appear to have potential for rural density development. These include the area just north of U. S. 220 and the area between Romola and U. S. 220.

The vast areas leading up to the Allegheny Front appear to be best suited for retention as open space (farm, recreation, and recreational type residential development). If this area is developed in this manner, a small, centrally located service center would be needed; Romola could serve as this center.

Howard Township has considerable development potential, if the proper types of development are encouraged. This new development must be carefully planned and controlled in order to avoid major problems in the future.

- 17 -