, .LAWRENCEx. COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE ' PLAN 1977 i ., .., AGE-SEX PERCENT DISTRIBUTION ,+,, 80 84 1 I. .I. .. .. ,. ;.. ......, , .,. I I 1;. ., . ., . I. ....f., ... 65 69 60 64 59 I 551 I 50 54 45 49 1 .. 401 44 351 39 30 34 I I I 25129 I ~r LAWRENCE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION LAWRENCE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN PREPARED BY LAWRENCE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION JUNE, 1977 The preparation of this report was financed in part through a comprehensive pxanning 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, Department of Community Affairs. LAWFWVCE COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSIO~ Russell N. Kawa, Chairman John Cater, Vice Chairman Wendell Wagner, Secretaty Dominic Caminite John Coyne Rodger DeCarbo Charles McDevitt John Noga John Wattick, Jr. LAWRENCE COUNTY PLANNING STAFF Thomas W. Graneg. Director Gerard C. Nosal, Principal Planner James Gagliano,Jr., Community Planner Laura Brobel, Secretary Rosalind Trioolo. Clerk/Typist Frank Gingras, Draftsman LAWFLENCE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS John A. Meehan, Jr., Chairman Thomas Shumaker Frank Vitril i I TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 -PAGE INTRODUCTION BACKGROUND A. Historical 1 B. Physical 2 C. Population 3 D. Economy 6 E. Housing 7 F. Transport at ion 13 G. Sewer Facilities 15 H. Water 19 I. Land Use 23 J. Public Facilities 25 K. Recreation 27 L. Solid Waste 32 PROBLEMS- TRENDS Physical 34 Population 34 Economy 35 Eousing 35 Transportation 35 Sewer and Water 36 'Land Use 36 Recreation 37 Solid Waste 37 1 POLICIES AND PRIORITIES Physical 39 Population. 40 1 Economy 40 E Housing 41 I 1 I Transportat ion 43 Sewer and Water 45 I Land Use 45 Recreation 47 I Other 48 AF'PENDIX 1976-1978 Lawrence County Planning 50 E Highway Priority List 1976-1978 Pennsylvania of Transportation 52 I 12 Year Project Priority List TOPICS Program 52 I Development Criteria 53 I I 1 E I I I I I I I II PLATE INDEX FOLLOWS : RFGIONAL LOCATIONS ................................. Introduction LAWRENCE COUNTY MUNICIPALITIES POPULATION 1940 - 19’70 ............................ Page 5 crvmm WORK FORCE LAWRFNCE COUNTY 1967 - 1976. ....................... Page 6 MAJOR TRANSPORTATION .FEATURES. ...................... .Page 14 REGIONAL RECREATION MIP ............................. Page 27 MUNICIPAL PARKS ......................................, Page 30 SEWER SYSTEM PRIORITIES .............................. Page 45 WATER SYSTEM PRIORITIES ............................. Page 45 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN ................................... Page 49 INTRODUCTION The WIIYRENCE COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE PLAN is a positive state- ment for the future of our community. Our area has seen decades of adversity. Hopefully, this document can be a tool to help reverse this trend. Historically, these Plans are overly optimistic in nature. Here, we have attempted to take a realistic and mature look at Lawrence County, recognize its very real problems, and suggest 0 activities of a remedial nature. For, before we talk of growth, it is first necessary to halt decline, stablize, and attempt to base future growth an realistic assumption. This does not mean the Planning Commission Plan ignores some of the traditional concerns for these reports. Land use, the environment, and similar concerns are in evidence. These are im- portant and recognized as same. Yet--to be realistic, these traditional concerns must be balanced against very pressing prob- lems of jobs, industry, and economy. There is a cartoon in a planner's jokebook. It shows a janitor in a dusty and cob-webbed closet.. The janitor is putting a report on a back shelf, the caption reading, "Implementing the Plan." During the next year, the Comprehensive Plan will be sub- jected to the review of many elements of our citizenry, local officials, as well as specific reviews by functional committees of the Lawrence County Planning Commission. Hopefully, under- standing and support will result in this review as well as a sharpening of specific priorities and policies. Then, upon adop- tion, this Plan will indeed be a real guide past to the future. How well this'Plan is written, how well it is received, how effective it is, will show how we in Lawrence County do in "Im- 0 plementing the Plan." I I I L I I I I I E 1 I- I, li I] BACKGROUND The purpose of this portion of the Comprehensive Plan for Lawrence County is to give the reader a brief overview of the current problem that we face. In zn effort to achieve brevity, this text will be limited. Those who wish to seriously study the County's problems would do well to review the following publications which are available at the Lawrence County Planning Commission (LCPC) office: 1. Comprehensive Sewer & Water Plan, 1971. d2. Solid Waste Plan, 1974. 3. Economic Analysis, 1974, e J4, Population Analysis, 1974, 5. Traffic & Transportation Plan, 1974. J6. Industrial Plan, 1975. 7. Land Use Plan, 1975. 8. Overall Economic Development Plan, 1976, L/9. Housing Report, 1976. 10. Historic and Geographic Report, 1976. A. HISTORICAL I Over two hundred years ago, the future site of Lawrence County was part of the frontier of Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Maryland, or Virginia--depending on which claim was believed. The land was I royally granted to William Penn, but the Quakers did not protect this area from Indian invasions, prompting the other three states e mentioned to claim the territory. I Its original inhabitants were Indians; at first the Iroquois (Six Nations), then the Delaware. These Indians were the only inhabitants until after the Revolutionary War, the only exception ! being a small settlement by Moravian missionaries in 1770. Permanent settlement within the County began after the Revo- ! lutionary War. Dedication tracts and rail company schemes encouraged settlement in the Western Pennsylvania area. Generally, 1793-1794 is given as the first gears that the real settlers moved to this County. Most noteworthy of these was John C. Stewart, who arrived 1. in 1798 and by 1802 was selling plots in what is now New Castle. u 1 e At that time, Lawrence County was part of Beaver and Mercer Counties. New Castle, which began as a borough in 1825, was growing and found itself under two county jurisdictions. In 1830, the struggle for a new county was begun which culminated success- fully in 1849. The name Lawrence was taken from Captain James Lawrence, whose cry "Don't give up %he ship" was adopted as the motto of local residents in their fight for the creation of this County. Generally, growth was gradual within the County until the late 1800's. Then,with the advent of the industrial revolution, and the sound of local tin mills, growth started to accelerate. This era of growth and prosperity generally continued into the late 1920's. Then the combination of the great depression, as well as the growing obsolescence of local factories, led to a decline of the County. It has been less than 200 years since the first permanent settlers visited this area, and during this period, significant changes in growth has occurred. Today, the County is a mixture of city, farm, and forest, each reflecting essential elements of its history. B. PHYSICAL Lawrence County is located along the western border of Penn- sylvania, about equidistant from its north and south boundaries. Cleveland lies about ninety miles northwest of the County, Youngs- town to its immediate west, and approximately thirty miles to the south, is found Pittsburgh. There is a total of approximately 379 square miles in the County; and geographically, it is in an area referred to as the Appalachia Plateaus Province. Elevations within the County range between one to two thousand feet above sea level except for portions of the river valleys. Major topographical characteristics can be divided into three categories: (1) steep slopes and rugged terrain in the southeastern'portion of the County; (2) gently rolling hills and broad level flood plains in the western portions, and; (3) fairly level, rolling.land typical of the northeastern rural sections. The County has nine major watersheds which all drain into the Ohio River system via one of the three major rivers of the County, the Shenango, Mahoning, or Beaver. Lawrence County which lies between 400 50' and 41° 7' North Latitude, enjoys a humid continental climate, with an average annual precipitation ofoapproximately 38.17 inches. Temperature extremes from 1Olo to -23 Fahrenheit have been recorded. The mean annual temerature is a mild 50°, and the growing season is cal-culated to be 145 days, lasting from mid-May to late October. 2 '0 .! Much of the County is underlain by various mineral deposits. Chief among these are limestone,and coal. The coal is bituminous, I generally characterized by high ash and sulfur content. Therefore, due to environmental control, it is not readily adaptable to all uses. However,the upgrading of coal-burning power units to proper envkronmental operating standards,coupled with the current "energy crisis,"may increase local production. Limestone deposits are used chiefly for the manufacture of cement, and in the construction industry. Deposits of sand and gravel also exist in the County and are used by the construction activities. C. POPULATION According to Webster's, a community is defined as "a unified 0 body of individuals." As the Comprehensive Plan is about our community of Lawrence County, it is well that we study the body of individuals which comprise our citizens. An area's population is both a mirror of its history and a basis for the projections of future conditions. For example, a vigorously growing county normally reflects a strong economic base and warns community leaders that they must carefully guide physical development lest serious problems develop. Conversely, a declining I population is a clue that local economic conditions need attention. What has been the history of Lawrence County's population? From 1900 to 1960, it exhibited a pattern of nearly continuous growth.