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Home , Nittany Valley, Penns Valley

1992

CENTRE HALL BOROUGH

COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

Centre Hall Borough North Hoffer Avenue Centre Hall 16828 Centre County, PA

Prepared By: George L. Sta-, IU.,A.I.C.P. Stallman & Stalllman, Inc. Engineering and Planning York, CENTRE HALL BOROUGH OFFICIALS

Mark Heintzelman ...... Mayor

Borough Council

Bonnie Fohringer ...... President Steven R. Myers ...... Vice President Lynn E. Dutrow Gerald L. Krebs Robert E. "Bud" Kyle Linda M. Roberts Steven A. Wertz

Borough Staff

Lynn E. Dutrow...... Code Enforcement Officer Sue Wilkins ...... Secretary John Miller, III...... Solicitor Buchart - Horn, Inc ...... Engineer

PlanninP Commission

Joseph H. Hammaker ...... Chairman Edward L. Heiser, Jr. Robert Rahauser Doug Royer Kerry D. Tyson

i I .J NITTANY JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING INITIATIVE

Under the guidance of Attorney Ben Novak, seven Centre County Municipalities joined together in 1988 with the goal of updating their Comprehensive Plans and Zoning Ordinances. They were: J Bellefonte Borough J Benner Township J Centre Hall Borough ! J Marion Township J Port Matilda Borough J Spring Township J Walker Township

Huston Township was originally part of the group, but subsequent- I ly resigned and was replaced by Port Matilda Borough. i was selected as a common name for the group as five municipalities, Bellefonte Borough plus the four Townships, lie in the Nittany Valley between Nittany and Bald Eagle Moun- tains. These five communities also comprise the Bellefonte Area School District and have formally been designated the Nittany Valley Subregion by the Centre County Planning Commission. Centre Hall Borough, just over in , and Port Matilda Borough just over in the Bald Eagle Creek Valley have similar problems and concerns, and thus opted to join the group. The primary motivations behind this effort were the recognition and acknowledgement that:

1 0 All of the participating municipalities either did not I have or had outdated plans and ordinances, 0 By participating together, the 's problems could be faced squarely with less chance for duplication of effort or misunderstanding, 0 By participating together, a common format for codes and ordinances could be achieved, and 0 By proceeding concurrently with common consultants, lower costs could be realized. i The joint venture has been an unqualified success. First a grant was received from the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs to help defray a portion of the costs; a grant that otherwise might not have been received had the joint effort not f been made. Secondly, a number of decisions were made on a joint basis which were best both for the region and for the individual municipalities; decisions which might not otherwise have been made. And thirdly, by presenting a united front it is hoped to better gain the attention of both State and County Agencies re- garding funding for needed projects.

1 ! The group plans to continue joint efforts in the future. i - iv - CONTENTS

Centre Hall Borough Officials ...... iii Contents ...... v Resolution ...... ix

Background Reports 1. The Planning Process ...... 1-1 2 . Natural Features ...... 2-1 A . GeOlog~ ...... 2-2 B . Soils ...... 2-10 C . Slopes ...... 2-15 D . Forests ...... 2-18 E . Floodplains ...... 2-20 F . Composite Features ...... 2-23 3 . Existing Land Use ...... 3-1 4 . Utilities ...... 4-1 A . Sanitary Sewer Systems ...... 4-1 B . Water Supply Systems ...... 4-5 C . Natural Gas Distribution..... 4-12 D . Solid Waste Disposal ...... 4-13 E . Electrical Distribution ...... 4-17 F . Telephone ...... 4-19 5 . Existing Transportation Systems ...... 5-1 A . Automotive ...... 5-1 B . Rail ...... 5-9 C . Air ...... 5-12

Comprehensive Plan 6 . Goals and Objectives ...... 6-1 7 . Future Development Plan. including ...... 7-1 I A . Land Development Controls .....7-1 B . Conservation Areas ...... 7-2 C . Residential Areas ...... 7-3 D . Pennsylvania Avenue ...... 7-6 E . Industrial Area ...... 7-9 F . Transportation Plan ...... 7-10 I 8 . Future Community Facilities and Utilities Plan ...... 8-1 1 A . Public Schools ...... 8-1 B . Parks and Recreation ...... 8-4 C . Water Supply ...... 8-6 D . Sanitary Sewers ...... 8-7 9 . Implementation Plan ...... 9-1

Appendices Bibliography ...... A-1 Questionnaire Results ...... B-1

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TABLES

Table No. 3.1 Land Use Classifications for Centre Hall Borough and Centre County ...... 3-2,3-3 3.2 Existing Land Use in Centre County; 1975, 1980 and 1985 ...... 3-5 3.3 Land Use Changes by Percentage and Acreage in Centre, Penns Valley, and Nittany Valley of Centre County PA, 1975-1985 ...... 3-7 3.4 Existing Land Use, Centre Hall Borough, 1975 - 1990 ...... 3-8 4.1 Summary of Sanitary Treatment Systems by Region, Centre County, 1987...... 4-2 4.2 Summary of Water Supply Systems by Region, Centre County, 1987 ...... 4-6 J 4.3 Penns Valley Region Water Systems, 1987 ...... 4-9

4.4 Basic Characteristics of the Centre Hall 1 Borough Water Works, 1991...... 4-10 4.5 Amount and Type of Waste Generated in Centre County on an Annual and Daily Basis, 1989 and 2000...4-15 4.6 Amount and Type of Waste Generated in Nittany Valley Municipalities on an Annual Basis, in Tons 1 for 1990 and 2000 ...... 4-16 4.7 Tentative Construction Plans, Nittany Division,

West Penn Power Company, 1990 to 1999 ...... 4-18 I 5.1 Centre Hall Borough Streets...... 5-6 5.2 Characteristics of the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad...... 5-10 5.3 Rail Traffic Analysis, Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad ...... 5-10 5.4 Carload Activity, Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad, 1986-'89...... 5-11 8.1 Recommended Standards for Recreation Areas...... 8-5 ...-...... Contents I

MAPS

Map No . 2.1 Physiography of Centre County ...... 2-3 2.2 Drainage Areas and Community Watersheds ...... 2-4 2.3 Carbonate Geology in Centre County ...... 2-5 2.4 Mineral Resources in Centre County ...... 2-6 2.5 Groundwater Resources in Centre County ...... 2-9 2.6 Agricultural Land in Centre County ...... 2-11 2.7 Soil Limitations for On-Site Sewage Disposal ...... 2-14 2.8 Slopes in Centre County ...... 2-15 2.9 Forests in Centre County ...... 2-19 2.10 Floodplains in Centre County ...... 2-20 2.11 Composite Natural Features in Centre Ha11 ...... 2-25 3.1 Generalized Existing Land Use in Centre County, 1975 ...... 3-6 3.2 Existing Land Use in Centre Hall Borough, 1989 ...... 3-11 4.1 Centre County Sewer Service Areas; 1987 ...... 4-3 4.2 Centre County Water Service Areas; 1987 ...... 4-7 4.3 Centre Hall Borough Water Works; 1991 ...... 4-11 4.4 Natural Gas, Nittany Valley ...... 4-12 4.5 Solid Waste Wastesheds. Centre County ...... 4-14 5.1 1980 Functional Highway Classification System for Centre County ...... 5-3 5.2 Centre Hall Borough Street Map ...... 5-5 5.3 SEDA-COG Joint Authority Rail System ...... 5-11 5.4 The ...... 5-14 6.1 Nittany Valley Schematic Development Plan ...... 6-7 7.1 Centre Hall Borough Future Development Plan ...... 7-15 8.1 Proposed Sanitary Sewer System. Centre Hall Borough and Potter Township ...... 8-9 Figure No. 2.1 Farm Acreage in Centre County, 1940 to 1988 ...... 2-10 2.2 Development Limitations Related to Slope ...... 2-16 5.1 Route 144 Bypass Alternatives ...... 5-9 5.2 Route 26 Improvement Alternatives ...... 5-9 8.1 Penns Valley Area School District ...... 8-2 8.2 Floor Plan, Centre Hall - Potter Elementary School ....8-3

1 BOROUGH OF CENTRE HALL

Centre County, Pennsylvania

TITLE: Adoption of Comprehensive Plan

WHEREAS, The Planning Commission of Centre Hall Borough, after careful study and public discussion, including a survey of Bor- ough residents, discussions with adjoining municipali$iea, joint deliberation and decisions with the municipalities of the Nittany Valley Region and participants in this study, and discussions with the Centre County Planning Commission has recomrqended to the Centre Hall Borough Council a Comprehensive Plan for Centre Hall Borough; and

WHEREAS, Council has considered the Comprehensive Plan, having on January 20, 1992 held a public hearing thereon, and finds that said Plan constitutes a suitable, rational, and timely Plan for the Future development of Centre Hall Borough;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the document consisting of the followin

Backmound Rewrts Comprehensive Plan 1. The Planning Process 6. Goals and Objectives 2. Natural Features 7. Future Development Plan 3. Existing Land Use 8. Future Community Facilities 4. Utilities and Utilities Plan 5. Transportation 9. Implementation Plan

duly submitted by the Centre Hall Borough Planning Commission, and entitled The Comprehensive Plan dated June 1, 1992 is hereby adopted as the Comprehensive Plan of Centre Hall Borough.

RESOLVEDFURTHER, that, Centre Hall Borough Comprehensive Plan shall be the guide and basis for all public and private actions specified in and required by Section 303 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, as amended.

s I Resolution Adoption of Comprehensive Plan

RESOLVEDPURTHER, that, in order that the Comprehensive Plan shall at all times be current with the needs of Centre Hall Bor- ough and shall represent the best thinking of the Borough Coun- cil, Planning Commission, and boards and commissions of the Borough in the light of changing conditions, the Planning Commis- sion shall annually review the Comprehensive Plan and recommend to the Borough Council extensions, changes or additions to the Plan which the Commission considers necessary. Should the Com- mission find that no changes are necessary, this finding shall be reported to the Council.

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