Centre Hall Borough Comprehensive Plan
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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, Pennsylvania 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 VALLEY 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 Nittany Valley 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 Mount Nittany in Penns Valley, and Port Matilda Borough just over Bald Eagle Mountain 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were the recognition and acknowledgement that: 1 0 All of the participating municipalities either did not I have or had outdated plans and ordinances, 0 By participating together, the region's problems could be faced squarely with less chance for duplication of effort or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 -V- Contents 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 Regions 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 University Park Airport ........................... 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