A Comprehensive Open Space, Park & Recreation Plan May 2018

Acknowledgements

Franconia Township Board of Supervisors

Grey R. Godschall, Chairman David B. Fazio, 1 st Vice Chairman Robert H. Nice, 2 nd Vice Chairman Curtis N. Kratz, Supervisor Dr. Charles Amuso, Supervisor

Township Manager

Jon A. Hammer

Planning Consultant

Gilmore & Associates, Inc.

Table of Contents

Introduction ...... 5 Purpose of the Open Space Plan ...... 5 Purpose of the Parks and Recreation Plan ...... 5 Community Background ...... 6 Support for Franconia ...... 13 Goals & Objectives ...... 16 Farmland and Open Space ...... 17 Protected Resources ...... 18 Vulnerable Resources ...... 22 Conservation and Preservation ...... 25 Park & Recreation Inventory and Assessment ...... 32 Parkland Resources ...... 32 Recreation Resources ...... 34 Trail Master Plan ...... 42 Plan Implementation ...... 49 Action Plan ...... 51 Capital Improvement Program ...... 52 Appendices List of Tables and Figures Grant Funding Sources Municipal Planning Code Section 503-11 Franconia Township Ordinance #392 Checklist for Master Site and Maintenance Plan

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TOWNSHIP LINE ROAD Y 0 0.1 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 Municipal Boundary HATFIELD TOWNSHIP Miles Public Parks & Open Space Parcel Line GILMORE & ASSOCIATES, INC. FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP FRANCONIA TOWNSHIP, MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA ñ Municipal Building ENGINEERING & CONSULTING SERVICES 65 E. BUTLER AVENUE, NEW BRITAIN, PA, 18901 - (215) 345-4330 - WWW.GILMORE-ASSOC.COM JOB NO.: 17-01151 DATE: FEBRUARY, 2018 P a g e | 5

Introduction

Franconia Township, Montgomery County, is a place of working farms, families and open space. For nearly three centuries, it has maintained a commitment to agriculture as both a business and the most important element of its community character. Today, Franconia is home to nearly 14,000 residents each with access to an expanding school and park system, as well as some of the finest scenic vistas in the entire county. Known as ‘The Garden Spot of Montgomery County,’ Franconia is routinely given top priority for farmland preservation funding by the County and cited as an important community in which to preserve open space. In 2017, the Township set about revisiting its farmland, open space and park and recreation goals, with a hope of continuing their preservation success and of establishing dedicated funding for their existing and expanding parks and trails.

Purpose of the Open Space Plan

In 2005, Franconia Township completed a thorough update to its 1995 open space plan. In both plans, Franconia’s top goals were to ‘Make Farmland Preservation a High Priority’ and to ‘Maintain the Rural and Agricultural Character of Much of the Township.’ This open space plan seeks to reaffirm the township’s farmland and open space preservation goals and to establish an action plan for achieving local, county and state funding to support these goals.

Purpose of the Parks and Recreation Plan

Franconia Township is eager to establish a dedicated funding source for maintaining and improving their existing parks and for implementing a system of recreation trails throughout the township. This plan will identify the elements required to support a fees-in-lieu-of ordinance as well as identify the current grant funding agencies promoting extra-ordinary park, recreation and trail projects.

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