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Greenway and Open Space Network Plan Newtown Township, Delaware County Greenway and Open Space Network Plan June, 2020 Draft Prepared by: Gilmore & Associates, Inc. This project was financed in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund, under the administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Gilmore & Associates, Inc. Engineers • Land Surveyors • Planners • GIS Consultants 65 E. Butler Avenue • New Britain, PA 18901 215-345-4330 TOWNSHIP OF NEWTOWN PENNSYLVANIA Acknowledgements Newtown Township Board of Supervisors Mr. John Nawn, P.E., Chair Edward Partridge, Vice Chair Christina Roberts Lightcap, Supervisor Leonard Altieri III, Supervisor Mike Russo, Supervisor Greenway and Open Space Network Plan Steering Committee Stephen Nease, Township Manager Bruce Killen, Newtown EAC Cindy Mehallow, Newtown EAC George Sharretts, Public Works Department Director and Road Master Robin Flynn, Newtown Square In Bloom George Chittenden, Newtown EAC Connie Stuckert, Dunwoody Village Steve Beckley, Delaware County Planning Department John Custer, Newtown Township Resident Peter Lake, Parks & Recreation Commission Kent A. Baird, AICP, Community Planner Liz Rosencrans, Junior Planner Robert Thomas,AIA Douglas Maisey, Planner Harry Murray, Architect Planning Consultants For more information regarding the content of this document, please contact: Newtown Township, 209 Bishop Hollow Road, Newtown Square, PA 19073 www.newtowntownship.org Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................ 4 Introduction .................................................................................................... 7 Purpose of the Plan .................................................................................... 10 Goals & Objectives of the Plan .................................................................... 13 Community Background ............................................................................... 14 Support for this Plan ..................................................................................... 21 Public Participation .................................................................................... 21 Other Plans, Planners, & Planning ............................................................. 26 Greenways & Trails ....................................................................................... 28 Greenway Corridors ................................................................................... 28 Connections ............................................................................................... 39 Bicycling: Rules of the Road ....................................................................... 51 Open Space Preservation ............................................................................... 80 Protected Resources ................................................................................... 81 Permanently Preserved Land ................................................................... 81 Vulnerable Resources ................................................................................. 91 Open Space Ranking .................................................................................. 93 Tools and Techniques ................................................................................. 98 Plan Implementation ................................................................................... 107 Action Plan .............................................................................................. 107 Partnerships and Funding ........................................................................ 109 Appendices ................................................................................................. 112 Tables, Figures & Maps Tables ❖ Figure 4. Land Use (pg. 16) ❖ Figure 5. Satisfaction With Existing ❖ Table 1. Demographic Profile (pg. 14) Facilities (pg.23) ❖ Table 2. Zoning Districts (pg. 17) ❖ Figure 6. Describe the trails you use now ❖ Table 3. Commuter & Traffic Data (pg. (pg. 23) 36) ❖ Figure 7. Where do you really want to go ❖ Table 4. 2019 Inventory of 22 Selected (pg. 23) Intersections (pg. 37) ❖ Figure 8. What kind of greenway, trail ❖ Table 5. Greenway Analysis (pg. 42) and open space facilities are needed ❖ Table 6. Levels of Liability (pg. 48) (pg. 24) ❖ Table 7. Trail Ranking System (pg. 71) ❖ Figure 9. What kind of greenway, trail, ❖ Table 8. Trail Evaluation (pg. 72) and open space facilities do you feel the ❖ Table 9. Trail Cost Estimates (pg. 77) Township needs (pg. 25) ❖ Table 10. Permanently Preserved Open ❖ Figure 10. Types of Trail Systems (pg. Space in Newtown Township (pg. 81) 46) ❖ Table 11. Public Parkland Resources ❖ Figure 11. Bartram-Goshen Trailhead Owned by Newtown Township (pg. 84) Concept Plan (pg. 64) ❖ Table 12. Existing Trails for Public Use ❖ Figure 12. Campus Boulevard in Newtown Township (pg. 85) Rendering (pg. 68) ❖ Table 13. Private Parkland Resources in Newtown Township (pg. 85) Maps ❖ Table 14. Recreation Facilities Owned by Newtown Township (pg. 87) ❖ Map 1. Context Map (pg. 5) ❖ Table 15. Private Recreation in ❖ Map 2. Base Map (pg. 9) Newtown Township (pg. 88) ❖ Map 3. Zoning Map (pg. 18) ❖ Table 16. Public Parkland Resources in ❖ Map 5. Natural Resources (pg. 32) Neighboring Municipalities (pg. 89) ❖ Map 4. Greenways & Steep Slopes (pg. ❖ Table 17. Open Space Evaluation (pg. 33) 96) ❖ Map 6. Future Greenway Focus Area (pg. ❖ Table 18. Action Plan (pg. 108) 44) ❖ Map 7. Trail Recommendations (pg. 59) ❖ Map 8. Protected Land (pg. 82) ❖ Map 9. Public & Private Recreation (pg. Figures 90) ❖ Map 10. Protected & Vulnerable ❖ Figure 1. Comparison of 2000 and 2010 Resources (pg. 92) Age Cohorts (pg. 15) ❖ Map 11. Open Space Recommendation ❖ Figure 2. Newtown Population by (pg. 95 Ethnicity (pg. 15) ❖ Figure 3. Delaware County Population Growth (pg. 15) 2 | P a g e Executive Summary Appendices Additional Tables & Figures ❖ Additional Demographic Tables ❖ Site Visit Maps Plans & Projects Reviewed ❖ Related Plan Review Partnerships, Funding & Resolutions ❖ Funding Opportunities Public Involvement ❖ Steering Committee Meeting Minutes (5) ❖ Newtown EAC Focus Group Minutes ❖ Compiled Stakeholder & Committee Questionnaires ❖ Public Meetings 1 & 2 Minutes ❖ Paper Survey and Display Boards from Public Meetings 1 & 2 Executive Summary Newtown Township is Delaware County’s oldest township, and, it is about to become new again. Established in 1681, the township has, for over 300 years, been a crossroads for travelers heading into and out of the City of Philadelphia. North-south and east-west travel meets in the village of Newtown Square and heads 13 miles east to City Hall. It’s quick, convenient, and until today, made Newtown mostly auto-centric. In recent years, Township residents shared, repeatedly, their quality of life is reduced by traffic congestion, high volumes of cars, and a lack of pedestrian and bicycle facilities. They supported trail recommendations in the Findings of the Plan 2016 Comprehensive Plan. They declared their frustrations in the 2019 Strategic Plan. And, through this ➢ Very few open space parcels remain. new plan, they responded a resounding ‘yes’ to more greenways, trails, and land conservation. ➢ Newtown needs stronger greenway protection. The Newtown Township Greenway and ➢ Newtown Square will always be a Open Space Network Plan is a presentation of primary crossroads. ideas to help preserve more open space, create corridors ➢ Nearly 38-miles of trails, paths and of protected and recreational greenways, and establish bike routes are possible. new trails, paths and bike routes. ➢ After State, County, and other Goals of the Plan: grants, cost per acre, to township may be as little as $20,000 per acre. 1. To enhance existing greenways and open space; 2. To provide connections between downtown, ➢ Average cost per trail mile $370,000 neighborhoods, parks and open space; after grants. 3. To clarify greenway and open space needs; 4. To identify new greenway and open space ➢ There is broad support for opportunities. establishing the proposed trails. ➢ Collaboration of state, county, and …and, the findings of the plan suggest the last remaining local government is needed. open space parcels are at serious risk of development, a network of trails is desired and feasible, and even more important, realizable in the near future! 4 | P a g e Executive Summary GETTING TO NEWTOWN Travelling from the North: Using PA Bicycle Route L PA Route 252 or PA Route 476 to Villanova and Pennsylvania’s Bike Route L is located in the West Willowburn exit to US Route 30 to PA 252 South Chester Borough, Chester County, approximately 11 miles due west of the village of Newtown Square. From the South: PA Route 252 or PA 476 to US Route 1 to PA 252 or Using Delaware County On-Road Bike Network PA 352 to US Route 1 east to PA 252 North Delaware County is working to improve PA Route 3 and PA Route 252 as ‘Primary’ on-road bicycle From the East: routes, and four ‘Tertiary’ routes: Bryn Mawr Ave.; PA Route 3 (West Chester Pike) or Bryn Mawr Ave. Bishop Hollow; St. Davids Rd.; and Gradyville Rd. Southeastern PA Transportation Authority (SEPTA) From the West: Regional Rail Service: PA Route 3 (West Chester Pike) or Goshen Road or US Route 30 to PA 252 South or US Route 1 to PA 252 Norristown/ Thorndale Lines to Radnor and Villanova North Stations. Other
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