BALLY/BECHTELSVILLE JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Berks County, Pennsylvania
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BALLY/BECHTELSVILLE JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Berks County, Pennsylvania Planning and Zoninn Consultant Urban Research & Development Corporation Bethlehem, Pennsylvania This Joint Comprehensive Plan was adopted by the Bechtelsville Borough Council on July 11, 1994 and the Bally Borough Council on August 16, 1994. BALLY BOROUGH BECHTELSVILLE BOROUGH Mayor Mayor Philip Ferrizzi Susan Miller Borough Council Borough Council Clarence Emerich, Jr., President Kathyn Updegrove, President David Bradshaw, Vice-president Craig Bonenbetger, Vice-president Paul Bartlett Donald Augustine Paul Conrad Arthur Bartman Jean Emerich Francis Henry Linda Moser Lawrence Imbody MayBeth Scholl Eugene Pel1 Borough Secretary Secretary to Borough Council Robert Moll Sandra Moser Planning Commission Planning Commission Dennis Heydt, Chairperson Craig Bonenberger, Chairperson MayBeth Scholl Pau I Jung , Vice-Chairperson Hubert Seemann, Jr. Neil Ullom, Secretary Richard Simmons Richard Graber Gerald Weinsteiger Frank Moorhouse Joint Planning Committee -Bally Members Joint Planning Committee-Bechtelsville Members Dennis Heydt, Co-Chair Craig Bonenbetger, Co-Chair Wnda Moser Robert Isett MayBeth Scholl Delmar Kern Hubert Seemann, Jr. Sandra Moser Richard Simmons Neil Ullom Gerald Weinsteige? Unwood DottereF * Non-voting Joint Planning Committee member ** Former Joint Planning Committee Coxhair ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This document was largely financed by Berks County’s Federal Community Deuelopment Block Grant Program. Berks County has established a policy for funding local planning with CDBG funds that implements the principles defined in the Berks County Comprehensiue Plan Reoision. A major objective is to promote joint municipal planning, intergooernmental and regional cooperation. As a result, the County initiated a Local Planning Partnership Fund, to fund the preparation of local comprehensioe plans for municipalities that engage in joint plan- ning efforts. The Bally/Bechtelsoille Plun is one of the first projects to be funded under this policy. The County commends municipal officials of both Bully Borough and Bechtelsuille Borough, as well as the joint comprehensioe planning committee members, for their participation in this program. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Chapter I . Regional Location and Setting ........................................ 1-1 Chapter I1 . Presence of the Past .............................................. 11-1 . Chapter 111 . Natural Features ................................................. 111-1 Chapter IV . Government Profile and Municipal Finances ............................. 1v-1 Chapter V . Population. Housing and Employment ................................. V-1 Chapter VI . Existing Land Use ................................................ v1-1 Chapter VI1 . Community Facilities and Services ................................... v11-1 Chapter VI11 . Circulation .................................................... VIII-1 Chapter IX . Summary of Assets and Concerns ..................................... 1x-1 Chapter X . Bally Within the Region ............................................ X-1 Chapter XI . Goals ............................................................ - 1 Chapter XI1 . Land Use and Housing Plan ....................................... x11-1 Chapter XI11 . Natural Features Plan ............................................ XIII-1 Chapter XIV . Historic Resources Plan .......................................... x1v-1 Chapter XV . Circulation Plan ................................................ XV-1 Chapter XVI . Community Facilities & Services Plan ................................ xv1-1 Chapter XVII . Parks and Recreation Plan ........................................ XVII-1 Chapter XVIII . Economic Development Plan ..................................... XVIII-1 Chapter XIX . Energy Conservation Plan ........................................ x1x-1 I Chapter XX . Implementing the Plan ............................................ XX-1 Chapter XXI . Popular Funding Sources ......................................... xx1-1 MAPS Map 1 . RegionalLocation ........................................................... 1-1 Map 2 . Original Goshenhoppen Mission Property ......................................... 11-1 Map 3 . Early Bechtelsville .......................................................... 11-3 Map 4 . Historic and Cultural Resources, Borough of Bally ................................... 11-4 Map 5 . Historic and Cultural Resources, Borough of Bechtelsville .............................. 11-5 Map 6 . Hydrology, Borough of Bally .................................................. 111-2 Map 7 . Hydrology, Borough of Bechtelsville ............................................. 1113 Map 8 . Natural Features, Borough of Bally .............................................. 111-6 Map 9 . Natural Features, Borough of Bechtelsville ......................................... 111-7 Map 10 . Soil Suitability for On-Site Septic Systems, Borough of Bally ............................ 111-9 Map 11 . Soil Suitability for On-Site Septic Systems, Borough of Bechtelsville ...................... 111-10 Map 12 . Agricultural Soils, Borough of Bally ............................................. 111-11 Map 13 . Agricultural Soils, Borough of Bechtelsville ....................................... 111-12 Map 14 . Existing Land Use, Borough of Bally ............................................. v1-6 Map 15 . Existing Land Use, Borough of Bechtelsville ....................................... v1-7 Map 16 . Existing Land Use Along Bally’s Main Street ....................................... v1-8 Map 17 . Existing Land Use Along Bechtelsville’s Main Street .................................. v1-9 Map 18 . Existing Zoning, Borough of Bally .............................................. v1-10 Map 19 . Existing Zoning, Borough of Bechtelsville ........................................ v1-11 Map 20 . Community Facilities, Borough of Bally ......................................... VII-10 Map 21 . Community Facilities, Borough of Bechtelsville .................................... VII-11 Map 22 . Future Land Use Plan, Borough of Bally ......................................... x11-2 . Map 23 Future Land Use Plan, Borough of Bechtelsville .................................... x11-6 I Map 24 . Circulation Plan, Borough of Bally ............................................. XV-4 Map 25 . Circulation Plan, Borough of Bechtelsville ........................................ XV-5 TABLES AND FIGURES Table IV-1 . Bally Borough and Bechtelsville Borough General Fund Revenues .1988-1992 ........ IV-4 & IV-5 I Table IV-2 . Bally Borough and Bechtelsville Borough General Fund Expenditures .1988-1992 ..... IV-6 8~IV-7 Table V-1 . Total Population .1970-1990 .................................................. V-2 Table V-2 . Age Specific Population and Net Cohort Change .1980-1990 .......................... V-5 Table V-3 . Average Household Size ..................................................... V-6 Table V-4 . Household Characteristics .1980-1990 ........................................... V-7 Table V-5 . Income and Poverty Characteristics .............................................. V-7 Table V-6 . Formal Education Level of Residents .1980-1990 ................................... V-8 Table V-7 . Age Groups and Housing Needs .1990 ......................................... V-11 Table V-8 . Housing Type, Tenure, Vacancy and Value .1990 ................................. V-12 Table V-9 . Housing Value of Owner-Occupied Units .1990 ................................... V-14 Table V-10 . Monthly Contract Renmenter-Occupied Units .1990 ................................ V-14 Table V-11 . Characteristics of Housing Units .1990 .......................................... V-15 Table V-12 . Non-Agricultural Employment .1991-1993 ....................................... V-16 Table V-13 . Seasonally Adjusted Unemployment Rate .1992-1993 ............................... V-17 Table VII-1 . Percent of Public Facilities .1990 .............................................. v113 Table VIM . Boyertown School District ................................................... v11-7 Table XIII-1 . Guidelines for Protecting Important Natural Features .............: ........... XIII-2 to XIII-4 Table XV-1 . Arterials, Collectors and Local Streets for Bally and Bechtelsville ........................ XV-1 Table XV-2 . Highway Functional Classifications and Recommended Design Features ..................XV-2 I Table XXI-1 . Popular Funding Sources ................................................... xx1-1 ChartV-1 . Population Projections .2000 ................................................. V-3 ChartV-2 . Population Density .1990 .................................................... V-3 ChartV-3 . Household/Housing Progression ............................................... V-10 Chart V-4 . Building Permits Granted for New Housing .1990 .................................. V-13 ChartV-5 . Civilian Labor Force .1990 .................................................. V-16 THE REGIONAL LOCATION, SETTING AND CLIMATE BACKGROUND FOR THE PLAN LOCATION CLIMATE Bally Borough and Bechtelsville Borough are both located in The Boroughs of Bally and Bechtelsville enjoy a fairly moderate, Berks County in southeastern Pennsylvania. These two humid, continental climate. This is due to their location on the boroughs are located along the Route 100 corridor in eastern leeward side of the Appalachian Mountains. When compared Berks County near the