An Overall Pian for the Development and Preservation of the City of Mooha, Pennsylvania

Prepzred Under the Direction of the City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and Staff of the City of Altoona Depaitmsnt of Planning and Development

Adopted by Resolution or' Altoona City CounciI on August 9, 2gOo.

Cornm u n it4 Plann i r ia Cons u I t a nt

[Jrban Research and Devetoprneilt Corporation Bothle hem, Penns y lva tiia CONTENTS

Introduction ...... 1

Great Things Are Happening ...... 1 AltoonaWithintheRegion ...... 2 I Altoona’sRichHeritage ...... 3 I How This Plan Was Developed ...... 4 1 c Initial Public Input ...... 5 Community-Wide Survey ...... 5 Neighborhood Workshops ...... 6 I Results of Focus Group Interviews ...... 9 Mission Statement ...... 11 Direction: The Major Goals of this Plan ...... 11 I Relationships Between the Components of this Plan ...... 13

I Land Use and Housing Plan ...... 15

L Economic Development and Downtown Plan ...... 37 i TransportationPlan ...... 53 I c Community Facilities and Services Plan ...... 63 NaturalFeaturesPlan ...... 71 i Putting this Plan Into Action ...... 77 I The Neighborhoods of Altoona ...... 91 I This Plan Was Developed Under the Direction of the Following Altoona Citizens

Mavor City Council Thomas Martin Mark Geis Dennis Hallinan City Planning; Commission Wayne Hippo Sharon Fasenmyer Robert Johnson Patrick Labriola Ronald Reidell Richard Rothrauff Thomas S haheen Kate Shaffer Robert Mitchell* Thomas Stout Herb Wilson" Robert Suders Francis Wiley Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee Howard Sell* Patrick Altiero Tony Ruggery" Roger Bunnell Sharon Fasenmyer City Manager William Forsht Joseph Weakland Richard Haines Helen Harms Altoona Department of Planning & Community Patrick Labriola Development Staff Martin Marasco Larry Carter, Director Thomas Martin Nick Ardizzone Patrick Miller Jean Cupp William Polito Robin Emswiler Richard Reeves Carl Fischer Jane Shefield Audrey Green David Shields Mary Johnson Joseph Weakland Jane Laughlin David McFarland Marilyn Morgan Maryann Pellegrine Barbara Sweeney James Trexler Dennis Zahrobsky Aaron Mowry" Robert Palombi" T. L. Ralston, Jr.*

*Former members 1999 Phase I of the Comprehensive Plan was developed with the assistance of numerous additional committees, with the following persons providing professional assistance:

Dr. Witt Watts, Assistant Professor of City Planning, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Dr. John Benhart, Former Assistant Professor of City Planning, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Dr. Kevin Patrick, Assistant Professor of Geography, Indiana University of Pennsylvania Dr. Alexander Chen, Assistant Professor of Business Administration, Pennsylvania State University - Altoona Dr. Charles Kormanski, Psychologist, Pennsylvania State University - Altoona

This project was primarily funded by the Community Development Block Grant program, as administered by the US. Department of Housing and Urban Development. City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

INTRODUCTION

Great Things are Happening

Many great things are happening in Altoona and neighboring areas. For example:

The new Railroaders Memorial Museum, Altoona CurveBlair County Ballpark, County Convention Center, the Penn State Downtown Conference.Center and the Downtown Discovery Center are bringing many new visitors to the area.

Within a few years, Interstate 99 will be a four-lane expressway connecting Interstate 80 and State College with Altoona from the north, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 68 to the south. - Route 220 may also be improved from Interstate 80 to Williamsport to become part of Interstate 99. At Williamsport, the new Route 15 expressway (which may become Interstate 99) will then be completed northward to connect with the Route 17 Expressway across New York State. Major improvements are also planned along Route 322 and 219 to improve access to the northwest. - These improvements will greatly improve Altoona’s accessibility to the Northeast Region, and thereby make it more attractive to businesses and residents.

From 1994 to 1998, the annual dollar value of construction within the City increased 74 percent - from $1 8.2 to $3 1.7 million. Most notably, there was a 145 percent increase in the value of additions, repairs and alterations to residences - to $14.2 million in 1998. There was also a 116 percent increase in the value of new commercial construction - to $5.8 million in 1998. (In this comparison, the $40 million expansion of Altoona Hospital in 1994 was not included because it was an exceptional project.)

The rate of housing construction is increasing. The 25 new homes built in the first 4 months of 1999 surpassed the 16 homes built during all of 1998. Most of the new homes are high-quality site-built single family detached houses.

Neighborhood groups in Logantown and other areas of the City are organizing to strengthen their community.

The crime rate of Altoona continues to be far lower than similar mid-sized cities in Pennsylvania.

Penn State Altoona, Altoona Hospital and Bon Secours Hospital continue to expand, and serve as economic anchors for the region.

Another set of improvements to the Downtown’s streetscape is underway, a new Police Headquarters is complete and City Hall is undergoing extensive renovations.

1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan I

Although Altoona still needs to expand its tax base, in 1999 the City’s auditors reported that the City’s financial condition has greatly improved. Altoona Within the Region I As seen on the following Regional Location Map, Altoona is located in south-central Pennsylvania, approximately 100 miles east of Pittsburgh. 1-99 provides north-south access to the east-west Pennsylvania Turnpike. Once the missing link to the north is completed, 1-99 will connect to State @ College and the east-west 1-80. Bedford is 35 miles to the south, Harrisburg is 135 miles to the east, Johnstown is 45 miles to the west, and State College and Penn State University - University Park are 45 miles to the northeast.

REGIONAL LOCATION I I a I STATE COLLEGE 8 HARRISBURG I CARLISLE 0 1 il ..I..-..-.. ..-..-..-..-..-..-..-. c 8

2 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Altoona’s Rich Heritage

The Altoona area was originally inhabited by native Americans’of the Iroquois Confederacy. The first western settlers arrived in the mid-1700s. A series of stockades were constructed in the mid-1700s in the region as a defense against Indian raids, including Fort Roberdeau.

In 1811, iron making began at the Allegheny Furnace. The owner of the Furnace built the Baker Mansion nearby. By 1831, the Main Line of the Pennsylvania Canal was extended west to Hollidaysburg. The Canal connected to the Allegheny Portage Railroad in 1834, which hoisted canal boats over the Allegheny Ridge on primitive rail cars.

Altoona owes its origin and growth to the Pennsylvania Railroad. While most cities were located along rivers, Altoona was located at the approach to the Horseshoe Curve.

The Pennsylvania Railroad was chartered by Pennsylvania in 1846. In 1849, the Railroad began developing the community that became Altoona - as a staging area for the construction of the rail line. By 1850, the railroad had been constructed from Harrisburg west to Altoona. The Allegheny Ridge was a major barrier to the completion of an east-west railroad across Pennsylvania. Through innovative engineering, the Horseshoe Curve was completed in 1854 west of Altoona to provide a westward passage at a grade that was gradual enough for heavy trains. The Horseshoe Curve is now designated aNationa1 Historic Landmark. Once this route was completed, the railroad was able to replace the canal as the primary means of transportation. By 1858, the travel time between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh had been reduced to 15 hours, as opposed to the three days required before the railroad was built.

The original rail yard in Altoona was centered in the vicinity of present-day Station Mall between 9th and 10th Avenues. The west side of this rail yard became the commercial center, while the east side was primarily residential. The most prominent building was the Logan House, on the site of the present Post Office. Altoona was incorporated as a borough in 1854, when it included approximately 2,000 residents. The population grew to over 10,000 by 1870 - partly as a result of demand for rail cars during the Civil War. Altoona was incorporated as a city in 1868.

By 1880, Altoona’s population had reached almost 20,000. This growth in residents was accompanied by establishment of strong churches, clubs and a range of businesses. Downtown Altoona for decades served as the commercial center for the entire surrounding region. Llyswen was a carefully planned suburban community that was laid out between 1894 and 1907 to take advantage of streetcar access. Most of the streets were named after poets.

By 1925, 14,000 of the 17,000 industrial workers in the area were employees of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The railyards produced locomotives, other rail cars and railroad equipment. At one point, the present-day location of Station Mall included three roundhouses and the main locomotive construction facilities. Other major industries included silk, meat-packing and clothing.

Altoona’s early residents were not as ethnically diverse as those of larger cities. Most residents were born in the United States. This trend was mainly caused by the need for skilled railroad workers, as opposed to less skilled immigrant laborers. Of those residents who were immigrants, most were from Ireland, Germany and Italy.

3 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Altoona grew through.new construction and annexations, including the annexation of the Borough of Juniata. The development of the City was spurred by horse-drawn trolleys in the 1880s and electrified trolleys in the 1890s. These trolleys allowed residents to live further from their workplaces. Commercial development occurred along many of these trolley routes, which extended along most major streets of present-day Altoona.

The early 1900s saw tremendous growth - from a 1900 population of almost 39,000 to an all-time peak of 82,000 residents in 1930. After World War 11, the demand shifted from steam locomotives to more cost-efficient and reliable diesel and electric locomotives. As a result, the construction of new locomotives ended in Altoona, although the repair and maintenance of rail cars continues to generate large numbers of jobs in Altoona and Hollidaysburg. This high employment has continued through changes from the Pennsylvania Railroad to PennCentral to CONRAIL to Norfolk Southern.

After World War 11, the former Ivyside Amusement Park was developed into the Altoona Campus of Penn State University. A series of redevelopment projects occurred in older areas of the City after 1960, such as the Station Mall, Crickett Plaza and the High School Campus.

How this Plan Was Developed

As described in the following section, first, a series of methods were used to encourage public input. These efforts included a series of neighborhood meetings and a survey. Then, a report was completed that summarized existing trends. A professional community planning firm was selected through a competitive process.

A series of interviews were held with City department heads, members of City Council and other individuals. Mapping was completed of existing conditions. Then, a Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee then formed, which met on a monthly basis. The Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and the staff of the Altoona Department of Planning and Development were primarily responsible for setting the policies and overseeing the preparation of this Plan. Great attention was focused on the proposed Future Land Use Plan Map, which is intended to be the basis of a revised zoning ordinance.

A public meeting was then held by the City Planning Commission, and a review was completed by the County Planning Commission. The Comprehensive Plan continued to evolve through public input. The Plan was then carefully reviewed by City Council, which held a public hearing.

4 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

INITIAL PUBLIC INPUT

As an initial phase of this Comprehensive Planning Program, three major methods were used to receive initial input from citizens. These methods were: a) a Community-Wide Survey, b) Focus Group interviews, and c) Neighborhood Meetings. Assistance was provided to the City Government in these methods by professors of Pennsylvania State University - Altoona and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Community-Wide Survey

A Community-wide Survey was conducted in Altoona in 1996. The major results of this Survey, among persons who responded, were:

86% felt that Altoona is a very desirable or somewhat desirable place to live.

Most persons felt that Altoona was a “Safe place” 84% felt that Altoona is a good place to and a “Neighborly place.” The fewest numbers of responses were received for “Altoona is a beautiful place” and “Altoona is a good place to work.”

Residents were asked to rate the quality of a variety of services. The following services received high ratings in order: recreational opportunities, fire protection, emergency services, public education, services for senior citizens, and then sewage and water services. In contrast, the following services were rated lower: creating jobs, keeping jobs, developing clean neighborhoods, repairing old houses, collecting garbage, enforcing city ordinances, maintaining streets, and controlling drug use.

Many respondents perceived that future trends for Altoona will be: young people will move away, more jobs will be low paying, and crime will increase.

When asked to rank their priority programs, services, and issues, respondents ranked job opportunities as the highest. Crime prevention, street maintenance, protection of children and the elderly, and repairing old houses were also rated as important priorities.

When asked about their values, Altoona residents reported strongly beliefs in family, privacy, independence/self-reliance,career/ job opportunities, and the practice of religion. Spending time with their family was one of their most frequent activities.

Respondents projected how optimistic they are about their personal future over the next five years. It was found 25% of the respondents are very optimistic, 40% are somewhat optimistic, and only 9% were pessimistic. (A quarter of respondents had no opinion.)

5 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

0 53% said that they plan to stay where they live, about 15% plan to move within the City, and 25% would move out of the City if given the opportunity. Finding better employment was the top reason for considering moving out of the City. High taxes and not enough space/ congestion were also listed as reasons for considering leaving Altoona.

0 The most desirable and special qualities that respondents believe Altoona should preserve are in order: railroad heritage, low crime rate, school district, historyiheritage, small town atmosphere, friendly people, good neighborhoods, cultural activities, landmarks, old buildings, parks, downtown and environment.

0 According to the survey, the important issues facing the City are in order: jobs, crime control, city government, loss of the tax base, alcohol and drug abuse, education, and movement of youth from the area.

0 Respondents offered the following solutions for the problems facing Altoona, in order: attract more businesses, provide better law enforcement, and encourage more cooperation among different groups.

Neighborhood Workshops

A series of thirteen neighborhood workshops were conducted during 1996. These meetings were held to receive comments from residents regarding issues and concerns in their neighborhood and to provide citizens with an opportunity to consider the ideas of other residents.

Citizens were asked to identify features of their neighborhoods or the City as a whole that they would like to change or preserve. The detailed results were compiled in a separate report. Four major themes stand out: control over neighborhood intrusions; communications among local institutions; conservation of the City’s cultural, institutional and physical resources; and community building between the City, residents and local institutions.

Community Building and Community Relations

Citizens emphasized the critical roles of places of worship, educational institutions, neighborhoods, civic associations and especially families in creating a productive environment for human development. Many suggestions offered by citizens were directed toward bolstering communication, interaction and cooperative relations among these institutions.

Citizens sought additional interaction with public officials on a more frequent basis. Comments were received about the need for good personal relations between public officials.

Many citizens expressed an interest in increasing their participation in-neighborhood projects, such as crime watch programs, neighborhood clean-ups, maintenance of streams, parks and cemeteries, recreational programs and neighborhood celebrations. Supporting such activities was seen not only as a way of reducing reliance on public dollars, but as a way of advancing character formation and civic responsibility among citizens, especially youth. Citizens were particularly interested in the cultivation

6 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan of community service activities, volunteerism, and family values.

Safetv and Security

Citizens advocated family friendly neighborhoods. They desired that the physical fabric of their neighborhood reflect this value. Neighborhoods should be designed and maintained to support and protect seniors and children. Emphasis was placed on traffic safety, especially at intersections. Comments were expressed that a higher priority needs to be placed on safe pedestrian travel, instead of an overemphasis on efficient movement of vehicles.

Citizens are greatly appreciative of Altoona’s low crime rate and are greatly supportive of the City’s police and fire departments. Community-based police patrols are particularly popular. Citizens would like to see such programs expanded and designed to function in tandem with neighborhood watch programs. Safety during large special events and after hours security of schools and parks was considered particularly important.

Citizens identified several streets where traffic patterns disrupted the tranquility of their homes, posed a threat to children and violated the pedestridresidential character of the neighborhoods. They also suggested a variety of measures - such as signs, speed enforcement and truck limitations.- to increase neighborhood safety. The intent is to reduce noise, reduce traffic volumes on local streets and avoid excessive speeds of traffic.

Many concerns were expressed about the lack of local control over halfway houses and drug treatment centers. While sensitive to the need for rehabilitation, citizens were unhappy that the City was having to assume social burdens imported from other regions. They were particularly concerned about the potentially destructive influences of program “drop-outs.” Citizens expressed paramount concern for the threats on local young persons from drug abuse.

Neighborhood Character

Citizens emphasized the importance of maintaining residential neighborhoods, preserving historic character and encouraging safe pedestrian travel. Residents pointed out that many traditional neighborhood features -street trees, sidewalks, alleys, consistency in building styles - are assets that should be built upon. The economic, social and age group diversity of traditional neighborhoods were considered important assets.

There were concerns about the need to attract more middle income households into Altoona. Residents expressed optimism that these persons could be lured back to the City through revitalized neighborhoods.

Citizens expressed concerns about commercial intrusions in residential areas. While many persons recognized the value of some commercial uses near neighborhoods, there were concerns about incompatibility with the scale of the neighborhood, traffic safety and congestion, crime, nuisance and appearance issues. Citizens mentioned need for zoning provisions that protect residential areas, and a strong zoning hearing board to enforce such a policy. Neighborhood participation in the formulation of land use policies effecting neighborhood property was considered especially important.

7 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Citizens expressed a desire for greater attention towards neighborhood nuisances and poorly maintained properties, especially rental properties. Many persons felt that code enforcement needed to be more extensive and systematic. Citizens placed emphasis on the need for housing rehabilitation programs, inspections of rental properties, and neighborhood clean-up activities.

Citizens also sought greater social interaction within neighborhoods. For instance, there was interest 1 in having spaces or facilities that serve as neighborhood centers for residents to meet each other. Community festivals and neighborhood events were considered a way to promote the arts and foster community spirit. I Recreation and Education I Citizens emphasized the need to expand safe, accessible and affordable family-based recreational opportunities. Facilities and programs targeted towards children and teens and after school activities were considered particularly important. Interest was expressed in making maximum use of existing I community resources-particularly educational facilities-for neighborhood recreational, cultural and educational uses. Citizens expressed an interest in the revival ofthe former YMCA and general support for a skating facility. I

Citizens stressed the importance of maintaining a strong, technologically up-to-date, career-directed and locally responsive public and parochial school system, with strong parent involvement. Citizens I stressed the importance of building strong values in children, including self-discipline, respect for others and family values.

Economic Development

Residents stressed the need for economic development programs to retain existing businesses, attract P new business and create more favorable conditions for the growth of small businesses (including home- based businesses). There was support for promoting many types of businesses, instead of an over- I emphasis on large industries. In addition, citizens expressed the importance of fostering a more cosmopolitan identity and adopting a positive attitude toward change, while avoiding too much reliance on a single employer. I To countering negative attitudes, citizens recommended greater recognition of Altoona’s many existing recreational, educational, historical and locational assets. Greater media attention was desired for the I positive features of the City and positive accomplishments of those working to improve their communities. 1 City Services

Some residents expressed a desire for more systematic street maintenance and snow plowing. Some I persons said that the City needs to provide information to the public on how street improvements, other capital improvements and maintenance are planned, scheduled and carried out. The garbage collection system was reported to be inefficient, with many haulers traveling the same block.

. 8 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Capital Improvements

Citizens identified areas of their neighborhoods that were in need of street and storm water improvements. Attention was not only focused upon streets, but also upon parks, sidewalks and street t trees.

I The Downtown

Residents identified the importance of a strong downtown as an important element of community life. 8 There were some differences in opinion on the types of activities that should be emphasized downtown, and hence the need for particular improvements. Citizens supported promoting a diversity of activities beyond traditional retail stores, including cultural, recreational and educational activities. Comments li were received about the importance of high quality design and appearance improvements to promote a culturally vital and economically vibrant downtown.

3 Natural Resources, Heritage and Historic Preservation

Citizens emphasized capitalizing on the natural and cultural heritage of the City. Honoring Altoona’s b rail heritage, adopting adaptive reuse strategies, developing heritage trails and preserving the integrity of the City’s historic buildings and neighborhoods were encouraged. Similarly, the preservation of scenic mountainsides,watersheds and forest resources around Altoona were considered important 1 towards the quality of life.

Results of Focus Group Interviews il As part of the first phase of this Comprehensive Plan, 90 persons representing 76 organizations, agencies and businesses participated at a series of discussions were named Focus Group Interviews. I As part of these interviews, a Vision was proposed for Altoona as follows: In its future, the City of Altoona aspires to become the centerpiece of the Southern Alleghenies by:

1 A continuing commitment and involvement in COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING which empowers citizens through active listening by visionary leadership who develop strategies to influence change using a life cycle perspective, trend analysis, and successful achievements of benchmark cities. as I models and which utilizes public forums, open discussions, focus groups, surveys, and related opportunities to identify and prioritize critical issues.

I A COOPERATIVE REGIONALIZATION involving the City, neighboring municipalities, the County Government and other agencies which uses partnerships, builds interdependent relationships, and finds c common ground that focus on shared goals, not obstacles, to pursue benefits and cost reductions for all. An innovative approach for MARKETING ASSETS of the City which highlights the quality of life including cost of living, public transportation, water, safety, social services, education, health care, arts, 1 available housing, and friendly neighborhoods tied together by a cultural heritage which is frequently ? celebrated and appreciated. 9 li City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

A QUALITY EDUCATION fiom early childhood to retirement which emphasizes lifelong learning and provides citizens with a variety of choices including the acquisition of a college degree within the community, transferable skill acquisition to enhance employment possibilities, and computer skills for everyone.

To encourage growth, the City of Altoona will maintain an awareness and a competitiveness by striving 1 for the following outcomes:

FULL EMPLOYMENT of a skilled workforce which commands a decent salary to support a family I along with job training opportunities which emphasizes adaptable skills in a changing world of increasing technology. I ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT to insure financial stability, continued employment opportunities, adaptable reuse of land, and support for business starts and expansions; and to seek both private investors and public funding for projects within the City and into the region as well. e

MODERN TRANSPORTATION which ties air, rail, and highways together to meet the needs of an active public and expanding businesses and includes accessible mass transit, a regional airport, high -6 speed trains, and new north-south and east-west highways. 1 AFFORDABLE HOUSING for all income levels along with standardized ordinances, zoning based upon a Comprehensive Plan, fair code enforcement, subsidized housing, and beautification of the City, including the planting of trees.

To insure growth, the City of Altoona will provide opportunities for all citizens to be a part of the process and the goal achievement by relying upon the following human resources:

CARTNG PEOPLE who respect and encourage diversity; challenge racism, sexism, and other forms of prejudice; promote accessibility to housing, childcare, recreation, education, and social services for those in need; support a comprehensive healthcare system which includes hospitals, home nursing, retirement homes, and extended care facilities; and encourage wellness in our physical health, our mental state, our interpersonal relationships, our intellectual development, and our spirituality.

CONCERNED ORGANIZATIONS involving civic, religious, and professional groups that promote the City; market the region; encourage volunteerism, recreation, entertainment, and arts; and celebrate the cultural and historic diversity of its people.

COMMUNITY PRIDE based upon ownership of each individual’s role as a citizen who votes, assumes responsibilities, volunteers, and models effective behaviors, positive attitudes, and community values.

VISIONARY LEADERSHIP involving those in government, business, and community affairs who have a compassion for people, an ability to communicate ideas, an interest in organizing people to become active in the community, a willingness to serve as a mentor to emerging leaders, and an eagerness to stretch one’s mind and create a future for Altoona.

10 Citv of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Mission Statement

Once these vision statements and outcomes are considered together, it can be summarized into the following overall mission statement.

The citizens of Altoona, with visionary leadership, will continually strive to make Altoona an even greater place in which to live, work, learn and play. These efforts will emphasize strong neighborhoods, regional cooperation, appreciation of our heritage, economic growth, high-quality life-long education, an attractive living environment, community pride, citizen involvement, and the celebration of the arts and culture.

Direction: The Major Goals of the Comprehensive Plan

This Comprehensive Plan recognizes. that financial resources are limited. Therefore, instead of recommending grandiose new government projects, this Plan emphasizes improving what already exists and directing the private market to achieve public objectives.

The following goals and policies provide overall direction for the Comprehensive Plan.

Land Use and Housing

Provide compatible land use patterns that avoid nuisances between uses and traffic conflicts, particularly across municipal borders.

Strengthen residential neighborhoods, with an emphasis on encouraging home-ownership, rehabilitating older buildings, protecting neighborhoods from incompatible development, and addressing parking shortages.

Promote a feeling of community in old and new neighborhoods throughout the City, with residents organized to improve and invest in their surroundings.

Encourage appropriate reuse and historic rehabilitation of older buildings and new construction that is compatible with historic surroundings.

Promote appropriate types of businesses in areas planned for business uses, particularly to redevelop areas with heavy vehicle traffic, marginal housing and vacant lots.

11 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

0 Work over time to assemble parcels of land into large enough sizes that will attract significant new investment.

0 Work to improve the attractiveness of all areas ofthe City, especially major entranceways -to help to attract new businesses and residents.

Economic Development and Downtown Plan

0 Encourage the development of new economic activity and the retention and expansion of existing businesses, to provide additional tax revenues, expand employment opportunities, and diversify the economy to make it more stable over the long-term.

0 Continually work to strengthen the Downtown, with a balanced mix of office, retail, service, entertainment, cultural, residential, and institutional uses.

0 Emphasize tourism throughout the region, built primarily upon the area’s heritage, arts and culture, and recreational assets.

0 Work to improve the image of Altoona among persons within the immediate region and outside of the area.

0 Make sure that City residents have the practical job skills needed by current and potential employers to help individuals advance and to attract and retain businesses.

0 Work to take full advantage of the planned expansion of Perm State - Altoona, the hospitals and other area institutions.

Community Facilities and Services Plan

0 Provide sufficient community facilities and services throughout all areas of Altoona, in a cost- efficient manner.

0 Continually explore ways to minimize government expenses and increase revenues, including maximizing use of Federal and State funding sources.

Transportation Plan

0 Work with PA. DOT to make cost-effective improvements to the region’s street system to avoid congestion problems and improve traffic safety.

’0 Minimize the adverse impacts of traffic upon residential neighborhoods, particularly higher-speed traffic and heavy truck traffic.

0 Complete improvements from northern Altoona to reach the Pinecroft interchange of 1-99. Over the long-term, seek a new 1-99 interchange on Kettle Street, with widening of Kettle Street andor improvements to Lloyd Street.

12 ’ City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

0 Promote use of public transit, bicycling and walking, particularly to minimize increases in traffic gdto serve persons unable to drive or to afford their own vehicle.

Natural Features Plan

0 Make sure that the intensity of new development is limited on flood-prone areas, very steeply sloped lands and other important natural features.

Putting this Plan into Action

0 Continually work to put this Plan into action through a program of updated planning and many short-term actions within a long-range perspective.

0 Keep citizens informed and provide opportunities for meaningful citizen input, while making use of new technologies for communication.

0 Strengthen community pride and emphasize volunteer efforts for residents and property-owners to improve their surroundings.

0 Maximize communications, coordination and cooperative efforts between the City of Altoona, the School District, adjacent townships, the County and other agencies and organizations.

Relationships Between the Components of this Plan

The various components of this Plan have been carefully inter-related with each other. The policies are based upon careful study of existing conditions and trends. The goals and objectives provide overall policy direction. The recommendations were developed to cany out the goals. The natural features, existing land uses and street patterns were used to help determine areas that were physically suited for different types of development. Compatibility between various land uses is emphasized. The impacts of future land uses on community facilities and transportation needs have been fully considered. The importance of encouraging economic growth is addressed throughout this Plan, as well as efforts to minimize local government expenses. The Action Program section describes how the recommendations of this Plan should be carried out.

The timing of development is not a critical issue in Altoona because most of the City is already developed. Instead, this Plan emphasizes what would be the most appropriate development or redevelopment of an area - whenever it would occur.

13 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

LAND USE AND HOUSING PLAN c

The Land Use and Housing Plan recommends policies concerning residential, business and institutional 1 development and redevelopment. An overriding goal is to minimize conflicts between different land uses - especially conflicts with homes, Very intense commercial and industrial development and overly dense residential development should be avoided within residential neighborhoods. At the same time, I to strengthen the City’s finances and the areas’s employment choices, we need to spur business investment in appropriate areas.

1 A certain amount of mixing of land uses is valuable to reduce dependence on cars. For example, it should be possible in most areas of the City to walk or bicycle to stores selling everyday needs. At best, many residents would be able to walk to work, to shop, to parks and to places of worship.

Altoona has very limited amounts of undeveloped land. Therefore, Altoona must: I a) make the best use of each area of undeveloped land, b) stress redevelopment of underused areas and reuse of existing buildings, and c) make sure that development regulations do not waste land, such as by requiring excessive I setbacks between businesses. l I b Land Use Plan Categories and Land Use Plan Map

GOAL: Provide compatible land use patterns that avoid nuisances between uses and traffic conflicts, particularly across municipal borders.

The Land Use Plan Map on a following page recommends different patterns of land uses throughout r; each area of Altoona. Some areas are primarily intended to be residential, commercial or industrial over the long-term. Other areas are intended to be a mix of certain uses. Most of the land use categories are intended to eventually be translated into zoning districts. The City’s Zoning Ordinance permits I different types of intensities of development in different zoning districts. I Parks and ODen Space - These areas are intended to be available for public recreation. Altoona has a well-distributed set of park and recreation areas and facilities.

Maior Communitv Facilities and Institutional - These areas recognize major concentrations of I community facilities and institutional uses, such as Bon Secours Hospital, Altoona Hospital, the public schools, the library .and Perm State - Altoona. This category also includes larger cemeteries, schools, I. fire stations and other facilities. - Institutional uses are important economic anchors for the region’s economy and should be encouraged to expand within the City. However, most institutional uses do not pay real estate taxes, and therefore should be discouraged from consuming excessive amounts of land. i 15 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

- The emphasis should be upon encouraging institutions to expand “upward, not outward.” A tall maximum height is appropriate towards the center of major institutions, while areas closer to residential neighborhoods should be limited to 3 or 4 stories.

The emphasis should be upon encouraging institutions to expand “upward, not outward.” I

- Where outward expansion is necessary, it should be directed into redeveloping marginal areas, while avoiding intrusions into stable residential neighborhoods.

Note - Elementary schools, high schools, churches and other places ofworship would be appropriate in almost all areas of the City. Minimum lot sizes are necessary to avoid intrusions of institutions into the middle of a residential block.

Low Density Residential - These areas are intended to primarily provide for single family detached houses. An average of 4 to 5 homes per acre is appropriate. However, larger lots should be required when a building would be proposed on steeply sloped lands - particularly to avoid erosion.

Low Medium Density Residential - These areas are intended to primarily provide for single family detached houses and side-by-side twin homes. Each home should be required to be on its own lot. An average of 6 to 8 homes per acre is appropriate. In most residential districts, new homes should be allowed to be placed relatively close to local streets, so they are consistent with existing homes and to maximize use of the rear yard. Parking should be encouraged to be placed to the rear of homes, using alleys - to keep the front yard green and avoid conflicts with pedestrians.

Medium Density Residential - These areas are intended to primarily provide for single family detached houses, side-by-side twin homes and townhouses. To encourage home ownership, each home should be required to be on its own fee-simple or condominium lot. An average of 8 to 12 homes per acre is appropriate.

- Apartments would still be appropriate in these areas if they involved conversion of an existing institutional or commercial building. Also, it would be appropriate to allow the replacement of existing apartments in older buildings with the same number of new apartments in new buildings. The new apartments would help serve a need in the City for modern high-quality rental units.

Medium High Density Residential - These areas would provide for all types ofhousing, except for high- rise apartments. This category is primarily intended to recognize existing apartment developments. An average of 12 to 15 homes per acre is appropriate.

High Densitv Residential - This category should provide for all types of housing, including high-rise apartments. The average density would typically exceed 15 housing units per acre. An increased density could be appropriate for developments limited to senior citizens and the physically handicapped.

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I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Downtown Commercial - These areas are intended to provide for a balanced mix of retail, service, office, entertainment, cultural, institutional and civic uses. At best, additional parking would be provided through multi-level decks instead of large-scale demolition. A very high maximum height 1 should be established. - Upper story apartments and apartment buildings (including high-rise senior citizen apartments) I should be encouraged to provide additional customers for Downtown businesses. - Buildings should involve two or more stories, should cover most of the lot and should be placed close to the sidewalk. I - Flexibility should be offered in Downtown parking requirements - because large amounts ofpublic parking is available. For example, parking for most uses within existing buildings should not be I required to provide their own off-street parking. Light Commercial Residential - This category is intended to apply to areas where there is a mix of commercial and residential uses. The goal is to provide for limited types of lighter commercial uses I that would not conflict with nearby homes. The maximum height should be limited to approximately 4 stories. Appropriate uses would include retail stores, personal services, offices, institutional uses and I most types of homes. - In many cases, these lighter commercial uses could reuse older buildings, as opposed to requiring large-scale demolition. However, selected marginal non-historic buildings should be encouraged I to be demolished in older business areas throughout the City to provide additional parking. This parking is necessary to promote full use of adjacent buildings. The parking should be landscaped so that it is an attractive addition to commercial areas. - Heavy commercial uses would not be appropriate, such as gas stations, auto repair, vehicle sales, and fast-food restaurants with drive-through service. I - This category would primarily apply to the 6th, 7'h and Sth Avenue corridors. Presently, these corridors are divided into numerous different zoning districts, with little logic or cohesion. - In revisions to the City zoning ordinance, it may be desirable to divide this land use category into I two zoning districts - one for more residential areas, and one for more commercialized areas. For example, the least intense district could apply near the high school complex.

I Light Commercial Historic - This category is intended to be very similar to the Neighborhood Commercial Residential category, described above. However, this category would emphasize areas I with the most important historic architecture. Most commercial uses would only be permitted within existing buildings (and additions) - to discourage demolition of historic buildings. Parking lots as the main use of a property would be I carefully controlled - to discourage demolition. Parking lots would mainly be limited to lots that were vacant as of a certain date. This category is primarily intended to apply to certain areas along Broad Avenue, Lexington I Avenue north of the Downtown, 14thAvenue west of the Downtown, and the Knickerbocker commercial area at 6th Avenue and Burgoon Road. All of these areas are listed on, or eligible for, the National Register of Historical Places.

21 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Highway Commercial - In these areas, a wide variety of commercial uses would be appropriate, including lighter and heavier commercial uses. Institutional uses and a few very light industrial uses may also be appropriate. This category is primarily intended to apply along Pleasant Valley and Valley View Boulevards (Old Route 220).

Light Industrial - These areas are intended to provide for most types of manufacturing uses, I warehousing and offices. Many types of commercial uses may also be appropriate, but large-scale retail development should be avoided to prevent displacing industrial employers. Residential uses should be prohibited. The heaviest types of industrial uses should be prohibited, such as hazardous chemical I plants, asphalt plants and bulk fuel storage tanks. - Most industrial areas in the City are proposed to be within this category. I General Industrial - Every municipality has an obligation under State law to provide opportunities for all “legitimate land uses.” This may include uses that a municipality otherwise would not wish to permit. The General Industrial areas are intended to provide for the same types of uses as the Light I Industrial areas. In addition, the General Industrial areas would allow for some heavier uses, if an applicant proved to the Zoning Hearing Board that they would not create nuisances or hazards. I GOAL: Strengthen residential neighborhoods, with an emphasis on encouraging home- ownership, rehabilitating older buildings, protecting neighborhoodsfrom incompatible . development, and addressing parking shortages. I

Continually Work to Attract and Retain Middle-income Households in New Construction and Existing Homes. To maintain its economic health, the City needs to continually work to attract and retain middle-income I households in new construction and existing homes. A single blighted property can severely discourage new investment on an entire block and can cause responsible residents to move out. I Continually Work to Improve Existing Older Neighborhoods and Reduce Blight. Altoona must emphasize enforcement of the basic property maintenance codes to require property- I owners to: a) properly maintain their buildings orb) sell the buildings to another party who will make the needed improvements. I The City’s Code Enforcement Staff needs to be increased - to target proper maintenance of buildings that now discourage investment in I surrounding properties. I An additional City code enforcement supervisor was added in 2000. At present, a substantial percentage of time of existing code enforcement staff is consumed by trash complaints- particularly because many households are not served by solid waste contractors. Solid waste issues are discussed I in the “Community Facilities and Services” section.

22 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

The goal in code enforcement must be to intervene before buildings deteriorate to the point where it is no longer cost effective to repair them. If property-owners are forced to complete basic maintenance 1 and repairs in a timely manner, severe deterioration can be avoided. Altoona has a strong Vacant Property Review system to address problem buildings. Properties that are I vacant are reviewed by the City Staff and Planning Commission to determine whether they are blighted. If a property is blighted, the Planning Commission can authorize use of special condemnation powers granted by the State. The City then determines whether to make the property available for I rehabilitation or to demolish it. Property-owners are given the option of consenting to a demolition. In that case, a lien is placed on the property to attempt to eventually recoup the costs of the demolition.

I Carefully Review All of the City’s Housing Rehabilitation Efforts.

Altoona’ s housing efforts primarily involve low-interest loans to rehabilitate homes owned by I households with low or moderate incomes. In most cases under the current program, households obtain loans through private lenders, and then the City uses Federal funds to reduce the interest rate. The City also offers low-interest financing for substantial rehabilitation of buildings including multiple rental I properties.

One advantage of loans over grants is that loan payments can be recycled and then used for new loans. I The current system of subsidizing interest rates maximizes the total number of persons who can be served. However, the current program does not provide sufficient incentives to encourage (rehabilitation of owner-occupied housing, There typically is no waiting list for these programs, and the b . programs are not targeted towards distressed geographic areas of the City. Many low-income homeowners cannot afford the monthly payments. The collection of monthly payments can also be a I time-consuming and expensive process. The City needs to determine what are the most efficient and effective methods of providing for housing I rehabilitation. In some cases, the City uses a lien to defer all payments on a housing improvement loan until the property is sold. This method allows the City to recapture the increased value of the home resulting from the rehabilitation, while avoiding the need to collect loan payments from low-income I persons. However, additional marketing is needed so that more low income homeowners are aware that this option is available.

I One alternative would be a greater emphasis on loan forgiveness, particularly for lower income senior citizens who often have difficulties in repaying loans. In many cities, for every year that a resident continues to live in a home after it is rehabilitated, 20 percent of the loan is forgiven. Therefore, if a I resident lives in the home for 5 or more years, the loan is completely forgiven. These loans typically operate as a lien. The current homeowner is not required to make monthly payments. However, once the property is sold, the portion of the lien that is not forgiven must be paid from the proceeds of the I sale. Therefore, if a resident lived in the home for 3 years, 60 percent of the loan would be forgiven, and the remaining 40 percent would be repaid.

Grants and loans can also be mixed together. For example, a grant might be available for a certain amount, and any additional funding would be a low-interest loan. i 23 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

It would be appropriate to target some funding towards emergency repairs of housing. The goal would be to quickly assist low-income homeowners in immediate needs, such as a new furnace or roof repair. In some cases, this could avoid the abandonment of a housing unit, which can result in severe deterioration, vandalism and high legal expenses. However, care is needed to make sure that money is not spent on a unit that does not have long-term viability.

It would also be desirable to provide additional incentives in distressed portions of Altoona. In these I areas, it is especially difficult to encourage people to improve their properties, and it may be more difficult to obtain private financing. For example, in distressed portions of the City, no-interest loans and/or five year loan forgiveness may be appropriate. Tax abatements are discussed below. I

Expanded marketing efforts are needed to make sure that eligible owners of properties in need of rehabilitation are aware of the financing programs that are available. Particular attention needs to be I paid to low-income resident owners of property who need to make improvements to comply with City codes. I Buyers of older homes should be encouraged to take advantage of the Federal Housing Administration’s 203(k) program. This allows a homebuyer to receive a single loan to purchase a home and to complete a major rehabilitation of it. The City could provide assistance in completing some of the paperwork I associated with the rehabilitation work.

Cooperative efforts are needed with the State Historical and Museum Commission to avoid delays and I high administrative expenses when the City is seeking approval to use Federal hnds to rehabilitate older buildings. Unfortunately, if the State review becomes too burdensome, there is an incentive to not improve the exterior of buildings. Exterior improvements are important to encourage neighboring owners to improve their properties. It may be advisable for the City to have a local review by a person with historic preservation credentials, which can avoid the need for certain types of State review. I Building rehabilitation is also discussed in the “Historic Preservation” section. I Work to Combine Job Training Funding with Housing Rehabilitation Programs. The Federal Government has provided greater flexibility to use Federal job training dollars in ways that I address local needs. Local non-profit housing organizations should work with job training agencies to design programs to meet mutual needs. Residents can learn useful job skills, while the job training programs help provide funding for needed housing rehabilitation. I Promote Use of Reverse Mortgages that Provide Income to Senior Citizens. I Many senior citizens are “house rich and cash poor.” They often own their own home without a mortgage, but have very limited income. Area lenders should be encouraged to provide and promote reverse mortgages. This provides the homeowner with a monthly payment, and may also fund needed I rehabilitation. The homeowner can continue to live in the home as long as they wish. However, once they pass away, the home becomes the property of the financial institution, who will then sell it to recover their payments. The Federal Reserve Bank reported in 1998 that reverse mortgages are not currently offered in the area.

24 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Encourage Participation in Neighborhood Assistance Tax Credits.

These tax credits can help to support revitalization and housing efforts of local non-profit organizations. A business (especially a bank) can receive a tax credit against its State corporate net income tax for donations of money, goods or services to eligible organizations that benefit low-income persons. The organization needs to receive a tax credit allocation from the State. The donations must be used to carry out a written plan.

Utilize Affordable Housing Tax Credits.

During the 1990s, most subsidized housing across the nation has been built using Federal Affordable Housing Tax Credits. In many cases under this program, a local housing organization builds new apartments or rehabilitates an older building into apartments. The housing is limited to persons of moderate income, which includes much higher incomes than the “very low income” limits that applied in previous years to housing authority projects. The organization then obtains private investors for the project, who receive credits against their Federal income taxes. -

However, there are difficulties in using this program in Altoona. This is because rents are based upon a percentage of the median housing costs in the area. Because housing prices are so reasonable in Altoona, it may be difficult for a developer to afford to complete a project in which the developer is severely limited on the maximum rent that can be charged.

Work to Increase Home Ownership

Altoona needs to encourage types of housing that will encourage home ownership. This particularly includes singles, side-by-side twins and townhouses with each home on its own lot. Other types of housing, such as apartments, are typically rented. Therefore, new apartments and conversions ofhomes I into apartments are proposed to be prohibited in many neighborhoods.

Many households could afford the monthly costs of owning a home, I but do not have sufficient savings for the closing costs and c downpayment. I

These households need to be linked with available programs, and area financial institutions need to I continue to participate. For example, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency offers a Closing Cost Assistance Program for lower-income homebuyers.

I Expanded efforts are needed to help prospective homebuyers learn to improve their credit and budgeting skills so they can qualify for a mortgage. Counseling is currently available through the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Western Pennsylvania and Housing Opportunities of Blair County. Some communities require that persons complete a course in home ownership skills and responsibilities and budgeting before they are eligible for subsidized home ownership programs.

25 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

A few modest-sized programs exist to spur homeownership within Altoona, which are proposed to increase in size. These programs involve acquiring and rehabilitating homes for resale to low to moderate income'families. These programs are sponsored by the City Housing Authority and Improved Dwellings for Altoona (IDA). IDA has also sponsored a program of leasing homes for three years to prospective homebuyers. At the end of the three years, if the residents have proved an ability to make the payments they can buy the home. In such case, a portion of the lease payments are credited as a downpayment for the purchase of the house. Another program involves a $1,000 grant towards closing costs, plus a 10 year low-interest loan.

Most closing cost assistance should be targeted towards distressed or troubled sections of the City that are most in need of increased homeownership. One option would be no-interest loans towards closing costs for persons of low or moderate incomes. In Allentown, for example, if the household lives in the home at least 5 years, then the loan does not need to be repaid. A lien is placed on the property so that it can be collected if the home is sold before the five years expire.

Most housing programs are funded through the Federal HOME Program. One option to increase funding for homeownership programs would involve the County Commissioners increasing recording fees for mortgages and deeds. Under the State Affordable Housing Trust Fund Act, such funds would then be used for local housing programs, such as incentives for homeownership. Such local funds can be especially valuable to meet requirements to provide matching funds for other funding sources.

Continued cooperation by area financial institutions is essential to improve home ownership. For example, five area lenders offer discounted mortgage rates through IDA. This type of assistance helps lenders meet their obligations under the Federal Community Reinvestment Act.

However, care is needed to avoid placing very low-income households in subsidized home-ownership. In too many cases, these households do not have the funds to pay for repairs that are periodically needed in an older home. If they have no equity in the home, they may be tempted to walk away from the mortgage. As a result, a property can stand vacant for months until foreclosure occurs and the property is resold. During this time, the property can deteriorate and/or be vandalized.

Provide Incentives to De-convert Apartments in Dense Neighborhoods.

In dense neighborhoods, financial incentives should be provided to encourage people to reconvert homes that had been converted into apartments back into an owner-occupied single family dwelling. Incentives are needed because these homes are often in worse physical condition than single family housing and because the person completing the de-conversion is typically reducing the market value of their property. De-conversions can help increase the stability of a neighborhood and reduce parking shortages.

Where the City gains control of properties and resells them, consideration should be given to de- converting multi-unit buildings prior to the sale, or at least removing any undersized units.

26 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Renovate and Modernize Public Mousing and Publicly Assisted Housing, and Address Potential Lead Paint Hazards.

Continued work is needed, using Federal funds, to renovate and modernize existing public housing and publicly assisted housing so that they continue to provide good quality housing. This involves housing units owned by the City Housing Authority and IDA, such as Evergreen Manor.

In all housing, care is needed to address potential hazards from lead-based paint. Although lead-based paint has not been sold since the mid- 1970s, it still exists in many older homes.

Assist in Providing Housing for Persons with Special Needs.

Many persons in the region have special housing needs. These include persons with disabilities who need assistance with their daily living activities. Also, persons are homeless or threatened with homelessness. Some women and children need to escape abusive situations. Housing is needed that is accessible to persons in wheelchairs or who have other disabilities.

Human service and counseling programs are important to help persons avoid and overcome homelessness. Shelters are important address emergency housing situations. The Housing Authority and IDA provide subsidized housing for senior citizens, persons with disabilities and low-income persons. Drug and alcohol treatment facilities are discussed in the Community Facilities and Services section. The Union Avenue Apartments are being rehabilitated to provide-permanent supportive housing for persons receiving mental health services.

The City’s Zoning Ordinance has been updated to avoid discrimination against housing for persons with disabilities. Altoona should continue to assist housing and human service agencies in obtaining the Federal and State funding they need to provide services for these persons. These matters are addressed in more detail in Altoona’s “Consolidated Plan.”

However, care is needed to make sure that Altoona is not overburdened by more than its fair share of the region’s needs for these services. While these services are important, a few types of specialized housing can create special difficulties and unusually large expenses for the police department and the school system, and nuisances for the surrounding neighborhood.

Consider Tax Abatements in Limited Geographic Areas.

Two different State laws provide municipalities the option of reducing real estate taxes on new improvements. The LERTA law addresses businesses, and are discussed in the Economic Development section. A second law addresses residences. Consideration should be given to providing these tax incentives within the most distressed sections of the City. For instance, if a person completed a major renovation of a home, there might be a five-year phase-in of any new taxes on the value of the renovation. In the first year, no new taxes would be required on the renovation. In the second year, the value of the improvements would be taxed at 20 percent. This could increase 20 percent per year, until the property is fully taxable after 5th years. This program would not decrease the taxes that are currently paid on an property - only minimize increases in taxes. To be effective, the County Government and School District should participate with the City.

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Address Student Housing

Penn State Altoona is planning increases in enrollment, but has difficulty building additional on-campus housing. Student housing needs to be controlled in a manner that protects single family neighborhoods, while directing student housing to appropriate areas. For example, in certain zoning districts, 4 or 5 unrelated persons might be permitted to live together, while in other districts, only 2 or 3 unrelated persons would be able to live in a dwelling.

Unfortunately, most of the neighborhoods that are close to Penn State Altoona within the City would c not be suitable for additional student housing. Instead, the most appropriate location for new student housing may be on the Penn State Altoona campus and on adjacent undeveloped land in Logan Township in locations where Logan Township decides to continue to permit it.

Make the Best Use of Open Lots in Neighborhoods

Where existing homes are viable over the long-term, the neighborhood is dense, and there is little potential to assemble land into larger parcels, seek to sell small scattered City-owned parcels to adjacent homeowners for use as side yards. This policy will help reduce parking problems and “allow the 1 neighborhoods to breath.”

In dense neighborhoods with parking shortages, where the City can obtain land 40 feet or wider, I develop neighborhood parking lots. A modest fee every 6 months would be charged for a parking permit to cover the administrative costs, maintenance and snowplowing. These neighborhood parking lots would make nearby homes more attractive and make it easier to plow snow on narrow streets. Low-maintenance landscaping should be used so the lots are attractive additions to the neighborhood.

Consideration should be given to working with the County corrections system to provide labor to clean up vacant City-owned properties. This could involve non-violent prison inmates and other persons sentenced to complete community service projects.

Improve Parking Enforcement Throughout the City for Safety Reasons.

Concerns have been expressed about a need for additional enforcement of illegal parking throughout the City - particularly where vehicles park in front of fire hydrants or obstruct views of traffic at street corners. Consideration should be given to authorizing the existing Parking Authority to write tickets throughout the City. It would probably be possible to pay for an additional parking enforcement officer with the revenue that would result from increased enforcement. This effort would reduce the need for highly trained police officers to spend time writing parking tickets. 4 Emphasize Compatibility in Land Uses and Transportation with Adjacent Municipalities. 1. Development and traffic patterns and community facilities and services need to be coordinated across municipal borders. This Plan has been developed in coordination with the Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance of Logan Township.

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Logan Township surrounds Altoona on most sides, except the southern end of Altoona borders Allegheny Township. In 1999, Logan Township adopted a new Comprehensive Plan that recommended an update of their Zoning Map. Like most townships in the County, Allegheny Township does not have zoning regulations in place.

For the most part, the zoning and development policies of Altoona and Logan Township are compatible across their borders. In most areas, residential zoning is present along both sides of the borders, or commercial zoning is present on both sides of the borders. Most of the areas of Logan Township that are immediately adjacent to Altoona are already developed. Particular attention should be paid to the following areas along Altoona's borders with Logan Township:

The development of the large undeveloped tract at the 17th Street interchange of 1-99. In 2000, a new shopping center was proposed, with areas reserved for future business development. A new road is proposed parallel to and east of 1-99. The development of this tract needs special attention because of the traffic congestion along 17th Street, Pleasant Valley Boulevard and Valley View Boulevard.

The stormwater management of any development uphill from Altoona. If overly intense development occurs on steeply sloped lands above the City, and if large areas of woodlands are removed, then severe stormwater flooding problems could result in lower-lying areas.

The development of areas around Penn State-Altoona, particularly for student housing. Particular attention needs to be paid to making sure that bottlenecks in the road system are addressed, and that suitable pedestrian and bicycle access is available from student housing to the campus. It may be desirable for Logan Township, Altoona and Penn State to work jointly together to address traffic and pedestrian issues.

The development of open land in the Juniata area, particularly to make sure that local residential streets are not overburdened.

Logan Township should work to carry out the recommendation of their Comprehensive Plan which recommends reducing the permitted density of many of these areas. Every development should have road access to two different streets. Wherever practical, for a larger development, at least one of the streets should be a collector road. For a larger development, through developer agreements, only initial phases of development should be permitted until a new through-road is completed that provides access to two different roads. If multiple roads are extended into new development, then no one road will become overburdened with traffc, and emergency access will be improved. Traffic should be diverted from steep and narrow streets. If a development in Logan Township'will overburden a narrow residential street in Altoona, then the developer should be required to help improve the street in Altoona as a condition of gaining access to the street.

Cooperation between Altoona and Logan Township to spur redevelopment of unneeded rail property north of 4th Street in Juniata and adjacent Pinecroft areas, with improved road access to 1-99.

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Allegheny Township should be encouraged to consider adopting zoning regulations to provide protection against noxious uses, such as landfills and adult bookstores.

Work to Coordinate Altoona’s Policies with those of Blair County, and Seek the Development of a new Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

The Blair County Planning Commission is charged with coordinating development, preservation and transportation policies across municipal borders throughout the County. This Plan strongly endorses the work of the County to prepare a new Countywide Comprehensive Plan. The County Planning Commission is closely affiliated with the County’s Metropolitan Planning Organization, which has a lead role in recommending which transportation improvements should receive State and Federal funding. Officials of Altoona should continue to play a lead role in all of the County planning efforts.

In its review, the Blair County Planning Commission found that Altoona’s Comprehensive Plan was generally consistent with adopted plans of Blair County, including the Blair County Comprehensive d Plan reports and the Long-Range Transportation Plan.

Follow-up the Comprehensive Plan with Detailed Neighborhood Plans for Key Areas of the City, i such as the Juniata Business area.

This Comprehensive Plan establishes overall policies for different areas of the City. However, it does I not address specific parcels of land and specific buildings. Neighborhood plans should be prepared for critical sections of the City, with public input, to provide more detailed recommendations.

GOAL: Promote a Feeling of Community in Old and New Neighborhoods throughout the City, with Residents Organized to Improve and Invest in their Surroundings. 1 In many areas of the City, there is a need for stronger neighborhood associations. These neighborhood associations can serve as crime watches to assist the police. They can also provide a reservoir of I volunteers for local projects, and can help City officials identify needs in their part of Altoona.

Seek to Extend the Best Features of Older Development into Newer Development. I New development should include the best features of older development, including the following: d Street trees should be planted to eventually provide a canopy of shade over streets. Studies show that mature street trees can increase the value of homes up to 10 percent. 1 Sidewalks should be provided, except on the lowest traffic streets. There should be an orientation to pedestrians, with an ability to walk or bicycle to stores and parks. d A modest density should be encouraged that is similar to the typical development that occurred in Altoona during the 1930s through 1940s. This density (such as 5 to 8 homes per acre) will make best use of available land, while avoiding overly dense development and parking problems.

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Whenever practical, parking should be located to the rear or side of buildings, so that the front yard can be landscaped. At best, parking and garages would be placed to the rear of lots, with access using alleys. This design avoids conflicts between sidewalks and vehicles backing into the street, and allows the entire curbside to be available for on-street parking.

- Care is needed to discourage new twin and townhouse development that has numerous driveways entering directly onto a street from the front. Garage doors should not be an overly prominent part of the views of housing from the front. Where garages and parking cannot be avoided in the front yard, larger lot widths should be required to make sure that there is green space in the front yard. Regulations are needed to make sure that the majority of the front yards of housing developments are not covered by paving.

Buildings should be placed relatively close to the street, with front porches, to encourage interaction among neighbors. If residents spend time on their front porch, they can help oversee the neighborhood and report suspicious activity to the police.

These concepts are known as “Traditional Neighborhood Development” or “Neo-traditional Design” and illustrated on the sketch on the following page.

Work to Make Sure New Uses Fit within the Surrounding Neighborhood and have Coordinated Traffic Access.

Too often, development plans are submitted to the City for approval one building at a time. When a property-owner or developer controls additional land, they should be required to submit a conceptual sketch plan of how all of the land eventually would be developed. These sketch plans do not need to be fully engineered, but should at aminimum show coordinated traffic access, and how the development relates to adjacent development and streets.

The “Putting this Plan into Action” section describes ways to use the Subdivision Ordinance to meet some of these objectives.

GOAL: Promote Appropriate types of Businesses in Areas Planned for Business Uses, particularly to Redevelop Areas with Heavy Vehicle Traffic, Marginal Housing and Vacant Lots.

The Land Use Plan was prepared with this major goal in mind. New light business development is specifically encouraged in key blocks, such as portions of 6th Avenue, that have limited long-term viability as residential blocks.

31 5uburban Design

i

Alley Neotraditional Design I

32 4 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

GOAL: Work Over Time to Assemble Parcels of Land into Large Enough Sizes that will Attract Significant New Investment.

Where the City controls small parcels and there is high potential to combine it with adjacent land, the t City should hold onto the small parcels until the land can be combined. Short-term leases can be used s to allow vacant lots to be used as parking for adjacent buildings until larger parcels can be assembled. GOAL: Work to Improve the Attractiveness of all Areas of the City, which will Help to Attract New Businesses and Residents. Emphasize Landscaping, Street Trees and Rehabilitation of Older Architecture.

First impressions matter. Particular attention should be paid towards “gateways” that are major entrances to the City and major entrances to the Downtown. I

Federal “transportation enhancement” funding is available to install landscaping at highway interchanges.

Street trees should be required to be planted as part of construction of new buildings. Most problems with street trees can be avoided through careful selection of sites and species. Street trees can greatly soften the feeling of density. Where practical, owners of properties should be asked whether they want a street tree planted in front of their building. This method will help identify property-owners who are more likely to help care for the tree over time. The City Shade Tree Commission maintains a set of standards for street trees, including a list of recommended species that are unlikely to cause conflicts with sidewalks and utilities.

All new and expanded parking lots should be required to be landscaped. This should primarily include shade trees. Evergreen plants are needed as a buffer between parking and loading areas and any adjacent homes. In the Downtown, a low hedge and/or brick wall should provide an attractive separation between parked vehicles and sidewalks.

GOAL: Encourage Appropriate Reuse and Historic Rehabilitation of Older Buildings and New Construction that is Compatible with Historic Surroundings.

Many sections of Altoona include historically significant architecture. This architecture provides character to the neighborhood and links to Altoona’s past. Historic architecture is also important as part of the region’s efforts to attract heritage-based tourism. Hollidaysburg is a nearby example of how historic preservation can help to generate a market for new stores and residents, can spur investment in older buildings, and can create a very positive image for a community. Many other examples can be found in historic districts in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, York, Bedford, Lancaster and Carlisle.

The economic development potential of historic rehabilitation must be fully appreciated. Money spent on rehabilitation typically generates much more local employment than the same money spent on new construction. Historic buildings help attract residents, visitors, investment and desirable types of businesses.

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Seek Designation of Selected Additional Historic Districts.

An official Historic District needs to be certified by the State Historical and Museum Commission. Most Historic Districts are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, which provides national recognition. Once designated, persons who make improvements to investment properties can be eligible for certain Federal income tax benefits. Additional tax benefits are also proposed at the Federal and State levels. Historic districts also can spur public interest in an area.

The designation of a Historic District does not, by itself, result in any additional regulations on a private property-owner.

In some other communities, the municipality has established regulations controlling changes to and demolition of historic buildings, but such regulations are not proposed in Altoona.

There currently is one Historic District in Altoona, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This existing District includes the northern part of the Downtown, including areas along Lexington, 13th and 14th Avenues generally between 7th and 13th Streets. Several other Historic Districts have been discussed, including the following:

- Broad Avenue west of Union Avenue to approximately 28th Street, - The southern part of the Downtown, generally between 13th and 17th Streets, - The Knickerbocker area south of 6th Avenue and Burgoon Road, - The older parts of the Llyswen-Allegheny Furnace area, especially along Logan Boulevard east of 3rd Avenue, - Possibly the Juniata Park neighborhood, centered along Broadway west of 7th Avenue.

Research should be conducted to nominate these key historic areas to the National Register of Historic Places. Care is needed to make sure that excessively large areas are not proposed as historic districts, to avoid delaying and inhibiting use of Federal funds for community development projects.

Research should also be conducted to nominate additional individual buildings to the National Registry of Historic Places.

Promote Greater Appreciation of Historic Architecture.

Several efforts are underway to help residents and property-owners better appreciate historic architecture. This appreciation can help create a market to buy and restore older buildings, and to make changes to buildings in a manner that preserves the historic character. Property-owners need to understand that they can often accomplish the changes they desire in a building in a manner that is not expensive and that preserves the important features.

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Consideration should be given to preparing a well-illustrated guidebook that can be distributed to owners of historic buildings. This guidebook would illustrate sensitive and insensitive ways of rehabilitating buildings. For example, owners need to understand the dangers of harsh chemical i treatments and sandblasting to historic masonry. The durable outer coating of masonry can be I destroyed, allowing the weak interior to severely deteriorate. Attractive signs should be posted to identify historic districts. Local historic groups should research and apply for additional historic markers from the State Historical and Museum Commission. Local I historic markers can also be installed without needing State approval. A standard historic building plaques should be designed, and then owners of historic buildings can be asked to pay for and install I them on their building. Particular care is needed to make sure that appropriate uses are found for any historic schools and churches that are closed. These buildings are typically landmarks for the surrounding neighborhood.

Use Selective Regulations and Incentives to Preserve Historic Buildings.

The Land Use Plan Map proposes to include most of the areas with prominent historic architecture as Light Commercial Historic. The goal is to prohibit uses that are likely to involve demolition and to permit uses that are most likely to reuse and restore historic buildings. The Llyswen area is mainly proposed to be Low Density Residential, which encourages continuation of the existing single family detached homes.

One additional step would be to consider “delay of demolition” provisions in the Zoning Ordinance. A list would be prepared of the addresses of the most important historic buildings in the City. Then, the Zoning Ordinance would provide that if there was an application for a demolition permit for one of these buildings, it could not be issued until 75 days have passed. The goal is to avoid demolition that occurs quickly and is not well thought-out. This delay is intended to provide time for activists to convince the building owner that there are other alternatives to demolition. For example, an owner may be convinced that the building could be rehabilitated for the new use desired by the owner, or a new buyer may be found. Or, the owner may be convinced that he could develop his new use at an alternative site. In some cases, when a building has little value, an owner can be convinced to donate the money they intended to spend for demolition to a group to rehabilitate the building.

Note- An exception would apply for immediate threats to public safety. The State Municipalities Planning Code allows zoning to be used to preserve historic buildings (even if they are not within a historic district). A separate State law provides that a permit for allowed activity must be issued within 90 days.

Flexibility in code enforcement is discussed in the Economic Development Plan section.

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Encourage Use of Easements to Preserve Historic buildings.

Owners of historic buildings should be encouraged to donate a “preservation easement” in return for Federal income tax benefits. A preservation easement requires that the historic exterior features of a building be preserved and be properly maintained. The building would still be owned and maintained by the property owner, and could be sold to others. The use could change and the interior could be modified, as long as the exterior was preserved. The easement would be held by an incorporated non- profit organization.

Use the Vacant Property Review Committee Process to Gain Control of Key Historic Buildings.

If building with significant historic architecture becomes vacant and is endangered, then the City’s Vacant Property Review Committee process should be considered to gain control of the building. This process is described in an earlier part of this chapter. The goal is to shift control of the building from an irresponsible owner to a person who will commit to properly maintain and rehabilitate the building. The change in ownership must occur before the building is allowed to deteriorate, and rehabilitation becomes cost-prohibitive.

In Funding Programs, Give Priority to the Rehabilitation of Buildings with the Most Visible and Significant Architecture.

Limited amounts of grants and low-interest loans are available to rehabilitate buildings. A certain amount of priority should be available to buildings with,significant historic architecture. Also, funding should be targeted towards buildings in the most visible locations - especially along heavily traveled streets. This will generate the greatest amount of improvement in the City’s image, because large numbers of people will see the improvements. Once people see positive improvements, they are more likely to want to invest in the area. The issue is particularly important because many of the buildings with the most signihcant architecture are on highly visible corner properties.

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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN PLAN

Many of the recommendations in this Economic Development Plan are based upon the Strategic Plan of the Altoona-Blair County Development Corporation (ABCD). The ABCD Corporation was created to coordinate the efforts of various economic development groups through a single professional staff. ABCD is the lead economic development organization for Altoona and all of Blair County.

GOAL: Encourage the Development of New Economic Activity and the Retention and Expansion of Existing Businesses, to Provide Additional Tax Revenues, Expand Employment Opportunities, and Diversify the Economy to make it more Stable over the Long-term.

I Continue to Aggressively Attract New Economic Activity to the area, while Targeting Key Types of Businesses.

The goal of ABCD and Altoona’s updated Zoning Ordinance is to promote environmentally clean types of businesses. This is particularly important in Altoona because most industrial areas are relatively close to homes.

ABCD is currently targeting: a) “back” offices that provide clerical, phone and data processing support, b) distribution and warehousing, building upon access along Interstate 99, c) health care services, building upon the large percentage of seniors in the area and the presence of many hospitals, d) metal fabrication, building upon the area’s large number of skilled manufacturing workers, e) food processing and agri-business, building upon the plentiful water and sewage capacity and the proximity to large agricultural areas, and f) wood products, building upon the large areas of woodlands in the vicinity.

A Regional Marketing Alliance is proposed between Centre, Blair and Bedford Counties to promote business development along the 1-99 corridor. ABCD also works to coordinate its marketing and recruitment efforts with those of the Governor’s Action Team, utility companies and Norfolk-Southem. ABCD also works to build from the proximity of Blair County to the technological, research and educational resources of Penn State - University Park and Penn State-Altoona. This includes connecting local employers to the resources of Penn State, and encouraging businesses to locate in Blair County that derive from the research of Penn State.

Two major industrial development efforts by ABCD within Altoona involve the South Altoona Industrial Center and the Juniata Rail Yards. The South Altoona Industrial Center is centered around a former CONRAIL building of 1 13,000 square feet. Environmental cleanup is occurring and adjacent land is being prepared for new industries, as well as a new multi-tenant Entrepreneurial Center.

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Much of the Juniata Rail Yard land (which is mostly in Logan Township) could be available for new industrial development. Environmental cleanup needs to be completed and improved road access is needed. The Keystone Opportunity Zone (described below) will help attract new investment to these areas.

Create and Continue Financial Incentive Programs to Attract Private Investment into the Downtown and other Business Areas of Altoona that Most Need Investment. I Financial incentives and marketing dollars need to be carefully targeted to where they can best attract new business development. The key is to design programs so they do not subsidize business activity I that would have occurred anyway within Altoona. ABCD has a stated objective of targeting reuse of existing buildings in Altoona, particularly for non-service businesses. 0 I The pros and cons of tax abatement need to be carefully considered. A “LERTA” tax abatement program allows a business to avoid increased real estate taxes resulting from their investment for up to 10 years. Therefore, for example, if a building is expanded or rehabilitated, additional taxes would I not be charged for the value of the improvements. Instead, the owner would continue to pay taxes based upon the assessed value before the improvement was made. The key is to limit the eligibility requirements and the geographic area so that the benefits only apply to areas that really need incentives I and for types of activity that not otherwise occur.

Government financial incentives should emphasize permanent physical improvements to buildings, as I opposed to operating assistance. Because the failure rate of small businesses across the nation is so high, there is too much risk that operating assistance may not have long-term results. However, if a building is improved, it will be available for use by future businesses, even if the initial business closes. . d For example, financial assistance should emphasize historic rehabilitation of the fronts of buildings and improvements in fire safety that allow new uses in old buildings. I Continue to Involve Financial Institutions in Financing Improvements in Areas with Blight.

Many area banks and savings and loans are strong participants in revitalization efforts in Altoona. Financial institutions have a legal obligation under the Community Reinvestment Act to provide financing in these areas. If banks and savings and loans do not invest in older areas, proposed mergers, new branch locations and other approvals can be denied. Many financial institutions meet these obligations by participating in revolving loan funds. A certain amount of money is dedicated to loans in a distressed area. Then, as loans are repaid, the money goes back into the pool for new loans in that area.

Consider Use of Tax Increment Financing to Fund Improvements Needed to Support Business Development.

Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a method of committingfuture new real estate tax revenues from new development within a certain area to pay for improvements that spur new development. TIF would apply within a district established by the City, Unlike tax abatement, the owners of property within the TIF district continue to pay real estate taxes at the same rates as property outside of the district. The taxes that were paid before the TIF district was established continue to be paid to each level of

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government. However, some or all of the new real estate taxes resulting from new development are diverted to pay for certain improvements that make the development possible.

TIF is primarily designed to spur redevelopment, particularly where the costs and risks of development t may be higher than in outlying areas, For example, existing buildings may need to be demolished before a new building can be constructed. Or, a parking deck may be needed, which is more expensive I than surface parking. In many cases, TIF reduces the total cost to a developer, which makes development more attractive. 1 This is because developers are typically required to construct public improvements to serve their project. For example, a developer may face large up-front expenses to reconstruct a street, build sidewalks and upgrade utilities. As described below, TIF can also be used for many private expenses. I TIF allows the payment for these improvements to be spread out over time and paid for through real estate taxes. A municipal or authority bond can be used to pay for the improvements - which will have 8 a below-market interest rate if it meets Federal tax-exempt requirements. For example, TIF was used in Harrisburg to fund anew parking deck for a high-rise insurance company headquarters. It is being used in Lancaster to help fund a major bank office expansion, and in a Bethlehem to pay for a parking deck for a major hotel and museum complex.

TIF was authorized by the Legislature in 1990 by the Tax Increment Financing Act. The State law I allows TIF to be used to fund a wide variety of costs including:

- streets, sidewalks, water lines, sewage lines and other public works, - construction of new buildings, - demolition or rehabilitation of existing buildings, - purchase or upgrading of machinery, - acquisition, clearing or grading of land, - architectural, engineering and legal costs, - administrative costs of the municipality, and - relocation costs of displaced businesses and residents.

Taxes continue to be paid to the local municipality, county and school district based upon the real estate tax assessment for each property before the TIF was established . Then, after the TIF is adopted, some or all of the new tax revenues resulting from increases in real estate tax assessment is diverted into a fund to pay for a public improvement. The City, County and School District decide what percentage of the new tax revenues are used to pay for the TIF improvements.

The new tax revenues resulting from new development in the TIF district are used to pay for certain improvements. In many cases, public improvements would be paid for up-front using a municipal or authority bond. The resulting new tax revenues are used over time to make the payments on the bond. However, in most cases, investors will want a municipality to guarantee payments on the bond. Therefore, if new tax revenues are not generated as fast as had been expected, then the City may need to make payments on the bond from its general fimd. The City could then be reimbursed later after sufficient tax revenues are generated.

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Because the City may need to cover any shortfall of revenues with its own tax dollars, TIF should not be used to support speculative development. An exception would be if the TIF is being used to fund public improvements that are needed in any case, and which the City would be willing to fund with tax dollars if it later becomes necessary.

The City should identify areas where the TIF process would be appropriate, and organize potential projects. These projects co’uld then be marketed to a developer.

Emphasize New Jobs that Provide Sufficient Income and Benefits to Support Families.

ABCD works to target efforts towards types of businesses that will provide sufficient income and benefits to employees so that they can support a family. This requires that the jobs involve higher levels of skills and/or education - which stresses the need for job training programs.

Work to Retain Existing Businesses and Encourage their Expansion.

It is essential to maintain good communications with employers to understand their needs. ABCD works with the Team Pennsylvania Calling Program to maintain regular contacts with maj or employers, and to quickly respond to any reported needs. Most business location decisions and closings are beyond local control. However, in some cases, it is possible for the City or other government agencies to act to resolve a problem that may cause a business to move from the City or that may inhibit an expansion. ABCD works with existing employers to link them with many available low-interest loans and grants to help make projects work economically.

Support Local Entrepreneurship and “Home grown” Businesses.

Studies show that the vast majority of a region’s employment growth typically result from growth of local small businesses. The goal is to nurture entrepreneurial spirit, and helping link small business- persons with technical assistance. A major component is to provide training to small business-persons. For some persons, they need training in business skills such as accounting, marketing and compliance with government regulations. Other businesses could benefit from training on how to obtain government contracts, increase sales through the internet, or expand overseas sales. St. Francis College’s Small Business Development Center provides assistance in this regard.

Business incubators can be helpful in this regard. An Incubator provides certain support services to new businesses until they can grow and become more self-sufficient. For example, an Incubator may have a pool of support personnel or temporary workers who can be called upon as needed. The companies then reimburse the Incubator for the time. An Incubator may provide a shared receptionist, office equipment and conference room. ABCD operates an Incubator at the South Altoona Industrial Center, which is being replaced by a larger Entrepreneurial Center. An offce incubator also operates in the Downtown by Partners In Neighborhood Revitalization.

As part of this program, the City will be considering changes to its Zoning Ordinance that may make it easier for residents to conduct very low-intensity businesses from their homes. In many cases, these home-based businesses are administered out of the home, but do not involve any on-site retail sales or any manufacturing.

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Make Sure that Local Regulations and Permit Processes are as Streamlined as is Reasonable.

Some types of business activity need quick approvals, or they may go to another site that is ready to be occupied. This is particularly true because many municipalities outside of Altoona have fewer local t regulations in place than Altoona. Specifically, most municipalities in the County do not have zoning I regulations and do not have building codes. Therefore, Altoona needs to make sure that its regulations and procedures target the 1 important issues - while avoiding unnecessary delays or expenses.

II Once the City Hall renovation is complete, the City of Altoona will have a “One Stop Shop” in place that allows a business-person to obtain all of their City permits, inspections and approvals at one site. 1 All City agencies will then be linked to a single modern computer network. As part of this Comprehensive Planning Program, the City’s Zoning Ordinance is being updated. One of the goals of the update is to streamline regulations that may inhibit desirable types of business I development in appropriate locations. Most types of desirable development should be able to occur without needing zoning variances, which can be time-consuming and costly. Likewise, the City’s I Subdivision Ordinance should be reviewed to make sure it allows approvals to occur in a timely manner.

The City of Altoona can also be helpful in providing advice to applicants on how to quickly comply with Conservation District, State and Federal approval requirements. The City’s existing Developer’s Handbook should be updated to provide useful information to developers, including lists ofkey contacts I for permits and approvals. 1 Development regulations are also discussed under the “Putting this Plan into Action” section. Consider Revisions to the Building Code to Encourage Reuse of Older Buildings.

I Altoona uses a standard nationwide building code. This building code should be reviewed to consider revisions to make it easier to rehabilitate old buildings for new uses. Too often, building code requirements are written with new construction in mind, and do not fully take into account the I difficulties and expenses of rehabilitating existing buildings. The State of New Jersey recently adopted a comprehensive code specifically for the rehabilitation of existing buildings. Similar provisions are being considered by Maryland. Portions of New Jersey’s code may serve as a model for Altoona, 81 particularly sections regarding historic buildings. In addition, the City’s Building Code of Appeals needs to continue to include knowledgeable persons willing to be reasonably flexible in rehabilitation I of older buildings. Take Full Advantage of the Keystone Opportunity Zone Program.

The Keystone Opportunity Zone allows new business investment to occur without increasing the amount of local and state taxes that are due for the first several years. The Zone applies to mostly

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unused land within the Juniata Rail Yards in the northern part of Altoona and adjacent areas of Logan and Antis Townships. A total of 776 acres is within this Zone. The advantages of this program need to be heavily marketed. At the same time, care is needed to make sure that proper limits are in place for the local Keystone Opportunity Zone to make sure that it is targeted towards appropriate types of business investment. Continue to Emphasize Cooperative Economic Development Efforts throughout the Region. I Altoona benefits from business development in Logan Township because it helps keep Altoona Area School District tax rates reasonable. Altoona residents also benefit from business development 1 throughout the County because it widens their employment choices and helps keep County tax rates reasonable. 1 Large areas of land along the 1-99 corridor within Altoona and outlying areas have been designated within a State Enterprise Zone. The Enterprise Zone provides limited State financial benefits for new investment. I

In addition to their efforts within the City, ABCD Corporation is working on several industrial parks along the 1-99 corridor. For example, business/industrial parks are being developed in Antis and Snyder I Townships.

Continued Efforts are Needed to Expand Air Transportation to the Region. I

Extensive air passenger service is important to retain existing businesses and attract new businesses. Like many similar areas, Altoona does not generate enough air traffic to attract competing air lines and many direct flights. Therefore, air travelers often pay high rates and/or experience time consuming layovers. The Altoona-Blair County Airport has only limited scheduled passenger service. In 1999, operations of the airport were taken over by a private company. Many of the area’s air travelers are using the University Park Airport near State College. The runway of that airport was recently lengthened to accommodate larger aircraft.

Air cargo also is important to businesses. Efforts are underway to improve air cargo facilities and a distribution-oriented business park at the Altoona-Blair County Airport.

GOAL: Continually Work to Strengthen the Downtown, with a Balanced Mix of Office, Retail, Service, Entertainment, Cultural, Residential, and Institutional Uses.

Altoona’s Downtown is a vital economic resource for the region. It is a special place to live and work, and a highly visible source of the region’s image upon visitors. While the Downtown has retained a large number of offices and services, like downtowns across the nation, it is no longer the retail center for the County. The City needs to take full advantage of the improvements that have been made in the appearance of the Downtown and in the attractions that are available.

No single strategy will achieve success. The revitalization of downtown Altoona will require a fully coordinated set of short-term and long-term efforts involving:

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a) further improving the appearance of the Downtown, b) providing sufficient amounts of parking, and manage the use of parking, c) financial incentives, d) encouraging a balanced mix of uses, e) aggressively market the Downtown to customers, new businesses and investors, including an emphasis on special events, and f) actively organizing all of key persons, businesses and groups to carry out these efforts.

Further Improve the Appearance of the Downtown - to Attract New Customers, Businesses, Residents and Investors.

The exterior of buildings can often be greatly improved in appearance through low-cost improvements. These include replacing outdated signs, adding canopies, carefully choosing paint color combinations, and removing materials that cover cornices and other historic features. These improvements not only make a building more attractive, they can make it more inviting to customers and tenants.

There should be a program of providing free basic design assistance to owners of Downtown buildings and buildings in other older commercial areas. An architect or other designer would recommend low- cost measures of improving the appearance of the outside of buildings.

Additional attention should be paid to connecting the rears of businesses along 1 1th Avenue with the parking along 10th Avenue. At best, stores would open rear entrances and make the rear of their building more inviting with canopies and attractive colors and signs. The attractiveness of this area has been greatly improved in recent years.

The Boyer Candy Company is located along a major entranceway to the Downtown. The front of the building should be decorated with festive murals that are attractive and help advertise the business.

Landscaping and street trees are discussed in the Lpd Use and Housing section.

Provide Sufficient Amounts of Parking and Properly Manage Parking to Serve Different Needs.

It is essential to make sure that sufficient amounts of parking are available and that existing spaces are properly managed to support Downtown activity. The priority is to make sure that the most convenient spaces are available for short-term use with constant turnover by customers. If customers cannot find spaces in convenient locations, they are likely to not visit the Downtown. Longer-term parking, particularly employee parking, should be directed to less convenient locations.

The majority of parking meters have been removed in the Downtown. This use of time limits without meters for on-street parking is appropriate to avoid a psychological barrier to visiting the Downtown. Consistent enforcement of the time limits is important to make sure that the time'limits are not abused. Otherwise, the spaces will not be available for high-turnover parking.

The Parking Authority reports that 87 percent of Downtown public parking is occupied by monthly rentals. The occupancy rate of parking areas is rising. Insufficient parking is available for persons wishing to park for short time periods. At the same time, the Heritage Discovery Center, Perm State

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Downtown Conference Center, the new Police Headquarters and other projects should increase demand for parking. It is difficult to attract new offices if they do not feel there is a guarantee of sufficient parking for their employees and customers.

Major demolition of buildings should be avoided in the Downtown because it will destroy the pedestrian-friendly environment. The appropriate way to provide additional parking is through a deck.

Therefore, aggressive efforts are needed to fund a new parking deck in the City. An evaluation is currently underway by the Altoona Parking Authority to determine the appropriate location for a new parking structure. Sites currently being reviewed include a location along 12th Avenue near the Heritage Discovery Center and the Penn State Downtown Conference Center, and a site along 12th Avenue and 13th Street near the existing downtown parking deck. Preliminary estimates indicate that the construction costs at either location will be approximately $8 million for a facility that would house between 600 and 700 parking spaces.

In February 2000, a Parking Demand Analysis study suggested that there will be a future need for 900 parking spaces to address the total downtown parking deficit. That deficit could be addressed by 500 to 550 new public parking spaces because the public spaces would be shared among many different uses with different peak periods of demand.

Care is needed to make sure that customers can find convenient parking. A map should be widely available and posted in stores showing the best short-term parking areas to serve different parts of the Downtown. A full set of signs are important to direct motorists to parking areas.

At the same time, efforts are needed to make full use of any parking that exists within the Downtown and adjacent areas. For example, the Parking Authority should continue to work with churches, funeral homes and clubs to gain control of their parking lots for public parking during hours of the week when they are not currently being used. L1

It may also be desirable to consider using “fees-in-lieu-of’ parking. Under this method, a developer could be allowed to provide fewer off-street parking spaces than would normally be required by the City Zoning Ordinance. In place of providing the parking spaces, the developer would pay a specified one-time fee (such as $1,000) for each parking space that is not provided. This fee would be paid into a special account that could only be used to provide additional parking in the area. Therefore, for example, fees could be used to help pay the debt service on the development of a new parking lot or parking deck. This system has been used very successfully in Downtown State College to help fund parking decks. (However, it is acknowledged that there is a much stronger demand for parking in that area than in Downtown Altoona.)

Parking issues are also discussed below concerning public transit.

Offer Meaningful Financial Incentives to Attract Investment into the Downtown.

Financial incentives are discussed in an earlier section of this Economic Development and Downtown Plan.

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Promote a Balanced Mix of Uses in the Downtown.

The Downtown needs a mix of retail, office, service, governmental, institutional, cultural, educational and residential uses. The most likely types of successful commercial businesses in the Downtown will be: a) specialty retail and service businesses that emphasize personal service, b) businesses that cater towards nearby residents, occupants of nearby offices, and regular riders of AMTRAN buses, and c) businesses that can result from a successful tourism and evening and weekend entertainment market.

Realistically, there is little likelihood of attracting new large general merchandise retail stores in any downtown the size of Altoona’s. Downtown retailing needs to be within “market niches” where they do not have to compete head-on with mass-market discount retailers. For example, Downtown stores should sell gift items that cannot be found within chain stores.

The reasonable rents in the Downtown offer the potential of encouraging “outlet” type shopping. It also may be possible to promote the Station Mall as an outlet shopping attraction. True bargain outlet shopping can attract large numbers of persons from outside of the City, including bus tours. For instance, outlet shopping has been a major economic engine for the City of Reading.

The banks and financial offices provide a strong anchor to the Downtown, and every effort must be made to seek that they continue in the Downtown, and are joined by new offices. Too many employees of Altoona Hospital and Downtown businesses never leave their buildings over lunch and leave the area immediately after work. Special events (as described below) and a wider range of restaurants are needed to get more office workers outdoors during lunch and after work. Benches are needed to encourage Downtown employees to eat their lunch outdoors. Major employers should be encouraged to schedule a one-hour lunch to give employees more time to enjoy the Downtown location and visit area businesses. In-house cafeterias should be discouraged in favor of encouraging people to visit nearby restaurants.

In 1988, a survey was conducted of Downtown shoppers and business-persons. When asked which type of business was most needed Downtown, by far, the response was more restaurants. This situation is still true today. Portable food carts should be prohibited because they discourage people from opening additional restaurants that would be open longer hours and pay taxes.

Residential development should be encouraged within and adjacent to the Downtown to provide a steady supply of customers for Downtown businesses, Under the Land Use Plan, additional high-rise apartments would be possible in the Downtown. Continued efforts are needed to encourage the renovation of upper story space into market rate apartments or condominiums. As discussed in the Land Use and Housing section, some flexibility-would be helpful in the building code to make renovations financially feasible.

At best, college students would be encouraged to live downtown, with a regular shuttle service to the Penn State campus. If Penn State’s Downtown Center expands its offerings in the future, it may be easier to attract students Downtown. However, the Downtown Center is currently not intended to serve traditional full-time college students. Also, some health care students working at Altoona Hospital might be encouraged to live Downtown.

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1 A stronger link is needed between Altoona Hospital and the Downtown. At best, health care facilities would redevelop underused sites in the northern part of the Downtown, while historic buildings would be rehabilitated.

Care is needed to make sure that historic buildings are not demolished for a sea of parking that would completely cut off the Hospital complex from the Downtown:

Ideally, a semi-public organization would have financial resources to acquire to purchase a key building that becomes available. This would provide some control over the use of a key building, and make sure it was maintained until an appropriate buyer was found. Otherwise, buildings may deteriorate or be occupied by the first use that comes along, which may be inappropriate.

Address Concerns at the Penn Alto Hotel.

There are concerns that crime and drug-related problems at the Penn Alto Hotel have inhibited Downtown revitalization. The building had been extensively renovated, and is reportedly in good condition. Ideally, the Hotel would be taken over by a responsible non-profit organization that would use the building to house senior citizens and persons with physical or developmental disabilities. Careful screening can avoid problem tenants. The use of the Hotel is restricted as a condition of Federal renovation funding that was provided. Once these conditions expire in a few years, the Hotel may also be attractive for programs and student housing for Penn State Altoona.

Locate as Many Government Offices in the Downtown as Possible.

Government offices are vital anchors for the Downtown, by providing rent for Downtown businesses, revenue for the parking authority and customers for Downtown stores. A 1988 survey found that the. number one reason why persons visited the Downtown was to visit the post office. Fortunately, as of 2000, almost all State offices that were leased in the area were located within the Downtown.

This Plan strongly recommends that as many Federal, State, County, City and other government offices and services as possible be located within the Downtown. The City needs to work with these agencies as soon as possible in their site selection process to help them find suitable sites. Work is needed with the State Department of General Services to make sure that bid specifications for space are not written to prevent a Downtown location.

The Federal Government has reactivated a policy that requires Federal agencies to consider Downtown locations. In 1999, Pennsylvania enacted a new law that requires that State agencies give first preference to older commercial areas when considering locations for facilities.

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Aggressively Market the Downtown to Businesses and Customers.

The Downtown also offers much lower rents than are available at shopping malls, and a potential for merchants to own their building. These advantages need to be marketed.

Most customers will not visit the Downtown to shop at only one particular store. Instead, their needs to be a combination of attractions to bring them Downtown. Therefore, cooperative efforts among Downtown stores should be expanded, including joint advertisements and flyers, joint sales and joint coupon circulars. A group of businesses could organize to jointly offer services for weddings, for example. Merchants should encourage their customers to visit other Downtown businesses. For example, businesses should distribute and display each other's handouts, menus and coupons. Coordinated marketing is especially important because of the high cost of advertising. Complementary types of businesses should locate next to each other. Most retail stores should continue to cluster along 1 lth Avenue so that there are enough adjacent stores to attract customer foot-traffic.

There needs to be more coordination of hours among Downtown businesses. It is frustrating for a customer to try to visit a business and find it is closed at a time when most businesses are open. It is frustrating for a customer of one business to see another business that interests them and find that it is closed.

Too many Downtown businesses only operate between 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. These hours ignore the reality that most persons work during these hours and cannot visit businesses unless they already work Downtown. Even Downtown workers may not have the time to visit businesses during these limited hours. Most retail sales and restaurant sales in the region occur on Friday evenings, Saturdays and Sundays. Therefore, at a minimum, every business should be open on Saturday and until 5:30 or 6 p.m. on weekdays - to serve customers on their way home from work.

A few vacancies in the Downtown are actually desirable. Otherwise, if all space is roccupied, an opportunity to attract a highly desirable business might be lost. I

The students at Perm State Altoona represent a largely untapped market for Downtown businesses. Soon after students start at the campus, free bus service should be offered on a Saturday to bring them Downtown to see what is available. Student-oriented sales and activities should be stressed on that day. If expanded restaurant and entertainment activities can be attracted Downtown, then some method should be considered to help students get Downtown. For example, regular shuttle service would be desirable between the campus and the Downtown, particularly during Friday and Saturday evenings.

Use Special Events to Attract Visitors, Customers and Busin.esses.

A 1988 survey of area residents found that many persons did not feel there was a reason for them to visit the Downtown. Festivals and special events can help provide this reason. Festivals and other special events are particularly beneficial to attract people Downtown so they see what stores and services are available. Even if they do not buy much on the day of the festival, they are more likely to come back

47 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan another day to shop. Too many residents of the area have “gotten out of the habit” of going Downtown, and need to be reacquainted with the positive changes that have occurred. The Heritage Plaza is a great place for many types of special events, particularly because it is attractive and close to most retail stores.

Special events add a feeling of excitement to the Downtown. Special events involving local children are particularly useful to attract their parents, grand-parents and other relatives. I

A Kids Festival should be seriously considered, as well as crafts, music, historic car and arts-oriented events. On the days of festivals, churches and other historic buildings should be open for tours. This not only can attract visitors, but can provide churches with an opportunity to attract new members.

One night a week, major efforts should be made to encourage Downtown workers to stay Downtown for dinner and entertainment, and to invite their family and friends to meet them. On this night, restaurants and stores should agree to stay open later, and special events should be scheduled, such as at the Mishler Theater and/or the Penn State Downtown Center. Joint theater and restaurant tickets should be offered.

Emphasize Public Transit in Downtown Revitalization and other Economic Development Efforts.

Eighty percent of the routes of the AMTRAN bus system travel through the Downtown. This service has an important role in bringing customers and employees to the Downtown, and bringing Downtown residents to other services. Expanded use of the bus system can help minimize the need for new parking lots that could destroy the pedestrian-oriented streetscape or expensive new parking decks.

Some downtowns have had great success with encouraging downtown workers to park in locations outside of the downtown and then take a free or low cost shuttle to their workplace. AMTRAN currently offers the Dasher shuttle service that provides a loop around the Downtown and the Station Mall for only $.25. However, a system of using public transit and remote parking works best in locations with higher parking rates and greater congestion than are found in Altoona. Also, there are few locations with excess parking in the vicinity. This type of shuttle service circling the Downtown can also help bring nearby residents to Downtown businesses, There should also be efforts to try to use public transit to bring persons who work in the Altoona Hospital area to the Downtown.

Public transit also has a strong role during special events. This involves bringing large numbers of people to central locations during a few times of the year. This system works best when remote parking lots can be made available, such as school parking lots on a weekend.

Public transit is discussed further in the “Transportation Plan” section.

Organize all of the Key Persons and Businesses in the Downtown to carry out these Recommendations.

Downtown revitalization requires the involvement of many persons, who must feel that good use is being made oftheir time. It also requires good communications among many persons and groups. Staff

48 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

is needed to make these things happen.

Downtown revitalization and parking efforts are currently staffed mainly by the ABCD Corporation, who serve the GAEDC Board. However, the present ABCD staff have many demands upon their time throughout the surrounding region. It would be desirable to have a full-time professional staff-person dedicated to revitalization of the Downtown and other older commercial areas in the City. This person I could also help to organize special events - which are important to attract persons to the Downtown. The person could be housed within the ABCD Corporation. Contributions should be sought from the 1 major property-owners and businesses in the Downtown to help subsidize the costs of this staff-person. Find Ways to Bring the Region’s Visitors into the Downtown.

B There is a real danger that large numbers of persons will visit Horseshoe Curve, the Altoona Curve Stadium, the Convention Center, Lakemont Park and even the Railroaders Museum without ever visiting the Downtown. Most of the attractions highlighted in the region’s tourism brochures are outside of Altoona. The new Heritage Discovery Center and the new Railroad Crossover are positive steps to connect the Downtown with these attractions. Downtown attractions need to be emphasized in all efforts to promote the region for tourism. Moreover, consideration should also be given to shuttles between conventions and the Downtown, and joint promotions should occur at baseball games with Downtown businesses.

A number of signs have been added to direct visitors to major destinations. Careful consideration is needed to make sure that these signs are sufficient - particularly to reach Downtown Altoona. One method would be for a City-official to drive with persons who are not familiar with Altoona and ask them to find their way from various interchanges of 1-99 to the Downtown and other attractions. Wherever they have difficulty finding their way, a directional sign should be considered.

Railroad excursions from the Transportation Center to the Horseshoe Curve and other locations would also be desirable to attract visitors Downtown. Moreover, displays of railroad cars outside of the Railroaders Museum and displays along the walls of the new crossover will help to attract pedestrians to the crossovers and into the Downtown.

Likewise, promotional efforts are needed to attract parents of Penn State Altoona students into the Downtown - particularly at the start and end of semesters and on weekends.

GOAL: Emphasize Tourism Throughout the Region, Built Primarily upon the Area’s Heritage, Arts and Culture, and Recreational Assets.

A large number of initiatives have increased the attractions available in the region, including improvements at Lakemont and Bland’s Amusement Parks, the new Conference Center, the new Baseball Stadium, the restoration of the Mishler Theater, and many other attractions. Blair County also offers great places for hiking, fishing, hunting, mountain biking and nature study.

The Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau has the lead role in tourism efforts, including publishing and distributing brochures and maintaining an informative website. It is essential to market different attractions in a coordinated manner to attract larger numbers of visitors and to

49 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan convince visitors to spend longer periods of time in the area. The Visitors Bureau already offers packages of attractions, such as golf, bicycling, “adventure through time,” “education for all” and “adventures in the sun.” Through these efforts, joint ticket sales should continue be available to related attractions. Through these ticket sales, a person can visit several attractions for one discounted price. These packages can convince visitors to spend more time in the area, stay in local motels and thereby spend more money locally. These joint ticket sales can also help attract additional bus tours.

Many current visitors are stopping in Altoona for “day trips” on their way to other destinations. Additional efforts are needed to convince visitors to Raystown Lake, Bland’s Park, Lakemont Park and other attractions to visit Altoona.

“Heritage tourism” involves attracting visitors to the area to visit historic sites, historic areas, museums, places and events based on different ethnic backgrounds, and related special events. Heritage tourism is one of the fastest growing types of tourism in the Northeast. In 1997, twelve percent of visitors to Pennsylvania were traveling primarily for heritage-based tourism. Most current visitors to Pennsylvania attractions come from within Pennsylvania and adjacent states. A major 1999 study showed that heritage-based visitors in Pennsylvania were primarily interested in attractions that combined “educational,” “scenic” and “fun.” The study found that the major need to attract additional heritage tourism to Pennsylvania was to increase awareness of the attractions through brochures and other advertising campaigns. Many heritage-based visitors are middle- or upper-middle-income families with children or retired persons. Many of these retired persons travel in groups, including commercial bus tours.

Blair County has developed a countywide Heritage Preservation Plan. The Allegheny Heritage Development Corporation (AHDC) and the Allegheny Ridge Corporation play lead roles in strengthening the heritage-based attractions in the region, as part of the State-designated Allegheny Ridge State Heritage Park. These organizations work to implement “The Plan for the Allegheny Ridge” which included a hll series of recommendations to link together Altoona, Hollidaysburg, Johnstown and surrounding areas into a tourism destination. The “Paths to Progress” brochures recommend self- guided driving tours between the region’s heritage-related attractions. The new Heritage Discovery Center (in the former Penn Furniture Building) in Downtown Altoona will help attract visitors to the Downtown and generate interest in the region’s history. -

Local clubs, organizations, churches and other places of worship should also get involved in offering activities that build upon Altoona’s ethnic heritage. For example, it may be desirable to have an Ethnic Pride Weekend in which a series of ethnic festivals and activities are held throughout the Region - to attract visitors and build greater ethnic pride among local residents.

Historic preservation is discussed in the Land Use and Housing Plan section.

Promote and Coordinate Arts and Cultural Activities on a Regional Level.

Local arts and cultural groups need to work together to share facilities, talents and marketing dollars. Joint marketing efforts are needed to make local residents and visitors aware of everything that is being offered. For example, one central website (linked into the tourism websites) should provide detailed, regularly updated information on all of the arts and cultural offerings. One of the existing organizations

50 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

could take the lead in handling ticket sales for other organizations, in return for a commission on sales. The website could also include a description of rooms that different organizations have available to rent for programs.

GOAL: Work to take Full Advantage of the Planned Expansion of Penn State - Altoona, the Hospitals and other Area Institutions.

Although most institutions do not directly pay real estate taxes on their core facilities, they are important anchors for the City’s economy. The institutions also have been some of the fastest growing economic 1 sectors. The institutions not only provide substantial wages, but also generate much spin-off activity, such as purchases from local businesses.

I These institutions include Perm State University - Altoona, Altoona Hospital, Bon Secours Hospital, the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and many other institutions. Altoona needs to make sure that room is provided for reasonable growth of these institutions and related activity. However, it needs I to be directed “upward, not outward” so that: a) stable residential neighborhoods are not intruded upon, 1 and b) excessive amounts of land are not consumed by uses that do not pay real estate taxes. GOAL: Work to Improve the Image of Altoona among Persons within the Immediate Region and Outside of the Area.

Altoona does not have a strong image outside of the area - either positive or negative. Many persons who have not visited Altoona may believe it is similar to communities which have more economic difficulties. Outsiders are not aware that Altoona is a cosmopolitan city with many cultural offerings and a strong economy. Moreover, many people outside of the area are also not aware of the accessibility I of Interstate 99, which is one of the newer interstates in the nation. Therefore, promotional efforts are needed to let outside investors know about the great things happening in Altoona. Too many economic development agencies spend tremendous amounts of money on 1 advertising in economic development magazines. Unfortunately, most of the people who actually read these magazines work for other economic development agencies. An individual ad becomes lost in a sea of ads that all basically say the same things, Therefore, the best results may result in advertising within publications aimed towards targeted businesses - such as magazines for plastics industry executives.

In addition, residents of Altoona and adjacent communities need to be made aware of great things in Altoona. This is particularly true in the Downtown, which many residents of the region no longer regularly visit. With a little effort, a tremendous amount of free positive publicity can be received I through coverage in local newspapers, television and radio stations, and the public access cable station.

GOAL: Make sure that City Residents have the Practical Job Skills Needed by Current and 4 Potential Employers to help Individuals Advance and to Attract and Retain Businesses.

Residents need to continually keep their job skills up-to-date because of technological changes and international trends. c 51 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan I

The Federal Government makes millions of dollars available each year for local job training programs. The School District’s Career and Technology Center emphasizes training in new technologies and practical job skills. The Center not only serves teenagers, but also continuing education of adults. Close communications are needed between job training programs and area businesses so that training f programs can respond to their needs. I In addition, consideration should be given to combining job training programs with the City’s serious need for housing rehabilitation. Residents can learn valuable trades, while the job training funding helps to minimize the expense of the improvements. I 1 1 I 1

52 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

TRANSPORTATION PLAN

GOAL: Work with PA. DOT to Make Cost-Effective Improvements to the Region's Street System to Avoid Congestion Problems and Improve Traffic Safety.

I Altoona is on the verge of truly excellent highway access to the entire Northeast region. Within a few years, Interstate 99 will be a four-lane expressway connecting Interstate 80 and State College with Altoona from the north, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 68 to the south. Route 220 may also be improved from Interstate 80 to Williamsport to become part of Interstate 99. At Williamsport, the new Route 15 expressway (which may become Interstate 99) will then be completed northward to connect with the Route 17 Expressway across New York State (which is planned to become an interstate).

Improvements are planned to the entire Route 22 corridor, which will improve east-west access. Similarly, improvements are planned that would open up highway access from the northwest. Route 322 is proposed for improvements between Interstate 99 and Interstate 80. Then, there are proposals to upgrade Route 2 19 north of Interstate 80 into westernNew York State. This would provide improved links to the Toronto, Rochester and Buffalo areas.

The map on a following page classifies the street system in Altoona into four major categories:

- expressways, which provide limited access travel between metropolitan areas, I - arterial streets, which carry the majority of traffic, typically at moderate speeds along commercial areas, - collector streets, which carry moderate amounts of traffic and connect local streets to arterial 1 streets, and - local streets, which provide travel over shorter-distances, typically through residential areas.

Where Practical, Work to Resolve Traffic Congestion Bottlenecks.

Unlike most cities, overall most traffic flows smoothly through Altoona without serious congestion. The major north-south traffic routes move most efficiently - particularly because through-traffic is diverted onto 1-99. There are constraints along most east-west routes through the region, such as:

I - the railroad underpass on 3 lstStreet, - the limited numbers of crossings of the main railroad tracks, - the low railroad underpass on 24th Street, I - the narrowness of Washington Avenue and 1gth Street, - the narrowness of 7" Street, gth Street, Kettle Street and Lloyd Street west from Pleasant Valley Boulevard, and - the fact that 17thStreet abruptly stops at 12thAvenue. i 53 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

However, not all of these bottlenecks can be resolved. For example, 7th and 8th Streets cannot realistically be widened west of Pleasant Valley Boulevard.

Work to Improve Accident-prone Intersections

The Altoona City Police Department has provided statistics on the most accident prone intersections in the City. In most cases, the streets are owned by PennDOT. Therefore, the City should identify potential improvements, and then take the lead in seeking approval.and funding from PennDOT for the improvements. Improvements are much more likely to occur in a timely manner if the City is able to obtain needed right-of-way from adjacent property-owners and/or if the City can obtain partial funding from nearby developers.

However, in many cases, the accident-prone locations do not have obvious problems that can be resolved with realignments, traffic signals, widening or other physical improvements. In most cases, the numbers of accidents appear to result from extremely heavy traffic volumes and carelessness. Most of the accident-prone intersections are served by traffic signals and have good sight distance. Therefore, in some cases, the best response is police enforcement against vehicles running red lights.

The most accident-prone locations were in order: Location Number of Accidents 8" Avenue at Sth Street (at bridge from Downtown) 41 17'h Street at 7'h Avenue (near School complex) 39 17" Street at 6'h Avenue (near School complex) 28 gthStreet at Howard Avenue (near Altoona Hospital) 28 7'h Avenue at Sth Street 27 Pleasant Valley Blvd. at 17'h Street 26 17'h Street at gthAvenue 19 8" Avenue at 7'h Street (at bridge from Downtown) 16 Union Avenue at 7'h Avenue (at Bon Secours Hospital) 15 7'h Avenue at 29'h Street 15 6" Avenue at 5SthStreet 13 Broad Avenue at 24" Street (south of Jaffa Mosque) 12

In previous years, the construction of a new center turn lane was recommended along Pleasant Valley Road from 2nd Street north to Route 764 in Greenwood. However, that project is no longer on the active funding list.

GOAL: Complete Improvements from Northern Altoona to reach the Pinecroft Interchange of I- 99. Over the long-term, seek a new 1-99 Interchange on Kettle Street, with Widening of Kettle Street and/or Improvements to Lloyd Street. .

Provide Improved Road Access from Juniata to Interstate 99

17h Street is severely congested and includes many of the most-accident prone intersections in Altoona. There is a need to provide better traffic access from Interstate 99 from the north to the Downtown, Altoona Hospital, Penn State-Altoona, Juniata, the Juniata rail yards and adjacent industrially-zoned

54 I ) City of Altoona 1 Street Classification I I I I I

Produced by: Altoona Planning and Community Development Department City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

lands. Presently, much of this traffic stays on 1-99, takes the 17'h Street exit and then back-tracks to the north.

To address these problems, improved traffic access is being planned from N. 4th Avenue (Chestnut Avenue extended) in Juniata (which is being widened to four lanes south of 2nd Street Juniata) to reach the Pinecroft interchange of 1-99. As of 2000, a major study was underway. The most likely route I would appear to run east of the railroad tracks through large areas of land zoned industrially in Logan Township. Possibly, the existing 6'h Avenue in Logan Township would be widened and straightened to serve as the connection. However, a suitable east-west route is needed from Chestnut Avenue across I the railroad tracks.

Great attention should be paid to avoiding harm to the Juniata Business District along North 4th I AvenueKhestnut Avenue and residential areas further north along North 4* Avenue in Juniata. Serious consideration should be given to constructing a new bridge across the railroad tracks connecting North I 6'h Street in Juniata with Greenwood Road in Logan Township. The new bridge would be one-way east. Then the existing North 8" Street Bridge in Juniata could be made one-way west. I - This arrangement would reduce the need to widen North 4'h Avenue through the Juniata Business area, and thereby avoid demolition of existing businesses or loss of significant on-street parking. Because most tractor-trailer traffic would travel one-way through the Juniata Business area, the I intersections would not have to be as wide as ifthe traffic would be two-way. This proposal would also minimize disruptions to traffic during construction because the existing 8th Street bridge would be unaffected. This proposal would not force the demolition of significant employers or many homes.

Seek to Reserve Land for a Future Kettle StreetD-99 Interchange and for Improvements to I Connect with 6th Avenue.

The region's long-term plans include a new interchange of 1-99 at Kettle Street. This interchange would 1 be very expensive to construct because there is a large difference in elevation between Kettle Street and 1-99. Also, the ramps would need to avoid the adjacent cemetery. However, an interchange at Kettle Street would be very desirable. An improved east-west route would be needed from the interchange. I This route could be Kettle Street from 1-99 to 6'h Avenue. A number of buildings along Kettle Street would likely have to be demolished - although few buildings are in the way west of 2"d Avenue. An alternative would be to direct traffic to connect from Kettle to Lloyd Street, which is more commercial I in nature.

Work is needed over time to minimize the disruptions that would occur from a future interchange. Once I a route is known, then the City should continually work to reserve right-of-way for future street widenings along the route. By ordinance and by negotiation with persons submitting plans, new buildings and expansions should be required to be setback far enough from the road to allow for 1 widening in the future. A "future right-of-way" should be established along the route that is wider than the legal right-of-way. Any new construction should then be required to be setback from this future I right-of-way. In many cases, property owners will voluntarily turn over additional right-of-way to the City or PennDOT - particularly if such dedication does not reduce the amount of development that is possible on their land. However, under State law, it is difficult to require that additional right-of-way

57 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan must be dedicated.

An Official Map can also be used to help reserve land needed for major road improvements, such as an improved route from the future Kettle Street interchange. Official Maps are described in the Putting this Plan into Action section.

Address Traffic along 6th/7th/8th/9th Avenues, with Special Attention to Reducing Traffic through the High School Complex.

There is a need to decrease the mount of traffic along 6'h Avenue through the public school complex, and to reduce its speeds. Continued efforts are needed by the Police Department to enforce speed limits. However, a longer-term solution is needed.

- In the 1980s, plans called for extending and widening gthAvenue as a major north-south corridor. Under one scheme, 9th Avenue would have been widened north of 12'h Street, would have connected by new ramps to the 7th and 8th Street bridges, and then connected to 8th and 7th Avenues as one-way pairs to the City's northern border. gth Avenue was also proposed to be widened from 17thStreet south to 21" Street, where it would link to a widened SthAvenue. Sth Avenue south of 2 1st Street was then to be made one-way, while 6'h and 7'h Avenue would be returned to two-way traffic. This project is still listed in the County Transportation Plan as a $20 million project, but it is not proposed for State funding for at least the next 12 years.

- Portions of this proposal may still be feasible over the long-term. However, the extension of gth Avenue to the north would require demolition of numerous properties, would be very costly and time-consuming, and would involve difficult connections with the 7'h and Street bridges. Also, traffic may not choose to shift westward three blocks and then shift eastward three blocks. In addition, in regards to school pedestrian traffic, it is less critical to shift traffic off of 7'h Avenue than 6'h Avenue.

- A more cost-effective solution is to provide a smooth-flowing alternative route that will divert some traffic from 6'h Avenue. The intent is to make SthAvenue one-way north. A series of well- coordinated traffic signals (and possibly some four-way stops) would be needed that would allow traffic to move smoothly with a full series of green lights at 25 to 30 miles per how. If motorists attempted to drive at faster speeds, they would be faced with a series of red lights. State Route 764 signs would be moved from 6thto SthAvenues. 7'h Avenue would continue as a major one-way route southbound.

- Once traffic is decreased on 6'h Avenue, it would then be possible to extend the curbs into the parking lanes at intersections near the school complex. This would decrease the width of the street that needs to be crossed, and provide a safer refuge for crossing guards. Button- activated pedestrian walk signals should also be added - particularly at the 6thand 7thAvenue intersections of 17'h Street.

58 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

- To make these changes possible, it would be desirable to trade roads with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. PennDOT would be asked to accept 8'h Avenue as a State road, in return for the City accepting responsibility for 6'h Avenue. This would give the City the authority to make changes to 6'h Avenue near the school complex to discourage the street's use for through- I traffic. - It would also be desirable to place a traffic signal at the intersection of 17th Street and 4th Avenue. I This signal would only need to be operational during school hours. - A traffic study should be accomplished by a professional traffic engineer before these changes are I made. Seek to Improve Traffic Flow from the End of 17th Street.

I 17th Street carries extremely heavy traffic flow, but stops abruptly at 12th Avenue. A previous proposal was to widen Rose Alley to extend 17th Street to 13th Avenue. That alternative is possible, but could I be disruptive to some adjacent properties if the extension was wider than 2 lanes. A less disruptive alternative would be to change one block of 12th Avenue from 17th Street to 18th I Street to allow two-way traffic. This would provide connections from 17th Street to the recently improved 18th Street to connect with areas west of Altoona. This.change was first proposed in a 1988 traffic study. That 1988 study recommended that left-hand turns not be allowed from southbound 12th b Avenue to eastbound 18th Street. Currently, State road maps and street signs direct traffic along "Route 36" to Union Avenue. As I described below, Union Avenue is not suitable for heavy traffic - particularly out-of-town trucks who typically follow route number signs. Trucks are currently directed on a circuitous route from Union Avenue to Margaret Avenue to 17th Street to 1 1th Avenue to 16th Street to 18th Street. An alternative I would be to direct all Route 36 traffic to use 1-99 to the 17th Street interchange, then to follow 17th Street, and then to use a block of 12th Avenue (which would be made two-way) to reach 18th Street.

I Improve Traffic Flow along Union Avenue.

There are a large number of confusing, complex and awkward intersections along Union Avenue I between 5'h and llthAvenues. Particular attention should be paid to the intersections around the proposed redevelopment of the large old mill complex at Union and 8'h Avenues. Opportunities should be examined to simplify these intersections, such as making certain side streets one-way, or closing off I selected side streets. Wherever possible, intersections should be aligned as a "T" with right angles. If a side-street can be closed off, it may open up opportunities to provide additional off-street or on-street parking for adjacent businesses, which are on small lots. Also, landscaping can be added as part of any I street realignment to add beauty to the corridor. I A project was previously listed on the County Transportation Plan to increase the clearance of the railroad underpass along 24th Street from Union Avenue. However, this project is no longer proposed for State funding for at least the next 12 years.

59 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Eventually Complete the lothAvenue Extension.

As a long-term project, lothAvenue should be rebuilt and widened from 18th Street to the 24‘h Street bridge over the railroad tracks. This road is immediately west of the railroad tracks. It could serve north-south traffic in a way that would not negatively affect many homes - and help divert traffic from residential streets. In the short-term, sufficient right-of-way should be reserved for this improvement, I and any new buildings should be set back far enough from the future road width.

Make sure Local Streets are Improved to Serve New Development 1 I

The City needs by ordinance to establish an appropriate method to make sure that builder/developers of new buildings pay for necessary construction or upgrading of adjacent streets. This is particularly I true for builders of homes along inadequate streets in the Juniata section. A system is needed that recognizes that one developer often does not build an entire block of homes. For example, each property could be assessed a fee based upon the length of street frontage. The fee would be established I in advdnce by ordinance, but not be required to be paid until a building was constructed. Otherwise, taxpayers throughout the City need to pay for expensive street construction for new buildings. I Replace Missing Street Name Signs Throughout the City.

A large number of streets do not have street name signs. The City is currently installing new street I name signs along all major routes. These new signs have larger lettering than older signs in order to meet the Federal Americans With Disabilities Act. While it would be a large expense to erect street name signs at every intersection, they at least should be placed at every intersection along major streets and at every other intersection on minor streets.

GOAL: Minimize the Adverse Impacts of Traffic upon Residential Neighborhoods, Particularly Higher-speed Traffic and Heavy Truck Traffic.

Street connections should be avoided between industrial areas and residential neighborhoods. Heavy truck traffic should be prohibited along residential streets where an acceptable alternative exists. Traffic controls should be used to avoid high speeds along residential streets. These methods are sometimes referred to as “traffic calming.” A particularly effective method to reduce traffic speeds along major roads involves signal timing. Under this method, all traffic signals along a route are coordinated so that it is extremely difficult to travel faster than a certain speed (such as 35 miles per hour). If a person travels faster than this speed, they will face one or more red lights. This method works best when signs identify the intended speed. Federal funding is widely available for these types of signal improvements.

Moreover, Altoona should support proposals in the State Legislature to allow local police to use radar or laser technology to enforce speed limits.

60 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

GOAL: Promote use of Public Transit, Bicycling and Walking, Particularly to Minimize Increases in Traffic and to Serve Persons Unable to Drive or to Afford their Own Vehicle. 1 Improve Pedestrian and Bicycle Access, including Requiring Sidewalks as part of New Development along Heavily Traveled Streets.

II Improvements are needed to allow safer walking and bicycling throughout the City. As part of new development, City ordinances should require that sidewalks be constructed along the more heavily traveled streets and near schools. Key “missing links” in sidewalks along major streets should be I identified, and efforts made to have sidewalks constructed. To minimize construction expenses, new sidewalks should not be required along local residential streets with less traffic. Curbing still has value I to make street surfaces more durable. In the Altoona Fair Housing Analysis, the School District identified a list of pedestrian routes that were I of the greatest concern because of a lack of sidewalks. Sidewalks can be valuable to reduce the need for expensive busing of school children. I Where sidewalks are not required, flat grass areas suitable for walking (with curbing) should be emphasized along streets. These areas avoid the need for pedestrians to walk within the street. I There is little potential to create an entirely new system of bicycle lanes throughout the City. Therefore, the best way to provide for bicycle travel is to work with PennDOT to develop wide smooth shoulders b along key streets. These shoulders should be clearly separated from travel lanes by white lines. Continue to Provide an Extensive Regional Public Transit System, and Consider Expansions to I New Employment Centers Public transportation is an important factor in the economic health and quality of life of the region. Public transportation also can reduce traffic congestion, parking problems, air pollution and energy I consumption. Public transportation is particularly important for persons who are not able to drive, including persons with disabilities, some elderly persons and young people. Public transit is also valuable for households who do not have a car, or who cannot afford to maintain two cars. Public I transit can be especially attractive to persons who work Downtown, because they can avoid the need to pay for parking.

-I The economic importance of public transit is discussed in the “Economic Development and Downtown” section of this Plan.

I Altoona Metro Transit (AMTRAN) provides an extensive system throughout the region of fixed-route public-buses and some buses that deviate from fixed routes. A vast majority of the routes converge on Downtown Altoona. As part of a Statewide program, AMTRAN offers free rides for persons age 65 and I older, except during peak weekday hours. Blair County Senior Services provides flexible door-to-door “paratransit” for persons who cannot use the AMTRAN system. Many ofthese persons have disabilities i or live far from the bus routes. 61 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

The Downtown Transportation Center is a major transfer station between bus routes, and provides connections to AMTRAK and inter-city bus lines. However, the facility is in need of renovation and increased maintenance, particularly to provide a better first impression to visitors. The parking deck also needs structural repairs. While Federal funds will likely help pay for the renovation, the private bus companies should be required to pay fees to allow a higher level of maintenance. It may be practical for some larger employers in the Downtown to subsidize monthly public transit I passes by their employees. These subsidies can be valuable to avoid the need for employers to provide large parking lots or to pay for parking by their employees. Recent changes in Federal tax law have made these types of subsidies more attractive to employers. The City Zoning Ordinance could also offer I reduced requirements to provide off-street parking if an employer makes a long-term commitment to subsidize public transit use by their employees. I Many households cannot afford to maintain a vehicle for each person who wishes to hold a job. Public transit allows these persons to reach larger numbers of jobs - which widens their opportunities. Therefore, the public transit routes need to be regularly updated to make sure that they provide access I to new concentrations of employment. This service is important to connect areas such as Altoona where there are many persons in need of employment with outlying areas where there are few workers. In other areas, employers in need of workers have subsidized this type of service. This type of service I is part of the nationwide “Welfare to Work” program.

Additional efforts are needed to use public transit to attract Penn State students into the Downtown - I particularly during weekends. AMTRAN currently offers a campus loop from the Penn State residence halls to the 25th Avenue commercial area, Cherry Avenue and adjacent apartment complexes. This service is free to Penn State students, using a subsidy from Penn State.

Likewise, as the world moves towards more of a “24 hour economy,” there may be need for extended public transit service during evenings and weekends. I Promote High Speed Passenger Rail Service across Pennsylvania. I Altoona is served by an AMTRAK passenger rail line that connects Pittsburgh to Harrisburg to Philadelphia. From Philadelphia, there are recently improved high speed connections to Washington I and Boston. Higher speed rail service would be very beneficial to attract businesses and residents to Altoona (particularly the Downtown), and would help to make up for the lack of extensive air passenger service. I The State has periodically considered constructing a high speed rail system that would utilize new technologies. The Pittsburgh region is working on developing what they hope will be the first leg of I this system - from the Pittsburgh Airport to the eastern suburbs.

Previous proposals involved extending the passenger rail service northward to State College and then I southwest to Altoona. This alternative would vary from the current east-west passenger rail route between Huntingdon and Altoona. However, this alternative would provide a valuable high speed connection between Downtown Altoona and State College - a major growth and research center. I

62 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan 1 P GOAL: Provide Sufficient Community Facilities and Services Throughout all areas of Altoona, in I a Cost-efficient Manner. I Improve Existing Parks and Playgrounds to meet a Wide Variety of Recreational Needs. The Central Blair Park and Recreation Commission was created jointly by Altoona, Logan Township and the Altoona Area School District. It is a successful model for intergovernmental cooperation. Most I of the funding of the Commission is provided by the City, the Township, private donations and fees paid by persons participating in programs. The School District provides use of many of its facilities. These efforts are particularly valuable in making school facilities available for community use during times I when they are not needed for school programs.

This Plan does not recommend the development of extensive new public parks within the City of E Altoona because: - the existing public park system is generally well-located to serve most sections of the City; - only limited funds can be expected to be available for improvements and maintenance; a - the limited City and grant funds that are available need to be reserved for rehabilitation of existing parks and playgrounds; and - the City needs to reserve most of the remaining open land for new development that will generate b tax revenue.

It may be desirable to develop new playgrounds in the Logantown and Knickerbocker areas and similar higher density lower and moderate income areas.

In many areas of the City, the public elementary schools are well-situated to serve as public playgrounds (outside of school hours) for the surrounding neighborhoods. However, few of the schools have playgrounds. Liability issues can be resolved through the proper design of modern playground equipment, including using soft surfaces under modern equipment. Where a municipal playground is needed, and it is not possible to place new playground equipment at a public school, then the City should seek a site next to a school. In this manner, the municipal playground could also serve school students.

The Recreation Commission is working with the City on developing one major new park. Westfall Park is immediately adjacent to the City’s western border - at the end of 25th Street. Logan Township and the Commission are also developing the new Greenwood Park northeast of the City.

In addition, once flood-prone homes are removed from Kentucky Avenue in the far southern part of Altoona, the land will be turned over to the City as open space. That land should be landscaped with walking paths, in a manner that will require very little maintenance. Possibly involvement could be sought from Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts or other civic groups to prepare and maintain paths and plant trees

63 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Work to Connect Altoona to Outlying Attractions with Recreational Trails.

The Allegheny Ridge State Heritage Park Commission is working to develop a system of recreational trails throughout the surrounding region. The major regional trails that have been discussed include:

. The extension of the existing Lower Trail (which passes from Williamsburg to Alexandria) west to Canoe Creek State Park, then eventually southwest to Hollidaysbwg and west to the Allegheny Portage National Historical Site along Route 22.

The improvement of an old trolley right-of-way into a trail from Greenwood north to Bellwood and Tyrone.

The improvement of trails along the Blair/Cambria County border from Gallitzin north through State Game Lands.

There also may be a potential to reuse the old Wopsononock railroad for a trail.

In many cases, these trails could conceivably link into trails around the Altoona City Authority’s reservoirs. If feasible, it would be desirable to have a hiking trail and/or bicycle path connect Altoona to the Horseshoe Curve.

Expand Opportunities for Constructive Activities for Young People - with an Emphasis on After- school Activities in Lower-income Neighborhoods.

Young people need constructive supervised programs that will help them properly develop and avoid trouble. This is particularly true because of the number of single parent households and families in which both parents work. As.a result, large numbers of young people are unsupervised for hours after the end of the school day. Of the crime committed by young persons, nationwide studies have found that most occurs in these late afternoon hours. The highest priority should be directed towards encouraging youth who are most “at risk” of getting involved in delinquent behavior to become involved in constructive activities.

While the Recreation Commission offers a range of programs, including a strong Summer Playground program, additional activities are needed. Many different organizations should be involved in this effort, including the School District, places of worship and recreation organizations. For example, a recreation organization might be encouraged to offer after-school programs at a City-owned recreation center. Churches and other religious organizations should consider offering additional programs for their members and neighbors.

64 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Continue to Emphasize High-Quality Police, Emergency Medical and Fire Protection to Protect Public Safety.

Altoona’s highly professional Police Department, Fire Department and emergency medical services provide some of the greatest advantages of living within Altoona.

Concentrated police protection is also important to encourage investment in areas with blight. A full range of measures are needed to reduce illegal drug use, alcohol abuse and related crimes. An emphasis is needed upon community-based policing and neighborhood watch programs. Community-based policing involves assigning an officer to a certain neighborhood of the City where the officer can develop strong relationships with citizens to encourage their involvement. Community-based policing and school-based policing can be particularly useful to allow officers to build trust with young persons in order to discourage delinquency. The existing bicycle patrols by police should be continued to promote interaction between officers and the public.

Emergency service providers need to be fully coordinated across municipal borders. Regionalization of services can allow personnel to be more highly trained for specialized matters. Regional services also typically are more cost-effective - primarily by avoiding duplication of vehicles and equipment.

As a long-term goal, Altoona and Logan Township should consider ajoint police force. As a short-term measure, the two forces should seek to provide some shared services, such as a joint emergency response team or trading officers for undercover work. At present, Logan Township Police must continually travel through Altoona to serve the Township, which is inefficient for the Township.

City and Township fire fighters should continually train together so that they can efficiently operate in case of a major event. Logan Township recently reducing their number of volunteer fire companies through mergers. If there are shortages of volunteers during weekday mornings and afternoons, it may make sense for the Township to consider contracting with the City to provide first response fire protection during these hours. Altoona’s Fire Department already provides hazardous incident response services for surrounding municipalities, for which the City is compensated.

Emergency medical services are already provided in a regional manner through the AMED ambulance system.

Work with Institutions that are Exempt from the City Real Estate Tax to Seek that they Compensate the City for their Fair Share of the City’s costs of providing Police and Fire Services to Protect Them.

Some institutions already voluntarily pay an annual fee to the City. Institutions may be most willing to provide funding if they know the dollars will be committed towards specific improvements, such as the salary of a community police officer near their facility, or a new fire truck. The institutions should then receive public recognition for helping to pay for the improvement. Also, Altoona should work with adjacent municipalities to make sure that Altoona is not paying an excessive percentage of the costs of protecting major facilities that are outside of the City’s borders, such as the Veterans Administration Medical Center.

65 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan 1

Increase the Variety of Resources Available through the Altoona Area Public Library, and Promote its Expanded Use.

As we move towards more of an information-based economy, the Public Library becomes more important. As of 2000, the State is making additional funding available to public libraries if local governments increased their funding. As of 2000, most of the funding of the Library was received from the Altoona Area School District - which spreads the expenses between residents of the City and Logan Township. However, the Library serves a much larger geographic area.

Consideration should be given to establish a system to fairly distribute library expenses among all County residents. This system is in place in many counties in Pennsylvania - such as Franklin, Cumberland, Lancaster and Dauphin. In these counties, a certain real estate millage is assessed countywide. These counties then distribute the funding to each library in their county based upon the number of persons it serves. The libraries could still operate independently. The County could also use some of the funding to provide central support services, such as operating a single computerized system accessible in each library and over the internet.

The library has a need for additional space. The difficulty will be to expand the library in a manner that still retains sufficient parking.

Continually Explore Ways to Minimize Government Expenses and Increase Revenues, Including Maximizing Use of Federal and State Funding Sources.

Altoona needs to continually search for additional sources of revenues. At least one person in the City (II government should have the responsibility to keep up to date regarding all grant programs and application deadlines that are relevant to all City operations. Most government agencies provide up-to- date information on grant programs through their internet sites. However, in some cases, small grants I may require so much administrative time that they are not worthwhile.

At the same time, Altoona must constantly search for ways to provide services in a manner that minimizes expenses. As of 2000, Altoona was initiating a major study by the Pennsylvania Economy League to recommend ways to reduce expenses and increase revenues. For some types of expenses, it may be valuable to request a few hours of volunteer assistance by local residents who have expertise in certain areas to recommend ways to reduce expenses. For example, a committee of insurance experts may be able to recommend ways to reduce insurance costs.

66 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Seek a new Countywide Re-assessment to Increase the Fairness of Real Estate Taxes and Avoid the Uncertainty in Budgets Created by the Large Number of Successful Appeals of Assessments.

The Blair County real estate tax assessment system is over 40 years old and is out-of-date. As a result, it is also unfair. The real estate assessments are frequently successfully challenged. This makes it difficult for municipalities and school districts to budget for the future - because the tax revenue they expect to receive ’can dramatically fall because of appeals. While there has been a great deal of investment in Altoona, the City’s total real estate assessment at times has declined because so many appeals are successful. A complete new calculation of real estate assessments is needed. Under State law, each municipality and school district would then need to reduce their tax rates to take into account the new assessments. Therefore, a re-assessment should not result in increasedreal estate taxes for most property-owners. Instead, the tax would be more evenly distributed.

Continually Invest in Maintenance and Repair of the City’s Infrastructure to Avoid Emergency Situations and Expensive Replacement of Infrastructure.

Altoona’s streets and utility systems are aging. Preventative maintenance and repair is needed each year to avoid the need for more expensive replacement. For example, it is much less expensive to maintain a street than to have to completely reconstruct it if maintenance is delayed. The City is working each year to repair a certain percentage of the street system. Likewise, oversight is needed of the City Authority to make’sure that it is regularly investing in maintenance and replacement of old water and sewage lines. Otherwise, emergency breaks can occur that are much more expensive to address.

Regular communications are needed between the City Public Works Department and utility providers to make sure that repair of underground utilities are fully coordinated in advance with street projects. Otherwise, a newly paved street may need to be cut open for a utility project.

Continue to Provide Excellent Water and Sewage Services, with Regular Investments to Provide Reliable Service.

The Altoona City Authority provides wastewater and water supply services for Altoona and the surrounding region. The wastewater system serves over 22,000 customers in Altoona and certain portions of Logan and Allegheny Townships. The wastewater from northern areas is treated at the Easterly Treatment Plant, while wastewater from southern areas is treated at the Westerly Treatment

Plant. These plants have an ability to treat 17 million gallons per day during normal conditions. Of this I

In many areas, the stormwater sewage system flows into the sanitary sewage system. As lines need replacement and/or streets are reconstructed, the systems can be separated in stages. However, studies have determined that it would be cost-prohibitive to completely separate the two systems. In response, the wastewater system includes an innovative system to address peak stormwater flows during heavy rains. Up to 40 million gallons per day can be treated through this system. After heavy rains, if the treatment capacity of the plants are exceeded, the initial flows through the system are stored until they can be treated. Most of this storage is underground. These initial flows are known as the “first flush” and they contain the majority of pollutants from runoff. If heavy rains continue, and the storage

67 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan capacity is exceeded, the flows are then released without extensive treatment. These later flows mainly include stormwater runoff, with relatively few pollutants.

Many of Altoona’s water supply and sewage collection pipes are over 125 years. Therefore, continual efforts are needed to make sure that deteriorating pipes are replaced before they fail, disrupt service and result in high, costs. Continued efforts are needed to detect and address water system leaks.

The Altoona City Authority operates an extensive system that provides water for an area stretching from Tyrone to Altoona to Hollidaysburg, involving eleven municipalities. The system includes eleven reservoirs, with a total storage capacity of over three billion gallons. These reservoirs include: Bellwood, Tipton, Blair Gap, Plane Nine, Muleshoe, Kittanning Point, Lake Altoona, Little Allegheny, Kettle, Mill Run and Homers Gap. There also is a well field (reserved for emergency use) that is north of 3 1st Street east of the railroad. The system has a total safe net yield of 15.6 million gallons per day. Based upon current demand, 1 1.2 million gallons per day are available for future growth.

Fire protection and water distribution are provided-through 16 water tanks and distributing reservoirs. At current demand levels, this storage system provides over 2.3 days of storage of treated water.

The system includes seven modern water treatment plants, with a treatment capacity of 32 million gallons per day.

The Authority has completed over $150 million of improvements over the last 15 years, particularly to improve water treatment and dam safety. While grants have been received for a substantial share of expenses, and low-interest loans have been maximized, the Authority is still burdened with $120 million of debt.

Use the Authority’s Water and Sewage Services to Attract Appropriate Growth.

One of the major advantages that Altoona offers over many surrounding areas is the availability of public water and sewage services, with plentiful capacities. The City should encourage the City Authority to be pro-active in investing in water and sewage improvements within the City that will spur new development. An initial investment is needed in areas such as Northern Juniata to result in increased construction. In many cases, it is unlikely that a private developer will be able to pay sufficient funds upfront to extend utilities - particularly when many owners are involved. Over time, the Authority can recapture the costs of developing new lines and pump stations and storage for water pressure through water and sewage districts. Through these districts, customers who connect into new water and sewage lines pay their fair share of the costs of the lines. This system avoids the need for existing customers to subsidize new development.

It also would be in the best interests of the City to encourage the Authority to invest in water and sewage improvements that would bring additional business to Logan Township. This is because Logan Township is within the same school district as Altoona. The real estate taxes from business development represents “net profit” to a school district because it does not directly generate additional public school children.

68 1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

The large excess capacity in the water and sewage systems also should be used to attract industries that need this capacity. For example, many food manufacturers need large volumes of water. If large industrial customers are attracted, it will help pay down the Authority’s $120 million debt, which will i help maintain reasonable rates for existing customers. z Find Ways to Make Sure that Every Property in Altoona is Served by a Solid Waste Contractor. In Altoona, each property-owner is responsible to contract with a solid waste contractor of their choice. Too many properties in Altoona are not served by any contractor. This results in excessive junk in I‘ yards, garbage dumping problems, health hazards and increased rates for persons who do pay for contractors. City Staff must spend an excessive amount of time resolving the problems that result. Landlords should be made aware that City ordinances require them to provide a contractor to serve their a properties. One way to reduce the problems would be to establish a central billing and collection system. Each I property-owner would be billed by the City or another agency, who would collect an administrative fee. Each property-owner would still be able to choose their own contractor, and the contractors could still set their own rates. The contractors would be relieved of the burden of billing and debt collection, 1 which should lower costs. If a bill was not paid, then a municipal lien could be placed on the property, which should result in a higher collection rate.

I The City of Reading determined that most dwellings without garbage contractors were rental units. As a result, Reading recently required all rental property-owners to use a single contractor, who was chosen by the City through a bid process. Persons who own their own home are still able to choose their own b contractor, unless they are repeatedly cited for garbage nuisances.

Another alternative would be for the City to contract directly with solid waste companies. The City i could be divided into districts with separate contracts. This system would make it possible for smaller contractors to compete - as opposed to hiring one contractor for the entire City. Experience throughout Pennsylvania shows that much lower rates are possible with central municipal contracts. This system i would also avoid the need for multiple different contractors to travel through the same block. Everyone would have their waste picked up on the same night - as opposed to garbage cans being out on the curb 1 every night. 1 Encourage County Agencies to Continue to Take the Lead in Human Service Issues. This Plan does not address human service needs because they are addressed through separate human 1. service planning programs of County agencies. Address Local Drug and Alcohol Treatment Needs, while Avoiding the Burdens of Serving Larger Urban Areas.

Drug and alcohol treatment are extremely important. However, great care is needed to make sure that facilities in Altoona are primarily serving persons from the local community and are not “importing” persons for treatment from other areas. Otherwise, new problems of crime and human services may be brought into Altoona - particularly from persons who “drop out” of treatment programs.

69 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan regulations.

In Altoona and adjacent municipalities, the percent of land covered by paving should be held to a reasonable minimum. This will allow stormwater runoff to recharge into the groundwater, and thereby minimize stormwater runoff.

Cost-effective regional solutions should be considered for stormwater problems. For example, in some cases, it may be logical to construct a regional stormwater detention basin. Then, any development that drains into that basin would pay a fee instead of constructing their own smaller basin. This method can minimize the total amount of land consumed by basins, allow for centralized maintenance of a single basin, and help provide a funding source to reduce existing stormwater problems.

Continue to Control Development in Flood-prone Areas.

Altoona, like all other municipalities in Pennsylvania, has regulations that limit development in flood- prone areas. These regulations generally limit construction within the “1 00 year floodplain,” which is the area expected to be flooded during the worst storm in an average 100 year period. The map on the following page shows these flood-prone areas.

Major areas expected to be subject to a 100 year flood include:

- a stretch of the Mill Run creek along Kentucky Avenue off of Goods Lane, where offers are being made to buy and demolish flood-prone homes, - areas along the Mill Run creek that run parallel to Browning Avenue, Union Avenue and 3 1st Street, - areas along the Burgoon Run creek that runs parallel to 58th Street west of 6th Avenue, - areas along the Spring Run creek stretching along Park Boulevard and north of Ivyside Drive, and - Brush Run creek running between Pleasant Valley Boulevard and Valley View Boulevard, north of 17th Street.

Workwith Neighboring Municipalities, the City Authority and State Agencies to Preserve Scenic Areas Around Altoona.

There are many natural wooded areas around Altoona that provide a scenic backdrop to the region. These wooded areas are important to attract visitors to the area, maintain high quality fishing in creeks, recharge the groundwater and protect the quality of runoff entering into reservoirs.

In areas that are not in public ownership, the townships should consider zoning that would prohibit overly intense development of these scenic areas - particularly very steeply sloped areas that are not suitable for development. Particular attention is needed to control mining, major regrading and dense housing in the most scenic and environmentally sensitive areas.

The City Authority should retain ownership of the most important natural areas around the City, or transfer ownership to an agency such as the State Game Commission. If any important natural areas are sold, the sale should include deed restrictions to prevent future development of the land. Only selective forestry should be authorized on City Authority lands, as opposed to clearcutting.

72 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

The State Game Commission should be encouraged to purchase additional steep woodlands and lands along creek valleys in the Altoona area.

Where a private property-owner does not wish to sell important natural lands, then they should be encouraged to donate a conservation easement. Under a conservation easement, the land remains privately owned and can be sold, but it cannot be developed. A conservation easement typically does not allow any use by the public. A property-owner can receive important Federal income tax deductions Y if they donate a conservation easement to a conservation organization. I

73 Produced by: Altoona Planning and Community Development Department 1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

b I PUTTING THIS PLAN INTO ACTION I GOAL: Continually Work to Put this Plan into Action Through a Program of Updated Planning and Many Short-term Actions Within a Long-range Perspective. c Planning is an on-going process. The Comprehensive Plan should be implemented through a continuous process of follow-up planning and action. The most immediate action will be a 1 comprehensive updating of Altoona’s Zoning Ordinance and Zoning Map. Maximize communications, coordination and cooperative efforts 1 between the City of Altoona, the School District, adjacent townships, the County and other agencies and organizations. I I I The City Government cannot implement this Comprehensive Plan alone. Involvement is needed by residents, neighborhood organizations, civic groups, businesses, institutions, property-owners and many other groups. -

I This Comprehensive Plan should be consistently used as an overall guide for land use and transportation decisions. In addition, the Plan needs to be reviewed periodically and, if necessary, updated to reflect i changing trends. Use a Full Set of Tools to Implement this Plan

I This Comprehensive Plan establishes overall policies for guiding the future development and preservation of Altoona. However, this Plan is not a regulation. The following major tools are I available to help implement this Plan: Citizen involvement, I the City Zoning Ordinance, the City Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance, the City Construction Codes, m an Official Map, computerized mapping, . Capital Improvements Planning, and the City’s annual spending (especially of Federal Community Development Block Grant funds) and the seeking of additional grant funds. I 77 1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Citizen Involvement

The volunteer efforts of neighborhood and civic organizations and individuals are essential to further improve Altoona ,and to carry out this Plan. The objective is to strengthen community pride and emphasize volunteer efforts for residents and property-owners to improve their surroundings. I It is essential to keep citizens informed and provide opportunities for meaningful citizen input, while making use of new technologies for communication. I d

The City’s internet site should be regularly updated with information that will help spur public interest, I enthusiasm and involvement. Opportunities for citizen involvement should also be highlighted through the newspaper and other media. 1 Zoning Ordinance

The City’s Zoning Ordinance is the primary legal tool to regulate the uses of land and buildings. The I Zoning Ordinance includes a Zoning Map that divides the City into different zoning districts. Each district permits a set of activities and establishes a maximum density of development. The Zoning Ordinance and Map should be updated to carry out the Land Use Policies of this Plan and to be 1 consistent with the Proposed Land Use Map.

In addition to regulating land uses and densities, zoning also controls the following:

0 the heights of buildings, 1 0 the percentage of a lot that may be covered by buildings and paving, 0 the minimum distances that buildings may be placed from streets and property lines, 0 the minimum size of lots, S the maximum sizes and heights of signs, and 0 the protection of important natural features. 1 Additional staff is needed to address enforcement of the City Zoning Ordinance. At present, only one- quarter of one staff-person’s time is assigned to zoning enforcement. I Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance

The City has a Subdivision Ordinance that is in-need of extensive updating. It currently mainly 1 regulates the creation of new lots and the construction of .new streets by developers. It should be expanded into a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO) that also regulates the development of a new commercial, industrial and institutional building. A

Where regulations can be placed in either the zoning or subdivision ordinance, I preference should be given to the subdivision ordinance. I

78 1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

It is preferable to place many types of standards in the subdivision ordinance instead of the zoning ordinance. This is because, under State law, more flexibility is allowed in subdivision ordinance provisions. Under a SALDO ordinance, regulations can be waived by the City Planning Commission 1 for common sense reasons. This allows trade-offs between different matters that result in improved site designs, This would allow the Planning Commission and the staff of the Department of Planning and I Development to become more involved in site design matters to make sure a project fits well into the surrounding neighborhood.

I In comparison, a zoning provision is a strict regulation that can only be varied through a variance by the Zoning Hearing Board. A zoning officer must enforce a zoning regulation without any discretion. In most cases, a Zoning Hearing Board stresses legal matters, and is not oriented to address broader site c design issues. In most cases, a zoning variance cannot be granted unless the applicant is able to prove that there is a hardship that prevents them from complying. A formal hearing is required with a stenographer, and any variance is vulnerable to lengthy appeals by any person who may be opposed to I a project.

For most applications under the SALDO, a separate preliminary and final plan submission should not I be required. This will help to streamline the development approval process and avoid unnecessary delays.

II: The SALDO ordinance should work to encourage high-quality site planning. Many of these site planning concepts are discussed in the Land Use and Housing Plan section.

b Construction Codes I Altoona enforces a modem set of construction codes, using model ordinancesprepared by national organizations. These codes are particularly important to minimize fire hazards. The Economic Development Plan section discusses possible adjustments to some of these codes to spur renovation of I older buildings. The City’s Property Maintenance Code is an essential part of controlling blight. I Official Map The State Municipalities Planning Code grants municipalities the authority to adopt an “Official Map.” An Official Map can designate proposed locations of new streets, street widenings, intersection I improvements, municipal uses and parks, The Map may cover the entire City, or only certain areas. The proposed locations do not need to be exact surveyed boundaries. This process may be particularly useful, for example, to reserve right-of-way for a future street widening to connect to the Kettle Street E interchange of Interstate 99. I

i 79 E City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Once an Official Map is officially adopted by City Council, then the City is provided with a limited amount of authority to reserve land for the projects on the map. If the land affected by the proposed project is proposed for development, then the City would have one year to either purchase the land for its fair market value or decide not to go forward with the project. This one year period is intended to provide time to raise funds to acquire the land, and avoid lost opportunities. If this one year period is not in effect, a person could obtain a building permit almost immediately in many cases and construct a building that could obstruct an important project. An Official Map also serves to provide notice to property-owners about the City’s future plans.

Computerized Mapping

The Altoona Department of Planning and Development operates a modern computerized mapping/ “Geographic Information” system. Increased efforts are needed to fully integrate this system with operations of all City agencies. For example, mapping of patterns in burglaries can help to target police resources. This system should also be further integrated with computerized mapping of other agencies, including the City Authority, PennDOT and. Logan Township.

Capital Improvements Planning

The City needs to continually plan and budget for major capital expenditures. “Capital” improvements are projects involving a substantial expense for the construction or improvement of major public facilities that have a long life span and that are not annual operating expenses. Examples of capital projects include major street improvements, acquisition of parkland, major storm sewer construction projects and new bridges.

A Capital Improvements Program (CIP) can help the City identify projects that will be needed, prioritize them, identify possible funding sources and then budget for their completion. A typical CIP looks five years in the future. A CIP should identify major street reconstruction projects that will be needed, which can help coordinate the reconstruction with underground projects by utilities. A CIP can help a community minimize the total number of bond issues that are needed, which will minimize borrowing expenses. It also can allow the City to carefully time any bond issues to take advantage of the lowest interest rates.

Other Implementation Tools

Many other tools are available to carry out the Comprehensive Plan, including the following:

priorities decided as part of the City’s annual budget, particularly including decisions regarding use of Federal Community Development Block Grant and HOME funds, the annual setting of tax rates, which affect decisions of businesses and residents on whether to remain or move into the City, and aggressively seeking Federal and State grants to reduce the burden upon local taxpayers.

80 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

It may be desirable to establish a Council of Governments (COG) including Altoona and numerous nearby local governments. These types of organizations are used throughout Pennsylvania to provide certain services across municipal borders. For example, the COG in the State College area provides many code enforcement services. A COG could also be beneficial to offer joint purchasing, which can typically result in lower bid prices. A COG can also be valuable simply as a mechanism to trade ideas and discuss common concerns.

Role of the City Planning Commission and Staff

Some of the City Planning Commission's greatest responsibilities are to oversee the preparation and implementation of the Comprehensive Plan and the preparation of Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance revisions. On a monthly basis, the Planning Commission also approves proposed developments and reviews zoning variances, and serves as the Vacant Property Review Committee.

In addition, the Planning Commission should work closely with the City Staff to work to improve the site design of proposed developments. The Planning Staff also can get involved proactively in helping to link desirable types of development with sources of financing.

The Planning Commission also has a role in reviewing proposals of other government agencies.

Role of the Mayor and City Council

The final decision on nearly all matters affecting the growth and preservation of Altoona rests with the Mayor and City Council. Therefore, close communications and cooperation between the Planning Commission, the staff of various City departments, City Council and the Mayor will continue to be I essential in improving Altoona. 8 'I c I I

i 81 U City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan I

ACTION PROGRAM

The following table summarizes the major recommendations of this Plan. Certain items are recommended as high priorities. The timing of each recommendation is listed, as well which agencies t should have the primary responsibility to carry out the recommendation. I LAND USE AND HOUSING PLAN I Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- bilities (see I abbreviations at end of this table) e Provide compatible land use patterns that avoid nuisances between J Short- P&D, APC, uses and traffic conflicts, particularly across municipal borders. range Adj. Mun., - Update the City’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances to carry C0.PC out the Land Use Plan. For example: 1 - Only allow lighter commercial and residential uses in the Light Commercial Residential district. - Use zoning to promote rehabilitation of historic buildings I in the Light Commercial Historic district. - Promote appropriate types of businesses in areas planned for business uses, particularly to redevelop areas with heavy vehicle traffic, marginal housing and vacant lots. - Encourage institutions to expand “upward, not outward.” Conti- P&D, APC, rn Where outward expansion is necessary, it should be nuous Inst. directed into redeveloping marginal areas, while avoiding intrusions into stable residential neighborhoods. 8 Strengthen residential neighborhoods, with an emphasis on J Conti- P&D, APC, encouraging home-ownership, rehabilitating older buildings, nuous Neigh., protecting neighborhoods from incompatible development, Council, I addressing parking shortages, and assertive code enforcement. Housing, - Continually work to attract and retain middle-income Codes households in new construction and existing homes. i - Continually work to improve existing older neighborhoods and reduce blight. - Carefully design all housing rehabilitation efforts to be more J Conti- P&D, m targeted towards distressed areas, more effective, and more nuous Housing, attractive to building owners. Council - Work to combine job training funding with housing I rehabilitation programs. - Promote use of reverse mortgages that provide income to senior Conti- Banks, citizen homeowners. nuous Housing

82 4 1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- bilities (see abbreviations at end of this

- Encourage participation in Neighborhood Assistance Tax Conti- DCED, Credits by obtaining allocations from the State and participation nuous P&D, by financial institutions. Housing, Banks, Neigh. - Work to increase Home Ownership, through additional closing J Conti- P&D, cost assistance programs, incentives to deconvert apartments in nuous Housing, dense neighborhoods, and encouraging “one dwelling on one PHFA, lot” in new construction (even if the dwellings are attached). Banks - Assist in providing housing. for persons with special needs, J Conti- Housing, while making sure that Altoona is not overburdened by an nuous P&D excessive share of the region’s needs. - Consider tax abatements in limited geographic areas to promote Short- P&D, new housing construction and investment. range Council - Address Student Housing in a manner that protects stable single J Short- P&D, Adj. family neighborhoods. range Mun., PSU - Make the best use of open lots in neighborhoods, including J Conti- P&D, neighborhood parking lots. nuous Neigh. I ~~ ~~ Follow-up the Comprehensive Plan with detailed neighborhood plans Short- P&D, for key areas of the City, such as the Juniata Business area. range Neigh., APC Emphasize compatibility in development, roads and utilities with- P&D, Adj. adjacent municipalities. Mun., CPC - Work to coordinate Altoona’s policies with those of Blair County, and seek the completion of a new Countywide Comprehensive Plan.

~~ Promote a feeling of community in old and new neighborhoods J Conti- P&D, APC, throughout the City, with residents organized to improve and invest nuous Dev . in their surroundings. - Seek to extend the best features of older development into newer development, such placing parking in the rear of lots. - Work to make sure new uses fit within the surrounding neighborhood and have coordinated traffic access.

Work over time to assemble parcels of land into large enough sizes t/ Conti- P&D, that will attract significant new investment. nuous ABCD, Dev.

83 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- bilities (see abbreviations at end of this

Work to improve the attractiveness of all areas of the City, which J Conti- P&D, DPW, will help to attract new businesses and residents. nuous Dev., ABCD - Emphasize landscaping, street trees and rehabilitation of older architecture. Encourage appropriate reuse and historic rehabilitation of older J Conti- P&D, Hist. buildings and new construction that is compatible with historic nuous Pres., Dev., surroundings. Neigh. - Seek designation of selected additional Historic Districts. - Promote greater appreciation of historic architecture. - Use selective regulations and incentives to preserve historic buildings. - Encourage use of easements to preserve historic buildings. - Use the Vacant Property Review Committee process to gain J Conti- P&D, APC, control of key historic buildings. nuous - In funding programs, give priority to the rehabilitation of buildings with the most visible and significant architecture.

84 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DOWNTOWN PLAN

~__ Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- b bilities (see I abbreviations) Encourage the development of new economic activity and the J Conti- ABCD, retention and expansion of existing businesses, to provide additional nuous P&D, tax revenues, expand employment opportunities, and diversify the Council, 8 economy to make it more stable over the long-term. Banks - Continue to aggressively attract new economic activity to the area, while targeting key types of businesses. 1 - Create and continue financial incentive programs to attract private investment into the Downtown and other business areas of Altoona that most need investment. I - Continue to involve financial institutions in financing improvements in areas with blight. - Emphasize new jobs that provide sufficient income and benefits I to support families. - Work to retain existing businesses and encourage their expansion. I - Support local entrepreneurship and “home grown” businesses. - Take full advantage of the Keystone Opportunity Zone Program. - Continue to emphasize cooperative economic development efforts throughout the region. - Consider use of Tax Increment Financing to fund improvements Conti- ABCD, 8 needed to support business development. nuous P&D, Council, i Dev. Make sure that local regulations and permit processes are as J Short- P&D7 streamlined as is reasonable. range Codes, I - Consider revisions to the Building Code to encourage reuse of Council older buildings.

~ Continue efforts to expand air and high-speed passenger rail J Conti- Co. Com., I transportation to the region. nuous ABCD, Legis. I a

1 85 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- bilities (see abbreviations) Continually work to strengthen the Downtown, with a balanced mix J Conti- Down, of office, retail, service, entertainment, cultural, residential, and nuous ABCD, institutional uses. P&D, Further improve the appearance of the Downtown - to attract Council, new customers, businesses, residents and investors. Dev. Provide sufficient amounts of parking and properly manage parking to serve different needs. Offer meaningful financial incentives to attract investment into the Downtown. Promote a balanced mix of uses in the Downtown. Address concerns at the Penn Alto Hotel. Locate as many government offices in the Downtown as possible. Aggressively market the Downtown to businesses and customers. Use special events to attract visitors, customers and businesses. Emphasize public transit in Downtown revitalization and other economic development efforts. Organize all of the key persons and businesses in the Downtown to carry out these recommendations.

Find ways to bring- the region’s- visitors into the Downtown. Emphasize tourism throughout the region, built primarily upon the Conti- Arts, area’s heritage, arts and culture, and recreational assets. nuous Tourism, - Promote and coordinate arts and cultural activities on a regional ARC, level. AHDC Work to take full advantage of the planned expansion of Penn State - Conti- Inst., Altoona, the hospitals and other area institutions. nuous ABCD, P&D

Work to improve the image of Altoona among persons within the Conti- ABCD immediate region and outside of the area. nuous

~~ ~~ ~ ~~ Make sure that City residents have the practical job skills needed by J Conti- Job Training current and potential employers to help individuals advance and to nuous Organs., attract and retain businesses. ABCD, Sch. Dist.

86 I City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

TRANSPORTATION PLAN

Recommended Action High Timing Prime 1 Priority? Responsi- bilities (see I abbreviations) Make cost-effective improvements to the region’s street system to J Conti- PennDOT, resolve traffic congestion problems and improve traffic safety at nuous DPW, Co. I accident prone intersections. PC Complete improvements from northern Altoona to reach the Mid- PennDOT, 1 Pinecroft interchange of 1-99, range DPW, Adj. Muni., Co. PC 1 Over the long-term, seek a new 1-99 interchange on Kettle Street, Long- PennDOT, with widening of Kettle Street and/or improvements to Lloyd Street. range DPW, Adj . I - Seek to reserve land for a future Kettle StreetD-99 Interchange Mun., Co. and for improvements to connect with North 6th Avenue. PC Address traffic along 6th/7th/8th/9th Avenues, with special attention Mid- DPW, 1 to reducing traffic through the High School complex. range PennDOT - Consider making 8th Ave. one way with timed traffic signals to provide an alternate route to 6th Ave. Seek to improve traffic flow from the west end of 17th Street. Short- DPW, 1 Improve traffic flow along Union Avenue range PennDOT

Make sure that new development pays for needed local street J Short- DPW, I improvements. range Council, APC I Minimize the adverse impacts of traffic upon residential J Conti- DPW, neighborhoods, particularly higher-speed traffic and heavy truck nuous PennDOT, I traffic. APC

1 Improve pedestrian and bicycle access, including requiring sidewalks Conti- DPW, (and curbing) as part of new development along heavily traveled nuous PennDOT streets. I Continue to provide an extensive regional public transportation J Conti- AMTRAN system nuous - Work to expand the transit system as needed to serve new emdovment centers i 87 1 City of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES PLAN

Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- bilities (see abbreviations) Improve existing parks and playgrounds to meet a wide variety of Conti- CB Rec., recreational needs. nuous Auth., - Work to connect Altoona to outlying attractions with AHDC, recreational trails. PA. Fish - Expand opportunities for constructive activities for young and Boat people - with an emphasis on after-school activities in lower- income neighborhoods. Comm. Continue to emphasize high-quality police, emergency medical and J Conti- Council, fire protection to protect public safety. nuous Police, Fire

Work with institutions that are exempt from the City real estate tax to J Conti- Council, seek that they compensate the City for their fair share of the City’s nuous Inst. costs of providing police and fire services to protect them.

Increase the variety of resources available through the Altoona Area Conti- Library Public Library, and promote its expanded use and facilities. nuous Board, Sch. - Consider a countywide library millage to evenly distribute the Dist, Co. costs of library services. Comm. Seek a new Countywide re-assessment to increase the fairness of real J Short- co. estate taxes and avoid the uncertainty in budgets created by the large range corm., number of successful appeals of assessments. ABCD

Find ways to make sure that every property in Altoona is served by a d Short- Council, solid waste contractor, with an emphasis on rental properties. range DPW, Codes

Address local drug and alcohol treatment needs, while avoiding the J Short- Police, burdens of serving larger urban areas. range Codes, Council t I I Continue to provide excellent water and sewage services, with J I Conti- Auth., regular investments to provide reliable service. nuous DPW - Continually invest in maintenance and repair of the City’s infrastructure to avoid emergency situations and expensive replacement of infrastructure. - Use the Authority’s water and.services to attract appropriate growth.

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NATURAL FEATURES PLAN

Recommended Action High Timing Prime Priority? Responsi- bilities (see abbreviations)

~ Make sure that the intensity of new development is limited on flood- Conti- APC, prone areas, very steeply sloped lands and other important natural nuous Council, features. P&D - Limit the density of development on very steeply sloped lands. - Continually work to avoid and address stormwater problems. J Conti- DP W, Adj . nuous Mun., Co. PC Work with neighboring municipalities, the City Authority, State Conti- APC, P&D, agencies and land conservancy organizations to preserve scenic nuous Adj. Mun., areas around Altoona through zoning, purchase of key lands, or Land acquisition of conservation easements (in which an owner is Conser- paid to permanently preserve the land, but continues to own the vancy land as private property). organi- zations, . PA. Game Commis- sion

PUTTING THIS PLAN INTO ACTION

Recommended Action High Timing I Prime I Priority? Responsi- bilities (see abbreviations) Continually work to put this Plan into action through a program of J Conti- P&D, APC, updated planning and many short-term actions within a long-range nuous Council, perspective. Neigh., - Maximize communications, coordination and cooperative efforts between the City, the School District, adjacent townships, the County and other agencies and organizations. Use the following tools to carry out this Plan: Citizen involvement, J Short- P&D, the City Zoning Ordinance, the City Subdivision Ordinance, range Codes, Construction Codes, an Official Map, computerized mapping, Capital Improvements Planning, and the aggressive seeking of additional grant funds.

89 Citv of Altoona Comprehensive Plan

Abbreviations of Responsible Aerencies/Groups:

ABCD = Altoona Blair County Development Corporation Adj. Mun. = Adjacent Municipalities APC = Altoona City Planning Commission AHDC = Allegheny Heritage Development Corporation ARC = Allegheny Ridge Corporation Arts = Arts and Cultural Organizations Auth. = Altoona City Authority Banks. = Banks and other financial institutions CB Rec. = Central Blair Recreation Commission Codes = Altoona Codes Enforcement Staff Co. Com. = County Commissioners Council = City Council, Mayor and City Manager Co. PC = County Planning Commission DCED = PA. Department of Community and Economic Development Dev. = Private Developers Down. = Downtown Businesses and organizations DPW = Altoona Dept. of Public Works Fire = Altoona Fire Department Hist. Pres. = Local Historic Preservation Organizations Housing = Non-Profit Housing Organizations/Housing Authority Inst. = Major Institutions Legis. = State Legislators Neigh. = Neighborhood Organizations P&D = Altoona Dept. of Planning and Development, and Redevelopment Authority PennDOT = PA. Dept. of Transportation PHFA = PA. Housing Finance Agency Police = Altoona Police Dept. PSU = Penn State University-Altoona Sch. Dist. = Altoona Area School District Tourism = Allegheny Mountains Convention and Visitors Bureau

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THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF ALTOONA

The map on a following page highlights the major neighborhoods of Altoona. Many of these neighborhoods originally were centered around old elementary schools. These descriptions start in the north, and follow counter-clockwise around the City.

Keystonem. Juniata - The northern-most part of the City is the North Juniata or Keystone neighborhood. This area was originally part of a separate borough of Juniata, which was merged into Altoona. This neighborhood includes a portion of the Juniata rail facilities, which are mostly located in Logan Township. This neighborhood includes the Juniata commercial area along North 4th Avenue, older homes along North 5th and 6th Avenues, and new single family housing that is mainly along North 7th, 8th, 9th Avenues. It extends from North 8th Street to North 10th Street, which is the City’s northern border.

Noble/McKinlev - This neighborhood extends between Juniata Gap Road north to North 8th Street. It includes a mix of older and newer housing, some commercial uses along N. 2nd Street and N. 4th Street, and Memorial Park.

Wehnwood - This neighborhood mostly includes lower density single family homes east of the Penn State Altoona campus. It also includes the College Park apartments and a commercial area near 25th Avenue and Juniata Gap Road.

Irving - This neighborhood is between Altoona Hospital and Juniata Gap Road, east of Maple Avenue. It includes older neighborhoods, including parts of the Logantown Neighborhood Association area. It also includes the new Crickett Knoll residential development, commercial areas along 4th Street and commercial/industrial areas along Chestnut Avenue.

Fairview - Areas north of 1 lth Street and west of the Fairview Cemetery are included in this neighborhood. Most of the neighborhood is residential, except for churches and an older commercial area near 9th Street and Wopsononock Avenue.

Wright - This neighborhood mainly consists of single family homes, schools and churches along the City’s western border. It also extends to older commercial and residential areas along Washington Avenue and 15th Avenue west of the Downtown. This neighborhood also includes Keith Junior High School and its athletic fields.

Downtown - The Downtown generally-includes areas west of the railroad tracks, north of 18th Street, south of 7th Street and east of 14th Avenue. It also includes lands along Howard and Lexington Avenues south of 7th Street. The Downtown mainly includes commercial businesses, offices and senior citizen apartments.

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Garfield - This neighborhood includes areas west of the main railroad tracks and south of 18th Street. It is mostly residential, except for some commercial uses along 18th Street and parks.

Curtin - The Curtin neighborhood extends westward from the Hollidaysburg branch of the railroad, east of the main rail lines, south of 17th Street, and north of 3 1st Street. This neighborhood includes the Boyer Candy factory, commercial areas along Union Avenue, Beale Avenue and Broad Avenue, the Jaffa Mosque auditorium, and residential areas. The section of Broad Avenue south of Union Avenue is particularly notable for its historic architecture.

Locust Hills - This neighborhood mostly includes low density single family homes west of Beale Avenue, south of 31st Street and north of 40th Street. There are undeveloped lands in this area, however, many of these areas have limited street access and include steeply sloped lands,

Endress - This neighborhood mostly includes low density single family ho”mes. It is south of 40th Street, west of Courtland Avenue and adjacent to Altoona’s southwestern border.

South Altoona - These areas mainly include industrial development along 6th Avenue, along the Hollidaysburg branch of the railroad and east of Cortland and Beale Avenues. This area extends south of 40th Street, east of Beale and Cortland Avenues, north of 58th Street, and west of 6th Avenue. This neighborhood also includes apartments and other housing west of 6th Avenue north of Logan Boulevard, and single family homes north of 58th Street.

Eldorado - This neighborhood is generally south of 40th Street and east of 6th Avenue. It is mostly occupied by single family detached homes, except for a business area around 58th Street and 6th Avenue, and the adjacent Evergreen Manor housing development.

Baker - The Baker neighborhood extends west of Pleasant Valley Boulevard, north of 40th Street, south of 3 1st Street and east of 6th Avenue. It includes the Llyswen neighborhood, a well-planned suburban community of attractive single family homes started in 1895 and built through the 1940s. This neighborhood also includes Mansion Park, the historic Baker Mansion, Highland Park, and the Knickerbocker neighborhood of attached commercial buildings and older rowhouses. Two prominent streets through this neighborhood are Logan Boulevard and Union Avenue.

Wilson - The Wilson neighborhood is at the City’s southeast edge, between Pleasant Valley Boulevard and Interstate 99. It includes commercial deveIopment along Pleasant Valley Boulevard, Logan Boulevard, Fairway Drive and Frankstown Road, and the large SKF plant. Single family dwellings are located along most local streets, and an attached housing development is along Fairway Drive.

Adams - This neighborhood mainly includes areas north of 3 1st Street, east of the Hollidaysburg branch of the railroad, west of Crawford Avenue and 1st Avenue, and south of 17th Street. This neighborhood includes Bon Secours Hospital, commercial development along Union Avenue, and industrial uses along 3 1st Street. Most of 6th, 7th and 8th Avenues are a mix of commercial and residential uses, while most areas along 1st through 5th Avenues are residential. This neighborhood also includes Tuckahoe Park.

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Penn-Lincoln - This neighborhood includes areas east of the main rail lines, north of 17th Street, south of 7th Street and east of 1st Avenue. The most prominent features are Station Mall, the High School complex and the Railroaders Memorial Museum. Most of 6th through 8th Avenues are a mix of commercial and residential uses, while most areas along 1st through 5th Avenues are residential. I Pleasant Valley - This neighborhood extends east from Crawford Avenue to the City’s eastern border, and then north to 7th Street. It includes substantial commercial development along Pleasant Valley and I Valley View Boulevards. Most areas on local streets include low density residential development. Washington-Jefferson - This neighborhood extends north of 7th Stret east of the main railroad lines. These areas include commercial development along 6th’ 7th and 8thAvenues and along Pleasant Valley I Boulevard. Most other areas of this neighborhood are residential.

Stevens - This neighborhood is located in Altoona’s northeast corner. It extends north of 3rd Street and east of 3rd Avenue. It includes the County’s Valley View Home and commercial development along Pleasant Valley Boulevard and Kettle Street. b I I I

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