PORTAGE AREA REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Prepared by: Cambria County Planning Commission 40 1 Candlelight Drive Suite 213 Ebensburg, Pennsylvania 1593 1 under the direction of the Portage Area Regional Planning Commission in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development for Portage Borough and Portage Township June, 2001 The preparation of this report was financed in part through a State Planning Assistance Grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development, as administered by the Strategic Planning and Program Operations Officz, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Completion of the Portage Area Regional Comprehensive Plan was made possible through the efforts of elected officials, appointed and volunteer participants, and citizens at-large. To this extent, a special acknowledgment and thanks to the following: .. .. Portase Area Redona1 Planninu Commission Cambria County CommiSSlOnelS Greg McDonnell, Chairman Fred L. Soisson, M.D., President Richard Rice, Vice-chairman Ted Baranik Dixie Lewis, Secretary Kathy L. Holtzman Russ Kiel, Treasurer Randy Stager, Member *. Ray Kargo, Member ria Couy Plmna Commission Robert A. Koban, Borough Manager Sam Valenty, Chairman Mike Mayers, Ex-Officio William R. Clark, Vice-chairman Robert E. Fisher, Jr. , Treasurer Toni-Renee Anderson, Secretary portaae Boroush Council Albert L. Haluska Ronald M. Rovansek Sharon McCarthy, President Donna Cauf fiel Kenneth Gilpatrick, Vice-president Vincent Beyer Jeffery W. Richardson Edward J. Zabrosky Kimberly Cadwallader Joseph L. Leydig Garry L. Bates Bradford G. Beigay, Exec. Dir. Portase TOwns h mervisors David L. Belz, Principal Planner Colleen A. Bukowski, Admin. Asst. Richard Olshavsky, Chairman Gerald P. Parisi, Principal Planner Philip Zdunczyk Enzo W. Scarton Cambria Co. Redevelopment Authority Larry R. Custer, Exec. Dir The Citizens of Portase Townsm TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. I. I I I TABLE OF CONTENTS Page No. VII. RELATIONSHIP TO COUNTY'S REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Assessment of Land Use Improvements-------------114 Assessment of Housing Improvements--------------115 Assessment of Transportation Improvements------- 116 Assessment of Community Facilities Improvements- 117 Cambria County and Regional-wide Improvements--- 118 1 I I I 1 I I I I I I LIST OF TABLEQ Tab 1e Page No. Table Headinw NiL 1 2 3 Developed and Undeveloped Land-------------------26 4 Existing Land Use--------------------------------27 5 Housing Unit Trends and Projections--------------29 6 Housing Unit Characteristics---------------------32 7 Existing Transportation System-------------------43 8 Twelve-Year Transportation Program---------------44 9 Existing Bridge Program--------------------------45 10 Portage Borough Community Facilities Inventory--- 58 11 Portage Township Community Facilities Inventory-- 61 12 Portage Area Strategies--------------------------121 LIST OF EXHIBITS Page m 130 Mag Title NA Regional Location Map 1 Existing Land Use 2 Future Land Use 3 Housing 4 Historic District 5 Transportation 6 Community Facilities ADDENDUMS Model Joint Municipal Zoning Ordinance Model Historical District Ordinance I. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND The Comprehensive Plan has been the cornerstone of American planning theory and practice since the early 1900's. It is a document which contains the basic policies that will guide the future growth and development of the community. The plan is typically of a general nature, long-range in outlook, and includes all factors affecting growth and development. The comprehensive plan serves three principal functions: The plan is a statement of goals, a listing of objectives, and a vision of what could be. The plan is an educational tool, helping everyone who uses it understand the conditions, problems, and opportunities of the community through the provision of factual information. The plan serves as a guide to public and private decision-making, thus, shaping the future of the community. II A Comprehensive Plan by itself is not a solution to all the problems and concerns of a community. The value of a well prepared plan, however, is derived from the process of B preparing the plan and the implementation of the plan after it is prepared. The plan should focus attention on the major issues and concerns of a community and establish a basis for debate, I discussion, and conflict resolution. The plan should never be regarded as a finished project, to be completed every ten years B or so, but as a community-based planning process. Lecral Basis for ComDrehensive Plannins in Pennsv - lvania In Pennsylvania, both county and local municipal governments have the authority to prepare and adopt comprehensive plans. This authority is contained in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC),Act 247 of 1968, as amended. The MPC mandates that comprehensive plans contain certain basic elements. These elements include, but are not limited to, the I following: a statement of community development goals and I objectives; a land use element; a housing element; a transportation element; I' a community facilities element; I 1. B a statement of the interrelationship among plan components; a statement of the relationship of the community‘s future development to adjacent areas. Section 304 of the MPC specifies the legal status of the county comprehensive plan within municipalities. It provides for review of certain municipal actions when the municipality is within a county that has an adopted comprehensive plan. The municipality’s governing body (supervisors, commissioners, or council) is required to submit proposed enumerated public improvement activities (e.g.,erection of a new public structure) and land use regulations (e.g., adoption of a subdivision ordinance) to the county planning agency for review and recommendations. Section 306 of the MPC addresses consistency among comprehensive plans. It states that municipalities that have their own comprehensive plans shall give consideration to other adopted municipal or county comprehensive plans in order to protect the objectives of each plan. The Act thus emphasizes coordination between municipal and county comprehensive planning. It should be noted that a comprehensive plan prepared in Pennsylvania is only an advisory document. It is not a development ordinance or a zoning map, and does not contain any rules and regulations. The plan, as an official document, however, does serve as a catalyst and guide for the development of various ordinances and other planning tools. Intent of Plan The intent of the Portage Area Regional Comprehensive Plan Update is to identify existing problems and/or constraints within Portage Borough and Portage Township and to develop mechanisms and policies that will promote sound “growth management” in support of economic development. The Plan represents a concerted effort by elected and appointed officials, the Portage Regional Planning Commission, local residents, and the State Department of Community and Economic Development to strengthen the regional planning process. Portage Borough and Portage Township are rural Mainline Railroad (Norfolk Southern and AMTRAK) communities. Over the past 10-year period, both municipalities have experienced a significant decline in their traditional small-town life style. Between 1980 and 1990, the bi-municipal population base declined by 823 people or 10.3%. Most of the population 2. loss was due to employment reductions in the steel manufacturing, coal mining, and the railroad industries corresponding to a similar reduction at both the State and County levels in terms of employment numbers. Purpose of the Plan The purpose of this Comprehensive Plan Update is to insure that Portage Borough and Portage Township are provided with a blueprint for community planning, development, and for the management of their natural and built resources. The related chapters of the Plan will inventory existing conditions, attempt to identify specific issues or constraints along with community- wide strengths, and develop some realistic goals and objectives supported by both short- and long-term strategies. The Portage Area Comprehensive Plan will consist of textual material, tables, I and maps and will be consistent with the requirements contained in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247). The following chapter headings will provide the organizational I framework for development of the Plan: I. Introduction and Background 11. Existing Conditions 111. Portage Area vision IV . Plans and Recommendations I V. Intergovernmental Cooperation VI. Interrelationship Among Plan Components VI1 . Relationship to County’s Regional Development I VI11 * Implementation I County and Local ComDrehensi- ve Plans The County Planning Commission is in the process of completing the Cambria County 2000 Comprehensive Plan Update. I This Plan will provide the County with a regionalized approach to planning based upon an inventory and examination of land use, housing, transportation, and community facilities within each of I the County’s three (3) planning regions. As mentioned earlier, this Plan and all of the County‘s constituent municipalities that have prepared and adopted comprehensive plans under Pennsylvania enabling legislation are only advisory in nature and are not development ordinances. The difference between the County and the Portage Area I Regional Comprehensive Plans is one of detail. The County Plan is more general in nature with issues and problems being addressed