LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2000 UPDATE April 19, 2000 Draft For Planning Commission Public Meeting Revised June 12,2000 I TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. LOWER SAUCON TOWNSHIP I 2000 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE TABLE OF CONTENTS ______ I PLAN SUMMARY I. INTRODUCTION A. The Planning Process I B. Previous Planning Efforts C. Historic Prospective on the Comprehensive Plan D. Purpose of Comprehensive Plan Update I E. Importance of Plan Implementation F. Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Role G. The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Plan I H. Regional Issues 11. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES I A. Goals and Objectives from 1987 Comprehensive Plan B. Year 2000 - Goals and Objectives C. Future Land Use Map I 111. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN A. Projections Population I Land Needs B. Description of Background Maps C. Description of adjacent Municipal Land Uses and Compatibility I with Township Land Uses D. Natural Resources Planning E. Description of Special Watershed and Wellhead Protection I Weas, with mapping. F. Description of Roadway and Traffic Conditions, with photo map G. Description of Limitations of Public Utilities for Sewer and I Water, with pie charts and tables Iv. PLAN IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW A. Land Use Ordinances I B. New and/or Modified Ordinance C. Established Budget Goals D. Cooperation with School District and Adjacent Municipalities I E. Establish Open Space and Recreation Goals F. Establish Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and I Audit Program I 1 of 2 I I V. RESIDENTS QUESTIONNAIRE RESULTS and ANALYSIS VI. ADDITIONAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION A. Citizens' Coalition of Lower Saucon Township B. Mi scell aneous Newspaper Articles VII. BACKGROUND MAPS 1. Existing Zoning Map 2. Existing Land Use Map 3. Natural Features Building Limitations Map 4. Agricultural Soils and Woodlands Map 5. Natural Resources Map 6. Sewer and Water Service Areas Map 7. Residential Subdivisions Map 2 of 2 I I I PLAN SUMMARY "Maintain Lower Saucon Township as a Suburban and Rural Community . " This Comprehensive Plan, a blueprint for the next ten (10) years, was prepared with this guiding principle. A Citizen Survey performed in 1998 provided the Township Planning Commission with this guiding principle. A goal of the Plan is to provide a level of government responsive to all residents of the Township. Not each resident or property owner will agree with all Plan recommendations. The future decisions of the Township should be evaluated, however, within the framework of this Plan. At the same time, the plan cannot be static; it must be adaptable to change not for individual benefit, but for the Community as a whole. From all of the background studies and public comment received during the preparation of this update, the 2000 Goals and Objectives of the Township were formulated. These goals are found in Section I1 B of this "Plan". Using these goals, the Township established a general growth pattern for the new Comprehensive Plan. The growth pattern favors development against the boundaries of the adjacent Borough of Hellertown and the City of Bethlehem. This Plan allows for the Township to preserve the natural resources and rural characteristics of the largest portion of the Township south and east of Hellertown. After the Comprehensive Plan is publicly reviewed, changed as necessary, and adopted, the actions to implement the "Plan" will be started. Land use controls such as zoning and subdivision codes will need to be revised. Onlot sewage regulations will need to be revised. Lot grading regulations and property maintenance regulations will need to be developed. At the same time, funding and financial planning will be needed to complement implementation. This process is ongoing. The Planning Commission recommends that the Council take action to adopt, revise, and implement the Comprehensive Plan. The Township would like to thank all the participants that have worked and cooperated to make this plan a working document. D:\LS-cah\LS99-14CompPlan\PlanS~unmary.wpdcah PS - 1 I 1 I I I INTRODUCTION I I I A. The Planning Process I B. Previous Planning Efforts C. Historic Prospective on the Comprehensive Plan I of 1977 1 D. Purpose of the Comprehensive Plan E. Importance of Plan Implementation 1 F. Lehigh Valley Planning Commission Role I G. The Lehigh Valley Comprehensive Plan I H. Regional Issues B I I I I. INTRODUCTION A. THE PLANNING PROCESS I This Comprehensive Plan provides Goals and Objectives for guiding the growth and preservation of Lower Saucon Township for the next ten (10) years. The value of this Plan will be in I measuring proposed changes in our community against the Plan's policies for Land Use, Transportation and Community Facilities, and Services. Each change in these areas should be evaluated against these questions: "Is it within the framework of our Comprehensive Plan?" or "Does it achieve the goals of our Comprehensive Plan?" The Lower Saucon Township Council, the Lower Saucon Township Planning Commission, and many residents have participated in formulating this Comprehensive Plan. The planning process was initiated in 1998 with a Township-wide survey. The Council and Planning Commission considered the following when preparing your Comprehensive Plan: 0 What are the wishes of our residents? 0 What do we want to preserve in Lower Saucon Township? 0 What do we want to change in Lower Saucon Township? 0 What are our Township's strong and weak points? 0 How do we build on our strengths and correct our weaknesses? B. PREVIOUS PLANNING EFFORTS Lower Saucon Township has a long history in planning for development and preservation. Lower Saucon Township adopted a Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance in 1958, a Zoning Ordinance in 1963, and a Comprehensive Plan in 1964. The last Comprehensive Plan was completed and adopted in 1977. This plan was updated in 1987. Based upon the 1987 Comprehensive Plan Update the Township updated their Zoning Ordinance in 1988. Since the major Zoning Ordinance revision in 1988, the Township has made minor amendments to the Zoning Ordinance to keep pace with the pressures of development and change. IA-1 This long history of planning is continued in this Comprehensive Plan update. The last twenty (20) years have witnessed intense development pressure on Lower Saucon Township and this pressure is expected to continue for an additional ten (10) years. The Lower Saucon Township Council intends to continue the planning process with the adoption of the Comprehensive Plan. The Plan will be followed by revisions to the Zoning Ordinance, revisions to the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance and the adoption of other recommended Ordinances. C. HISTORIC PROSPECTIVE ON THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN OF 1977 The 1977 Comprehensive Plan was prepared to help manage development in the Township. This Plan was formally prepared in conjunction with both Fountain Hill Borough and Hellertown Borough. At that time, this type of joint planning effort was unique to Northampton County. It is hoped that more municipal cooperation in planning and implementation would result from this program. Many municipal problems and opportunities cross invisible boundary lines. The City of Bethlehem's Planning Bureau and the Salisbury Township Planning Commission were also contacted to ensure compatible land use planning, during the preparation of that 1977 Plan. The 1987 Update and this Year 2000 Plan Update are both based on this original three Municipalities' Comprehensive Plan. Both Hellertown and Fountain Hill still retain their primary roles as urban centers for the Region. Differences, however, exist between both urban centers. The Lower Saucon Comprehensive Plan shows that the Township offers a great variety of residential living areas. The eastern portion of the Township, largely characterized by wooded steep slopes, is shown as "Rural Limited Development Area" where single homes on large lots (two plus acres) are encouraged to retain the open rural and scenic character of this unique area of the Township. The area south of Hellertown and the western portion of the Township are shown as "Development Areas" with a variety of residential living areas. The areas immediately south and west of Hellertown are shown for apartment and other multi-family housing primarily because the areas are convenient to shopping, schools, parks and other services. Commercial areas are limited to Route 378, and to Route 412 just south of Hellertown. Recreation and leisure time areas are along Saucon Creek, other streams, a system of neighborhood parks, and a Community park at the Town Hall site. The schools in the Township are recommended as Education/Recreation Centers. IA-2 Hellertown retains a predominant residential character. Hellertown is planned as the major commercial center in the Saucon Valley. The renovated “Town Center” provides varied retail, office, service, municipal, and high density residential uses. Fountain Hill retains a very predominant residential character, emphasizing a variety of housing types that offer varied living environments. For example, single family homes on large (approximately one acre) lots planned for the steeply wooded areas in the southern portion of the Borough would contrast with the high rise apartment living environment planned along the Lehigh River in the northern portion. The regional hospital and health care land uses are located at Saint Luke‘s Hospital in Fountain Hill. Recreation/Leisure time areas include the Lechauweki Springs, the expanded Fountain Hill Park, a natural South Side Reservoir Area, a new neighborhood park near the Lehigh River, and the designation of schools as Education/Recreation Centers. Commercial and Industrial areas are largely limited to existing locations. A historic preservation area in the northern portion of the Borough is designated to preserve architecturally and historically significant buildings in this unique area of Fountain Hill. The Zoning/Land Use Plans for adjacent municipalities were investigated in preparing this update. For the most part, the Land Use Plan contained in this update is compatible with that of the adjacent municipalities.