Greenscapes The Green Infrastructure Element February 2009 envision The Comprehensive Plan for Lancaster County, Pennsylvania Lancaster County Photos from the Cover... The Conewago Potholes in the Susquehanna River near the village of Falmouth is one of several State-designated Outstanding Scenic Geological Features in Lancaster County. (Photo courtesy of PA Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau.) Shade trees like these in Denver Borough are good examples of “urban greening.” Tree planting volunteers helping to restore Jacob’s Creek in East Hempfield Township. (Photo courtesy of Lancaster County Conservation District.) Bike rider’s enjoying an early fall ride on a section of Manheim Township’s extensive bike path system. Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction 1.1 What is Green Infrastructure? . 3 1.2 The Challenge. 9 1.3 Purpose of Greenscapes and Relationship to the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan . 9 1.4 Planning Process . 12 1.5 Contents of the Plan. 14 2.0 Existing Conditions and Trends 2.1 Green Infrastructure Context. 19 2.1.1 Regional Context. 19 2.1.2 Land Use Context. 20 2.2 Green Infrastructure Resources . 22 2.2.1 Landform . 23 2.2.2 Water and Air . 26 2.2.3 Biodiversity. 33 2.2.4 Potential Restoration Areas . 43 2.2.5 Threats to Green Infrastructure Resources. 45 2.3 Parks and Recreation. 47 2.3.1 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Roles and Responsibilities. 48 of Contents Table 2.3.2 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Planning. .51 2.3.3 Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Inventory. 54 2.3.4 Parkland Standards . 60 3.0 Strategic Vision 3.1 The Vision: Lancaster County’s Natural Life Support System. 69 3.2 The Concept: Lancaster County’s Green Infrastructure System . 70 3.3 The Structure: Green Infrastructure System Components . 75 3.3.1 Hubs and Greenways. .76 3.3.2 Nodes and Links. 82 3.3.3 Landscapes. .83 4.0 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies 4.1 Goals, Objectives, and Strategies. 87 4.1.1 Preservation. 87 4.1.2 Conservation. .88 4.1.3 Restoration . 88 4.1.4 Recreation. .89 4.2 Tools. 90 4.2.1 Policy and Planning Tools. 91 4.2.2 Regulatory Tools. 97 4.2.3 Capital Investment Tools. .101 4.2.4 Outreach and Partnership Tools. 108 5.0 Action Plan 5.1 Action Plan. 121 5.1.1 Initiative 1: Education and Communications . 123 5.1.2 Initiative 2: Technical Assistance. 123 5.1.3 Initiative 3: Funding. 124 5.1.4 Initiative 4: Capital Planning and Development . 127 5.1.5 Initiative 5: Partnership. 132 Continued to next page Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element iii 5.2 Roles and Responsibilities . 135 5.2.1 Public Sector. 136 5.2.2 Semi-Public/Institutional Sector . 136 5.2.3 Private Nonprofit Sector . 137 5.2.4 Private for Profit Sector. 138 5.2.5 Citizen Groups and Individuals. 139 5.3 Plan Monitoring . 139 Appendices Appendix A. Green Infrastructure Planning Case Studies . 143 Appendix B. Parks and Recreation Background Data. .149 Appendix C. Proposed Trails. 165 List of Maps 1. Regional Context . .19 2. Lancaster County Physiography . .20 3. Existing Land Use. .21 4. Growth Management Framework. 22 5. Natural Vegetation . 23 6. Steep Slopes and Highly Erodible Soils . 25 7. Unique Geological Formations. 25 8. Hydrology. 26 9. Watersheds. 27 10. Surface Water Quality. 29 11. Impaired Streams . .30 12. Natural Heritage Areas Site Index. 35 13. Natural Heritage Areas (Core Habitat & Supporting Landscapes). 36 14. Important Bird and Mammal Areas. .37 15. Forest Blocks (Ranked by Size). 38 16. Forest Blocks (100 Acres or Greater). 38 Table of Contents of Table 17. Interior Forests. .39 18. Interior Forests (Ranked by Size). .40 19. Natural Communities Quality . 41 20. Natural Gems and Priority Focus Areas. 42 21. Priority Habitat Restoration Areas. 43 22. Potential Forest Corridors . .44 23. Potential Agricultural Conversion Lands . .45 24. Existing Parks, Open Space and Trails . .57 25. Municipal Parkland Acreage/Standard Analysis. .62 26. Preservation Areas. .71 27. Conservation Areas. 72 28. Restoration Areas . .73 29. Recreation Areas. 74 30. Green Infrastructure Concept. .75 31. Green Infrastructure Hubs and Greenways. 76 32. Northern Lancaster County Groundwater Study Area. 95 Continued to next page iv Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element List of Tables 1-1 Benefits of Green Infrastructure. 4 2-1 Lancaster County Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Land Inventory . 55 2-2 Regional Parks Managed by Lancaster County. 55 2-3 Existing Regional Trails in Lancaster County. 59 2-4 Lancaster County Conservancy Nature Preserves. 60 2-5 Lancaster County Population Trends . 61 2-6 Lancaster County Population Forecasts. 61 2-7 Regional Parkland Needs Based on Standard. 63 2-8 Municipal Parkland Need Based on Standard. 63 4-1 Green Infrastructure Tools. 112 5-1 Action Table. 122 5-2 Proposed Trails . 128 Table of Contents Table Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element v Acknowledgements RESOLUTION NO. 5 OF 2009 On motion of Commissioner Martin, seconded by Commissioner Lehman; WHEREAS, The Board of County Commissioners charged the Lancaster County Planning Commission with developing a Comprehensive Plan for the County; and WHEREAS, The Comprehensive Plan recognizes the importance of a healthy natural environment to the quality of life of residents in Lancaster County; and WHEREAS, The Lancaster County Planning Commission appointed a fifteen member Task Force to assist in the development of Greenscapes: The Draft Green Infrastructure Element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan; and WHEREAS, Greenscapes provides a framework for coordinated action by all sectors of the community to create a healthy and sustainable green infrastructure system; and WHEREAS, The Lancaster County Planning Commission has distributed the Draft Green Infrastructure Element to all segments of the community, as required by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code; and WHEREAS, The Lancaster County Planning Commission and the Green Infrastructure Task Force sought extensive public involvement and comment on the draft plan; and WHEREAS, The Lancaster County Planning Commission has considered and incorporated all appropriate comments into the Draft Green Infrastructure Element; and WHEREAS, The Lancaster County Planning Commission, at its regularly scheduled meeting on February 2, 2009, recommended that the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners adopt Greenscapes as an official element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS OF LANCASTER COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA That the Board hereby adopts Greenscapes as an official element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. Motion passed unanimously. I, Andrea McCue, Chief Clerk to the County of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, do hereby affirm that the above resolution was passed unanimously by the Lancaster County Board of Commissioners on the 25th day of February, 2009. ATTEST: _____________________________________________ Andrea McCue Chief Clerk County of Lancaster Date: February 25, 2009 2/25/09 Prepared by Sally Just Lancaster County Planning Commission Department of Conservation & Natural Resources Lancaster County Green Infrastructure Project Matthew Knepper Committee Agricultural Preserve Board Matt Kofroth Consultants Lancaster County Conservation District Rettew Associates Jim Laird Lancaster, PA Private Consultant Wallace, Roberts & Todd Mike McKinne Philadelphia, PA Lancaster County Bird Club Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program - Derek Reese Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Hazlett, Burt & Watson, Inc. Eastern Office, Middletown, PA Andy Weaver Lancaster County Engineers Office Lancaster County Board of Project Team Commissioners Acknowledgements Dennis P. Stuckey, Chairman Lancaster County Planning Commission Staff Scott Martin, Vice Chairman Long-Range and Heritage Planning Division Craig Lehman Scott W. Standish Director for Long-Range and Heritage Planning Lancaster County Planning Michael A. Domin Commission Principal Planner Dennis R. Groff, Chairperson Eli Yearick Ray D’Agostino, Vice Chairperson Heritage Planner Noelle B. Fortna, Secretary Donna J. Hahn Virginia K. Brady Administrative Secretary Mark Hiester Leo S. Lutz Lancaster County Printing Department Timothy J. Roschel Lynn M. Stiles James R. Cowhey, AICP Executive Director Graphic Designer Green Infrastructure Project Committee This project was funded in part by a grant from the Keystone Recreation Park and Charles E. Douts, Jr., Chair West Hempfield Township Conservation Fund, under the administration of the Department of Conservation and John Ahlfeld Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Bill Ebel Solid Waste Management Authority Board Pat Fasano Comprehensive Land Studies Rocky Gleason Western PA Conservancy Ralph Goodno Lancaster County Conservancy Mark Gutshall Landstudies, Inc. Jim Hackett Lancaster County Parks Department Greenscapes — The Green Infrastructure Element xi Introduction Key Message Lancaster County has a rich legacy of natural resources that has allowed its inhabitants to thrive for centuries. While it is known that Native Americans modified the environment to suit their needs, the period since European settlement has witnessed an unprecedented alteration of the natural landscape to accommodate a growing population. Activities such as agriculture, the construction of roads and other infrastructure, and – most recently – suburban and rural development have all contributed to the degradation of the County’s natural resources. While many of these changes have significantly impacted our air and water, fragmented native habitats, and resulted in the loss of plant and animal species, the County’s landscape still retains a number of important natural resources. The extensive network of rivers and streams, the wooded slopes of the Pennsylvania Highlands (Furnace Hills and.