EDGMONT TOWNSHIP 2 0 1 5 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN FOR THE Township of Edgmont 2015 Prepared for the Citizens of Edgmont By the Township of Edgmont With the assistance of the Delaware County Planning Department This Comprehensive Plan was funded by Edgmont Township. Printed on Recycled Paper Cover Photo: Road through White Horse Village ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN TASK FORCE Samantha Reiner Township Manager Catherine Ricardo Assistant Township Manager Christopher Bashore* Assistant to the Township Manager* Ronald Gravina Board of Supervisors Brian Mackrides Resident Mary Kay Burke White Horse Village Kevin McClelland Resident Michael McLane Resident Eleanor Smith Resident Harry Robinson Resident DELAWARE COUNTY PLANNING DEPARTMENT Sam Haber, Project Manager Michael Swidrak, AICP, Project Planner Steven Beckley, AICP, Senior Planner Anne Stauffer, GIS Coordinator Ron Aquilino, Data & Systems Coordinator * Former staff member TOWNSHIP OF EDGMONT BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Ronald Gravina, Chairman Joseph Conan, Vice Chairman Randolph Bates, Member TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS Samantha Reiner, Township Manager Catherine Ricardo, Assistant Township Manager Kenneth Kynett, Esq., Solicitor David Malman, Esq., Alternate Solicitor Thomas J. Comitta, AICP, CNU-A, RLA, Planning Consultant Michael Conrad, P.E., Township Engineer PLANNING COMMISSION Elmer “Chip” Miller III, Chairman Joseph Raspa, Vice Chairman Eleanor Tickner Henry “Hank” Winchester, III Robert Bristol Randolph Bates* * Former member EDGMONT TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Table of Contents Executive Summary ............................................ 1 PART A: BACKGROUND Introduction ............................................................ 7 1 Planning Process ............................................................................ 7 Vision Statement ........................................................................... 9 Goals, Objectives and Recommendations ................................. 10 Planning Context .................................................... 13 2 History and Physical Characteristics .......................................... 13 Demographic and Housing Profile ............................................. 16 Existing Conditions ........................................................................ 24 PART B: CONSERVATION Protection of Open Space and Natural Resources .. 41 3 Existing Conditions ........................................................................ 42 Case for Action .............................................................................. 48 Objectives ....................................................................................... 49 Recommendations .......................................................................... 49 Enhancement of Recreational Opportunities .......... 59 4 Existing Conditions ........................................................................ 59 Case for Action .............................................................................. 64 Objectives ....................................................................................... 66 Recommendations .......................................................................... 66 i Table of Contents Energy Conservation .............................................. 75 5 Existing Conditions ......................................................................... 75 Case for Action .............................................................................. 79 Objectives ....................................................................................... 80 Recommendations .......................................................................... 80 PART C: GROWTH MANAGEMENT Planning and Management of Utilities .................. 91 6 Existing Conditions ......................................................................... 91 Case for Action .............................................................................. 95 Objectives ....................................................................................... 95 Recommendations .......................................................................... 96 Target Development and Improvement Areas ........ 101 7 Existing Conditions ......................................................................... 101 Case for Action .............................................................................. 105 Objectives ....................................................................................... 107 Recommendations .......................................................................... 107 Future Land Use ...................................................... 125 8 Overview ........................................................................................ 125 Future Land Use Classification ..................................................... 125 Residential Build-out Analysis ...................................................... 128 ii Township of Edgmont EDGMONT TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN APPENDICES A Regional Relationships ................................... A-1 B Implementation Matrix ................................... A-7 C Community Surveys ....................................... A-17 D Circulation Planning Data ............................... A-25 E Historic Resources Map and Inventory of Historic Resources ........................................... A-29 F Edgmont Township Recreation Plan ............... A-37 G County Planning Commission Review ........... A-39 H Resolution of Plan Adoption .......................... A-41 FIGURES 2-1 Building Permits ................................................................................... 20 2-2 Land Use .............................................................................................. 24 4-1 Ridley Creek State Park - Number and Type of Facilities ......... 61 5-1 Community Energy Planning Process ............................................... 82 5-2 The Municipal Roadmap to Energy Security ................................. 82 MAPS 2-1 Regional Setting ................................................................................. 14 2-2 Existing Land Use ................................................................................ 25 2-3 Functional Classification of Roads ................................................... 28 2-4 Community Facilities ........................................................................... 33 3-1 Areas of Environmental Concern ..................................................... 44 3-2 Secondary Conservation Areas ....................................................... 45 3-3 Steep Slope Conservation District ................................................... 46 4-1 Open Space and Recreation ........................................................... 63 4-2 Access Improvements to Ridley Creek State Park ........................ 70 6-1 Utilities .................................................................................................. 92 iii Table of Contents 7-1 Target Development Areas and Improvements Areas ................ 109 8-1 Future Land Use .................................................................................. 126 TABLES 2-1 Population Trends, 1980-2012 ....................................................... 17 2-2 Population Characteristics, 1990-2010 ........................................ 17 2-3 Housing Unit Comparison, 1990-2012 .......................................... 18 2-4 Selected Housing Characteristics, 2012 ........................................ 18 2-5 Households, 2012 .............................................................................. 19 2-6 Selected Economic Characteristics, 2012 ...................................... 19 2-7 Population Projections, 2020-2040................................................ 21 2-8 Housing Unit Projections, 2020-2040 ............................................ 22 2-9 Population Projection Scenarios, 2020-2040 ............................... 22 2-10 Employment Count and Projections, 2000-2040 ......................... 23 2-11 Land Use, 2011 .................................................................................. 24 2-12 State Roadway AADT Information .................................................. 29 2-13 Community Facilities Data ................................................................ 30 2-14 Housing by Units in Structure ........................................................... 35 2-15 Age of Housing Stock ........................................................................ 35 2-16 Median Owner-Occupied Housing Value...................................... 35 2-17 Median Renter-Occupied Gross Monthly Rent ............................. 35 3-1 Examples of Areas of Environmental Concern ............................. 42 4-1 Park Acreage Needs: 2010-2040 ................................................. 64 5-1 Energy Use and Expenditure Statistics .......................................... 76 5-2 Residential Heating Fuel ................................................................... 76 8-1 Residential Build-out Analysis .......................................................... 129 A-1 Relationship of Township to Adjoining Municipalities .................. A-6 C-1 2012 Comprehensive Plan Survey Results .................................... A-19 iv Township of Edgmont Executive Summary This document, entitled Edgmont Township Comprehensive Plan – 2015, is a Comprehensive Plan update for Edgmont Township, Delaware County, PA.