1992 SPRING TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN Spring Township 6309 Blanckd Street Bellefonte 16823 Centre County, PA Prepared By: George L. Stallman, III, A.I.C.P. stallman & Stahlman. Inc. Engineering and Planning Y ork, Pennsylvania i SPRING TOWNSHIP OFFICIALS Township Supervisors John H. Auman. ............................... Chairman Melvin J. Zimmerman...................... Vice Chairman Samuel E. Markle ..................Secretary/Treasurer Township Staff Stellard T. Beightol, Jr ..... Code Enforcement Officer Miller, Kistler, & Campbell .................Solicitor Sweetland Engineering ........................ Engineer Glace Associates...... ..............Alternate Engineer Korena DeFurio ......................... Township Clerk Molly Patton ........................... Township Clerk Planning Commission Rodney Musser..... ........................... Chairman James I. Smith........ ..................Vice Chairman Linda Lowe .................................. Secretary Michael Bonchack William MacMath William H. Weaver, I11 NITTANY VALLEY JOINT COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING INITIATIVE Under the guidance of Attorney Ben Novak, seven Centre County Municipalities joined together in 1988 with the goal of updating their Comprehensive Plans and Zoning Ordinances. They were: J Bellefonte Borough J Benner Township J Centre Hall Borough J Marion Township J Port Matilda Borough J Spring Township J Walker Township Huston Township was originally part of the group, but subsequent- ly resigned and was replaced by Port Matilda Borough. Nittany Valley was selected as a common name for the group as five municipalities, Bellefonte Borough plus the four Townships, lie in the Nittany Valley between Nittany and Bald Eagle Moun- tains. These five communities also comprise the Bellefonte Area School District and have formally been designated the Nittany Valley Subregion by the Centre County Planning Commission. Centre Hall Borough, just over Mount Nittany in Penns Valley, and Port Matilda Borough just over Bald Eagle Mountain in the Bald Eagle Creek Valley have similar problems and concerns, and thus opted to join the group. The primary motivations behind this effort were the recognition and acknowledgement that: 0 All of the participating municipalities either did not have or had outdated plans and ordinances, @ By participating together, the region's problems could be faced squarely with less chance for duplication of effort or misunderstanding, 0 By participating together, a common format for codes and ordinances could be achieved, and 0 By proceeding concurrently with common consultants, lower costs could be realized. The joint venture has been an unqualified success. First a grant was received from the Pennsylvania Department of Community Affairs to help defray a portion of the costs; a grant that otherwise might not have been received had the joint effort not been made. Secondly, a number of decisions were made on a joint basis that were best both for the region and for the individual municipalities; decisions that might not otherwise have been made. And thirdly, by presenting a united front it is hoped to better gain the attention of both State and County Agencies re- garding funding for needed projects. The group plans to continue joint efforts in the future. - iv - CONTENTS Spring Township Officials ................................ iii Contents ................................................... v Resolution ................................................ ix Background Reports 1 . The Planning Process .................................. 1-1 2 . Natural Features ...................................... 2-1 A . Geology ....................... 2-2 B . Soils ........................ 2-10 C . Slopes ....................... 2-15 D . Forests ...................... 2-18 E . Floodplains ..................2-20 F . Composite Features ...........2-23 3 . Existing Land Use ..................................... 3-1 4 . Utilities ............................................. 4-1 A . Sanitary Sewer Systems ........4-1 B . Water Systems ................4-15 C . Natural Gas Distribution..... 4-35 D . Solid Waste Disposal .........4-36 E . Electrical Distribution...... 4-40 F . Telephone .................... 4-42 G . Cable Television .............4-42 5 . Existing Transportation Systems ....................... 5-1 A . Automotive .................... 5-1 B . Rail .......................... 5-9 C . Air .......................... 5-12 Comprehensive Plan 6 . Goals and Objectives .................................. 6-1 7 . Future Development Plan ............................... 7-1 A . Land Development Controls .....7-1 B . Conservation Areas ............7-2 C . Limestone Deposits ............7-4 D . Residential Areas .............7-6 E . Work and Service Areas .......7-11 F . Transportation Plan ..........7-15 8 . Future Community Facilities and Utilities Plan ........8-1 A . Public Schools ................8-1 B . Parks and Recreation ..........8-3 C . Water Supply ...................8-4 D . Sanitary Sewers ...............8-9 E . Township Building ............8-11 9 . Implementation Plan ................................... 9-1 Appendices Questionnaire Results .................................... A-1 Bibliography ............................................. B-1 -V- Contents Table No. 3.1 Land Use Classifications for Spring Township and Centre County ........................ 3-2,3-3 3.2 Existing Land Use in Centre County; 1975, 1985 and 1990 ................................... 3-5 3.3 Land Use Changes by Percentage and Acreage in Centre, Penns Valley, and Nittany Valley Regions of Centre County PA, 1975, 1985 and 1990. .....3-7 3.4 Existing Land Use, Spring Township, 1975 - 1990. ......3-8 3.5 Rate of Population Change, Spring Township Compared with Selected Regions, and Selected Municipalities of Centre County, 1960 - 1990. ........3-14 4.1 Summary of Sanitary Treatment Systems by Region, Centre County, 1987 ........................ 4-2 4.2 Inter Valley Region Sewer Systems, 1987 ...............4-5 4.3 Basic Characteristics of the Spring, Benner, Walker Joint Sewer Authority Sewer System, 1990 ......4-10 4.4 Basic Characteristics of the Bellefonte Borough Authority Sewer System, 1987 .................4-12 4.5 Basic Characteristics of the State Correctional Institution at Rockview Sewer System, 1987 ...........4-14 4.6 Summary of Water Supply Systems by Region, Centre County, 1987 ..................................4-1 6 4.7 Inter Valley Region Water Systems, 1987 ..............4-20 4.8 Basic Characteristics of the Bellefonte Borough Authority Water System, 1989 ................. 4-22 4.9 Basic Characteristics of the Spring Township Water Authority System, 1990 ................4-24 4.10 Basic Characteristics of the Walker Township Water Authority System, 1989 ................4-28 4.11 Basic Characteristics of the State Correctional Institution at Rockview Water System, 1987...........4-30 4.12 Basic Characteristics of the Nittany Water Company System, 1987 ........................... 4-32 4.13 Basic Characteristics of the Howard Borough Water System, 1987 ........................... 4-34 4.14 Amount and Type of Waste Generated in Centre County on an Annual and Daily Basis, 1989 and 2000...4-38 4.15 Amount and Type of Waste Generated in Nittany Valley Municipalities on an Annual Basis, in Tons for 1990 and 2000 ............................ 4-39 - vi - Contents TABLES (Contd.) Table No . 4.16 Tentative Construction Plans. Nittany Division. I .. West Penn Power Company. 1990 to 1999 ................4-41 5.1 Spring Township Highways and Roads .................... 5-6 5.2 Characteristics of the Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad ............................................. 5-10 5.3 Rail Traffic Analysis. Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad ............................................. 5-10 5.4 Carload Activity. Nittany & Bald Eagle Railroad. 1986-1989 .................................. 5-11 8.1 School Building and Land Inventory. Bellefonte Area School District. 1990 .................8-2 8.2 Guidelines for Recreation Areas ....................... 8-3 MAPS Map No . 2.1 Physiography of Centre County .......................... 2-3 2.2 Drainage Areas and Community Watersheds ................2-4 2.3 Carbonate Geology in Centre County ..................... 2-5 2.4 Mineral Resources in Centre County ..................... 2-6 2.5 Groundwater Resources in Centre County .................2-9 2.6 Agriculture in Centre County .......................... 2.-11 2.7 Soil Limitations for On-Site Sewage Disposal ..........2-14 2.8 Slope in Centre County ................................ 2-15 2.9 Forests in Centre County .............................. 2-19 2.10 Floodplains in Centre County .......................... 2-20 2.11tComposite Natural Features in the Nittany Valley ......2-25 3.1 Generalized Existing Land Use in Centre County, 1975 ........................................... 3-6 3.2 Existing Land Use in Spring Township. 1990 ............3-15 4.1 Centre County Sewer Service Areas; 1987 ................4-4 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5' Spring, Benner, Walker Joint Sewer Authority .....4-6,7,8, 9 4.6 Bellefonte Borough Authority Sewer System .............4-11 .vii . ...............................................................................Contents MAPS (Contd.) Map No . 4.7 State Correctional Institution at Rockview Sewer System .......................................... 4-13 4.8 Centre County'Water Service Areas; 1987 ...............4-19 4.9 Bellefonte Borough Authority Water System ............. 4-21