Managing Change in Chester County 1996 2020 Comprehensive Plan Policy Element W rn w rn W W Managing Change in m Chester County W 1996 2020 Comprehensive Plan H Policy Element w Adopted July 12, 1996 Colin A. Hanna Karen L. Martynick, Chairman Andrew E. Dinniman .' Commissioner Board of County Commissioners Commissioner RESOLUTION WHEREAS, Chester County has been experiencing a sprawl development pattern which consumes vast amounts of land; and WHEREAS, this sprawl pattern contributes to the decline of the quality of life and our urban communities, as well as, the loss of natural resources in the County; and W H EREAS, the Board of County Commissioners is committed to the vision of preserving and enhancing the unique character of the County's landscapes by concentrating growth in the most appropriate areas; and WHEREAS, this vision will accommodate future growth, encourage economic development, protect natural resources, and revitalize towns; and WHEREAS, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Act 247) requires counties to prepare and adopt comprehensive plans; and WHEREAS, the Chester County Planning Commission has conducted a public survey, held public meetings and regional workshops, and made presentations to discuss issues affecting the future of Chester County and obtain public input; and WHEREAS, the Chester County Planning Commission has prepared a comprehensive policy plan containing goals and policies, a vision for future growth, and recommended actions for achieving the vision; and WHEREAS, the comprehensive plan proposes the establishment of a vision partnership between the County and municipalities to achieve the vision. NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that on the 12thday of July , 1996, the Board of Commissioners of the County of Chester adopts Landscapes, Managing Change in Chester County - 1996-2020 Comprehensive Plan Policy Element, as recommended by the Chester County Planning Commission. Karenh/.tr4iL L. Martynick, Cha' man Cmmissioner July 12, 1996 Date #28-96 Commissioner =I Board Members Staff Dr. Henry A. Jolrdan, William H. Fulton, AICP: Executive Director Chairman Landscapes Project teain W. Joseph Duckworth, George W. Fasic, Executive Director* Vice Chairman W. Wayne Clapp, Assistant Director Nancy Cox Patricia Nilsson, Section Chief County Planning* David D. Ward, Section C:hief Community Planning Peter 0. Hausrnann Lee I. Whitmore, Section Chief Transportation & Information Andrew F. Quirtn Diana Gent, Graphics Supervisor Carol Stauffer, Planner IV Rita E. Reves Robert Walker, Planner I\( James C. Sargent William Gladden, Planner II Jill K. Hammond, Planner II Paul E. Stubbe Andy Yankowitz, Planner II* Production Phillip Fuchs, Computer Systems Analyst Karen Peed, Word Processing Richard Valenteen, Production Thomas West, Geographic Information System Graphics Chris Bittle, Graphics Specialist I1 Polly Chalfant, Graphics Specialist II Elizabeth Kolb, Graphics; Specialist II Contributing Staff Ray Sachs, Planner IV Robert Ihlein, Planner Ill Paul Rizzardi, Planner Ill* Andrew Ferry, Planner I' F. Robert Bielski, Demographer (Part-time) * Former staff member Photographs Chester County Planning Commission Chester County Parks Department National Wildlife Federation Committee Cornchairmen Committee Participants Edwin R. Hill Milton Allen I? Gail Murphy Manager, Brandywine Valley Association Atglen Borough Manager East Caln Township Chester County Boroughs Robert Cooper Association Ellen Ann Roberts Labor Council President, Neil Phillips First Financial Savings Bank William M. Gotwals West Chester Area Municipal Office of Aging Advisory Council Authority B Charles Gutkowski Rob Powelson Chester County Intermediate Unit President, Chester County Chamber of Business and m Dr. Martin J. Higgins Industry Director of i Research and Planning Bruce Rappoport West Chester University Associate Dean, New Bolton Center Kevin Holleran m Chester County Bar Association James Reading Redgo Properties, Inc. Robert Horne Chester County Development Division Manager, PECO Energy Council Alice Horst Ted Reed League of Women Voters, City of Coatesville Authority Southern Chester County Juan Sanchez Michele Howard Chester County Housing Authority League of Women Voters, D Upper Main Line Gloria Sharp Branch Manager, Meridian Bank rn Stephen Hoyt Chester County Historical Society Judy Stark D Advocate for Special Needs Jack Loew 8 Hough/Loew Associates, Inc. Richard Whitlock Supervisor, m Charles Lucas South Coventry Township Chester County County Association of AAA Advisory Board Township Officials William Moore Jack Williams Farmer Homebuilder I W Part One 8 8 Choosing the Future Call to 10 What We’ve Heard Action 10 A Plan for Chester County 41 What We Hope to Accomplish 12 13 A Framework for Growth and Protection Livable 14 Guiding Goals Landscapes I§The Landscapes Natural m Rural I Urban Suburban 25 Meas u res of S u c c e ss _______ 26 blish Vision Partnership Three 27 Changes to County Reviews Initiatives 27 Annual State of the County Report for Change Part Two d Use 38 Resources 40 Economic Development 42 Tra tis portat ion 44 Corn m u n ity Facili ties/U ti Iiti es 46 Housing 47 Human Services 48 Public Health 49 Planning and Coordination m Part Three -- 52 54 Natural Resource Networks Forces 60 Historic Landscape That 62 Trans p o rta t io n N et w o r ks Shape the 70 Utility Networks I Vision 76 Demographic Trends m 84 Economic Trends 98 Development Trends 104 Public Participation 108 Community Service Centers 109 Regional Centers and Corridors 109 Selection of Pattern Part Four 111 112 Land Use Goals, 114 Resources 0 bjec t ives, 116 Economic Development and 118 Transportation Policies 120 Community Facilities 122 Utilities 124 Housing 126 Human Services 127 Public Health 128 Planning and Coordination 16 Figure 1 77 Figure 19 Livable Landscapes, 2020 Projected Population Inciease, 1990 - 2020 17 Figure 2 Natural Landscapes 79 Figure 22 Married Couples with 20 Figure 3 Children, Percent of Rural Landscapes Households, 1990 21 Figure 4 80 Figure 23 U rb a n Landscapes Single Householders with 24 Figure 5 Children, Percent of S u b ur ban Landscapes Households, 1990 53 Figure 6 80 Figure 24 Selected Regional influences Householder living alone, Percent of Households, 54 Figure 7 1990 Nat u ral Res o u rces Co m posite of W oc) d Iands 81 Figure 25 and Flood Prone Areas Population 65 Years and Older, Percent of 57 Figure 8 Population, 1990 Exceptional Value (EV) and High Quality (HQ) 83 Figure 29 Watersheds Students Per Occupied Housing Unit, 1990 60 Figure 9 National Register of 90 Figure 33 , Historic Places - Percent of Residents Districts and Resources below Poverty Level, 1990 62 Figure 10 92 Figure 37 Maj o r Transport at io n Percent increase in Facilities Expenditures per Pupil, 1982 to 1992 69 Figure 11 Frei g ht Rai Iroad I; e rvice 92 Figure 39 Percent chanae in number 71 Figure 12 of Students, 1982 to 1992 Public Water Service Areas 95 Figure 43 73 Figure 13 Total Number of Housing Public Wastewater Service Sales, 1994 Areas 95 Figure 44 74 Figure 14 Median Sales Prices, 1994 Major Electrical Transmission Li n(3s 101 Figure 51 Developed Land by 75 Figure 15 Region, 1990 t Major Pipelines 101 Figure 52 77 Figure 18 Developed Land by Pop u Iat io n Increase Region, 2020 1960 - 1990 ~~ List of Tables & Graphs 76 Figure 16 92 Figure 38 Past and Projected Changes in number of Popu I at io n Trends students and Expenditures per Student 77 Figure 17 Past and Projected 93 Figure 40 Population Trends, by Median Home Sales Price, Region. 1984 to 1994 78 Figure 20 93 Figure 41 Household Size, Highest and Lowest 1960 to 1990 Median Sales Price, 1994 79 Figure 21 94 Figure 42 Household Types, Price Range of Home 1980 and 1990 Sales - 1994 81 Figure 26 96 Figure 45 Pop u I at io n Trends , Affordability Index - 1994 Selected Age Groups 98 Figure 46 02 Figure 27 Increase of Housing Units Public School Enrollment 1940 to 1990 1970 to 1994 99 Figure 47 83 Figure 28 Housing Units Trends in Population and 1940 to 1980 Housing Units versus 99 Figure 48 School Age Children Philadelphia Region Land 86 Figure 30 Consumption, 1990 Business Establishments 100 Figure 49 By Sector, 1981 to 1993 Change in Farmland, 87 Figure 31 1974 to 1992 Employment by Sector, 101 Figure 50 1981 to 1993 Developed and 89 Figure 32 Undeveloped Land, Unemployment Rates 1990 and 2020 1975 to 1993 102 Figure 53 90 Figure 34 Developed Land by Region College Graduates, 1990 and 2020 Household Income, and 103 Figure 54 Poverty, 1960 to 1990 Acres Needed for 91 Figure 35 Development, Municipal Tax Increases 1990 and 2020 compared to Inflation 91 Figure 36 Major Categories of Local Government Expenditures c Call to Livable Three Action landscapes Initiatives for Change 8 13 A Framework Choosing 26 the Future for Growth Establish and Protection 10 Vision Partnership What We've Heard 14 27 Guiding Goals 10 Changes to A Plan for 15 County Reviews The Landscapes Chester County 27 m Natural Annual 11 m Rural What we Hope State of the County m Urban Report to Accomplish m Suburban 25 Measures of Success I Chossii rig the Flu t ure Chester County is at a critical point in its history. We must make a m' choice for our future. We can let the sprawling development I pattern continue, or, we can choose to work together toward a new pattern of development that preserves the unique character of Chester County. I Chester County has been experiencing the most intense rate of development in its history. This growth is expected to continue and perhaps even accelerate. We cannot stop our population from increasing; such growth can be beneficial to the County. However, we can change the pattern of this growth. It is the sprawling I development pattern that is the problem. SPRAWL is a spreading,, low-density, totally automobile dependent development pattern of Call to housing, shopping centers, and corporate and industrial parks, that is wasteful and short- Action sighted.