SLIPPERY ROCK TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN I by I THE SLIPPICRY ROCK TOWNSHIP SUPERVISORS and I THE SLIPPERY ROCK TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION I Assisted by I ADAMS, GRAh'EY AND ASSOCIATES I I I I THIS DOCUMENT WAS FINANCED, IN PART, FROM THE SMALL COMMUNITIES PLANNING ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OF THE FEDERAL DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING I AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AFFAIRS. I I I I 1 SLIPPERY ROCK TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN I I The Township of Slippery Rock I TownshiD Board of SuDervisom I Duane W. Hartzell, Chairman Gary Hogg I James Anderson Barbara J. Kelly, Township Secretary I Townshia Plannine Committee 1 Paul Dickey Richard Manning Robert Dispirit0 Robert McFate Lee Ligo Gary McKnight I Melvin Sankey I Communitv DeveloDment Consultant Adams, Graney and Associates I New Wilmington, PA 16142 I I I I I I TABLE OF CONTENTS &gg I Background Report Population ................................................. 1 Current Population ....................................... 1 Population Trends ........................................ 1 Population Characteristics ................................... 4 Population Projections ..................................... 8 Population Forecast ....................................... 9 Natural Features and Environment ................................. 11 Location ............................................ 11 Climate ............................................. 11 Physiography and Slope ................................... 11 Drainage and Floodplains .................................. 12 Soils ............................................... 12 Prime Farmland ........................................ 14 Mineral Resources ....................................... 21 Conclusions ........................................... 23 Economic Considerations ...................................... 25 Economic Base ......................................... 25 Employment Characteristics ................................ 27 Manufacturing ......................................... 30 RetaillService Sectors ..................................... 31 Income .............................................. 33 Economic Impact of the University ............................ 34 Conclusions ........................................... 35 Housing ................................................. 37 Housing Supply ........................................ 37 Problems with the 1980 Census ............................... 38 Type of Housing ........................................ 38 Housing Tenure ........................................ 39 Age of Housing ........................................ 40 Housing Costs and Value ................................... 41 Internal Density ........................................ 43 MobileHomes ........................................ 43 Housing Conditions ..................................... 43 Property Maintenance .................................... 45 Conclusions ........................................... 46 Transportation ............................................... 47 Classification of Roads .................................... 47 Traffic Volumes ........................................ 48 Restrictions to Travel .................................... 49 Road Conditions ........................................ 49 Proposed Improvements ................................... 50 Community Facilities and Services ................................. 52 Parks and Recreation .................................... 52 Historic Cemetery ....................................... 53 Township Community Center ................................ 54 Slippery Rock University .................................. 54 Water and Sewer ....................................... 55 Fire Protection ......................................... 57 Emergency Medical Services ................................ 57 Police Protection ........................................ 58 Township Government .................................... 58 Garbage Collection ...................................... 58 Schools ................................................. 59 LandUse ................................................. 62 Land Use Categories ..................................... 62 .Residential ........................................... 63 Commercial .......................................... 64 Industrial ............................................ 64 Mining ............................................. 64 Public LandslParks ...................................... 64 Institutional ............................................ 64 TrafficlRoadways ....................................... 64 Agricultural .......................................... 64 Wooded ............................................ 65 Vacant ............................................. 65 Analysis of Land Use Patterns ............................... 65 Historic Sites .............................................. 67 Fiscal Analysis ............................................. 69 Comprehensive Plan ................................ Follows page 71 Tables Table 1 .Population Trends .Slippery Rock Area .1940-1986 ................ 2 Table 2 .Corrected Population Estimates .Slippery Rock ................... 3 Table 3 .Population Growth Rates .Slippery Rock Township and Surroundings Areas .................................. 4 Table 4 .Age of Population .Slippery Rock Township .1960 to 1980 ........... 5 I Table 5 .Age-Group Composition .Slippery Rock Area .................... 6 I Table 6 .Profile of 1980 Population Characteristics Slippery Rock Township ........................................ 7 Table 7 .Population Projections .Slippery Rock Township .................. 9 I Table 8 .Prime Farmland Soils .Butler County ........................ 15 Table 9 .Building Site Development ............................... 16 Table 10 .Sanitary Facilities ..................................... 19 I Table 11 .Place of Work of Resident Workers Age 16+ .1980 .Slippery Rock Township and Pennsylvania ........................ 26 Table 12 .Place of Work for Butler County Residents .1980 ................27 I Table 13 .1980 Employment by Industry .Slippery Rock Township, Butler County and Pennsylvania ......................... 28 Table 14 .Employment by Occupation .Slippery Rock Township, Butler I County and Pennsylvania .............................. 29 Table 15 .Manufacturing Firms in Butler County, Pennsylvania .1982 .......... 30 I Table 16 .Manufacturing Firms in Butler County .1986 ...................31 Table 17 .Retail/Service Employment and Receipts .Butler County, 1987 ......... 32 Table 18 .Service and Retail Business in Slippery Rock Borough .1987 .......... 33 I Table 19 .Income Characteristics .Slippery Rock Area, Butler County and Pennsylvania .................................. 34 Table 20 .Economic Impact of the University .1984-85 School Year . I 3 County Area (Butler, Lawrence and Mercer) ................. 35 Table 21 .Total Housing Units .Slippery Rock Township .................. 38 Table 22 .Types of Housing Units . 1980 (Year-Round Housing Only) . I Slippery Rock Area, Butler County and State .................. 39 Table 23 .Housing Tenure .1980 .Slippery Rock Township ................ 40 Table 24 .Housing by Construction Date .Slippery Rock Township, I Slippery Rock Borough, Butler County and Pennsylvania .......... 41 Table 25 .Median Value of Specified Owner-Occupied Housing .1980 .......... 42 Table 26 .Value of Specified Owner-Occupied Housing .1980 . I Slippery Rock Township .............................. 42 Table 27 .Housing Conditions .1960 and 1988 .Slippery Rock Township ........ 45 Table 28 .Area School Age Population Increase ......................... 59 I Table 29 .Slippery Rock Area School District ......................... 60 Table 30 .Existing Land Use .Slippery Rock Township ................... 63 Table 31 .Sources of Revenue: Slippery Rock Township .1987-1990 ........... 70 I Table 32 .Budgeted Expenditures: Slippery Rock Township .1987-1990 ........ 71 I Map 1 .Location Map ............................... Follows page 11 I Map 2 .General Soil Units ............................. Follows page 12 Map 3 .Mining Activity .............................. Follows page 22 Map 4 .Highway Restriction ........................... Follows page 49 I Map 5 .Existing Land Use ............................. Follows page 63 Map 6 .Future Land Use Map ..............Comprehensive Plan, Follows page 6 I I I I I I I I 1 1 BACKGROUND REPORT I I I I I I I I I I I I I POPULATION I Population estimations and projections provide the base from which effective community planning evolves. Therefore, the first section of this Comprehensive Plan is devoted to a study of the Township’s demography. From this base, planning for community services, housing I needs, and environmental impacts can begin. Current Population: The population of Slippery Rock Township numbers 4,607 according to I the last count of population taken during the 1980 U.S. Census. Combined with Slippery Rock Borough, the Township is part of a community with a 1980 total population of 7,654. 1 Preliminary figures for 1990 estimate. the Township population at 4,372. It should be noted immediately that the population of both the Township and the Borough are I greatly influenced by the presence of Slippery Rock University. The 1980 Census and past decennial censuses counted college students at the place where they lived while attending school, despite the temporary nature