TOWNSHIP of MAIDENCREEK Berks Counfy, Pennsylvania Prepared by the MAIDENCREEK TOWNSHIP PLANNING COMMISSION With the assistance of SYSTEMS DESIGN ENGINEERING, INC. 4 Park Plaza Wyomissing, Pennsylvania 19610 TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I : HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Settlement and Creation of the Township ................................................. 1-1 I Early Transportation ................................................................................ 1-2 Early Industry 8. The First Municipal Services ........................................... 1-3 1 Historic Influence on Planning .................................................................. 1-3 CHAPTER 2: REGIONAL SETTING 1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 2-1 Regional Context .................................................................................... 2-1 Planning Implications .............................................................................. 2-3 CHAPTER 3: NATURAL FEATURES Introduction ............................................................................................ 3-1 I Natural Characteristics of the Landscape .................................................. 3-1 Physically Constrained and Environmentally Sensitive Lands .................... 3-6 1 Regulatory Control of Natural Features ..................................................... 3-7 CHAPTER 4: POPULATION 8. HOUSING Change in Population .............................................................................. 4-1 I Change in Housing .................................................................................. 4-2 But Will It Continue? ............................................................................... 4-4 CHAPTER 5: ECONOMIC CHARACTERJSTICS Introduction ............................................................................................ 5-1 Township Industry ................................................................................... 5-1 Occupation 8. Income ............................................................................. 5-6 Unemployment ....................................................................................... 5-9 Conclusions ............................................................................................ 5-9 i I CHAPTER 6: EXISTING LAND USE 'I Overview ............................................................................................... 6 .1 ~I CHAPTER 7: POLICIES. GOALS a OBJECTIVES Introduction ............................................................... ........................... 7 .1 Comprehensive Plan of 1990 ................................................................. 7 .1 I Current Goals 8. Objectives for Maidencreek Township ........................... 7 .4 I CHAPTER 8: FUTURE LAND USE Existing Land Use 8. Zoning: Potential for Growth .................................. 8 .1 Summary ............................................................................................... 8 .7 'I CHAPTER 9: TRANSPORTATION Introduction ............................................................................................ 9 .1 The Development of Overland Travel ...................................................... 9 .1 Highway Classification 8. Conditions ....................................................... 9 .2 ~' 9 .5 Other Modes of Transportation ................................................................ II Summary 8. Planning Implications ........................................................... 9 .6 CHAPTER 10: COMMUNITY FACILITIES 8. SERVICES ~I Introduction ............................................................................................ 10 .1 Education ................................................................................................ 10 . 1 Recreation 8. Open Space ....................................................................... 10 .2 I Emergency 8. Health Care Services ......................................................... 10 .5 Other Facilities and Services .................................................................... 10 .6 I Summary 8. Planning Implications ........................................................... 10 .7 CHAPTER 1 1 : IMPLEMENTATION I Introduction ............................................................................................ 1 1 .1 Implementation Through the Zoning Ordinance ...................................... 11 .4 Implementation Through the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance ..................................................................................... 1 1 .5 I Implementation by Other Means ............................................................. 1 1 .6 Implementation Schedule ........................................................................ 1 1 .7 I List of Figures and Maps I ~ ~~~~~~~ ~~ ~ Figure 2.1 : Regional Setting .................................................................. follows page 2 .3 I Figure 3.1 : Floodplains. Wetlands. Drainage .......................................... follows page 3 .3 Figure 3.2: Prime Agricultural Soils ........................................................ follows page 3 .5 Figure 4.1 : Population Change. 1960 .2000 (projected) ............................................ 4 . 1 I Figure 4.2: Population Data. 1960 .1994 ................................................................... 4 .2 I ii I I Figure 4.3: Housing Data, 1960 . 1994 ........................ ............................................. 4 - 3 I Figure 4.4: Residential Subdivisions Under Construction, 1996 ................................... 4 - 4 Figure 5.1 : Principal Employers in Maidencreek Township, 1996 ................................ 5 - 2 I Figure 5.2: Employment of Township Residents, 1990 ............................................... 5 - 4 Figure 5.3: Comparison of Township and County Employment, 1997 ......................... 5 - 5 I Figure 5.4: Occupations of Employed Residents, 1990 ............................................... 5 - 7 Figure 5.5: Median Household Income, 1989 ............................................................. 5 - 8 I Figure 5.6: Comparison of Census and S.I.C. Industrial Classification ........................... 5 - 1 1 Figure 6.1 : Existing Land Use ................................................................ follows page 6 - 6 Figure 8.1: Future Land Use ................................................................... follows page 8 - 9 I Figure 9.1 : Highway Functional Classification ......................................... follows page 9 - 3 I Figure 10.1 : Permanent Open Space ..................................................... follows page 10 - 4 I I I I I I I I I I I iii 1 I I I Much of the information presented in this chapter is fiom the Sto~-o~fanclon,~~~~~~ania andMai~encreeI~~~ns~~,published in I976 by the Historical Committee of the B/andon I Bicentennial Committee. I SETTLEMENT AND CREATION OF THE TOWNSHIP he history of a community may influence modern goals in two ways. The most obvious is I Tplanning for the preservation of historic sites and structures. A second, less obvious reason is perhaps more important: the community assets that attracted early settlers may still attract 1 businesses and residents today. The Lenni Lenape Indians are the earliest known inhabitants of the area now occupied by Maidencreek Township. These natives, along with some smaller tribes, lived in villages along 1 the Schuylltill, Tylpehoclten, and Manatawny Creeks. The Lenni Lenape were divided into three tribes: th~Unamis, or turtles; the Unalachtgos, or turkeys; and the Monsey, or wolves. The Unamis we&. the most prevalent in Maidencreek. I The earliest European settlers in Maidencreek were English members of the Society of Friends, known more commonly as the Quakers, and were brought by William Penn in 1720. William Penn organized colonization and made friends with the Indians. Early settlement of Maiden- I creek Township was slow since the Indians did not relinquish the land until 1732,although a few white settlers were present prior to that time. In addition to the Quakers, the Irish, Scotch, and Welsh were among the first arrivals. William Penn also encouraged farmers and 1 craftsmen from the Wine Valley, Switzerland, and Sweden to come to his American colony. By 1738,seventy families were settled in Maidencreek Township. Most of the original Quaker I settlement is now covered by Lake Ontelaunee. The first survey of Maidencreek Township was completed on July 20, 1746 by Benjamin Lightfoot. The survey was performed at the behest of the local property owners who desired to create a new Township in what was then Philadelphia County. The survey, describing an I area of 13,000acres held by seventeen property owners, was included with a petition for incorporation presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions in Philadelphia in December of that same year. This area included the present-day Maidencreek Township, all of the area that is I now Ontelaunee Township, and the part of Leesport Borough on the east bank of the Schuylltill. The new townshipiwas named for the stream crossing the territory. Maiden Creek was so named because it was a branch of the Schuylltill River, which the Indians called I “Ontelaunee,” meaning “Little Daughter.” Maidencreek Township was one of twenty town- ships already in existence when Berks County was created on March I 1, 1752. I Moses Starr, the First settler, was the First and for many