2010 Update to the 2004 Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan adopted and certified August 2010 prepared by Institute for Public Administration University of Delaware www.ipa.udel.edu serving the public good, shaping tomorrow’s leaders 2010 Update to the 2004 Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan adopted and certified August 2010 2010 Update to the 2004 Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan Table of Contents Town, County, and State Officials ............................................................................................................... i Institute for Public Administration ............................................................................................................. ii Chapter 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................1 1-1 Planning Authority ...................................................................................................................1 1-2 Plan-Development Process .......................................................................................................2 1-3 Town Goals and Vision ............................................................................................................3 Chapter 2 Background .............................................................................................................................5 2-1 Location ....................................................................................................................................5 2-2 History and Cultural Resources ................................................................................................5 2-3 Physical Conditions and Natural Features ................................................................................8 Chapter 3 Community Profile ...............................................................................................................10 3-1 Population ...............................................................................................................................10 3-2 Population Projections ............................................................................................................11 3-3 Demographics .........................................................................................................................13 3-4 Economic Conditions and Major Employers .........................................................................15 3-5 Labor Market ..........................................................................................................................17 Chapter 4 Housing ..................................................................................................................................20 4-1 Housing Stock ........................................................................................................................20 4-2 Housing-Needs Analysis ........................................................................................................26 4-3 Affordable-Housing Plan .......................................................................................................29 4-4 Goals and Recommendations .................................................................................................30 Chapter 5 Community Facilities and Services .....................................................................................34 5-1 Town Government ..................................................................................................................34 5-2 Town Facilities .......................................................................................................................34 5-3 Public Safety ...........................................................................................................................35 5-4 Utilities ...................................................................................................................................36 5-5 Educational Facilities .............................................................................................................37 5-6 Civic and Social Services .......................................................................................................38 5-7 Recreational Opportunities and Space ...................................................................................39 5-8 Goals and Recommendations .................................................................................................41 Chapter 6 Transportation ......................................................................................................................44 6-1 Vehicular Transportation ........................................................................................................44 6-2 Bus Transportation .................................................................................................................45 6-3 Railroads .................................................................................................................................45 6-4 Non-Vehicular Transportation ...............................................................................................46 Adopted by the Elsmere Town Council 8/12/2010 Certification letter from the Governor 10/21/2010 2010 Update to the 2004 Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan 6-5 Other Transportation Issues ....................................................................................................47 6-6 Goals and Recommendations .................................................................................................49 Chapter 7 Environmental Resources ....................................................................................................52 7-1 Water Quality .........................................................................................................................52 7-2 Air Quality ..............................................................................................................................53 7-3 Noise Pollution .......................................................................................................................54 7-4 Goals and Recommendations .................................................................................................54 Chapter 8 Land Use Plan .......................................................................................................................57 8-1 Existing Land Use ..................................................................................................................57 8-2 Future Land Use Plan .............................................................................................................58 8-3 Community Development and Redevelopment Strategy .......................................................59 8-4 Areas of Concern and Annexation .........................................................................................61 8-5 Goals and Recommendations .................................................................................................62 Chapter 9 Intergovernmental Coordination ........................................................................................67 9-1 Description of Intergovernmental Relationships ....................................................................67 9-2 An Analysis and Comparison of Other Relevant Planning Documents .................................67 9-3 Goals and Recommendations .................................................................................................67 Appendix. Maps .......................................................................................................................................69 Adopted by the Elsmere Town Council 8/12/2010 Certification letter from the Governor 10/21/2010 2010 Update to the 2004 Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan i Town, County, and State Officials Town of Elsmere Mayor and Council Deborah Norkavage, Mayor John Jaremchuk, 1st District Steven Burg, 2nd District Thomas S. Novak Jr., 3rd District Charles G. McKewen, 4th District Joann I. Personti, 5th District John N. Pasquale Jr., 6th District Planning Commission Leon Backer, Chair John Acton Charles Lindell Ronald Russo Mark Sheldon Robert Swain Adam Smith Town Staff John S. Giles, Jr., Town Manager Edward McNally, Town Solicitor Tina Law, Administrative Assistant New Castle County County Executive Chris Coons County Council Paul Clark, President Joseph Reda, 1st District State of Delaware Governor Jack A. Markell Senate Patricia Blevins, Majority Leader, 7th District House of Representatives John Mitchell, 13th District Office of State Planning Constance Holland, AICP, Director Coordination Adopted by the Elsmere Town Council 8/12/2010 Certification letter from the Governor 10/21/2010 2010 Update to the 2004 Town of Elsmere Comprehensive Plan ii Institute for Public Administration This plan was prepared by the University of Delaware’s Institute for Public Administration (IPA). IPA links the resources of the University of Delaware with the management and information needs of local, state, and regional governments in the Delaware Valley. IPA provides assistance to agencies and local governments through direct staff assistance and research projects as well as training programs and policy forums. Institute Director Jerome R. Lewis, Ph.D. Elsmere Comprehensive Plan Team Edward O’Donnell, AICP, Project Manager Martin Wollaston, IPA Planning Services Manager William DeCoursey,