COMPREHENSIVE PLAN of the TOWNSHIP OF EAST ROCKHILL Bucks County Pennsylvania May 31, 1987 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE INTRODUCTION 1 COMMUNITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES 3 PART I: INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS CHAPTER A: POPULATION GROWTH 9 Pouulation Trends 9 Population Comuosition 10 Population Proiections 12 Cohort-survival Method 12 Range of Projections 13 Analvsis 14 CHAPTER B: HOUSING GROWTH 17 Past Housing Trends 17 Household Proiections 18 Analvsis 21 CHAPTER C: EMPLOYMENT 23 Existing Emulovment 23 Employment Proiections 26 Location 28 Analysis 29 CHAPTER D: EXISTING LAND USE 31 Extent of Land Uses 31 Distribution of Land Uses 33 Analvsis 35 I PAGE CHAPTERE: VILLAGES 37 Hagersville 38 K&lersville 39 Rich Hill 39 Rockhill Station 40 Analysis 40 CHAPTER F: NATURAL RESOURCES 43 Land Resources 45 Woodlands 45 Farmland 46 Wetlands 48 Special Natural Features 49 Analysis 51 Water ResourceS 52 Watersheds 52 Lakes and Ponds 53 Groundwater 54 Analysis 57 Resource Limitations 58 Steep Slopes 58 Floodplains and Floodplain Soils 60 Restrictive Soils 62 Analysis 66 Resource DeveloDment 67 Mineral Recovery 67 Energy Development 68 Analysis 69 CHAPTER G: COMMUNITY FACILITIES AND SERVICES 71 Water Facilities 71 Wastewater Facilities 75 Solid Waste Management 78 Police Services 81 Fire Services 82 Emergency Medical Services 84 Parks and Recreational Facilities 85 Classification of Park Facilities 85 Local Patterns of Park Use 93 Schools 93 Analysis 95-102 PAGE CHAPTER H: TRANSPORTATION 103 Functional Highwav Classification 103 Level of Service 104 Traffic Accidents 106 Hiehwav ImDrovements Promams 107 Protection of Highway Functions 108 Public Transportation 110 Abm 112 Analysis 113 CHAPTER I: MUNICIPAL FINANCES 115 DescriDtion 115 v 116 Analvsk 123 PART 11: POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS CHAPTER J: PLAN CONCEPT 125 Planning Area 126 Rural Areas 127 Resource Protection Areas 128 A 'cultural Areas 128 &[Area 130 Subur anAreas 130 Development Areas 131 Areas of Existing Development 132 CHAPTER K. IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS 133 Continued Planning Process 133 TransDortation 133 ommendations 135 137 Zoning Ordi nance 138 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance 138 Sewape Facilities Plan 139 Impact Analysis 139 MuniciDd Finances 140 ... 111 LIST OF MAPS AFTER PAGE PART I: INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS F.l WOODLANDS 46 F.2 IMPORTANTFARMLANDS 48 F.3 ACI'IVEFARMLAND 48 F.4 WETLANDS 50 F.5 FLOODPLAIN AND WATERSHEDS 52 F.6 GEOLOGY 54 F.7 STEEP SLOPES 58 F.8 RESTRICTIVESOILS 64 F.9 SOIL SUITABILITY FOR SUBSURFACE SEWAGE DISPOSAL 66 F. 10 SOIL SUITABILITY FOR SPRAY IRRIGATION 66 G. 1 PUBLIC WATER FACILITIES 72 G.2 WASTEWATER FACILITIES 76 G.3 FIRE PROTECI'ION AND AMBULANCE RESPONSE AREAS 84 G.4 RECREATIONAL FACILITIES 92 H. 1 LEVELS OF SERVICE OF ROADS 106 PART 11: POLICIES AND RECOMMENDATIONS J. 1 LAND USE PLAN 132 K. 1 HIGHWAY CLASSIFICATION 136 N P I i LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES I PAGE A. 1 POPULATION TRENDS, 1940-1980 10 1 A.2 POPULATION BY AGE AND SEX, 1970-1980 11 A.3 POPULATION PROJECTIONS, 1980-2000 14 A.4 PAST AND PROJECTED POPULATION GROWTH, 1940-2000 15 I B.l CHANGE IN EAST ROCKHILL HOUSING, 1950-1980 19 B.2 PROJECTED HOUSEHOLDS, 1990 and 2000 19 B.3 PROJECTED ADDITIONAL HOUSEHOLDS 19 B.4 PROJECTED HOUSEHOLDS, INCLUDING VACANCIES 19 I B.5 PAST AND PROJECTED HOUSEHOLD GROWTH, 1950-2000 20 c.1 "3ER OF ESTABLISHMENTS AND EMPLOYEES 25 c.2 EMPLOYMENT PROJECTIONS 27 0 D. 1 EXTENT OF LAND USES 32 D.2 TYPES OF YEAR-ROUND DWELLING UNITS 33 F. 1 RARE PLANTS OF THE PENNRIDGE AREA 50 I F.2 ESTIMATED AVAILABLE GROUNDWATER 56 G .-l FIRE CALLS 82 G.2 TOWNSHIP CONTRIBUTIONS TO FIRE COMPANIES, 1985 83 G.3 NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK I ASSOCIATION: PARK CLASSIFICATION 87 G.4 TOWNSHIP PUBLIC PARKS: EXISTING AND NEEDED 88 G.5 RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN EAST ROCKHILL TOWNSHIP 92 I G.6 FIVE-YEAR ENROLLMENT PROJECTIONS 94 H. 1 LEVELS OF SERVICE OF ROADS 105 I H.2 DATA FOR PENNRIDGE AIRPORT 113 I I i 1 I I I II 1I L ST OF ABBREVATIONS Ii BCDH BUCKS COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH 1I BCPC BUCKS COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION BOCA BUILDING OFFICIALS CONFERENCE OF AMERICA, INC. DRBC DELAWARE RIVER BASIN COMMISSION DVRPC DELAWARE VALLEY REGIONAL PLANNING COMMISSION II ECONS ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONGESTION REDUCTION AND SAFETY PROGRAM FEMA FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY II NFIP NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM NRPA NATIONAL RECREATION AND PARK ASSOCIATION PWTA PENNRIDGE WASTEWATER TREATMENT AUTHORITY PBS PENNSYLVANIA BIOLOGICAL SURVEY II PaDER PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES PennDOT PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PCE PERCHLOROETHYLENE ii PBA PERKASIE BOROUGH AUTHORITY scs SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE (U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE) II SEPTA SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY TIP TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEh IENTS PROGRAM TCE TRICHLOROETHYLENE I3 UBSWG UPPER BUCKS SOLID WASTE GROUP II II 1I II II II II II vi II INTRODUCTION A comprehensive plan is the community's statement of what it is and what it intends to be. Such a plan is a committment I to conserve, if not preserve, certain valuable assets or characteristics of a community. A plan is a document designed to guide change in a community--its future growth i and development. A plan enables a community to make sound decisions concerning its future. These decisions are based on the stated policies of the community, the township's existing I character, the limitations to development (whether they be physical, financial or social), and the need to accommodate anticipated population growth. Comprehensive planning is a continuous process. Hence, a plan must be updated to remain I a viable document. Understanding the importance of the comprehensive plan, the elected officials and planning com- mission of East Rockhill Township undertook the task of I updating the municipal comprehensive plan which had been accepted in theory in 1969. Since 1969 several factors have arisen which have strong I influences on the future development of East Rockhill. The installation of a sewer system in portions of the township provides the opportunity for new development. Related to this are the problems with on-lot sewer systems in the community. Most soils in the township are limited to such a degree as to make the installation of any conventional on-site systems I impossible and the installation of the majority of alternate systems unadvisable. Additionally, insufficient quantities of water and poor water quality have a substantial impact on the community's growth. The comprehensive plan addresses these i issues and others. The township recognizes that it is not an isolated community 1 and therefore land use aspects of this plan have been evaluated in light of the comprehensive plans of adjacent municipalities. In particular, the plan examines the villages I bordering Bedminster Township and the problem of water availability shared with Perkasie Borough. I I Thus, this revision to the township's comprehensive plan addresses issues of current importance and recognizes the context of East Rockhill's neighboring communities. The result is a plan that guides the township's development in response to these major issues. This comprehensive plan comprises two major parts, an inventory with analysis of the various elements in the inventory and a concept plan. Part I of the plan contains an inventory of population, housing, employment, land uses, villages, community facilities and services, and transportation. Methods of municipal finance are outlined. The inventory describes and analyzes these various aspects of East Rockhill. Part I1 includes a synthesis of all this information, which along with the goals and objectives listed at the beginning of the plan, is the basis for the concept plan. The concept plan describes future land uses and land use policies for the township. 2 I COMMUNITY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES This chapter presents the goals and objectives of the compre- hensive plan. The goals and objectives are the guidelines under which this plan has been prepared. The goals establish the general actions which the township wishes to take with respect to the protection of the township's rural character and the natural environment, the development of a balanced community, the provision of public facilities and limited governmental services, and the control of the form, location, and timing of growth. Under each goal are a set of objectives that are more specific guidelines for action. The goals and objectives were established at the outset of the planning process to provide a framework for the gathering of infor- mation. During the preparation of this plan, discussions suggested that some of the original goals and objectives needed to be revised; some were deleted or revised; and new ones were added. The result is a set of policies that serve as the township's principles for preservation, conservation, land use and development. Goal: To preserve the rural character of East Rockhill Township as the community grows. Objectives: 1. Direct growth away from those sections of the township which should retain their rural charac- ter-where natural resources are extensive and where few community facilities exist that can support intensive growth. 2. Ensure that development is compatible in scale and location with sensitive natural resources, such as floodplains, forests, steep slopes, poor soils and limited groundwater. 3. Protect the township's farmlands from develop- 3 ment which may remove fertile soils from pro- duction or interfere with the practice of farming. 4. Prevent haphazard growth throughout the township so that intensive development is limited to areas of the township that can best accommodate growth. The most significant feature of East Rockhill is its rural character-the extensive forested areas, slopes that are steep arid rocky or gently rolling, the valleys of Three Mile Run and East Branch Perkiomen Creek, the fields and homesteads of numerous farms, and the several small villages scattered at various crossroads.