NEWTOWN BOROUGH Bucks County, Pennsylvania APRIL 2010 COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DRAFT NEWTOWN BOROUGH COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE COUNCIL PLANNING COMMISSION Julia Woldorf, President Warren Woldorf, Chairman Perry Warren, Vice President Paul Salvatore, Vice Chairman Gerard O’Malley, Member Kris Fenton Bauman, Member John Burke, Member Debbie Donofry, Member Michael Sellers, Member William Heinemann, Member Robert Walker, Member Geraldine Lumpkin, Member Paul Snyder, Member Dennis O’Brien, Mayor Mark Craig, Former Member Gerard O’Malley, Former Member Rand Jaslow, Former Member Michael Sellers, Former Member 23 N ORTH S TATE S TREET N EWTOWN, P ENNSYLVANIA 18940‐ 2026 T EL 215.968.2109 F AX 215.968.6338 WWW. BORO. NEWTOWN. PA. US TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction to the Comprehensive Plan ....................................................................... 1 Why a Comprehensive Plan? ............................................................................................. 1 What Does a Comprehensive Plan Accomplish? ............................................................ 1 Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code Requirements ............................................... 2 The Comprehensive Plan as a Living Document ............................................................ 2 Need for Continuing Planning .......................................................................................... 2 Chapter 2 Community Development Goals and Objectives ......................................................... 3 About Our Community ...................................................................................................... 3 Crafting the Plan .................................................................................................................. 3 Goals and Objectives ........................................................................................................... 3 Vision Statement and Goals ............................................................................................... 4 Chapter 3 Planning Questionnaire .................................................................................................... 9 Chapter 4 Issues Facing the Borough .............................................................................................. 11 Issues ................................................................................................................................... 11 Newtown Borough as a Residential Community ......................................................... 12 Encouraging Economic Vitality ....................................................................................... 12 Maintaining a Sense of Place ............................................................................................ 12 Chapter 5 Sustainability .................................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 6 Population .......................................................................................................................... 19 Population Growth ............................................................................................................ 19 Population Characteristics ............................................................................................... 20 Commuting Patterns ......................................................................................................... 24 Chapter 7 Housing .............................................................................................................................. 27 Ownership and Market Value ......................................................................................... 27 Housing Age ...................................................................................................................... 28 Residential Conversions ................................................................................................... 29 Chapter 8 Natural Resources Management .................................................................................... 31 Surface Water Resources .................................................................................................. 31 Trees .................................................................................................................................... 32 Open Space ......................................................................................................................... 34 TABLE OF CONTENTS i Chapter 9 Community Facilities and Services ............................................................................... 37 Schools ................................................................................................................................ 37 Borough Administrative Services .................................................................................... 38 Emergency Services ........................................................................................................... 38 Library Services ................................................................................................................. 39 Post Office ........................................................................................................................... 39 Religious Institutions ........................................................................................................ 39 Civic Groups and Facilities .............................................................................................. 40 Recreation Facilities and Open Space ............................................................................. 41 Water Resources ................................................................................................................ 43 Water Supply ..................................................................................................................... 43 Wastewater Facilities ........................................................................................................ 44 Stormwater Management ................................................................................................. 45 Localized Stormwater Management Issues ................................................................... 47 Solid Waste Management (Recycling) ............................................................................ 48 Chapter 10 Economic Development................................................................................................... 51 The Broader Picture ........................................................................................................... 52 Fostering a Balance ............................................................................................................ 52 Community Development ................................................................................................ 53 Government Programs...................................................................................................... 53 Chapter 11 Historic Preservation and Borough History ................................................................ 57 The Historic District .......................................................................................................... 57 An Overview of the Borough’s Historic District ........................................................... 58 Preservation Issues ............................................................................................................ 59 Adaptive Reuse, Regulatory Approaches, and Other Preservation Tools ................ 60 The Stocking Works—Adaptive Reuse .......................................................................... 61 Newtown Borough and its History—An Overview ..................................................... 64 Chapter 12 Streetscapes ........................................................................................................................ 67 Gateways to the Borough ................................................................................................. 67 Design Guidelines ............................................................................................................. 68 Signage ................................................................................................................................ 69 Street Trees ......................................................................................................................... 69 Parking Facilities ................................................................................................................ 70 Property Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 70 Chapter 13 Transportation and Circulation ..................................................................................... 73 Transportation System ...................................................................................................... 73 Vehicular System ............................................................................................................... 73 Parking ................................................................................................................................ 75 Public Transportation ....................................................................................................... 76 ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Traffic Calming .................................................................................................................