c I1 Y Comprehensive Pla.n m s “Our Vision, Our Future, Our Coinmu n i tp” Prepared by: The West View Steering Committee TechnicaUFacilitation Assistance by: Pashek Associates, Ltd. _- i LI _.., . .. ,. .a .I , , TABLE OF CONTENTS Ac knowledqrnents Introductiorl.............................................................................................................. 1 ntro.-I Mission Statement..................................................................... ' ................................ Intra.--/ Section I Situational Profile ...................1-6 3 - Existing Land Use ...................................................... 1-23 Section II Creatinq the Visiou Step I- The Vision ..... Step 2 - Key Community Goals .............. Step 3 - Community Development Objectives........................................... 11-5 Step 4 - The Future Land Use Scenario............................ 11-8 0 Section I I I Strateqies for Actiou Implementation Strategies ............................................................................ 111-1 1 rnages Image Intro.- I...Borough Building & Mai I mdge I ntro.-3..St. Lu kes.................................... Image I-?........... A view of Centet-Avenu Image 1-2.......... West View elementary school.. .............................. 1-8 Image 1-3 ..........High school football fie .......!..................I............. 1-9 Image 1-4 ..........West View Methodist C ......Activity Node 1 - Down .............................. 1-29 Image 1-6 ..........Activity Node 2 - West View Park Sbopping Plaza ..........1-29 Table ofcontents: Page 1 .Activity Node 3 - Commercial area along West View Park I Drive ..................................... .................I-30 .:..West View Borough .......... Image 111-1 ........Older Residential Homes. Fig u pes I I Figure Intro.-1..What is a Comprehensive Plan! .................I ntro.-l Figure Intro.-2..Location Map - West View Bo Figure I ntro. -3..Comprehensive P 14 n n i n g P roc Land Use Character Map ................. West View Borough Existing West View Borough's Vision Mappings Mapping-?. ........H istoric & Cultural Resource Inventory ............................ 1-10 Mapping-2 ........Recreation Facilities Inventory & Spatial Analysis................ 1-13 ....E nvi ron menta 1 Constra i n Mapping-4 ........Existing Landuse Analysi Mappi ng-5.. ......Transportation Issues Ma ................l-33 Future Landuse Map................................................. Tables ... West View Borough Population Denstty ................. .......1-14 ...West View Borough Population Trends................................ 1-14 Table 1-3 ...........2000 Population Data ...............!.................................. 1-14 Table 1-4 ...........Age and Gender in West View Borough and Comparison 2000 ....................................... 1-1 5 Table 1-5 ...........West View Borough Age Trends Table 1-6 ...........2000 Household Chard Table 1-7 ...........West View Borough Ho Table 1-8 1990 Income Characteri and Comparison .. Table 1-9.......... .I990 Educational Table 1-10 .........1990 Labor and Table 1-11 ..........West View Boro Table 1-12 ..........Roadway Volume and Classification..;I................................... 1-36 Table 1-13 .........Accident History Summary I 1-37 Table 11-1 .........,Key Community Goals........................ j ................................... 11-3 Table 111-1 .........Strategies for Action I 111-3 Table AI-1 ........Community Wide Input Meeting .......j ................................... A-2 -~ ______ ~~ ~ I I Table of Contents: Page 2 I i Appendices Appendix A... .. Meeting Minutes I Appendix 8.... .. .Transportation G1oss;tt-y Appendix C ....,..Annual Budgets Appendix D..... Resources: Informational and Financiial ! ! Table ofContents: Paye 3 I :. 3 ..I .. ,: .. '. , '. , : . '. , '. .... .. , ACKNO WLEDGWENTS ! Borough Staff Ken Wolf, Manager Plann ina Cotnm ission Members Thomas Duncan, Chair Richard Abbott Bill Aguglia john Koerts Donald Mikec i i I I I. INTRODUCTION Ovewi ew On luly 12,2000, West View Borough, set in motion, a process to define their needs, goals and.ideas for the future ofthe community. The intent' was to develop a planning tool for guiding future land use, focusing government and community resources, meeting park and recreation needs, and initiating a series of realistic strategies important to the "community" as a whole. Image lotro.-I: Borough Building Q Main Street Area Figure Intro.-I: West View Borough is located five miles north ofthe City. What is a of Pittsburgh. Route 19, a main north-south corridor, Cornpre hensive plant runs through the heart ofthe community. The Borough's proximity to downtown Pittsburgh and the "North Hills," It is a dynamic policy document that affords residents convenient access to many cultural, defines a common vision for the future of the community. in doing so, it ...: employment, and recieational destination points. It has an area of2,613 square kilometers (1.02 square miles). J scans relevant informationabout Hilly and wooded, it lies in the flood plain ofCirty's Run. the existing land use, parks and Reference Figure Intro.-2, Location Map. open spaces, housing, government operations, The Borough's development patterns include a quaint transportation as well as the main street business district and a regional shopping area. physical, natural, historic, and Its traditional neighborhoods are laid out along a grid cultural features of the ofstreets complimented sidewalks shade community; and pattern by and trees. , J develops a consensus about key strengths and weakness of the The steep topography,offers wonderful views ofthe many community; and neighborhoods in the Borough and surrounding Ross Township. 1 1 J defines a vision, specific goals and a plan for future land use, re-use, in-fill opportunities, and all requirements by the MPC; I and J provides specific strategies and initiatives to achieve the goals and address the issues ficing the ' The mission statement following this section outlines the operating basls or ptirpose ofthe plan West View Borough, Allegheny County p27fmJI Comprehensive Plan I Intro -1 I INTRODUCTION Histol-ic Perspective Founded in 1905, the Borough of West View took its name from a hotel, the West View Inn.' Casper Reel was the first settler ofthe Borough. In 1906, the Pittsburgh Railroad Company combined its West View and Belfevue Routes, thereby providing public transportation from the Borough to the City of Pittsburgh. West View Park was founded that same year.3 One ofthe "trolley parks" that ringed the metropolitan area, West View Park, became a destination for city residents eager to escape the urban environment on their Image Intro.-2: St. Lukes day off.' The trolley line also made it possible for businessmen to move their kmilies out ofsmoky Pittsburgh 0 to an area with cleaner air and water. These men would then use ;the trolley lines to commute to lobs in the city. Proximity to West View Park provided an additional 3raw5. I As did many "streetcar suburbs", West View became a desirable t-esidential community with neighborhood oriented small-scale business uses locating along Route 19 (Perry Highway) and Center Avenue, the main corridors through the Borough. The trolley-line was removed on September 5,1965. It was operated by the Pittsburgh hilways Company and in its final year by the Port Authority.6 However, the construction of Interstate 279 in'1991 improved access to the Borough from all points in the Pittsburgh metropolitan region. ' ,, ~naddition to being a street car suburb, residents are proud ofseferal other significant pieces of history because they contributed to the evolution ofthe present"community. First, Danceland was a lively amusement park that burned in 1973 and is remembered fdndly as a gathering place for community members. Second, as suburbs began to form outside of Pittsburgh and horses and 0 buggies became a primary mode oftransportation, mile marker ihns began to emerge as rest stops for travelers. A mile marker inn represented the distance from the City of Pittsburgh outward. Both the Four Mile and Five Mile Inns were located in West View. The Four Mile Inn was built in 1819. It was torn down to make way for Route 279. The Five Mile House was built around 1830 and was destroyed by a fire in 1970. The West View Inn was also a well-kbow establishment that offered a I 1 * North Hills Record On-line Community Guide West View Home Page 1 Interview with Beth Schellhaas, President, West View Chamber ofCornmerce I I The park was closed in 1977. Interview with Ann Holtz, Port Authority West View Borough, Allegheny County 2/11/02 I Comprehensive Plan lntro - 2 I 1 j INTRODUCTION race track as an attraction during the 1870’s and 1880’s. It was located near Cemetery Lane.7 Also, Simon Cirty, a Scotts/Irish man, sided with the British during thk Revolutionary War. 80th the Cirty’s Run watershed and Cirty’s Run Road are named after him;” I Today, the Borough is almost entirely built-out, with the development pattern continuing to consist primarily of residential neighborhoods with several commercial dockets. The housing is sound and buildings are interesting with character. The majority ofthe hou;ing stock in the Borough was constructed in 1905-1930, which provides a mix of affot-dable hopsing choices for residents. I 1 Current Issues i 1 Issues now fhng the Borough include among others, proactive12 addressing code enforcement issues, increasing pedestrian access and mobility, continuing to provide the