Landscapes3, Commercial Landscapes, and Current Transportation Projects Chester County Engineers October 19, 2017
Landscapes3
Landscapes3 Public Process Public Meeting – October 26
Opportunities for Municipal Input Fall, 2016 – Spring, 2017 Municipal representatives appointed to expert Stakeholder Committees May, 2017 General Survey Fall, 2017 Municipal representatives appointed to Steering Committee Fall, 2017 – Spring, 2018 Municipal input on draft vision, goals, and landscapes map Spring, 2018 Steering Committee meetings around County Spring, 2018 – Fall, 2018 Proposed policies and draft plan shared with municipalities
Purpose of County Comprehensive Plan Guide Growth and Preservation
Purpose of County Comprehensive Plan Guide County Actions • Vision Partnership Program • Open Space Program • Urban Centers Assistance • Trails • Advocacy
Purpose of County Comprehensive Plan Address Issues going beyond Local Boundaries • Traffic • Public Transportation • Environment • Trails • Housing Needs • Economic Development
Landscapes and Landscapes2 Accomplishments 1996 2016
Sprawl has been limited • Municipalities have been instrumental in limiting sprawl • The County’s Vision Partnership Program has supported local municipalities • 10,000 fewer acres of land have been developed than expected • 40,000 more people than forecasted moved into the county
Valuable open space has been protected • 92,000 additional acres of open space have been preserved • Protected open space has increased from 8% of the county to nearly 27% • The county’s open space preservation program has been a crucial part of this preservation effort
Downtown urban centers have reenergized • Many downtowns have revitalized with new food, entertainment, and shopping choices • The county’s urban communities have added over 10,000 residents • The county’s Community Revitalization Program has been a key factor in improving infrastructure
Trails have become a key part of resident’s lives • Over half a million trips are taken on the county’s trails every year • More than 25 miles of new multi- use trails have been built • The county has taken the lead on building the Schuylkill River Trail and the Chester Valley Trail
The transportation system has worked well • New road capacity has been added by major projects like the Route 202 widening, Exton By- Pass connection, Route 29 Turnpike Interchange, and the Route 100 widening • The Paoli-Thorndale SEPTA line has experienced significant increased use • Over $1.267 billion of state and federal money has been allocated to Chester County over the past 20 years
Trends impacting Chester County Changing Demographics • 146,000 more people expected by 2045 • Those 65 and older are expected to increase from 13% to 20% of the county (65,000 to 129,000 residents) • People living alone could become the largest household type
Trends impacting Chester County Technological Transformation • The way people work, shop, and interact is changing with digital communication • Autonomous vehicles and ride-hailing services could significantly change transportation and land use
Trends impacting Chester County Housing Growth • 55,000 new homes may be built by 2045 • With a median price of over $316,500, homes are not affordable to many people
Trends impacting Chester County Importance of Preservation • Preservation of open space, farmland, historic properties, and natural areas remains a priority for many • Stewardship of preserved places is becoming more important over time
Trends impacting Chester County Limited Transportation Alternatives • Driving remains the primary way of getting around (80% of commuters drive alone) • There are too many barriers to walking, biking, and taking transit • Interest in trails continues to grow • Chronic health issues related to lack of exercise are increasing
Trends impacting Chester County New Development & Economic Trends • Office buildings and office parks need to provide more amenities to remain competitive • With online sales, retailing is changing significantly • More local farmers are taking advantage of interest in local food
Questions on Landscapes3?
Commercial Landscapes
Commercial Landscapes • Brownfields • Transit-Oriented Development • Greyfields • Office Parks
Commercial Landscapes - Brownfields Existing Conditions • 592 brownfield sites in Chester County • Perception and market issues • Often extra costs, cleanup, and time for brownfield site development • Act 2 Land Recycling Program from state significantly reduced liabilities
Commercial Landscapes - Brownfields How to encourage redevelopment • Understand process and hurdles • Take advantage of grants and consider tax relief, like LERTA • Simplify zoning process and add incentives, land uses, and flexibility • Protect community character • Allow pop-up uses • Make sites greener
Commercial Landscapes - Brownfields
Commercial Landscapes – Transit Oriented Development Existing Conditions • 12 train stations in county, 5 also serve Amtrak • Often small sites or complex ownership issues • Nearby resident concerns about density, height, change of character, and traffic
Commercial Landscapes – Transit Oriented Development How to encourage supportive development • Vision and master plan for area are important – walkability is key • New zoning should allow higher density and new uses by right • Design standards needed for parking location, building placement, and building design • Physical improvements should include sidewalks, streetscapes, and greening
Commercial Landscapes – Transit Oriented Development (TOD)
Commercial Landscapes - Greyfields Existing Conditions • 20.8 square feet per person of shopping center space, versus 23 sf nationally • A lot of retail is on perimeter of county • Retail needs to reinvent itself frequently, and on-line sales are changing retail dynamics • A number of big name retailers are retracting
Commercial Landscapes - Greyfields How to encourage new dynamism • Conduct market analysis – experience based retail important • Bring business community together – chambers, business improvement districts, working groups • Allow alternative uses • Greening, buffering, transportation, and signing are key physical improvements
Commercial Landscapes – Greyfields
Commercial Landscapes – Office Parks Existing Conditions • County has about 30,000,000 square feet of office space • Rents, around $25 a square foot, and vacancy rate, around 12%, are good, not great • Space per employee is going down – was 250 s.f. and now below 200 s.f. • Younger workers interested in company culture and amenities
Commercial Landscapes – Office Parks How to reinvent office parks • Organize businesses and market strengths of area • Add amenities and uses – stores, restaurants, apartments, trails, parks, entertainment, day care • Consider more height, smaller setbacks, and more impervious coverage • Improve connections to public transit and off-site amenities
Commercial Landscapes – Office Parks
Questions on Commercial Landscapes?
Transportation Projects
Public Transportation
Parkesburg Amtrak Station Source: PennDOT / Michael Baker Corp. Source: PennDOT / Michael Baker Corp.
Coatesville Amtrak Station Source: PennDOT / Plan the Keystone Source: PennDOT / Plan the Keystone
Downingtown SEPTA/Amtrak Station Proposed New Station Location Existing Station Image Source: Pictometry
Exton SEPTA/Amtrak Station Source: DVRPC Source: DVRPC
Paoli Station Accessibility Improvements Groundbreaking Ceremony February 28 th , 2017 Images Source: TMACC
Highway
Darby Road Extension Source: PennDOT / Michael Baker Corp. Source: PennDOT / Michael Baker Corp.
US 30 Bypass Reconstruction and Widening
US Route 1 - Reconstruction
US 202 Section 300 Widening
Bridges
US 202 over Amtrak Image Source: Pictometry
Pocopson Bridge / PA 926
$5 Vehicle Registration Fee – County Bridge #297 Township Rd. over W Br Big Elk Creek in Lower Oxford Image Source: Pictometry
$5 Vehicle Registration Fee – County Bridge #111 Allerton Rd. over EB Brandywine Ck. – East Bradford
Trails
Schuylkill River Trail - Phase 2
Chester Valley Trail - Phase 4a Main Street Oaklands @ Exton Corporate Proposed Center Bridge
Chester Valley Trail - Extension to Downingtown
Chester Valley Trail West
Questions on Transportation Projects?
Contact Information Brian O’Leary Chester County Planning Commission boleary@chesco.org 610-642-8605
“Beautiful Doe Run Valley” by Lee Schlingmann “Fall in Chester County” by Kathryn Mims “Bubbling Joy” by Carol Slocum
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