Landscapes Background
What is Landscapes?
Landscapes is Chester County’s comprehensive policy plan; it has brought growth management and preservation strategies together. It has guided municipalities, developers, preservationists, and many others in setting priorities for where and how our County grows—including both how to revitalize our urban centers and small towns and how best to protect our natural, rural, and historic heritage.
What has Changed Since Landscapes was Adopted?
Landscapes was adopted in 1996 and since that time, Chester County has become the fastest growing county in Pennsylvania – increasing by nearly 70,000 people in the last ten years. The median home price has increased by 90% between 1995 and 2005 (from $155,000 to $295,000). Over 48,000 new housing units have been proposed for development from 1997 to 2005.
Chester County is now a regional employment center – not just a “bedroom community” of commuters driving outside the County to work. In ten years, the number of registered vehicles in the County grew by 35% - that’s 100,000 vehicles, all of which have an impact on area roadways.
The demographic, economic, environmental, and infrastructural impact of these growth trends has been enormous – and confirms the need to revisit Landscapes. Landscapes is being updated now to reflect the changing needs of our County. Landscapes2 will build on past efforts, address newly emerging concerns, and make use of current technology to achieve an up-to-date vision for the County’s future, one that brings together the best of both growth and preservation strategies.
What has Landscapes Accomplished?
This award-winning planning program has served as the model for other counties in Pennsylvania and across the country. Some of the plan’s specific achievements include:
- Creating consistency among municipalities – 72 of the 73 municipalities within Chester County have endorsed Landscapes and are working with the County to achieve coordinated planning programs consistent with the plan’s growth and preservation vision. This level of county and municipal cooperation is unprecedented.
- Supporting cooperative planning – the County’s Vision Partnership Program has awarded $3.6 million to 67 municipalities to date, to fund meaningful changes to municipal planning programs that advance the Landscapes vision of balancing growth and preservation.
- Reinvesting in our towns – the Community Revitalization Program has awarded $18.7 million for revitalization projects to improve livability in 15 of our urban centers, including Main Street improvements, infrastructure upgrades, and landscaping.
- Protecting our farmland – the Agricultural Land Preservation Program has awarded $50 million to preserve 222 farms, totaling 21,267 acres. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania matched these funds dollar for dollar.
- Preserving our rural and natural lands – the Preservation Partnership Program has assisted non-profit conservation groups in preserving 3,396 acres with $16.2 million in County grants.
Landscapes: What’s In It for Me?
Because Landscapes encompasses both growth and preservation strategies, it has found broad support among a diverse range of groups, including preservationists and environmental groups, developers, municipal and County officials, recreation groups, farmers, business owners, residents and community organizations.
These groups receive many benefits from Landscapes:
- Residents & Landowners receive information about growth and preservation issues that may affect their property and community, and gives them tools and resources to more actively participate in the planning process.
- Municipal Officials receive a consistent framework for planning and prioritizing growth issues, as well as financial and technical assistance through the Vision Partnership Program.
- Developers and Realtors receive guidelines for where development is most appropriate, and more certainty about what plans will be viewed favorably when municipal plans and ordinances are consistent with Landscapes.
- Preservation & Environmental Groups receive information, support, and guidance for open space preservation and environmental protection initiatives encompassing land, water, and recreation resources. Funding is also provided through the Preservation Partnership Program.
- Recreation Groups receive policies and recommendations, as well as financial assistance, for meeting park and recreation needs.
- Farmers receive funding through the Agricultural Land Preservation Program, as well as information identifying areas in the County most appropriate for farmland preservation – making them eligible for additional support programs.
- County Officials receive a clear, flexible road map with bipartisan support for future growth in the County, providing the basis for consistent programming across County departments.
- Businesses receive information about demographic trends and where future growth is most likely to occur, allowing them to incorporate this data into their strategic planning.