A PLAN FOR LAND USE

Overview

The Municipalities Planning Code refers to the land use plan by stating that the Comprehensive Plan shall include:

“A plan for land use, which may include provisions for the amount, intensity, character, and timing of land use proposed for residence, industry, business, agriculture, major traffic and transit facilities, utilities, community facilities, public grounds, parks and recreation, preservation of prime agricultural lands, flood plains, and other areas of special hazards and other similar uses.”

This chapter focuses on both existing and future land use in Charlestown Township. Its primary purpose is to develop a land use strategy that effectively manages and balances growth and conservation. It provides an inventory of existing conditions by type of land use, along with an estimate of the total acreage within each land use category. This is accompanied by a comprehensive inventory of natural and scenic features including topography, soils, floodplains, wetlands, stream valleys, and other important physical elements (Appendix C). Extensive analysis of these features is conducted in conjunction with existing land use and other plan components including housing, community facilities and utilities. This analysis culminates in a set of policy recommendations guided by the Goals, Objectives and Strategies and set forth in the A Plan for Land Use.

Existing Land Use

The recommendations for future land use evolve from the inventory and analysis of existing land use. This entailed an examination of the various land use types and their corresponding acreages as of December 2000. For this analysis, a property’s land use classification is based on its current, predominant use. Map 3, Existing Land Use - 2000, depicts the location and pattern of the various land use types. A record of existing land use types and their acreages is presented in Table 12.

Charlestown Township supports a mix of land use types dominated by residential (38%) and agricultural (34%) uses. Vacant/undeveloped land comprises the third largest land use (12%). Together, these three uses account for 84% of the Township’s total acreage. Approximately 3,724 acres of this land is in vacant/undeveloped and agricultural use. Just over 3,050 acres is devoted to residential land use. These three uses are relatively interspersed, with housing and farmsteads mixed with open space and agricultural uses. This pattern, found throughout the Township, typifies Charlestown’s rural character and scenic and natural beauty. On the other hand, more intensely developed residential uses are also accommodated. Such uses are

Map 3. Existing Land USE

Table 8. Existing Land Use: 2000

Sources: “Windshield Surveys” by the Consultant, June to November 2000

Existing Land Use Map, dated December 19, 2000

present at Charlestown Oaks, to the south, and Charlestown Hunt and the Tyrone Farms area, to the north.

Open Space/Recreation uses comprise approximately 400 acres of land (4.98% of total land). These are areas that may function as either active or passive recreational facilities, or open space set-asides. They consist of Township owned lands such as Charlestown Township Park,

and the former Pyle Farm; the privately owned lands of Swiss Pines and the Great Valley Nature Center; and designated open space areas within various residential developments and PRDs such as Charlestown Oaks and Charlestown Hunt.

Industrial and office uses occupy approximately 265 acres of land (3.29% of total land), mainly concentrated in the Devault area located in the southeastern part of the Township (near the intersection of Charlestown Road and Phoenixville Pike). The Devault area has traditionally been the site of heavy industry, in the form of quarrying operations, as well as less intensive manufacturing industries. More recently, Devault has become a preferred location for light service industries, as evidenced by the increased office construction in the area of General Warren Boulevard.

Institutional land use accounts for approximately 88 acres of land (1.10% of total land). These uses are relatively dispersed throughout the Township with a small concentration of sites, including the Devault Post Office, are located in the Devault area. Major institutions in Charlestown Township include the Valley Forge Christian College and the Charlestown Elementary School. Others include the Charlestown Playschool, the Chester Valley Grange, and several churches.

Commercial uses in Charlestown Township are very limited, consisting of just over 8 acres of land (less than 1% of total land). This is primarily due to the fact that the Township’s current low population density does not support an extensive commercial or retail base. Despite this, there are a handful of commercial establishments in existence, including the Charlestown Saloon, the Stables Bar, the Ott Fur Shop, and an auto body shop.

Development Trends

Identifying development trends is important for understanding current land use patterns and for assessing and managing the direction of future growth. Further examination of Table 12 provides insight into the land development processes that have been in operation over the past several decades.

In the 1976 Comprehensive Plan, vacant/undeveloped lands were reported to comprise the largest amount of acreage within the Township, followed by agriculture and residential land use. Land use acreages as of 2000 show a complete reversal of this condition. Residential land use now surpasses both vacant/undeveloped and agricultural land use in total acreage, with vacant/undeveloped dropping to third largest. Based on this change, it is apparent that residential land use is by far the Township’s largest consumer of land. Furthermore, this

increase in residential land has come primarily at the expense of the undeveloped, rural landscape.

An increase in open space/recreation land use has occurred, primarily through the conversion of vacant/undeveloped land. A portion of this increase resulted from the creation of designated open space within subdivisions and PRDs. Other open space/recreation lands were acquired by the Township. However, the amount of land converted to open space/recreation is minimal compared to that of residential land use.

As mentioned above, agricultural land use is one of the predominant uses in the Township. This is notable in that it indicates that while much of this land is kept for aesthetic purposes rather than for active farming, agriculture is still an important land use and remains a dominant feature in Charlestown’s landscape.

The amount of acreage in industrial and office land use is also notable in that it shows growth in the Township’s economic sector, concentrated in the Devault area. New office construction in this area also indicates a shift away from heavy industry toward the light manufacturing and service industries. This is consistent with regional economic trends.

Future Land Use

In order to plan for future land use, it is first necessary to identify the features that influence development, and determine which lands are suitable and unsuitable for development. A preliminary assessment of development constraints was conducted to delineate critical environmental areas, other sensitive environmental areas, properties under easement, and currently developed land (Map 4). These lands are considered unsuitable for development due to environmental constraints, or in the case of currently developed land, are not of primary concern because any further development of those properties is likely to yield very little impact. The remaining lands, outside of the currently developed and environmentally constrained areas, are considered to have a higher development potential.

The Development Constraints map is the foundation upon which Map 5, A Plan for Future Land Use was created. This map, in turn, is the basis from which future land use policy is derived. It goes beyond a land development suitability assessment to specifically determine what level of development intensity is appropriate for a given area. This analysis is based not only upon environmental constraints, but also upon factors such as availability of public utilities and community facilities, and access to transportation systems. The pattern of developed and undeveloped areas is intended to reinforce the Goals, Objectives and Strategies outlined in Chapter 4, as well as the vision of the Chester County Landscapes plan.

The Plan for Future Land Use (Map 5) depicts nine distinct areas in the Township along with appropriate land use strategies for each. In general, it promotes the conservation of open space and natural resources by directing growth to areas deemed suitable for development. It emphasizes Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas, mainly along the Pickering Creek and its tributaries, and Special Heritage Protection Areas. These areas are intended to reinforce the importance of protecting the Township’s scenic and cultural resources and the physical features necessary for maintaining healthy ecosystems and properly functioning hydrologic processes. Intensive land development in these areas is strongly discouraged.

The future land use plan also advocates the preservation of existing Recreation and Open Space areas, a as well as agricultural use on prime farmland soils (Agricultural Priority Areas). Potential development is directed to three specific Conservation Development Areas - Minimal Impact, Moderate Impact, and Higher Intensity Development Areas - designed to accommodate various land uses at various intensities.

The nine future land use areas and associated policy recommendations are as follows:

1. Primary Conservation Areas – These are Critical Environmental Areas where development is not appropriate. They include areas of very steep slope (25% +), 50 foot stream valley buffers, FEMA 100 year floodplains, wetlands, and hydric soils. These areas are most suitable for open space, conservation, and limited agriculture or silviculture uses.

Recommended policies: Enact and maintain ordinances to prohibit or strictly limit development; develop new Net Lot Area reductions; enact and maintain wetland and stream buffers.

Map 4. Development Potential
Map 6. Future Land Use Plan

2. Secondary Conservation Areas – These are sensitive environmental areas worthy of special protection measures. They include areas of steep slope (15% - 25%), 100 foot stream valley buffers, FEMA 500 year floodplains, 100 foot wetland buffers, soils subject to flooding, and soils with a high water table or seasonal high water table. These areas are most suitable for open space, conservation, agriculture, silviculture, and very limited development.

Recommended policies: Enact ordinances to strictly limit development; develop new Net Lot area reductions; extend wetland and stream buffer areas; enact development density restrictions.

3. Recreation and Open Space – These are areas for conservation and recreation.

Recommended policies: Encourage park and recreation planning; develop appropriate facility improvements; promote environmental education; enact ordinances for trail system protection and development.

4. Agricultural Priority Areas – These are Prime Farmland Soils presently in agricultural use. Agricultural use may be characterized by active farming practices or the maintenance of agricultural land for the sake of preserving the Township’s rural character.

Recommended policies: Expand Agricultural Security Area; promote sustainable farming through Community Sponsored Agriculture (CSA) and other methods; encourage conservation easements and land trusts; participate in State and County agricultural preservation programs.

5. Special Heritage Landscape Protection Zones – These are areas whose outstanding visual character embodies the agricultural and rural village heritage of Charlestown. The Special Heritage Landscape Protection Zones include areas with long, scenic vistas, bucolic farms, and historic buildings. They are most suitable for agricultural, historic, and landscape preservation.

The Special Heritage Landscape Protection Zones include the following areas:

· Charlestown Village Historic District, including Baughman’s Mill, the Charlestown General Store, the Charlestown Methodist Church, and several historic residences.

· Yellow Springs Road between Sidley Hill and Valley Hill Roads, including the former Pyle Farm. This area has the longest views in the Township across rolling fields and woodlands into northern Chester and Montgomery Counties.

· Pikeland Road between Church Road and West Pikeland Township, including four historic farms. This area contains beautifully maintained historic country estates and spectacular views of the Pikeland Churches to the north.

· Charlestown Road north of Hollow Road, including the Hi Lai Farm. This is a definitive horse country landscape featuring a historic farmstead nestled within fenced pastures with distant visible fields and hedgerows.

· Charlestown Road west of Hilltop Road, including the Fisher farm and adjacent areas. This area forms the eastern gateway into Charlestown, with views across the Pickering Creek Valley westward to West Pikeland Township.

Recommended policies: Consider zoning restrictions to strictly limit development; encourage conservation easements and historic/land trusts; create TDR “Sending Areas” (Appendix E); participate in State and County Farm Preservation Programs; consider Township acquisition of properties.

6. Minimal Impact Conservation Development Areas – These areas are worthy of vigorous conservation efforts, due to environmental sensitivity and definitive rural landscape character. This area includes the Pickering Creek Valley Overlay District described in the 1993 Open Space, Recreation and Environmental Resources Plan, and two smaller areas along Hollow Road and adjacent to Charlestown Hunt.

Recommended policies: Create TDR “Sending Areas” (Appendix E); enact low intensity residential zone with minimum lot area requirements above 80,000 square feet; encourage Open Space Option with 50-55% open space; promote large lot (5-10 acre) conservation developments with fast track approval.

7. Moderate Impact Conservation Development Areas – Areas suitable for moderate intensity residential development, based on infrastructure and surrounding land uses. These areas are most suitable to residential uses at low to moderate densities, including PRDs and institutional campus development.

Recommended policies: Enact TDR limited “Receiving Areas” (Appendix E); allow moderately sized single family lots at 1-1½ acre minimum area; modify existing PRD zoning to encourage appropriate design methods.

8. Higher Intensity Development Areas – These areas are suitable for mixed-use development, including new village, institutional campus, commercial campus, industrial, higher intensity residential, and mass transit node. These uses would be concentrated in the Devault area. The Plan identifies five sub-areas for development including:

1. Municipal Building/Municipal Services Center

2. Traditional Neighborhood Development

3. Corporate or Residential Campus Development

4. Low Impact Industrial/ Office and Adaptive Re-use

5. Flex Office and Industrial

The Low Impact Industrial/Office and Adaptive Re-use concept could be translated into various forms of residential redevelopment. Such redevelopment could involve the conversion of dwellings into apartments or the conversion of warehouse sites into apartment buildings.

Recommended policies: Enact TDR “Receiving Areas,” mixed use zoning, and higher intensity zoning; promote regional transportation planning.

9. Other Low and Moderate Intensity Development – This area includes existing low to moderate intensity development and potential infill development sites, with appropriate environmental safeguards.

Recommended policies: Maintain 80,000 square foot standard lot size; encourage Open Space Option with 40% open space; strengthen forest and tree protection standards.

Innovative land development techniques such as Transfer of Development Rights (TDR), Open Space Option, and Conservation Design are some of the tools through which the Future Land Use Plan can be accomplished. TDR would be used to transfer development rights from the Primary and Secondary Conservation Areas, Special Heritage Landscape Protection Zones, Agricultural Priority Areas, and Minimal Impact Conservation Development Areas (the “Sending Areas”) to the Moderate Impact and Higher Intensity Development Areas (the “Receiving Areas”). In this way, both conservation and development objectives are achieved in a single transaction.

Open Space Option and Conservation Design methods are intended to achieve a balance between development and open space/recreation in a specific site. Again, natural resources are preserved while development needs are accommodated.

In all cases where development occurs, this Plan strongly advocates the use of site development practices that are sensitive to natural conditions. Best Management Practices (BMPs) for stormwater management should be employed, and disturbance of soils, geology, topography, and vegetation and habitat should be minimized.

The recommended policies mentioned above are discussed further in the chapter entitled “Short and Long Range Implementation Strategies,” and in Appendix E, “Implementation Tools and Techniques.”