Mimi Gleason, a West Chester resident, is one of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee members. Gleason is the manager of West Whiteland Township.
Gleason will bring municipal and nonprofit consulting expertise to the steering committee. In addition to working for West Whiteland Township, she previously served as the township manager and assistant township manager of Tredyffrin Township. Continue Reading →
Jim Garrison, an East Pikeland resident, is one of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee members. Garrison, an architect, is a project manager at the Vanguard Group in Malvern.
Garrison’s expertise and areas of interest as a member of the steering committee include historic preservation and open space. In addition to his background in architecture, Garrison is the chairman of the East Pikeland Historical Commission and the vice president of the Chester County Historic Preservation Network. He also has written a handful of books that include themes of architecture and historic preservation. Continue Reading →
Michael Grigalonis, an Uwchlan resident, is one of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee members. Grigalonis is the chief operating officer and executive vice president of the Chester County Economic Development Council, a private, non-governmental entity that has been providing services to the business community and enhancing the quality of life in Chester County and the region for more than 50 years. Grigalonis will bring economic development expertise to the steering committee.
“Thoughtful planning has been a key factor in the success that we have enjoyed as a county,” Grigalonis said. “I have enjoyed being involved in the early stages of Landscapes3 and look forward to getting more involved through the steering committee.” Continue Reading →
Ellen M. Ferretti, the director of the Brandywine Conservancy, is one of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee members. She lives and works on the campus at the Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art in Chadds Ford–just across the line from Chester County and right along the banks of the Brandywine River. The Brandywine Conservancy has a long history of preserving land in Chester County and working with local municipalities and elected officials on conservation oriented land use policies and regulations, according to Ferretti.
Ferretti’s expertise and areas of interest as a member of the steering committee include land conservation, land use planning, and community engagement in planning and outdoor recreation. She has over 25 years of experience working in state, county, nonprofit, and private sectors. She started her career doing environmental site assessments and site cleanups, and expanded her interest and efforts into land and water conservation. Continue Reading →
Nestled off Art School Road in the heart of West Pikeland, is a village that carries remnants of centuries of deep history, ranging from the first military hospital in North America to a spa resort to an orphan school for military soldiers’ children. The village is known as Historic Yellow Springs, which consists of 142 acres of land and 16 buildings — 10 of which are owned by the nonprofit organization that maintains the historic district these days.
“Historic Yellow Springs is a vibrant and living village that brings people together through its many cultural and art events and programs, it’s beautiful and inspiring landscape and its rich history,” said Eileen McMonagle, executive director of Historic Yellow Springs, Inc. “The 300-year history of this village reflects the history of our nation and provides us with lessons in innovative rebirth and creativity. Historic Yellow Springs is a unique gem in Chester County that is preserved by and shared with the community now, and for many years to come.” Continue Reading →
Whether she is tending to her garden in rural East Vincent or making phone calls from her desk in West Goshen to land trusts and conservancies, one thing is for certain: Rachael Griffith has a strong appreciation for Chester County’s open space. And she’s looking forward to leading open space coordination efforts between the Chester County Planning Commission and other agencies.
Rachael is a Pennsylvania-registered landscape architect who has been a staff member at the county’s Planning Commission since December 2016. Rachael now will be handling open space coordination efforts for the county agency and will be the main point of contact for people with open space inquiries. She is available to answer questions about the Planning Commission’s Protected Open Space Tracking data. Continue Reading →
Guy Ciarrocchi, a Tredyffrin resident, is one of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee members. Ciarrocchi, an attorney, has been the president and chief executive officer of the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry since 2014. Prior to that, he served as chief of staff to former Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. Jim Cawley.
Ciarrocchi also previously served as a township supervisor and planning commissioner in Tredyffrin, and he was a member of the county’s Children, Youth and Families Citizen Advisory Committee. Ciarrocchi’s areas of expertise that he brings to the Landscapes3 Steering Committee include an understanding of effective government and economic development. Continue Reading →
Alisa Maria Jones, M.P.H., a London Britain Township resident, is one of the Landscapes3 Steering Committee members. Jones is the president and chief executive officer of La Comunidad Hispana, which has offices in Kennett Square and Oxford.
Jones said she is honored to be a member of the steering committee–given its critical importance in setting the plan for the county’s future. She hopes to bring the perspectives of the nonprofit and Latino communities to the table. Continue Reading →
Many thanks to the almost 6,000 members of the public who took the time to complete our Landscapes3 public survey! The interactive, online survey was open for almost two months, and was conducted to help identify priorities for Chester County’s future as work continues on the next long-range comprehensive plan.
The public survey is just one method of engaging residents and businesses as development of Landscapes3 advances. Stakeholder input, topic specific surveys, photo contests, presentations, and outreach at community events are also helping us to share information on what planning means for the future of Chester County, and to get feedback on what the public values. An upcoming opportunity is the first Landscapes3 public meeting — Oct. 26, 2017. More details will be released in the coming weeks, but mark your calendars now and check for details here. Continue Reading →
The Planning Commission welcomed a new employee in August: Community Planner Kaitlin Feiler.
Kaitlin began working for the agency on Aug. 21. As a community planner in the Planning Services Division, Kaitlin is already assisting with revisions to a township zoning ordinance and updates to municipal comprehensive plans, and will also perform monitoring for projects that are funded through the county’s Vision Partnership Program. Continue Reading →