The Chester County Planning Commission is excited to welcome Kylie Sentyz to our Administrative Support team! With a background as a paralegal and having previously worked for Chester County Voter Services, the Planning Commission’s Administrative and Communications division is thrilled to have Kylie on board.

Growing up on a farm in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, Kylie enjoys being outdoors, exploring new places and scenery, and spending time with her family. In her spare time, Kylie can be found staying active through various activities such as swimming, camping, skiing, and playing sports. She also enjoys reading, traveling, and sightseeing.

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There’s so much history here in Chester County – from the roads we travel, to the places we visit, and sometimes even right in our own backyards. In fact, almost 250 years ago there were thousands of soldiers marching across the Brandywine Valley in what would come to be known as the largest single-day-land-battle of the entire American Revolution. While some elements of the Battle of Brandywine remain obvious, others must be “uncovered” in order to help understand and share their story.

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From our ability to adapt in a global pandemic, to the economic strength of our communities, Chester County’s ability to “prosper” can be seen in a number of ways.

While 2020 was a year no one could have anticipated, 2019 was a fairly successful year for Chester County overall, with a number of projects and initiatives that were completed to help implement Landscapes3, the county’s comprehensive plan.

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Over the years, Chester County has made many strides to promoting environmentally-sustainable practices and standards throughout our communities. Now that we’ve made our way into 2021, communities should consider reassessing their current efforts to ensure the best “green” practices for residents and businesses both now, and into the future. The following three eTools provide ideas for saving energy and promoting green development practices.

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With so much growth throughout Chester County’s suburban centers in recent years and with more growth expected, our communities are facing many challenges and must prepare for the new growth that is coming. To assist with these efforts, the Chester County Planning Commission is excited to present the new Suburban Center Landscapes Design Guide! This guide provides planning and design guidance for new development in corridors, underutilized shopping centers, older office and business parks, and infill locations within Chester County’s Suburban Center landscapes.

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It is challenging to recap a year like 2020, since it was such an unprecedented and challenging year.  We are happy to report that the Planning Commission was able to pivot and quickly adapt by working remotely.  Despite the difficulties of the year, we also continued to implement Landscpaes3 successfully, working with our partners and the public to keep Chester County a great place for our residents, businesses, and visitors. Here are a few highlights of our accomplishments in 2020, organized by the Landscapes vision and our six goals.

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What planning project is your community ready to get started on? The first round of the Vision Partnership Program (VPP), Chester County’s municipal planning grant program, will open January 6, 2021.  The deadline for applications is February 19, 2020 at 4 pm. Eligible projects include individual and multi-municipal comprehensive plans, ordinances, official maps, and a variety of studies. Efforts such as village master plans, trail feasibility studies, revitalization plans, historic preservation planning, stewardship plans, transportation studies, and sustainability/resilience plans are eligible project types.

Details and the application can be found online in the Municipal Corner of our website. Applications are to be submitted online by February 19th at 4 pm. Pre-application meetings with the Grant Administrator are strongly encouraged. Please contact Grant Administrator Susan Elks at 610-344-6285 or selks@chesco.org to schedule a pre-application meeting or with any questions.

This past year, the Brandywine Conservancy celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Brandywine Creek Greenway regional planning initiative, which plays an important role in the lives of an estimated 500,000 people who live in its watershed, and has continued to do so for hundreds of years. “Over the past decade, much progress has been made so that we can walk, ride, hike and/or float along the many trails of the Greenway, as well as connect with the larger network of The Circuit Trails and share this space with conserved habitat that protects wildlife and natural resources,” noted the Brandywine Conservancy’s Director, Ellen M. Ferretti, in her 2020 Director’s Report. “With much work still to be done, it’s exciting to think of what lies ahead in the next decade and beyond!”

While partners were unable to physically gather to honor the Greenway initiative’s 10th anniversary due to COVID-19, the Brandywine Conservancy instead hosted a virtual “Experience the Brandywine” photo contest, which launched in October and featured 131 original photos submitted by individuals across the region. All of the photos can be found here. The Brandywine Conservancy also launched their first round of the Brandywine Creek Greenway Mini-grant program in November, with funds totaling $40,000 to support seven municipalities. Learn more at Brandywine Conservancy’s website.