Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau Executive Director Susan Hamley Highlights County's Tourism

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Rolling fields and open spaces. Towns and villages known for their rich culture and business communities. A nationally known mushroom industry. A world-class display garden.

These are just some of the county’s eye-catching and unique features that the Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau has the pleasure of promoting on a daily basis. Susan Hamley, executive director of the Chester County Conference & Visitors Bureau, attended the Chester County Planning Commission’s board meeting on Sept. 11 and discussed her organization’s partnership with the county and discussed her agency’s role, which is mainly focused on promotion of the county’s tourism attractions. Continue Reading →

Meet New Planning Commission Board Member Angela Thompson-Lobb

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Every month, the Planning Commission highlights one of its staff or board members. The Chester County Commissioners recently appointed Angela “Angie” Thompson-Lobb as the newest member of the Planning Commission’s board. Angie, a West Nottingham resident, is a small business owner who has a farm in southern Chester County.

At the Sept. 11 Planning Commission meeting, board Chairman Kevin Kerr told Angie the organization looks forward to her perspective and experience.

“I love living in our neck of the woods where there are many parks and open spaces,” she said. “It’s a great place to raise a family.”

Learn about Angie’s life philosophy, interests, and more.
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Upcoming Urban Centers Forum to Focus on Destination Towns

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If you are a municipal official, staff member, main street manager, or consultant for one of Chester County’s municipalities, especially the urban centers, consider attending an upcoming forum on October 8th about how to attract tourism in your town. Topics of discussion will include tourism in urban centers related to breweries and tasting rooms, farm markets and food trucks, and short-term rentals (“Airbnb”).

The county’s Urban Centers Forum will take place from 5 p.m.-7 p.m. October 8 at Victory Brewing Company, 3127 Lower Valley Rd, Parkesburg. This is a free event open to municipal officials, staff, and consultants of Chester County urban centers on behalf of the Chester County Commissioners. Though the forum is geared toward urban centers, it might be of interest to municipal officials throughout Chester County. RSVP today!

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 Two More Vision Partnership Program Projects Move Forward

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Two projects in Chester County – one in the Kennett area and one in Thornbury Township – that received assistance through the county’s Vision Partnership Program (VPP) are moving forward. The VPP provides grants to Chester County municipalities and multi-municipal groups seeking to improve their planning programs while achieving consistency with and implementation of the goals, objectives, recommendations, and map of Landscapes3. In the Kennett area, eight municipalities surrounding Kennett Library tackled a community facility visioning process which will result in a new library in Kennett Square. Thornbury Township completed and adopted a new comprehensive plan that focuses on managing growth and opportunities for preservation and recreation. Continue Reading →

DVRPC Executive Director Barry Seymour Highlights Chester County Projects

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Barry Seymour, the executive director of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), attended the Chester County Planning Commission’s board meeting on Aug. 14 and discussed the role of his organization and its partnership with the county.

Seymour explained the DVRPC is a federal designated Metropolitan Planning Organization for a diverse nine-county region that encompasses parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Chester County. The organization was created in 1965 and has focused on regional planning issues such as transportation, land use, open space, housing and economic development, and population and employment. Continue Reading →

Planning Commission Announces VPP Awards and Second Round Details

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Congratulations to the Chester County municipalities that have been awarded through the competitive cash grant portion of the 2019 Round One Vision Partnership Program (VPP)! Brandywine Battlefield Group (Birmingham, East Bradford, Kennett, Pennsbury, Thornbury, and Westtown townships for a heritage interpretation plan), Caln Township (zoning ordinance update), East Fallowfield Township (Newlinville Village Master Plan), West Chester (High Street Corridor Study), and West Whiteland Township (historic resource survey update) were awarded in this grant cycle. Congratulations to these municipalities as they work to better plan their future and implement Landscapes3.  Continue Reading →

Two Municipalities Complete Vision Partnership Program Projects

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Two Chester County municipalities – East Bradford and Tredyffrin – recently completed projects that received funding through the Vision Partnership Program, a grant available to Chester County municipalities and multi-municipal groups seeking to improve their planning programs while achieving consistency with and implementation of the goals, objectives, recommendations, and map of Landscapes3. In East Bradford, the township completed a Plum Run Corridor Master Plan, and Tredyffrin completed a Gateway Multimodal Transportation Study.

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Learn about Hexagonal Schoolhouse in Caln

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School is out for the summer but at least one in Chester County – the Caln Hexagonal Schoolhouse – is open occasionally for historical tours.

“They say Caln Township was just 12 large farms to begin with when a group of Quaker settlers from Calne England arrived here,” said Caln Township Community Outreach Specialist Abbey Swan. “Those same families are connected to most of the historical buildings in the township (and there are a lot) including the Hexagonal Schoolhouse.”

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Planning Commission Rolls Along with Active Transportation Inventory Project

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These days, people crave the ability to walk and bike places. They don’t want to get in their cars every time they need to go somewhere.

During the development of the county’s new comprehensive plan, Landscapes3, Chester County residents identified the need for more bicycle and pedestrian facilities in their communities. These facilities provide residents with greater mobility, multimodal transportation options, and additional recreational options all leading to the development of healthier communities. Continue Reading →