Karen Marshall landed the position she had long admired as heritage preservation coordinator for Chester County while–as the saying goes–she was busy making other plans.

Karen’s passion for preservation and historic districts became her profession later in life after working as a marketing consultant for TV stations throughout the country. Even while she was a marketer, she still gravitated toward the historic districts in different states and did some work for cultural and historical organizations. For instance, she was a performance coordinator for the President’s Office at the College of Charleston in South Carolina and she was also a marketing consultant for historic and cultural sites in Baltimore, Maryland.

But Chester County was her favorite place by far. She had been attending Chester County Day, an annual house tour organized by the Women’s Auxiliary to Chester County Hospital that features historic homes and gardens, for years before moving here.  Continue Reading →

Chester County Planning Commission Executive Director Brian O’Leary and officials from two local townships received awards from Governor Tom Wolf for their dedication to strengthening communities and providing assistance to residents.

“It’s a great honor receiving this award along with the other honorees, and it’s wonderful to see the state acknowledge the work done by so many people at the local level to improve our communities,” Brian said.

Brian, along with East Goshen and Kennett townships, were among 10 government officials and 11 communities from across Pennsylvania that received awards in Harrisburg on April 12 as part of the 21st Annual Governor’s Awards for Local Government Excellence.  Continue Reading →

We are happy to announce municipal planning awards totaling $143,000 to six Chester County municipalities through the Vision Partnership Program (VPP) grants! The competitive grant process received seven applications covering eight municipalities, which requested almost $220,000 in county funds.  Continue Reading →

Chester County Planning Commission Assistant Director David Ward has always appreciated the uniqueness of communities. That passion started when he was young.

That’s why it’s fitting that he has worked for the Planning Commission — an organization that assists communities with future growth and preservation — for four decades. He celebrated his 40^th anniversary with the agency on April 4.  Continue Reading →

Chester County has great places to live, work and connect. And the county’s municipalities aren’t going unnoticed these days.

For instance, Malvern was named a “Classic Town” recently by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC). The regional planning commission stated: “A desirable mix of Victorian charm and modern amenities makes Malvern an ideal Classic Town.” According to the Daily Local News, the DVRPC has designated 22 municipalities in the Greater Philadelphia region as Classic Towns. In addition to Malvern, other Chester County municipalities that have received this designation include Kennett Square, Oxford, Phoenixville and West Chester.  Continue Reading →

The future leaders of Chester County have some items on their wish lists when it comes to features they are looking for in their communities. In particular, they are hoping for affordable housing options in Chester County along with more sidewalks.

That was the message that about 60 West Chester University (WCU) students delivered during a Chester County 2020 forum on March 1. The majority of students who attended the forum were pursuing degrees in public administration and geography. The meeting took place at the new College of Business and Public Management Center on WCU’s campus.  Continue Reading →