Recapping Chester Valley Trail West Meeting

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Over 100 western Chester County residents and trail enthusiasts from across the county attended a recent public meeting about the Chester Valley Trail West study to learn more about the project and offer input.

The primary purpose of the meeting, which took place at The Parkesburg Point Youth Center on March 1, was to seek public input on the alignment alternatives that have been developed for the trail. Additionally, the project team shared the results of the public survey, which garnered over 2,800 responses. Overall, 89 percent of survey respondents were in favor of extending the Chester Valley Trail to the Lancaster County line. 



Recapping Phoenixville Region Multimodal Transportation Plan Meeting

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About 40 people attended a recent public meeting about the draft Phoenixville Region Multimodal Transportation Plan, which will focus on connectivity and accessibility to all modes of transportation in and around the Phoenixville area.

The event attendees explored posters depicting the 13 priority project recommendations for the plan. Priority projects were selected earlier this year by the project steering committee from a larger group of recommendations made by the public at a Planning Commission workshop last year.  



Planning Commission Announces Proposed Development Review Fee Increase

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Every few years, the Chester County Planning Commission examines its fees for reviews of subdivisions and land developments, also known as Act 247 fees. At its January 2018 meeting the Planning Commission advisory board reviewed current fees, which haven’t been raised since early 2015, as well as the fees of other southeastern Pennsylvania counties and Planning Commission costs. The board is recommending a 10 percent increase in the current fees, along with creating a cap on the maximum possible fee, which does not currently exist. This cap is proposed to be $10,000. The Planning Commission advisory board will act on this proposal at its March 14 meeting, with a proposed effective date of June 1, 2018. View proposed review fees.



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Join us at March 6th Landscapes3 Public Meeting

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As we continue to advance the development of Landscapes3, Chester County’s next long-range comprehensive plan, we encourage municipal officials and residents to attend our upcoming Landscapes3 public meeting to comment on the plan’s draft map, goals, and objectives. Please join us for the first public meeting this spring, which will take place March 6 at Henrietta Hankin Library, located at 215 Windgate Drive, Chester Springs, Pa., 19425.

The northern region public meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. with an open house display and activities, with a formal presentation at 6:30 p.m. Although registration is not required, an estimated head count would be helpful. Please feel free to invite others to the meeting, including your municipality’s planning commission members, elected officials, and residents. 



Join us at Chester Valley Trail West Public Meeting

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If you are trail enthusiast, resident, business owner, or municipal official who has an interest in the popular Chester Valley Trail, please attend a public meeting about a plan to extend the trail westward on Thursday, March 1 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at The Point Youth Center in Parkesburg, Pa.

After over seven months of existing conditions analysis, stakeholder meetings, public engagement, and fieldwork, the Chester County Planning Commission has developed a series of potential alignment alternatives for extending the Chester Valley Trail westward to the Lancaster County line. The project team is conducting the upcoming public meeting to get feedback on these alignment alternatives. 



Planning Commission Releases Final Plan for Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown

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The Chester County Planning Commission is proud to release the final Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown Feasibility Study and Master Plan. We are very excited about the potential for developing this trail in the heart of central Chester County and expanding The Circuit, Greater Philadelphia’s regional trail network. The Chester County Commissioners accepted the plan at their December meeting to close out the grant provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Community Conservation Partnerships Program that partially funded the study. 



Join Discussion about Multimodal Transportation in Phoenixville Region

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Did you know that nearly 84 percent of residents in the Phoenixville region currently commute to work by driving alone? We will be hosting a public open house to allow residents to discover and comment on how the developing Phoenixville Region Multimodal Transportation Plan will address transportation issues and opportunities in the Phoenixville area on Feb. 15 from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Technical College High School –  Pickering Campus, located at 1580 Charlestown Road in Phoenixville, Pa., 19460. The plan identifies potential capital improvements and programming initiatives to increase the safety and efficiency of the transportation network regardless of age, ability, or mode of travel. Learn more about the project and register for the meeting.



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Recapping 2017, Setting Goals for 2018

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The Chester County Planning Commission accomplished many goals in 2017. The staff was incredibly busy helping plan for the county’s future. Here is a brief recap of the accomplishments of 2017 and how these accomplishments helped implement Landscapes2 and smart growth. 



Making Progress on Chester Valley Trail West Study

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The New Year is a great time to reflect on the accomplishments of the past year and to express gratitude for those who have helped along the way. We at the Chester County Planning Commission made a lot of progress on our Chester Valley Trail West study in 2017. The project kicked off in July, and our efforts thus far have involved getting input from a lot of people. We are grateful not only for the interest that has been shown in this project, but also for the generosity with which people have shared their time to provide us with ideas and feedback about the trail. 



First Round of Vision Partnership Program Grants Opens

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We are pleased to announce the 2018 first round of the Vision Partnership Program (VPP) planning grants opened today (Jan. 2). Through VPP, Chester County municipalities are eligible for funds to assist their communities with comprehensive planning, ordinance updates, and other studies. The 2018 VPP Grant Manual and application materials are available online. Pre-application meetings are strongly encouraged, and can be scheduled by contacting Planning Services Director Susan Elks at selks@chesco.org. The deadline to apply is Feb. 21, 2018. More information on the VPP process, as well as projects funded previously through the program, can be found here.