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. 

When Paul Fritz was growing up, he wanted to be an architect.

“I loved looking at buildings and how they were put together,” he said, adding that he also was interested in history.

At one point during his childhood, Paul wanted to be a firefighter and a professional baseball player but he later realized those aspirations weren’t realistic.

Paul is now the new Technical Services Director at the Chester County Planning Commission. He is a certified planner and registered landscape architect with over 10 years of management experience with diverse public and private urban and rural projects. 

Tom West, Technical Services Director of the Chester County Planning Commission staff, will be leaving his post after thirty years of dedicated service.  Over his tenure at the Commission, Tom has held a position in nearly every division; from subdivision review to developing products using Geographic Information System software.  He has seen the evolution of technology from typewriters to computer networks. He became fluent in both planning jargon and technical language and could bridge planning issues with technical solutions.

The Chester County Planning Commission is pleased to announce the Board of County Commissioners’ appointment of Molly Morrison to the Planning Commission.  Molly brings a balanced perspective of growth and preservation to the Commission. 

We are pleased to share the spring dates for the Master Planner Courses in Community Planning, Zoning, and Zoning Administration taking place at the West Chester University Graduate Center. These courses are designed to help municipal officials and land use professionals navigate the rules that govern land use in Pennsylvania. There are no pre-requisites to take the courses and any citizen who is interested in land use is welcome to enroll. Classes begin at 6:30 pm and are accredited for continuing education for attorneys, engineers, realtors, appraisers and licensed landscape architects.

The Chester County Planning Commission accomplished many goals in 2016.  The staff continued to create excellent, highly-professional products that set the standard for planning work in the region.  Here is a brief recap of 2016’s accomplishments and how they helped implement Landscapes2 and smart growth.