Join us for Trails, Trains and Traffic on Dec. 4th

Join us for our Trails, Trains and Traffic event which will feature updates on the status of trail developments, upgrades to our regional rail stations, and major roadway/highway improvement projects. This event will also serve as a public meeting for our current Active Transportation Inventory project as staff will be presenting the initial results from our review of all of Chester County’s 73 municipalities. The meeting format will include an open house followed by brief presentations on each topic and wrapping with a Q&A session to address attendee questions. Register now!

First Housing Forum Held

Putting a spotlight on policies for affordably-priced homes, new residential designs, and housing tools for municipalities, the County’s first annual housing forum, Creating A+ Homes, was held last week. Attended by approximately 70 representatives from municipalities, developers, realtors, consulting firms, community organizations, and others, the event was headlined by keynote speakers Ray D’Agostino, CEO of Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership and Brian Phillips, AIA, founding Principal of ISA. Ray D’Agostino shared stories of his experience in municipal government and with the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership regarding creating homes that are affordable for a range of income levels, while Brian Phillips discussed the design and construction of different housing types, particularly smaller footprint homes.

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Housing Authority of Chester County Executive Director Discusses Affordable Housing for Low Income Residents

Residents of Chester County have a high quality of life, enjoying preserved open space, recreational amenities, and job and commercial service options. However, for many in the county, a barrier to a high quality of life is the high cost of homes.

Established in 1963, the Housing Authority of Chester County (HACC) works to provide low income residents with affordably priced housing options. Dale Gravett, Executive Director of HACC, attended the Chester County Planning Commission’s board meeting on November 13 and discussed HACC’s mission to provide, manage and develop quality affordable housing for individuals and families while promoting self-sufficiency and neighborhood revitalization.

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View Updated Brandywine Battlefield Map and Learn about Future Study

The 2010 Brandywine Battlefield Animated Map has been updated as part of a recent grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program. The update shows revised troop movements in the western portions of the battlefield based on the latest historical findings from Chester County Planning Commission’s phased battlefield strategic landscapes planning program. View the map.

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Landscapes3 Earns More Recognition

Landscapes3, Chester County’s updated comprehensive plan, was recognized by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA) with the 2019 Award for Plans. The award was presented to Chester County at the APA annual conference on Oct. 21 in Reading, Berks County where other outstanding planning projects, planners, and public officials from across the state were recognized for achievements in planning. This was not the first time the Planning Commission received recognition for Landscapes3. Continue Reading →

Check out the Status of Transportation Projects

County Planning Commission has updated its list on the status of Transportation Priority Projects. This list is updated every six months and includes highway and trail projects and public transportation. The status of the projects was last updated in August 2019.

Also, the Planning Commission updated the 2019-2022 Transportation Improvement Program after receiving input. View both updated lists. Continue Reading →

Chester County Commissioners Highlight County Trails

No matter where you go in Chester County, you will find lots of people who are interested in trails. These trails provide unique experiences and places for residents and visitors to exercise and relax, and the County has been working to expand its trail system.

Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline, Kathi Cozzone and Terence Farrell took the opportunity to highlight the County’s growing trail network during their recent public meeting. To start out, the Commissioners adopted a resolution to signify the completion of the Chester Valley Trail West Study that was financed in part by the Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Bureau of Recreation and Conservation. Continue Reading →