Author: Chesco Planning
Notice: Trying to get property 'post_id' of non-object in D:\home\chescoplanning.org\wwwroot\zsubdomains\news\wp-content\plugins\enhanced-category-pages\classes\ecp\Enhanced_Category.php on line 143
Notice: Undefined offset: 0 in D:\home\chescoplanning.org\wwwroot\zsubdomains\news\wp-content\plugins\enhanced-category-pages\classes\ecp\Enhanced_Category.php on line 232
Planning Commission Announces Proposed Development Review Fee Increase
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.
Join us at March 6th Landscapes3 Public Meeting
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. Continue Reading →
Join us at Chester Valley Trail West Public Meeting
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. Continue Reading →
Planning Commission Releases Final Plan for Chester Valley Trail Extension to Downingtown
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. Continue Reading →
Join Discussion about Multimodal Transportation in Phoenixville Region
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.
Recapping 2017, Setting Goals for 2018
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. Continue Reading →
Making Progress on Chester Valley Trail West Study
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. Continue Reading →
First Round of Vision Partnership Program Grants Opens
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.
Local Officials Discuss Parking Strategies at Urban Centers Forum
Representatives from Chester County’s 15 boroughs and the City of Coatesville attended the recent Urban Centers Forum, which focused on ways to address parking challenges, opportunities, and strategies.
As a component of Chester County’s economic development strategy known as VISTA 2025, the “Parking Lessons Learned” forum was a call-to-action for the urban centers to learn about and discuss parking issues. Municipal officials, staff members, main street managers, and consultants for the county’s 16 urban centers attended the forum, including representatives from the City of Coatesville and the following boroughs: Atglen, Avondale, Downingtown, Elverson, Honey Brook, Kennett Square, Malvern, Modena, Oxford, Parkesburg, Phoenixville, South Coatesville, Spring City, West Chester, and West Grove. Officials from townships that have train stations were also invited since the forum focused on parking issues. Continue Reading →
Landscapes3 Steering Committee Concludes 2017 Meetings
The development of Landscapes3 has advanced significantly throughout 2017, shifting from meetings with stakeholder teams on various topics to the first series of meetings with the steering committee. As part of the Landscapes3 public outreach efforts this past year, the Planning Commission staff attended over 20 community events, conducted a second photo contest, and launched a public survey that had nearly 6,000 participants.
During the fall the Landscapes3 Steering Committee met four times to discuss the plan’s vision, goals, and objectives. A public meeting was held in October to share the plan’s draft vision and receive input from the public. The final draft versions of the vision, goals, and objectives are currently being refined based on this input, and will be shared early in 2018. Continue Reading →