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CENTRE REGIONAL PLANNING AGENCY 2643 Gateway
Drive, State College, PA 16801 |
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ACTIVITY
REPORT REGIONAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES Penn State Intermodal Transportation Committee – Jim May and Tom Zilla will be participating on an Intermodal Transportation Committee at Penn State to complete an Intermodal Transportation Plan for the Campus. The Committee anticipates a monthly meeting for six months, with the first meeting in February 2010. The purpose of the Committee is to develop a five-year and a ten-year plan to further integrate automobile traffic, transit (bus), bicycles, walking, and the airport. Centre Region 2010 Comprehensive Plan Update – Staff made brief presentations to all of the Municipal Planning Commissions, and a Comprehensive Planning 101 presentation was made at the “Planning 101” series in Harris Township on January 21. Staff continues to work on draft chapters of the 2010 Comprehensive Plan’s companion document, the “Centre Region Comprehensive Plan Update Inventory and Assessment of Existing Conditions,” which will preface the actual plan. This document summarizes and provides context on existing conditions in elements such as socioeconomic profile, land use, transportation, open space and conservation, community facilities and services, sustainability and natural, environmental and historic resources. Fine tuning of land use maps by both major land uses and subcategories is also underway. Regional Planning staff continued to meet weekly during the month to review and discuss the background data and advertising efforts, which include a 2010 Comprehensive Plan newsletter, “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQ) document, meeting notice flyer, and public hearing advertisements. All of this information has been made available on the CRPA website. Public meetings for issue identification for the Comprehensive Plan Update have been scheduled in each municipality, as follows:
Meetings with the various stakeholders will begin shortly. Vacant Land and Structure Inventories – The last updates of the Vacant Land Inventory and Analysis and Centre Region Vacant Structures Report occurred in 2002 and 2004, respectively. Both of these documents provide valuable information regarding the amount of vacant land and the number of vacant structures in the Centre Region. Staff is currently updating the data in the documents in preparation for use during the Comprehensive Plan Update process. Vacant land and building inventories have been completed for all municipalities, and staff is currently fine-tuning and confirming the results. A schedule for regular maintenance of the data has been developed and will be implemented beginning in 2010. The maintenance schedule calls for updating all data for each municipality on a staggered schedule. Economic Development Study Request for Proposal (RFP) – Staff has completed a draft RFP for consultant services for the Economic Development Study. A review of the initial draft RFP is tentatively scheduled with the Transportation and Land Use Committee on February 17 and with the CRPC on March 4. Centre Regional Planning Commission – At its regular meeting on February 4, 2010, the Centre Regional Planning Commission (CRPC) elected Janet Sulzer as Chair and Steve Watson as Vice Chair. CRPC representatives were appointed to the University Area Joint Authority (Janet Sulzer), State College Borough Water Authority (Larry Fennessey), Centre County MPO Coordinating Committee (Ron Buckalew), and Secretary to the Centre County MPO Technical Committee (Jim May). A representative to the Millbrook Marsh Nature Center Advisory Committee is anticipated at the March 4 meeting. The CRPC also took action on the following items: · Development of Regional Impact for the Borough of State College – Inclusionary Housing – The CRPC forwarded comments to State College Borough regarding a DRI to increase density within the Regional Growth Boundary by 50 or more Equivalent Dwelling Units. The increase in density is a result of an amendment to the Zoning Ordinance for Inclusionary Housing in the Borough. · Zoning Ordinance Amendment Regarding Community Supported Agriculture – Patton Township – The CRPC reviewed a request by Patton Township regarding a proposed amendment to the Zoning Ordinance for Community Supported Agriculture in the A-1 Zoning District. · Development of Regional Impact, Reduction of Agricultural Buffers – Ferguson Township – The CRPC forwarded comments to Ferguson Township regarding a DRI to increase density within the Regional Growth Boundary by 50 or more Equivalent Dwelling Units. The increase in density is a result of the elimination of a 200-foot agricultural buffer in the R-1 Zoning District. · Pine Hall Traditional Town Development – Ferguson Township – The CRPC reviewed the master Plan for the Pine Hall TTD on Blue Course Drive. All comments were addressed at the meeting. · Proposed Terraced Streetscape Zoning District & Design Guidelines – Ferguson Township – The CRPC provided comments on a proposed zoning district that would affect properties along the West College Avenue Corridor in Ferguson Township from the municipal boundary west of Buckhout Street to Blue Course Drive. In addition, the CRPA Director attended the Ferguson Township Board of Supervisors Work Session on February 9. Issues raised by residents and Supervisors revolved around building height, parking, university uses, and other items generally regulated in the municipal zoning ordinance. The Planning Director will attend the next Board of Supervisors meeting on February 15 to monitor issues and to determine the role, if any, for the CRPA in the continuing review process. · Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization (CCMPO) FY 2010-11 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) – The CRPC recommended that the CCMPO Coordinating Committee adopt the Final Draft FY 2010-11 UPWP. Area Plans · State College – Staff is in discussions with the Borough of State College to arrange a meeting of Borough Council to discuss the future land uses as part of the State College Land Area Plan. Based on discussions at meetings on November 9 and December 14, 2009, State College Borough Council would like to further explore the proposed future land uses and discuss alternative options. Currently the CRPA Director is working with the Borough Manager to establish a time where Council can be convened in a special session to discuss these issues and establish a revised future land use pattern for the Borough. · Halfmoon/Patton Township – The Halfmoon & Patton Township Area Plan Steering Committee did not meet in February 2010. Currently, CRPA staff is working on establishing future land uses for the study area. These will be used by the consultants to finalize the traffic and transportation analysis that will be conducted through the Centre County Metropolitan Planning Organization. Staff will propose several options for future land uses and present the information to the Steering Committee for an ultimate decision. It is anticipated that this meeting will occur in March and that the consultant will begin work in April or May. LUCA/Census
– Staff
has been assisting the local governments as necessary with information regarding
the upcoming census. Also, staff is
participating on the Complete Count Committee that has been organized by the
Borough of State College and is tasked with establishing ways to ensure that all
citizens in the Centre Region are counted. In
particular, a main focus of the Committee is to ensure the student population in
the Centre Region is counted before the end Vacant Land Inventory – Staff continues to work to update the vacant land inventory that was started in late 2009. Currently, all the information from the municipalities has been collected, and a few discrepancies are being worked out to ensure the most accurate data is presented. Staff continues to work on the final document, including additional text and graphics to make the final product more user-friendly and easier to update on an annual basis. An initial draft document is anticipated in the coming weeks. Affordable Housing – CRPA staff attended the February 12, 2010 meeting of the Workforce Housing Subcommittee of the Affordable Housing Coalition. The Committee discussed a project proposed by Keystone Church to provide 25 housing units in College Township; received an update on the status of municipal ordinances relating to workforce and affordable housing; and considered potential projects for 2010, including an educational workshop for realtors, lenders and developers offering strategies for marketing and selling affordable and workforce housing units to qualified homebuyers. TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ACTIVITIES Centre County Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) – Project request forms continue to be received from municipalities. Over 120 candidate projects/programs have now been submitted and are being reviewed by the CCMPO’s Project Ranking Committee. The submitted forms can be viewed at www.ccmpo.net. A public meeting to receive input about candidate projects/ programs was held on January 28, 2010. Work began on the fiscal constraint analysis, prospective line items, and potential performance measures. These items will be discussed at the February CCMPO Committee meetings. 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) – In December 2009, the CCMPO approved a Preliminary Draft TIP for submission to PennDOT and a request for $4.3 million in discretionary (“spike”) funding for the Route 322 Corridor Safety project. The date for receipt of PennDOT’s comments on the Preliminary Draft TIP and response to the spike funding request has been delayed until February 26, 2010. A Final Draft TIP will be prepared for approval by the CCMPO in March. Adoption of a new TIP is tentatively scheduled for June 2010. Route 322 Corridor Safety Improvements – In January 2010, the CCMPO directed staff to prepare requests to U.S. Representative Glenn Thompson and U.S. Senators Arlen Specter and Bob Casey for earmarked funding in the Federal Fiscal Year (FFY) Appropriations legislation for the Route 322 project. In December, Rep. Thompson announced that $750,000 in earmarked funding for the project was included in the approved FFY 2010 Appropriations bill. Transportation Enhancements (TE) Program – The new 2011-2014 TIP provides an annual allocation of TE funding. Because all previously-approved TE projects in Centre County will advance before the new TIP is adopted, the CCMPO will solicit new candidate TE projects in summer 2010. More information about the solicitation of new candidate projects will be provided in spring 2010. 2009-2012 TIP – In January, the CCMPO amended the 2009-2012 TIP to add $435,000 for the Atherton Street Stormwater Drainage System Study. In response to problems with failures of drainage pipes and inlets in the corridor, the study will inventory and document the condition of stormwater facilities and the proximity of those facilities to other utilities, and will provide estimates of the cost to make improvements. FY 2010-11 Unified Planning Work Program – In January, the CCMPO adopted the UPWP. Federal and state funding levels for the new FY 2010-11 UPWP will remain the same as in the current FY 2009-10 UPWP. TRANSIT PLANNING Advanced Public Transportation System (APTS) Initiative – CRPA staff participated with CATA staff in project meetings as requested, and CRPA staff worked with CATA’s maintenance staff and the Transit Analyst to troubleshoot individual system issues. CRPA staff participated in an on-site visit and question-and-answer session with representatives from the Lehigh and Northampton Transportation Authority (LANTA) and participated in an on-site visit and question-and-answer session with representatives from the Area Transportation Authority (ATA) of North Central Pennsylvania. Assessment of Public Transportation Services in Centre County – CRPA staff received the draft Task V report from the project consultant team. This report, the last interim submission due under the project contract, specifies a final plan for coordinated operation between the Centre Area Transportation Authority (CATA) and Centre County Office of Transportation Services (CCOT). Staff forwarded the draft Task V report to members of the project steering committee and solicited comments with respect to the same. All consultant invoices were reviewed and submitted for payment, and an error was corrected on the most recent consultant invoice. Together with the project consultant team, staff developed a strategy to complete this project by the March 31, 2010 deadline. Old Fort Park and Ride – CRPA staff received comments on the draft stormwater easement/ maintenance agreement from other CRPA staff, PennDOT District 2-0, and the Centre County Planning and Community Development Office (CCPCDO). These comments were incorporated into a final draft for review, and a project status report was provided to the COG Finance Committee. Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) – CRPA staff provided additional information on the Snow Shoe/Mountaintop Region Commuter Bus project and Milesburg/Buffalo Run Valley service projects to a member of the CCMPO Technical Committee. Staff support was provided for the LRTP Public Meeting; questions on transit planning and projects were answered for attendees. CRPA/MPO staff met to discuss performance measures and line items for the Transit Element of the LRTP. CATA Service Planning – CRPA staff participated in all scheduled meetings as part of CATA’s annual planning process for new and updated service. Intelligent Transportation Society of Pennsylvania (ITS-PA) – As a member of the Annual Meeting Committee, CRPA staff participated in the planning process for the 2010 “Tri-Chapter Information Exchange,” to be held in late summer/early fall. This meeting will bring together transportation technology practitioners from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. As Vice President of the Board of Directors of ITS-PA, CRPA staff participated in all scheduled Board meetings. CRPA staff also prepared and submitted CATA’s ITS-PA annual registration and society dues. North Atherton Transit Signal Priority Project – Using information provided by Tomar Electronics, Inc., CRPA staff prepared a project budget for in-vehicle equipment and installation. This budget is being used to pursue grant funding from the PennDOT Bureau of Public Transportation, as well as for CATA’s financial planning purposes. Public Transportation Data – CRPA staff revised the template for CATA’s monthly “Red-Green” ridership report for calendar year 2010. Moshannon Valley Commuter Bus Service – Along with CATA, CRPA staff and personnel from the Area Transportation Authority (ATA) of North Central Pennsylvania participated in a conference call to continue joint planning for a commuter bus route linking the Philipsburg area with State College. Federal Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC) Program – CRPA staff received and reviewed the grant application and program requirements for the 2010 funding cycle from PennDOT’s Bureau of Public Transportation. LOCAL PLANNING ACTIVITIES College Township SCASD Rezoning – In conjunction with the submission of a land development plan for a new elementary school adjacent to the Mt. Nittany Middle School, SCASD is asking that the parcel which includes the middle school, the existing elementary school, and the proposed elementary school be rezoned to Single-Family Residential (R-1). The CRPC reviewed the rezoning request and had no comment. Council approved the request on February 4. Places of Worship – Staff has drafted an ordinance to address concerns regarding the increasing size and number of uses occurring as part of church activities. The proposed ordinance will increase parking setbacks, require screening, limit building size in certain zoning districts, and potentially remove the use from the Agriculture and Forest Zoning districts. Council reviewed the recommendations on February 18. Planned Research and Business Park Zoning District (PRBD) – Staff has revised the Planned Research and Business Park Zoning District, which primarily encompasses Innovation Park. The revisions allow for an increase in office uses and decrease development setbacks. PSU asked for such revisions, since it has seen a change in the types of uses seeking space in Innovation Park. These uses are still related to research and other activities found on campus, but would be restricted under the existing regulations. The ordinance has been set for a public hearing on March 18. Subdivision/Land Development
Subdivision/Land Development No subdivision or land development plans have been received. Halfmoon Township Rural Village District (RVD) Increase in Base Density – After listening to a presentation by one developer in the Township’s proposed RVD zoning district on February 2, 2010, the Planning Commission agreed to recommend that the Board of Supervisors consider increasing the allowable base density from 1.0 dwelling unit/acre to 1.5 dwelling units/acre, despite staff’s objection. Not only would this change permit more dwellings overall, it would delay when the Township would begin receiving any fee-in-lieu payments to fund its Act 153 Open Space Preservation Program efforts. This idea is counter to the main tenet of RVD and the reason that allowing mixed use, higher density was initially proposed: to fairly benefit both the municipality and the landowners. The Supervisors are open to some consideration of adjusting the average density allowed (2.25 to 2.75 dwellings/acre on average), but are not likely to change the allowable, initial base density. Revised Wind Energy Facilities Ordinance – The Planning Commission continues to work through a revised wind energy facilities ordinance to permit both residential and commercial types of wind energy systems in the Township. Commercial wind energy would be a conditional use in the Township’s A-1 Agricultural zoning district (the Bald Eagle Ridge) and residentially as a permitted accessory use in all other zoning districts except Natural Areas, which is the district of the 3,200+ acres of State Game Lands 176 in Halfmoon Township. Water Well/Geothermal Borehole Ordinance – Mr. Walt Schneider, Centre Region Code Agency Director, met with staff and the Planning Commission to discuss this subject from the perspective of the current draft of the Centre Region Property and Building Maintenance Code. Due to the fact that the Township does not currently have many rental properties, the emphasis may just be on the Township’s potential adoption of the required administrative chapters and the potable water/geothermal well construction regulations in the Code (Chapter 10). Staff will continue working on this subject with both the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors. 2010 Planning Commission Priorities – Staff provided the Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors with 2010 work priorities. Subdivision/Land Development
Harris Township Workforce Housing Policies & Procedures Manual –The Harris Township Planning Commission completed its work on the Workforce Housing Policies & Procedures Manual and referred it to the Board of Supervisors for consideration at the February 8, 2010 meeting, The Board raised several questions about the manual and the process for developing workforce housing, including the role of each of the three parties involved (municipality, developer and the Centre County Housing & Land Trust). In addition, the Board wondered how a future county-wide tax reassessment would impact property values for designated workforce units. A meeting has been scheduled with the Centre County Tax Assessor to discuss this issue in the larger context of affordable housing developments in the county. The Board also requested that the Workforce Housing Manual consider a sliding scale option for homebuyers to realize a return on equity, and include language regarding the compatibility of workforce housing units with market rate units in the same neighborhood. The Board will consider a revised Workforce Housing Manual at its March 8, 2010 meeting. Riparian Buffer Ordinance – The Harris Township Board of Supervisors has appointed a subcommittee to prepare a recommendation on how to proceed with the riparian buffering regulations. During its February 2, 2010 meeting, the subcommittee members discussed, among other issues, the potential overlap between the township’s stormwater management regulations and the proposed riparian buffer regulations, and the placement of lot lines for new development relative to the riparian buffer zone (i.e. should lot lines for new subdivisions should end at riparian buffer boundary or extend to stream bank. The subcommittee will meet again on February 18, 2010. The Board has requested that a recommendation from the subcommittee in the Riparian Buffer Ordinance be presented to the Planning Commission by June of this year. Open Space Committee – The Harris Township Board of Supervisors has established an Open Space Committee, comprised of representatives from various neighborhoods throughout the township. The Committee is charged with identifying lands that should be considered for future preservation as open space or greenways, identifying options for preserving those lands, and providing recommendations to the Board of Supervisors regarding the establishment of a conservation fund. The Committee has been meeting monthly since June of 2009. They are currently developing criteria to use in the evaluation of potential properties for consideration in the open space plan. Tussey Mountain Ski Area – CRPA staff met with representatives of the Tussey Mountain Ski Area and Harris Township staff to discuss proposed plans for development of a new lodge on the property. The concept plan would involve construction in two phases of two new buildings and the demolition of the existing lodge. The new buildings would include between 15 and 50 hotel rooms. Several issues were raised at the meeting, including the permitted uses within the Forest zoning district (hotels are not a permitted use), and the potential for a Development of Regional Impact application to expand the sewer service area to serve the hotel use. The Tussey Mountain partners may present their plans to the Board of Supervisors at the March 8, 2010 meeting to determine whether there is support for the project. Subdivision/Land Development
Patton Township Riparian Buffer Ordinance – The proposed riparian buffer regulations were adopted during the public hearing held on February 10, 2010. Bike and Pedestrian Path Plan – During the February 1 Planning Commission meeting, CRPA staff presented a cost estimate and ranking report to the Commission to assist them in prioritizing the preferred routes. The cost and ranking report will be reviewed in greater detail during the March 1 meeting. The intent is that the Commission will prioritize the links in the order they would like to see them constructed, or at least planned for. Any recommendations will likely then go before the Board of Supervisors for review and endorsement. CRPA staff attended a meeting hosted by the Centre Region Bicycle Coalition on February 8. The meeting was an informal session that brought together local officials and professionals interested in and/or involved in bicycle path planning in the region to discuss the status of local path development and related matters. Community Supported and Development Supported Agriculture (CSA/DSA) – Proposed changes to the Rural Preservation Development standards are referenced as “alternative design standards”. In general, if site conditions are such that certain RPD standards cannot be met without relief, the developer will have the option to design according to the alternative standards which provide relief in return for enhancements elsewhere. Proposed changes to the A1 Zoning District involve the inclusion of a conditional use category for Community Supported Agriculture enterprises (CSAs). Several development options are available within the context of the proposed regulations. Fundamental to each option is the requirement that a conservation easement be established which shall guarantee that a certain percentage of land within the development shall be used exclusively for agriculture (or potentially other acceptable uses per the terms of any agreement) in perpetuity. Staff presented revised draft regulations during the January 11 regular Planning Commission meeting. The Commission voted to forward the proposed regulations, with minor revisions, to the Board of Supervisors for consideration. Staff presented draft regulations to the Board of Supervisors during the January 27 meeting. After some discussion, the Board voted to hold a public hearing on March 10 for the consideration of adopting the proposed regulations. Staff also presented the proposed regulations to the Centre Region Planning Commission on February 4. The proposed regulations will be advertised, and a public hearing will be held on March 10, 2010. Ridge Overlay District – During the February 1 Planning Commission meeting, staff presented notes on the intent of ridge protection regulations and summarized what has already been adopted in some municipalities in the region. The information was provided as part of a review of pending planning work tasks. It was decided that ridge protection was a matter of high priority that would be worth pursuing in the near future. The matter will be revisited at the March 1 Planning Commission meeting and/or a near future Board of Supervisors meeting to determine if staff should begin preparing such regulations. Subdivision/Land Development
State College Borough Subdivision/Land Development No subdivision or land development plans have been received. |
