Public Comments on Draft Plan Fall, 2014 Montco 2040: A Shared Vision Steering Committee

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1 s on Draft Plan Fall, 2014 Montco 2040: A Shared Vision Steering Committee The comments from the public, the Steering Committee, and the MCPC Board are listed below under the goal or vision area that is most relevant. Comments were received via a comment form on the web, s to staff, public comments at meetings, mailings to staff, notes on maps at the public meetings, comments on our online interactive maps, at a September 23 Steering Committee meeting, and at an October 8 MCPC Board Meeting. Comments in bold have been made more than once. Goal - Encourage collaboration and partnerships among governments, businesses, institutions, and other stakeholders Should be regional tax base sharing. No change. Issue beyond scope of plan. Should coordinate with PADOT on projects. No change. Already done Taxes too high in Cheltenham. No change. Local issue. Taxes too high in Pottstown. No change. Local issue. Improve communication for county residents. Add discussion on importance of communication. Note that county can be a facilitator and hub of information. There should be an overview of existing county facilities and services. Partially in Montgomery County Today, but this section will be expanded. Goal - Improve transportation options and quality for county residents and workers Passenger rail on Stony Creek should be added. No change. Used for freight SEPTA buses are too large. No change. Vehicle decisions made by SEPTA. Trams should be used. No change. Vehicle decisions made by SEPTA. Public transit will not improve if all money put into roads. No change. Split showing significant transit funding in plan. Rahns intersection needs improvement. Route 422 backs up from King of Prussia and needs improvement. Bicycle access and storage for train stations is inadequate. Add suggestion that SEPTA improve bike storage and access. Rail service to Pottstown is needed. Byberry Road to Woodhaven Road is problematic. No change. Issue studied and improvements rejected by local governments. 1

2 Conshohocken area might need second bridge or other improvements. The rail extension to Pottstown and Wyomissing should not cost a billion dollars. Passenger rail service should be extended to the Upper Perkiomen Valley area. Bike lane striping and bike sharing programs are important. Program should be created to add sidewalks to existing neighborhoods and connections to nearby shopping centers. Multi-modal should be defined. Car sharing should be a travel demand management tool. The rail service to Pottstown should use the Route 422 right-of-way instead of the existing rail line along the river. There should be an interchange between Route 422 and Route 113. The plan references $7.9 billion for highways and $7 billion for transit in the 12-year TIP; however, this should be $8.4 billion and $7.1 billion, respectively. Add study of this issue to list of projects. Change cost to $433 million. No change. Not feasible within time frame of this plan. Add bike sharing program as a tool. Add statement that local municipalities should put sidewalks in these locations. Definition will be added to the glossary. No change. This alignment was not supported by the local townships and the cost was very high. No change. Location is difficult because of existing development and proximity to Route 29 interchange. Change plan to reflect new numbers. Goal - Expand and connect county trails, local trails, greenways, natural areas, and parks County owned land near Sunrise Mill not shown. Add to map Trails and open space purchases are inter-related, especially near Green Mention local open space purchases Lane Park. should be designed with trail links in mind. Lower Providence parks should be connected to county trails. No change. General concept is already in plan. Trails should overlay the open space system. Proposed West Trail in Upper Frederick might need to follow a different No change. Trail alignment in plan is alignment than the one shown on the map once it is designed. Consider adding municipal trails to trail map. Consider linking Sandy Run greenway with conservation opportunity area on east side of Route 611. West Trail in Upper Frederick should be a multi-use trail. 2 only conceptual. No change. Municipal trails are shown in Montgomery County Today. Some municipal trails are shown as part of the county trail system. No change. Connection not feasible because of amount of development. No change. Trail standards not included in plan; however, this will be taken into account once the trail feasibility study starts.

3 Old rail lines should not be converted into trails. The greenway names used in the county comprehensive plan do not match greenspace network names in a regional plan. The Mill Hill-Hosensack greenway in Montgomery County near Route 29 does not match the greenway corridor shown in Berks County s plans. No change. Old rail lines make good trails; however, there should always be a clause that would allow the right-of-way to revert to train use if necessary. No change. County will work with regional organizations for consistency in names. No change. Berks County will adjust their greenway to make sure the greenways can connect and provide access to Green Lane Park. Goal - Support strong downtowns and community destinations, including mixed use areas, arts and culture focal points, libraries, and other gathering places Libraries need more money. No change. Plan doesn t address funding issues. Revitalization grants should be provided. No change. Plan doesn t address funding issues. Consider Land Bank. Expand mention of land bank. Trash and graffiti lead to the broken window syndrome. Mention maintenance in actions. Downtown Pottstown needs to be livelier. No change. Local issue, although concept supported in plan. There are a number of new state tools that need to be understood by local Add statement that county will municipalities and citizens. help explain these tools Some places still need significant revitalization. Clarify that the county has downtowns needing revitalization. Land bank should be defined. Add to glossary. Goal - Support a modern, resilient, green, and energy-efficient infrastructure network Hi speed internet important for economy. Private road in Upper Dublin should be repaired by township. No change. Local issue. Keim Street Bridge should be realigned with Keim Street. No change. One of a few options under design consideration. County process for purchasing property for roads unclear. Add reference to county transportation authority There are too many expensive county and municipal trucks. Generally beyond purview of this plan; however, will add that county should consider green vehicles. Greening and reducing the width of roads is important. Strengthen explanation of rightsizing roads. Natural gas facilities could affect groundwater. No change. Natural gas facilities, if they happen, would be in industrial areas. Natural gas drilling not anticipated by plan. 3

4 On-street parking is a good traffic calming tool. Golf courses, schools, and large corporate properties should be encouraged to use best management practices to protect water quality. Well-heads, well-fields, and ground water recharge areas should be protected by directing development elsewhere. Water treatment facilities should be upgraded for tertiary treatment. Add to list of traffic calming techniques and right-sizing road discussion. Add schools and corporate properties to list of best management practice properties for better water quality. Golf courses already listed. Add well-fields and groundwater recharge areas to list of reasons for low density protection areas. No change. Water plants do not have tertiary treatment. Sewage plants are encouraged in plan to upgrade treatment. Goal - Improve stormwater management and reduce the impact of flooding Oversized roads should be right-sized with rain gardens. There should be a commitment to reducing impermeable surfaces. Add statement that impervious surfaces should be minimized. Storm water outfalls should be prohibited in headwater areas of streams. No change. Stormwater outfalls may be necessary in these areas. Existing stormwater management facilities should be retrofitted with best management practices. Existing bridges and culverts being replaced should be designed to Add statement that bridges should accommodate floodwaters. mimic the natural hydrology, when feasible. Auto-related uses should not be in floodplain areas. Mention in plan that auto-related and other uses that could have a strong negative environmental impact should not be in floodplains. Goal - Conserve natural resources, environmentally-sensitive areas, open space, and farmland Add Sunrise Trail/Swamp Creek Greenway to priority project area list. Add greenway but not trail to list. Add trail connections to list of projects for Sunrise Mill historic site. Add trail connections to future improvements. Seek public private partnership for mill building. Reword for public/private Bethayres Swamp area should be a high priority for preservation. Open space program should be restarted. Add sentence saying Recognizing the success of past open space initiatives, the county should explore options for conservation programs that promote active tourism, protect critical conservation areas, increase opportunities to exercise, and green the county s towns. Perkiomen Township has more open space than shown in plan. Change map. 4

5 County should preserve more open space and farmland. Deer are a problem on roads. Consider adding measurable of deer/vehicle accidents. Promote the use of all-locally native plants. Invasive plants should be removed from important environmental areas. The value of private grant funding should be mentioned. Should mention value of public/private open space partnerships. There are other pests besides deer and geese, such as mosquitoes. Ticks and Lyme disease are a problem. Improve entrance and bus circulation at Mill Grove. Refer to Elmwood Park Zoo by its official name rather than Norristown Zoo. Partner with Einstein on fitness stations and trail at Norristown Farm park. Ban smoking in county parks. Natural areas inventory should be used to identify important preservation areas. Add Wissahickon Valley Park to chart of priority county park, historic site, and/or natural areas list. Create financial incentive program to get municipalities to adopt tree replacement ordinances. The Norristown Farm Park should not be sold or changed to a significantly different use. No change. Plan already establishes priorities for preserving open space. Add measurable of deer/vehicle accidents. Add comment that native plants should be used whenever possible. Add reference to the value of this funding. Add mosquitoes to list of wildlife control examples. Add ticks to list of wildlife control examples. Add to list of park improvements Change to Elmwood Park Zoo. Add reference to possible publicprivate partnership. No change. Beyond purview of plan. No change because this is already done in the plan. No change. This park is not a priority since acquisitions and improvements are complete. No change. Plan already recommends woodland protection ordinances. No change. Plan notes that permanent protection of the park is critical. Goal - Provide more opportunities for residents to exercise and have healthy lifestyles Pottstown needs swimming pool No change. Local issue Add institutions and business campuses to list of organizations that should Add to plan. make areas more walkable. Goal - Support housing choices and opportunities to meet the needs of all people Backlog in affordable housing needs to be reduced. No change. If more money available, this will happen Too much affordable housing in Pottstown. No change. Plan advocates dispersal. Consider raising value of housing voucher. Housing values too low in Pottstown. No change. Issue beyond plan. Not clear who determines where affordable housing is built. Make wording change on role of Housing and Community Development Department. 5

6 Affordable housing brings down local property values. It s not clear what is affordable housing, workforce housing, etc. Goal - Enhance community character and protect neighborhoods Crime increasing in Pottstown. Not clear which county departments will be doing which task. Too much trash, graffiti, and other poorly-kept buildings in the county. Improve tree trimming so trees look good afterwards. Add historic preservation and adaptive reuse to list of methods for encouraging appropriate infill development. Goal - Improve transportation access to businesses Airports are important for the economy and should be emphasized. Airports are not important for the local economy. Better access to employment centers is important around the county, not just in Norristown, Pottstown, and the 422 corridor. Freight train derailment is a potential hazard. No change. Statement may not be true and issue beyond plan. Add definitions of affordable and workforce housing. No change. Local issue and somewhat outside of plan purview. Plan mentions 911 support. Clarify which county departments will be involved in proposed actions. Add maintenance to list of actions and in action description. Add qualifier to tree trimming comment. Add to plan. Expand discussion on economic importance of airports. No change. Mention importance of maintenance and inspections and refer to county hazard mitigation plan. Goal - Encourage development and transformative investment where infrastructure already exists Day care important for the economy. Manufacturing should be in Pottstown. Growth should be concentrated in redevelopment areas. Old brownfield and industrial land being repurposed should be converted to This would not support a vibrant open space rather than redeveloped. economy. Add note that greenway corridors should continue through redeveloping industrial properties. Goal - Attract and retain businesses and vital community assets No comments. Goal - Flexibly adapt to changing market conditions and demographics Community college needs to cater to the county s seniors. 6 Add continuing education, including colleges, to livable community list.

7 Connections to local institutions should be stronger. Add institutions to list of livable places amenities for seniors. Goal - Facilitate marketing of the county and its assets Trails are an important asset of the county. Add trails to the list of county attractions. Land Use Vision Concern over encouraging walkability around train stations when areas already developed or environmentally-constrained. Day care important land use. Development needed in Cheltenham that will improve the tax base. Business area in Bridgeport is too big. Large cemetery in Abington should be shown as a cemetery rather than residential land use. Mixed uses are appropriate around bus stations too. Adult day care is an important use. The land use plan does not seem to accurately reflect the pending courtapproved land uses on quarry property in Whitemarsh. Office building in Springhouse, Lower Gwynedd is an eyesore. Consider making the Sisters of the Holy Redeemer property near Lorimer Park rural resource area. Make horse farm at Fox Chase and Cedar Roads in Abington Rural Resource Area. Add protecting natural environment and green infrastructure to land use vision. Existing preserved public open space should not be developed for private use or sold. Town Residential land use should encourage biking and mass transit. Make clear that existing viable developed areas and natural areas near train stations should remain as are. Add to list of secondary uses in more land use categories. No change. Plan already includes non-residential and mixed use areas in Cheltenham. No change. Plan already shows mixed use as option in most of the Bridgeport business areas. No change. Residential land use category on map includes institutional uses. Add reference to bus stations in community mixed use and services land use description. Add day care to list of potential institutional uses. Land use map will be adjusted to reflect this approval. No change. Local issue. Extend Conservation Area designation onto this property. Too isolated from other Rural Resource areas to be designated Rural Resource. No change. Too small and isolated from other Rural Resource areas. Add interconnected greenways, trails, and parks to land use vision. No change. Plan notes these areas should not be developed. No change. This is a broad goal in the plan, not specific to Town Residential areas. 7

8 Suburban Residential land use should encourage biking and mass transit. Unique County Wide land uses that discontinue should be considered for open space. Transportation Vision Traffic design on Morris Road can be a problem in spots. Reopen Dickerson Road to get traffic around North Wales. Time frame for transit project completion unclear. The intersection of Skippack Pike and Valley Forge Road in Worcester should not be widened. Improved bicycle facilities should be part of overall transportation vision. Connection of Stanbridge Street and Johnson Highway could damage the Farm Park. No change. This is a broad goal in the plan, not specific to Suburban Residential areas. Add note that important environmental features should be preserved when Unique County Wide land uses change. No change. PennDOT issue. No change. Doesn t appear feasible to get a rail line crossing or local support. No change. Plan has very generalized priorities. Change wording from widen for additional lanes to improve the intersection. Add to plan. No change. Impact on Farm Park is limited while road connection would be very beneficial for transportation and future development, if any, of state hospital property. Overall Vision Add open space program and natural areas inventory to Sustainable Places steps. Add historic preservation to top priority county actions. Add green infrastructure and natural resource protection to land use top priorities. Add protect conservation areas to list of high priority actions. No change. County role very limited in historic preservation; therefore, not a top county priority. Add protecting existing neighborhoods, historic properties, and natural resources to list. 8