Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation Plan - Western ...

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Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 6. Issues and Concernssurveys were conducted anonymously, and distributed at public meeting workshops, community eventsand festivals, and were available on WPC’s website.Municipal official surveys were conducted in two parts. The first part consisted of a five minutephone interview with a representative of the municipality. During this phase of the survey, informationregarding municipal planning and zoning, water and sewage services, and recreational facilities wascollected. During the second phase, a follow up survey similar to the public survey was distributed toanalyze the importance of certain issues and to document future projects the municipalities were planningor would like to have incorporated into the plan. Results of these surveys will be identified later in thischapter.Approximately 56 individuals had been contacted for an interview, of which 32 participated.Interviews were conducted via telephone, unless otherwise requested by the interviewee. The purpose ofconducting individual interviews was to delve more in-depth into the topic areas of the plan withindividuals who were longtime watershed residents or possessed a wealth of knowledge in one or more ofthose topic areas. This method of public input allowed us to discuss concerns, cherished qualities, andmanagement recommendations with those who are most familiar with the area. A copy of the interviewquestions is located in Appendix L, and results of the interviews will be identified later in this chapter.Issues and ConcernsMany issues and concerns addressed by the watershed community are interconnected and cannot beaddressed separately. Projects should be designed to address the issues collectively whenever possible.Issues identified by watershed stakeholders are summarized in the following sections.Urban Sprawl and DevelopmentCity dwellers are expanding out of urban areas and turning the rural countryside of Butler Countyinto suburbs of the city of Pittsburgh. Allegheny County has been experiencing a steady populationdecrease since the 1960s, with the largest decrease occurring between 1970 and 1980 (USA Counties).Meanwhile, neighboring Butler County has experienced a population change of 51.9 percent since the1960s, increasing by more than 59,000 residents (USA Counties). This expansion from the city toneighboring rural areas is commonly referred to as urban sprawl.Many stakeholders were concerned about urban sprawland the implications that development may have on theircommunities, natural resources, social services, and economy.Development will occur; however, it can be done attentivelyand wisely through the implementation of cooperative landusestrategies and proper planning. Utilizing planning andSmart Growth principals, redeveloping industrial andbrownfield sites, and improving existing infrastructure canease some concerns about potential developments.Smart Growth principals promote the use of sound landuseplanning, including mixing land uses; makingResidential development projectdevelopment decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective; strengthening and directing developmenttoward existing communities; fostering distinct, attractive communities with a strong sense of place; andpreserving open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas (Smart GrowthNetwork, 2005).6-2
Connoquenessing Creek Watershed Conservation PlanChapter 6. Issues and ConcernsMost participants recognized the economic benefits of a growing community, but were also alarmedby the associated effects on the environment and quality of life. They acknowledged that well-planneddevelopments with precise controls could be positive additions to the community, but that properplanning is the key to positive development. Redeveloping abandoned industrial sites and brownfields, asopposed to developing farmland and open spaces, was preferred by many participants.Improve infrastructureInfrastructure discussions frequently come entwined with development debates. The selection of abusiness location often correlates to the infrastructure and resources available. Areas lacking sufficientinfrastructure will often be overlooked, even if prior industrial sites utilized the location. As developmentincreases, infrastructure also must increase in order to be sufficiently capable of supporting communityand business growth. Where infrastructure does not grow simultaneously with development, demandexceeds capacity, resulting in (for example) sewage overflows and/or a lack of services.In northern Butler County, development is considered dependent upon installation of water andsewer infrastructure. Some respondents prefer minimal infrastructure, believing the deficit will discouragefurther development. Many had mixed feelings, desiring both better infrastructure and limits to residentialdevelopment. The cost of infrastructure maintenance and upgrades is an additional concern for some.Infrastructure critiques focused mostly on sewage overflows, which were blamed primarily onincreased water runoff due to changing land uses and the connection of stormwater drains to sewage lines.Both contribute to water flows higher than sewage plants can handle, resulting in “overflows” ofuntreated water entering streams. Groundwater infiltration and illegal hook-ups to sewage lines also areconsidered to be contributing factors of overflows.Malfunctioning private septic systems also attracted much criticism. Butler area summer homes, inparticular, were critiqued for septic failures. In some areas, public sewage systems are replacing privateseptic systems, while in rural areas, rapid residential growth is fueling installation of new independentsewage systems. Several participants feel that inspections are too infrequent and regulations arefrequently limited to new systems. Old systems are commonly “grandfathered,” and thus exempt fromnew ordinances.Maintaining and improving older infrastructure, as well as providing infrastructure in targetedgrowth areas, is important in controlling development.In addition to the major routes thattraverse the area, there are numeroussecondary roadwaysTransportationAccording to participants, area roadways, for the mostpart, are in good condition. However, it was noted that manyof the roadways are highly congested. Safety improvements,such as additional traffic signals, better exit and entranceramps, frequent maintenance, bridge and culvert replacements,and wider shoulder margins, could be implemented.Commercial trucks in downtown Zelienople concern someparticipants, who suggested a bypass around Zelienople.Improvements to Routes 8, 68, and 228; connector roads tosmall towns from major highways; along with storm drains andgrass swales to minimize water damage and runoff wereadditional suggestions.Public transportation is lacking and insufficient accordingto the majority of interview participants. The lack of public transportation contributes to excess noise,6-3
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