WARMINSTER TOWNSHIP COMPREHENSIVE PLAN - E-Library

Warminster Township Comprehensive Plan UpdateJohnsville, at the intersection of Street and Newtown roads, was settled inthe 1680s. The Beans agricultural implement factory was established inJohnsville in the 1850s to manufacture farm machinery. The village wasearlier called Craven’s Corner after one of Warminster’s founding familiesand is the site of their ancestral home, Craven Hall.Ivyland was originally a village within Warminster. John Lacey foundedIvyland in 1873 as one of Bucks County’s first planned villages. Thevillage was laid out with a grid street pattern, street trees were planted, anda simple form of zoning was developed. A hotel was built to attractanticipated overflow visitors to the 1876 Centennial Exposition inPhiladelphia. The village separated from Warminster and incorporated as aborough in 1905.In 1939, the Brewster Aircraft Company bought farmland alongJacksonville Road and built a factory to produce warplanes for World War11. In 1943 the federal government built 1,200 housing units for aircraftfactory workers in the Warminster Heights section of the township. Thiswas the largest housing development of its type in the township.In 1944, the U.S. Navy acquired the plant, which eventually became theNaval Air Warfare Center (NAWC). The military base was Warminster’slargest employer-and one of the largest in Bucks County-and hadsignificant impacts on the township and adjoining communities.As the Philadelphia metropolitan area grew in the 195Os, ’60s and O OS,people moved into the township, and the population more than doubled.Many of these new residents moved into new subdivisions created onfarmland. Along with the new residents came commercial and industrialdevelopment, primarily along the main arterial roads and the North Pennrailroad.In 1980 growth slowed and the population peaked at 35,540. The adjacentcommunities in the north started to grow as Warminster’s populationdeclined. The late 1980s and 1990s brought significant commercial growthalong Street Road due, perhaps, to growth in the market area which, includes Warminster and adjacent townships.The Navy closed the NAWC-Warminster in 1996. The township andcounty worked on a re-use plan, which called for industrial, business, andpark uses for the vacant land. The Federal Lands Re-use Authority, acounty agency, took control of the vacant land and began the process ofrecruiting businesses and new development to replace the approximately2,000 Navy jobs and additional Navy contractor jobs that were lost.4

Warminster Township Comprehensive Plan UpdateThe township grew from a collection of villages and farmsteads based onWilliam Perm’s grid system. This land use pattern shaped Warminster andwill continue to do so in the future. Understanding what made Warminsterwhat it is today will help the township to meet the needs of the present anddefine its future in a way that reflects its unique past.5

Warminster Township Comprehensive Plan Update6

Population and HousinrrPopulationA municipal comprehensive plan is prepared primarily to anticipate and plan for the future growth ofthat municipality. Growth is defined as the increase in population, the number of dwelling units, andnonresidential development that occurs in a municipality. To plan for growth, Chalfont Borough musthave an estimate of the amount of growth that has occurred in the past and what is likely to occur for agiven time period. Therefore, this section includes past trends as well as projections of the probablepopulation and housing increases using the Bucks County Planning Commission’s estimates.Demographic information of adjacent municipalities have also been included to evaluate thesurrounding pressures of growth and the impact they may have on Chalfont Borough. Bucks Countystatistics are also included to provide a comparison on a regional basis.Population TrendsPopulation growth is an important consideration in updating the comprehensive plan. With a study ofrecent population growth and a basic understanding of the elements of population change, reasonableprojections for the foreseeable future can be developed. The analysis of demographic changes providesan understanding of past trends in the borough and provides the mechanisms for developing variousgrowth management alternatives. The population analysis provided is an attempt to determine thepresent and future population characteristics of Chalfont Borough and its relationship to surroundingmunicipalities.In the SO-year period since Chalfont’s incorporation in 1910, the population increased by 2,766people. The components of population change used to determine growth rates include natural increaseand migration. Between 19SO and 1990 there were 459 births and 275 deaths in Chalfont. Thisresulted in a natural increase of 1S1 people. The net migration equals S6 persons-the populationchange between 19SO and 1990 (267 people) minus the natural increase.’ For Chalfont, 32.2 percent ofthe population increase was due to net migration. According to the 1990 Census, approximately half ofthe new residents were from other areas in Bucks County (47 percent), and one quarter of these newresidents moved in from other areas of Pennsylvania (25 percent).The balance came from other states(22.3 percent) and Philadelphia (5 percent).From 19SO to 1990, Chalfont’s rate of growth (9.5 percent) was higher than New Britain andDoylestown boroughs, which lost population during this period but lower than the surroundingtownships. These townships grew at a rate which exceeded 12 percent. New Britain Township grewby almost 25 percent.The county’s population growth rate was 12.9 percent between 1980 and 1990. With the exception ofDoylestown and New Britain boroughs, the surrounding municipalities in central Bucks are growing ata faster pace than the county as a whole. Tables. 1 and 2 on the next page shows the population trendfor Chalfont Borough over the past GO years and compares Chalfont’s population chanze to areamunicipalities.’ U.S. Bureau of the Census (Population figures), Pennsylvania Statc Dcpartrncnt of Health (Birth and DcathStatistics).Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 9

Population and HousingTable 1 Population Change, 1930-1 990Number PercentageYear Population Change Change1910 303 ’ - -1920 317 14 4.61930 550 233 73.51940 670 120 21 .81950 828 158 23.61960 1,410 582 70.01970 2,366 956 68.01980 2,802 . 436 18.41990 3,069 267 9.5Source: US. Bureau of the CensusTable 2 Regional Population Change, 1980-1 990Amount PercentageMuni cipa I i ty 1980 1990 Change ChangeChalfont Borough 2,802 3,069 267 9.5Doylestown Borough 8,717 8,575 -142 -1.6Doylestown Township 11,824 14,510 2,686 13.5Hilltown Township 9,326 10,582 1,256 13.5New Britain Borough 2,519 2,174 -345 -13.7New Britain Township 7,415 9,099 1,684 22.7Warrington Township 10,704 12,169 1,465 13.5Bucks County Total 479,180 541,224 62,044 12.9Source: US. Bureau of the CensusPopulation CharacteristicsThe borough is very homogeneous racially. Ninety-eight percent’ of the population is white. Themedian age is 35.1 years old which is slightly younger than all of the surrounding communities exceptfor Warrington Township but a bit older than the county median age. The percentage of high schoolgraduates is 83 percent and 3 1.6 percent of Chalfont residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher. Ingeneral, the higher the education level attained, the higher the municipality’s median householdincome. Chalfont appears to be in the middle of the distribution for both educational attainment andincome for the surrounding municipalities although its rates are higher than those for the county. Table3 indicates general population characteristics for Chalfont, surrounding municipalities, and the county.In 1980, 507 people (36 percent) of Chalfont Borough’s work force was employed in themanufacturing sector and 337 (23.9 percent) worked in the service sector. By 1990, employment inmanufacturing and service had shifted to 2 1.9 (384) and 29.5 (516) percent respectively. An increasein the number of people employed also occurred between 1980 and 1990-1,408 (50.2 percent) to1,752 (57.1 percent) people employed. More of those new jobs were in the service sector than inmanufacturing.IloChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

1IIII(IIIIITable 3 Regional Population Characteristics, 1980-1 990MunicipalityChalfont BoroughDoylestown BoroughDoylestown TownshipHilltown TownshipNew Britain BoroughNew Britain TownshipWarrington TownshipPercentWhite98.397.396.197.898.497.395.1MedianAge35.139.736.833.635.735.332.1PercentHigh SchoolDiploma83.080.286.184.883.590.590.0Population and HousingPercent 1989 MedianBachelor Degree Householdor Higher Income31.6 $46,30531 .O $32,94236.1 $52,21223.5 $44,71735.9 $49,14537.1 $54,61026.9 $47,284Bucks County Total 95.02 33.7-83.0 24.8 $43,347Source: U.S. Bureau oi the CensusThe number of persons per household in Chalfont Borough declined between 1980 and 1990. Theaverage number of persons per household was 3.12 in 19S0, but declined to 2.78 in 1990. Thisdecrease in household size is consistent with the county’s decline from 3.02 persons per household in19SO to 2.80 in 1990. This may be explained in part by a national trend towards smaller householdsdue to later marriages, fewer children, more divorces, and a greater number of elderly living alone.Also, 187 of the 1,066 households in the borough consisted of one person living alone. Of thesehouseholds, 96 consisted of a single person, 65 years of age or older. Forty-three of these householdsor 45 percent, consisted of a female, 65 years of age or older.Of the 3,069 people living in the borough in 1990, 1,538 were male and 1,53 1 were female. Nearly12.2 percent of the population was age 65 or older. Approximately 26 percent of the population wasbelow the age of IS. A 7 percent increase in children 0-4 years occurred between 1980 to 1990.Chalfont has also seen a 27 percent decrease between 19SO to 1990 in the number of school’ agechildren between the ages of 5 and 14, from 543 to 386 children.Population PyramidsTo gain a better understanding of the age distribution of the borough’s population, populationpyramids are provided in Figure 2. These pyramids display the number of people in a particular agegroup, or cohort, by sex,The population for the borough in 1990 displays a significant bulge at the 3044 cohort group. Thisbulge represents the last portion of the baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964.A comparison of the population pyramids of Chalfont and Bucks County shows not only the similarbulges of baby boomers and their children, but also that the bulges are lower on the Bucks Countypyramid indicating a lower average age.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Updale DraftI I

Population and HousingFigure 2Chalfont Borough and Bucks County Population PyramidsBucks County 1990 Population80-8470-74v)-L- P0u0-?60-6450-5440-4430-3420-2410-1 40-4-30,00020,000 10,000 0 10,000 20,000 30,000Number of PeopleChalfont 1990 Population80-8470-7460-64- 20450-54u 40-44aJ30-3420-24II10-140-4_.150 100 50 0 50 100 150Number of People12 Chalfont Boroqh Comprehensive 'Plan Updare Draft

Population and HousingHousingThe growth of the borough is demonstrated not only by population but also by housing. Knowledge ofthe housing market assists in planning efforts because housing is a significant capital asset whichrequires tremendous infrastructure to support it.The large developments constructed in Chalfont Borough in the past decade were located north of theborough center and east of Main Street. The following examines existing and past housing trends inthe borough.Housing TrendsChalfont Borough gained 184 dwelling units between 1970 and 19SO. This was a 25.6 percentincrease to the 1970 housing stock. During the 19SOs, the housing growth rate also increased. The1990 census figures indicate that the borough’s housing stock increased by 241 dwelling units for a26.7 percent change. This high growth rate can be attributed to the expansion of sewer service,available land, and improved economy during the”mid to late 19SOs. Table 4 indicates the total numberof dwelling units in the borough between 1970 and 1990.Table 4 Dwelling Unit Change, 1970-1 990Dwelling Numerical PercentageYear Units Change Change1970 719 -- -1980 903 * 184 25.6%1990 1,144 24 1 26 .6‘/oSource: U.S. Ourcau oi the CensusIncludes 5 vacant indeterminate tenure (unmarketable) unitsSingle-family detached and single-family attached, are the major housing types in the borough. The19SO census figures indicated that of the 903 dwelling units in the borough, 732 were single-familydetached. This was 8 1.1 percent of the total 1980 housing stock. In 1990, the number of single-familydetached units increased by 96 units but made up only 72 percent of the total housing stock. The dropwas due to an increase in attached and multiplex structures.The median household income increased from $24,408 in 1980 to $46,305 in 19S9 (59.7 percentincrease). However, the median value of owner-occupied housing units has increased by over 142.9percent, from $66,500 per unit in 1980 to $161,500 in 1990. For rental units, the last decade showedthat rents have more than doubled from the monthly rate of $230 in 1980 to $5 14 in 1990.The U.S. Census Bureau has classified dwelling units into the following types: single-familydetached, single-fanlily attached, multifamily of two to four units, multifamily of five or more unitsand mobile homes. In the 1980 census, condominiums were included in the “other” category. Thehousing unit types and charactcristics for 1980 and 1990 are listed in Table 5 on the next page.Chalfont Borou3h Comprehensive Plan Update DraftI3

Population and HousingTable 5 Housing Unit Characteristics, 1980-1 990Numerical PercentageCharacteristic 1980 1990 Change ChangeNumber of Housing UnitsSingle-Family DetachedSingle-Family Attached2-4 Unit Structure5+ Unit StructureMobile HomeCondomi n i umVacant UnitsOwner-OccupiedRenter-OccupiedMedian Home ValueMedian Rent/MonthPercent 3 or more bedrooms903732315288--6717 (8O%)*181 (20%)*$66,500$230.0077.7%1,14482810282111120755971 (84.9%)173 (15.1%)$1 61,500$5 14.007 1.2%24 113319592103181-3 1254-8967,300$23 5 .OO26.726.555.459.072.0100.0-47.633.5-4143.2110.0-8Source: US. Census Bureau* Tenure rates do not include 5 units classiiied as unmarketableThe 1990 census indicates that 9.9 percent of the borough's housing stock was built before 1939.Ninety percent was built between 1940 and 19SO. The balance of the units, 241 or 26.7 percent havebeen built since 19S1, according to census and borough building permit data (see Table S).The housing growth rate of 26.7 percent between 1980 and 1990 for Chalfont Borough was amongthe fastest in the ivea and was exceeded only by New Britain and Doylestown Townships. Thesurrounding townships have experienced relatively significant housing growth in recent years becausethey are part of a rapidly urbanizing area and have adequate public sewer and water capacity and muchundeveloped land remaining.The borough's rate of home ownership increased by almost 5 percent between 19SO and 1390 asshown in Table 6 below. Correspondingly, the rate of renting has declined by 4.6 percent. However,the vacancy rate for both owner and rental housing increased. These changes in tenure and vacancyrates are also evident in the boroughs of Doylestown and New Britain.Table 6 Regional Tenure and Vacancy Rate, 1980-1 990Tenure Rate Percent Vacancy Rate PercentTotal Units Owner Renter Owner RenterMunicipality 1980 1990 1980 1990 1980 1990 1980 1990 1980 1990Chalfont Borough 903 1,144 80.0' 84.9 20' 15.1 .6 3.6 2.7 11.5Do y I es tow n B o rough 3,633 4,100 49.9 47 50.1 53.0 .5 1.5 3.3 5.0Doylestown Township 3,652 4,857 83.0 82 17.0 18.0 5.1 1.9 3.5 13.9Hi1 I town Township 3,099 3,659 82.8 83.4 17.2 . 16.6 .8 .9 3.4 2.3New Britain Borough 71 1 828 91.8 88.2 8.2 11.8 1.5 l.G 1.6 6.1New Britain Township 2,394 3,284 8G.3 88.2 13.7 11.8 2.3 2.1 8.1 4.4W a rr i rig ton Towns ti i p 3,639 4,458 73.9 71.8 26.1 28.2 1.4 1.9 14.2 7.8Bucks County 164,914 199,959 73.0 75.7 27.0 24.3 1.4 1.3 9.0 8.2'Includes only marketable units14 Chalfoni Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Drari

Population and HousingTo provide for sufficient mobility and choice in the housing market, an adequate vacancy rate isnecessary. The typical vacancy rate is between 3 and 5 percent. This rate is considered normal for afluid housing market. Table 7 below provides a comparison of the total dwelling units for Chalfont andarea municipalities for 19SO and 1990.Table 7 Regional Housing Unit Change, 1980-1 990Municipality~ ~ ~~1980-1 990Housing Units Amount Percent1980 1990 Change ChangeChalfont Borough 903 1,144 241 26.7Doylestown Borough 3,633 4,100 2,467 12.9Doylestown Township 3,652 4,857 1,205 33.0Hilltown Township 3,099 3,659 5 GO 18.1New Britain Borough 71 1 828 117 16.5New Britain Township 2,394 3,284 890 37.2Warrington Township 3,639 4,458 819 20.9Bucks County 164,914 199,934 35,020 21.2Source: US. Bureau of the CensusThe number of subdivision proposals submitted to the borough for review since 1990 totaled 105single-family residential building lots. The proposals that have been submitted in the last three yearsare mainly subdivisions of 2-7 lots. The exception is the Patriots Place subdivision which proposed S3single-family detached residential lots and was submitted for approval in 1991.The .borough's permit records were reviewed to obtain the actual number of dwelling units beingconstructed. The subdivision proposals were compared to the number of building permits issued.Between January 1990 to September 1996 there were building permits issued for 30s new dwellingunits compared to the 105 units proposed. Most of the permits issued from 1990 to 1992 were for theconstruction of units that are part of the Lindenfield and Shadow Ridge developments approved in thelate 1980s. The permits issued in 1993 were for the court-ordered Patriots Place development. Table Sprovides the number of permits issued between 1.990 and September 1993.Table 8 Building Permits Issued, 1990-1 996PermitsIssued1990199119921993199419951996'515359120T43Total 308'January through September 1996Source: Chalfonr BoroughChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Drat? 15

Population and HousingH ousi ng Affor dab i I it yHousing affordability is an issue which affects all residents. A shortage of affordable housing can bedetrimental to the community’s economic and social vitality by limiting the availability of labor andincreasing the cost of goods and services. A more direct impact is that the chddren of present residentsmay not be able to affbrd to live in the community where they grew up.In the Bucks County Planning Commission’s publication 1995 Hoirsing Prices and Affordubifiry, theaffordability of housing for Chalfont Borough was analyzed. A Housing Affordability .Index wascomputed for the borough using the county median. This index is the ratio of monthly housing incometo monthly housing costs. It is computed by dividing median monthly household income by totalmonthly home ownership costs. An index of 1 .OO or greater indicates that a median income householdcould afford at least a median priced housing unit within a given municipality. An index less than 1 .OOindicates that a median income household could not afford the median income priced unit.The indices range from 1.83 in Bristol Borough to 0.43 in Upper Makefield Township. Of themunicipalities which had more than ten transactions, the only municipalities that have indices greaterthan 1 .OO were Bensalem, Bristol, Fall, Milford, Perkasie, Plumstead, Springfield and West Rockhilltownships and Bristol, Morrisville, Quakertown, Riegelsville, Chalfont, Telford, boroughs. In 1995,only 1 1 municipalities had affordability indices greater than 1 .OO.Another method of measuring the affordability of housing is to estimate the gap between the housingprice the median household income can afford, and the median house price. In 1995, the housing pricethat was affordable to the county’s median household income was approximately $ 13300.2 InChalfont the 1995 median housing price was $123,250..‘ Table 9 below shows Chalfont’s housingaffordability for the years 1991 to 1995.Table 9 Housing Affordability, Second Quarter, 1991 -1 995Number of SalesNew1991 1992 1993 1994 199526 26 14 18 812 45 6 3 1Resale 14 40 8 15 7 .Median Housing Prices 142,000 144,900 143,750 162,750 123,250Affordability Index 0.75 0.82 0.88 0.78 1.09Source: Bucks County Planning Commission, 2/95’ The Maximum house pricc affordable assunics a 30-year mortgage with a IO pcrccnt down payment, a niaximuni 01’2s pcrccnt of gross inconic for housing expcnditurcs (using the estimated Bucks County nicdian income from tlicprevious year), and approximate cost for taxes, private mortgage insurance (PMI) and property insurancc. The 1995maximuni house pricc affordable is bascd on a county nicdian income of $46,490.The $123,250 median house pricc for Chalfont Borough in 1995 was bascd on the avcragc of the transactions thatoccurred during the year. Because of the small sample site howevcr, this may not be a valid rcprcscntalion or themedian sales pricc for 1995.116 Chalfonf Boroqh Comprehensive Plan Updare Draft

Population and HousingAlthough the affordability index for 1995 is 1.09 and indicates that a household earning the medianincome could afford a house in the borough this figure is suspect. The standard sample size fornumber of sales is 10 and only 8 houses were sold in the borough in 1995. Therefore the figure maynot be representative of the affordability of housing in the borough. It is important to note the trendfrom 1991 to 1994 indicates that housing was not affordable to families earning the median income.Chalfont is part of the Doylestown Planning Area. A planning area is a defined area made up ofmunicipalities that share similar land use characteristics, common community facilities etc. Thisplanning area includes Doylestown, New Britain and Wamngton townships and Chalfont,Doylestown and New Britain boroughs. The number of sales and the median housing price for thesecond quarter 1991 through 1995 is listed below.in Table 10.Table 10 Doylestown Planning Area Housing Affordability, Second Quarter, 1991-1 995PercentChange1991 1992 ' 1993 1994 1995 1991-1 995Number of Sales 231 285. 251 302 218 -5.7%Median Housing Prices 158,000 159,450 . 155,000 154,250 159,900 +1.5%Source: Bucks County Planning Commission, 2/95The median housing price for the Doylestown area is $27,400 higher than the county's affordablehousing price of $132,500.Population and Housing ProjectionsPopulation projections done by the Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC) in 1993 showed ayear 2000 middle projection of 3,410 for Chalfont Borough. The 1995 population estimates usingBoard of Assessment data indicated that there were 3,531 people living in Chalfont. Building permitand occupancy certificate data provided by the borough in September 1996 indicated that 290 dwellingunits had been built since the last census count in 1991. The BCPC middle projection called for only216 new units. The disparities in these figures caused by unexpected growth made it clear that newpopulation and housing projections were necessary.The Bucks County Planning Commission has developed a model for use with municipalities whosegrowth has surpassed 2000 projections. The assumptions used in the model are tailored to eachindividual situation and the base data, such as borough building permits and occupancy certificate data,are obtained directly from the municipality. The population and housing projections generated by thismodel therefore provide more representative projections than the methods normally used.The population and housing projections included in this section are not, nor should they be viewed as,a goal or a target to achieve. Rather, the projections are an estimate of the population and housingincrease Chalfont Borough can anticipate until the year 2010 based on current indicators andChaliont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft ,

Pooulation and Housingassumptions. Since population and housing projections are only estimates, they must be used in thatcontext. The projections are not absolute and should be used only as a guideline of possible growthwithin the borough. These projections will be used in conjunction with other aspects of this plan, inorder to develop a future land use plan for Chalfont Borough.Projection MethodologyThe methodology used to project the population and housing for the years 2000 to 2010 for Chalfontinvolved an analysis of the number of existing dwelling units, the amount of vacant residentially zonedland, housing growth trends and scenarios. This data. was then applied to a statistical model developedby the staff of the Bucks County Planning Commission which has been tailored to Chalfont Boroughsneeds and appears in the Appendix.The first step involved identifying the number of dwelling units that have been built as of October1996. Counts from the 1990 census were augmented by the number of units completed by 1996. Thisfigure was obtained by inventorying all building permits and corresponding occupancy certificatesissued which indicate building completion. This step was done to develop a current estimate of thenumber of dwelling units that will serve as a base for the projections.Development potential was then examined by identifying vacant parcels in the borough anddetermining their residential development potential based on current zoning. An inventory ofdevelopment that has been officially proposed but not yet developed was also done. Because of thepaucity of residentially zoned vacant acreage, it was determined that no more than 20 dwelling unitscould be built by the year 2010 if zoning is left unchanged.An analysis of housing trends and growth scenarios involved determined that only 20 units could bebuilt and occupied by 2010. Historical patterns for previous time periods of 1980 to 1990 and 1990 to1996 were identified to detemzine the average annual number of additional dwelling units. Theapplication of past trends to future scenarios was done because it is expected that, to a certain degree,these trends will continue.Because of the possibility of unforeseen changes to the components of population and housinggrowth, three scenarios have been developed. For both the 2000 and 2010 projections, three scenariosare presented, low, middle and high. For each scenario, the total number of dwelling units wascalculated for 2000 by adding the projected number of units from the proposed development listing.The population for each scenario was generated by multiplying an assumed persons per unit figure bythe total projected units.The low projection for housing and population was based on a scenario which called for no additionaldwelling units to be built by 2000 and 5 new units by 20 10. For the periods 1996-2000 the number ofpersons per dwelling unit of 2.66 was held constant. For the period 2000 to 2010 the factor decreasedfrom 2.66 to 2.55. This decrease reflects national and regional trends which have shown a long-termdecrease.18 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Population and HousingThe middle projection assumed no units constructed between 1996 and 2000 but 10 additional units by2010. The persons per dwelling unit figure of 2.66 was held constant to the year 2010.The high projection indicates that 4 dwelling units will be constructed before 2000 and 16 additionalunits by 2010. The persons per dwelling unit figure of 2.66 was held constant to the year 2010.The population pyramids were based on the middle population projections. An age cohort survivalmodel (see Appendix A) was used to develop these population pyramids. This model uses fertility anddeath rates generally consistent with past rates. The figure for each cohort represents a share of thetotal population projection for the given year. The model is driven by the population projection. Thenumber representing the population projection is arrived at by altering the migration rates to generate afigure which best approximates the population projection.Extreme caution is .recommended when assessing the 20 10 projections. Strict reliance upon theseprojections is not recommended since many significant changes can occur to the assumptions used todevelop these figures during this extended time period. Changes in zoning, household rates and thebirth or death rates may affect the projections. It is recommended that these projections be used asbarometers to what may occur if the demographic characteristics and trends remain constant to the year20 10.Projections, when based on sound methodology and assumptions, tend to produce a fairly goodpicture of the general direction and magnitude of future growth. They may be used by municipalities,authorities, and school districts in planning activities and by those interested in market conditions.However, any forecast of future growth is tentative and subject to a given set of assumptions holdingtrue for a defined period of time and constraints of the projection model employed.In order to monitor growth in the borough it will be important to review the 2000 U.S. Censuspopulation and housing figures when they become available. If necessary growth projections shouldbe reconsidered.H ousi ng Proj ec ti onsThe housing projections reflect the small amount of land remaining in the borough for residentialdevelopment. All three ranges incorporate the 290 dwelling units that have been completed between1990 and 1996. The low range projections for 1990 to 2000 in Chalfont Borough would be a 2.5percent growth rate or an addition of 290 dwelling units. In this scenario no additional units will bebuilt between 1996 and 2000. Between the years 2000 and 2010 the low housing projection would be0.35 percent or an addition of 5 dwelling units.The middle range projection would be an increase.of 292 dwelling units or a 25.5 percent growth rate' between 1990 and 2000. Between 2000 and 2010 the expected middle range percentage of increasewould be 0.70 percent for a total of 10 housing units.Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft. 19

Population and HousingThe high range projections would add 294 housing units or 25.7 percent increase between 1990 and2000. An increase of 16 units or 0.01 percent between 2000 and 2010 would bring the total number ofdwelling units to 1,454. Regardless of the range, these figures suggest a small increase in housingunits for the next two decades. Figure 3 represents the housing growth rates for Chalfont from 1980through the year 2010.Figure 3 Housing Projections, 1980-201 0I-1,5001,400ln 1,300.-C3LO 1,20002= 1,1001,000////903/* 11144///////////1,438 - - A.a 1,436 = A/ 1,434-_---. 1,454

Population and HousingThe 2010 projections should be used only as a barometer as to what may occur if demographiccharacteristics and trends remain constant. The range for the total population increase by the year 2010would be between 605 and 799, an 18 to 26 percent increase from 1990. The population and housingprojections indicate that the borough is not expected to grow significantly, even for the high projection.Unforeseen changes to population structure components such as the birth or death rates will make Littledifference. With this in mind it is important for borough officials to determine policy for the future.Because the borough will not grow much more, decisions have to be made about services andfacilities, for instance. Services can be expanded, and quality can be enhanced, or current levels can beretained.Figure 4Population Projections, 1980-201 0I3,800--3,600 -- ///0-3,400 -- /a/0/0e3,200 --////3,825 - - c- = = = t3t868/ 3,820 - - - - - 3,8463,814 - - 3,67412,600 --2,400 --I-W-Actual - -0- - Low . - -A- - Middle - +- -High 1ISource: Bucks County Planning Commission Chaliont Borough Projections 1 1/96Population CharacteristicsTo gain a better understanding of the age distribution of the borough's population, populationpyramids are provided in Figure 5 on the next page. These pyramids display the number of people in aparticular age group, or cohort, by sex.The population for the borough in 1990 displays a significant bulge at the 30-44 cohort. This bulgerepresents the last portion of the baby boomers born between 1946 and 1964. Many of these 30-44cohort members have already started families. The population pyramid for 2000 shows this highernumber of births at the bottom of the pyramid (cohort 0-4) where a small bulge can be seen. The year2010 pyramid shows an older age structure evidenced by the larger numbers of persons above age 30and the smaller proportion of children and adolescents. The number of children has not changedsignificantly from that of 2000.Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 21

Chalfont 1990 PopulationBucks County 1390 Popul a t' ion80-u.1uo - II 41In-70-7460-64& 50-54Iu 40-44u7 30-3470-7460-64L' 40-44u7 30-34I120-2420-2410-1410-140-4I50 100 50 0 50 100 150Number of PcoplcI,--I30,000 20,000 10.000 0 l0,000 20,000 30.0000-4 ,- I - - I- - , -Numbcr of Pcoplc80-8470-74Chalfont 2000 Projcctioii1. . . . __OFclIlalc.MaleChalfont 201 0 ProjectionI... . .OFclllalc.__ ,.M;llc-. .60-64u2 30-3420-2410-1 40.4-.1I, .. - . - . - . . . . -. .. . .2 00 100 0 100 200Nuriil)cr of i'coi)lcI20-24 110.141I

Population and HousingThe 2000 and 2010 pyramids charts the movement of the baby boomer bulge as they age. By the year2010 this group will start to enter retirement. Because of the size of this age group there will be agreater impact on the borough as this group progresses toward old age. For instance, after 2010 therewill likely be greater demands for services and facilities designed to meet the housing and recreationalneeds of the elderly boomers. There may be more empty nest households and perhaps more fluidity inthe housing market as these persons sell their homes and move to smaller dwellings.SummaryWhen several population and housing statistics are examined together, certain patterns emerge. Thesepatterns further define the character of the borough and present a clearer picture of how the populationwill grow in the future.Chalfont’s population grew quite rapidly between 1950 and 1970. However, since then,growth has s 1 owed .The borough’s population is slightly older (average age-35.1) than that of the county (averageage-33.7) and more than one-third of the residents are aged 2544. This group of peoplegenerally represents the baby boom generation.The percentage of persons still employed in manufacturing and service industries declined from60 to 5 1 percent between 19SO and 1990. The majority of the population is employed in thesesectors.The borough median household income and rate of educational attainment is slightly higherthan the county’s, but slightly lower than that of adjacent townships. However as residents agetheir incomes will undoubtedly increase, providing higher median household incomes.The average household size has declined in Chalfont in line with county and national trendstowards smaller households. An implication of this for the future is that construction ofhousing units will not result in a population increase of the same magnitude as in previousdecades.The population in Chalfont grew in part because of the development of housing after 19S0,between 19SO and 1990, 241 units were built. The housing stock is relatively new, 25 percentis less than 15 years old, and served exclusively by public water and sewer. The vacancy rateis adequate for owner occupied housing but the rate for rental housing is fairly high. Themarket for rental housing is very fluid and may indicate an oversupply and may lead to declinein maintenance.The analysis of affordability indicates that the borough is not a necessarily an affordable placein which to buy a house. This situation is due to a large percentage of dwellings being owneroccupied single-family detached housing. Another factor is the relatively new age of thehousing. Ninety percent of the stock is less than 50 years old and 20 percent has been builtafter 19s 1. Efforts to improve affordability such as providing for attached and multifaniilyhousing may be necessary.The number of housing units is not projccted to grow significantly after the ycar 2000.Population projections indicate that population growth will taper off by 2000 also. With lessgrowth the averaze age will rise, the number of children will increase, and the ranks of thcelderly will expand.Challont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Dr~h. .23

I1IIIIIIIIIBI11IIIIIExisting Land UseThe evaluation of existing land use is an important part of a comprehensive planning effort. Beforebeginnins to plan for the future, it is crucial to know what land use patterns exist in the present.Environmental and fiscal impacts of housing, infrastructure, and transportation alternatives can bebetter evaluated after understanding existing land use patterns. Existing land use patterns indicate howgrowth has taken place in the past and show both opportunities and constraints for future planningefforts.A review of existing land use in the borough was completed and is presented on the Existing Land UseMap (see Figure 6) and in the text that follows. This data was obtained from the Bucks CountyPlanning Commission’s 19SO and 1990 land use inventory, interpretation of 1995 aerial photographs,field checks and 1996 Bucks County Board of Assessment data. The data used is parcel specific andeach of the borough’s 1,450 parcels has been assigned a land use code. Where a code was assigned inthe county tax assessment records but no value for improvenients was shown, the parcel is depicted asvacant.The traditional center of the borough is at the intersection of its main arteries-Main Street and ButlerPike. Historically the growth of the borough radiated outward along those arteries and along ParkAvenue. In the 1950s and ‘60s residential development took place along the edges of the borough asland became available for development. Since 1960, residentid growth has taken place in the form ofsuburban-style residential subdivisions and planned residential developments on vacant andagricultural land north of the borough core.Land Use TypesResidentialThe predominant land use in the borough is residential. In 1996 it covered almost 55 percent of theland (537 acres). In 1990, 42 percent of the land (43 1 acres) was residential. This substantial increasein residential land use from 1990 to 1996 is due to the construction of an additional 258 dwelling units.The majority of residential land is occupied by single-family detached housing units that cover 54percent (536 acres) of the borough’s land. While most of the older homes in Chalfont are located alongthe major arteries, many of the recently built houses are in planned residential developments whichcontain a mix of dwelling types with open space. Neighborhoods such as Lindenfield are examples ofsuch development, whereas Patriot Place is a suburban-style residential subdivision with curvilinearstreets and single-family houses on larger lots.Multifamily residential housing (properties with more than three attached housing units) composes 2.4percent (24.6 acres) of the borough’s acreage. This type of housing occurs not only in the borough’solder single-family homes that have been converted to apartments, but also in the portions ofLindenfield such as Patrick and Christopher Places.CommercialCommercial land use composes only 8.1 percent (83 acres) of the land use in Chalfont. Thecommercial uses in the borough are located mostly along Main Street and Butler Pike. ProfessionalChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Updxe Draft 25

Existing Land Useservices, restaurants, banks, and small retail stores characterize most of the commercial uses in theborough. Concentrations of commercial uses are found at the Chalfont Square and Chalfont Plazashopping centers, both of which have been constructed since 1990. A number of parcels along MainStreet and Butler Pike have mixed commercial and residential uses.IndustrialChalfont has 2.5 percent (26 acres) of its land utilized for industrial land uses. The industrial land usesare located on the southeastern side of Hamilton Street. One use, the Paramount PackagingCorporation, is located south of the Neshaminy Creek on Oak Avenue. The industrial uses are largelylight manufacturing firms such as Aquarium Pharmaceutical and Keystone Fastener Corp.InstitutionalGovernment and institutional land uses occupy 6 percent (62 acres) of the borough’s land area. Theseland uses are located primarily north of the Branch Creek and are typified by houses of worship,schools, and municipal and U.S. Government functions.Parks, Recreation, and Open SpaceParks and recreation and deed restricted open space in the borough makes up S.2 percent or 84 acres ofland. The borough has 54 acres of municipal parkland as shown in Table 1 1. The borough has createda link park along the Neshaminy Creek which is composed of Oxbow, Kelly, and Krupp Memorialparks. Approximately 30 acres of open space and recreation land is part of residential subdivisionssuch as Shadow Ridge and Lindenfield.Table 11ParkParks in Chalfont BoroughAcrearcBlue jay Park 5.5Chestnut Street Park 5.8Bridgeview Park 1.1Holland Drive Park 1.4Kelly Park 11.3Krupp Memorial Park (plo Kelly Park)Lenape Lane Hike & Bike 10.3Oxbow Park 11.6Swartley-Winkelman Field 4.3Total 51 .aSource:Ducks Counry Park & Rccrcation Plan 198GBorough officialsTransportation and Uti I it iesOne hundred four acres, 10 percent of the land area of Chalfont, is occupied by transportation andutility land uses. The predominant land uses in this category are the SEPTA rail line which extendsthrough the borough and the North Wales Water Authority. This category also includes land used formunicipal streets.26 CIialfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update DraftIBIII1I1IIIIBIIIIII

Existing f and UseVacant LandAlthough 92.7 percent of the borough is occupied by a given land use, almost 76 acres (7.3 percent)remain vacant. The vacant acreage includes parcels in the central portion of the borough west of thepost office, a parcel just north of the confluence of the main and north branches of the NeshaminyCreek, and a parcel south of the railroad line and Sunset Avenue.IIIIIIAgricultureOnly one parcel, the Moyer tract, is still used for agriculture in the borough. This 2s-acre parcel (2.7percent) is located between North Main Street and Sunset Avenue and is used for row crops.Land Use ChangeThe land use in Chalfont has changed significantly since the U.S. Census in 19SO and 1990. The mostsubstantial growth has been in residential land use. This category composed 40.4 percent (4 14 acres)of the borough's land in 1980 and grew to 54.S percent (537 acres) in 1996. Much of the land that wasdeveloped for residential uses was agricultural land, which declined from 26.5 percent in 19SO to 2.7percent in 1996. Industrial land uses have remained the same while commercial uses have increasedfrom 2.2 to S.1 percent. Several of the other land use categories have increased also, although not asgreatly as residential. Parks and recreation land has increased over time due to acquisition of parklandby Chalfont Borough and the provision of open'space in planned residential developments such asLindenfield. Commercial land has increased due to the construction of new shopping areas. As a resultof this development the amount of vacant land has rapidly diminished in recent years.Table 12Land Use ChangePercentageClassific a t' ton 1980 1990 1996Agricultural 26.5Residential 40.4Commercial 2.2I nd u s t r ia I (Mi n i ng & Manu fac t u r i ng) 2.5Institutiona I* 3.3Parks and Recreation 7.4Transportation and Utility3 7.2Vacant 10.29.040.05 .o3.011.07.010.013.02.754.88.12.56.08.210.07.3Notes:' These figures do not add up to 100 percent bccausc of rounding.The percentage reflects land occupied but not necessarily used by iflSlitlltiOnJI uses. The decline in illStilUtiOllJI land uscmay be attributed in pan to changcs in the land use classifications or othcr rcasons.This category includes nlunicipal strcets.Sourcc: Bucks County PIJlllling Cornmission 1996 land use data, U.s Ccnsus 1980.1990Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft27

2sExistinn Land UseContrast with Nearby CommunitiesA general comparison of 1990 land use distribution‘ within Chalfont to that of nearby communitieshighlights the differences between Chalfont and its neighbors. Knowledge of these differences helpsprovide an understanding of how land uses in adjacent municipalities impact Chalfont in the presentand will do so in the future. Table 13 on the next page shows that Chalfont had concentrations of landuses similar to the boroughs of Doylestown and New Britain, except Chalfont has significantly moreland devoted to agricultural and less land for residential uses. However, Chalfont has less landoccupied by commercial and transportation and utility uses than neighboring boroughs. The lesseramount of acreage for transportation and utility uses may be due to the fact that the borough has feweracres used for streets. Because of their role as central places the boroughs have more land used forresidential, commercial, and governmental and institutional land uses than the adjacent townships.Table 13Land Use in Nearby CommunitiesRural Trans. & Covm‘t & Park/Ag Residential Residential ’ Industrial Commercial Utility3 Institut’n12 Recrcat. VacantChalfont Borough 9% 40% 3 %o 5 O/O 10% 11 O/O 7% 13%New Britain Borough 45 2 G 9 1s 8 7 7New Britain Township 1 G 20.5 23 2 1 7 2 15 13Doylestown Borough 46 1 8 21 13 7 3Doylestown Township 17 33 16 0.4 3 7 8 G 10Warrington Township 26 24 16 5 4 7 2 3 13Note: Thcce figures do not add up to 100 due to rounding.’ The Rural Residential classification denotes parcels of 5 acrcs or mow with single-family dwcllings. This catcgory was not used forChaliont because there arc only two parcels that niect this paramctcr a d both arc ovcr 25 acres. Onc acrc from cacli has bccnclassified as residential. Thc balancc is citlicr residcntial or vacant.2 Thc percentage reflects land owned but not necessarily uscd by inSlifUliOnJI uscs.3 This category includes municipal streets.Source:Bucks County Planning Commission, 1990 and 199G land usc dataSummaryThe land use description provided above indicates that percentage of land area devoted to residentialuse in Chalfont has grown significantly in the past ten years. Commercial land use has grown also.The amount of vacant and agricultural land has diminished as it has been converted to other uses. Theother land use categories have not changed significantly. The distribution of land uses in Chalfont aresinlilar to the two nearby boroughs with the exception of residential land.The land use analysis indicates that 93 percent of the borough’s land is occupied, which means thatChalfont is approaching the point at which no new development can occur. Pressures to redevelop andconvert existing uses into higher density or different uses will become greater as the amount of vacantland decreases. With this in mind the borough faces several issues in the future that must bc addresscd.The retention of appropriate land uses arid ensuring that development of the remaining vacant landconforms with the character of the surrounding area will be important. It is also important to ensurethat redevelopment and conversion is compatible with existing land use.’Land usc data from 1990 was uscd for thc comparison bccausc 1996 land USC data was not availablc for ncarbycotiiiiiuiiitics.Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update DraftIIIIIIIIIIII!IIIIII

Non con formitiesIIIEcIIIIIIIIIIIThis section discusses nonconforming uses, lots, and structures. It is important to acknowledgenonconformities because they conflict with zoning regulations. The impacts of individualnonconformities are regulated by the zoning ordinance. However, when a pattern or trend ofnonconformities occur in an area, it may create impacts that cannot be addressed completely by thezoning ordinance and indicate a more serious conflict with the intent of the community'scomprehensive plan. This section discusses patterns or trends which exist in the borough core andalong Butler Pike which affect the development of Chalfont Borough's future land use policies.Def i n it i onsNonconformities are structures, lots, or uses which were lawful prior to the adoption or amendment ofa zoning ordinance but do not comply with the requirements of the current zoning ordinance.Nonconfornling structures are buildings and other manmade fabrications, such as signs, that do notcomply with the dimensional requirements of the zoning ordinance. Nonconforming lots are parcelswhich do not meet the minimum dimensional requirements of the applicable zoning district.Nonconfonning uses are activities or operations which involve land or structures that do not complywith use provisions in a given zoning district.Regulation of NonconformitiesChalfont Borough regulates nonconformities in Section 114-1 1 of the zoning ordinance. Ths sectioncontains provisions for nonconforming lots that are part of a recorded subdivision. Nonconforniinglots may be used for a permitted use if the size of the lot is not less than 40 percent of the requiredminimum lot size and if streets and other improvements have been completed.Article XVI of the zoning ordinance includes provisions for continuation, alteration, restoration,abandonment, and changes to nonconformities. The provisions permit nonconfonnities to continueindefinitely, but alterations are subject to restrictions. Restoration of nonconforming structuresdamaged by fire is permitted within one year of damage, but may not exceed the dimensions of theoriginal structure. If a nonconforming use is abandoned for longer than one year, it can only bereestablished as a conforming use. Any nonconformity that undergoes a change rendering it aconforming structure, lot, or use shall not be permitted to revert back to the nonconformity.Nonconforming lots are not addressed specifically.Nonconforming BuildingsMany of the older buildings in the borough core were built before the zoning ordinance was adopted.These buildings have similar lot placements and share a common scale and proportion. Because ofthese design factors the borough core has a unique identity. However, these buildings havc yardsetbacks, or other dimensions which may not meet the requirements of the zoning ordinance. Forinstance, although the zoning ordinance requires that front yards of at least 30 feet be provided in thecore, a number of the older buildings have front yards of less than 30 feet. Zoning may not allow fornew development that would fit within the established context. The zoning ordinance should bcreviewed to determine if permitted development would fit in with the existing built environment.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 29

TransportationThe transportation network within a community provides access for the movement of people andgoods. Maintaining the efficiency of this network is vital to the proper functioning of a community. Itis important to maintain the quality and efficiency of the streets, highways, and railroad in Chalfont toenhance overall accessibility and economic development.One of the key elements of the comprehensive planning process is a transportation program. The focusof a transportation program should be on transportation-related impacts of local land uses, and a longrangetraffic improvement strategy. This may be accomplished by periodically monitoring andevaluating the conditions of the borough's road system. Information collected through traffic counts,street maintenance, and accident reports are important resources for determining future streetimprovement projects.Statistically, growth in car ownership in the United States has reached a point where there is one carfor every two persons.' Thus the focus of transportation planning for much of the last several decadeshas been on facilitating automobile movement. The ease of movement afforded by the auto has led usto separate land uses. For instance, shopping and employment areas are separated from each other, andfrom residential areas. Cars have become necessary to get from one to the other. This reliance on thepersonal automobile also exacerbates the problems of safety and air pollution from emissions.Automobile emissions are the leading source of air pollution in many cities. Levels of carbonmonoxide, ozone, and particulate matter in the Philadelphia region exceed acceptable levels and mustbe lowered to comply with the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. This region has been declared anozone nonattainment area and efforts to reduce auto emissions, such as requiring that gasoline beoxygenated, must be undertaken.Traffic safety is a great concern to motorists, pedestrians, and bicyclists. As more and more vehiclescongest the roads, the potential for loss of life, injury, and property damage increases. PennsylvaniaDepartment of Transportation traffic studies indicate that traffic congestion in some areas of Chalfont isa problem. This congestion occurs at major intersections along Butler Pike in the borough during peakhours.2 It is caused by traffic generated within the borough and pass-through trips with origins anddestinations outside the borough. It is anticipated that pass-through traffic will increase in the futuredue to growth around Chalfont in New Britain and Doylestown townships and beyond. Consequentlythis pass-through traffic must be considered when developing a long-range traffic improvementstrategy for the borough.Transportation Section of a Municipal Comprehensive PlanThere are no simple solutions to the problems caused by the movement of people and goods.However, for a community to successfully plan for its future, various impacts and needs must bestudied that involve transportation modes other than the automobile, including but not limited to, masstransit (bus and rail), truck, bicycle, and pedestrian travel. Moreover, in the Commonwealth of' Annc Verdcz Moudon, Streets for Public Use, 199 I .Peak hours arc the periods of rhc day in which traffic measured at a given point is highcst. Thc traffic along Butlcr Pikcin Chalfont peaks in thc morning and in thc cvcning.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 31

TransportationPennsylvania, the Municipalities Planning Code (Section 30 l(3)) mandates that a transportation planbe incorporated into every municipal comprehensive plan. The transportation plan that is part of acomprehensive plan should define the problems and issues, provide objectives and policies, andprovide implementation measures.Federal Road Classification SystemThe Federal Functional Classification System provides a standardized classification system that isappropriate for municipal planning purposes. This system classifies roads according to their intendedfunction. The network of highways and roadways is functionally differentiated through the FederalClassification System. This system is used as a standard throughout the United States. The followingcategories, not all of which exist in Chalfont Borough, identify the purpose that a road serves:interstate highway, freeway, andexpressway and other principal arterialminor arterialurban collector or rural major collectorminor collectorlocal streetAnother aspect of functional classification is availability of federal funds and cost sharing dispensed bythe state for certain road classifications. Butler Pike (U.S. Route 202) is eligible for federal fundins asit is a U.S. highway. State roads such as Limekiln Pike (S.R.152) are funded by the state. Localstreets are not eligible for federal funding but funds are generated by local taxes and Liquid Fuels taxreimbursements from the state. The above categories are further defined in Table 14 below.Table 14SystemUrbanized Area Functional Classification CharacteristicsCharacteristicsInterstate Highways, 1. Provides service for major through movements and for long trips that bypass urban areas.Freeways, 2. Serves long distance intracity travel.Expressways, 3. Most facilities have fully or partially controlled access. .7and otherPrincipal Arterials4.5.Provides continuity for all rural arterials that intercept the urban boundary.Widely spaced from other principal arterials.6. Usually accounts for high volumes.Minor Arterials 1. Interconnects with and augments urban principal arterials.2. Provides service to moderate length trips, although with lower level of mobility than3.4.5.6.principal arterials.Ideally, should not penetrate identifiable neighborhoods.Ideally, should be spaced no more than 1 mile from other minor arterials in urbanized areas.Places more emphasis on land access than principal arterials.Connects to rural major collectors at urban boundary.Collectors 1.2.Length is generally shorter than arterials but longer than local streets.May penetrate identifiable neighborhoods.3.4.Collects traffic from local streets and channels it to arterial systems.Provides service for both land access and for local traffic movement within neighborhoods,commercial areas, and industrial areas.Local Streets 1. Comprises all facilities not on higher systems.2. Provides access directly to land uses and access to higher order systems.3. Offers minimum througlr service.Source:American Association of State Highway and Transporiation Officials. A Poky on Design of Urban Highways and ArierLilSfrecis, AASHTO Washington, D.C. p. 1 10.132 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

TransportationMunicipal Road Classification ListThe road classification list for Chalfont is as follows:Principal ArterialButler Pike (U.S. 202)Minor ArterialLimekiln Pikernorth Main Street (S.R. 0152 )Bristol Road (S.R. 2025 )CollectorPark Avenue (S.R. 1006)Sunset Avenue (S.R. 1006)Moyer RoadLocalAll other roads in the boroughAnalysis of the Borough Circulation SystemThe major problems with the boroughs circulation system are: 1) arterials which are at or abovecapacity due to large volumes of traffic which passes through the borough and 2) the lack of straishtand continuous state roads. Traffic generated in the borough and through traffic is funneled onto theborough’s arterial roads, primarily Butler Pike and Limekiln Pikemain Street.Butler Pike (Route 202) is a major st-west route for traffic passing through Bucks County. Recenttraffic studies for U.S. Route 202 Y? Have produced traffic counts that indicate the roadway is generallyat capacity. Traffic counts indicate &vel of service which is based on operational conditions within atraffic stream and the perceptions by motorists in ternis of travel time, traffic interruptions, comfort andconvenience. Levels of service A, B, and C represent conditions below roadway capacity. Levels ofservice D and E represent conditions near or at capacity. Level of service F is over capacity. Recenttraffic studies of Route 202 indicate a level of service E for the intersections with Limekiln Pike andMain Street in the evening peak period. The morning peak hour traffic levels for these intersections areB and D respectively. At the point between the intersections, or midblock, the levels of service arelevel E. The Route 202 intersection with Main Street has reached capacity and traffic has attainedundesirable operating conditions for morning and evening peak hours. This situation has also beenfound at Limekiln Pike and Route 202 in the evening peak hour. These conditions necessitatesignificant improvements to the roadway. However, Butler Pike cannot be widened sufficiently tocarry existing and future traffic. PennDOT has proposed a new alignment of Route 202 which isdescribed below.-kAlthough Route 202 can not be altered significantly, limited improvements can be made to ease trafficmovement. Coordination of traffic signals at Limekiln Pike and Main Street can hasten traffic aridlessen waits at the signal. The curb radii arc also short at a numbcr of intersections. This requires that’~~ ~U.S. Routc 202-Scction 700 Draft Environmental Impact Statcnicnt (August 1996) PcnnDOTChallonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Orah 33

Tra nspo rta tionvehicles move slowly to negotiate the turns. Tractor trailers must negotiate these intersections carefullyand often disrupt traffic in the process.State Route 152 (Limekiln Pikernorth Main Street) and S.R. 1006 (Park and Sunset avenues) aremajor roads providing a route through the borough, but they are not continuous. Each has a break incontinuity, or traverse, that necessitates travel on another road. Traffic on Sunset Avenue traveling eastmust traverse a short portion of North Main Street to continue onto Park Avenue. Traffic travelingsouth on North Main Street must traverse Butler Pike to continue south on Limekiln Pike. Thesebreaks interrupt the flow of traffic and create congestion at the intersections. They are caused by thenorth and west branches of the Neshaminy Creek and the railroad which constrain road construction.A minor arterial that serves the borough, Bristol Road, extends north from the southern end of BucksCounty but ends at Butler Pike. This terminus generates traffic on Butler Pike that is either entering orexiting from Bristol Road thereby adding to existing high volumes of traffic. PennDOT completed astudy in 1974 of the Bristol Road Extension to determine the feasibility of improving access to sitesnorth of Route 202 such as Peace Valley Park. This project proposed to extend Bristol Road north toPark Avenue across the SEPTA rail line and Pine Run Creek. At the time the study was completed thetraffic counts did not warrant the improvement. However, now with the existing volumes and levels ofservice on North Main Street, Limekiln Pike and Butler Pike, the extension may be more viable. Thisextension would divert traffic generated from or having a destination north and east of Chalfont fromNorth Main Street and lower volumes on Butler Pike.Twelve Year Transportation ProgramThe Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) compiles projects for local transportationimprovements in its Twelve Year Transportation Improvement Program for Highways and Bridges.The Twelve Year Plan is made up of three four-year elements. The first four-year element is the defacto capital improvements plan for PennDOT which will be funded. The second and third elements arelists of projects with lower priorities which cannot be funded at the given time.The Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) is a four-year plan for improvements to the road andbridge network in the Philadelphia five county metropolitan area. Only those projects listed in the TIPhave committed funding for improvements. To determine which improvements are most urgent andshould be placed on the TIP, PennDOT receives input from the Bucks County Planning Commissionregarding critical transportation deficiencies of municipalities. Further evaluation of the county’s list ismade by the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Priorities are then forwarded toPennDOT to be approved by the State Transportation Commission. These projects become part of thestatewide Twelve Year Plan. The transportation improvement lists are updated by PennDOT every twoyears.There are no TIP projects proposed for Chalfont Borough at the present time. However, a proposal Loreplace the Route 202 Bridge over the west branch of the Neshaniiny Creek is on the third four-yearplan of the Twelve Year Plan.I34 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

5ITransportationRoute 202 BypassThe most significant transportation project to affect the borough will not be in the borough itseif. TheUS 202 Section 700 improvement project calls for a new alignment between Montgomeryville andDoylestown and is projected to relieve some of the traffic congestion caused by traffic that passesthrough the borough along Butler Pike. The proposal has been approved by PennDOT and now isbeing considered for funding by the Federal Highway Administration.The environmental impact statement for the project contains a traffic study which indicates that if theexpressway is not constructed, traffic on Butler Pike between Main Street and Limekiln Pike and iMainStreet between Butler Pike and Sunset Avenue will rise 30 and 45 percent respectively by 2018. A newexpressway will reduce the traffic on Butler Pike by 12 percent below existing levels and limitincreases on Main Street to only 24 percent over existing levels by 2018. The proposed expresswaywould clearly reduce congestion along Butler Pike and Main Street but traffic on Main Street wouldcontinue to grow albeit at a slower rate.Public TransportationThe Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) maintains daily scheduled trainservice on the R-5 Lansdale-Doylestown regional rail line that runs through the borough. The linepasses through Chalfont on its route southward from Doylestown to Philadelphia and then onwestward to Paoli. The borough has demonstrated a commitment to rail operations by recentlypurchasing the train station building. A 1991 ridership study indicated that almost 200 people use thetrain at the Chalfont train station on a daily basis during the week. Closure of other nearby stations duelow ridership, such as New Britain, has been discussed. Parking is an issue at the Chalfont station lotbecause it has only 50 spaces and there is no room to expand. The borough roadmaster stated thatillegal parking takes place along Sunset Avenue because of insufficient parking in the lot.' If a nearbystation is closed, parking need and ridership will likely increase in Chalfont and exacerbate existingproblems. To promote rail use the borough could provide extra parlung near the train.IOther forms of public transportation include Bucks County Transport, Inc., a private, nonprofittransportation agency, which provides on-demand services to those over 65 years of age or those onmedical assistance. The Doylestown Cab Company provides taxi service to the central Bucks area.Park & Ride LotsPark & ride lots are off-street parking areas where drivers may park one vehicle to transfer to anothervehicle for ridesharing. Such facilities are practical alternatives to help combat congestion on the roads.Park & ride lots serve van pools, car pools, or public transit vehicles. For most users, employmentcenters are the usual destination.There are no park & ride lots currently located in Chalfont or nearby. If any of the nearby train stationsare closed, a park & ride facility should be considered at or near the Chalfont train station to' Telephone interview with Mike Bishop, Chalfont Borough Roadmastcr, February 5, 1997.Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 35

Transporfa tionaccommodate the parking needs of those who will be using the train and carpooling. Those commutingto common distant work sites can be served by park & ride facilities. Such facilities are eligible iorfunding under certain programs of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991.Legislation and IncentivesAmong the requirements of the Federal Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 is that in severe or extremenonattainment areas employers with more than 100 employees shall reduce the number of employeevehicle trips entering their establishments through employee trip reduction programs (ETRP). Viableprograms include ridesharing, employer sponsored van pools, and employer sponsored transitsubsidies. Although enforcement of the ETRP has been suspended, the program still has merit. Someof the peak hour road congestion now affecting Chalfont would be reduced slightly by theimplementation of such programs.The Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA) provided new funding forenhancements to transportation systems. Congress is sponsoring hearings about the reauthorization ofISTEA, referred to as “NEXTEA.” Many municipalities are researching what funds are availablethrough NEXTEA for their transportation planning projects. Projects such as bike paths and pedestrianpath improvements are eligible for funding under this program.Transportation management associations are organized groups of employers who provide educationand ideas, do surveys and plans to provide effective alternatives for their employees’ commutes towork and home to reduce rush hour traffic. Flextime, carpooling, vanpooling, public transportationsubsidies, and shuttle buses to transit facilities are examples of programs that employers intransportation management associations are implementing. The creation of these groups is tied veryclosely to adherence to legislative regulations and the receipt of benefits from various governmentalprograms.These laws and programs facilitate efforts that Chalfont needs to undertake to find solutions to some ofits transportation deficiencies and improve its quality of life. The incentives inherent in these programsand laws make it easier for the borough to participate. The borough may sponsor programs itself orcoordinate efforts with other municipalities or private groups.Access ManagementThe efficiency of a roadway is diminished when vehicles gain access from points which are too closetogether, or are uncoordinated with each other or the general flow of traffic. Roadways function bestwhen access is managed. Among access management methods include reduction of the number ofdriveways to minimize conflicts with through traffic, combining access points, and aligningintersections.Most roads are both through-travel routes and a means of local access. This is particularly true forChalfont with two high-volume state routes that serve through traffic while also providing access tobusinesses and local destinations. Butler Pike and North Main Street carry large volumes of commuter,residential, commercial and service vehicle traffic. Traffic congestion is evident along these streets. As36 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Updare Draft

Transportationa result, the development and implementation of access management programs would be an irmortantstrategy for the borough officials to consider as a means to improve the efficiency of these roads.The benefits of this technique are limited along Butler Pike and in the borough core because of thenumber of existing access points. Access to state roads, which is granted by a PennDOT highwayoccupancy permit, can not be taken away. However incentives such as a reduction in the number ofrequired parking spaces could be offered to have landowners combine access driveways and shareparking. Access points in new development along North Main Street and Sunset Avenue can bemanaged during the subdivision and land development approval process and coordinate withPennDOT.Pedestr ian/B icycle SystemsAs the mandates of the Federal Clean Air Act are carried out, provisions for pedestrian and bicycleaccess in the suburbs will become increasingly important for future community planning. In keepingwith trends over the past decade, federal funding for new highways and roads will most likelydiminish. ISTEA provides a different focus for transportation planning. Emphasis now is given toalternatives to dependence on motor vehicles, and less attention given to new highways and roads.1.Currently in Chalfont, sidewalks are in place along portions of the main streets. Moreover, thesubdivision and land development ordinance requires sidewalks to be built for all new residentialdevelopment. Therefore, there is a firm foundation on which to expand the pedestrian system intoneighborhoods which do not have them and to destinations such as the borough parks.Fortunately, the presence of stream corridors linking various portions of the borough is conducive tothe establishment of a viable system of pedestrianhicycle corridors. These corridors could linkresidential neighborhoods to the borough core and outlying activity centers. The borough is also smallenough that its core and outlying neighborhoods are within reasonable walking or bicycling distancefrom any given point. At present, it seems that apart from leisure functions in the parks and inneighborhoods, the greatest amount of pedestrian activity occurs in the borough core and the trainstation. People generally do not walk to other destinations in or outside of the borough.SummaryChalfont contains a network of local streets and arterial and collector roads, as well as a commuter railline. Currently, the borough experiences traffic congestion and high volumes of traffic at mainintersections, particularly during rush hours. The problem is compounded by the lack of sufficientcollector roads. The majority of traffic isn’t generated from within the borough itself, but from theoutlying communities which have grown in the past decades.The Clean Air Act and ISTEA have significantly altered the scope of transportation planning. Thelegislation promotes alternatives to the private automobile rather than viewing it as the major means oftravel. Because of this legislation and that the borough is nearly developed, it is very unlikely thatsignificant new state roads will be added in Chalfont. Construction of a new highway south ofChalfont, to divert through-traffic, has garnered support from PennDOT and may be constructed in theChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 37

Transportationnear future. Therefore, it is important for the borough to deal with congestion by maintaining andenhancing the efficiency of existing roads, supporting development of new collectors such as CieBristol Road Extension and promoting alternative means of travel such as commuter rail and pedestrianand bicycle.Recognizing congestion reduction and promotion of alternative means of travel as concerns, Chalfontshould look toward the future by developing a program that promotes the maintenance andimprovement of the existing network. Policies should also be directed to extending Bristol Road andsupporting Route 202 expressway initiatives. Additional policies should encourage employee tripreduction programs, transportation management associations, promote walking and bicycling, andadvocate mass transit by providing park & ride facilities near the train station.38 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Co m m u n it y Fa cili t iesCommunity facilities and services include utilities, schools, parks and recreation, hospitais, fireprotection, police, and emergency services which serve the public and are owned either publicly orprivately. Community facilities and services are necessary for the public health, safety and welfare,and help provide for the quality of life expected in Chalfont Borough. Planning for these facilities andservices should be interrelated and consistent with land use planning in the comprehensive plan.The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code requires that municipal comprehensive plans include aplan for community facilities and utilities. This update of the Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plansurveys the general adequacy of the community facilities and services which serve the borough. Whereappropriate these services and facilities are analyzed to determine adequacy. Most of the facilities andservices are analyzed with an objective standard. However, because of the nature of the service, policeservices must be judged in a more qualitative manner by the borough council. The update also assistsin the coordination, development, and maintenance of these facilities and services by providing ananalysis of all facilities and services in a single document. However, if the borough or otherorganization intends to expand or extend a facility or service it is recommended that a comprehensivestudy of the facility or service be conducted. This chapter presents only a cursory analysis.The following sections of the plan deal with the facilities and services provided by or for the borough:Public Services and FacilitiesBorough administrationPublic worksPolice servicesFire protection servicesEmergency medical servicesHealth care facilitiesLibrary facilitiesEducational facilitiesParks and recreationPublic UtilitiesSolid waste managementWastewaterWater supplyS tormwater managementChalfont Borough is almost fully developed. The present facilities and services which serve theborough are generally adequate; management issues, such as staffing, funding, and maintenance arethe primary concern. For areas where facilities and services may need to be expanded or extended toserve future growth, this chapter examines projected needs.Public Services and FacilitiesBorough Adm in ist ra ti onThe borough’s administration building is located at 40 North Main Street in the center of the borough.The borough hall houses the offices of the borough manager and the police department. The buildingwas constructed in 1920 as the Chalfont National Bank and was converted into the borough hall inChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 39

Community Facilities1984. The basement houses the police department; the borough offices are on the first and secondfloor.The present building will be expanded to meet the borough’s present needs. Plans are being finalizedfor a 2,061 square foot expansion which will allow for additional space for files and offices. BecauseChalfont’s growth is slowing and only limited future growth is anticipated, there may not be need forsignificant expansion of administrative services or buildings beyond what is already proposed.Although Chalfont will not grow significantly in the future, administrative needs may change and morespace may be needed.Public WorksThe Public Works Department is responsible for maintaining the borough’s streets, stormwaterfacilities, parks, and open space areas. The borough contains 26 miles of roadways which aremaintained either by the state or borough. Butler and Limekiln Pikes, Bristol Road and Sunset andPark avenues are state routes which are owned and maintained by the Pennsylvania Department ofTransportation.The balance of the streets in Chalfont are owned and maintained by the borough. The boroughroadmaster administers the road maintenance program. Presently, the borough is engaged in a pavingprogram which results in paving two or three streets per year. In addition to paving, the borough roadmaintenance responsibilities include maintaining traffic signals and borough road signs, as well asperforming snow and ice removal.The Public Works Department is also responsible for maintaining stormwater facilities and parks. Thestormwater facilities in the Chalfont Borough consist of storm sewers which must be kept free ofobstructions. The parks and open space areas require ongoing maintenance.Police ServicesThe Chalfont Police Department serves the borough. The department is staffed by six full-timeofficers. They are assisted by one part time clerical worker and are equipped with one unmarked carand three cruisers. The police department provides 24-hour protection to borough residents.Training is essential to maintenance of a professional department responsive to new forms of crime andthe needs of the community. The police officers serving the borough have exceeded the state mandatedrequirements for training in firearms, first aid, and CPR. The officers also receive ongoing instructionin other areas related to professional development.The department participates in training activities at the Bucks County Police Training Center. Thisparticipation aids in enhancing coordination between other nearby departments. Several officers attendregular meetings with supervisors and detectives from nearby municipalities to discuss local crimewhich further enhances coordination efforts.40 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Community FacilitiesFire Protection ServicesThe Chalfont Fire Company responds to fire calls in the borough and is located at 101 Nonh iMainStreet. The all-volunteer company is aided by other nearby companies on multiple alarm cdls andlikewise assists other companies when necessary. The company’s equipment consists of threepumpers, a ladder truck, tanker truck, and a special service unit. A laddedpumper truck will bepurchased in the near future to replace a pumper. The staff consists of 35 volunteer firefighters, achief, deputy chief, and four assistant chiefs.The fire company’s central location in the borough places it in good stead to meet the Insurance ServiceOffice (ISO) standards for fire protection. This national insurance industry service group recommendsthat suburban areas be within a 2.5-mile radius of a fire station with a first response engine. The entireborough falls within a 2.5-mile radius of the fire station.The borough’s fire protection facilities are adequate; however, two operating issues must be addressedto ensure adequate fire protection: funding and staffing. The company is supported by a 3 mil fire tmfrom Chalfont and New Britain boroughs and New Britain Township, as well as fundraising projects.Funding for equipment comes from an equipment replacement fund that is contributed to each month,as well as loans from the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. Finances at this point in timeare not problematic. However, for the long term, funding efforts must be increased to keep ahead ofrising costs.The company is staffed completely by volunteers. Staffing shortages are becoming troublesome forvolunteer fire companies. Attrition of existing staff and fewer new volunteers willing to undergoextensive training and assume fundraising responsibilities leave the company with fewer qualifiedpeople. A full-time 24-hour paid staff is difficult to fund. According to Chief William Clements,staffin3 problems are not serious at the present time, but a full time paid staff to supplement thevolunteer staff will be necessary in the future.Emergency Medical ServicesThe Chalfont Fire Company Ambulance Corps provides emergency medical services to residents ofChalfont Borough 24 hours a day. The squad is based at the Fire Company Building at 101 NokhMain Street.The squad is obligated under state law to transport a patient to the nearest hospital, unless a waiver issigned. Trauma cases, however, must be taken to the closest trauma center at Abington Hospital or theLehigh Valley Hospital Center near Allentown. Trauma cases are transported by Medevac helicopter orambulance, whichever is most expeditious.The ambulance corps is equipped to provide Basic and Advanced Life Support. Basic Life Supportinvolves basic first aid and transport. Advanced Life Support services are provided for calls involvingcardiac arrest and trauma. A paramedic, trained and experienced in handling these types of casesresponds to these calls with advanced life support equipment. Adequacy of this service is evaluated byChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 41

Community facilitiesresponse time because the time interval between the initial call and arrival of service can make hedifference between life and death. The benchmark response time is eight minutes or less because itensures the highest level of survival for the patient. When the 8-minute response time is converted to adistance traveled standard, the distance traveled by an emergency vehicle is four miles (8 minutes x 30miles per hour = 4 miles). Because the ambulance corps is located in the center of the borough, all ofChalfont falls within a 2.5 mile radius of the station. Consequently, the borough appears to beadequately served by both Basic and Advanced Life Support service.To ensure adequacy of service in the future, two operating issues must be addressed by the squad andthe municipalities: staffing and funding.The ambulance corps has full time paramedics on duty 12 hours per day during the week. Volunteerswith supplemental paid staff answer calls after midnight. Volunteers answer calls in the evening and 24hours per day on weekends. Staffing is becoming troublesome for the volunteer ambulance corps.Attrition of existing staff and fewer new volunteers willing to undergo extensive required trainingleaves fewer qualified people. A full-time 24-hour paid staff is difficult to fund. Recently the statemandated training has increased, which not only taxes the time resources of volunteers, but also costsmore for the corps.An efficient emergency medical service squad is expensive and costs continue to rise. Funding tooperate the corps comes from billings, an annual drive for subscribers called the “ambulance plan” andfire company money. The ambulance corps is also eligible to receive revenue from a, three-milemergency medical services tax from local municipalities. This tax revenue is not currently neededaccording to Ambulance Chief Mark DeCorrevont. However, the expenses for training and increasednumbers of paid staff add up and will have to be faced in the future.Health Care FacilitiesHospitals serve the immediate health care needs of a community by providing inpatient and outpatientmedical and health care services. Long-term care facilities serve elderly patients who can no longerfunction independently or who have a condition requiring skilled nursing care.Three general hospitals and numerous long-term care facilities serve the health care needs of theresidents of Chalfont Borough. Doylestown Hospital, east of Chalfont is the closest facility. NorthPenn Hospital in nearby Lansdale Borough and Grandview in West Rockhill Township are within 5miles of Chalfont. Long-term health care for the elderly js available at Victoria Manor in the boroughand nearby facilities such as Pine Run Health Center in New Britain Township and Neshaminy Manorin Doylestown Township.The Bucks County Community Facilities Plan: Health Care (1991) provides an analysis of hospitalsand long-term care facilities in Bucks County. Projections of hospital and long-term care bed needs tothe year 2000 for county were made and recommendations to ensure sufficient access to health care areprovided. The plan indicates that if the present supply of medicaVsurgical beds remains constant, a42 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Commun itv Facilitiessurplus of beds may exist by the year 2000. This trend may be attributed to increases in technology,more alternatives, and more cost-efficient methods of treatment. However, there may be a deficit in thenumber of beds available in long-term health care facilities for the year 2000. The deficit in long-termcare facilities is anticipated because of an increase in the number of persons aged 65 and older. Theaging of the baby boom generation will also be a major factor in the need for long-term heairh carebeyond the year 2000. This group, born between 1946 and 1964, will start to turn 65 in 201 1.Although an increase in the elderly population is projected, the need for long-term care may beaddressed through less costly and more appropriate alternative care methods to meet the medical andpersonal needs of many members of this population. These alternatives include adult day care,personal care facilities, continuing life care facilities, and in-home services.Library FacilitiesThe Bucks County Library Center (Center County), located in Doylestown Borough, is the closestbranch of the Bucks County Free Library System. In addition to borrowing books, borough residentscan participate in educational programs offered at the library. The library receives funding from thecounty and individual gifts.The Pennsylvania Department of Education Bureau of the State Library utilizes a standard of 1.5currently useful items per person to determine the adequacy of a library’s collection. The BucksCounty Library Center, serving the central Bucks area with an estimated population of 89,915 peoplein 1996, has 157,458 items (Dec. 1996). Thus the area’s ratio of books per person, 1.7, is slightlymore than the recommended standard. This is due primarily to the fact that the library is the centrallibrary for the entire county system. The County Library Center serves as a repository for materialswhich are available to all other county libraries.Educational Faci I hiesSchools have several important community functions. They serve not only as places for academicinstruction but also provide opportunities for social and physical development. School facilities servingChalfont Borough provide indoor and outdoor recreation facilities, classroom space, and auditoriumswhich are available for use by borough residents after school hours.Providing school facilities is a dynamic process due to the fluctuating growth and decline of studentpopulations. New requirements for handicapped accessibility and year round school options also affectschool facilities. As needs change, facilities may be expanded, rehabilitated, closed, or sold. Becauseof the important role schools play, the community must be aware of these facilities and the factorsaffecting them.The schools serving Chalfont Borough are part of the Central Bucks School District which also serviceNew Britain and Doylestown boroughs and Buckingham, Doylestown, New Britain, Warrington, andWarwick townships. One elementary school, a junior high school, and a high school serve ChalfontBorough. These schools, their enrollments, and capacities are shown in Table 15 on the next page.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 43

I. .. . . . -I-This review of the borough’s parks shows that while it is well supplied with miniparks, neighborhoodparks and a school-park, a community park may be needed. Two of the miniparks, Krupp Memorialand Bridgeview are in unique locations and provide for passive recreation such as gazebos and paths.Holland Drive minipark has no facilities. Of the six neighborhood parks only two parks havesubstantial facilities for active recreation, Swartley-Winkelman and Chestnut Street. Those parks haveballfields. Oxbow, Lenape Lane and Blue Jay have trails and benches but no ballfields.The majority of facilities and activities in the borough parks provide for passive recreationopportunities for youth and adults. There may be a need to provide more active recreation facilities forchildren and youth. However not all recreation should be oriented toward the younger citizens of theborough. Passive recreational opportunities for all ages can be expanded by providing natural areasand trails along the Neshaminy Creek. The elderly can be accommodated by facilities such asshuffleboard courts, chess tables, and horseshoe pits. Park facilities and needs for all populationgroups should be surveyed by the borough park and recreation committee.The borough’s population is projected to grow slightly in the future, but its age structure will change.The number of persons over 40 years of age will increase. The aging of the population will lead to achange in recreation needs. Although the borough may have enough parkland in the future, some ofthe facilities within the existing parks are oriented to a younger population and therefore may beinadequate for a population which is getting older. Even if the amount of parkland is sufficient,recreational needs of older residents cannot be met by facilities oriented towards more active recreation.Passive and active recreation facilities that serve the needs of older residents will be required.The needs of the present and future population can be met with existing parks to a great extent, butnew parkland and funding may be needed. Some of the new parks andor funding may be obtainedfrom the Bucks County Open Space Program.Utility Services and FacilitiesSolid Waste ManagementChalfont Borough is facing solid waste management challenges that are similar to those of manycommunities across the United States. Population growth, a rise in consumerism, and the popularity ofpackaging has lead to more toxic and less biodegradable material making its way to local landfills. Theneed to protect our environment and human health has resulted in costly and time consuming efforts tocollect, recycle, and dispose of these waste products.Municipalities are generally responsible for ensuring proper and adequate storage, collection, andtransportation of municipal waste and for implementing recycling programs. The PennsylvaniaMunicipal Waste Planning, Recycling and Waste Reduction Act of 1988 (Act 101) empowers countiesand municipalities to adopt resolutions, ordinances, regulations, and standards to carry out the requiredresponsibilities..~~46 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Community FacilitiesChalfont Borough has enacted waste management ordinances and resolutions which regulate haulersand designate plan-approved processing and disposal facilities, and according to the PennsylvaniaDepartment of Environmental Resources are in conformance with the requirements of the BucksCounty Municipal Waste Management Plan. The Waste Documentation Program involves measuringthe amount of waste generated and tracking it from its origin to the disposal site and reporting thewaste flow information to the county and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Resources.The borough has complied fully with this program that started in 1994.Trash CollectionAs of January 1, 1997, J.P. Mascaro of Harleysville began collection of trash under a one-yearcontract. The trash is landfilled at the Keystone Landfill near Scranton. The trash hauler collects trashas well as recyclable material at the curb. Leaves are collected twice a year in the fall.RecyclingAct 101 requires municipalities with populations between 5,000 and 10,000 and a density of 300 ormore persons per square mile to develop a curbside recycling program. The borough has a populationdensity greater than 300 persons per square mile; however, its population is under 5,000. Chalfontpresently does not meet these parameters and is not required to develop a curbside recycling program.However, the borough has a curbside recycling program which includes collection of newspaper, clearand colored glass, aluminum, magazines, plastic, and steel and tin cans.The success of the recycling program can be measured in part by the amount of material collected. In1996, 304 tons of recyclable material, or 159 pounds per person, was collected in the borough. In1996, 2,425 tons of municipal waste was collected in the borough. The recycled material represents12.5 percent of the total waste stream collected in the borough. This is a low rate compared with theaverage for Bucks County which is 18 percent.Except for being able to drop off Christmas trees at the borough yard after the holidays, ChalfontBorough does not at this time have any other program that addresses yard waste, such as leaves indgrass clippings. Estimates indicate that this type of waste amounts to an average of 18 percent of thetotal waste stream. The incorporation of a yard waste program in the borough could affect a significantreduction in waste production and related trash collection costs. This waste could be collected at acentral drop-off site where it could be processed which would save collection and landfilling costs.Because Chalfont has no mandatory collection of recyclables and yard waste, much of this material iscollected and landfilled. Mandatory collections of recyclables and yard waste will reduce the wastestream and maintain or lower the cost of collection and landfilling.Wastewater TreatmentAll of Chalfont Borough is served by public wastewater facilities. Sewage generated in the borough iscollected by the Chalfont New Britain Township Joint Sewage Treatment Authority collection systemand treated at the plant on Upper State Road in New Britain Township.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Community FacilitiesAlthough wastewater facilities in Chalfont Borough are adequate for the population served, severalissues must be addressed to ensure adequacy into the future. Water conservation and inflow andinfiltration are factors affecting public wastewater facilities.Water ConservationWater conservation is an important issue in wastewater facilities planning because most water used in ahousehold or business becomes sewage, which must be treated. Any water not used presents a savingsin treatment costs. Encouraging the use of water conservation devices such as low flow toilets, faucetaerators, and providing educational information goes a long way in the effort to reduce water usageand the related wastewater treatment costs.Because the borough relies entirely on groundwater as a source, the issue of water conservation isparticularly important because the groundwater used is not returned to recharge the aquifer, but ratherexits the borough through sewer lines. Thus, conservation of water not only saves money spent ontreatment, but also helps to preserve essential groundwater resources.inflow and InfiltrationAs a sewerage system ages, groundwater infiltrates the lines through cracks and seams. Duringstorms, runoff enters the system through manholes and basement drains. All flows in a sewer line aretreated at the treatment plant; therefore, this extra flow which does not necessarily need to be treated isprocessed, resulting in unnecessary costs for borough residents. Consequently, in order to reducetreatment costs, reducing infiltration and inflow should be done on a continuing basis. This effort notonly reduces costs, but has the added benefit of providing additional capacity in the collection systemfor new development.Water SupplyAll residences and businesses in Chalfont Borough are served by public water facilities. The ChalfontBorough Water Department provides water to 2,115 customers including all borough residents andthose in portions of New Britain Borough and Township. All of the water is pumped from theborough’s five wells. Two of the wells are located in the borough: one on Hellberg Avenue andanother on Blue Jay Road. Two are in New Britain Borough along Butler Avenue and at Stephen Placeand one is along Park Avenue in New Britain Township. The water is stored in tanks at 500 NorthMain Street and at Dorset Way in New Britain Township. In emergencies the borough can utilize waterfrom the North Wales Water Authority. The NWWA Forest Park treatment plant was connected to theborough system when the plant was built. This plant treats surface water originating at the DelawareRiver.Groundwater resources are the only source of water for the borough. Chalfont is underlain by threedifferent geologic formations which bear potable water, Brunswick, Lockatong, and Stockton. TheBrunswick formation located south of Butler Pike yields 50 to 200 gallons per minute. The Lockatongformation underlies the borough center and in the northernmost portion of the borough yields 20 to48 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Cornmunit y Facilities100 GPM. A band of the Stockton formation which lies just north of the borough center yields 70 to300 GPM. The quality of the borough’s groundwater is very good.The borough’s water supply is sufficient for its needs and projected growth. However, two issuesshould be considered to maintain a quality supply of water: water resource protection and wellheadprotection.Water Resource ProtectionProtection of water resources involves management of the demand and supply for water. The use ofwater conservation devices, changes in water use habits, and changes in individual water consumptionprocesses will extend the life of existing water supplies and alleviate the need for the development ofnew sources.The management of water supply in Chalfont involves groundwater protection. Groundwaterresources must be protected from contamination to ensure their quality and adequacy for the future andto enhance economic development. Another very important reason to prevent groundwatercontamination is that once it is contaminated, it is very difficult and costly to clean up. New sources ofsupply may also have to be found.One of the most direct influences that Chalfont has over regulating activities that affect groundwater isthe authority to regulate land use. A method to prevent water quality contamination involving thecareful management of certain types of land use activities in and around public water supply wells isknown as wellhead protection.Wellhead ProtectionThe Federal Safe Drinlung Water Act Amendments of 1956 required the establishment of stateWellhead Protection Programs to protect public groundwater supplies. The goal of the legislation is tomake sure that public water supply wells are not contaminated due to certain land use activities. Somemunicipalities in Pennsylvania have taken the initiative to protect their water supplies by developingwellhead protection programs, which protect limited geographic areas around wells and well fields thatprovide public water supplies. Because Chalfont Borough relies on groundwater for all of its needs,proper planning and water resource management, including groundwater pollution prevention, iscritical to ensure the quality and quantity of future water supplies.The Bucks County Planning Commission recently finished the Bucks County Water Supply Plan culclWellhead Protection Study. The plan identifies water supply problems and provides guidance tomunicipalities and public water purveyors regarding short- and long-term courses of action to ensureadequate quantity and quality of the county’s water supply. One important element of the plan is amodel wellhead protection program recommended for adoption by municipalities. This program startswith an assessment of the land uses, zoning, soils, geology and topography surrounding eachmunicipal groundwater source. Next, wellhead contamination sources must be identified, andChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 49

Communitv Facilitiesmanagement tools must be identified and applied. A plan for the future addressing quality and quantityneeds as well as a contingency plan is the final step.Chalfont owns the area within a 100-foot radius of all its wells but the water resources that contributeto the yield of the well come a from a much wider area. The borough should consider developing awellhead protection program in conjunction with New Britain Borough and Township. Chalfont, aswell as New Britain Borough and Township, have equal stakes in protecting the water resources thatthey all share. Incentive grant money may be available to the borough from the United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection forwater supply planning and wellhead protection. Pennvest also has money available for waterinfrastructure facilities.Stormwater Management FacilitiesMunicipalities require the use of stormwater management facilities to reduce the potential downstreamimpacts that could be caused by the increased volume and rate of runoff from development. ChalfontBorough has a network of storm sewers which drain stormwater into nearby creeks. Newerdevelopments have tied into the storm sewer system where it is available. Much of the stormwater iscollected by stormwater management facilities, but little infiltrates into the ground to recharge thegroundwater reserves.The present storm sewer system channels water into pipes which discharge directly into theNeshaminy Creek and its east branch. This water is often polluted with materials it has picked up as itflowed over the ground such as oil, chemicals, and silt. The storm sewer system has no filteringcapabilities and therefore this water enters the stream untreated. This problem can be ameliorated by theinstallation of water quality improvements to the system such as oil/grit separators over inlets, regularstreet sweeping, and salt-free roadway deicing.The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, under Act 167 of 1978, requires thatcounties prepare watershed stormwater management plans. The stormwater management plan for thewest branch of the Neshaminy Creek watershed, in which Chalfont Borough lies, was adopted by theBucks County Commissioners in 1992 and DEP in the same year. The DEP requires that stormwatermanagement criteria in the Plan be instituted by the borough. These criteria appear in the municipalregulations.The borough has adopted stormwater management ordinance provisions in accordance with the plan.The provisions regulate stormwater management for new development based on hydrologic and waterquality criteria. The hydrologic criteria are based on the rate of flow from a site before development.Runoff release rate districts are established according to these flow rates. Water quality criteria areintended to reduce the detrimental effects of polluted stormwater runoff. Water must be detained so thatsediment is released and pollutants are filtered out before water leaves a site. Best managementpractices or stormwater management techniques are required to maintain water quality, maintaingroundwater levels and base flow of streams.50 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Community FacilitiesSeveral significant vacant parcels remain in the borough. These parcels are zoned for indusrnial orcommercial development, which traditionally has a large degree of impervious surface. To enslue thatdevelopment on these parcels does not harm the quality of nearby streams and does not affecr floodlevels, stormwater management measures must be implemented.Community facilities services and utilities are necessary for the public health, safety, and welfve andhelp provide for the quality of life expected in Chalfont Borough. Planning for these facilities servicesand utilities should be interrelated and consistent with land use planning in the comprehensive plan.This chapter has surveyed and analyzed the facilities and services which serve Chalfont. This providesan opportunity to review these services and facilities and their interrelation with other chapters in theplan update such as the future land use plan.5The previous chapters on existing land uses and population and housing indicate that ChalfontBorough is almost fully developed. Because the present facilities and services which serve the boroughare generally adequate; management issues, such as staffing, funding and maintenance, are the primaryconcern. Future growth may necessitate more extensive study of facility and service expansion.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 51

EIsAdiacent Land Use and ZoningThe communities surrounding Chalfont affect the borough in a variety of ways because of the diversityof land uses and zoning districts along the borough’s borders. For instance, an adjacent shoppingcenter in New Britain Township generates impacts far different from those of an adjacent larse-lotresidential development. A shopping center creates noise, traffic, and light impacts, while large-lotresidential uses create few impacts. The juxtaposition of diverse land uses or zoning districts alongmunicipal boundaries can be beneficial because it provides for a mix of land uses. This mix providesjobs and shopping next to homes and reduces the number and distance of trips necessary to meet dailyneeds. An inappropriate mix, such as a quarry next to a residential area, however, can be detrimental toresidents’ quality of life. It is important, therefore, to know the adjacent land uses. In cases where landuses differ significantly, efforts can be made to mitigate impacts.The importance of coordinating the planning function among adjacent municipalities has beenrecognized and confirmed by the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania in its decision in Miller vs.Upper Allen Township Zoning Hearing Board, 112. Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court 274,535A.2d 1195 (1987), where the Court held that aggrieved residents of a municipality could appeal orintervene in zoning decisions made within the boundary of an adjacent municipality. Consequently, itis important that planning in Chalfont does not create land use conflicts with adjacent communities andthat a regional approach is taken to planning. To ensure that planning activities are coordinated withadjacent municipalities, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (Section 30 1 (a)(5)) requiresthat the comprehensive plan examine the relationship of the existing and proposed development of themunicipality and plans in contiguous municipalities. This review analyzes the land use and zoning inthe contiguous municipalities to determine compatibility.Zoning districts within a community should complement each other. However, zoning and land usebetween communities cannot always be complementary. The first step in an effort to enhancecompatibility between communities is to take stock of the land uses and zoning along municipalborders. A map of adjacent land uses and zoning (see Figure 7) follows on the next page.New Britain Township surrounds Chalfont on three sides to the north, south, and west. New BritainBorough adjoins Chalfont to the east. The predominant land use that abuts Chalfont is residential,which varies in density. Although much land in the adjacent township is vacant, the areas that abutChalfont including most of New Britain Borough, are substantially developed. The surrounding landuses will be presented in the following text. Existing zoning for all adjacent municipalities is shown inTable 15. Zoning for Chalfont where it abuts neighboring communities is shown at the end of thechapter in Table 19.New Britain Borough’s comprehensive plan, adopted in 1965, is consistent with its zoning code(1994). Where New Britain Borough adjoins Chalfont the land uses are residential, commercial, andindustrial. The zoning is R-2, C-1, and L-I. Multifamily Residential areas of New Britain Mews andCarousel Pointe abut the borough and are zoned R-2. Office and light industrial uses abut the boroughalong Bristol Road south of the SEPTA rail line. These uses are zoned L-I.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 53

Adjacent land Use and ZoningTable 18Zoning in Adjacent Municipalities’Min. Lot Size DensityMunicipality/District Permitted Uses (Square feet) (D.U./acre)New Britain BoroughR-2 ResidentialC-1 CommercialLI Light IndustrialSingle-family DetachedPerformance Std Dev.Sing I e-fam i I y DetachedBank, Restaurant Etc.,Retail, Wholesale TradeManufacturing, Bank10,000 sq. ft.varies20,00040,0001 acre472New Britain TownshipCR Conservation and RecreationSR-1 Suburban ResidentialSR-2 Suburban ResidentialRR ResidentialC-1 CommercialIN InstitutionalI/O Industrial OfficeFarming, Nursery, StableSingle-family Detached, FarmingClusterSingle-family Detached, FarmingClusterSingle-family DetachedClusterOffice, Retail, ServiceSchool, Rec facility, ChurchUtilities, Warehousing, Research25 acres1 acre12,500-1 acre2 acres1 acre1 acre12,500-1 acre1 acre10 acres25 acres110.50.511* Zoning information for selected zoning districts in Chalfont is shown in Table 19.New Britain Township bases its 1995 zoning ordinance on and is consistent with its 1987Comprehensive Plan. Although the adjoining land uses in New Britain Township are primarilyresidential, there is also a mix of open space, government, and commercial uses. The large residentialsubdivisions that surround the borough are Oxbow Meadows, Brittany Farms, Tower Hill, and ForestPark West which are all zoned RR. The area between these subdivisions are mostly low-densityresidential development, agricultural, vacant, or park and recreation uses. The largest adjacent park useis a large township park located north of Park Avenue which abuts the borough along the NorthBranch Creek. Two commercial uses which abut the borough are the Chalfont Village ShoppingCenter on the west side of Chalfont along Butler Pike and the Old Arcadia Inn along Park Avenue.Both of these uses are zoned C- 1. New Britain Township Municipal building(zoned IN) is adjacent tothe Old Arcadia Inn east of Chalfont and the township’s road maintenance facility abuts the borough tothe north along Limekiln Pike. This facility is zoned YO Industrial OfficeGenerally, the permitted density of adjacent residential development is complementary because thedensities parallel those permitted in the borough. Several small areas of nonresidential uses adjoin theborough, such as the commercial uses along Bristol Road that abut a residential zone in Chalfont. TheChalfont Village Shopping Center which adjoins Chalfont to the east along Butler Pike is adjacent to aresidential area in the borough. This shopping center is complementary because it serves the boroughand provides for daily needs. New Britain Township’s road maintenance facility abuts a boroughI54 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Adjacent Land Use and Zoningresidential area in the north on the eastern side of Limekiln Pike. The incompatible land uses &-iacentto Chalfont Borough are not of a large scale and do not present any significant negative impacts.The table below provides information about zoning districts in Chalfont that form its boundary.Table 19Selected Chalfont Zoning DistrictsDistrictPermitted UsesMin. lot size(Sauare feet)Density(D. U./acre)R-1 Residential Single-family detached, School 18,500 2.3R-3 Residential Single-family detached, 12,000 8.0MultifamilyC-3 Commercial Restaurant, Auto service, Wholesale, 18,500 2.3Warehouse, Rooming and tourist houseL-l (1 )Industrial Manufacturing, Wholesale 2 acres -L-l (2)lndustrial Light Manufacturing, 2 acres -Mobile home park 4,800-7,000 -Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 55

Historic PreservationNeed for a Preservation ProgramA small settlement named Butlers Mill was formed along the bank of the Neshaminy Creek early in the18th century by Simon Butler. The settlement grew into a village which underwent severai namechanges until 1869 when the North Penn Railroad established a train station and named it Chalfont,after a village in England which was the birthplace of William Penn’s wife Gulielma. The villageprovided services to the surrounding countryside and locally produced goods were shipped to the cityand other towns on the rail line. Chalfont became famous as the home of Forest Park that providedrecreation and entertainment to patrons who arrived by the trainload from Philadelphia between theyears 1885 and 1968.The Chalfont of the past was a small village along Butler Pike and Main Street surrounded by farms.Today Chalfont is a maturing borough with a historic core surrounded by residential subdivisions. Ithas a distinct character due to its development pattern, topography, and the presence of historicbuildings and structures. The borough started near the intersection of Main Street and Butler Pike andgrew outward along these arteries. The borough’s location is important not only as the intersection oftwo major arteries, it is also located at the confluence of the Neshaminy Creek and its north branch andPine Run. However, the historic small town character is the most salient feature of the borough’sidentity.The borough has several historic buildings of potential state and national significance. The Delp and J.Kirk farmsteads are significant to the borough’s history and may be eligible for inclusion in thePennsylvania Register of Historic Places. The Chalfont Historic District, a designated area in the centerof the borough composed of historic buildings that represent a character recalling the borough’s richarchitectural and historical heritage, is also eligible for the Pennsylvania Register. The McReynoldsand June11 houses on Butler Pike and the Chalfont National Bank Building are excellent examples ofparticular architectural styles and may be eligible for inclusion on the National Register of HistoricPlaces. The eligibility for inclusion on the state and National Register is based on level of significanceand the part the resource played in the history of the state or nation.These and other undocumented historic resources in Chalfont have value for a number of reasons.They give the borough a special physical and cultural character. Older buildings are frequently betterbuilt, with craftsmanship and materials that are rarely duplicated today. Each historic buildingrepresents a past investment for future generations. Maintenance and rehabilitation of historic buildingsand neighborhoods also represent a savings in terms of energy and materials. Well kept historicbuildings contribute to the vitality of a community and strengthen property values. Neglect or loss ofhistoric buildings and structures would pose a significant threat to the identity of the borough.Although historic resources are valuable, they are often taken for granted until they are endangered.Preservation planning can lessen the threat. However, sound preservation planning must occur beforehistoric elements are imperiled. Last minute preservation responses are rarely effective in the longterm. The historic preservation process fosters civic pride and appreciation for historic values.Appropriate preservation and restoration projects even enhance and improve surrounding nonhistoricproperty values. In terms of economic development, historic preservation generates tourism,Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 57

~protectionHistoric PreservationIconstruction, and rehabilitation activity that creates jobs and income. Therefore, the need for continuedof historic resources is a crucial concern for a borough such as Chalfont.If historic resources are to be retained, it is essential to develop an effective local historic preservationprogram. Local historic resources, most of which are privately owned and maintained, are at riskunless residents are properly educated about the historic importance of their properties and areencouraged to cooperate with the borough's preservation agenda. Community-wide events thatemphasize preservation and cultural and heritage protection are instrumental to inform the public aboutthe issues.- Preservation EffortsA historic resources survey was completed in 1989 by staff of the Heritage Conservancy. The surveyinventoried a number of historic structures in the borough, such as the McReynolds and June11 housesand the Chalfont National Bank Building that were noted as potentially eligible for inclusion in theNational Register of Historic Places'. A survey done in 1995 as part of an environmental impact studyfor the Route 202 Bypass noted the Delp and J. Grk, farmsteads as well as the Chalfont HistoricDistrict as potentially eligible for inclusion in the Pennsylvania Register of Historic Places?.To protect these resources, in November 1995 the borough council adopted a historic preservationordinance in accordance with the Historical Architectural Review Act (Act 167 of 1961). This actauthorizes municipalities to adopt a historic preservation ordinance and to create historic districts andarchitectural review boards. A historic district is an area with distinctive character recalling historic orarchitectural heritage. The ordinance preserves this distinctive character within a district by establishinga review board which monitors alterations, additions, demolitions and new construction and providingstandards for review. The review board oversees proposed changes including demolitions and newconstruction and makes recommendations to the governing body.The Chalfont Historic District is centered on Main Street. The northern portion is defined by WestviewAvenue and to the west by Sunset Avenue and the west branch of the Neshaminy Creek. To the souththe district is defined by the southern edge of properties that front on Butler Pike. The eastern side ofthe district is bounded by the north branch of the Neshaminy, Park Avenue and Chestnut, Church,North and Hamilton streets. The district contains a variety of structures which serve as examples ofVictorian, Gothic, Foursquare, and Craftsman styles. Many of the buildings were part of the earlydevelopment of Chalfont and serve to create a character that is unique.''Using specific evaluative criteria, the U.S. Department of the Interior administcrs the listing of buildings or structuresof national importancc on thc National Register of Historic Places. Propcrties must meet specific criteria rcgardinghistoric value to be eligible for listing. Tax advantages and federal grants may bc available to propcrty owners when abuilding is listed. National Registcr listing does not guarantee that thc resources will be saved because privateproperty owners are free to usc their properties as they wish. However. fedcrally funded activitics must not ncgativclyimpact registered (or eligible) resources.Inclusion on the state register provides cligibility for state grants. Eligibility criteria for this list is very similar tothat of the national register. Once a building is listcd. on the Pennsylvania Registry, it may be possible to achievenational register status be completing additional research and verifications.58 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Historic Preservation .The borough has also applied for Certified Local Government status under the National HistoricPreservation Act of 1966. Certified local government status permits the borough to participate directlyin the National Register of Historic Place nomination process, access technical assistance from the stateBureau of Historic Preservation, and apply for matching grants.The Chalfont Historic District, and the Delp and J. Kirk farmsteads may be eligible for inclusion in thePennsylvania Register of Historic Places, a state sponsored program. Inclusion on the state registerprovides eligibility for state grants. Eligibility criteria for this list is very similar to that of the nationalregister. Once a building is listed on the Pennsylvania registry, it may be possible to achieve nationalregister status by completing additional research and verification. The Chalfont National Bank andJune11 and McReynolds houses may be eligible for the National Register. If these resources are to benominated further efforts must take place to gather evidence of their particular significance.Historic Preservation PianA historic preservation plan is a program for conserving historic resources. The plan contains a historicresources survey, an assessment of constraints and threats to preservation of those resources, goal andobjectives, and implementation strategies. Alternatives to implement the plan include adoption of ahistoric ordinance, zoning techniques, and financial incentives, among others. The plan may be achapter in the community’s comprehensive plan, or a separate document. The plan can be developedby an existing organization such as the planning commission or by a historic commission or society.This chapter does not serve as a historic preservation plan but describes the components of such aplan. The first step in preparing a plan is determine what resources exist through completing a historicresources survey.Historic Resources SurveyThe foundation of any historic preservation plan is a historic resources survey. A historic resourcessurvey is more than a listing of historic buildings and places. It is a process of identifying andgathering data on historic resources. It involves generating data about age, construction, architecturalstyle, and significance of historic buildings and structures. In order to ensure survival of historicresources and make effective use of them, it is necessary to inventory these resources. A surveyshould be periodically updated because as time passes more buildings become eligible for inclusion onhistoric registers.Assessment of Threats and ConstraintsThe assessment of threats and constraints involves an evaluation of the negative influences whichimpact historic resources. These factors include air pollution and vibration from vehicular traffic,zoning which permits uses in historic structures which may detract from their historic integrity, andinability of property owners to fund improvements.Goals and PoliciesGoals and policies are necessary to guide and provide a focus for a preservation program. These goalsand policies should reflect the wishes of the community. It is also wise to consult with historicChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft59

Historic Preservationproperty owners because their participation in the preservation program is important. The boroughcomprehensive plan should incorporate preservation policy as well.The Comprehensive PlanThe comprehensive plan is also an important element in the program for historic preservation. Thecomprehensive plan should bring preservation concerns to the forefront because it establishes policyfor all the activities of a community. The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, Section 301( 1)requires that municipal comprehensive plans contain a statement of objectives concerning its futuredevelopment. Identifying historic preservation planning as an objective of a municipal comprehensiveplan reflects the desire to preserve buildings and structures with historic value. A historic preservationchapter and objective also provides a historical context for future planning and land use policies in thezoning ordinance.Implementation ToolsImplementation tools must be developed to make the preservation plan work. These tools take the formof zoning provisions, historic district ordinances, design guidelines and others. In most cases theprimary responsibility for protecting historic resources falls to the property owner. However,communities can enact regulations and laws to preserve historic resources. The PennsylvaniaMunicipalities Planning Code (MPC) Section 605(2)(vi) enables municipalities to devise zoning forregulation, restriction, or prohibition of uses and structures at or near places having unique historical,architectural, or patriotic interest or value.Overlay DistrictA historic overlay district is a zoning technique that places special restrictions on development inaddition to those of the base zoning district to enhance preservation efforts. Although Act 167, TheHistoric District Act, permits regulation of historic districts, it does not provide for the designation orregulation of individual historic resources not in a historic district. Overlay district provisions addressalterations, additions, and uses that would potentially alter the character of an individual resource. Theunderlying zoning would not be affected. Examples of historic overlay district provisions are asfollows:9.Permitting addition$ uses within historic structures, with a condition of use being that anyalterations meet design guidelines;Buffering adjacent to historic properties;Review of proposed subdivisions and land developments by a Historic Commission.ZoningZoning sometimes permits greater densities and types of uses that do not blend with the existingcharacter of older areas. New construction may introduce density or uses that may conflict with thecharacter of an existing neighborhood. Zoning should be adjusted so that it reflects the existingneighborhood density and prohibits uses that would detract from the character of the area.60 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Historic PreservationTransfer of Development RightsIf a historic building occupies a site with development opportunities greater than what the buildingoffers under existing zoning, the owner may be tempted to alter or demolish the property to takeadvantage of the greater opportunities. These opportunities take the form of development rights.Regulations can be adopted which permit the sale and transfer of development rights to areas wheremore intense development is permitted and encouraged. The unused development rights can betransferred to another site to increase its permitted density. The property owner is compensated for anyproperty rights that are sold.Design GuidelinesAnother mechanism for saving historic properties is the establishment of design guidelines. Theyconsist of recommended design options for alteration or rehabilitation of existing buildings andconstruction of new buildings. Guidelines are helpful for an effective heritage protection programwhether or not the community contains any property listed on or eligible for any historic register.Although guidelines are not binding, they make a strong statement about the importance ofpreservation to a community.Local preservation ordinances and guidelines are effective, however they do not address the financialpressures that face owners of historic properties. To be effective, preservation efforts should alsoaddress pressures that may conflict with historic preservation planning. Financial incentives and grantprograms are ways local government and local financial institutions can encourage historicpreservation.Financial Incentives and Grant ProgramsThe provision of financial incentives is another technique that encourages private property owners tobecome involved in preservation efforts and invest in historic properties. These incentives are intendedto eliminate many of the financial advantages of new construction compared with restoration orpreservation projects. Financial incentives primarily take the form of low interest loan programs andtax incentives from governmental bodies. Revolving loans administered by a local bank or the boroughwould assist with the cost of preservation. Banks get involved in preservation loans because of thepositive community relations and profit potential. The federal government provides tax credits forrehabilitation or renovation of National Register listed properties that are income producing.Local governments may offer tax incentives such as property tax abatements, freezes, or credits. Theavailability of particular incentives depends on state enabling legislation.Various grant programs administered by the state and federal governments as well as privatefoundations may be available for local preservation projects. The Pennsylvania Historic and MuseumCommission, the regional office of the National Park Service, and the National Trust will provideinformation regarding available funding to eligible parties.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 61

-Historic PreservationHistoric Commission or SocietyThe appointment of a committee or group charged with implementing the historic preservation programin the borough is necessary. The borough has the Historical Architectural Review Board but itsjurisdiction is limited to advising borough council about activities within the historic district. .Anhistoric commission advises planning commissions and elected officials concerning protection ofhistoric resources throughout the community and comments on development proposals, conductsresearch and maintains a historic resources inventory and mapThe borough planning commission has an important role also. As the group that develops and assistsin the implementation of the comprehensive plan, it should work to implement the historic preservationprogram. The objectives of the program should also be considered during the routine activities such assubdivision and land development plan review. For instance, in the review of proposals that impacthistoric resources, the planning commission should seek the opinion of the historic preservationorganization. The historic preservation organization can discuss alternatives with the planningcommission and applicant.SummaryChalfont is a historic settlement in central Bucks County that served as a market and service center fornearby farms. Although the borough has grown significantly from its early beginnings, it still containsdistinctive properties of historical significance that recall earlier times and provide a sense of place.The historic resources in Chalfont are valuable for what they contribute to the identity of the borough.They are often taken for granted until they are threatened or disappear. Historic preservation effortsmust occur before these important properties are endangered.The borough has several elements of a preservation program but it does not have a historicpreservation plan to give this program an overall direction. Changes to buildings within the historicdistrict are regulated by the Historical Architectural Review Board, but resources outside the district arenot protected. A concerted preservation effort using a number of tools that address preservation ofresources throughout the borough can help ensure the survival of the borough’s historic properties andhelp maintain its identity.The key to a coordinated comprehensive preservation effort is a preservation plan which can be acomponent of the borough’s comprehensive plan or a separate document. A historic organization, suchas a commission or society, is necessary to develop the plan. The first step in creating a plan is toconduct a complete survey of the resources in the borough. Goals and objectives that reflect the wishesof the community toward preservation should then be developed. Once a direction for the effort isestablished, implementation tools such as, a zoning overlay district and a low cost loan program,should be selected. With the plan in place, the historic commission should plan an active role inimplementing the plan and monitor its progress.62 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

Historic PreservationBy following the steps outlined in this chapter the borough can help to ensure the protection of itshistoric resources and its identity for generations to come.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 63

future Land UseIII.BIThe Future Land Use Plan for Chalfont is a generalized outline for maintaining and enhancing existingland uses and for managing growth in the borough. Although the growth projected in the next decadeis limited, this growth will impact existing land uses. The plan provides a means to preserve existingland use patterns and channel new growth into patterns which preserve the positive aspects of theborough while still providing the diversity of land uses necessary for a sufficient tax base. The planconsiders the following factors: future population growth, existing land use, natural resources,community facilities, and stated community goals and objectives.Section 301.2 of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code requires that comprehensive planscontain a plan for land use. To this end, a future land use plan was developed for the ChalfontBorough Comprehensive Plan Update. The land area of the borough is divided among several land usecategories each of which is characterized and recommendations are made for retaining positive aspectsof the area. The land use areas are Low Density, Medium Density, and High Density Residential,Neighborhood Commercial, Borough Core, Village Office Commercial and Park, Open Space, andRecreation. These land use areas are illustrated on the Future Land Use Map (see Figure 8).Land Use CategoriesLow Density ResidentialLow Density Residential is the classification for the neighborhoods in the borough with a density of 1to 3 dwelling units per acre. This category is generally located in peripheral areas of the borough.These areas are characterized by single-family detached houses with an average lot size ofapproximately 20,000 square feet. Thcre are several vacant lots in differcnt locations throughout thearea. The largest vacant lot is approximately 10 acres in size and is located cast of New Jcrscy Avenue.This land use area also contains Unami Middle School and the Chall'ont Unitcd Methodist Church.Recommendation: Retain the existing character in the Low Density Residentialmaintaining the high quality of services and infrastructure.areas byMedium Density ResidentialMedium Density Residential is the classification for the neighborhoods with a density of 3 to 5dwelling units per acre. These areas consist of land northeast of the borough core along North MainStreet and north of Park Avenue. It includes older residential portions of the borough and a newerresidential subdivision, Patriot Place. The older portion is primarily residential but does contain someoffices. The average lot size is approximately 9,000 square feet. Future development in this land usearea will take the form of conversions or infill.Recommendation: Encourage appropriate infill development that conforms with the character ofthe Medium Density Residential area. Maintain high quality of services andinfrastructure.High Density ResidentialHigh Density Residcntial is the classification for the neighborhoods with a density ol' 5 or moredwelling units per acre. Theic are two arcas classified High Density Residential. Onc area is thcChaliont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 65

Future Land Usecondominium apartment portions of Lindenfield. This development contains a variety of housing typesincluding townhouses and multiplexes. Pine Creek condominium apartments on the south side of PxkAvenue has a density of approximately 15 units per acre.Recommendation: Maintain and enhance the character of existing residential areas.CommercialThe Commercial area is characterized by a mix of small scale retail and service businesses along BuderPike between Oak Avenue and the west branch of Neshaminy Creek, and between the north branch ofthe Neshaminy and Bristol Road. The Chalfont Square Shopping Center is located along the south sideof Butler Pike just west of Bristol Road. Almost all of the uses take direct access to Butler Pike.Recommendation: Encourage the retention of existing commercial uses and the development ofthe existing vacant parcels with an appropriate mix of commercial andresidential uses. Establish access management guidelines for new developmentand encourage existing businesses to share existing access points.Borough CoreThe Borough Core contains retail, service, and institutional uses in the center of Chalfont-the areabetween the north and west branches of the Neshaminy Creek and the SEPTA rail line. The parcelsnorth of the rail line, occupied by St. James Lutheran Church and the fire station are included also.Many of the buildings in the borough core were built in the late 1800’s Victorian style. The uses andhistoric structures found there create a distinct focal point for the community and should be preservedand enhanced. Limited growth of new businesses can be accommodatcd in existing buildings andcarcfully designed ncw development. A pattern of nonconforming lots and uscs indicate a conflictbetween zoning and what actually exists. Traffic congestion and parking availability are majorconswaints to growth in this arca.Recommendation: Establish guidelines for enhancing the character and vitality of the core of theborough so that it effectively serves the residents of the borough andcommunity as a whole. Essential components of a borough core rejuvenationeffort would be an analysis of zoning, parking, and solutions to the trafficcongestion problems. Urban design efforts in areas such as street trees andunified signs may also assist in enhancing the core.Village Office CommercialThe Village Office Commercial land use area comprises the area on the south side of the intersection ofWestview Avenue and North Main Strcet. The Chalfont Post Office is located in this area on theeastern side of North Main Street. Large parcels north of Sunset Avenue and between Westview andSwartz avcnues, and North Main Street compose the largest portion of this land use area. Severalexisting single-family residential parcels in this area abut a plant nursery and an outdoor swim andtennis club. A large 26-acre vacant parcel bctween North Main Street and Sunsct Avcnue is thclinchpin for development of this area. The proximity to the borough core, adjacent residentialncighborhoods and the SEPTA wain station make it suitable for small scale mixed usc dcvclopmcntwhich serves not only as a location for employment but as a place for small scale commercial66 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Drair

future Land Usebusinesses which serve nearby neighborhoods. This tract should be developed in a manns thatconforms with the dimensions and scale of the borough and provides pedestrian links with theborough core, the train station and adjacent residential neighborhoods.Recommendation: Establish guidelines for development of the Village Office Commercial area asa mixed use center which respect and conform with the established characterof the borough, provides pedestrian links with all surrounding land uses andmaximize its access to the train station.Industrial/UtilitiesAreas designated Industrial/Utility are those appropriate for industrial and utility development or an=already occupied by existing industry or utilities. Industrial facilities are located in the area south ofHamilton Street, east of Oak Avenue and south of Park Avenue. Industrial land use is important to theborough because of the employment and tax revenue that it generates. Chalfont's largest utility, theNorth Wales Water Authority plant supplies drinking water to residents in both Bucks andMontgomery counties and thus provides a necessary service.1I1IIIE -Recommendation: Encourage the location and retention of industrial uses in areas where thenucleus of industry already exists. Ensure that the-im acts of industrial andutility land uses upon residential neighborhoodsGrea 4 inimized.wPark, Open Space, and RecreationThe Open Space and Recreation area contains open space land owned by the borough, boroughparkland and private land in the lloodplain. The s~cam valley of the Neshaminy Creek and its northand west branches, as well as Pinc Run present constraints to development due to llooding, thepresence of wetlands, alluvial soils, and woodlands. These resourccs should be protected fromdevelopment. Because the watershed of the creek extends beyond Chall'ont Borough, watersheddevelopment in New Britain Township will impact the creek and the floodplain in the borough.Therefore, it is particularly important to prevent development in the floodplain areas. Despite theconstraints, these areas also present opportunities for recreation and connection of residentialneighborhoods to the borough core and each other through open space.Recommendation: Continue to enforce wetland, forest protection, and flood plain restrictions.Encourage preservation of stream corridors for passive recreation such ast rai Is.Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 67

Statement of the Community Goal, Obiectives, and PoliciesThe Statement of the Goal, Objectives, and Policies establishes the borough’s position and guidelineson land use development issues. The statement serves as a framework and foundation for the lmd usecontrols that are based in the zoning ordinance and the subdivision and land development ordinance.The statement is also the borough’s declaration of the desired land use patterns, and it is a guide bywhich development proposals can be measured. The goal establishes the general course to which theborough aspires. The objectives provide the framework of the borough’s plan to achieve its goal, andthe policies state a direct approach on standards and procedures that guide decision making bypursuing objectives.Chalfont, as with most boroughs, has traditionally performed multiple roles-a place of work, a placeof residence, and a place of trade. It is a model of a time when transportation modes and opportunitieswere limited, making close proximity of all elements of daily life extremely important. Because of themobility afforded by the automobile, the need for this proximity has been decreasing for decades.However, dependence on the automobile has led to separation of land uses and sprawl. Some plannersnow emphasize a mix of uses in a small town setting which they refer to as a “neotraditional” town.Chalfont is a functioning example of what this type of development is attempting to emulate. Theneotraditional town includes a mix of residential, office, and commercial uses in the central core area.More mixed uses surround the core area. Places of worship, recreation, and leisure are also included.All centers of activity are within walking distance of each other.RrThe two major issues that this plan addresses are maintaining and enhancing the existing physicalenvironment and guiding new growth. The existing land uses and historic structures provide theborough with a unique identify and balanced tax base. New growth must be guided so that it does notnegatively impact the identity of the community and the tax base. The comprehensive plan will provideguidelines to preserve the beneficial aspects of Chalfont’s physical environment and ensure that newgrowth is beneficial.GoalMaintain and enhance the quality of life for those who live and work in Chalfont by providing a cleanenvironment, a balanced tax base, an efficient transportation network, unique identity, and adequatecommunity faci I ities.Objectives and PoliciesObjective I:Protect the Natural EnvironmentA healthy natural environment is one key to the quality of life. It is the intent of thisplan to make environmental preservation and protection a priority of ChalfontBorough.Policies1. Maintain the north and west branches and the main stem of the NeshaminyCreek and Pine Run, including its tributaries, and associated valleys asparkland or permanent open space.2. Enforce the environmental protection standards for wetlands, woodlands,floodplains, and steep slopes. Ensure that the standards for air and waterquality, heat, noise, light, and vibrations are met.3. Minimize adverse environmental impacts by encouraging developers to usesensitive design in development practices.Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 69

Statement of the Community Goal, Objectives, and Policies4. Enforce requirements of the Little Neshaminy Creek watershed stormwaLermanagement plan to ensure that stormwater runoff recharges aquifers andis filtered before it enters local streams.Objective It:Provide a Variety of Housing OpportunitiesMany communities with a variety of housing types pride themselves in the stablepopulation made possible by providing for varying housing needs. Only byproviding a variety of housing types with a range of price levels can a communityprovide for an individual family’s changing needs plus housing for all incomegroups. Opportunities must also be provided for those with special needs. Chaliontpledges itself to do its share as part of the central Bucks area in providing newhousing opportunities for all prospective borough residents.Policies1 . Encourage innovative site design by adopting flexible building standards.2. Allow for the conversion of large residences to apartments in a mannersensitive to adjoining land uses.3. Cooperate with federal, state, and county agencies in the provision of lowandmoderate-income housing.Objective 111:Maintain a Broad Tax BaseReinforce the tax base by encouraging appropriate commercial and industrialdevelopment and redevelopment. A broad tax base lessens the tax burden uponthe residents and enhances the fiscal viability of the borough.Po I i cies1. Encourage vacant land to be developed using sound and effective designand planning practices which will be compatible with existing developmentand character of the borough.2. Take any reasonable action necessary to assist existing local industry andbusinesses to expand and/or maintain economic vitality.3. Provide for all reasonable land uses consistent with an older urbanizedborough of limited size and development potential while maintaining abalance of land uses.Objective IV:Provide and Maintain Efficient Public ServicesPublic services should be efficient in operation and adequate to meet the needs ofand provide desired amenities for borough residents and businesses.Policies1. Encourage the Central Bucks School District to continue providing qualityeducational services and facilities that meet contemporary educationalprogram goals for all age groups.2. Provide park and recreation facilities which offer opportunities foreducational, athletic, and leisure activities.3. Maintain a safe and adequate potable water supply. This will beaccomplished in cooperation with surrounding municipalities.4. Support maintenance and upgrading of the Chalfont-New Britain TownshipJoint Sewer Authority sanitary sewer system in cooperation with thesurrounding municipalities.Objective V:Maintain and Enhance the Transportation SystemEfficient movement of people and goods is necessary to maintain the quality of lifefor residents and ensure the viability of businesses. An inefficient transportationsystem degrades the quality of life and incurs unnecessary costs.Policies1. Maintain and enhance borough streets.70 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

II1IIIII118111t-I1IIObjective VI:Statement of the Community Goal, Objectives, and Policies2. Encourage SEPTA and PennDOT to enhance the existing transpcrtationfacilities where necessary.3. Encourage regional cooperation to find and implement solutions i;3 meetlocal and regional transportation needs.4. Encourage use of nonautomobile travel modes by encouraging proviiion ofpedestrian and bicycle amenities.5. Enhance efficiency of state routes in borough with effective land useplanning and access management.Maintain the Character of Existing Borough NeighborhoodsChalfont is known as a pleasant and affordable place to live. To maintain the qualityof life the existing character of neighborhoods should be preserved.Policies1. Continue the efficient and high level provision of public services andfacilities to borough residents.2. Enforce housing and property maintenance codes.3. Maintain residential amenities, including but not limited to open space, streettrees, and sidewalks.4. Encourage convenience goods shopping opportunities within the borough.Proposed stores should have design compatibility with buildings in theimmediate neighborhood and have minimal interference with ongoingresidential activities, yet be conveniently accessible to a maximum numberof borough residents.5. Provide access from neighborhoods to activity centers in borough in waysthat minimize vehicular travel.Objective VII: Maintain the Historic Identity and Vitality of the Borough CoreThe historic resources and businesses in the borough core are important to theboroughs identity and fiscal health. To maintain this identity and assist businesses,property values must be enhanced and buildings must be rehabilitated. This can beachieved by improving the business and physical environment of the boroughcore.Policies1 . Provide appropriate streetscape improvements, such as lighting andlandscaping improvements within the core area to enhance identity andencourage private investment.2. Initiate a partnership between the borough government and business inefforts to rejuvenate the core.3. Support work of the borough Historic Architecture Review Board.4. Encourage provision of sufficient parking facilities in a manner whichprovides for effective access management and minimizes walking distances.5. Use appropriate land use regulation standards to retain the character of theborough core.Objective VIII: Protect Historic Resources in the BoroughWell-maintained historic resources throughout Chalfont help establish sense ofplace and enhance local property values. These resources should be preservedand enhanced for future generations.Policies1. Preservation efforts should be in accordance with an historic preservationplan.2. Discourage the demolition ?f old buildings and encourage sensitive,adaptive reuse of buildings to retain the historic character of the borough.3. Encourage and support community activities that promote a sense ofcommunity and place such as carnivals and historical walks.Chalfont Boroueh Cornwrehensive Plan Uwdate Draft 71

Statement of the Community Goal, Objectives, and PoliciesObjective IX:Use the Comprehensive Plan as a Decision-Making GuideUse the comprehensive plan as a guide for making decisions regarding physicaldevelopment and as the basis of evaluating proposed actions affecting physicaldevelopment. The plan should be the primary means of communicating boroqhpolicy to concerned organizations or individuals.Policies1. Foster implementation of the comprehensive plan through strcingmanagement of borough government.2. Ensure that provision of the zoning and subdivision and land developmentordinance are consistent with the comprehensive plan.3. The goal and objectives of the comprehensive plan should be achievedthrough sound fiscal planning.4. Ensure consistency with the Bucks County Comprehensive Plan and theDelaware Valley Regional Planning Commission Regional Plan.72 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft

IIII1Implementation of RecommendationsThe identification of implementation strategies or actions the borough needs to undertake to attain itsgoal and objectives is an integral component of the comprehensive planning process. By identifyingthese strategies, the framework is provided for coordinated action that will enable the borough toaccommodate anticipated growth, while preserving its unique character and natural and historicresources. The implementation strategies will serve as benchmarks of progress in implementing theborough’s policies. It must be noted, however, that this listing of strategies is not exhaustive or allencompassing. Also, some of the implementation strategies are already being conducted within theborough. The emphasis here is to promote coordinated effort and partnership in the program tosuccessfully implement the borough’s comprehensive plan.Recommended StrategiesFor each of the objectives, implementation strategies have been developed. Each strategy should bethe responsibility of one or more borough departments or organizations and should be implementedwithin a given time frame. The time frames for implementation are ongoing, short term, middleterm, and long term. Ongoing describes efforts that are currently taking place and which shouldcontinue into the future. Short term efforts should commence soon after plan adoption. Middle termefforts should start 3 to 5 years after plan adoption. Groundwork laid by short and middle termefforts must take place before many of the long term efforts can be implemented 5 to 10 years afterplan adoption.Objective I:Protect Natural Environment1IIIIIiIShort termShort termMiddle termMiddle termMiddle termInclude model tree protection standards in the subdivision and landdevelopment ordinance to protect trees and woodlands on development sites.- Planning commission, borough councilInclude steep slope protection standards in the zoning ordinance to protectslopes on development sites.- Planning commission, borough councilForm a partnership with adjacent municipalities and identify groundwaterrecharge and wellhead protection areas and adopt zoning restrictions and othertechniques to protect these sensitive natural resources.- Planning commission, borough councilPrepare a water supply plan cooperatively with New Britain Borough andTownship.- Borough council, planning commissionEstablish regular maintenance program for stormwater management facilities.- Public works departmentObjective II: Provide Variety of Housing OpportunitiesShort termAdopt zoning provisions that allow for flexible residential opportunities such asconversions and elder cottages, where appropriate.- Planning commission, borough councilChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 13,

lmplemen ta tion of RecommendationsObjective 111:Maintain Broad Tax BaseShort termEstablish public/private partnership with Businesspersons Alliance anddetermine what public improvements and programs are needed to enhancebusiness activity.- Borough council and planning commissionShort termDevelop zoning district regulations appropriate for mixed use development inthe Village Office Commercial land use area.- Borough council and planning commissionObjective IV: Provide and Maintain Efficient Public Facilities and ServicesShort termConduct a park and recreation survey to determine recreation needs of allresidents.- Park and recreation boardMiddle termProvide recreation facilities and parks to meet needs identified in study.- Park and recreation boardLong termEvaluate funding needs of local emergency services and assist in thedevelopment of solutions to meet those needs.- Borough councilMiddle termAdopt regulations that require new development to incorporate waterconservation measures to decrease peak and total daily water use.Long termOngoingOngoingShort termMiddle term- Borough council and planning commissionEstablish a mandatory curbside yard waste collection program to lower trashcollection costs and reduce the waste stream.- Borough council and staffPeriodically review water supply infrastructure for current and future potablewater and emergency fire fighting needs.- Public works departmentCoordinate efforts with CNBTJSA in upgrading and maintaining wastewatercollection and treatment facilities to reduce costs and provide additionalcapacity.- Public works departmentPrepare Open Space Plan- Planning commissionPurchase Open Space which meets needs identified in Open Space Plan.- Borough council3Objective V: Maintain and Enhance Transportation SystemOngoingCoordinate efforts of borough engineer, roadmaster, public works department,police department, and planning commission to find effective solutions totransportation planning issues.- Borough council74 Chalfonr Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Orah

IIIShort termShort termMiddle termMiddle termMiddle termMiddle termMiddle termImplementation of RecommendationsRaise local funds for and implement curb reconstruction to Butler Pikeintersections with Limekiln Pike and Oak Avenue, and for queuing lanes atButler and Limekiln Pike intersection or petition PennDOT to include theproject on the Transportation improvement Program.- Borough council, borough engineerRaise local funds for and implement signalization coordination at Butler Pikeintersections with Limekiln Pike and North Main Street Avenue, or petitionPennDOT to include the project on the Transportation improvement Proyam.- Borough council, borough engineerDevelop partnership with New Britain Borough and Township to generatefunding and support for the Bristol Road Extension and to petition BCPC toinclude it on the PennDOT 12 year plan.- Borough council, borough engineerCoordinate with SEPTA in enlarging the parking lot at the train station or byfinding alternative parking space for commuters.- Borough council, borough engineerProvide a network of pedestrian and bicycle paths to connect neighborhoodswith activity centers throughout the borough.- Borough council, planning commissionPromote participation of local employers in voluntary Employee Trip ReductionProgram.- Borough councilDevelop partnership between borough and property owners dong Butler Pikeand North Main Street to plan for and implement access managementa I tern at ives.- Planning commission, borough councilObjective VI: Maintain the Historic Identity and Vitality of the Borough CoreOngoingMiddle termOngoingOngoingDevelop public private partnership between borough government andbusinesses in borough core to find ways to rejuvenate the core.- Borough councilDevelop zoning district regulations for the borough core that provide for a mixof uses and protect historical integrity of structures.- Planning commissionProvide streetscape improvements in borough core.- Borough council, business owners, public works departmentSponsor and support community activities to celebrate heritage of Chalfont.- Borough councilObjective VII: Protect Historic Resources in the BoroughShort termAmend building code to require a 45-day waiting period prior to issuance ofdemolition permits so that the borough and building owner may discussalternatives if the building is historically significant.- Borough councilChalfont Borough Comprehensive Plan Update Draft 75

Implementation of RecommendationsShort termMiddle termMiddle termMiddle termDevelop zoning ordinance amendment to protect historic resources outside inehistoric district.- Planning commission and historic architecture review boardExpand duties and functions of the historic architecture review board so that itmay address borough wide historic preservation issues.- Borough councilUpdate the historic site survey and develop a historic preservation plan whichprovides a background on historic resources throughout the borough andestablishes effective methods to preserve historically significant features.- Historic architecture review boardDevelop and publish design guidelines to assist the owners of historic buildingsin preserving, renovating, rehabilitating, and restoring properties in a mannerwhich reflects the character and heritage of Chalfont.- Historic architecture review board* Middle term Investigate and implement methods of providing financial incentives iorhistoric preservation.- Borough council and historic architecture review boardObjective VIII: Use the Comprehensive Plan as a Decision-Making GuideAnnuallyAnnuallyAnnuallyConduct a fiscal analysis to determine soundness of borough finances andmanage these finances by setting policies for spending based on objectives ofthis comprehensive plan.- Borough councilMaintain the Capital Plan, which schedules spending for capital improvements,update it on an annual basis and use it as a means to implement thecomprehensive plan.- Borough council and planning commissionBorough council should have an annual meeting with leaders of all boroughboards and authorities to review the goals and objectives included in thecomprehensive plan. Council can discuss accomplishments of the previousyear and assign new program tasks to the appropriate boards. This effort willcontinually orient new members to the goals and objectives of thecomprehensive plan.- Borough council76 Chalfont Borough Comprehensive Pian Update DraftIIIiI1IiIIII!IIIIII

a.b.Absorption Rates (AR) ofProposed DU’s (1)4 years :(annualized) (2)2 years !(annualized) (311.5 years :(annualized)4 1 1 I 2 I 30 0 0 0Permits2904 1990-19965 1980-1996Average Annual (AA) Add. DU’sI 48BCPC Proj. 2000 LowBCPC Proi. 2000 MiddleHousing Population1,330 3,3101,360 3.41 0IBCPC Proi. 2000 Hieh I 1.380 I 3.470 IProj. Add. Units, 1997-2000Proj. DU. 2000 w/1996 Est. -Proj. 2000 Pop. w/l996 Est. -Proj Person Per D.U. w/1996 Est. -1,4343,8142.66Year 2000 Projections Using Average Annual Additional DU’s1 a (High) 2a 3a Low 1 Middle Low 24 8 11 0 2 01,438 1,442 1,445 1,434 1,436 1,4343,825 3,836 3,843 3,814 3,820 3,814Annual Increase 1.6 2 3 1 1 24IPotential 2010 Proi. POD. Usine Estimated Ave. Annual Add. DU’sIPersons Per D.U. =2.66la(High1: annualizes the units currently proposed (4) between 1997 and year 2000 w/ Persons/DU of 2.66and assiimc 1.6 DU/year (16 total) for 2000-201 0 w/ 2.66 I’crsons/DU for period 2000-201 0Middle: No atlditioiial uiiits and IN) cli~nge to l’ersoiidl )IJ Iictwtvvi l‘J‘I7 .iii(I 2O(l(l, IO .i(hlitiori.il tltlits wl IIO ility(s,i\l* ill I’I!Is(I~Is/I~)I I Is*lwt,~~l, 2000 ,it111 2010Low 1: No additional units and no change to f’ersons/DU between 1997 and 2000. 5 additional units w/decrcasc in I’ersons/DU(same rate of decrease as seen for 1990-1996) betwccn 2000 and 2010Low 2: No additional units and no change to I’ersons/DU between 1997 and 2000, 5 additional units w/ decrease in Persons/DU(decreasing rate of decrease as seen for 1990-1996) between 2000 and 2010

~ .~Appendix AChalfont Midtlle Projection Age Cohort DataI 1 2000 Projection1980 Census 1990 Census with Middle Birth4geMale Female Male Female Male1-45-910012679103107102859414410510-1 4165 152 113 77 138I 5-1 9125 148 111 102 10610-24113 97 109 111 9E25-2986 82 125 114 14530-34106 123 144 135 16815-39121 129 118 119 1874044114 91 118 138 173154987 78 99 111 103j0-5470 77 101 78 112i 5-5 973 65 77 75 9330-6438 45 66 64 9t35-69 36 41 52 64 5s70-74 28 28 28 46 5275-79 12 20 32 53 4730-84 2 17 24 30 2535+ 9 16 12 35 33I I I I IMiddle MigrationFemale201 0 Projectionwith Middle Birth (Middle MigrationMaleFemale116112 88971 94 I 861001 1591 1101081 871 90185 107193 155164 183 20610812511268154154901031541391021031024594 47 151_. .... . 1,934 __- 1,889 .. 1,950..... ........ ... .. - ......... .-. .-- . __.__... . _ ....I..... ~_ . . __ ...-. - - fertility - rats- ...... 31.31 fertility ............. rate... -births 75-79.. .... ...197 births 85-89.... -- .... - - ...... births 70-74 2 I 5 I)irtlis 80-84. . . . . . . . ....-births .-.- 70-79 .............. 4 12 births 80-89.........fCnlJleS 15-44670 felllJk!S .- 15-44- __........ 70-79 - ....... -. __ __..... . -. -. ........... ........ . ..- ...--.- ........ deaths -254 deaths 80-89.. .- .......-. - ... - -. .-. ..- .- ...28.58 ... change fertility >>>....- ..-.. -. .... -.202 est. births 95-99....... .- ..- ....... ..257 est. . . I,irtlls . . . 90-94 .459. est. Iirtlis 90-99.. . -.- . - ........... 31.44 ........ change fertility >>> .......... 31.44 ..- - -.. . . . . .._252 est. births 05-09 ... 224249.. . .4738301 fernales 15-44 ............?W. . . ._migration ..........-.- .........86 migration. .-.migration ..... rate - 2.80 change - ___ migration>>' This figure is one person higher than the 2010 middle projection due to rounding......... ... .