apa tri-state presentation

8/7/2019 APA Tri-State Presentation

1/20

Working with

municipalities to protectthe TrailImplementing Act 24


2/20

The Appalachian National Scenic Tail

A National Park in your backyard: land use in PA

15% Agriculture

80% Agriculture

5% Urbanized-

typically

historicvillages


3/20

Challenges of Implementing Act 24

A.T. often travels on top of political boundaries

Varying levels of support from regional planning officials-

who typically act in an advisory role to municipalities

Each municipality is a unique approachMunicipalities wanted to adopt a standard model

ordinance, typically didnt do the 7 step assessment

Some resentment from municipalities going in:

Unfunded mandate Big government shouldnt be telling us what to do

BUT we had positive outcomes


4/20

A Community Assessment Checklist for

Compliance with Act 24

1.0 LOCALRECOGNITION OF THETRAILAND ITS SIGNIFICANCE

2.0 TRAIL-RELATED LANDSCAPESAND KEY PARCELS

3.0 ZONINGFOR LANDSCAPE

4.0 MANDATES AND INCENTIVESFOR CONSERVATION DESIGN

5.0 REGULATING POTENTIALLY

HIGH IMPACT USES

6.0 WORKINGRELATIONSHIPS WITHKEY LANDOWNERS

7.0 MUNICIPALCAPACITY TOADDRESS TRAILAND RELATED

LANDSCAPE ISSUES


5/20

The TrailsSignificance in

Cumberland County

Open Space

Preservation Plan /

Conceptual Greenway

Map

The Trail Through Agriculture

1.0 LOCAL RECOGNITION

OF THE TRAILAND ITS

SIGNIFICANCE

- Trail recognition in the

County Comprehensive

plan


6/20

The Trail Through Agriculture:

Monroe Township

National Park Service Boundary Line


7/20


Monroe Township


-Applicability of base zoning to the Trail and its related landscapeBase Ag. zoning had a higher level of development (2 units per acre)

-Standards and overlays to protect specific resource featuresThe township proposed an ordinance that hardly went out of NPS (protected) lands

THE CHALLENGE:


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Example 1: Monroe Township, PA


Monroe Township

The townships proposal:

150 buffer from centerline

of NPS lands


9/20


Monroe Township

2.0 TRAIL-

RELATED

LANDSCAPES

AND KEYPARCELS

-Identified key

parcels, and

acquired 850

acres of them

-The townshippresented ATC

with a plaque

praising our

success we

will continue to

build arelationship with

THE SOLUTION:


10/20


Silver Springs Township

United States Parcel Boundary


-Applicability of base zoning to the Trail and its related landscapeBase Ag. zoning had sliding scale of 1 unit per 20 acres and up, BUT ag zoned land was

constantly being rezoned into residential or even industrial

-Standards and overlays to protect specific resource featuresThe committee working with ATC proposed an ordinance that hardly went out of NPS (protected)

lands

THE CHALLENGE:


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12/20

1.0 LOCAL RECOGNITION OF THE TRAILAND ITS

SIGNIFICANCE

-Trail recognition in the Silver Springs comprehensive plan

6.0 WORKING RELATIONSHIPS WITH KEY LANDOWNERS

-Identify high priority ag. preservation parcels and work with

county and land owners

2.0 TRAIL-RELATED LANDSCAPES AND KEY PARCELS

-Identify key parcels with highest value resources (visual and

audible)



THE SOLUTION:


13/20

The Trail Through A Forested Ridgeline:

Stroud Township


14/20


Stroud Township

2.0 TRAIL-

RELATEDLANDSCAPES

AND KEY

PARCELS

-Natural and

culturalresource

values really

hadnt been

identified

THE

CHALLENGE:


15/20


Stroud Township

Primary

Zone

(500

buffer)

THESOLUTION:


16/20


17/20


Stroud Township

Secondary

Zone

(500

buffer)


18/20


19/20

Some Conclusions

Building municipal report is CRITICAL, and is a long hauleffort (for ATC, clubs, and other conservancies)

A network is critical, no one entity can tackle this job inPennsylvania, the network includes: Trail Clubs, potentially Audubon chapters and other volunteer

organizations

County planning offices

Municipalities that we have worked with and have found good

solutions Other conservancies (state-wide and local land trusts)


20/20

Some Conclusions

The Seven Step Assessment is a GREAT tool, if we can

get folks to use it

This tool can be applied outside of Pennsylvania too andis a great way for us to engage with communities who

want to do something for the A.T.

apa tri-state presentation

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