Upos Jan 10

Why is Open Space Important?Upper Providence for Open Space

Agenda

Why Is This an Issue For Upper Providence?- What do our residents want?

Comprehensive Plan resultsUPOS – Mission for Open Space

- Role in the communityCurrent Open Space and How It Is UsedRole of Scott Park as a Township Asset

Open Spaces Are Our Treasures!

Residents value the “green” quality of the Township

Rose Tree Park and Ridley Creek State Park are the most-identified UP “treasures.” These treasures are cited as treasures by residents across all five districts.

10 of the top 15 treasures identified are “Open Space” type of facilities

Comprehensive Plan of 2005 – Public Survey Results p.15

Upper Providence Township Treasures

154

115

35

32

31

21

19

16

16

15

12

12

10

10

10

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

Rose Tree Park

Ridley Creek State Park

Rose Tree Tavern

Open Spaces

Springton Lake/Resevoir

Crum Creek Resevoir

Lavin Tract

Glen Providence Park

Trees

Tyler Arboretum

Creighton

Cherry Street Field

Walden School

Martin Park

Historical Buildings

Number of Responses

Willingness to Pay Additional Taxes for Various Initiatives

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

Preserve/Protect Space

Improve/Maintain Parks, etc.

Biking/Hiking/Walking Trails

Property Acquisition for Parks

Road Improvements

Preserve/Protect Historic

Dev. Active Recreation

Public Sewer/Water Improvements

Economic Dev

Percentage of Responses

Unlikely

Neutral

Mean

Likely

Comprehensive Plan of 2005 – Public Survey Results p.11

Residents have already voted in favor of the $6M bond for Open Space

Residents Recognize Sensitivity of Maintaining Open Space

Community Vision:“There was strong support for keeping permanent open spaces in a more or less natural condition, as formal recreational facilities attract more use and exacerbate the traffic problem.”

(Comprehensive Plan of 2005 Chapter 3, p.4)

Weaknesses:“There is increasing inappropriate development of environmentally sensitive lands: steep slope areas and lands containing or immediately adjacent to floodplain areas are of particular concern.”

(Comprehensive Plan of 2005 Chapter 5, p.2)

Protection of Natural Resources“The natural resources noted by the Municipalities Planning Code are wetlands and other aquifer recharge zones, woodlands, steep slope areas, prime agricultural land, floodplains, and ‘unique natural areas.’ The MPC adds that municipalities are not limited by this list, but may provide for the protection of other resources of local importance.”

“Extensive loss of wooded area could lead to serious problems for the Township: woods are not only scenic, but provide tangible benefits by controlling stormwater runoff and the effects of erosion (critical in steep areas), modulating extreme temperatures, controlling windborne dust, and converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.”

(Comprehensive Plan of 2005 Chapter 10, p.2-3)

Township Plan Recognizes Importance of Balancing Needs

• “The development of recreational facilities – for both active and passive use – will be designed to respect and to protect environmentally sensitive areas.”

• “The Township will pursue the development of additional facilities for active recreation (such as improved playing fields, courts, and other support infrastructure), seeking out opportunities to partner with like-minded public and private organizations, including the Delaware County Parks Department regarding utilization of Rose Tree Park.”


Policies to Protect UP Resources• “Township development regulations may include provisions to preserve,

protect, and enhance environmentally sensitive areas.”• “The Township may develop and enforce regulations that will assure that

development is executed in an environmentally sensitive manner.”• “The Township may seek funding to assist with the preservation and

protection of environmentally sensitive areas, including but not necessarily limited to funding to conduct studies supporting environmental preservation policies, site-specific plans, and acquisition.”

• “The Township desires to protect its water resources particularly and may implement regulations and/or seek funding as appropriate to develop plans and regulations to protect groundwater, wetlands, and stream corridors, as well as regulations to assure proper flood control, stormwater management, and maintenance of flood control and stormwater management facilities.”

• “Public access and recreational use of public open spaces will generally be subsidiary to the environmental preservation function.”


Agenda


Comprehensive Plan results UPOS – Mission for Open Space

- Role in the community Current Open Space and How It Is Used Role of Scott Park as a Township Asset

Upper Providence for Open Space

Mission:To assist in preserving and protecting open space, including wetlands, watersheds, flora, and fauna. The primary goal of the group is the conservation of ecosystems and landscapes of regional and local value for the benefit of this and future generations.

We like the plan, and we expect the Township to follow it!!

What UPOS Has Done Formed in 2001 – 100+ Concerned citizens/residents Prime mover in getting out the vote in support of ballot initiative

resulting in $6M for open space acquisitions Active involvement in the township acquisition of the Lavin Tract Monitoring the development of additional tracts to ensure resource

preservation and open space issues are considered fully Begun the process of site maintenance and improvement at Scott

Park Increased UP citizens’ awareness of open space issues Creek clean-up activities

- Working with CRC currently on Crum and Ridley Creek Clean-Up Day

What UPOS Would Like to Do Work hand-in-hand with the Township to implement

the resource conservation and open space policies spelled out in the 2005 Comprehensive Plan

Help the township manage its open spaces through the acquisition of grants to develop and manage open space lands

Serve as a resource to the Township as stewards of our open spaces

Educate the citizens of UP and future generations regarding open space and conservation issues

Obtain needed environmental assessments of sensitive areas

Agenda




Martin Park

Ridley Creek State Park

Thompson Park


Scott Park

Rose Tree Park

Berman Park

Cherry Street Field

Ray Roche Park

Weldon Park

Houtman Park

Upper Providence Parks

UP Township Parks & UsagePark Current Usage IssuesRidley Creek State Park

State Owned Park provides a range of recreational activities

Small portion of park is in the Township. Controlled by the State

Rose Tree Park County Owned Park – Concerts/Events/Gardens/ Kites/Dogs etc.

Limited use for environmental education. Controlled by the County

Scott Park ** Owned by the Township and Media Borough. Currently natural environment w/ limited use

Active versus Passive use and need to preserve its fragile ecosystem and educational use


County Owned Park. Steep and wooded. Used for walking/hiking/picnicking

Limited use for environmental education. Controlled by the County

Martin Park County Owned Park. Steep and wooded. Local use for walking/hiking

Limited Access or use for environmental education. Controlled by the County

** Open Space Acquisition by UP Township

UP Township Parks & Usage

Park Current Usage IssuesCherry Street Field Owned by the Township.

Used by numerous teams from across the county

Overuse puts strain on the field and neighborhood

Berman Park – Tot Lot

Owned by the Township.Playground usage

None – Neighborhood usage appears appropriate

Ray Roche Park Owned by the Township.Playground usage


Houtman Park Owned by Media. Small picnic park


Thompson Park Owned by the Township.Limited Access – Usage??


Weldon Street Tot Lot

Owned by the Township.Playground usage


Balancing Usage Demands

Soccer

Hiking

Events

Fishing

Concerts

Kites

Lacrosse

Softball

Dogs

Nature

BirdingEducation

Each site has specific uses dictated by the nature of the site itself. Not all sites are appropriate for all uses!!

Scenic Vista

Baseball

Football

UP As Part of a Larger Watershed

Balancing Conservation Demands

Crum Creek Watershed

Crum Creek

Ridley Creek Watershed

Ridley Creek

• Watersheds do not recognize municipal boundaries

Balancing Conservation Demands Currently ~ 60% of Upper Providence residents get their water

from Ridley Creek via the Media pumping station Ridley Creek water is rated “high quality” 2nd highest ranking;

Crum Creek is rated significantly lower Maintaining excellent water quality is closely related to

conservation practices regarding:- Storm water run-off- Ground water recharge and filtration- Erosion

Open Spaces contribute significantly to high quality aquatic ecosystems

For “High Quality” designated resources, DEP “requires that new or expanded activities do not degrade existing water quality”

Pressure for Development• Anticipated need for an additional 390 housing units within the

next 15 years.“During the public participation stage, many residents expressed their objection to subdivision of existing residential lots, even when subdivision was clearly permitted by the zoning…even when such infill development was well designed – they objected to the increase in density.”

(Comprehensive Plan of 2005 Chapter 7, p. 5)

• More importantly, the plan highlights that, “Typically, residential uses do not generate sufficient tax revenue to pay for the municipal services that they consume. The preponderance of residential property suggests that the Township will find it increasingly difficult to sustain the current level and quality of municipal services.”


Planning Implications• “The current extent of development in the Township leaves little

vacant land for new construction. As a result, new development must be accommodated on lots carved from existing developed parcels, on lands previously deemed unsuitable for development, and on developed property that has been cleared.”

• “If the demand for housing in the Township remains strong, developers will continue to maximize the yield of available land, erecting new homes wherever physically possible, and expanding the definition of what is considered ‘developable land.’ This is likely to result in increasing pressure upon the Township to raise allowable density and to relax restrictions based upon environmental considerations.”


“The DEP's new guidance document will require that developers control the amount of storm water discharged when development is complete. To do so, DEP now requires real estate developers to construct less impervious surfaces than before and create more opportunities for storm water to soak into the ground - requirements that go beyond the federal requirements to control storm water.

The state also places even more regulatory restrictions on storm water discharges arising from new real estate developments that are located in watersheds with very high water quality, known as ‘special protection’ watersheds in regulatory parlance.”

Philadelphia Inquirer, March 19, 2007

DEP Issues Guidelines

UPOS Concerns

Expand open space opportunities through acquisition

Retain “green” feel to the Township

Ensure environmentally sensitive areas are not compromised

Strictly enforce current codes and ordinances

Expand codes/ordinances to maintain aspects of the community which are so valued today.

Ensure protection of high quality aquatic ecosystem

Agenda




Scott Park

Baltimore Pike

Route 1 By-Pass

Ridley C

reek Road

Upper Providence Township Water Supply

The Media Wetlands Identified in the Delaware County Natural Areas

Inventory (1992) as “an area of local significance worthy of preservation.”

Found by the EPA’s Delaware Estuary Program to be of sufficient importance for inclusion in a list of worthy restoration and enhancement projects within the entire estuary.

Source: Media Wetlands Resource Conservation Plan, Natural Resources Conservation Service, December 1999

The Media Wetlands “Supports a diverse assemblage of wetland plants, as

well as animal species increasingly uncommon in the Philadelphia suburbs.”

“Its location in the densely developed suburbs of central Delaware County is remarkable. …”

Source: Media Wetlands Resource Conservation Plan, Natural Resources Conservation Service, December 1999

It is important to provide an appropriate setting for environmental education to occur.

Peter WilliamsonNatural Lands Trust

National Science Standards call for children to have skills to posit theories based upon direct observation and data collection. Education should be hands on, participatory and informed by a “more tender trotting upon the land.”

Lynn OberfieldHead, Media Providence Friends School

Scott Park: Unique in Having the Five Major Ecosystems

Scott Park has the five ecosystems that are the subject of environmental studies in PA:- Meadow- Stream- Pond- Woods- Wetlands

Proposed legislation would mandate environmental study as part of science testing in 2007.

Scott Park: Meadow

Scott Park: Stream

Scott Park: Pond

Scott Park: Woods

Scott Park: Wetlands

A natural area with few improvements provides the best learning environment across a range of curricula.

Meg Barney, Ed.D.Research & Development SpecialistRose Tree Media School District, Education Center

Signage

Access to Protected Areas

Observation Posts for Wildlife Monitoring

Outdoor Classroom

Upper Providence Township has acquired a treasure. The environmental education of its children could be greatly enhanced through the study of many aspects of this property.

Steven Eisenhauer (Upon viewing Scott Park)Regional Director of Stewardship and ProtectionNatural Lands Trust, Peek Preserve, NJ (9,000 acres)

Natural Areas Support Passive Recreation

Hiking Fishing Bird watching Wildlife appreciation

Delco Anglers and preservationists are willing and ready to work with Upper Providence Township on improvements to Ridley Creek at the Scott Park to enhance recreational fishing, as they have in Ridley Creek State Park.

Steve KosiakDelco Anglers

Scott Park Clean-Up Under Way

“This park is a part of our future. …the next generation, the next five generations, will never imagine what it would have been like without this.”

Bill O’Donnell, former Township Councilman

Upos Jan 10

Documents

Transcript of Upos Jan 10