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8/3/2019 Volume v Land Use
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Venango County Regional Planning Commission191 Howard St.
Franklin, PA 16323Phone: 814-432-4555
Fax: 814-432-5885
This Plan was partially funded with a grant from thePennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development.
Current and Future Land UseOverview
Subdivision activity in Venango County has occurred in cycles and in limited
geographic areas over the last half of the 20 th Century. Both Franklin and Oil City have
evolved beyond their formative periods, and both have used their histories to promote a
sense of “place” in their communities. However, both Sugarcreek Borough and
Cranberry Township in close proximity to these home rule communities, have
experienced increased development pressure throughout the 1980’s and to some extent
into the 1990’s. This trend is expected to continue with varying rates of growth.
The Central Planning Unit communities experienced increases in new housing
starts during the 1980’s ranging from a low of 2.9% in Oil City to a high of 13% in
Cranberry Township. The following decade produced a range of 1.4% (Oil City) to a high
of 7.4% (Sugarcreek Borough). In the Northern Planning Unit communities, Jackson
Township added 19.5% of their total housing stock during the 1980’s and 8.9% during
the 1990’s, while both Canal and Oakland Townships reported new starts in excess of
17% during the 1980’s. Oakland Township added another 12.3% of the total housing
stock during the 1990’s. Between 1990 and 2000 Cherry Tree Township added 28.2% of
their total housing stock.
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In the Southern Planning Unit, Clintonville Borough saw the addition of 24.2% of
their housing stock between 1980 and 1989, while both Irwin and Clinton Townships
experienced residential growth, at 16.7% and 17.5% of their totals respectively. The
attractiveness of rural land in some areas continued into the 1990’s. Victory and Mineral
Townships gained 23.1% and 22.1% of their total housing stock respectively during the
1990’s, and Irwin (18.3%) and French Creek (14.6%) Townships also experienced
residential growth during the 1990’s. While some of these percentages sound
significant, the fact is, in these rural communities residential development occurred at
moderate rates throughout the last half of the 20 th Century. In addition, the number of
existing housing units was relatively small compared to the Central Planning Unit
communities. A more in-depth discussion of these land use trends can be found in the
Housing and Household section.
Commercial and industrial development continued to be a small part of overall
growth in Venango County. While the County’s Economic Development Corporation
continues to acquire new land for industrial growth, the problem of access must be
addressed. Aside from the Interstate 80 corridor along the southern perimeter of the
County, there is not an arterial network in place. While small businesses and
manufacturing companies have proliferated throughout the rail and river corridors
between Franklin and Oil City, they have done so without the benefit of regional access.
The introduction of public utilities to the interchange area of Barkeyville (State
Route 8) and Interstate 80 in the later 1990’s has increased the availability of land
dedicated to industrial development, and similar infrastructure improvements are
projected for the Clintonville interchange area. While these areas may attract
development first because of access from Interstate 80 to regional markets, older
industrialized areas of the County have relied on “adaptive reuse” and structural retro-
fitting to accommodate a changing industrial sector. Taken in the aggregate, however, a
number of sites employing only a few people can have the same effect as one large
facility, and have less of an impact on the existing public utilities and roadway network.
Ten municipalities in Venango County have enacted zoning ordinances to
regulate land use activities. Several of the municipalities are adjacent to one another,
and the following is a summary of the compatibility of uses between zoning districts in
each municipality.
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The portion of Sugarcreek Township abutting Cornplanter Township is zoned R1,
Suburban Residential and the portion of Cornplanter Township abutting Sugarcreek is
zoned R1, Single Family Residence.
The portion of Sugarcreek Township abutting the City of Oil City is zoned A1,
Conservation and the portion of the City of Oil City abutting Sugarcreek Township is
zoned R2, Single Family Residential and R2, Low Density Residential.
The portion of the City of Franklin abutting Sandy Creek Township is zoned R1,
Residential and a small portion is zoned IN, Industrial. The portion of Sandy Creek
Township abutting the City of Franklin is zoned R, Residential and a small portion is
zoned B, Business.
The portion of the City of Oil City abutting Cornplanter Township is zoned R1,
Single Family Residence, R2, Low Density Residential and a small portion is zoned
Manufacturing and Industrial. The portion of Cornplanter Township abutting the City of
Oil City is zoned R1, Single Family Residence, C Conservation and a small portion is
zoned I, Industrial Business.
Rouseville Borough is the only community in the County that is entirely
surrounded by a municipality that has a zoning ordinance, in this case Cornplanter
Township. The northern side abutting Cornplanter Township is zoned Conservation, and
the eastern side is, with the exception of a small portion zoned B-2, Community
Business, also zoned Conservation. The southern end of the Borough is zoned primarily
conservation, with small portions zoned R-1 Residential and Industrial. The western
portion of the Borough is bordered by Oil Creek, thus creating a natural barrier with
Cornplanter Township. The northern portion of Cornplanter that abuts Rouseville is
primarily zoned Conservation, with a small section zoned R1 Single Family Residence
and I Industrial Business. The southern and eastern portions of the Township that abut
Rouseville are primarily zoned Conservation, with very small areas zoned R1. The
western portion of the Township that abuts Rouseville is zoned entirely Conservation.
Cranberry Township is separated by the Allegheny River by the municipalities
abutting it with zoning, thus creating a natural barrier between uses. Barkeyville
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Borough, Emlenton Borough and Pleasantville Borough each have zoning ordinances
but are surrounded by municipalities that have not enacted any zoning ordinance
Municipal Planning and Land Use Controls
The following municipalities have Planning Commissions. The Venango County
Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance requires the developer of a Major Subdivision toreceive written comments from the municipal Planning Commission before the major subdivision,
preliminary plan or final plan can be approved.
Northern Planning Unit Central Planning Unit Southern Planning UnitCanal Township City of Franklin Barkeyville BoroughCherry Tree Township City of Oil City Emlenton BoroughCornplanter Township Cranberry Township Sandy Creek TownshipPleasantville Borough Sugarcreek BoroughPresident TownshipRouseville Borough
The following municipalities have prepared comprehensive plans:
Northern Planning Unit Central Planning Unit Southern Planning UnitCherry Tree Township City of Franklin Barkeyville BoroughPleasantville Borough City of Oil City Emlenton BoroughCornplanter Township Sugarcreek Borough Polk BoroughPresident Township Cranberry Township Sandy Creek TownshipRouseville Borough
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
The following two (2) townships have setback requirements in their building
ordinances and are the minimums established in the County Subdivision and Land
Development Ordinance:
Allegheny Township Oil Creek Township
Ten (10) municipalities have zoning ordinances, which control land use as well as
lot area, dimensions and setbacks in each designated zone:
Northern Planning Unit Central Planning Unit Southern Planning UnitCornplanter Township City of Franklin Barkeyville BoroughPleasantville Borough City of Oil City Emlenton BoroughRouseville Borough Cranberry Township Sandy Creek Township
Sugarcreek Borough
Three (3) municipalities have their own subdivision ordinances that control
development inside their borders. For all other municipalities in Venango County,
subdivisions are approved according to the County Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance. A written recommendation is still required from the Venango County
Planning Commission for subdivisions and land developments or site plans within these
communities.
City of Franklin City of Oil City Cornplanter Township
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
COUNTY MUNICIPAL PLANNING, ZONING AND BUILDINGCODE REPORT *
Current and Future Land Use Page 7
NORTHERNPLANNING
UNIT
ComprehensivePlan
ZoningOrdinance
SubdivisionOrdinance
CountySubdivision
PlanningCommission
Buildingcode
AlleghenyTownship Y - - Y - Y
CanalTownship - - - Y Y Y
Cherry TreeTownship Y - - Y Y Y
CooperstownBorough - - - - - -
Cornplanter Township Y Y Y Y Y -
JacksonTownship N - - Y N -
OaklandTownship - - - Y - YOil CreekTownship N N N - N Y
Pine GroveTownship - - - Y - -
PleasantvilleBorough Y Y N - Y N
Plum Township - - - Y N YPresidentTownship Y - - Y Y Y
RousevilleBorough Y Y - Y Y Y
CENTRALPLANNING
UNIT
ComprehensivePlan
ZoningOrdinance
SubdivisionOrdinance
CountySubdivision
PlanningCommission
BuildingCode
City of Franklin Y Y Y - Y Y
City of OilCity Y Y Y - Y Y
CranberryTownship Y Y - Y Y -
Sugarcreek
BoroughY Y - Y Y Y
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
*As written in the Venango Co. SALDO & Municipal Data Binder 2/ /03
Land Use
Land use regulations have been enacted in those Venango County municipalities
which experienced one or more periods of growth and development and/or determined
that it was in their best interest to adopt such regulations. While only ten (10) of the
Current and Future Land Use Page 8
SOUTHERNPLANNING
UNIT
ComprehensivePlan
ZoningOrdinance
SubdivisionOrdinance
CountySubdivision
PlanningCommission
BuildingCode
BarkeyvilleBorough Y Y - Y Y YClintonTownship N N N Y - Y
ClintonvilleBorough - - - - - Y
EmlentonBorough Y Y N - Y Y
French CreekTownship - - - Y - Y
IrwinTownship - - - Y - -
MineralTownship - - - Y - -
Polk Borough Y - - Y Y YRichlandTownship - - - Y N Y
RocklandTownship - - - Y - Y
Sandy CreekTownship Y Y - Y Y -
ScrubgrassTownship - - N Y - -
UticaBorough - - - Y - -
VictoryTownship - - - - - -
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
County’s thirty-one (31) municipalities have a current zoning ordinance, these
communities have experienced the most significant growth. The rate of subdivision
activity and development proposal submission in other areas of Venango County has
been dealt with administratively at the local level through the County’s review and
approval process.
Because new industrial and commercial development is the target, the adoption
of restrictive regulations for the use of land at the local level may not be in the County’s
interest at present. The pace of subdivision activity has not overwhelmed County
personnel or resources and projections for the long term trend do not indicate the need
for sophisticated growth management programs.
Perception of Venango County as a rural, wooded area with low population
density is accurate for the most part. Aside from the communities in the Central
Planning Unit, development pressure is not sufficient to warrant the adoption of
expanded land use ordinances. And even in the central core of the County, which could
function as Venango County’s “downtown,” the development pressure is manageable
within the context of current regulations. In addition, while Franklin and Oil City have
established infrastructure, there is not a large percentage of developable land available
in either community.
It is suggested, however, that certain supplemental regulations be encouraged
for adoption in those municipalities that approve their own subdivisions and land
developments. The inclusion of “standard construction details” eliminate interpretative
issues in an ordinance where standards for public improvements are included. These
“details” assist both the property owner and the municipality to evaluate the impacts of
development proposals and to mitigate perceived impacts. Samples of such
“construction details” follow:
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Another area of land use which has become better managed in recent decades, due to
the new options being made available by the Commonwealth, is the issue of access and the
improvement of transportation facilities. While any number of small land developments may not
lower levels-of-service at abutting intersections to any great extent, in a given area of the County,
an aggregate of neighborhood scaled development all accessing the same collector along differentsegments may, in fact, create problems at intersections which are not controlled.
In order to evaluate development proposals with significant transportation components, it
is recommended that communities with zoning ordinances, and the County itself, consider
adopting procedural language which will provide the information necessary. Specific benchmarks
for the requirement of a “traffic impact analysis” can be determined based on existing conditions at
the municipal level.
Recommended Language
In order to continue to provide appropriate levels-of-serve at key intersections
county-wide and to assure that “future developments of regional significance and impact”
are required to participate in the mitigation of perceived negative impacts, the Venango
County Planning Commission should encourage communities in the transitional or
growth mode to monitor transportation impacts. The most effective method of monitoring
trip generation impacts caused by new development, at the local level, is to apply
standards for the analysis.
While these guidelines may not be appropriate in every community experiencing
growth, the requirement to produce such traffic impact analyses will certainly protect a
municipality’s investment in infrastructure. These guidelines are recommended for
incorporation into local land use regulations where Venango County determines that the
transportation element of proposed land development plans have the potential to
degrade the local and/or regional transportation network. Those guidelines are as
follows :
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
Guidelines for Traffic StudiesOBJECTIVE:
All new developments generate additional traffic flow which increases the
existing flow and accelerates the timetable for needed street and highway
improvements. The added flows may also upscale the levels of required improvement,
be potentially hazardous and unduly congestive at the development access points.
The objective of a traffic study is to ascertain the expected increase in traffic flow
to be generated by a proposed development and the expected distribution of those
added flows through the affected network. From these findings, the expected effect on
the traffic handling capabilities of the network streets and intersections can be
ascertained, and the timing and extent of required improvements determined.
In similar fashion, the expected operating characteristics of the proposed accesspoints for the development can be ascertained.
To assure that no major traffic generating developments are constructed without
benefit of a traffic study, such studies shall be conducted for all developments of five or
more acres or a thirty percent (30%) increase in building coverage, all commercial and
industrial districts of any size.
STUDY REQUIREMENTS
Inventory
The traffic study team shall examine the street and highway network described in
the current municipal development plan and make a preliminary determination as to the
streets and intersections like to be significantly affected by the proposed development.
For purposes of this finding, the expected addition of as many as twenty-five (25)
vehicles per hour traveling in any direction along the affected street or approach to an
intersection during either the morning or evening peak hour shall be deemed to be a
significant effect. For these significantly affected facilities, an inventory of pavement
widths and conditions, travel speeds, traffic flow composition, twenty-four (24) hour traffic
flows along the streets and AM and PM peak street traffic hour period (two hour each)
turning movement counts at the intersections shall be obtained. The physical inventory
data shall include locations and lengths of restricted sight distances, restricted lateral
clearances, traffic and parking regulatory controls and pertinent observations concerning
traffic operating conditions. Traffic flow data shall be adjusted to represent the expected
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
flow on an average annual day through application of appropriate PennDOT adjustment
factors.
The most current available three (3) year history of accidents as filed with the
police department shall be obtained for each affected intersection and collision diagrams
presented.
Collision diagrams shall also be prepared for any high accident location (five or
more per year) along the affected street system which comes to the attention of the
study team.
Traffic Flow Analyses
For each study intersection, a Level-of-Service capacity study, using the
techniques for signalized or unsignalized intersections as described in the current edition
of the Transportation Research Board's Highway Capacity Manual shall be completed.
For these purposes, intersections shall be treated as if they are signalized with an
optimum timing plan.
Any section of the affected street system which is carrying four hundred (400) or
more vehicles per hour on a two-lane section, also shall be subjected to the appropriate
capacity study.
The presentation of the findings of these studies shall include findings on what
improvements, if any, are indicated as being needed under existing conditions, and their
relationship to the improvements and priorities described in the Municipality land useregulations. These findings shall include an examination of the volume and accident
warrants for signalization in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, as they may
apply to any of the unsignalized study intersections which have need for immediate
signalization.
Trip Generation
The expected number of trips to be generated by the proposed development
shall be estimated for the AM and PM peak hours and for a twenty-four (24) hour period
by use of the appropriate trip generation factors in the current edition of Trip Generation,published by the Institute of Transportation Engineers. The expected numbers of
vehicles to be generated to and from the site may be adjusted downward by the
estimated proportion of passersby in the existing flow which will be intercepted by the
new development. This adjustment may be reasonable and, wherever possible, based
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
on actual survey resulted. The study team will be expected to defend its selection of
adjustment factors in subsequent reviews.
In similar fashion, for complex multi-use sites, the number of off-site movements
may be adjusted downward by estimating the synergistic absorption of movements
between different generators on-site. Again, this adjustment must be reasonable anddefendable.
Trip Distribution
The expected distribution of the generated movements throughout the defined
study area shall be estimated for the AM and PM peak hours and for a twenty-four (24)
hour period. This distribution shall be based on the study team's best available
information as to the likely movement directions to and from the site. The directional
distribution and magnitudes of existing traffic flows may be employed for this purpose as
well as origin and destination data for the area which can be obtained by the NorthwestPennsylvania Regional Planning and Development Corporation (NWPRPDC).
The distributed flows shall be added to the existing volumes and turning
movements for the AM and PM peak hour and for a twenty-four (24) hour period. These
shall then be the estimated flows which are expected to prevail upon completion of the
development.
Staged Development
For projects which will take several years to complete, the projected overall
development plan shall be presented, and specific portions for which permits are sought
shall be sufficiently detailed to make the above described studies. The timetable for
completion of each section for which permits are sought shall be specified and the study
shall be broke into phases in accord with this schedule.
The trips for the first section shall be added to the existing flows for a current
year estimate and the trips for subsequent sections shall be added to the estimated
volumes expected on the street system for each appropriate year plus the generated
trips added for each prior section. It is to be noted that this procedure covers only those
sections for which permits are being sought and does not constitute any obligation or
assurance concerning future sections of the development on the part of the Township or
developer.
Adjustment of Study Area
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
If the above studies shall disclose that there are parts of the street system or
intersection approaches beyond those originally examined which will be affected in
either peak hour or to the extent of twenty-five (25) or more added vehicles, the study
area shall be extended and necessary inventory data gathered to incorporate them into
the study process. Conversely, if any are found to fall below that threshold, they may be
dropped from further consideration.
Impact Analyses
For each established study location, appropriate Level-of-Service capacity
studies shall be made to ascertain the expected impact on the traffic flow. If the
expected Level of Service is "D" or less, appropriate corrective measures shall be
identified and described. If the prescribed corrective measures are already identified in
the Municipality land use regulations, that fact shall be noted. If the expected Level-of-
Service has changed from "D" to "E" or "F" as a result of the added traffic, that fact shall
also be noted.
For each identified high hazard location, and for each study intersection with five
(5) or more accidents per year, and studies shall be presented of the extent to which
these may be due to existing physical or control conditions and the extent to which the
added traffic may exacerbate the condition. Appropriate corrective measures, along with
their relationship to the minimum levels of service established by the Municipality , shall be
identified and described.
If the developer desires to volunteer to undertake any of the identified correctivemeasures at his cost in the interest of timely completion in respect to his project, they
should be identified in the impact report.
Site Access
The location and design details of all proposed site access points shall be
presented along with estimates of expected peak hour entrance and exit flows and
turning movements. Sight distances along the access streets at the access points shall
be stated and any proposed modifications or controls of the access street which the
developer proposed to build or install shall be described. An analysis of the expectedlevel of hazard which may exist at the access points when in operation shall be
presented.
In the case of multi-stage, multi-year projects, the overall development project
shall identify the anticipated final access point layout, but only those access points being
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
provided to handle the development traffic for those sections which permits are
requested need be subjected to this detailed analysis.
Study Presentation
The completed traffic study shall be incorporated into a report containing such
text, tabulations and graphic material as the developer deems necessary to describe the
study effort and the findings and recommendations. The professional person(s)
responsible for the content of the report shall be identified. The report shall be submitted
at the time applications for approvals are filed, and the study team shall be available to
present and defend the report at subsequent technical review meetings and formal
hearings.
IMPACT STUDY REVIEW
Developers are advised that their impact studies will be reviewed by and for the
Municipality for technical content and adequacy. The review findings will be presented at aformal hearing.
Future Considerations
As discussed in other parts of this document, forests as a valuable natural
resource, could play an expanded role in the long term socio-economic well-being of
Venango County. A plan for the preservation and utilization of this resource must begin
with the identification of wood lots, their approximate size (in acres), types of tree
species present, access to logging sites by rail or overland highway networks and the
current harvesting schedule.
While this document provides basic data and the framework for an expansion of
value added activities to this economic sector, private industry is well organized with
respect to forest management. The Northern Pennsylvania Hardwood group, known
individually as the Northwest, North Central and Northern Tier regions, offer the largest
combination of black cherry, red and hard maple, red and white oak, poplar, ash, hickory,
walnut and beech in North America. At this point in time, much of the timber in theseforests is reaching the harvesting prime of between 70 and 110 years of age.
NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA FOREST LAND
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
Following is a comparison of forested land by County in Northwestern
Pennsylvania:
County Total Acres 1921 Forest % 1997 Forest % IncreaseVenango 432,000 181,440 42 311,600 72 130,160Erie 513,280 102,656 20 238,200 47 135,544
Crawford 648,320 207,462 32 315,100 49 107,638Mercer 432,000 103,680 24 167,800 39 64,120Lawrence 212,200 44,562 21 93,900 44 49,338Clarion 385,280 154,112 40 236,500 62 82,388Forest 273,920 235,571 86 254,200 93 18,629Warren 554,400 382,536 69 435,200 78 52,664
3,451,400 1,412,019 2,052,500 640,481
The Intermodal Study conducted for the Northwest Regional Planning and
Development Commission released in the Fall of 2001, includes a recommendation to
establish a freight movement task force which includes PennDOT and the Pennsylvania
Department of Community and Economic Development as participants. Strategic
implementation objectives start with the concept of a Northwest Hardwoods Intermodal
Hub. This starts with opportunities for industries to collaborate on goods movement,
including rail and trucking companies.
The intermodal hub could become the primary processing point for a variety of
value-added activities. Local craftsmen, cabinet makers, carpenters and wood-working
professionals need to participate in a study of how the timber industry can become a
catalyst for employment opportunities County-wide. As suggested in other work
elements of this planning document, establishing a resource-based curriculum in area
schools is one of the basic goals.
The Titusville Opportunity Park in Crawford County is suggested as a strategic
location for the intermodal facility, however, because of the cost of significant upgrades
to the rail system and associated roadway circulation system, other alternatives in
Venango County may be identified.
Designated Growth Area
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
The “core” area of the County which includes both Franklin and Oil City, with
portions of Sandy Creek Borough and Cranberry Township, has been tentatively
identified as a “Designated Growth Area.” It should be noted that this is not the only
area being suggested for development, but this area probably has the greatest potential
for attracting new development. Recent amendments to the Pennsylvania Municipalities
Planning Code have provided participating municipalities with the ability to enter into
cooperative agreements for the sharing of tax revenues.
This ability to spread tax revenues around when businesses relocate across
municipal boundaries, or when new commercial enterprises threaten to overwhelm
existing public utilities, really creates a more level playing field in the competition for new
jobs regionally. In the case of Venango County, the growth area could be seen as the
County’s “downtown.” All four (4) participating municipalities can benefit from the
arrangement and Venango County can coordinate the marketing effort, sharing costswith the participating municipalities.
Peripheral growth areas include the State Route 8 Corridor south of Franklin and
north from Oil City to Rouseville Borough, the interchange area of Clintonville Borough
with Interstate 80, the State Route 27 corridor north from Pleasantville, and segments of
the State Route 322 corridor north of Franklin. These areas must be evaluated for
adequacy in terms of infrastructure. Existing water and sanitary sewerage systems must
be able to accommodate increased development, or capacity improvements funded.
The “Smart Development” approach will work in Venango County because most of the
development which has occurred for decades has occurred in recognized industrial
districts within the context of the local zoning regulations. Improving existing facilities
will be less expensive than building new ones.
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Venango County, PennsylvaniaComprehensive Development Plan
Summary Current and Future Land Use
Only ten (10) of the thirty-one (31) municipalities in Venango County have zoningregulations in place.
Three (3) Boroughs with zoning regulations (Barkeyville, Emlenton, andPleasantville) are surrounded by municipalities with no local land use regulations.
Only three (3) communities have adopted local Subdivision and LandDevelopment Regulations (Franklin, Oil City and Cornplanter Township).
Fifteen (15) communities have prepared a Comprehensive Development Plan.
Standard construction details and traffic impact analyses guidelines arerecommended for adoption by the County.
Forestry lands as the primary natural resource could produce new employmentopportunities in the County.
Future development should be concentrated in Cranberry Township and Sugar Creek Borough with optional development areas along the State Route 8, StateRoute 322, and State Route 62 corridors.
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
GOAL No. 1 - To sustain the highest quality of rural, suburban and urban life for theresidents of Venango County.
1. To provide for a planned mixture of residential, agricultural, commercial,recreational and industrial land uses throughout the county.
Immediate PriorityEstablish a Regional Planning organization that provides servicesto all Venango County Municipalities, and enables themunicipalities to actively participate in County Government -Venango County Planning Commission
Enact Municipal and Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plans whichare compatible with the County Comprehensive Plan. - Municipal Governments.
Provide professional planning services and assistance to
municipalities at a reasonable cost. - Planning Commission .Short Range Priority
Enact Municipal land use/land development Ordinances in allVenango County Municipalities. - Municipal Governments.
Insure compatibility of land use/land development Districts andRegulations at municipal boundaries. - Municipal Governments.
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Establish development options and incentives within the context of local land use regulations to ensure that private development isconsistent with local planning policies. - Municipal Governments.
Prepare and enact a county-wide recreation plan. – Planning Commission, Parks Authority and Oil Region Alliance.
Long Range PriorityEncourage the growth and effectiveness of existing multi-municipal efforts and establish Joint Municipal Planning effortswhere feasible and appropriate. - Municipal Governments.
Prepare and enact a countywide greenway plan – Planning Commission, Parks Authority, Conservation District and Oil Region Alliance.
2. To preserve, to the greatest extent possible, the rural character of VenangoCounty by focusing commercial and residential development in or near theestablished villages or Downtowns.
Immediate PriorityEstablish designated growth areas throughout Venango County,around existing population centers, utilizing the principles of density-based zoning. - Municipal Governments.
Encourage the adaptive reuse of existing structures, in villagesand downtowns – Municipal Governments.
Limit development in rural areas to cluster-type development inidentified Rural Centers by utilizing innovative and flexibledevelopment regulations such as Conservation Subdivision,Planned Residential Developments, Traditional NeighborhoodDevelopments and/or density bonuses. - Municipal Governments.
Short Range PriorityEstablish Resource Protection Areas which identify land areasworthy of significant local protection such as wetlands, floodplains,areas of steep slopes, scenic vistas, prime agricultural lands,historic and cultural resource in local zoning and land useregulations. - Planning Commission and Conservation District.
3. To promote alternatives to residential and commercial strip development alongmajor highways, such as Routes 8, 62, 257 and 322 and to encourage scenic
roadways on various state and local roads in rural areas
Immediate PriorityLimit driveway access on Routes 8, 62, 257 and 322, throughmunicipal land use regulations, in order to prevent strip
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development in these corridors. - Municipal Governments.
Limit driveway access onto local collector streets in order toprevent strip development, by means of local land use regulations(i.e. shared driveways, service roads, etc.). - Planning Commission and Municipal Governments.
Short Range PriorityEstablish development standards which require vegetativebuffering along arterial and collector streets. - Municipal Governments.
Enact development regulations which provide incentives to privatedevelopers to cluster development along arterial and collector streets. - County and Municipal Governments.
Long Range PriorityDesignate significant land areas fronting on arterial and collector roads as Scenic Areas within Resource Protection Areas. -Municipal Governments.
4. To promote higher density development where roads and utilities are capable of sustaining service to such development.
Short Range PriorityAmend existing zoning ordinances to provide for density bonusesfor innovative development plans such Conservation Subdivisions,Traditional Neighborhood Development or Planned ResidentialDevelopments in areas where infrastructure exists to sustain suchdensities. - Municipal Governments.
5. To maintain and strengthen the agricultural and forestry economy.
Immediate PriorityAmend existing zoning ordinances to establish exclusiveagricultural zoning districts which limit non-agriculturaldevelopment activities. - Municipal Governments.
Modify existing zoning ordinances to permit farm-based businessand related commercial activities as a source of supplementalincome in all agricultural zoning districts. - Municipal Governments.
Short Range PriorityExpand the acquisition of conservation easements and purchaseof development rights through the County’s Agricultural LandPreservation Board. - Planning Commission.
Establish designated growth areas around existing centers of population coupled with zoning density incentives in order todiscourage development activities in productive agricultural areas.
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- Municipal Governments.
Long Range PriorityExplore the feasibility of a Countywide Transfer of DevelopmentRights Program in cooperation with municipalities, wheredevelopers purchase the development rights of a farm and usethose rights as a density bonus within a designated growthmanagement area. Rural zoning districts should be the sendingareas and urban or suburban growth management areas shouldbe the receiving areas. - Planning Commission.
7. To identify opportunities for inter-municipal cooperation in the delivery of publicservices.
Short Range PriorityExplore the creation of Environmental Advisory Councils . -Municipal Governments.
GOAL No 2 - To provide policies, plans and proposals to municipalities for the physical,economic and social development of their communities while protecting the natural,historic and built environments .
1. To encourage all municipalities in Venango County to adopt local or multi-municipal land use plans, and, if recommended in those plans, to adopt localland use ordinances.
Immediate PriorityProvide professional planning assistance to municipalgovernments to undertake comprehensive planning and draft andadminister local land use ordinances. - Planning Commission.
2. To promote the form of development called “Conservation Subdivisions”throughout the county. “ [Conservation Subdivision is a form of subdivisiondesign that preserves 40% or more of the total land area of a parent tract aspermanently undeveloped land ].
Immediate PriorityDraft model regulations for use by municipalities which permit“Conservation Subdivisions” in designated zoning districts as anencouraged option preferable to traditional checkerboard or highway strip development. - Planning Commission.
3. To promote, through the use of public policy, the protection and preservationof the county’s natural, cultural and historic resources.
Immediate PriorityDraft model land use regulations for use by municipalities whichprovide publicly acceptable methods for protecting identifiednatural, cultural and historic resources. - Planning Commission.
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4. To encourage municipalities to consider standardization of land use districtdesignations, and to adopt compatible standards and designations especially atmunicipal boundary lines.
Immediate PriorityDraft model ordinance language which standardizes land usedistrict designations for municipalities. - Planning Commission.
Short Range PriorityReview all current municipal zoning ordinances for compatibledesign standards, permitted uses and district designations atmunicipal boundary lines. - Planning Commission.
5. To encourage municipalities to avoid future rezoning based primarily oneconomic reasons.
Immediate PriorityDraft model ordinance language which establishes standards for review of all land use/land development requests based uponconsistency with municipal and county planning documents inconformance with the recently enacted amendments to theMunicipalities Planning Code. - Planning Commission
6. To encourage municipalities to adopt regulations providing incentives for “Planned Residential Developments”, “Traditional Neighborhood Development”,mixed use land use districts and “Conservation Subdivisions”.
Immediate PriorityProvide municipal planning and governing bodies with variousmodels of incentives and disincentives which could be used toencourage private developers to utilize more innovative designs
for subdivision development. - County Government.
7. To encourage municipalities to explore inter-municipal planning, land use/landdevelopment regulations, codes enforcement, and other municipal functions.
Immediate PriorityProvide financial and other incentives for municipalities to utilizethe services of the Venango County Regional PlanningCommission and Councils of Governments for these functions. -County Commissioners.
8. To encourage municipalities to require community impact and environmental
impact reviews for all major development projects. A major development projectis defined as one containing ten or more residential units, a non-residential usecontaining more than twenty thousand square feet of gross floor area
Immediate PriorityDraft model ordinance language for use by municipalities requiring
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traffic, financial, environmental and community impact reviews for major development projects. Such reviews would requireapplicants to provide all documents that would be required to besubmitted to any Federal, State or Regional permitting agency. -Planning Commission.
9. To encourage municipalities to exclude environmentally sensitive lands fromgross and net area calculations for zoning density. [Environmentally sensitivelands include jurisdictional wetlands, 100 year floodplain, and slopes in excess of 25%].
Immediate PriorityDraft model ordinance language for use by municipalities whichexcludes environmentally sensitive lands from land use/landdevelopment density calculations. - Planning Commission.
Short Range PriorityEstablish an accurate Geographic Information System whichidentifies the location of environmentally sensitive lands and iseasily accessed by municipalities. - County Government.
10. To encourage the municipalities to maintain accurate records of nonconforming, special exception and conditional uses, lots and structures inorder to appropriately regulate such uses, lots and structures.
Short Range PriorityEstablish a computerized data base of the development history of every parcel of land in the county and assure that the data base iseasily accessed by municipalities. - County Government.
Provide municipalities with “Permit Tracking Software” and GIS
Software as well as to establish computer hardware and softwarestandards for use by the County and its municipalities to insureease of electronic communications and data transfer. - County Government.
11. To encourage municipalities to develop central sewage and water systems inareas designated for higher density development or where on-lot sewagesystems are malfunctioning. Limit the number of privately owned central sewagefacilities in major new developments using stream outfalls and require thatcentral sewage and water systems operate in compliance with applicable Federalor State Regulations.
Short Range PriorityDevelop, in cooperation with the municipalities, a County-wide Act537 Sewage Facilities Plan which identifies areas for future
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expansion of sewage facilities and administers on-lot sewageenforcement regulations. “Such a plan should be administered bythe participating municipal governments and maintain existingmunicipal ownership of treatment facilities.” - Planning Commission.
12. To encourage municipalities to incorporate natural features andhistoric preservation protection standards into municipal land useordinances. Municipalities should develop a Venango County NaturalAreas Inventory and update the Venango County Historic PreservationPlan.
Short Range PriorityDraft model “Natural Features” and “Historic Sites” protectionRegulations for use by municipalities in their local land useordinances. - Planning Commission and Oil Region Alliance.
19. To encourage municipalities to prohibit new development in definedfloodways, and to severely limit new development in 100 year floodplains.Where feasible floodplain areas should be reserved for passiverecreational use and open space.
Short Range PriorityDraft model ordinance language which regulates floodplaindevelopment for use by municipalities, including language relatedto watershed-wide storm water management requirements, andoverlay zoning provisions. - Planning Commission and Conservation District.
5. To manage planned developments along major highways such as Routes 8,257, 62 and 322.
Short Range PriorityWork with municipalities to amend local land use regulations toencourage development design, which limits road access andclusters development projects fronting these major transportationcorridors. - Planning Commission
Prepare a “Corridor Design Manual” which emphasizes parallelaccess roads, underground utilities and sign regulations for areasdesignated for preservation, transition or growth. – Planning Commission and Oil Region Alliance.
3. To identify specifically designated growth areas for higher densitydevelopment where infrastructure can be extended and better utilized.
Immediate PriorityAmend zoning maps (where applicable) and establish designstandards to provide for higher density development in municipally
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identified Growth Areas. - Planning Commission and Municipal Governments.
4. To designate specific areas for low density rural housing, inhibiting the impactof strip development along local roads.
Immediate PriorityAmend zoning maps (where applicable) to reflect identified lowdensity rural housing locations. - Planning Commission and Municipal Governments.
5. To provide density bonus incentives to private developers who negotiateaffordable housing agreements with municipalities as part of the developmentapproval process.
Short Range PriorityDraft model ordinance language to provide a variety of types of density bonus incentives. - Planning Commission
6. To promote affordable housing in the regulations of municipalitieswhich permit “Planned Residential Developments (PRD) or TraditionalNeighborhood Developments (TND).”
Short Range PriorityDraft model ordinance language to provide affordable housingincentives in PRD’s and TND’s. - Planning Commission
4. To encourage the formation of a Venango County Regional PlanningCommission composed of a representative from each Council of Governments inthe county, which would explore and encourage cost-effective resource sharing.
Immediate PriorityThe County Commissioners should assume a leadership role inestablishing a Venango County Regional Planning Commissionopen to all municipalities in the County. - County Commissioners
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