Smart
Smart
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A Decade of Growth Management Lancaster County Growth Tracking Report 1993–2003
Lancaster County Planning Commission 50 North Duke Street P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 www.co.lancaster.pa.us/planning June 2004
Table of Contents Introduction Multi-Municipal Planning Partnerships A Decade of Smart Growth Management Lancaster County Growth Areas Map, December 2003 Lancaster County Growth Areas Table, 1993–2003 Development in Lancaster County, 1994-2002 Lancaster County Land Development Map, 1994–2002 Lancaster County Growth Area Changes Map, 1993-2002 Development Potential in Urban Growth Areas The Future of Growth Management ○
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Introduction The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), Act of 1968, P.L.805, No.247 as reenacted and amended, promotes the preservation of natural and historic resources and prime agricultural land and encourages the revitalization of established urban centers through the use of Designated Growth Areas. These Growth Areas are regions within a county that preferably include and surround a city, borough, or village and, within which, residential and mixed-use development is permitted or planned for at densities of one unit to the acre or more; commercial, industrial and institutional uses are permitted or planned for; and public infrastructure services are provided or planned. In 1993, Lancaster County adopted a Growth Management element to its Comprehensive Plan. Under the Growth Management element, Designated Growth Areas—identified in the Plan as Urban and Village Growth Areas—were proposed for areas contiguous to Lancaster City, the County’s 18 boroughs, and several villages. Through the adoption of the 1993 plan, 2 Urban Growth Areas (UGA) and 2 Village
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Growth Areas (VGA) were established. In 1997, the Growth Management element was updated to include another 7 UGAs and another 12 VGAs. Since 1997, 4 UGAs and 12 VGAs have been developed for a current total of 13 UGAs and 26 VGAs. The targeted residential development density in the County’s Urban Growth Areas has been set at 5.5 dwellings per acre. This annual report is designed to track the progress over the last 10 years in guiding and accommodating growth inside Growth Areas to help meet the mutual goals of the MPC and the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan of sustainability of urban centers and preservation of natural resources and farmland.
Multi-Municipal Planning Partnerships The MPC includes provisions which enable communities to undertake multi-municipal plans. Through such plans, communities can work together to guide growth and preserve farmland and open space more effectively. Eleven (11) multi-municipal plans currently exist or are underway in Lancaster County and all incorporate a growth area as part of their planning strategy. The largest multi-municipal plan is one that was initiated in 2003 by the Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee, and it involves 11 municipalities. It is anticipated to be completed late winter/early spring 2005. As noted below, altogether, 41 of the County’s 60 municipalities are involved in a multi-municipal planning effort.
Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Planning in Lancaster County (1993-2003) •
Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee (in progress)
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Central Lancaster County UGA
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Lancaster City; Mountville, Millersville, and E. Petersburg Boroughs; and Lancaster, Manheim, E. Hempfield, W. Hempfield, W. Lampeter, E. Lampeter, and Manor Townships
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Octoraro Region (in progress)
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Christiana–Gap UGA
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Christiana Borough and Bart, Colerain, and Salisbury Townships
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Cocalico Region (2003)
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Cocalico UGA
Adamstown and Denver Boroughs and East Cocalico and West Cocalico Townships
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Conestoga Valley Region (2003)
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Leola–Bareville and Central Lancaster UGAs
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East Lampeter, Upper Leacock, and West Earl Townships
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Lititz-Warwick Region (1999)
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Lititz–Warwick UGA
Lititz Borough and Warwick Township
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Elizabethtown Region (1997)
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Elizabethtown UGA
Elizabethtown Borough and Mount Joy and West Donegal Townships
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ELANCO Region (1996)
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Elanco North and Elanco South UGAs
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New Holland and Terre Hill Boroughs and Earl and East Earl Townships
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Donegal (1995)
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Donegal and Columbia–Marietta UGAs
Mount Joy and Marietta Boroughs and East Donegal Township
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Strasburg (1995)
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Strasburg UGA
Strasburg Borough and Strasburg Township
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SOLANCO (1994)
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5 Village Growth Areas
Drumore, Fulton, and Little Britain Townships
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Manheim Central (1993)
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Manheim Borough and Penn and Rapho Townships
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Manheim Central UGA
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A Decade of
S m a r tGrowth Management
Growth Areas – From Concept to Reality Lancaster’s Growth Management Plan, developed in 1993 and updated in 1997, introduced Growth Areas as the main tool for directing growth to appropriate areas in Lancaster County. Growth Areas are geographically defined by Urban Growth Boundaries that have been established cooperatively between Lancaster County and municipalities participating in a given UGA or VGA. A Growth Boundary represents the mapped border of a UGA or VGA. The land inside the boundary has a city, borough, or village at its center and includes the developed portions of surrounding townships and enough buildable land to meet future land use needs over a 20 year period.
Growth Area Facts First Urban Growth Area: Manheim Central Area • This UGA was established through the adoption of the Manheim Central Region Comprehensive Plan by Penn and Rapho Townships and Manheim Borough. Growth Areas Completed to Date: 13 Urban Growth Areas 26 Village Growth Areas Status of Other Growth Areas 1 Incomplete UGA (Solanco) 1 VGA in Progress (Paradise)
Since 1993, 31 townships in conjunction with the County’s 18 boroughs and the City, have worked with the Lancaster County Planning Commission to establish 13 Urban Growth Areas and 26 Village Growth Areas. Eight townships (Bart, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Colerain, Conestoga, Conoy, Elizabeth, and Martic) were not targeted for Growth Areas and two townships (Providence and East Drumore) are not participating in the Growth Management Program.
Growth Areas – More than a Line on a Map For Growth Areas to be effective, municipalities must implement related ordinances and plans such as zoning ordinances and sewage facilities plans. Since adoption of their Growth Boundaries and related Growth Areas, 28 municipalities have updated the following related plans and ordinances: • 15 municipalities have updated their Zoning Ordinance • 4 municipalities have updated their Sewage Facilities Plan • 9 municipalities have updated both their Zoning Ordinance and their Sewage Facilities Plan
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Lancaster County Growth Areas Adopted and Draft Growth Areas—December 2003
31 Townships in conjunction with the City and 18 boroughs have worked with the Lancaster County Planning Commission to establish 13 Urban Growth Areas and 26 Village Growth Areas in Lancaster County. These areas are contiguous to Lancaster City and the County’s boroughs and villages. Each area is defined by an Urban or Village Growth Boundary as depicted in the above map. The 13 UGAs and 26 VGAs are reflected on a chart subtitled “Municipal Growth Area Adoption Status” on pages 5 and 6.
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Lancaster County Growth Areas:
1993–2003
table is continued on facing page...
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Column 1 of the chart lists Lancaster County’s 60 municipalities; Column 2 identifies the UGA of which a given municipality in Column 1 is a part. If “Not Targeted” is noted in Column 2, it indicates the municipality is rural and is not part of a UGA; Column 3 shows the year in which the municipality adopted the UGA boundaries. If “N/A” is noted in Column 3, it means the municipality was not targeted for a growth area or, in the case of a borough or the City, “N/A” means the municipality is entirely within a growth area; consequently, it was requested to endorse the growth boundaries through its comprehensive or regional plan or through the establishment of 2010 target populations (See Column 6); Column 4 reflects the VGA(s) of which a given municipality in Column 1 is a part; Column 5 reflects the year in which the municipality adopted the VGA boundaries.
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Development in Lancaster County:
1994–2002
Development INSIDE Growth Areas A total of 11,100 acres were developed in the County between 1994-2002. 4,483 acres were developed in Growth Areas during 1994 - 2002: • 4,083 acres were developed in Urban Growth Areas. • 400 acres were developed in Village Growth Areas. • 2,996 acres were developed for residential use inside Growth Areas. • 76% of all new dwellings were built inside Growth Areas. • The Central Lancaster County Urban Growth Area accounted for 44% of all land development in Urban Growth Areas.
44% of all land development in Urban Growth Areas during 1994–2002 occurred in the Central Lancaster County Urban Growth Area
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Development OUTSIDE Growth Areas A total of 11,100 acres were developed in the County between 1994-2002. A property is considered built when it has been assessed by the County’s Real Estate Assessment Department. 6,617 acres were developed outside Growth Areas during 1994 - 2002. This land consisted of 3,924 acres of farmland and 2,675 acres of conservation land. Of the 6,617 acres developed outside Growth Areas between 1994-2002, 5,161 acres were used for 4,212 residential units or 24% of the County-wide total of 17, 869. These 5,161 acres located outside Growth Areas accounted for 63% of all the acreage developed for residential use in the County during this time period. Therefore, 63% of the total land developed for residential use was used to accommodate only 24% of all dwellings built in Lancaster County – outside Growth Areas.
Almost 2/3 of the land consumed by residential development was used outside Growth Areas for the construction of less than 1/4 of the total number of new dwellings built in Lancaster County.
The density of residential development outside Growth Areas was 0.8 dwelling per acre compared to 5.0 dwellings per acre inside Growth Areas. Development outside Growth Areas often requires more land per dwelling in order to accommodate on-lot wastewater disposal systems and individual wells. More information regarding residential densities inside and outside of Growth Areas from 1994-2002 is on the following page.
Non-Residential Development INSIDE and OUTSIDE Growth Areas 2,943 acres were developed for non-residential use from 1994-2002. Of these 2,943 acres: • 51% (1,487acres) were located inside Growth Areas. •
49% (1,456 acres) were located outside Growth Areas.
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Residential Development INSIDE and OUTSIDE Growth Areas
Overall, 17,869 new dwellings were built in Lancaster County from 1994 - 2002: • 13,657 new dwellings (76% of total dwellings built) were built INSIDE UGAs and VGAs. • 4,212 new dwellings (24% of total dwellings built) were built OUTSIDE UGAs and VGAs. 5.4 dwellings were built in Lancaster County each day during 1994–2002. Countywide, the average density of new residential development was 2.2 dwellings per acre. • Inside UGAs the average density was 5.0 dwellings per acre. • Inside VGAs the average density was 1.5 dwellings per acre. • Outside Growth Areas the average density was 0.8 dwellings per acre.
Inside UGAs the average density of new residential development was 5.0 dwellings per acre. Preserved and Protected Lands 35,401 acres of farmland were permanently preserved during 1994 - 2002. • 72 farms totaling 5,403 acres were permanently preserved during 2002. 2,857 acres of parkland* were acquired by municipalities during 1994 - 2002. • 105 acres of parkland* were acquired by municipalities during 2002. 208,264 acres of farmland (outside UGAs and VGAs) were protected by agricultural resource zoning** as of the end of 2002. 10,270 acres were protected by open space or conservation zoning** as of the end of 2002. • 453 acres were protected inside Growth Areas. • 9,817 acres were protected outside Growth Areas.
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* A number of organizations hold conservation easements on open space, however, these figures are not included. ** Agricultural Resource and Open Space Conservation Zoning figures are derived from the Lancaster County Zoning Lexicon. Agricultural Resource Zoning is intended to preserve areas of prime agricultural capability while allowing for intensive agricultural uses. Open Space Conservation seeks to protect environmentally sensitive areas, specifically forested areas, steep slopes, streams and creek valleys, lakes and floodplains from the impacts of development.
Lancaster County Land Development Acres Developed by Municipality 1994–2002
Dot size is proportional to actual acreage. Acreage below 10 is not represented on the map. Gold dots indicate development that occurred outside Growth Areas in each municipality. Blue dots indicate development that occurred inside Growth Areas within each municipality. Some municipalities have more than one Growth Area; therefore, multiple blue dots appear within the municipal boundaries. Some municipalities are rural and have no Growth Areas; therefore, only a gold dot appears within the municipal boundaries.
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Acres Converted for Development County-wide 11,100 acres were developed in Lancaster County from 1994 - 2002 for residential and nonresidential use. 1,233 acres were developed on average each year between 1994 and 2002. • This amounted to 3.4 acres per day of new land development.
3.4 acres are developed in Lancaster County each day.
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Lancaster County Growth Area Changes Change in Vacant Buildable Acres 1993–2002
Since adoption of the Lancaster County Growth Management Plan in 1993, the amount of vacant buildable land inside Growth Areas fluctuated due to land development, adjustments to Growth Boundaries and adoptions of new Growth Areas not identified in the original Plan. The net effect is that the amount of vacant buildable land included in Growth Areas at the end of 2002 is greater than it was in 1993 – 34,351 acres in 2002 vs. 29,477 acres in 1993 – an increase of 4,874 acres. A notable exception is the Central Lancaster County Urban Growth Area which has experienced a decrease of about 2,100 acres – 1,800 acres due to land development and 300 acres due to Growth Boundary adjustments and reclassification of some land from buildable to unbuildable.
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Development Potential in Urban Growth Areas Vacant Buildable Land within Urban Growth Areas Due to adjustments to adopted and draft Growth Boundaries, there is more vacant buildable land in Growth Areas now than there was in 1993. 34,351 acres of vacant and buildable land are currently included in Urban Growth Areas. Of these 34,351 acres: • 1,262 acres are owned by municipalities and school districts, and are therefore not available for development. • 1,942 acres are zoned for open space or agriculture. • 22,246 acres are zoned for residential use.
Land Development Potential At the current rate of total land development (454 acres per year), residential construction (1,455 dwellings per year) and residential development density (5.0 dwellings per acre), it would take 55 years to develop 75%* of the vacant buildable land inside UGAs. At 5.0 dwellings per acre, 22,246* acres of residentially-zoned land could accommodate as many as 81,105 new dwellings. Based on Lancaster County’s average household size of 2.64** persons per household, these 81,105 new dwellings would accommodate approximately 214,117 new residents. If residential development in Urban Growth Areas occurs at a significantly lower density such as the county-wide average of 2.2 dwellings per acre, 661 acres would be needed annually just to accommodate residential development. All residentially-zoned land in the County’s UGAs could be developed within 25 years. * Not all land within UGAs will be available for development; therefore, publicly-owned land was subtracted from the total amount of vacant buildable land available. The resulting number was further reduced by 25% to accommodate infrastructure and allow for a market flexibility factor.
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** From the U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census.
The Future of Growth Management Lancaster County Growth Management Plan Update The Lancaster County Planning Commission has begun an update of the Growth Management Plan element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. A sixty-member task force has been appointed by the Planning Commission to guide this project. This Plan Update will plan for growth throughout the County through 2030 and will be guided by the Policy element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. Below is a general summary and a timeline for the plan update. The Growth Management Plan Update will: • examine current and projected growth patterns and infrastructure needs • review Urban/Village Growth Areas • address issues of concern within rural areas • provide recommendations to achieve sustainable growth which balances development with the preservation of farmland and open space. The Growth Management Plan Update will include a Smart Growth Tool Box based on tools provided in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code: • Intergovernmental Cooperation & Implementation Strategy • Multi-Municipal Planning Strategy • Consistency Program • Capital Improvement Programming Process • Official Map Process • Transfer of Development Rights Program • Traditional Neighborhood Design Option • Process to Address Land Uses of Regional Significance
Envision Lancaster County Smart Growth Initiative The Lancaster County Planning Commission is continuing its Envision Lancaster County Smart Growth Initiative which began in 2000. You may view Envision Lancaster County program details, check event schedules and look for updates on the Growth Management Plan Update on the Envision Lancaster County website.
www.envisionlancastercounty.com 14
Lancaster County Planning Commission 50 North Duke Street PO Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PA I D
LANCASTER, PA PERMIT NO. 1548
Lancaster County Board of Commissioners Howard “Pete” Shaub, Chairman Dick Shellenberger, Vice Chairman Molly Henderson, Commissioner Don Elliott, Chief Administrative Officer Lancaster County Planning Commission Lois Herr, Chairperson J. Scott Ulrich, Vice Chairperson Charles E. Douts, Jr., Secretary Virginia Brady Julianne Dickson Allan Granger Nancy Halliwell Jonathan L. Price Ronald T. Bailey, Executive Director Lancaster County Planning Commission 50 North Duke Street PO Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 717-299-8333 www.co.lancaster.pa.us/planning
^
A Decade of Growth Management Lancaster County Growth Tracking Report 1993–2003
Lancaster County Planning Commission 50 North Duke Street P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 www.co.lancaster.pa.us/planning June 2004
Table of Contents Introduction Multi-Municipal Planning Partnerships A Decade of Smart Growth Management Lancaster County Growth Areas Map, December 2003 Lancaster County Growth Areas Table, 1993–2003 Development in Lancaster County, 1994-2002 Lancaster County Land Development Map, 1994–2002 Lancaster County Growth Area Changes Map, 1993-2002 Development Potential in Urban Growth Areas The Future of Growth Management ○
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Introduction The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), Act of 1968, P.L.805, No.247 as reenacted and amended, promotes the preservation of natural and historic resources and prime agricultural land and encourages the revitalization of established urban centers through the use of Designated Growth Areas. These Growth Areas are regions within a county that preferably include and surround a city, borough, or village and, within which, residential and mixed-use development is permitted or planned for at densities of one unit to the acre or more; commercial, industrial and institutional uses are permitted or planned for; and public infrastructure services are provided or planned. In 1993, Lancaster County adopted a Growth Management element to its Comprehensive Plan. Under the Growth Management element, Designated Growth Areas—identified in the Plan as Urban and Village Growth Areas—were proposed for areas contiguous to Lancaster City, the County’s 18 boroughs, and several villages. Through the adoption of the 1993 plan, 2 Urban Growth Areas (UGA) and 2 Village
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Growth Areas (VGA) were established. In 1997, the Growth Management element was updated to include another 7 UGAs and another 12 VGAs. Since 1997, 4 UGAs and 12 VGAs have been developed for a current total of 13 UGAs and 26 VGAs. The targeted residential development density in the County’s Urban Growth Areas has been set at 5.5 dwellings per acre. This annual report is designed to track the progress over the last 10 years in guiding and accommodating growth inside Growth Areas to help meet the mutual goals of the MPC and the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan of sustainability of urban centers and preservation of natural resources and farmland.
Multi-Municipal Planning Partnerships The MPC includes provisions which enable communities to undertake multi-municipal plans. Through such plans, communities can work together to guide growth and preserve farmland and open space more effectively. Eleven (11) multi-municipal plans currently exist or are underway in Lancaster County and all incorporate a growth area as part of their planning strategy. The largest multi-municipal plan is one that was initiated in 2003 by the Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee, and it involves 11 municipalities. It is anticipated to be completed late winter/early spring 2005. As noted below, altogether, 41 of the County’s 60 municipalities are involved in a multi-municipal planning effort.
Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Planning in Lancaster County (1993-2003) •
Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee (in progress)
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Central Lancaster County UGA
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Lancaster City; Mountville, Millersville, and E. Petersburg Boroughs; and Lancaster, Manheim, E. Hempfield, W. Hempfield, W. Lampeter, E. Lampeter, and Manor Townships
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Christiana–Gap UGA
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Christiana Borough and Bart, Colerain, and Salisbury Townships
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Cocalico Region (2003)
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Cocalico UGA
Adamstown and Denver Boroughs and East Cocalico and West Cocalico Townships
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Conestoga Valley Region (2003)
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Leola–Bareville and Central Lancaster UGAs
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East Lampeter, Upper Leacock, and West Earl Townships
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Lititz–Warwick UGA
Lititz Borough and Warwick Township
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Elizabethtown UGA
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ELANCO Region (1996)
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Elanco North and Elanco South UGAs
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Donegal (1995)
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Donegal and Columbia–Marietta UGAs
Mount Joy and Marietta Boroughs and East Donegal Township
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Strasburg (1995)
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Strasburg UGA
Strasburg Borough and Strasburg Township
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SOLANCO (1994)
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5 Village Growth Areas
Drumore, Fulton, and Little Britain Townships
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Manheim Central (1993)
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Manheim Borough and Penn and Rapho Townships
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Manheim Central UGA
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A Decade of
S m a r tGrowth Management
Growth Areas – From Concept to Reality Lancaster’s Growth Management Plan, developed in 1993 and updated in 1997, introduced Growth Areas as the main tool for directing growth to appropriate areas in Lancaster County. Growth Areas are geographically defined by Urban Growth Boundaries that have been established cooperatively between Lancaster County and municipalities participating in a given UGA or VGA. A Growth Boundary represents the mapped border of a UGA or VGA. The land inside the boundary has a city, borough, or village at its center and includes the developed portions of surrounding townships and enough buildable land to meet future land use needs over a 20 year period.
Growth Area Facts First Urban Growth Area: Manheim Central Area • This UGA was established through the adoption of the Manheim Central Region Comprehensive Plan by Penn and Rapho Townships and Manheim Borough. Growth Areas Completed to Date: 13 Urban Growth Areas 26 Village Growth Areas Status of Other Growth Areas 1 Incomplete UGA (Solanco) 1 VGA in Progress (Paradise)
Since 1993, 31 townships in conjunction with the County’s 18 boroughs and the City, have worked with the Lancaster County Planning Commission to establish 13 Urban Growth Areas and 26 Village Growth Areas. Eight townships (Bart, Brecknock, Caernarvon, Colerain, Conestoga, Conoy, Elizabeth, and Martic) were not targeted for Growth Areas and two townships (Providence and East Drumore) are not participating in the Growth Management Program.
Growth Areas – More than a Line on a Map For Growth Areas to be effective, municipalities must implement related ordinances and plans such as zoning ordinances and sewage facilities plans. Since adoption of their Growth Boundaries and related Growth Areas, 28 municipalities have updated the following related plans and ordinances: • 15 municipalities have updated their Zoning Ordinance • 4 municipalities have updated their Sewage Facilities Plan • 9 municipalities have updated both their Zoning Ordinance and their Sewage Facilities Plan
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Lancaster County Growth Areas Adopted and Draft Growth Areas—December 2003
31 Townships in conjunction with the City and 18 boroughs have worked with the Lancaster County Planning Commission to establish 13 Urban Growth Areas and 26 Village Growth Areas in Lancaster County. These areas are contiguous to Lancaster City and the County’s boroughs and villages. Each area is defined by an Urban or Village Growth Boundary as depicted in the above map. The 13 UGAs and 26 VGAs are reflected on a chart subtitled “Municipal Growth Area Adoption Status” on pages 5 and 6.
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Lancaster County Growth Areas:
1993–2003
table is continued on facing page...
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Column 1 of the chart lists Lancaster County’s 60 municipalities; Column 2 identifies the UGA of which a given municipality in Column 1 is a part. If “Not Targeted” is noted in Column 2, it indicates the municipality is rural and is not part of a UGA; Column 3 shows the year in which the municipality adopted the UGA boundaries. If “N/A” is noted in Column 3, it means the municipality was not targeted for a growth area or, in the case of a borough or the City, “N/A” means the municipality is entirely within a growth area; consequently, it was requested to endorse the growth boundaries through its comprehensive or regional plan or through the establishment of 2010 target populations (See Column 6); Column 4 reflects the VGA(s) of which a given municipality in Column 1 is a part; Column 5 reflects the year in which the municipality adopted the VGA boundaries.
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Development in Lancaster County:
1994–2002
Development INSIDE Growth Areas A total of 11,100 acres were developed in the County between 1994-2002. 4,483 acres were developed in Growth Areas during 1994 - 2002: • 4,083 acres were developed in Urban Growth Areas. • 400 acres were developed in Village Growth Areas. • 2,996 acres were developed for residential use inside Growth Areas. • 76% of all new dwellings were built inside Growth Areas. • The Central Lancaster County Urban Growth Area accounted for 44% of all land development in Urban Growth Areas.
44% of all land development in Urban Growth Areas during 1994–2002 occurred in the Central Lancaster County Urban Growth Area
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Development OUTSIDE Growth Areas A total of 11,100 acres were developed in the County between 1994-2002. A property is considered built when it has been assessed by the County’s Real Estate Assessment Department. 6,617 acres were developed outside Growth Areas during 1994 - 2002. This land consisted of 3,924 acres of farmland and 2,675 acres of conservation land. Of the 6,617 acres developed outside Growth Areas between 1994-2002, 5,161 acres were used for 4,212 residential units or 24% of the County-wide total of 17, 869. These 5,161 acres located outside Growth Areas accounted for 63% of all the acreage developed for residential use in the County during this time period. Therefore, 63% of the total land developed for residential use was used to accommodate only 24% of all dwellings built in Lancaster County – outside Growth Areas.
Almost 2/3 of the land consumed by residential development was used outside Growth Areas for the construction of less than 1/4 of the total number of new dwellings built in Lancaster County.
The density of residential development outside Growth Areas was 0.8 dwelling per acre compared to 5.0 dwellings per acre inside Growth Areas. Development outside Growth Areas often requires more land per dwelling in order to accommodate on-lot wastewater disposal systems and individual wells. More information regarding residential densities inside and outside of Growth Areas from 1994-2002 is on the following page.
Non-Residential Development INSIDE and OUTSIDE Growth Areas 2,943 acres were developed for non-residential use from 1994-2002. Of these 2,943 acres: • 51% (1,487acres) were located inside Growth Areas. •
49% (1,456 acres) were located outside Growth Areas.
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Residential Development INSIDE and OUTSIDE Growth Areas
Overall, 17,869 new dwellings were built in Lancaster County from 1994 - 2002: • 13,657 new dwellings (76% of total dwellings built) were built INSIDE UGAs and VGAs. • 4,212 new dwellings (24% of total dwellings built) were built OUTSIDE UGAs and VGAs. 5.4 dwellings were built in Lancaster County each day during 1994–2002. Countywide, the average density of new residential development was 2.2 dwellings per acre. • Inside UGAs the average density was 5.0 dwellings per acre. • Inside VGAs the average density was 1.5 dwellings per acre. • Outside Growth Areas the average density was 0.8 dwellings per acre.
Inside UGAs the average density of new residential development was 5.0 dwellings per acre. Preserved and Protected Lands 35,401 acres of farmland were permanently preserved during 1994 - 2002. • 72 farms totaling 5,403 acres were permanently preserved during 2002. 2,857 acres of parkland* were acquired by municipalities during 1994 - 2002. • 105 acres of parkland* were acquired by municipalities during 2002. 208,264 acres of farmland (outside UGAs and VGAs) were protected by agricultural resource zoning** as of the end of 2002. 10,270 acres were protected by open space or conservation zoning** as of the end of 2002. • 453 acres were protected inside Growth Areas. • 9,817 acres were protected outside Growth Areas.
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* A number of organizations hold conservation easements on open space, however, these figures are not included. ** Agricultural Resource and Open Space Conservation Zoning figures are derived from the Lancaster County Zoning Lexicon. Agricultural Resource Zoning is intended to preserve areas of prime agricultural capability while allowing for intensive agricultural uses. Open Space Conservation seeks to protect environmentally sensitive areas, specifically forested areas, steep slopes, streams and creek valleys, lakes and floodplains from the impacts of development.
Lancaster County Land Development Acres Developed by Municipality 1994–2002
Dot size is proportional to actual acreage. Acreage below 10 is not represented on the map. Gold dots indicate development that occurred outside Growth Areas in each municipality. Blue dots indicate development that occurred inside Growth Areas within each municipality. Some municipalities have more than one Growth Area; therefore, multiple blue dots appear within the municipal boundaries. Some municipalities are rural and have no Growth Areas; therefore, only a gold dot appears within the municipal boundaries.
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Acres Converted for Development County-wide 11,100 acres were developed in Lancaster County from 1994 - 2002 for residential and nonresidential use. 1,233 acres were developed on average each year between 1994 and 2002. • This amounted to 3.4 acres per day of new land development.
3.4 acres are developed in Lancaster County each day.
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Lancaster County Growth Area Changes Change in Vacant Buildable Acres 1993–2002
Since adoption of the Lancaster County Growth Management Plan in 1993, the amount of vacant buildable land inside Growth Areas fluctuated due to land development, adjustments to Growth Boundaries and adoptions of new Growth Areas not identified in the original Plan. The net effect is that the amount of vacant buildable land included in Growth Areas at the end of 2002 is greater than it was in 1993 – 34,351 acres in 2002 vs. 29,477 acres in 1993 – an increase of 4,874 acres. A notable exception is the Central Lancaster County Urban Growth Area which has experienced a decrease of about 2,100 acres – 1,800 acres due to land development and 300 acres due to Growth Boundary adjustments and reclassification of some land from buildable to unbuildable.
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Development Potential in Urban Growth Areas Vacant Buildable Land within Urban Growth Areas Due to adjustments to adopted and draft Growth Boundaries, there is more vacant buildable land in Growth Areas now than there was in 1993. 34,351 acres of vacant and buildable land are currently included in Urban Growth Areas. Of these 34,351 acres: • 1,262 acres are owned by municipalities and school districts, and are therefore not available for development. • 1,942 acres are zoned for open space or agriculture. • 22,246 acres are zoned for residential use.
Land Development Potential At the current rate of total land development (454 acres per year), residential construction (1,455 dwellings per year) and residential development density (5.0 dwellings per acre), it would take 55 years to develop 75%* of the vacant buildable land inside UGAs. At 5.0 dwellings per acre, 22,246* acres of residentially-zoned land could accommodate as many as 81,105 new dwellings. Based on Lancaster County’s average household size of 2.64** persons per household, these 81,105 new dwellings would accommodate approximately 214,117 new residents. If residential development in Urban Growth Areas occurs at a significantly lower density such as the county-wide average of 2.2 dwellings per acre, 661 acres would be needed annually just to accommodate residential development. All residentially-zoned land in the County’s UGAs could be developed within 25 years. * Not all land within UGAs will be available for development; therefore, publicly-owned land was subtracted from the total amount of vacant buildable land available. The resulting number was further reduced by 25% to accommodate infrastructure and allow for a market flexibility factor.
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** From the U.S. Census Bureau, 2000 Census.
The Future of Growth Management Lancaster County Growth Management Plan Update The Lancaster County Planning Commission has begun an update of the Growth Management Plan element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. A sixty-member task force has been appointed by the Planning Commission to guide this project. This Plan Update will plan for growth throughout the County through 2030 and will be guided by the Policy element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan. Below is a general summary and a timeline for the plan update. The Growth Management Plan Update will: • examine current and projected growth patterns and infrastructure needs • review Urban/Village Growth Areas • address issues of concern within rural areas • provide recommendations to achieve sustainable growth which balances development with the preservation of farmland and open space. The Growth Management Plan Update will include a Smart Growth Tool Box based on tools provided in the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code: • Intergovernmental Cooperation & Implementation Strategy • Multi-Municipal Planning Strategy • Consistency Program • Capital Improvement Programming Process • Official Map Process • Transfer of Development Rights Program • Traditional Neighborhood Design Option • Process to Address Land Uses of Regional Significance
Envision Lancaster County Smart Growth Initiative The Lancaster County Planning Commission is continuing its Envision Lancaster County Smart Growth Initiative which began in 2000. You may view Envision Lancaster County program details, check event schedules and look for updates on the Growth Management Plan Update on the Envision Lancaster County website.
www.envisionlancastercounty.com 14
Lancaster County Planning Commission 50 North Duke Street PO Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE
PA I D
LANCASTER, PA PERMIT NO. 1548
Lancaster County Board of Commissioners Howard “Pete” Shaub, Chairman Dick Shellenberger, Vice Chairman Molly Henderson, Commissioner Don Elliott, Chief Administrative Officer Lancaster County Planning Commission Lois Herr, Chairperson J. Scott Ulrich, Vice Chairperson Charles E. Douts, Jr., Secretary Virginia Brady Julianne Dickson Allan Granger Nancy Halliwell Jonathan L. Price Ronald T. Bailey, Executive Director Lancaster County Planning Commission 50 North Duke Street PO Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 717-299-8333 www.co.lancaster.pa.us/planning
