Controlling development, improving quality, and protecting our environment

By David J. Quatchak

The borough's Comprehensive Plan is a 10-year vision for the borough. All borough initiatives must align with the goals of the plan council adopted in 2006.

In 2004, a consultant was hired to begin drafting an updated comp plan for the borough. A certified land-use planner began his research with a survey of residents to gather feedback about the borough and determine priorities for the next 10 years. (A statistically valid 175 surveys were returned.)

The results showed overwhelmingly high ratings (72% or above excellent or good) for the borough as a place to raise kids, our quality of life, the quality of our schools, recreational activities, and social opportunities. Scoring significantly lower (50% or below fair or poor) were natural features (watersheds, forests, farms, wetlands), suburban character, availability of shopping, cost of living, cultural activities, and job opportunities.

These results are made more useful when they are evaluated against what the community considers important.The most important areas identified by the survey are, in descending order: natural areas, quality of life, suburban character, cultural activities, quality of schools, cost of living, and place to raise kids. Jobs opportunities, recreational opportunities, availability of places to shop, and social activities trailed the top seven areas very significantly.

A simple analysis of these two pieces of information--how are we doing, and what's important to you--shows at least three areas we need to take a closer look at: natural areas, suburban character, and cultural activities. (Availability of cultural activities is more complex issue and is not discussed here.) The need to look closely at our natural areas and suburban character was further reinforced by the responses to three other questions on the survey.

• When asked to describe how the borough has changed in the past ten years, 53% of respondents described the borough as a less desirable place to live, 21% a better place to live. 26% said they weren't sure, or hadn't lived here long enough.
• When asked to describe how the borough will change in the next five to ten years, 54% of respondents said the borough will be worse than it is today, 13% said it will be better. 33% said it wouldn't change or they weren't sure.
• When asked are you pleased with the overall land-development patterns of the borough as a whole, 62% of respondents said no, 26% said yes. 12% weren't sure.

To that end, council created a Comp Plan Implementation Committee drawing members from council, the planning commission, and the Environmental Advisory Committee. The committee hired a second consultant to review the borough's current SALDO and Zoning Ordinances with the goal of protecting natural features, protecting a suburban and rural character, and improving land development patterns.

The Comprehensive Plan Implementation Committee, of which I am a member, worked with the consultant for over a year to develop proposed ordinances. The overriding goal of all proposed changes was to balance the needs of all borough residents with personal property development rights. The committee believes the proposed ordinances will result in higher-quality development that preserves our suburban character and protects our natural features. This will be achieved through commercial and multifamily design standards, increased open space requirements, increased landscaping and buffering, and protection of environmentally sensitive areas.

The Comp Plan Implementation Committee sent the draft ordinances to the Planning Commission this past winter for further review. In March, the first public draft ordinances were released and presented at a public meeting in the Franklin Park Fire Hall. The draft ordinances themselves, are hundreds of pages long, but a brief summary document can be downloaded here.

Based on initial and continuing public input, and their own expertise, the Planning Commission may now edit or revise the draft ordinances before advancing a recommendation to Borough Council.

If you have any comments on any of the proposed ordinances, please send them to me and the Planning Commission by emailing the borough Building Inspector/Zoning Officer,Tim Phillips.