Executive Summary Regional Development Capacity Report

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Lisa Bryan
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1 Executive Summary Regional Development Capacity Report June Gateway Drive State College, PA

2 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The 2012 Regional Development Capacity Report (REDCAP) is an es mate of the total amount of development poten al within the exis ng Regional Growth Boundary/Sewer Service Area (RGB/SSA). The es mates in this report iden fy the development poten al of vacant proper es within the RGB/SSA, using approved development plans, current subdivision ordinances, and current zoning ordinances. The major findings, detailed later in the REDCAP, conclude that there is sufficient development capacity inside the RGB/SSA to accommodate forecasted growth for a planning horizon of at least 2040, without the need to expand the RGB/SSA. The horizon of 2040 provides consistency with future Comprehensive Plan update cycles and with the growth forecas ng project completed for the Centre County Long Range Transporta on Plan. Since the mid 1970s, the Centre Region has planned for and implemented a series of policies that direct growth to areas where infrastructure exists in order to preserve prime agricultural lands, natural areas, and other sensi ve environmental resources in the region. The Centre Region used these growth management policies to establish a Regional Growth Boundary (RGB) that was included in the 2000 Centre Region Comprehensive Plan update. In the early 1990 s, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protec on approved the Centre Region Act 537 Sewage Facili es Plan, which included a Sewer Service Area (SSA), but limited the average annual discharge from the University Area Joint Authority s (UAJA s) Spring Creek Pollu on Control Facility to Spring Creek at 6.0 million gallons per day (MGD), based on thermal loading restric ons. Spring Creek is a High Quality Cold Water Fishery, and therefore, the temperature of the water cannot exceed certain parameters. As a result, the Centre Region reviewed 14 alterna ves for trea ng wastewater and increasing the discharge limits at UAJA s Spring Creek Pollu on Control Facility. In 2000, the Centre Region Council of Governments approved a Beneficial Reuse Project to address this issue. The Beneficial Reuse Project is an advanced wastewater treatment method that produces high quality water through microstraining, microfiltra on, and reverse osmosis. The Centre Region uses this high quality water for groundwater recharge, economic development, or similar projects. More importantly, however, the Beneficial Reuse Project expands the wastewater discharge capacity for the Centre Region. Since 2006, both the Regional Growth Boundary and Sewer Service Area have con nued to be the primary tools for managing growth in the Centre Region. Together, the Regional Growth Boundary and Sewer Service Area have a significant influence on the loca on of growth and development in the Centre Region and affect the quality of life experienced by residents. As indicated in a community survey completed in summer 2011, residents of the region con nue to overwhelmingly support the Comprehensive Plan policies that implement the intent of the Regional Growth Boundary, including the preserva on of farming, the preserva on of open space, and direc ng the majority of growth to areas inside the Regional Growth Boundary and Sewer Service Area.

3 One fundamental ques on the REDCAP answers is whether there is sufficient development capacity to accommodate forecasted residen al and non residen al growth within the Regional Growth Boundary and Sewer Service Area. The major findings of the REDCAP include informa on on development capacity, including the number of poten al dwelling units, amount of non residen al square footage, and number of vacant acres within the RGB/SSA. The findings of the REDCAP can act as a tool for municipal officials to iden fy, plan for, strengthen, and amend exis ng policies and prac ces as appropriate. The REDCAP concludes that there is adequate land to accommodate growth in the RGB/SSA for the foreseeable future. Municipal officials may want to consider a more detailed assessment of the following issues to prepare for the longer term implementa on of the RGB/SSA. Some issues to consider include: 1. Should the Region consider amending the Development of Regional Impact (DRI) process, which is the method for expanding the RGB/SSA, given that there is sufficient development capacity inside the RGB/ SSA? What other DRI criteria could the Centre Region review to assess impacts, and how soon should that occur? 2. All Centre Region municipali es, with the excep on of Halfmoon Township, have land inside the RGB/ SSA. How should the Centre Region address poten al sewage disposal needs in Halfmoon Township if there is a desire to develop at a density that requires sewage disposal beyond individual or community on lot disposal systems (COLDS)? 3. Should the municipali es consider a formal policy strengthening the prohibi on of advanced wastewater treatment systems outside the RGB/SSA? Should the region consider a policy that designates UAJA as the sole provider of public sewer in the Region? The COG Public Services and Environmental Commi ee reaffirmed that the DRI Implementa on Agreement language on COLDS does not include advanced treatment op ons and only includes COLDS as defined by DEP and several municipali es. 4. Should the Centre Region consider funding a project to document and quan fy the long term costs of installing new infrastructure to serve new development versus the costs of using exis ng infrastructure? 5. Are exis ng municipal zoning districts within and outside the RGB/SSA effec vely implemen ng the current policy? If not, what changes should municipali es consider making to exis ng zoning districts to make them more compa ble with the RGB/SSA (currently underway)? 6. Is the current distribu on of beneficial reuse water flexible enough to sa sfy the need for addi onal customers (50% environmental users and 50% business users), or does it leave the region vulnerable in the long term? Should the region consider changes to the beneficial reuse distribu on system to maximize poten al uses and delivery of beneficial water to new users in the future?

4 PATTON 99 IN T E RTSAT E IN T E RTSAT E 220 CO LLEGE BUSINESS STATE CO LLEGE BO RO 45 BUSINESS HALFMOO N HARRIS FERGUSON Pro je cti on : PA S ta te Pla n e N A D 8 3, N o rth Zo n e Ma p p re p are d by : S te ve n Arn o ld - Th e L an d An al ys is L a b at Pe n n S ta te fo r th e C e ntre R eg i on a l Pl a nn in g Ag en cy Re vi si on /31 /1 2 Centre Region Vacant Land 2012 Development Capacity Analysis Da ta S ou rc e: C en tre Co u n ty GIS, US GS, Th e C e ntr e Re g io n al Pla n n in g Ag e nc y, Th e L a nd An al ysi s L ab a t P SU, an d Th e Ce n tre R e gi o n C o de s Offic e Vacant Land Approved Plan Exists No Approved Plan Exists Regional Growth Boundary Penn State-University Park Campus Municipal Boundary 2 Miles Da te: 6/21/2012

5 MUNICIPALITY 2012 CENTRE REGION DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY ANALYSIS FOR PROPERTIES WITHIN THE REGIONAL GROWTH BOUNDARY AND SEWER SERVICE AREA VACANT COLLEGE TOWNSHIP 219 ac 669 du 39,710 sqft 717 ac 2,262 du 2,411,792 sqft 936 ac 2,931 du 2,451,502 sqft FERGUSON TOWNSHIP 708 3, , ,824 1,004 3, ,824 HARRIS TOWNSHIP , , ,092 PATTON TOWNSHIP 1,359 4,699 2,034, ,425 1,545 4,888 2,975,959 STATE COLLEGE BOROUGH , , ,380 CENTRE REGION (within RGB/SSA) 2,596 ac 9,183 du 2,574,744 sqft 1,438 ac 3,796 du 4,243,013 sqft 4,033 ac 12,979 du 6,817,757 sqft PENN STATE VACANT UNIVERSITY PARK CAMPUS 2,148 ac 0 du 232,384 sqft 0 ac 190 du 4,850,733 sqft 2,148 ac 190 du 5,083,117 sqft MOUNT NITTANY MEDICAL CENTER , , ,278 INNOVATION PARK , ,000 PENN STATE 2,151 ac 0 du 424,733 sqft 49 ac 190 du 5,767,622 sqft 2,200 ac 190 du 6,192,395 sqft Source:, June 2012 Notes: Penn State information is based on the master plans for the Mount Nittany Medical Center, Innovation Park, and Penn State's University Park Campus. Penn State's non-residential square footage includes 1,243 beds in new dorm room space.

The bo om photograph of the same area, taken in 2010, shows how growth has expanded in this por on of the Region.

6 These photographs provide an example of the growth and development that has occurred within the Centre Region in recent decades. The top photograph, taken in 1957, shows the area along West College Avenue as primarily consis ng of farm fields, with minimal development beyond the Borough of State College. The bo om photograph of the same area, taken in 2010, shows how growth has expanded in this por on of the Region. The exis ng border between farmland and residen al developments in the bo om photograph illustrates the effec veness of the Regional Growth Boundary/Sewer Service Area (indicated by the red line) and appropriate zoning in direc ng growth to areas inside the boundary, while allowing areas outside to retain their rural character

7 Executive Summary Regional Development Capacity Report June Gateway Drive State College, PA

Chapter 5: regional Planning

Chapter 5: regional Planning Regional planning is not unique to the Centre Region; however, it is often off of the radar of most residents and officials until they become involved in regional planning