(The following sections are adapted from Quality of Place = Quality of Life: Implementing a Municipal Open Space Program (Mike Frank: Heritage Conservancy, to be published 2003)).

1. History of the Community
   
   
2. Governmental Organization
   The type or class of municipality should be described along with basic information on elected and appointed officials, boards and commissions, employees and departments, and budgetary information.
   
   
3. Physical Conditions
   Existing land use patterns, schools, parks and playgrounds, areas with existing and projected water and sewer services, roads and transportation facilities, and similar features should be described and mapped.
   
   
4. Demographics
   Current and projected data on population and housing characteristics could include total number of residents, age and gender characteristics, educational levels and income statistics. Housing information would include numbers, ages and types of dwelling units. Projections should be included for a ten to twenty year time horizon. Employment and fiscal health of the community could be described.
   
   
5. Current Policies
   Any policies or regulations related to open space, recreation, natural resource protection and agricultural preservation matters should be described. The community’s comprehensive plan, zoning ordinance, subdivision and land development ordinance, sewage facilities plan, park and recreation plan or an existing open space plan should be reviewed.
   
   
6. Regional Setting
   The community’s location within the greater region should be described. Proximity to urban centers, major transportation facilities, regional parks and recreation centers, colleges and institutions and other such facilities should be identified and evaluated. Major farming areas and areas with natural resources should be considered. Growth corridors might be identified to understand where pressures for change and development may be coming from.

B. Goals and Objectives

1. Historic and Cultural
   These would include properties that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places and those with state or local significance. Archaeological sites, particularly those with local cultural significance, should be included.
   
   
2. Agricultural
   Areas that are actively farmed should be identified. The various types of farming (field crops, dairy farming, livestock, equestrian, grass crops) should be noted. Prime agricultural soils (Classes I and II) and soils of statewide and local importance (Class III) should be mapped.
   
   
3. Scenic
   Roadways and vistas.
   
   
4. Natural:
   Unique geologic features or hazardous features (sink holes, rock outcroppings, limestone formations), and aquifers.
   
   • Topography — steep slope areas (steep slopes of 15 to 25 percent and very steep slopes, those of more than 25 percent), watershed boundaries.
   
   • Surface Waters — streams, water bodies (lakes and ponds), delineated wetlands, and floodplains are particularly important. Water quality information (exceptional waters and cold water fisheries) should be noted if that information is available.
   
   • Soils — hydric, floodplain and seasonally high water table soils should be mapped.
   
   • Vegetation and Wildlife — wooded areas and locally important vegetation should be mapped. Wildlife habitats should be identified. The Pennsylvania Natural Diversity Inventory (PNDI) and county natural areas inventories are helpful.

• Zoning ordinance amendments that would lower densities, increase minimum lots area requirements or permit performance approaches, such as cluster subdivisions, in areas with high amounts of vulnerable resources.
  
  
• Natural resource protection standards that would identify specific features of the land where development or regrading would not be permitted (floodplains, wetlands and very steep slopes) or areas where land alterations would be limited (moderate slopes, woodlands, prime agricultural soils).
  
  
• Transferable development rights provisions that shift development, on a voluntary basis, to more suitable locations.
  
  
• Mandatory dedication of open space or fees-in-lieu of such dedications.
  
  
• Amendments to comprehensive plans to delineate growth and rural resource areas. Under the Municipalities Planning Code, publicly funded services which facilitate development may be limited to growth areas.
  
  
• Establishment or expansion of agricultural security areas to provide an incentive for the protection of farmed properties and qualify properties for the sale of development rights through county and state programs.

Haycock Twp. Open Space Plan Property Evaluation Form (440K PDF File)

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H. Implementation Methods
The document should contain a detailed action plan that does the following:

• Creates a matrix of specific actions for next steps; prioritizes actions for short, medium, and long-term time horizons.
  
  
• Identifies roles and responsibilities for each action step.
  
  
• Specifies the life of the plan, such as ten years, to encourage coordination and consistency with other planning initiatives, such as the municipal comprehensive plan.
  
  
• Estimates costs, resources, and potential financing options needed to address actions steps.
  
  
• Identifies priority land acquisitions to generate momentum for early implementation of the plan; at a minimum, includes ranking criteria so a list of priority acquisitions can be generated.
  
  
• Identifies gaps and inconsistencies in existing local regulations; reviews and recommends ordinance and land development regulation language to assist in implementing the plan (e.g., standards for riparian buffers along stream corridors, conservation by design).
  
  
• Discusses the role of municipal advisory groups (e.g., EACs, planning commission, park and recreation advisory boards)in the implementation process.
  
  
• Establishes methods, such as the adoption of a municipal official map, for long-term protection of an open space network.
  
  
• Sets up an on-going mechanism for coordinating with other municipalities, the county, regional planning entities, landowners, and other stakeholders.
  
  
• Explores partnerships with land trusts, service organizations, and corporations to assist in establishing an open space implementation program and monitoring protected parcels.
  

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