Armstrong County.indd

166 Pages·2009·2.42 MB·English

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This project was fi nanced in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program,
Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund under administration of the Pennsylvania Department of
Conservation and Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.

s The contributions of the following agencies, groups, and individuals were vital to the
successful development of this Comprehensive Recreation, Parks, Open Space, and Greenway
t Plan. They are commended for their interest in the project and for the input they provided
throughout the planning process.
n
Armstrong County Commissioners
e Patricia L. Kirkpatrick, Chairman
Richard L. Fink, Vice-Chairman
m James V. Scahill, Secretary
Armstrong County Department of Planning and Development
Richard L. Palilla, Executive Director
e
Michael P. Coonley, AICP - Assistant Director
Sally L. Conklin, Planning Coordinator
g
Project Study Committee
d
David Rupert, Armstrong County Conservation District
Brian Sterner, Armstrong County Planning Commission/Kiski Area Soccer League
e Larry Lizik, Apollo Ridge School District Athletic Department
Robert Conklin, Kittanning Township/Kittanning Township Recreation Authority
l James Seagriff, Freeport Borough
w Jessica Coil, Tourist Bureau
Ron Steffey, Allegheny Valley Land Trust
Gary Montebell, Belmont Complex
Rocco Aly, PA Federation of Sportsman’s Association County Representative
o
David Brestensky, South Buffalo Township/Little League
Rex Barnhart, ATV Trails
n
Pamela Meade, Crooked Creek Watershed Association, Cowanshannock Creek Watershed Association
Patricia Adams, Area Agency on Aging
k Robert Knepshield, Roaring Run Watershed Association
Scott Heasley, YMCA
Jeff Miller, Snyder Associates
c
Neal Andritz, River's Edge Canoe and Kayak LLC.
George Traister, ATV Trails
A
Key Person Interviewees
James Budzilek – Leechburg School Superintendent
Scott Heasley – YMCA Executive Director
Gary Pinkerton – Director Butler County Parks/Armstrong County Resident
Michael O’Hare – Leader Times Editor
Allen Walzak – Strongland Chamber of Commerce
George Verner – Pennsylvania Conservation Corps Foreman - Sugarcreek
Rocco Aly – PA Federation of Sportsman’s Association County Representative
Larry Lizik – Apollo School District Athletic Director
Mark Cochenour – Kittanning Youth Baseball Representative
Karen Winter – Fort Armstrong Horseman’s Association President
Chuck Foster – Elderton Park Commission
Todd Grafton – Armstrong Amateur Hockey Association President
Gary Montebell – Belmont Complex Manager
Commissioner Patricia Kirkpatrick
Commissioner Richard Fink
Commissioner James Scahill
Patty Bruner – Project Coordinator –Baker Trail
Dennis Hawley – Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center
Ron Thompson – Milton Loop Campground Manager
Ron Steffy – Allegheny Valley Land Trust
Mark Ford – Sports & Recreation Associates
Steve Atwood – Kittanning Borough
Larry Gray – Pennsylvania Conservation Corps Foreman – Elderton
Stacy Klukan – Ford City High School Health & Physical Education
Dianne Emminger – ACMH Vice President Information Services
John Pinkerton – Recreation Resources, Inc. & Armstrong County Resident
This project was fi nanced in part by a grant from the Community Conservation Partnerships Program, Keystone
Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund under administration of the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and
Natural Resources, Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.
s ACD – Armstrong Conservation District IMA – Important Mammal Area
ACDPD – Armstrong County Department of IMAP – Important Mammal Area Project
m
Planning and Development
ISTEA – Intermodal Surface Transportation
ACTB – Armstrong County Tourist Bureau Effi ciency Act
ADA – Americans with Disabilities Act IUP – Indiana University of Pennsylvania
y
ANF – Allegheny National Forest KAZ – Keystone Active Zone
n ASA - Agriculture Security Area K-C Alliance – Kiski-Conemaugh Alliance
ASTM – American Society for Testing and Materials LCA – Landscape Conservation Areas
o ASWP – Audubon Society of Western Pennsylvania LWCF – US Land and Water Conservation Fund
ATV - All Terrain Vehicle MPO – Metropolitan Planning Organization
r
AVLT – Allegheny Valley Land Trust NAD - North American Datum
c AVTA – Allegheny Valley Trails Association NHI – Natural Heritage Inventory
BDA – Biological Diversity Area NRCS – National Resource Conservation Service
A
BRC – TAG – Bureau of Recreation and NRPA – National Recreation and Park Association
Conservation – Technical Assistance Grant
NWI – National Wetland Inventory
C2P2 – Community Conservation Partnership
PEC – Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Program
PennDOT – Pennsylvania Department of
CrCWA - Crooked Creek Watershed Association
Transportation
CCWA - Cowanshannock Creek Watershed
PANA – Pennsylvania Advocates for Nutrition and
Association
Activity
CDBG – Community Block Development Grant
PA SR – Pennsylvania State Route
CHP – Coldwater Heritage Partnership
PDA – Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
CPSC – US Consumer Product Safety Commission
PFBC – Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission
CRP – Conservation Reserve Program
PPG – Pittsburgh Plate Glass
CVC – Conemaugh Valley Conservancy
PRPS – Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society
CWF – Cold Water Fishery
PSDA - Pennsylvania Spatial Data Access
DCED – Pennsylvania Department of Community
RCP – River Conservation Plan
and Economic Development
ROW – Right-of-Way
DCNR - Pennsylvania Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources RRWA - Roaring Run Watershed Association
DEM – Digital Elevation Model SALDO - Subdivision and Land Development
Ordinance
DEP - Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection SGL – State Game Lands [of the Pennsylvania
Game Commission]
EAC – Environmental Advisory Council
SPC – Southwest Pennsylvania Commission
ELC – Crooked Creek Environmental Learning
Center STP – Surface Transportation Program
ESRI - Environmental Systems Research Institute TEA21 - Transportation Equity Act for the 21st
Century
EV – Exceptional Value
TIP – Transportation Improvements Plan
FEMA – Federal Emergency Management Agency
TSF – Trout Stocked Fisheries
FHA – Federal Highway Administration
USDA – United States Department of Agriculture
FSA – Farm Service Agency
USGS - United States Geological Survey
HQ – High Quality
WPC - Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
IBA – Important Bird Area
YMCA - Young Men’s Christian Association

s EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .........................................................1
t Issues ....................................................................................................3
n
Key Recommendations .......................................................................5
e Greenways ...........................................................................................7
t
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ............11
n
The Comprehensive Recreation, Park, Open Space,
and Greenway Plan ...........................................................................13
o
The Planning Process ........................................................................14
C
The Benefi ts of Parks and Recreation .............................................15

How to Use this Plan .........................................................................15
f
o County Background ..........................................................................16
Demographics ....................................................................................17

e
Review of Existing Planning Documents ........................................21
Armstrong County Comprehensive Plan .....................................................................21
l
Belmont Complex Feasibility Study ............................................................................22
b
Middle Allegheny River Conservation Plan ...............................................................23
Buffalo Creek Watershed Conservation Plan .............................................................26
a Kiski-Conemaugh River Basin Conservation Plan .....................................................27
Cowanshannock Creek Watershed River Conservation Plan .....................................27
T Redbank Creek Watershed Conservation Plan ...........................................................29
Lower Crooked Creek Watershed Conservation Plan ................................................30
Upper Crooked Creek Watershed Conservation Plan ................................................31
CHAPTER 2: PARKS & RECREATION
OPPORTUNITIES ....................................................................33
Classifi cations of Parks and Trails .................................................36
Recreation Opportunities provided by Armstrong County .........38
The Belmont Complex .................................................................................................38
The Milton Loop Campground ....................................................................................39
The Canfi eld-Holmes Sanctuary .................................................................................39
Gilpin/Leechburg Park ...............................................................................................39
Armstrong County Mini-Grant Program ....................................................................39
Local Parks and Recreation Facilities ............................................40
Parks and Recreation Program Providers..........................................................................49
Belmont Complex ......................................................................................................................................................49
Armstrong County YMCA .........................................................................................................................................49
HEALTHY Armstrong ...............................................................................................................................................50
Other Recreation Program Providers .......................................................................................................................51
Armstrong County Trail Inventory .....................................................................................51
Armstrong Trail .........................................................................................................................................................51
Baker Trail ................................................................................................................................................................52
Great Shamokin Path ................................................................................................................................................52
Cowanshannock Trail ...............................................................................................................................................53
Roaring Run Trail & Rock Furnace Trail .................................................................................................................53
Laneville Section of the Butler to Freeport Trail ......................................................................................................53
Kiski River Trail ........................................................................................................................................................54
North Country Trail ..................................................................................................................................................54
Regional Recreation Facilities Located Within Armstrong County ................................54
Mahoning Creek Lake and Dam ...............................................................................................................................54
Keystone Lake ...........................................................................................................................................................55
Crooked Creek Lake and Dam ..................................................................................................................................55
The Crooked Creek Environmental Learning Center ...............................................................................................55
Pennsylvania State Game Lands ...............................................................................................................................56
Regional Recreation Facilities Located Outside Armstrong County ...............................57
Pennsylvania State Parks ..........................................................................................................................................58
National Forest .........................................................................................................................................................59
Pennsylvania State Forest .........................................................................................................................................59
County Parks .............................................................................................................................................................59
Other Regional Recreation Facilities .......................................................................................................................61
Regional Trails ..........................................................................................................................................................61
CHAPTER 3: PUBLIC PARTICIPATION ...............................................................67
The Study Committee ...........................................................................................................69
Public Meetings .....................................................................................................................70
Public Meetings – Round 1 .......................................................................................................................................70
Public Meetings – Round 2 .......................................................................................................................................73
Key Person Interviews ..........................................................................................................73
Recreation Questionnaire .....................................................................................................75
Questionnaire Highlights ..........................................................................................................................................75
Other Public Input ................................................................................................................76
Development of the vision, goals, and
Recommendations/Implementation Strategies...................................................................76
Armstrong County
Comprehensive Recreation, Park, & Open Space Plan & Greenways Plan
CHAPTER 4: VISION, GOALS, AND
RECOMMENDATIONS/IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ..............................77
Creating a Vision for the Future ..........................................................................................79
Vision Statement ........................................................................................................................................................79
Goals .........................................................................................................................................................................80
Implementation Strategies/Recommendations ..........................................................................................................80
General Recommendations .......................................................................................................................................94
Fulfi lling the Vision ...................................................................................................................................................97
Successful Implementation ..................................................................................................97
Conclusion .............................................................................................................................98
CHAPTER 5: THE GREENWAY PLAN .................................................................99
Introduction .........................................................................................................................101
What is a Greenway? ..............................................................................................................................................101
Why are Greenways Important to Armstrong County? ...........................................................................................101
How is a Greenways Plan Developed? ...................................................................................................................104
Armstrong County’s Resources .........................................................................................106
Gathering Data .......................................................................................................................................................106
Natural Infrastructure Inventory ............................................................................................................................106
Built Infrastructure Inventory .................................................................................................................................113
The Greenways Vision ........................................................................................................116
Criteria ....................................................................................................................................................................116
The Structure of the Network ..................................................................................................................................117
Natural Systems Greenways ...................................................................................................................................117
Recreation and Transportation Greenways ............................................................................................................122
Greenways Recommendations ...........................................................................................130
Management Structure ............................................................................................................................................130
Municipalities Drive Greenway Implementation ....................................................................................................132
Other Recommendations .........................................................................................................................................132
Strategies for Implementation .................................................................................................................................135
CHAPTER 6: POTENTIAL FUNDING SOURCES .............................................143
Armstrong County
Comprehensive Recreation, Park, & Open Space Plan & Greenways Plan
APPENDICES .................................................................................. bound separately
Appendix A: Park Inventory Matrix
Appendix B: Armstrong County Park Inventories
Appendix C: School District Recreation Facilities Inventory
Appendix D: Regional Comparison Charts
Appendix E: Armstrong County Municipal Recreation Matrix
Appendix F: Study Committee Issues and Concerns
Appendix G: Public Meetings Details
Appendix H: Key Person Interview Details
Appendix I: Questionnaire Results
Appendix J: Methods for Protecting and Preserving Open Space
Appendix K: Conservation by Design
Appendix L: Land Conservation Tools
Appendix M: Model Conservation Easement Agreement and Commentary
Appendix N: Model Fishing Access Easement Agreement and Commentary
Appendix O: Model Flood Plain Overlay District Ordinance
Appendix P: Model Forest Management Ordinance
Appendix Q: Model Riparian Forest Buffer Protection Agreement and Commentary
Appendix R: Model Stream Corridor Conservation Overlay District
Appendix S: Model Trail Easement Agreement and Commentary
Appendix T: Model Water Quality Agreement and Commentary
Appendix U: Sample Greenway Coordinator Position Descriptions
Appendix V: Sample Mandatory Fee In Lieu Dedication Ordinance
Appendix W: Sample Resource Protection Ordinance
Appendix X: Sample Steep Slope Conservation Overlay District