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News
Brandywine Conservancy releases findings on threats to farmland and watersheds in the Route 41 Corridor
(January 2006, #001)
For Immediate Release
CHADDS FORD, PA -- The Brandywine Conservancy released today its Conservation Opportunities for Corridor Preservation and Community Development report that highlights serious threats to prime farmland and water supplies from projected sprawl in the Route 41 corridor. The municipalities in the studied area include Highland, London Grove, Londonderry, West Fallowfield, West Marlborough, West Sadsbury, Atglen, Avondale and West Grove.
"We intensified our efforts in this area because roads and their improvements can exacerbate development pressure," said Sherri L. Evans-Stanton, Director of the Environmental Management Center of the Brandywine Conservancy. "Significant pressures for growth already exist in western Chester County. The Conservancy, through its Conservation Opportunities program, is helping preserve farmland and providing planning assistance to municipalities along the Route 41 corridor. The lessons learned will also be applied to other areas."
The Conservancy's work with the agricultural community and elected officials, along with its research and analyses, resulted in the publication of Conservation Opportunities for Corridor Preservation and Community Development. The report is being presented to stakeholders, including the area's agricultural community, government and civic organizations, and local, county, state and federal officials.
The study resulted in a number of findings, including the following.
- Saving farmland and other open spaces saves tax dollars.
- Residential development costs more in local and regional services than the revenue it generates.
- The future well-being of Route 41's communities and Chester County's agricultural economy are inextricably linked.
- Growth should be directed where infrastructure exists.
The Route 41 corridor contains the highest percentage of prime farm soils per acre in Chester County. The corridor also includes the starting points of five streams that are tributaries to the Brandywine and Octoraro Creeks. These public drinking water sources supply critical fresh water to the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. The corridor supports historic locations where future growth could be accommodated using existing or planned infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer.
"Roads, their design, and the lands around them are all interrelated, and afford opportunities for both appropriate growth and natural resource protection," said Evans-Stanton. "The Route 41 corridor in western Chester County is such an area. Although much has been accomplished, the corridor is still vulnerable. Municipalities now have an opportunity to accelerate efforts to preserve the unique character of the region. According to Chester County's comprehensive plan, Landscapes, estimates indicate that within 20 years all the remaining unprotected land in the county will either be preserved or developed."
Through direct assistance to municipal leaders, Conservation Opportunities has already achieved notable successes. In Londonderry, the Conservancy helped preserve farmland by developing agricultural zoning for more than two-thirds of the township. The Agricultural Preservation Zoning District calls for one new lot or house for every 25 acres of land. Conservation Opportunities also led to municipal consideration of open space referenda in four Route 41 communities. The Conservancy helped township officials meet legal requirements for referenda filings, assisted townships' promotions of referenda through media and community forums, and provided training sessions for polling place volunteers.
"We have achieved our Conservation Opportunities program goals, including increasing public awareness of how valuable the natural and cultural resources within the corridor are," said John Theilacker, Brandywine Conservancy's Associate Director for Municipal Assistance. "We have fostered community development and encouraged sustainable economic growth in appropriate locations. We have also provided municipalities with improved planning and regulatory tools, complementing our long-term efforts to increase the amount of protected farmland and open space."
The information gathering portion of the project included one-on-one meetings with farmers and municipal officials and technical research that produced three key studies. The studies, which are posted on the Conservancy's website at www.brandywineconservancy.org/oppty.html, are Cost of Community Services, Build-Out Analyses and Rural Transportation Corridors.
The Brandywine Conservancy's Environmental Management Center offers a wide range of services to assist in preserving the unique character of the region and planning for appropriate growth. For more information, call 610 388-8340 or visit www.brandywineconservancy.org.
Media contacts: Halsey Spruance at 610-388-8337 or Bruce Mowday at 610-873-0727.
For more information send email to emc@brandywine.org, call 610-388-2700, or write to Environmental Management Center, Brandywine Conservancy, P.O. Box 141, Chadds Ford, PA 19317
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