From the Director's Desk
Greetings and welcome to Planning InSight. We’ve been busy!
After several years of development, a global pandemic and a change in consultants, we are pleased to be launching our new Act 247 Applications Portal. Although conceived well before the pandemic, the idea of an all-electronic Act 247 application submission and payment system, was solidified with the advent of COVID-19. Like many county departments we continue to strive to improve our customers’ experience.
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Our new system will significantly improve our efficiency and the ease of which applicants submit their subdivision and land development proposals. Electronic submissions and payments will reduce paperwork as we strive for sustainability. Lastly, our new system will ensure that all records are retained in accordance with state requirements and remain virtually accessible from any staff laptop.
Continuing with our sustainability efforts, we have produced a guidance document addressing electric vehicle charging stations and we encourage you to attend our TMA Bucks webinar on May 24. Our vehicular landscape is changing and as electric vehicles become more mainstream, our goal is to assist our municipalities with planning for them and the changes they will bring.
Sticking with the theme of vehicles and a changing landscape, we are pleased to see our planning work take shape in the Cross Keys Area. Temporary changes to the intersection are a direct result of our forward looking planning work and the input of stakeholders which resulted in the 2017 Land Use and Transportation Study for the Cross Keys Area. We look forward to the results of the PennDOT study and remain confident that improvements to traffic congestion in the area will be achieved.
As always, my door is open, and I may be reached via e-mail or phone at estone@buckscounty.org or 215.345.3401. I look forward to hearing from you and welcome your feedback. Enjoy Planning InSight!
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Bucks Trivia
What is the official tree of Bucks County?
Scroll down for the answer!
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New Act 247 Applications Portal
The BCPC is finally rolling out the new Act 247 database and electronic submission and fee payment system. Starting on May 15, 2023, applicants for subdivisions and land developments, municipal and school district actions, and sewage planning modules will be required to submit through the new Act 247 Applications Portal. Powered by CivicPlus, the new database and submission system will modernize record-keeping, expedite fee processing through electronic payment, provide an enhanced user interface, and boost efficiency in the review process.
Please bookmark the buckscounty.gov/398/Act-247-Applications-Portal for the portal link, supporting documents, and tutorials. The new system is very user friendly, however, we encourage all portal users to familiarize themselves with the new procedures and the tutorials.
Email us at planningcommission@buckscounty.org or call our main number (215-345-3400) should you have any questions about our new electronic intake system.
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The Future is Electric
Electric Vehicles (EVs) lessen the demand for fossil fuels, create less air pollution, provide a cleaner environment, and improve public health. With sales of these vehicles on the rise, there is no doubt that our future is geared towards electric. The Edison Electric Institute forecasts 26.4 million EVs on the road by 2030, which will require more publicly accessible Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS).
There are currently 70 charging facilities throughout Bucks County, and in 2021, there was a 1:12 ratio of charging stations to EVs in the county. PennDOT is working with federal, state, and local partners to expand the EV charging network in the Commonwealth.
Municipal governments play an important role in promoting the use of electric vehicles. Zoning and subdivision and land development ordinances may be used to provide standards for electric vehicle charging stations, such as location, safety, and accessibility, and streamline review and approval. To help plan for the installation of EVCS across the county, staff of the BCPC have prepared EV Charging Station Best Practices and Standards.
On Wednesday, May 24, 2023, from 10-11 AM, TMA Bucks and BCPC Staff will be giving a free webinar to discuss Bucks County’s EV Charging Station Best Practices and Standards. BCPC staff will discuss how municipalities can plan for the growing demand for electrical power stations to charge electric vehicles.
Register Here: https://tinyurl.com/3cymz89v.
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National Historic Preservation Month
May is National Historic Preservation Month!
Historic and cultural resources bring an allure to Bucks County by providing physical connections to the past. By preserving historic resources, we are able to share the very spaces and environments in which the generations before us have lived. Historic and cultural resources can strengthen a community’s future by creating vibrant, cultural destinations that can be centerpieces of the community, boosting the economy and increasing the quality of life.
Celebrate by visiting our Historic & Cultural webpage.
Check out the following grants to aid historic preservation:
The National Trust for Historic Preservation offers a group of grant funds intended to encourage preservation at the local level by supporting on-going preservation work and by providing seed money for preservation projects. Applications due: June 1, 2023.
The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission offers the Historical & Archival Care Grant (HARC) to assist non-profit and local governments with the preservation of historically valuable original archival records. Applications due: August 1, 2023.
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PA Historic Preservation Homeownership Tax Credit
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is considering House Bill No. 724, 2023-2024 Session, known as the Historic Homeownership Preservation Incentive Tax Credit. There are currently state and federal historic preservation tax credits for owners of income-producing buildings in Pennsylvania. House Bill No. 724 proposes to provide a historic preservation tax credit for owners of historic homes. The Pennsylvania income tax credit will be provided to homeowners who perform historically appropriate work on their primary residence. The income tax credit may be up to 20 percent of the cost to complete the work.
Under the bill’s provisions, the building must be designated historic, located in a Census Tract where the median income is below the state median income, or located in a Keystone Opportunity Zone to qualify to receive the tax credit. For the proposed work to qualify, it must meet the guidelines in the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Treatment of Historic Properties. The bill was recently referred to the Committee on Housing and Development.
Additional information can be found at: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/billinfo.cfm?syear=2023&body=H&type=B&bn=724
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Cross Keys Area Improvements Move Forward!
The intersections of North Easton Road (Route 611), Swamp Road (Route 313), and Old Easton Road have had a long history of congestion and safety issues. Ever since a traffic signal was installed at Old Easton and Swamp Roads in 1994, congestion has plagued this stretch of Route 313 in four separate municipalities—Buckingham Township, Doylestown Borough, Doylestown Township, and Plumstead Township.
With these concerns in mind, BCPC staff, assisted by Gilmore & Associates, Inc., produced the Land Use and Transportation Study for the Cross Keys Area. Completed in 2017, this study recommended the construction of a connector road from Old Easton Road to North Easton Road. This connector road would allow for the removal of the traffic light at Old Easton Road and Swamp Road. At that intersection, certain movements would be restricted to allow for improved traffic flow on Swamp Road.
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Right Turn Only from Old Easton Road to Swamp Road (Route 313)
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Shortly after the study was complete, Wawa proposed the development of a new store at the former Ben’s Auto Body site. As part of the land development process, Wawa agreed to fund construction of the connector road between Old Easton Road and North Easton Road, paving the way for the improvements needed at Old Easton and Swamp Roads. PennDOT’s Multimodal Transportation Funding grant program provided $500,000 to the project.
PennDOT has begun the process of implementing interim improvements to test suggested changes aimed at removing the signal and altering traffic turning movements. This 90-day testing phase is currently in process to determine if these improvements will provide the results needed to reduce congestion in the Cross Keys area.
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Old Easton Road & Swamp Road Traffic Signal Under Study for Removal
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New Connector Road (Research Way)
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County Blighted Property Study Underway
Bucks County is undertaking a countywide comprehensive blight remediation study. The cost of blighted properties has been well-documented in terms of their impact on the tax base and property values, the need for increased municipal services such as code enforcement, police, and fire services, and the chilling effect on economic development.
Chris Gulotta of The Gulotta Group is the consultant on the project. Chris has worked in various counties across the Commonwealth, including Lehigh, Lackawanna, and Monroe counties. The program will encompass the completion of a study to understand the nature and extent of blighted properties in Bucks County and the development of tools to prevent blight and remediate and redevelop blighted properties.
As part of this effort, Bucks County municipalities will be asked to complete a brief online survey and to return it by May 26, 2023. The survey should take no longer than 15 minutes to complete. Information from the survey is critical in understanding the dimensions of the blighted property problem in the county and formulating solutions for repurposing these properties.
The survey information will be supplemented with data from the American Community Survey, tax delinquent property data, assessment records, and in-depth discussions with numerous county and county-related agency officials. Focus group meetings are also planned for municipal managers, staff, and elected officials later this spring. Municipal officials are encouraged to attend one of these meetings to talk about blighted property issues and the challenges they present from a municipal government perspective. Officials may participate by attending in-person or virtually, but pre-registration is required.
Blighted Property Focus Group Meetings:
Where: The Almshouse, 1260 Almshouse Road, Doylestown
When:
June 8, 10:30 AM—www.eventbrite.com/e/625229457137
June 12, 10:30 AM—www.eventbrite.com/e/625281733497
The blight remediation study and program will be completed by the end of the year.
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The DCED offers this program which provides grants to encourage economic development and ensure the availability of safe and reliable transportation systems. Funds may be used for the development, rehabilitation and enhancement of transportation assets to existing communities, streetscapes, lighting, sidewalks, pedestrian safety, and transit-oriented development.
Applications due: July 31, 2023.
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USDOT offers this program to fund projects that address the climate crisis by improving resiliency in the transportation system. The four grant categories are: Planning, Resilience Improvements, Community Resilience and Evacuation Routes, and At-Risk Coastal Infrastructure projects.
Information Webinars:
May 8, 1-2 PM: Register here
May 11, 1-2 PM: Register here
Applications due: August 18, 2023.
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DCED offers this grant program to restore and maintain restored streams impaired by uncontrolled discharge of nonpoint source polluted runoff. Projects involve the construction, improvements, expansion, repair, maintenance, or rehabilitation of new or existing watershed protection Best Management Practices (BMPs).
Applications due: May 31, 2023.
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DCED offers this grant to provide for the planning, acquisition, development, rehabilitation, and repair of greenways, recreational trails, open spaces, parks, and beautification projects.
Applications due: May 31, 2023.
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The Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration offers this grant for the deployment of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in publicly accessible locations.
Application Deadline: May 30, 2023.
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DCED offers this grant opportunity to provide for the distribution of unconventional gas well impact fees to counties, municipalities, and Commonwealth agencies.
Applications due: May 31, 2023.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture offers this grant program to provide schools with funding to improve access to healthy, local foods and increase agriculture education opportunities for pre-kindergarten through eighth grade.
Application Deadline: May 19, 2023.
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The Pennsylvania Department of Health continues its mission to increase opportunities for physical activity utilizing the built environment. This program offers grants to public entities and planning organizations for the development of active transportation plans.
Applications due: May 26, 2023.
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PA DEP offers three grants under this program to address nonpoint source pollution through local, watershed-based planning, restoration, and protection efforts.
Applications due: June 23, 2023.
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DCNR offers this grant to provide assistance for volunteer fire service projects throughout the Commonwealth.
Applications due: May 11, 2023.
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