Upper St. Clair Township

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Comprehensive Plan

2015-2025 Comprehensive Plan
On November 2, 2015 by Resolution No. 1605 the Township of Upper St. Clair completed the process of updating our community’s Comprehensive Plan. We embarked on this process to review what we have accomplished to date, and to refine our goals for the future. As in any planning process, the input received from Township residents, business owners, and stakeholders was critical in maintaining a high quality of life in our community.  

In the spring of 2013 the Township selected the consulting firm Environmental Planning and Design to lead the development efforts of the 2015-2025 Comprehensive Plan (the Plan). Through the collaborative efforts of Township residents, the Township Board of Commissioners, the Township Planning Commission, and focus groups the Plan came together. This website served as a fully functional tool for any and all information regarding the Comprehensive Plan. Throughout the last two years the Township worked diligently at outlining the plan to maintain the community as one that is highly regarded for its desirability, safety, and high quality of life. We would like to thank everyone who became engaged in this planning process staying up to speed on plan progress, reviewing meeting notes, adding comments, and discovering future opportunities for involvement.  


a Comprehensive Plan:
  • Documents and illustrates what a community looks like today and what direction it has decided it wants to go for the future; it includes assessments of existing resources and issues, projections of future conditions and needs, and consideration of collective goals and desires.
  • Is a policy guide and provides a framework for future land use decision-making and the physical development of the municipality. It will not only address buildings and infrastructure, it will also include the important social, natural resource and economic values of the community. The Comprehensive plan is a method of translating the community's values into specific actions.
  • Covers an approximate time frame of ten years; it is assumed that shorter-term reviews will keep it current with the changing needs of the community.
  • Is closely integrated with other municipal documents and initiatives, for the recently completed Sidewalks and Bikeways Plan.
  • The Comprehensive Plan is not a zoning ordinance, a subdivision regulation, a budget, a capital improvement program or other regulatory document. It is meant to provide the framework for the development of these implementation tools.

Elements of a Comprehensive Plan:
The comprehensive planning process will result in a final document that will contain a series of chapters covering various topics such as land use, transportation, and recreation serving as a guide for the Board of Commissioners, Planning Commission, and staff when making critical decisions regarding the future of the Township. While final chapters within the plan will be determined throughout the planning process, some of the typical items found within a comprehensive plan include: 

  • Land Use Plan: amount, intensity, and character of future land use including new housing developments, office buildings, or open space
  • Housing Plan: future housing needs, housing options, neighborhood design and character
  • Transportation Plan: travel modes including recommendations regarding how the community plans to move people and goods within the Township
  • Open Space and Recreation: management, protection and access to open space and recreation opportunities both passive and active
  • Implementation: how the goal will be achieved and who will be involved in this process
 
2005 Comprehensive Plan
In 2005 the Township conducted the same Comprehensive Planning process resulting in a working document that continues to serve as a basis for decision making processes today. It is important to note that the Comprehensive Plan is a not a stagnant document, rather one that is constantly revisited as a decision making tool. The 2005 Comprehensive Plan outlined strategic goals within the community that the Township, through dedicated planning and execution, has been able to achieve. Such items include the construction of Community & Recreation Center, the implementation of a Township Traffic Calming Policy, and the construction of critical portions of the Township Sidewalk and Bikeways Plan. Quality of Life Survey Public input is a large and critical part of the comprehensive planning process. Public input allows community members to provide insight and legitimacy to the final recommendations made within the plan. As part of the 2015 Comprehensive Plan update the Township developed and distributed a Quality of Life survey to all residents within the Township both in hard copy and electronic formats. The Quality of Life survey focused on six (6) main topics including municipal services, transportation, recreation and leisure, the Community & Recreation Center, library, and land use. Survey respondents answered a variety of specific questions ranging from their current level of satisfaction with municipal services to suggested improvements to the Community & Recreation Center. At the conclusion of the survey feedback period the Township had received over 1,800 responses. Of those responding, more than 90 percent expressed satisfaction with Upper St. Clair as a place to live moving here primarily for the Township’s schools, variety of housing styles, and location to employment. The continued implementation of sidewalks, bikeways, and trails was identified as a high priority for respondents placing significant emphasis on the ability to navigate to neighborhood schools, shopping destinations, and public transportation. 

Survey Results


Past Events 
Focus Group Session
Date: November 4, 2013
Objective: Key community stakeholders with similar backgrounds and perspectives gathered to share thoughts on issues and opportunities related to future development, capital investments, and the present and future needs of the Township.

Bounty at Boyce Mayview Fall Fest 
Date: November 9, 2013
Objective: Carolyn Yagle, of Environmental Planning and Design, Inc. attended Bounty at Boyce Mayview in order to introduce residents to the initial public input aspect of the 2015-2025 Comprehensive Plan; the Quality of Life Survey. Ms. Yagle distributed cards with a Quick Response Code (QR) inviting event attendees to complete the survey. Ms. Yagle was also available to discuss the Comprehensive Planning process.   

Focus Group Session
Date: November 21, 2013
Objective: Key community stakeholders with similar backgrounds and perspectives gathered to share thoughts on issues and opportunities related to future development, capital investments, and the present and future needs of the Township. 

Public Open House 
Date: August 20, 2014 4:00 P.M.  - 8:00 P.M.
Objective: Township staff in coordination with Environmental Planning and Design conducted a public open house in an effort to provide community members with an opportunity to share their thoughts on the progress of the Comprehensive Plan to date, and the results of the Quality of Life survey. A brief presentation was made at the beginning of each hour followed by time for discussion and comments. 

Links 
Environmental Planning & Design 

Contact 
Should you have any questions or comments regarding the 2015-2025 Comprehensive Plan Update, call 412-831-9000, ext. 5010.