COMMUNITY PLANNING
Joint Zoning Code Update
A big part of completing a regulation change like a Zoning Ordinance overhaul, is to get community input. We have made public outreach a significant portion of our effort, and the results show it. In February we hosted a community meeting to discuss the zoning ordinance and it was attended by more than 70 residents! Please find a transcript of that meeting attached below and an exit interview that was captured on site and shortly thereafter. During that meeting there was also an interactive digital survey completed - called a menti-meter - and that information is included below as well.
And finally our Consultants at ZoneCo created a website to share information and collected feedback. The results from those surveys are listed below.
Our consultant has completed the Zoning Diagnostic Report, which evaluated the zoning provisions of the Boroughs of Ingram and Crafton in their promotion (or interference) with the community objectives identified in the Crafton Ingram Thrive plan (the “Plan”), with the additional planning goals articulated through the community visioning session held on August 18th, 2022, and through interviews with staff.
WHY IS THIS ZONING DIAGNOSTIC REPORT IMPORTANT?
Zoning regulations impact many aspects of a community, including the natural environment, housing availability, the feel of a neighborhood, access to greenspace, health and walkability, entrepreneurial opportunities, and economic stability. Therefore, an effective and efficient zoning
code is paramount to achieving a community’s desired outcomes.
Crafton is updating our zoning, and our consultant has completed their review of what is working, what needs to be updated, and some initial recommendations for zoning changes. You can read the report and an Executive Summary on our website here to learn more and follow along as the zoning project proceeds into 2023.
South Linden Ave Market Study
The Carlynton School District and Crafton Borough own two parcels on South Linden Ave. There has been interest in selling the properties and to ensure all parties get the most out of a sale, the Borough hired a firm to complete a market study of the property. The study reviews the current market trends in the region, the situation as it exists today in Crafton, and examines several potential uses of the property if it is to be sold. The full paper can be accessed here, and the presentation that was presented to Crafton’s Borough Council and the Carlynton School Board can be found here.
Crafton Adopts Master Parks Plan for Borough
On February 9, 2023 Crafton Borough Council voted to adopt the Master Site Development Plan for all Borough owned parks. After the Plan was drafted in March of 2022 the plan was sent to the Commonwealth and was reviewed and approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR). The Plan was created with the assistance of the Landscape Architecture and Community Planning firm Environmental Planning and Design (EPD) over a period of 8 months that kicked off in August in 2021. The plan included extensive community engagement and input that was designed to determine the facts and perceptions of the community and define the goals and principles that would guide the development of the plan. The Plan was funding by a generous grant by the Community Conservation Partnerships Program using the Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund from Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
The Plan makes general Borough-wide recommendations as well as specific recommendations for each park owned by the Borough. The recommendations include developing or improving existing trails to connect community assets, improving access to parks for those with mobility challenges, and creating a more cohesive design for Borough’s largest and most visited park, Crafton Park, among many others. The following parks have specific recommendations in the Plan and an estimate of what those improvements might cost: Crafton Park, Linwood Park, Noble Park, Clearview Trail. The plan also includes recommendations for other properties that are not officially parks or are not yet used as park space including: the Creekside Property, the Northern portion of the Public Works Property, and the Chartiers Creek Trail.
What is Crafton-Ingram Thrive?
Comprehensive Plan Progress Report
The Comprehensive Plan 2019 Progress Report was created to update the public and other Borough officials on what strategic goals Crafton has accomplished since adopting the 2017 Comprehensive Plan, as well as to identify next step strategies and opportunities for community members to get involved and support the Borough’s future work. The Progress Report includes a detailed breakdown of the four key focus areas of Deteriorating Properties, Economic Development, Connectivity + Walkability, and Communications, and explains how the Borough has completed goals and objectives, which goals are a work in progress and how they are being accomplished, and which goals may need to be adjusted to fit the Borough’s scope of services.
We hope you’ll join us in checking off the remaining goals over the next several years!
If you have any questions or would like to provide a comment on this report, please contact the Borough Manager at manager@craftonborough.com or by calling 412-921-0752 ext. 19.
Crafton and Ingram officials worked together to obtain funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and Allegheny County. After a consultant selection process, the two boroughs voted to hire Pashek Associates, a local design and planning firm that leads the field in implementable planning. They were charged with overseeing the development of a comprehensive plan meant to act as a roadmap for both communities, acknowledging them as separate municipalities with many shared qualities and connections.
Crafton-Ingram Thrive was created not just by planners, but by all kinds of people in Crafton and Ingram who care about the future of their boroughs. Citizen participation was encouraged during the drafting phase via community visioning meetings and public outreach. The topics on the plan were not pre-determined, but discovered after focused information-gathering on what areas of interest would be best for Crafton and Ingram, and the final product addresses the unique needs of both communities.
You can see the Crafton-Ingram Thrive Comprehensive Plan by using the link at the top of the page, or by clicking here.
