Urban Research & Development Corporation
Grant Writing, Design and Planning
BOROUGH OF DOWNINGTOWN COMPREHENSIVE PLAN UPDATE
URDC updated the Borough of Downingtown's Comprehensive plan, which required several GIS maps to be created. Those maps include:
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Generalized Existing Land Use
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Future Land Use and Housing Plan
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Road Classifications
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Topography
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Steep Slopes and Woodlands
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Water Features
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Historic Features
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Potential Redevelopment Areas
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Major Community Facilities
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Existing Public Parking Areas
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Chester County Planning Commission Bikeability
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Existing Parks, Trails and Open Space
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Traffic Counts
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Accident Frequency
BOROUGH OF EPHRATA
URDC updated the Borough of Ephrata's Zoning Ordinance, which required new GIS Mapping. The new Zoning Ordinance is coordinated with the Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO). The Zoning Ordinance is much more policy oriented than the SALDO, which is more a technical document used by engineers and surveyors on larger developments to design streets and other improvements.
CARBON COUNTY COMPREHENSIVE AND GREENWAY PLAN
URDC created several maps during the Carbon County Comprehensive and Greenway Plan. The maps include:
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Bedrock Geology
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Educational Facilities
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Existing Generalized Zoning
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Future Land Use Planning:
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Central Section
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Northeastern Section
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Southern Section
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Future Land Use Plan
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Generalized Existing Land Use:
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Central Section
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Northeastern Section
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Southern Section
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Greenway Concept Plan:
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Central Section
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Northeastern Section
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Southern Section
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Hydrology
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Major Community Facilities
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Preserved Farmland & Agricultural Security Areas
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Prime Agricultural Soils
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Recreation Open Space and Trails
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Roadway Classification
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Topography
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Traffic Volume
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Unique Natural Areas
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Woodlands
CITY OF BETHLEHEM COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
URDC authored the latest city-wide comprehensive plan for this historic Lehigh Valley community of over 72,000 people. A major focus of the plan was how to sustain the City’s on-going economic renaissance and cultural development. Several maps were created for the comprehensive plan, they include:
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Generalized Zoning Map
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Historic Preservation Map
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Draft Land Use Map
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Natural Features
CITY OF BETHLEHEM TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY
URDC worked with residents, community activists and trail enthusiasts to complete this study which the City wrote to build upon its trail network and to find ways to enhance recreation and to create a growth environment for recreation based businesses in the City. The study resulted in a prioritized program to expand the City’s trail network using both on and off-road trails, connecting Bethlehem’s trails to destinations outside of the City on regional trail networks.
CITY OF READING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
URDC created several maps during the City of Reading Comprehensive Plan. The maps include:
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Aerial Mapping of:
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Northeast Section
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Northwest Section
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Southern Section
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Draft Land Use Plan
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Existing Land Use Plan
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Existing Zoning
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Historic Districts
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Land Use Issues and Concerns
DARBY CREEK STREAM VALLEY PARK - DELAWARE COUNTY
URDC worked with the Delaware County Planning Department to create a master plan for a park along the Darby Creek corridor. The Darby Creek Stream Valley Park Master Plan provided a long-range guide for park development, emphasizing the development of a trail for foot and nonmotorized traffic. The plan also emphasizes protecting the floodplain, steep slopes and wooded vegetation in the area. Protecting the natural resources will help with flood control and water quality in the Darby Creek.
DAUPHIN COUNTY
URDC worked with HRG to complete the Dauphin County Parks, Recreation, Open Space and Greenway Study. GIS maps were created and utilized during this process. The maps include:
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General Location
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Development Patterns
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Waterways and Watersheds
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Floodplains and Wetlands
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Prime Agricultural Land
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Bedrock Geology
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Steep Slopes
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Natural Areas
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Significant Man-Made Features
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Recreation Sites
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Significant Private Land Holdings
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Historic Features
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Educational and Commerce Facilities
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Dauphin County Parks and Greenways Concept
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Dauphin County Open Space Concept
HAVERFORD TOWNSHIP
Haverford Township is the home of over 50,000 residents, plus many businesses and institutional uses. URDC created a draft Comprehensive Plan which is meant to be used as a guide for development of the community, as well as conservation of features that are valuable to protect. Several GIS maps were created to analyze the Township's existing conditions.
JORDAN CREEK GREENWAY
The Jordan Creek Greenway Feasibility study explores the possibility of developing a 53.5 mile active greenway within the Jordan Creek watershed connecting Jordan Meadow Park in the City of Allentown to the Appalachian Trail along the ridge of Blue Mountain. The maps above show different connections, water features, steep slopes, regional location and other existing features along the proposed greenway.
NAYLOR'S RUN TRAIL FEASIBILITY STUDY
URDC was retained by the Township to study the feasibility of creating a 2.25 mile non-motorized use to trail to traverse the Township linking neighborhoods, schools and parks. The study involved GIS mapping of the area, using aerial photography, existing street and utility locations and property ownership mapping.
TREXLER GAME PRESERVE
Lehigh County hired URDC to create a master site plan to further develop and preserve the County’s 1,100 acre Trexler Game Preserve. GIS Maps were created to understand the relationship of the adjacent county land and state game land to the Trexler Game Preserve.