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I.
Public Participation Process
The Comprehensive Plan
update began with a visioning process that involved an intensive series of
interviews with the following borough-based organizations and officials.
Residents were also invited to a public meeting held on June 30, 1999 at West
Chester Borough Hall.
|
Boards/Committees |
Contact |
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Borough Council: |
|
|
1 |
Parks, Rec., Environ. Protection Committee |
Anne Carroll, Chair |
|
2 |
Public Works Committee |
Eleanor Loper, Chair |
|
3 |
Police & Fire Committee |
Ann Duke, Chair |
|
4 |
Planning/Zoning/Business/Industrial Comm. |
Shannon Royer, Chair |
|
5 |
Parking and Traffic Comm. |
Elizabeth Barr, Chair |
|
Borough Boards and Commissions |
|
|
6 |
Planning Commission |
Michael Gavin, Chair |
|
7 |
Historical & Architectural Review Bd. (HARB) |
Michael Gavin, Chair |
|
8 |
Library Board |
Victoria Dow, Librarian |
|
9 |
Zoning Hearing Board |
Lawrence A. Goldberg, Chair |
|
10 |
Recreation Commission |
Tom Walsh, Chair |
|
Borough Departments |
|
|
11 |
Public Works |
Bob Wilpizeski |
|
12 |
Police |
Sgt. Scott Bohn |
|
13 |
Building and Housing |
Mike Perrone |
|
14 |
Recreation |
Kathy McBratnie |
|
15 |
Finance |
Doug Kapp |
|
16 |
Fire Chief |
Kevin Corcoran |
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17 |
Waste Water Treatment Superintendent |
Carl Scott |
|
Business Organizations |
|
|
18 |
West Chester Area Chamber of Commerce |
Jeanne Brown, Exec. Dir. |
|
19 |
West Chester Area Chamber of Commerce |
Board / Downtown Committee |
|
20 |
Business Improvement District Authority |
Ray Ott, Chair |
|
Borough-wide Organizations |
|
|
21 |
Citizens Business Alliance |
Holly Brown |
|
22 |
Borough Residents Association |
Jim Jones |
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23 |
West Chester Civic Association |
Debbie Donatoni |
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24 |
Town / Gown Committee |
Matt Bricketto |
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Neighborhood Organizations |
|
|
25 |
Civic Action Southeast (CASE) |
Jim Jones |
|
26 |
S. Walnut Street Neighborhood Association |
Diane Lebold |
|
27 |
Friends of Everhart Park |
Susan Frens |
|
28 |
North Central Neighborhood Association |
Shirley Shoffner |
|
29 |
West Gay Street Neighborhood Association |
John Green |
|
--
(Friends of Hoopes Park - Debra Gessner -- not interviewed, formed after
visioning process) |
|
Other Organizations |
|
|
30 |
West Chester Area School District |
|
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31 |
West Chester Community Center |
Wendy Dees, Exec. Dir. |
|
32 |
West Chester YMCA |
Kevin Quinn |
|
33 |
Chester County Historical Society |
Roland Woodward, Exec. Dir. |
|
34 |
West Chester Friends School |
Mary Beth Hemple |
|
35 |
West Chester University |
Mary Anderson, Dir. Public Rel's. |
|
36 |
" " " |
Mathew Bricketto, Dean of Students |
|
37 |
" " " |
Terry Gephart, Facilities Planning |
|
|
Chester County Government |
|
|
38 |
- County Planning Commission |
Lee Whitmore, Transportation |
|
39 |
- County Planning Commission |
Ray Sache, Comp. Plan Oversight |
|
40 |
West Chester YWCA |
Kathy Palmquist, Ex. Dir. |
|
41 |
Chester Co. 2020 |
Dave Davis, Chair |
|
42 |
West Chester Regional Planning Commission |
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A questionnaire was distributed at all meetings to provide
attendants an opportunity to record their opinions about issues in the Borough.
A summary of these responses is listed below. As apparent from these responses,
the Borough’s public services, historic architecture and town setting, and
neighborhood life were features most admired; while less residential density
(mostly in reference to apartment conversions), the need for a grocery store and
better regulation of historic architecture and enforcement of building codes
were the more frequently mentioned improvement needs. A detailed Visioning
Report documenting the results of this process is available as an appendix to
this report.
|
Community Meetings Questionnaire |
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|
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Rate the following on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10
being the most important. |
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Responses |
Median |
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1. Features of West Chester Borough according to
their importance. |
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|
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a. Public services (trash collection, street
cleaning, police, etc.) |
40 |
9.50 |
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b. Opportunity to walk to work. |
39 |
6.00 |
|
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c. Opportunity to walk to downtown and neighborhood
stores. |
40 |
9.00 |
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d. Nearby park and recreation facilities. |
40 |
8.00 |
|
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e. Historic architecture and town setting. |
40 |
10.00 |
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f. Neighbors and neighborhood life. |
39 |
10.00 |
|
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g. Diversity of housing and population. |
39 |
7.00 |
|
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h. Sidewalks |
37 |
8.00 |
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i. Street trees. |
40 |
8.00 |
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j. Downtown business district: |
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|
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(1) Restaurants |
37 |
8.00 |
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(2) Stores / shops. |
36 |
8.50 |
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(3) Services |
34 |
8.00 |
|
|
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(4) Special events (parades, festivals, etc.) |
36 |
8.00 |
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2. Needs to improve the quality of life in West
Chester Borough. |
|
|
|
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a. More neighborhood/residential parking. |
37 |
7.00 |
|
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b. More downtown parking. |
37 |
7.00 |
|
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c. Fewer housing units per block. (less density) |
37 |
9.00 |
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d. Fewer apartments. |
37 |
9.00 |
|
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e. Better security, police protection. |
32 |
7.00 |
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f. More housing opportunities: |
|
|
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(1) Affordable housing |
35 |
6.00 |
|
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(2) Variety of housing types |
34 |
5.00 |
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g. Better regulation of historic architecture and
buildings. |
38 |
9.00 |
|
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h. Better enforcement of building and maintenance
codes. |
38 |
10.00 |
|
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i. Better traffic control. |
38 |
8.00 |
|
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j. Better street lighting. |
35 |
7.00 |
|
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k. Better shopping and services within the borough. |
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|
|
|
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(1) Grocery store/market |
36 |
9.00 |
|
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(2) Restaurants |
34 |
5.00 |
|
|
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(3) Home furnishings, hardware, etc. |
33 |
6.00 |
|
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(4) Clothing, shoes, fashion |
36 |
7.00 |
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