State College Neighborhood Plan
Citizen Planning Workbook
This document has been prepared by the State College Borough Planning Department
for the 2013 State College Neighborhood Planning process.
View the document online at www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
neighborhood planning considers the individual needs and
characteristics of our neighborhoods and their relationship to
the larger community. the state college neighborhood plan will
incorporate the goals and objectives of broad community plans
with citizen-identified challenges and opportunities affecting
our neighborhoods. together, citizens and local leaders will
develop actionable strategies to improve the quality of life in our
neighborhoods.
engage in your neighborhood. engage in our community.
engage in the future.
Why are we planning?
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
1. Read the background
information here to familiarize
yourself with the Neighborhood
Planning process.
2.
Consult the neighborhood
meeting schedule on page
9, and plan to attend your
neighborhood’s activities.
3. Complete the worksheets in
this guide and bring them to your
neighborhood meeting or send
them to the Borough’s Planning
Department.
4. Visit the Neighborhood Planning
page on the Borough’s website to
find additional resources, share
information, and stay up-to-date:
www.statecollegepa.us/
NeighborhoodPlan
5. Share this guide with your
neighbors and encourage them to
participate as well.
Preparing the State College Neighborhood Plan is a collaborative process that
brings residents, elected and appointed officials, and staff to the table to discuss the
challenges and opportunities facing our neighborhoods in order to establish a shared
vision for the future.
The State College Neighborhood Plan
was born out of the Planning Commission’s
update of the 1994 Highlands Area Plan. The
Commission participated in neighborhood
planning meetings with the residents of the
Highlands and reviewed a first draft of the
2012 neighborhood plan. At that time, the
Commission felt it would be beneficial to
prepare a single neighborhood plan for the
Borough. The purpose of this plan is to
identify common themes affecting all of the
Borough’s neighborhoods and to consider
the character and concerns of the individual
neighborhoods.
Throughout 2013, the State College
Planning Commission and Borough staff
will be working with the neighborhoods
to identify neighborhood issues, shape
recommendations,
and
prepare
an
implementation plan. This collaboration will
formulate a 10 year plan for the Borough’s
neighborhoods.
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| 2013 STATE COLLEGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
The purpose of this Citizen Planning
Workbook is to engage all of our residents in
the neighborhood planning process. In order
for any neighborhood plan to be successful,
it must be based on the real issues that affect
an area from the perspective of the people
that live there, and also include the technical
expertise needed to prepare implementable
strategies. The plan must be created through
a collaborative process so that both the
residents of the neighborhood and Borough
officials can take ownership of the plan and
recognize their role in its implementation.
This guide includes information to help
residents of the Borough’s neighborhoods
learn more about the planning process. It also
provides creative opportunities for residents
to become engaged in the process and have
their say in the future of their neighborhoods.
Levels of Planning in the
Centre Region
what is planning?
Planning is a process through which we can
establish a shared vision for State College. State College
leaders work to ensure that this is a collaborative
process which involves citizens, representatives from
the business community, our civic leaders and other
community entities. The goal of our planning activities
is to inventory what currently exists and assess
the missing pieces and areas of opportunity. This
assessment helps staff, elected officials and residents
prepare strategies, programs and policies that will
improve the quality of life in State College.
Sometimes, the planning process is thought
of as only considering the zoning and infrastructure
concerns that are associated with a particular project.
However, planning must consider not only the
physical and regulatory needs, but also the social,
environmental and economic characteristics that
ensure the sustainability of State College. In addition
to zoning and redevelopment opportunities, our
planning efforts include actions that can be taken to
improve housing opportunities, community building,
employment, economic stability and natural resources.
Neighborhood planning is a process that
is specific to a sub-area of our community. This
level of planning considers the individual needs
and characteristics of our neighborhoods and their
relationship to the larger community. Neighborhood
planning can be more specific, sometimes focusing on
one or more aspects of planning in greater detail than
others. For example, a neighborhood plan may include
more strategies related to community relations and
homeownership than to zoning issues and economic
development.
Successful neighborhood plans for State
College are achieved when individuals that live in
and frequently use our neighborhoods work together
with those that have technical knowledge in order to
identify goals that can be implemented.
Planning is important because it helps us
guide the change and improvement of our community
toward a vision that is shared by its stakeholders.
Through planning, a clear set of goals, objectives, and
needs can be identified. A careful plan can identify
valuable community resources including infrastructure,
social capital and monetary resources that can help
us implement the goals and objectives of a plan.
Additionally, a plan that represents the interests of the
many stakeholders can help inform our community’s
leaders and decision makers in order to ensure that our
vision is represented when new actions are taken.
Neighborhood planning presents an
opportunity to consider the goals and objectives
of region-wide and Borough-wide plans, combine
them with the priorities of each neighborhood, and
determine the best method for implementation of
these goals. The 2013 State College Neighborhood
Plan will outline the goals that affect the Borough
and the Centre Region, the unique concerns of each
neighborhood, and determine a level of priority for
addressing those goals within each neighborhood.
CITIZEN PLANNING WORKBOOK |
5
Centre
Region
Comprehensive
Plan is a region-wide plan for the 6
municipalities that participate in the
Council of Governments. It considers the
relationships among these municipalities
when establishing over arching goals and
objectives for: Land Use, Transportation,
Natural and Historic Resources, Housing,
Community Services & Facilities, Open
Space & Recreation, Sustainability,
Community & University Relations, and
Economic Development. The plan is
currently being updated.
State College Land Area Plan identifies
specific goals and policies for future land
use and development in the Borough and
parts of Ferguson and College Townships,
including:
Stable
Neighborhoods,
Commercial
Redevelopment
Areas,
Gateways & Corridors, Greenways,
Community & University Integration,
Environmental Protection, Neighborhood
Commercial
Opportunities,
and
Transitional Areas.
State College Neighborhood Plan will
incorporate relevant goals and objectives
of the regional plans with the citizenidentified challenges and opportunities that
are affecting the Borough’s neighborhoods.
Strategies that are developed in this plan
will be actionable, and will be championed
by neighborhood leaders, elected officials
and Borough staff.
2009 Borough
Strategic Plan Initiatives
Goal 1: Maintain Safe, stable, attractive
neighborhoods
A. Improve Neighborhood Programs*
B. Encourage Homeownership by
expanding current programs and
exploring new programs*
Goal 2: Improve operational support
systems to enhance productivity
Goal 3: Partner with local, regional and
state entities to expand cooperative
opportunities to obtain funding for key
initiatives
Goal 4: Expand housing opportunities
A. Establish partnership with hospitals,
lenders and key employers to create
housing opportunities for staff in
neighborhoods*
B. Implement a joint housing program
C. Determine the student housing market
in order to direct the demand in select
areas (from R1 and R2 zoning districts)
Borough strategic plan
The 2009 Borough Council Strategic Plan
identifies the mission and core values for State College.
According to this plan, the Borough’s mission is to
enhance the quality of life by fostering a safe, vibrant,
diverse and sustainable community. Preparing locallevel plans that address these goals helps to ensure that
this mission is carried out.
The consulting team that assisted in the
Strategic Plan preparation identified State College
as a desirable community, with a quality of life that
was important to maintain and enhance. It noted the
following features that makes State College a unique
community in Pennsylvania:
•
•
A small but active downtown
Livable neighborhoods close to the commercial
center
Educational and cultural opportunities afforded
by the presence of a major university
Nearby rural areas
•
•
The consulting team also reported that
the Borough’s governance is a strong, efficient
organization. However, it reported that declining
tax and revenue bases and high expectations from the
community for services will pose challenges to “doing
business as usual” over the next several years. In order
to address these concerns, the strategic plan outlines a
path and focus for a 3-5 year time frame. It suggests
that the 6 major goals identified in the strategic plan will
“ultimately achieve a return on investment in terms of
revenue growth, sustainability of the neighborhoods,
diversity of the tax base and development of the
downtown and key commercial corridors.”
The plan’s 6 major goals are listed at the
left. Each of the goals includes specific objectives
that are expected to help achieve these goals. The
objectives from this plan that are most influential on
neighborhood-level planning efforts are also listed.
Council’s highest priority objectives are indicated with
an asterisk.
Borough Documents on the Web
By visiting the Borough’s homepage, www.statecollegepa.us, you
can find links to many Borough services and information, important local
announcements, upcoming events and even participate in the Engage State
College community discussion forum.
Goal 5: Continue to improve public
spaces and community infrastructure
A. Implement recommendations from
the sustainability report*
On the homepage, the tab “Online Services” includes a link to the “Document Center.”
By visiting the Document Center, you can access public documents for Borough Council, the ABC’s,
other departments such as Planning or Ordinance Enforcement, and by the topical areas of the
projects that the Borough and its partners are pursuing.
Goal 6: Foster commercial revitalization
*Indicated as high priority item by Borough Council.
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| 2013 STATE COLLEGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
neighborhood sustainability
Neighborhood sustainability is frequently
cited as a critical issue impacting the quality of life
in the Borough’s residential areas. However, it is
somewhat unclear as to what the term “neighborhood
sustainability” refers.
Additionally, the Borough frequently partners
with the National Research Center to conduct a
survey of Borough residents. This survey, called the
National Citizens Survey, is randomly distributed
throughout the community. The survey helps local
leaders understand residents’ overall impressions of
quality of life, provision of services and strength of
neighborhoods and the community. When considered
together with other input, these tools help civic
leaders and decision-makers understand the overall
condition and impressions of the community and its
neighborhoods, and discuss programmatic or policy
updates that can help improve the quality of life in
State College.
In the context of our neighborhood
planning efforts, neighborhood sustainability refers
to much more than environmental sustainability
considerations. It also refers to social, economic
and physical sustainability as well. The Borough
considers neighborhood sustainability to be the
condition within a residential area in which quality of
life is high. Neighborhood sustainability is a state in
which considerable effort is given to recognizing and
building upon the strengths of an area and minimizing Overall, neighborhood sustainability is
its threats. A sustainable neighborhood recognizes the about how we can work together to make our
values that are shared by its residents and portrays them
neighborhoods work for all the residents that
in a way that is observed by the larger community.
live in them.
Neighborhood sustainability not only
addresses the maintenance and enhancement
of current conditions, but also ensures that
actions and attitudes promote the continued
success of the neighborhood long into the
future.
The Borough produces a Neighborhood
Sustainability Report each year outlining critical
neighborhood conditions and their trends. The report
provides trends in housing, particularly in conversion
of owner-occupied housing to rental housing,
ordinance violations, crime, and other conditions and
seeks to make connections to larger community issues
that may contribute to changes in the trends.
As a college community, State College’s
neighborhoods will always face the challenge of
balancing a wide variety of residents, housing types
and lifestyles. By working together, and planning
together, we can get a better sense of what our
different neighborhood residents’ needs are, how
to accommodate them and how to balance them
with other community needs. Achieving sustainable
neighborhoods means that our student and nonstudent neighbors work together with Borough
officials to solve problems and understand how our
neighborhoods can thrive. This will help mitigate
lifestyle conflicts and improve quality of life for all.
CITIZEN PLANNING WORKBOOK |
7
Understanding our
Neighborhood Conditions
Existing Neighborhood Plans have been
the guiding documents for neighborhoodlevel implementation of the Borough’s
goals for many years.
Highlands Area Plan 1994
College Heights Neighborhood Plan 1995
SC South, Nittany Hills East & Penfield
Plan 1999
Holmes-Foster & Urban Village
Report 2001
West End Revitalization Plan 2007
F8 Report is a project to address adverse
behavior in certain neighborhoods during
each PSU fall semester. It is a partnership
of the Borough, Penn State and Centre
Region COG, who meet on a weekly basis
each fall. The report analyzes various
offenses and their relationship to sporting
& community events and annual trends.
National Citizens Survey provides the
Borough with an understanding of
residents’ feelings regarding quality of
Borough services, community pride, desire
to participate in community events, and
other local issues.
Planning Process
2013
Neighborhood Focus Groups
All meetings are held at 7pm
Preparing the State College Neighborhood Plan will take place during 2013. Each
neighborhood will be engaged in conversations regarding strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats as well as helping local leaders establish neighborhood
planning strategies and priorities.
May 7: All Neighborhoods
South of the Parkway
Our Lady of Victory
820 Westerly Parkway
May 14: Holmes-Foster
Unity Church
140 N. Gill Street
June 4: Highlands
Grace Lutheran Church
205 S. Garner
June 11: College Heights
Catholic Student Center
Park Avenue
To find resources for and recordings of these meetings, please
visit:
www.statecollegepa.us
/Neighborhoodplan
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| 2013 STATE COLLEGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
process and goals
The information gathered as part of the
process to update the Highlands Area Plan in 2012 will
shape the structure of the State College Neighborhood
Plan and the methods for engaging neighbors will
guide the process for this effort. The structure of the
State College Neighborhood Plan is outlined on page
10 of this guide.
From January to March of 2013, Planning
Commission and Planning Staff will meet with
residents of the neighborhoods to review past
neighborhood plans, discuss the neighborhood’s
existing conditions and conduct a SWOT Analysis.
A SWOT Analysis is a tool for discussing the
neighborhood’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats. This will help our community and its
leaders understand what challenges are more pressing
for particular neighborhoods, so that strategies can be
prioritized to address them.
During May and June of 2013, Planning
Commission and Planning Staff will again meet
with the neighborhood residents to summarize the
results of the SWOT Analysis and discuss potential
strategies and solutions to address neighborhood
concerns.
In the Fall of 2013, the neighborhoods will
be asked to participate in additional activities such
as an Asset Map and Implementation Workshop.
These workshops will help to identify resources and
individuals that have the capacity to become champions
for the plans. They will also help to identify individual
neighborhood planning priorities and develop time
lines and criteria for implementation.
The purpose of the State College
Neighborhood Plan is to provide an accurate
evaluation of the neighborhoods’ conditions and to
develop a series of recommendations that will guide
neighborhood-level planning activities in order to
achieve the following goals:
Goal 1: Analyze neighborhood trends and
conditions in such a way that neighborhood
residents, community leaders and Borough Council
and staff can identify an appropriate framework for
future decision making;
Goal 2: Outline a direction for the future of the
neighborhoods that represents the needs and
desires of current and future residents and furthers
the mission of the Borough’s Strategic Plan and
regional plan goals.
Goal 3: Provide actionable strategies that give
guidance to Borough Council and the boards and
commissions when making decisions regarding
growth and development of the Borough
neighborhoods.
Goal 4: Identify strategies for improving
neighborhood programs, encouraging and
expanding home ownership, and revitalizing critical
neighborhood commercial areas and public spaces.
Goal 5: Focus on initiatives for the neighborhoods
residents and systems that will lead to a socially,
economically and environmentally sustainable
neighborhood.
CITIZEN PLANNING WORKBOOK |
9
Other Neighborhood Planning
Meetings in 2013
Neighborhood Planning
SWOT Analysis
Planning Commission and Staff met
with groups of residents to discuss
neighborhoods’ strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats. Recordings
from these meetings can be found on www.
statecollegepa.us/Neighborhoodplan
January 8 & 10
February 12 & 21
March 12 & 14
Asset Mapping & Implementation
Workshops
Using methodologies recommended
by the Spring 2013 Community and
Economic Development Senior Capstone
Course, Planning Commission and
Staff will conduct a community asset
mapping exercise and meet with groups
of neighborhoods in order to prioritize
neighborhood planning strategies and
develop an implementation model. These
meetings will take place during the fall of
2013 at times and locations that will be
announced later this year.
neighborhood plan outline
2013 State College
Neighborhood Plan
Neighborhood Planning
Workshops
Chapter 1:
Why prepare a
neighborhood
plan?
College
Heights
Highlands
Chapter 2:
What should I
know about this
plan?
Nittany
Hills East
& Penfield
Vallamont
Chapter 3:
What is
happening in our
neighborhoods?
SC South
The “What is happening in our neighborhoods?” chapter will create
a profile for each neighborhood, which are identified on the Borough of State
College Neighborhood Map (page 8). This profile will contain a review of
prior neighborhood planning efforts, their implementation, a summary of
neighborhood trends, and an outline of current physical, social and economic
conditions. It will also outline the results of the neighborhood’s meeting
exercises, Citizen Planning Worksheets that are submitted, and resources that
might be identified for implementation strategies.
10
Neighborhood Plan
Citizen Workbook
Chapter 4:
Establishing a
neighborhood
vision
Tusseyview
Greentree
Chapter 5:
Are we reaching
our vision?
Orchard
Park
Holmes
Foster
The “Establishing a neighborhood vision” chapter will outline
recommendations for improving the quality of life in the Borough’s
neighborhoods. These strategies will relate to Neighborhood Facilities &
Appearance, Neighborhood Sustainability, and Neighborhood and Community
Relations. The recommendations will be generated through a series of
neighborhood workshops, and each neighborhood will help prioritize which of
the recommendations are of highest priority to them.
| 2013 STATE COLLEGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
other details of the plan
Reviewing Neighborhood
Plan Information
It is the intention of the State College Planning Commission and Borough Staff to make sure
that the State College Neighborhood Plan has the following characteristics.
The Plan will be INFORMED by the
neighborhood residents and stakeholders, local
officials, and Borough Staff to ensure that it is
realistic.
The Plan will be ACTIONABLE. This
means that it will include strategies that can
be implemented by residents, neighborhood
associations, Council and the ABC’s, and staff.
The Plan will be ENGAGING so that citizens
learn about their neighborhood and its relationship
to the larger community, and are inspired to get
involved, stay involved, and take action.
The Plan’s recommendations will be
MEASURABLE. They will be developed under the
guidance of technical expertise, given time lines
and champions, and methods for evaluation.
Highlands Plan 2012
The best way to gain an understanding of
how the process will work and what your
participation will contribute, is to view the
work that was done with the Highlands
Neighborhood in 2012.
You can view this information by visiting
the “Document Center” on the Borough’s
website. Go to the Planning Department
folder, select the “State College
Neighborhood Plan” folder, and then
choose the Highlands Plan folder. You can
also find recordings of the neighborhood
meetings by visiting CNET’s website,
www.cnet1.org, and watching the State
College Planning Commission’s May 17
and September 13, 2012 meetings.
Neighborhood Plans 2013
As neighborhood workshops are held
and various reports are generated, these
documents and recordings will be available
on the Borough’s website, Document
Center, CNET and social media sites. In
the Document Center, you will be able
to browse folders for each neighborhood
and review the documents that have been
prepared. Instructions for finding these
resources are provided on pages 6 and 12
of this workbook.
CITIZEN PLANNING WORKBOOK |
11
Gathering SWOT Analysis
What is a SWOT Analysis?
A SWOT Analysis is useful
tool to create an inventory
of the strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats of a
particular neighborhood.
The Planning Commission met
with each of State College’s
neighborhoods between January
and March of 2013 to conduct
neighborhood SWOT Analysis.
The results of these analysis
showed that our neighborhoods
have many common strengths
and opportunities, but also have
some unique challenges to address
through planning efforts.
The input from these SWOT
Analysis have been summarized on
the following pages. To see more
details about the input from these
meetings, browse the resources
available on the Neighborhood
Planning website.
Overall, State College residents feel that our neighborhoods are a great place to live.
We should focus our planning efforts on enhancing our opportunities and mitigating
our threats in order to ensure our neighborhoods remain safe, stable and attractive.
Input from each of the Planning Commission’s •
neighborhood meetings is being collected for each
individual neighborhood as well as to help inform on •
the common themes and planning strategies for all
of the Borough’s neighborhoods. Below are some
of the common themes shared by the Borough’s •
neighborhoods.
•
Diversity of Borough’s neighborhoods are a
strength as long as stable and well-maintained
Great access to parks and recreation; close
proximity to public and private amenities;
accessibility via most modes of transportation
Should work to attract more residents to
our neighborhoods, including families, young
professionals and work-force housing
Many opportunities for implementing or updating
programs and policies that promote and protect
homeownership
Protect and reinvest in the Borough’s
neighborhoods as the Centre Region continues to
grow
Collaboration and consistency
among
regulations and the agencies enforcing them
Increased communications and recordkeeping among Borough officials, landlords and
neighborhood residents
•
•
•
•
•
•
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| 2013 STATE COLLEGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
More opportunities for community dialogue on
issues important to the community
Continue to improve town-gown relations and
relationships between student and non-student
neighbors
Discuss
location
and
formulation
of
neighborhood boundaries
Each individual neighborhood’s SWOT
Analysis yielded additional issues of interest to their
residents, including particular streets for improvements
or a suggested location for new neighborhood
amenities. However, most of the neighborhoods cited
these important issues as having an influence on their
neighborhood and needing to be addressed in the
Neighborhood Plan. Several reports and outlines have
been prepared to summarize the input from the SWOT
Analysis meetings. These reports reflect neighborhood
input both in terms of each neighborhoods’ individual
contributions, as well as a comparative analysis of all
of the collective issues that were raised Borough-wide.
To view these reports, visit:
www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
planning strategies
The information gathered as part of the
SWOT Analysis have helped inform a series of
neighborhood planning strategies. These strategies
provide broad categories that will help shape a
successful Neighborhood Plan that addresses both
citizen-identified issues as well as incorporating other
Borough and Regional planning issues. For each
of these strategies, a series of action steps will be
formulated. These strategies and action steps will be
our neighborhoods’ blue print for achieving positive
change and improving quality of life.
Defining SWOT’s
Renter and Owner Occupied Housing
Maintain a high level of enforcement for Borough
Ordinances and policies that affect housing stock and
maintenance
Create programs and partnerships for improving
management of rental housing
Increase homeownership and programs that help
employers find affordable housing for their employees
These strategies state that, at minimum, Consider the impacts on neighborhood sustainability
a successful neighborhood plan will address the as the Centre Region experiences growth
following neighborhood planning issues:
Neighborhood Facilities & Appearance
Maintain neighborhood aesthetics, high quality
housing stock and cultural and historic resources
Protect existing neighborhood activity, social and
commercial centers and enhance these amenities in
order to serve the neighborhoods’ residents
Explore opportunities for increasing environmental
sustainability
Address neighborhood-scale vehicular safety and
efficiency
Improve non-vehicular connections among
neighborhood, Borough and Campus amenities
Neighbor to Neighbor Relations
Maintain and expand diversity (generational,
occupational, income and family status) of
neighborhood residents and improve relationships
between student and non-student residents
Improve communications between neighborhood
residents and Borough Council and Staff
Improve communications with neighboring
municipalities and regional agencies in order to
coordinate and discuss impacts of future decisionmaking
Market the positive benefits of living in the
Borough’s neighborhoods
CITIZEN PLANNING WORKBOOK |
13
SWOT Analysis are useful for providing
an inventory of
neighborhood
characteristics:
Strength a strength is a characteristic
that provides a positive contribution to
neighborhood quality of life
Weakness a weakness is a characteristic
that detracts from neighborhood quality
of life
Opportunity an opportunity is a
characteristic that could become a strength
if enhanced or preserved
Threat a threat is a characteristic that could
become a weakness if it is not mitigated or
addressed
Neighborhood
Planning Strategies
represent areas of opportunity for
neighborhood improvement that have
been identified through the SWOT
Analysis process. These will help guide
and shape specific actions that will be
incorporated in the plan.
Participate in the Process
Use the worksheets in this
section to participate in
the Neighborhood Planning
process!
Each worksheet includes
basic instructions. Those that
correspond with a scheduled
meeting are noted.
Fill these out before or during
one of the neighborhood
planning workshops in 2013. If
you can’t make it, feel free to
submit them to the Borough’s
Planning Department at one of
the locations below:
“The Best Neighborhoods are not Utopias. They are places where people care about
one another enough to know there are few problems that can’t be solved by working
together.” - Colombo and Balizer, Neighborhood Planning website
The neighborhood meetings that will take
place in 2013 will bring neighborhood residents and
members of the Borough’s Planning Commission
and Staff together to discuss the opportunities and
challenges facing the Borough’s neighborhoods. The
information in this workbook should provide you with
the background you need to jump into the planning
process. This section includes activities that help you
organise your ideas and submit them before during the
neighborhood meetings and planning process.
These activities give you a creative opportunity
to share your thoughts on the big issues affecting your
neighborhood. These exercises help you to evaluate
the physical, environmental and social aspects of your
neighborhood and submit checklists and photos to
help illustrate your ideas. It also highlights other ways
to state engaged in this process and other projects.
Ways to be Engaged
#1: Attend the neighborhood meetings & complete activities in this Citizen Planning Workbook
#2: Frequently check the Neighborhood Planning webpage for
resources to download, to upload photos, and submit worksheets.
www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
#3: Follow updates on the Borough’s Social Media sites:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BoroughofStateCollege
www.facebook.com/StateCollegeNeighborhoods
Twitter: @SCB Neighborhoods
Mail or Drop Off:
Planning Department
243 S. Allen Street
Second Floor
#4: Share feedback on community topics on: www.statecollegepa.us/EngageSC
Email a PDF:
#5: Contact the Planning Department at the addresses to the left, or call 814-234-7109.
[email protected]
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| 2013 STATE COLLEGE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN
Worksheet #1
Share y
our
sending map by
it to the
Plannin
g Depar
tment!
Mental Map of your Neighborhood
What is a mental map?
A mental map represents your understanding of a place, based on
your experiences in that place. Many geographers and urban planners use
mental maps to understand people’s perceptions of a place, their preferences,
and routes or buildings they frequently use. Mental maps can be constructed
using pictures, drawings, symbols and words. The arrangement, size and scale
of the elements of a mental map sheds light on things an individual likes and
things that they might view as impediments. For example, psychologists have
studied mental maps of the world, for which individuals were asked to draw the
countries without looking at a map. This study showed that countries people
lived in, frequently visited, or those that were regularly in the news were often
times drawn larger than geographically correct or more accurately than those
countries people were unfamiliar with. This helps planners understand how
certain factors affect people’s awareness of and participation in places.
How will my mental map be used for neighborhood planning?
Use your mental map to show us what your neighborhood looks like
from your point-of-view. You can help Borough officials understand where
residents consider their neighborhood boundary to be and why, and how each
neighborhood relates to the rest of the Borough. A series of mental maps can
help highlight neighborhood concerns, opportunities for enhancements, and
amenities that should be protected.
Drawing your map
To help get you started, here are a few suggestions for things you can show on
your map.
1. Where are your neighborhood boundaries?
What distinguishes
your neighborhood from the surrounding neighborhoods? What links it to the
surrounding neighborhoods and the rest of the Borough?
2. Where are some places within your neighborhood you visit on a
daily or weekly basis? (Add a label so we know what it is!)
Show us your regular visits by marking them with an
x
3. What routes do you take to get around? What routes do you frequently
drive? Where do you walk or bike? If you ride the bus, where is your bus
stop? What should I map?
Your mental map should represent your neighborhood from your
point-of-view. Include your home, and map any of the other buildings,
houses, streets, transportation routes, landmarks and unique features that you
think are important in your neighborhood. You can do this by drawing, using
words, taking pictures, or any other creative means you have of showing your
neighborhood. The only thing we ask is that you don’t use a map while
drawing. Do this exercise using your understanding of your neighborhood
based on the experiences you’ve had and the images you can recall in your mind.
Show us your neighborhood boundaries with a
Show us how you get around using
where
the circles mark your start and end destinations. Add ‘Car,’
‘Walk,’ ‘Bike,’ or ‘Bus’ to the line so we know what mode you use for
these trips.
4. What places or features are important to your neighborhood?
Show us by marking them with a X
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Neighborhood: _______________________________ Your Address (optional): _____________________________
R
U
O
Do we have permission to use your map in the 2013 State College Neighborhood Plan? Y ___ N ___
Draw Y !
e
r
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Neighborhood Walking (Biking) Audit
What is a walking audit?
A traditional walking, or biking, audit is a useful tool for evaluating the
safety and walkability of a particular area. A walking audit helps community
members, transportation planners, engineers, urban designers and elected
officials investigate the conditions of a pedestrian or bike route by applying
a set of criteria or answering a series of questions. Conducting walking and
biking audits can help highlight areas where sidewalks or pedestrian paths are in
need of repair or where facilities do not provide access to the places that people
want to travel. The walking audit worksheet for our neighborhoods includes
more than just the physical characteristics of our pedestrian and bike paths. It
includes some information about what you see on your audit and how likely
you would be to using these pathways if additional amenities were in place or if
perceived obstacles were resolved.
Step 1: Choose a Route (Option: Draw a map of the route on the last page.)
Starting Location: ___________________________________
Ending Location: ___________________________________
Other streets I used during my route: ______________________
___________________________________________________
My reason for choosing this route:
How will my walking audit be used for neighborhood planning?
By choosing a route in your neighborhood and evaluating it, you are
helping the Planning Commission and Planning Staff determine locations that
could be considered for future improvements in your neighborhood. Or, you
may live in a neighborhood that has very high quality pedestrian and bike routes
that can serve as a model for other areas of the Borough. Overall, this will add
value to the plan by providing insight as to what enhancements could be made
to further the Borough’s goals of improving the livability of our neighborhoods
and increasing transportation options.
How do I conduct an audit?
This worksheet tells you all you need to know. Just pick a route (or
download extra worksheets and pick several routes). You can use the route you
walk on a daily basis, the route you take to your child’s school, your Halloween
Trick-or-Treat route, or a route to a destination you would like to be able to visit
more easily. Take this worksheet, a pen, and a camera. Answer these questions
along the way. Feel free to write other notes on this worksheet if you notice
things that haven’t been addressed in the questions, and take lots of pictures (of
the good and bad) to share!
This is my route to work, class, or daily errands
This is the route to my child’s school
This is the route to a destination I would like to visit
Other: _______________________________________
I am traveling this route (check all that apply):
On foot
By bike
With a friend or family member
During what season: ____________________________
In what weather condition: _______________________
At what time of day: ____________________________
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RATING SCALE:
Step 2: Evaluate your Route
1. Was your walk or bike ride pleasant?
Yes
I had a few problems:
Needs more landscaping
Needs more lighting
There was too much traffic
Noise/Smells
Litter and/or trash
People/animals disturbed me
My destination is out of the way
Other: _______________________________
Location of problems: _______________________________
2. What path did you use & how was the condition?
Sidewalk
Bike Path/Shared Use Path
Trail
Street
I had to make my own path
The condition of this path was: (see rating scale above)
1
2
3
4
5
many
problems
some
problems
good
very few
problems
excellent
4. If you biked, how did you make your ride safer?
Didn’t Bike I used these safety practices:
Wore a bicycle helmet
Obeyed traffic signal and signs
Rode with (not against) traffic
Signaled my turns
Used lights, if at night
Wore bright or reflective clothing
Was courteous to other travelers
Other: _______________________________
5. How did drivers behave on during your audit?
Just Fine
I had some problems:
Drivers didn’t yield to pedestrians
Drivers didn’t obey speed limits
I was cut off by a motorist
Drivers weren’t aware of me
Other: _______________________________
6. What types of facilities did you pass along the way? (Check all
Ease of walking on route: (wide, clear of obstructions)
that apply.)
1
2
3
4
5
Houses and/or apartments
Shops and/or restaurants
Ease of crossing at intersections:
Grocery store
1
2
3
4
5
Services (Laundry Mat, Car Repair, Post Office, etc.)
Offices
3. Did your path go to your destination without any detours?
Schools, churches or other community centers
Yes
No
Recreation trails, parks, or forested areas
If no, where did you run into problems: ___________________ Neighborhood gathering space (a coffee shop, plaza, or other
__________________________________________________ popular hang out)
__________________________________________________ Other: ____________________________________________
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7. How would you rate the quality of the facilities you passed?
1
2
3
4
5
11. Which of these would encourage you to walk or bike more
frequently? (Check all that apply.)
Nothing
Maybe some things:
8. Did you stop somewhere along your route? If yes, please briefly Dedicated path to my destination
describe where you stopped and why. For example, “I stopped at the
My destination was closer
post office because I had to drop off a letter.”
There were more things to do along the route
The weather was better
Yes
No, I traveled the route without stopping
If I had more time
Where & Why: ______________________________________ If I could run errands easily by walk/bike
__________________________________________________ If I had proper training about bicycle safety
If drivers were more considerate
9. Did you discover anything new? Did you find something you did
If I had a better understanding of the benefits
not know existed, or did this audit generate interest for you to do
of walking or riding versus driving
something new along this route?
Other: _______________________________
Yes
No, I am very familiar with this route
What and Where: ____________________________________ Are there any other observations you made that you want to share?
__________________________________________________ Anything we should have asked but didn’t? Use the back of this
sheet to share any additional thoughts and evaluations?
10. How often do you walk or bike for the following reasons?
(Please rate: 1= Never, 3=Sometimes, 5=Everyday)
Step 3: Share your Evaluation
Share this information with the Borough Planning Department by
For necessities like grocery shopping or getting to work?
bringing this filled out evaluation, and any other supporting materials
1
2
3
4
5
you may have collected to a neighborhood meeting. You can also drop
For fun activities like visiting friends and going for a cup of coffee? it off at our office at 243 S. Allen St. If you took photos you would like
to share, visit the neighborhood planning page.
1
2
3
4
5
For recreation or exercise?
1
2
3
4
5
Upload photos and completed worksheets:
www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
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This page intentionally left blank for additional walking audit notes, maps and observations.
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Neighborhood SWOT Analysis
What is a SWOT Analysis?
A SWOT Analysis is an inventory of strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities and threats. A SWOT can be conducted as part of the planning
process at many different levels. This analysis helps planners and community
members to recognize and build upon their strengths and opportunities and
mitigate weaknesses and threats.
How will my SWOT analysis be used for neighborhood planning?
The issues that you identify as strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and
threats will be included in an analytical report for your neighborhood. It will
help to highlight things that are working well and position those features that
have potential to succeed. It will also help identify weaknesses and threats that
need to be addressed through policies and programs, and proactively address
things that could become weaknesses in the future.
How do I conduct a SWOT analysis?
Use the definitions and examples of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats that are listed on this page as your guide. Think about your entire
neighborhood and all of its residents and about its relationship to the rest of the
Borough. What do you feel is going well and where do you see opportunities for
change? You can use a few words or a sentence to help the Planning Commission
understand what features you are identifying. You can even take photos of the
things you list here and submit them on the Borough’s Neighborhood Planning
page. Share this information at a neighborhood meeting or submit it to the
Borough in any of the ways listed in the Neighborhood Planning Workbook.
Upload photos and completed worksheets:
www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
Elements of a SWOT Analysis
Strengths are features that directly contribute to the quality of life
in the neighborhood and should be preserved.
Example: “My neighborhood has many active and engaged residents.”
Weaknesses are features that detract from the quality of life in the
neighborhood and should be addressed.
Example: “Housing is too expensive, preventing new families from moving into
my neighborhood.”
Opportunities are features that could become strengths in the
neighborhood if they are enhanced.
Example: “A vacant house on my block could be rehabilitated to bring a new
resident to the neighborhood.”
Threats are features in the neighborhood that could become weaknesses if not properly addressed.
Example: “My neighbors and I have experienced some safety problems when
using the pedestrian crossing at the end of our block.”
Complete your SWOT on the reverse side.
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Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
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Worksheet #4
Neighborhood Planning Strategies
What are Planning Strategies?
Neighborhood Planning Strategies represent areas of opportunity
for neighborhood improvement that have been identified through the SWOT
Analysis process. These will help guide and shape specific actions that will
be incorporated in the plan and help identify each neighborhood’s planning
priorities. Use this worksheet to indicate those strategies you feel are of highest
importance for neighborhood planning. Check the top five (5) priority issues Neighborhood (optional): ________________________________________
for your neighborhood.
___ Create programs and partnerships for improving management of rental housing
Neighborhood Planning Strategies
Neighborhood Facilities & Appearance
___ Maintain neighborhood aesthetics, high quality housing stock and cultural and historic resources
___ Protect existing neighborhood activity, social and commercial centers and enhance these amenities in order to serve the neighborhoods’ residents
___ Increase homeownership and programs that help employers find affordable housing for their employees
___ Consider the impacts on neighborhood sustainability as the Centre Region experiences growth
Neighbor to Neighbor Relations
___ Maintain and expand diversity (generational, occupational, income ___ Explore opportunities for increasing environmental sustainability
___ Address neighborhood-scale vehicular safety and efficiency
___ Improve non-vehicular connections among neighborhood, Borough and Campus amenities
­­­
___
Improve communications between neighborhood residents and Borough Council and Staff
Owner & Renter Occupied Housing
___ Improve communications with neighboring municipalities and regional agencies in order to coordinate and discuss impacts of future decision-making
___ Maintain a high level of enforcement for Borough Ordinances and policies that affect housing stock and maintenance
and family status) of neighborhood residents and improve relationships between student and non-student residents
___ ­­­­Market the positive benefits of living in the Borough’s neighborhoods
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Worksheet #5
Brainstorming Planning Actions
What are Planning Actions?
Planning Actions are the steps that will help implement the plan’s
strategies. They will provide direction on how to achieve the intended goals of
the plan and will include steps that can be taken by Borough Council and Staff,
Neighborhood Associations, residents and other neighborhood champions.
How will my ideas be used for neighborhood planning?
The goal of the neighborhood planning process is to combine citizen
identified issues with technical planning solutions. This type of collaboration
allows for new and unique solutions to be discussed and, if applicable,
incorporated into the planning process. Your input could be included in the
neighborhood plan as an action item for either your individual neighborhood or
the Borough’s neighborhoods in as a whole.
What information should I share?
Use the instructions at right to complete your brainstorming activity.
Share any actions or solutions you can think of that could address either 1)
one of the neighborhood planning strategies that are listed on page 13 of this
guide or 2) one of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities or threats listed by
your neighborhood residents. Start by suggesting actions to one of the priority
items you chose in the “Neighborhood Planning Strategies” worksheet. Share
ideas that you’ve brainstormed, references to examples that you’ve seen or heard
about from other communities, or direct us to something you think we should
research. If you know of an individual, group or resource available to help
implement the solution you’re suggesting-- share it, too!
Worksheet Instructions
1. Review your neighborhood’s SWOT analysis comments and
the list of neighborhood planning strategies.
2. Identify 3-4 of these items that you think should be priorities
for your neighborhood. Write these on the numbered lines, in
order of greatest importance (#1 being the most important).
3. Brainstorm action items to address neighborhood
priorities. Use the space provided on the worksheet to record
your thoughts.
4. Think of organizations, groups or individuals that could play
a key role in ensuring that this action achieves neighborhood
priorities and write it on the line provided.
Example:
To view individual neighborhood SWOT Analysis summaries, visit:
www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
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Priority #1:
Priority #2:
Priority #3:
Priority #4:
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Glossary
ABC’s: refers to the Borough’s Authorities, Boards and Commissions, which are Neighborhood Association: a group of residents or property owners that
comprised of volunteers that participate in public decision-making and advise advocate for and organize activities within their neighborhood.
Borough Council on a wide spectrum of issues.
Neighborhood Plan: considers the individual needs and characteristics of our
Borough Council: The State College Borough Council is comprised of seven neighborhoods and their relationship to the larger community.
members, all of whom are elected at-large to represent the residents of State
College Borough.
Neighborhood Sustainability: the condition within a residential area in
which quality of life is high. It is a state in which considerable effort is given
Centre Region: The Centre Region is a sub-region of Centre County that to recognizing and building upon the strengths of an area and minimizing its
includes State College Borough and College, Ferguson, Halfmoon, Harris, and threats.
Patton Townships.
Objectives: a specific statement or course of action which addresses a goal,
Centre Region Council of Governments: is sometimes referred to as the and when pursued and implemented can result in the achievement of a goal.
COG. It provides services such as planning, code enforcement, parks and
recreation, senior services, and long range transportation planning for the 6 Opportunities: features in a neighborhood that can become strengths if they
Centre Region municipalities.
are enhanced.
CNET (Channel 7): is the Centre Region’s public access channel. CNET records Planning: is a process through which we can establish a shared vision for State
meetings of the ABC’s, SCASD Board, and other public and educational College. State College leaders work to ensure that this is a collaborative process
programs. Recordings of these programs are available on www.cnet1.org.
which involves citizens, representatives from the business community, our civic
leaders and other community entities.
Engage State College: is an online forum for residents to comment on public
issues. Residents can participate by visiting www.statecollegepa.us/EngageSC
Planning Commission: is made up of 7 members appointed by Borough
Council. Commissioners oversee Borough activities related to zoning, land
development, preparation of regional and borough-wide plans, and other issues
Goals: is a broad target to which planning activities are directed.
that will lend to a high quality of life in State College.
Mental Map: represents an individual’s impressions of a place based on their
experience with a place. A mental map can helps planners understand how Social Capital: refers to the collective benefit of engaging individuals or groups
and the value added to a community as a result of their unique talents and skills.
communities are perceived and used by its residents.
Neighborhood: a district or area with distinctive characteristics and/or a central Strategies: is an achievable, measurable action step that helps to achieve a
commercial or civic hub
plan’s goals and objectives.
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Strengths: neighborhood features that directly contributes to or improves
quality of life for residents.
SWOT Analysis: an analysis of a community’s strengths, weaknesses,
opportunities, and threats.
Threats: features of a neighborhood that can become weaknesses if not
proactively addressed.
Walking Audit: tool for evaluating the safety and walkability of a particular
area. A walking audit helps community members, transportation planners,
engineers, urban designers and elected officials investigate the conditions of
a pedestrian or bike route by applying a set of criteria or answering a series of
questions.
Weaknesses: features of a neighborhood that detract from the quality of life
and should be addressed.
Zoning: a regulatory tool that applies to land and structures intended to protect
the health and safety of residents. Zoning typically outlines appropriate uses of
land and structures, high limitations, minimum parking requirements and other
provisions to ensure our community is developed in accordance with our vision.
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Important Community Contacts
If you have questions about the Neighborhood Planning process, please direct them to the Borough’s Planning Department. If you would like to know
more information about the other resources that are mentioned in this guide, please use the following contact information.
Borough Departments
243 S. Allen Street
State College, PA 16801
Centre Region Planning Agency
2643 Gateway Drive
State College, PA 16801
814-231-3050
[email protected]
www.crcog.net
Planning Department
814-234-7109
[email protected]
www.statecollegepa.us/NeighborhoodPlan
Neighborhoods
Visit www.statecollegepa.us. Choose the “People” tab and select
“Neighborhood Associations” to view association information.
Ordinance Enforcement & Public Health
814-234-7191
[email protected]
Administration
814-234-4723
[email protected]
www.statecollegepa.us
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Neighborhood Planning Resources
This section includes additional resources for neighborhood planning guides and worksheet activities that the Borough consulted when preparing this
Neighborhood Planning Workbook.
Indiana Citizen Planner’s Guide
Indiana Chapter of the American Planning Association
www.indianaplanning.org/citizen.htm
Neighborhood Planning Workbook 2011
Philadelphia Citizens Planning Institute
www.citizensplanninginstitute.org
Walkability Checklist
Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center
www.walkinginfo.org
Bikeability Checklist
Safe Ways to School “Took Kit”
Florida Traffic & Bicycle Safety Education Program
Florida Department of Transportation
www.saferoutesinfo.org/program-tools/safe-ways-school-took-kit
Walking Audits
Walkable Communities, Inc.
www.walkable.org/assets/downloads/walking_audits.pdf
Audit Tool- Analytic Version 2003
St. Louis University School of Public Health
Active Living Research
www.activelivingresearch.org/node/10616
Pedestrian & Bicycle Information Center
www.bicyclinginfo.org
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