Updates from Thornbury Township
Posted June 22, 2022
Congratulations to Thornbury Township for the recent completion and update of their 1983 Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SLDO), as well as their 1996 Official Map! The Chester County Planning Commission's (CCPC) Community Planner, Kate Clark, recently covered these updates during CCPC's June 2022 Board Meeting.
The adoption of the SLDO and Official Map completes the Township's process of updating their full suite of planning policy documents and regulatory ordinances. These updates ensure that any future subdivision and land developments in the Township will further the municipalities planning goals as identified in their Comprehensive Plan — such as the linkage of open space and recreation in the Township's rural and suburban areas, protection of natural features, and preservation of historic and scenic resources.
Clark noted that much of the project's funding came from the county's Vision Partnership Program Consulting services (70%), with a 30% match from the Township.
Thornbury has used the county's Vision Partnership Program to update their Comprehensive Plan, Zoning Ordinance, SLDO, and Official Map. The process began with the adoption of the Township's Comprehensive Plan in May of 2018, followed by an update to their Zoning Ordinance in October 2020. From here, the Township was able to begin the process of updating their SLDO and Official Map.
In January of 2021, CCPC began meeting with the township monthly to receive input on the revised standards for the update. Primary revisions included general modernized updates, as well as additional design standards, addressing items such as landscaping, lighting, trails, scenic corridors, and resource preservation.
The updated Official Map reflects existing items from the 1996 Official Map as well as priority items identified during the Comprehensive Plan update (traffic calming, scenic corridors, potential trails). Learn more about the Township and view its SLDO and Official Map.