Easttown Township is reviewing its Recreation, Open Space and Environmental Resources Plan, which was first adopted in 1993. The plan can be accessed on the township’s website at https://www.easttown.org/DocumentCenter/View/747. The initiative follows recommendations from the Easttown Township 2018 Comprehensive Plan that call for an update to this document.
The Environmental Advisory Council (EAC) has expressed particular interest in updating the 1993 plan. As part of the early stages of this multi-year project, the EAC is working on baseline mapping of important natural features and sensitive areas within Easttown Township. These features include watersheds, streams, wetlands, steep slopes, riparian buffers, floodplains, and woodlands. Most of these elements have already been mapped in various township plans and tend to change slowly over time. However, vegetative cover such as tree canopy can shift more rapidly and may require more frequent updates.
The EAC noted that recent planning documents do not fully represent the extent of tree cover in the township. To address this gap, the Chester County Planning Department assisted by using computerized photogrammetric mapping to create a current depiction of tree canopy across Easttown Township. “The result was a quick turnaround success that makes it feasible to now consider proceeding with the next phase of the environmental planning portion, within the overall project,” according to information from the EAC. The council also expressed appreciation for the assistance received: “The EAC is grateful to the Chester County Planning Department for its assistance.”
The new mapping shows significant tree canopy throughout Easttown Township. While only about five percent of township land is classified as vacant or agricultural according to data from the 2018 Comprehensive Plan, roughly 70 percent is residential—mostly single-family homes. Despite this land use pattern, “the new map demonstrates that Easttown nevertheless can be characterized as largely occupied by an inter-connected environmental system that we, as residents, cherish, and which merits planning for, protecting, and enhancing for generations to come,” according to township materials.
The original 1993 plan addresses recreational facilities, open space preservation, and environmental protection as interconnected priorities. In preparation for a broader update effort—which could begin next year if approved by the Board of Supervisors—the EAC has reached out to both the Parks and Recreation Commission and Planning Commission.
