LandStudies Kicks Off the Master Planning Process for Two Pennsylvania Communities
What is a Master Plan?
A master plan provides a long-term vision for one or more sites. LandStudies’ approach to master planning is to ensure that the built environment takes into consideration the ecological opportunities of a property and maximize those values as much as possible. Over the years, LandStudies has helped communities develop many master plans. The following examples are two of our more recent projects.
East Petersburg Borough Master Plan
Constitution Square Park in East Petersburg, PA was identified, through a community involved planning approach, as a priority park for improvements to its recreational amenities and design. It is also the location of one of the Borough’s ten MS4 outfalls. East Petersburg Borough, LandStudies, and YSM Landscape Architects, LLC are currently in the detailed master planning development process. The initial planning began in 2016 as part of a preliminary planning effort.
Anticipated Project Outputs
- Detailed master plan for recreation, green infrastructure, and stormwater improvements
- Public participation during the development of the park Master Plan
- Documentation to support pursuit of funding for construction
Project Objectives
- Improve recreation and open space areas through the construction of a new playground, basketball courts, and pavilions
- Increase awareness of green, sustainable stormwater practices
- Reduce pollutants transported by stormwater runoff from discharging into the Little Conestoga, Susquehanna River, and ultimately the Chesapeake Bay
- Store and infiltrate runoff through the retrofit of an existing stormwater basin
- Continue commitment to designing and implementing sustainable practices by East Petersburg Borough
- Contribute to nutrient and sediment loading reductions required by the borough’s Chesapeake Bay Pollutant Reduction Plan (CBPRP).
Wilkes-Barre Master Plan
In early summer of 2017, new bio-infiltration trenches were installed, based on the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Master Plan that was developed for the City of Wilkes-Barre by LandStudies and the Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation (EPCAMR). The plan serves as a tool to target and implement water quality projects in a cost-effective manner in the City of Wilkes-Barre.
Elements that were Implemented
- Developed a Green Stormwater Infrastructure Master Plan to evaluate and target several problem areas in the City of Wilkes-Barre, and identified pilot stormwater management Best Management Practices (BMPs) that could be used at targeted sites
- Developed concept Master Plans for three sites, demonstrating how stormwater BMPs, native landscaping, and stream restoration techniques can be applied in urban settings
- Designed and constructed two bio-infiltration trench at one of the target areas
- Removed existing curb and impervious sidewalk
- Excavated the subsurface material and installation of stone and backfill of amended topsoil to infiltrate stormwater
- Planted site with native vegetation
- Presented a do it yourself (DIY) downspout planter workshops
Project Outcomes
- Improved stormwater management practices in the City of Wilkes-Barre
- Reduced non-point source pollution from urban runoff
- Increased public awareness and initiatives to mitigate urban stormwater issues and watershed conservation as a whole
Other LandStudies projects related to Master Planning can be found here.
