Chester County Open Space - Watershed Congress 2020
Chester County Open Space, WaterShed Congress 2020
September 28, 2020|Community, Ecological News, Municipal Best Practices
The power of a referendum is pretty remarkable.
After adding a referendum question to their ballot, 82% percent of Chester County citizens voted to purchase the majority of Chester County's open space with an investment seeded by a tax payer funded one time purchase made possible through the creation of a 50 million dollar fund to preserve open space.
The $217 million dollar overall land purchase unlocked funding from federal state grants. Each dollar invested brought in 2 other dollars to help purchase the open space.
The purchase was funded by splitting the cost burden on 4 different budgets.
25% Landowner donated / sold portions of their property for 75% of the going rate
25% State funds
25% County funds
25% Local open space funds
60% of Chester County is now preserved land with trails!
Chester County will gladly help you make a similar program happen in your community.
Currently there may be assessments happening in your Pennsylvania county with the same intentions. For more information on this wonderful Chester county initiative visit Chester County's Open Space website :
Chester County's Department of community development through funding of their Planning Commission this Smart Growth resource protection offers funding to Local Municipalities to update their local policies to accommodate the new open space initiatives.
Chester County would be glad to help your local municipality through information sharing even if you don't live in Chester county.
Beneficial Budget affects of preserving Open Space
The cost burden of a development of homes is greater than what open space offers.
Many homes generate more tax income but the costs of additional children in the school system, the further municipal costs of police, fire, water, and other public costs.
This is a summary of Chester County's Open Space Policy presentation during this year's from Watershed Congress 2020. #WatershedCongress2020
Thank you Chester County for this great commission and a really awesome presentation!
Watershed Congress 2020 website: