This Plan recommends that the following four-step process be used to result in conservation-oriented design.

The Natural Lands Trust promotes the following four-step process in the design of new development in order to emphasize land conservation principles. The Township’s development regulations and procedures will require that this process be followed. These steps must be accomplished at the sketch plan stage - before any detailed engineering is completed.

Source of Sketches - Growing Greener Handbook by the Natural Lands Trust, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

1. Identifying Existing Features that Should Be Conserved. First, the areas that are most worthy of preservation will be mapped, including wetlands, flood-prone areas, creek valleys, and very steeply sloped lands. These are known as the Primary Conservation Areas.

Then, other features that are important for conservation will be mapped, such as woodlands, tree lines, scenic views, historic buildings, and prime farmland. These are known as the Secondary Conservation Areas.

Then the areas that are most appropriate for preservation in open space should be identified. The areas with the fewest important natural, scenic and historic features will be identified as the “Potential Development Areas.”

2. Locate Home Sites. Next, the most appropriate locations for homes will be chosen. The zoning ordinance should establish a maximum overall density for the site, but should not include overly strict lot requirements that would prevent reasonable flexibility in the site layout. Home sites will be chosen to avoid the important features mapped in the first step. Home sites should also work to take advantage of scenic views within the tract.

3. Locate Roads and Trails. After the home sites are selected, then a road system will be designed that serves those homes. A trail system should also provide links between homes and to destinations outside of the tract. The trail system is critical to make the open space accessible. Trails should be developed prior to the occupancy of any neighboring homes to avoid opposition to the trails.

4. Draw in the Lot Lines. The last sketch plan step is to draw in lot lines. In conventional development, with strict “cookie-cutter” lot requirements, this is often the first step - before any consideration of natural features of the site.

This Plan recommends that great care be used in the design and location of Preserved Open Space areas within development.

In addition to preserving agriculture, a priority of this Plan is to have substantial amounts of permanently preserved open spaces that create a true feeling of open space. The goal is to have open space that truly serves a public purpose, as opposed to areas that are simply "leftover" after a developer's preferred pattern of roads and lots are laid out.

Valid public purposes for open space include:

- To provide usable recreation areas and important links in a trail system.

- To preserve land for agriculture, hayfields, orchards and tree farms.

- To preserve environmental sensitive areas, particularly creek valleys and concentrations of mature woods.

- To manage stormwater in a more attractive and naturalistic manner that protects water quality, as opposed to engineered channels and traditional fenced-in detention basins.

- To preserve large contiguous swaths of open space in visible locations that maintain a feeling of open space and that provide a visual relief between developments. At best, some open space would be preserved along exterior roads.

In most cases, at least half of the required open space should be in one contiguous area. Isolated areas (such as less than one acre) and narrow areas of land (such as less than 100 feet wide) should not be counted as open space. However, more narrow stretches may be suitable as open space if they truly serve as part of a regional trail system. Detention basins will not be considered open space unless they are designed as a major scenic asset (such as a natural appearing pond) or are clearly suitable for recreation. Roads and parking will not count as open space, even if the parking is intended to serve recreation uses. Narrow buffers will not count towards open space, but wider buffers may be appropriate. It may be appropriate to establish a maximum percentage of open space that can be covered by impervious surfaces.

To count towards the required open space, land should need to:

- be landscaped in trees, shrubs and other attractive vegetation,
- be maintained in agricultural uses, which may include a tree farm,
- be preserved in woods or natural wetlands vegetation,
- not be used for commercial recreation, other than a golf course, and/or
- be developed as recreational facilities, but not including buildings (other than pavilions).

Open Space should be interconnected with common open space areas on abutting parcels where possible, including provisions for public trails to link trail systems within the municipalities.