Guides and Tools for Urban Centers

These guides and eTools serve as a starting point for Urban Centers seeking to address specific issues.

coverCommercial Landscapes Series

This planning series highlights the importance of repurposing significant commercial areas in Chester County and realistic strategies, recommendations, and best practices for Brownfields, Greyfields, Transit Oriented Development, and Office Parks. View Documents

coverUrban Center Landscapes Design Guide

A document that provides planning principles and design elements for Urban Center Landscapes to guide new development in downtown areas, underutilized non-residential properties, older industrial properties, and parking lots. View Document

Planning Commission eTools

Planning eTools cover a wide array of planning topics ranging from natural resources to economic development. The tools are intended to be an easy read, providing a quick overview of each topic, a brief explanation of how it works, considerations in addressing the topic or regulating the use, benefits, examples, and resources such as links to adopted regulations:

Adaptive Reuse

Affordable Housing Bonuses

Aging in Place

Backyard Chicken Keeping

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities: Design

Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities: Policy

Breweries

Brownfield Redevelopment

Electric Vehicles

Form Based Codes and Zoning Ordinances

Green Development Codes and Ordinances

Green Roofs

Historic and Cultural Resource Preservation Planning

Historic Resource Protection Standards

Housing Diversity

Housing Rehabilitation

Infill Development

Main Streets - Design

Main Streets - Economic Vitality

Main Streets - Organization

Main Streets - Promotion

Mini-homes

Mixed-use Development

National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES)

Outdoor Lighting

Parking Facilities: Design

Parking Facilities: Policy

Residential Conversions

Short-term Rentals

Sign Regulations

Street Trees

Traditional Neighborhood Development

Transferable Development Rights (TDR)

Transit Oriented Development (TOD)

Transit Stops and Centers

Universal Design for Public Spaces

Universal Design for Residential Uses

Urban Green Spaces

Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Wineries