DVRPC > The Long-Range Plan > Connections 2035 > Implementation

Guide for municipalities.

Implementing Connections: A Guide for Municipalities gives a concise description of the many municipal tools and policies that can be used to implement the Connections plan. The links provided below serve to provide more detailed information about these tools and policies and how they can be used by your community. These tools are organized by the four key plan principles: managing growth and protecting resources; creating livable communities; building an energy-efficient economy; and modernizing the transportation system. A fifth set of links, Implementing the Plan, focuses on DVRPC programs and services. Many of the links will take you to pages outside the DVRPC web domain.

Managing Growth and Protecting Resources

Creating Livable Communities

Smart Growth

Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND)
Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code TND
Conservation Tools TND
Montgomery County Planning Commission Town Center District Model Ordinance

Transit-Oriented Development (TOD)
DVRPC TOD
New Jersey Department of Transportation Transit Village Initiative
City of Philadelphia TOD Template Zoning Code Standards [1.8 MB pdf]
Victoria Transportation Policy Institute TOD

Transit Revitalization Investment District (TRID)
Pennsylvania Governor's Center for Local Government Services Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program [0.4 MB .pdf]

Overlay Zones
Sample Ordinance: Wayne Business Overlay District
Community and Economic Development Toolbox Overlay Zones

Form-Based Zoning
SmartCode Central v9.2
Form-Based Code Institute Homepage

Performance Zoning
Smart Communities Network Performance Zoning Model Ordinance Bucks County, Pennsylvania

Live/Work Zoning
American Planning Association Model Smart Land Development Regulations [0.9 MB .pdf]

Retail Caps
Community and Economic Development Toolbox Retail Caps

Additional Resources
Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions Smart Growth, The Master Plan and Environmental Protection [0.1 MB .pdf]
Delaware Valley Smart Growth Alliance Homepage
NJ Future: Smart Growth Scorecard for Proposed Developments
NJ Future: Municipal Planning Scorecard
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Visualizing Density
Smart Growth.org Smart Growth Resource Library
Victoria Transportation Policy Institute Livability
Victoria Transportation Policy Institute Smart Growth

Infill and Redevelopment

Brownfields Redevelopment
DVRPC Reclaiming Brownfields: A Primer for Municipalities
DVRPC Residential Infill Development Municipal Implementation Tool
NJ Department of Environmental Protection, Site Remediation Program: Brownfields
Pennsylvania Department of Environment Protection: Brownfield Program

Greyfields Redevelopment
DVRPC Redesigning Shopping Centers in the Delaware Valley: From Greyfields to Community Assets
Congress of New Urbanism Sprawl Retrofit Initiative [10.3 MB .pdf]

Compatible Residential Infill Ordinances or Infill Design Guidelines
DVRPC Residential Infill Development Municipal Implementation Tool

Affordable Housing and Housing for Seniors

Universal Design Standards
North Carolina State University Center for Universal Design
Universal Design Alliance Resources
Victoria Transportation Policy Institute Universal Design

Housing Maintenance and Rehabilitation Programs and Modification Programs
New Jersey Housing Resource Center
JEVS Human Services Home Modifications in Pennsylvania

Accessory Dwelling Units
DVRPC Aging In Place Municipal Implementation Tool
Montgomery County Planning Commission Model Ordinance for Mixed Residential Development [2.4 MB .pdf]
State of Massachusetts Smart Growth/Smart Energy Toolkit: Accessory Dwelling Units

Share a Single-family Residence
Shared Housing Center Homepage
Pennsylvania Intra-Governmental Council on Long Term Care Housing Alternatives Work Group Report on Non-Traditional Housing Options [0.04 MB .doc]

Housing Units Above Commercial and Retail Spaces
San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association Housing Above Retail

Inclusionary Zoning
DVRPC Inclusionary Zoning Municipal Implementation Tool
PolicyLink Toolkit: Inclusionary Zoning
National Center for Housing Policy The Effects of Inclusionary Zoning on Local Housing Markets

Additional Resources
Washington Area Housing Partnership Toolkit for Affordable Housing Development [1.7 MB .pdf]
California Department of Housing and Community Development Aging In Place and Universal Design Resources [0.7 MB .pdf]
American Association of Retired Persons Housing Choices
Smart Growth.org Housing

Community Green Infrastructure

Green Roofs
Philadelphia Horticultural Society Green Initiatives
Green Roofs for Healthy Cities North America

Green Streets
Context Sensitive Solutions.org Green Streets

Neighborhood Parks
American Planning Association City Parks Forum

Rain Gardens
Native Plant Society of New Jersey

Better Site Design for Incorporating Green Infrastructure
Center for Watershed Protection Better Site Design Resources

Trails
Rails to Trails Conservancy Homepage
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center Walking Info
University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center Biking Info

Greening Vacant Lots
Philadelphia Horticultural Society Vacant Land Management

Tree Ordinance
Conservation Tools.org Tree Ordinance

Buffer Zones
Pennsylvania Stormwater Best Management Practices Manual Riparian Buffer Restoration [0.9 MB .pdf]

Municipal Tree Management
DVRPC Municipal Tree Planning Municipal Implementation Tool

Tree Protection and Maintenance
Penn State A Guide to Preserving Trees in Development Projects [1.5 MB .pdf]

Additional Resources
Treevitalize Homepage
Penn State Natural Resources Extension
PA Community Forests Publications
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society All About Trees

Building an Energy-Efficient Economy

Enhancing the Climate for Business Growth

Tax Increment Financing
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy A Tool For Local Economic Development
Lancaster County Smart Growth Toolbox: Tax Increment Financing

Enterprise Zones
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Enterprise Zone Program
New Jersey Enterprise Zone Program

Land Value Taxation
Lincoln Institute of Land Policy Assessing the Theory and Practice of Land Value Taxation
Center for the Study of Economics Homepage
Henry George Foundation of America Homepage

Business Improvement Districts
State University of New York Press Business Improvement Districts [0.3 MB .pdf]
Cornell University Restructuring Local Government State Enabling Legislation
East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District Homepage
City Avenue Special Services District Homepage
Collingswood Partners Homepage
Community and Economic Development Toolbox BIDs

Main Street Programs
National Trust for Historic Preservation About Main Street
Main Street New Jersey
Pennsylvania Downtown Center Main Street Program

Increasing Energy Efficiency and Conservation

An Inventory of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions and Energy Use
DVRPC Regional Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Baseline Energy Analysis of Municipal Operations
EPA Energy Star Portfolio Manager for benchmarking buildings and facilities
DVRPC Local Energy and GHG Reduction Toolkit (Forthcoming)

Alternative Energy Ordinances
DVRPC Alternative Energies Ordinance Work Group

Green Building and Energy Efficient Design Standards
DVRPC Planning and Zoning for Green Buildings Municipal Implementation Tool

Energy Efficient Traffic Signals and Streetlights
DVRPC Energy Efficient Traffic Signals and Streetlights Webpage

Energy Audits
New Jersey Clean Energy Program's Local Government Energy Audit
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection: How to Conduct an Energy Audit: A Short Guide for Local Governments and Communities [.pdf]

Energy-Efficient Purchasing
EPA Energy Star Purchasing & Procurement guidance

Energy Performance Contracting
Introduction to Energy Performance Contracting, prepared for the U.S. EPA [.pdf]
Pennsylvania's Guaranteed Energy Savings Act (GESA) performance contracting program

Green Fleet and Commute
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection's Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program (AFIG)
Sustainable Jersey. Click on "Green Fleets" under Operations & Maintenance for useful resources