Tracking Progress Toward 2035
MANAGING GROWTH AND PROTECTING RESOURCES INDICATORS
A core principle of the Connections Plan is better management of the region's land through smarter development practices. These practices will help to protect the region's natural resources by reducing stormwater runoff, enhancing air and water quality, increasing local food production, and preserving open space, as well as historical and cultural resources.
DVRPC tracks eight indicators in order to gauge the region's progress toward achieving this planning principle. These indicators monitor the amount of land that is consumed for development, in addition to taking into account the quality of our natural resources. Indicators will be periodically updated as new data becomes available, and will help shape the discussion about, and content of the next iteration of the Connections Plan.
IS LAND DEVELOPMENT / LAND CONSUMPTION SLOWING?
Indicators: Developed acres and developed acres per capita by Connections Planning Area.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? Developed lands continue to increase in the region, and specifically those communities designated as Growing Suburbs and Rural Areas. Between 1990 and 2000, developed lands increased by 15 percent. However, the rate of development appears to have slightly decreased. Between 2000 and 2005 developed land increased by 5 percent. Land consumption per capita also continues to increase. In 2005, each resident consumed 13 percent more land than in 1990. This indicator will be updated when DVRPC 2010 land use files are completed.
Source: DVRPC Land Use Files
DID GROWTH OCCUR IN THE APPROPRIATE AREAS (EXISTING DEVELOPMENT OF FUTURE GROWTH AREAS) OR INAPPROPRIATE AREAS (GREENSPACE NETWORK AND RURAL CONSERVATION LANDS)?
Indicator: Developed acres compared to the Connections land use plan.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? While overall, new development is declining due to national real estate market changes, 59 percent of new development between 2000 and 2005 occurred within the Greenspace Network and Rural Conservation Lands, areas that are designated for conservation and preservation. This indicator will be updated when DVRPC 2010 land use files are completed.
Source: DVRPC Land Use Files
HAVE ACRES OF PUBLIC OPEN SPACE INCREASED?
Indicator: Acres of federal, state, county, and municipal park/open space/conservation land holdings.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? The amount of publicly held open space increased by 16 percent between 2000 and 2007, reflecting a continuing effort to preserve public open space in the region. This indicator will be updated when DVRPC 2010 land use files are completed.
Source: DVRPC Protected Lands Inventory
HAVE PRIVATELY PROTECTED LANDS INCREASED?
Indicators: Acres of preserved farmland and acres of protected trust land.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? The amount of permanently preserved, private land increased by almost 28 percent between 2002 and 2007. This indicator will be updated when DVRPC 2010 land use files are completed.
Source: DVRPC Protected Lands Inventory
HAS THE AMOUNT OF FARMLAND IN PRODUCTION IN THE REGION INCREASED?
Indicator: Acres of land in agricultural production.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? The region lost 92,286 acres of land in agricultural production between 1997 and 2007. This is a 20.8 percent decrease in farmland, well above the national 3.4 percent decrease in cropland and pastureland over the same period.
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Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statisitics Service Quick Stats. U.S. Department of Agriculture National Agriculture Statisitics Service.
HAS THE REGION'S TREE COVER INCREASED OR DECREASED? HAS THE REGION'S HEAVY TREE COVER INCREASED?
Indicator: Acres of tree cover.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? Tree cover of all types throughout the region decreased by 11 percent between 1993 and 2000. This indicator will be updated when newer data becomes available.
Source: American Forests
HAVE WE REDUCED AIR POLLUTION?
Indicator: Number of days each year that violate the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for ozone and PM2.5.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? For the five-year period from 2000 to 2004 the region averaged nearly 43 days of NAAQS violations, while from 2006 to 2010 the region averaged 27 days of NAAQS violations. The region trended downward in the number of annual days of NAAQS violations for ozone or fine particle pollution (PM2.5) between 2000 and 2010 even while the standards were tightened.
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Source: U.S. EPA Air Explorer, 2011
HAS SURFACE WATER QUALITY IMPROVED?
Indicators: Percentage of monitored waterbodies and watersheds impaired for aquatic life.
How is the DVRPC Region Performing? Surface water quality has declined in Pennsylvania, with the number of impaired for acquatic life water bodies and watersheds increasing from 1,205 stream miles in 2006 to 1,441 stream miles in 2010. Similarly, in New Jersey, the number of water bodies and watersheds assessed as impaired for aquatic life has increased from 695,650 subwatershed acres in 2006 to 723,665 subwatershed acres in 2008.
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Source: PA DEP, NJ DEP