Open Space Committee History

The Open Space Committee was created by the Board of Supervisors in 2002, with the charter to help identify potential open-space properties and explain the conservation options to those property owners. It also works with the Board of Supervisors and Township administration to develop procedures to maintain and acquire open space. In November 2002, East Brandywine voters, by a nearly 3-to-1 margin, approved a referendum to increase the Earned Income Tax by one-eighth of 1 percent to finance the preservation of open space within the Township. Based on this dedicated funding source, the Township supervisors floated a bond issue in 2003 that included $3 million dedicated for open space preservation expenditures. In 2004, after months of negotiation, the first payoff from the voter-approved plan to preserve open space became a reality. Using grants from the Chester County Preservation Partnership program totaling approximately half of the purchase price and Open Space Funds, the Township purchased the conservation easement on 39 acres of fields and woods fronting Downlin Forge and Rock Raymond Roads. As part of the deal, the Township also purchased a nearby two-acre lot on Dowlin Forge Road for future trail access and a small picnic area. That lot is managed by the Township.

Current Activities

The East Brandywine Open Space Committee is now actively engaged in discussions with the landowners of several parcels in the Township about preserving some of their land as open space. Because of the sensitivity of its discussions with landowners, most of the Open Space Committee’s deliberations take place in executive session. As a result, there has been little publicity about its work. If the committee’s efforts are successful, they would help preserve some of the Township’s most scenic vistas. One large transaction, which has been under discussion for well over a year, involves close cooperation with the Brandywine Conservancy and Natural Lands Trust, and has received pledges of more than $1 million in grant support from Chester County and the state. Open Space Committee representatives also attend Township Planning Commission meetings to provide feedback on new development proposals, and encourage adoption of Open Space-friendly ordinances that allow development to the same density, but promote more creative use of a property to preserve open space elements such as the viewshed.   Considering developments that are completed, under construction or planned, a total of over 850 acres have been preserved as open space by the Township supervisors. This represents approximately 12 percent of Township acreage. This is being achieved by encouraging developers to cluster homes and requiring a certain amount of open space to be set aside. The Open Space Committee recently recommended that the Township adopt elements of the Natural Lands Trust's "Growing Greener" Ordinances into the new Land Use Codes currently being developed by the Township Ordinance Task Force. Some of the recommendations are being included in the new Township ordinances, assuring that new developments include open space preservation as a priority. The new Township ordinances will not prevent developers and property owners from realizing their financial goals.