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THE COUNTY’S OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION NETWORK
PLANNING ISSUE
Important private unpreserved
landscapes that provide open
space amenities such as golf
courses, institutional lands,
and utility properties are likely
to be developed if they are
not adequately protected.
Preserved Open Space
Temporary Open Space
Recreation Facilities
Trails and Pathways
Temporary Open Space
Some undeveloped landscapes which provide open space
amenities to surrounding communities are privately owned
with no permanent preservation restrictions. These
properties, generally used as schools, religious institutions,
camps, golf courses or private recreation associations, may
contain natural features, high quality agricultural soils, and
scenic qualities, but without any permanent protection can
be developed at any time. They are only maintained as open
space due to the wishes of their current owners. Eligible
properties may be subject to preferential tax assessment
programs that provide tax incentives to keep land
undeveloped. Under the Clean and Green Act (Act 319) and
the Open Space Covenant Act (Act 515) certain agricultural
and open space properties may be assessed at a lower rate
for property tax purposes. Nevertheless, the following types
of properties are vulnerable to development.
Properties under Governmental Ownership
: Several
large properties in Montgomery County are under federal,
state, or county ownership but are not permanently preserved
or formally used for open space. These properties include
the federally owned Willow Grove Naval Air Station (1,100
acres), the State Correctional Institution—Graterford (1,730
acres) owned by Pennsylvania Department of Corrections,
and several Montgomery County properties used for the
prison, emergency services, or the geriatric facility. That
said, the closure of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station in
2011 spurred a multi-year planning process that will
ultimately result in the surplus property being transferred to
Horsham Township for redevelopment and reuse.
Utility Properties
: Various forms of public utilities own
properties for power needs, utility rights-of-way, airports,
dams, storm water control facilities, and railroads.
Collectively, these properties encompass a sizable acreage,
or include rights-of-way, especially transmission corridors,
that provide an important opportunity to connect a variety of
open space sites. Though required to fulfill the purpose of
the utility, these properties occasionally are made surplus
and thus subject to sale at any time.
Public and Private Institutional Properties
: A variety of
public school districts, private religious and educational
Meadow in front of the Pfizer research facility in Upper Providence
Township.
What’s New
•
Golf has continued to decline as a leisure activity
since the late 1990s. As a result, the county has lost 6
golf courses to development over the past 10 years.
Other remaining courses are struggling and may be
forced to close in the near future.
•
The closure of the Willow Grove Naval Air Station
and construction of a new state penitentiary at the
State Correctional Institution—Graterford will greatly
alter these large properties in the future. Open space
protection and park use was an important
consideration in the future planning for the Naval Air
Station property.
•
In the past 10 years, some corporations and large
institutional land holdings, such as property owned by
the Philadelphia Archdiocese, have been subjected to
reuse plans which have diminished their open space
characteristics.
•
In 2005, 1,160 acres of farmland were taken out of the
Clean and Green Act (Act 319) program. The acreage
of Act 319 rollbacks has dropped steadily as a result of
the housing development slow down. In 2012, only
163 acres were removed from Act 319.
