The Franklin Township Open Space Committee (OSC) was created
in 2003 by the Franklin Township Board of Supervisors (BOS). The
OSC’s creation and ongoing operation is in accordance with
Pennsylvania’s Act 153 (1996), which authorizes local governments
“to preserve, acquire or hold land for open space uses”. There are
many other acts, rulings, plans, etc. that guide the OSC’s ongoing
activities, but the OSC’s primary responsibility is to execute the
Franklin Township
Open Space Plan
,
which is a part of the broader Franklin Township
Comprehensive Plan (2006).
The OSC’s members are unpaid volunteers who serve in an advisory capacity. The OSC has no decision making authority, but submits recommendations and proposals to the BOS for approval, funding, action, etc. The OSC also works closely with the Franklin Township Planning Commission, providing information and recommendations for the Planning Commission’s use in formulating their own recommendations to the BOS during the subdivision review process.
Much of the OSC’s work is done with the help of consultants who have significant experience and expertise in open space matters. The OSC maintains contact with their counterpart organizations in the surrounding communities to ensure that inter-township and regional initiatives are properly coordinated. It also maintains contact with funding agencies such as Pennsylvania's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Chester County's Open Space Preservation groups.
To date, the OSC's efforts have been focused on:
- Open Space Planning to determine which lands to try to preserve
- Agricultural and natural lands preservation. (For more information, see Open Space Preservation.)
- Trail Planning to provide public access to preserved lands where appropriate. (For more information, see Trail Development and Trail Studies.)
- Supporting efforts such as botanical and wildlife surveys. (For more information, see Natural Resource Studies.)
Last updated December 7, 2009