About

Background

How can a small town with limited infrastructure and a desire to preserve its rich history and precious agricultural land stimulate the local economy? A mixed-use development that utilizes planning principles that contrast typical suburban development principles is a smart option.

The community’s idea for a village square combined with a mixed-use component could preserve history and stimulate the local economy with a limited investment of resources that will deliver many additional benefits. The Campbelltown Community Alliance, a great organization of neighbors dedicated to working together to revitalize Campbelltown through connectivity, safety, and beauty, has a committee dedicated to creating a village square.

Community-Oriented Planning Principles:

  • Identify connected central locations to promote interactions that bring communities together.
  • Promote pedestrian-friendly activity that reduces auto dependency and roadway congestion.
  • Emphasize historic preservation and maintain the distinctive community character in new construction.
  • Promote local identity with a landmark attraction and outdoor public spaces.
  • Encourage economic investment and revitalization in neighboring properties.
  • Focus on adding to and connecting recreational components of existing amenities.
  • Target development in infill locations to protect rural farmland and forests.
  • Promote efficient use of land and infrastructure.
  • Engage the community for collaborative input throughout the entire process.

The first year of planning was focused on research and preliminary outreach with township officials and community members who are active with local volunteer organizations. The information and feedback received was instrumental to the design of the options presented to the greater community. The most important concerns and goals to address throughout the process that were identified are:

 

Stormwater Management

  • Ensure proper water drainage on south parcel for adjacent neighbors, roadways, and natural resources.
  • Consider and respect natural resources like the stream adjacent to the park.
  • Ensure proper water drainage on north parcel for adjacent neighbors and roadways.

Traffic

  • Mitigate traffic congestion on Route 322.
  • Assess the appropriate type of intersection at Route 322 and Lawn Road. A roundabout has been proposed based on PennDOT process.
  • Mitigate traffic congestion on Old Farm Road.
  • Design to accommodate vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic safely.

Historic Preservation

  • Preserve and repurpose the historic farmhouse built in 1827.
  • Preserve and repurpose the arched-roof dairy barn built in the 1950s.
  • Salvage stone on the property from a bank barn that was destroyed by fire for reuse in landscaping features across the project.
  • Salvage and reuse stone wall on property.
  • Restore original farmhouse bell to create local landmark that all members of the community can ring.

Authentic Sense of Place: Distinctive architecture and curb appeal

  • Create new buildings that have distinctive architecture authentic to the community.
  • Use and showcase native plants in landscaping.
  • Create attractive, creative outdoor signage and murals informed by the style of the early 1900s.
  • Maintain building heights that are consistent and cohesive with the surrounding environment and local zoning ordinance.

Walkability/Connectivity

  • Connect the community by creating safe walking conditions and crosswalks across Route 322, Lawn Road, and Old Farm.
  • Improve bicycle access with parking and traffic pattern changes.

Promote Identity of Campbelltown

  • The project proposes a silo and park signage.
  • Other ideas include hanging banners across Route 322 to promote events and telephone pole banners to honor veterans.

Create recreational and Public Spaces

  • The project proposes a new village square and public park space adjacent to the Campbelltown community park, additional outdoor park space on the north parcel, and a trail around the north parcel.

If any concerns or goals are missing, please use the comment box or send an email to let us know.

Relevant Reports and Excerpts from Research

The reports generated for the local governments helped identify some important issues in the local community. Excerpts are provided along with the links to the full reports.

Route 322 Corridor Recommendations:

  • “The Township needs to evaluate potential future funding opportunities, partnership with developers, and state agencies to address the pedestrian connectivity throughout the corridor.”

Connection to Campbelltown Community Park:

  • “The Township Park is located along Lawn Road (SR 3015) across from the intersection with Lyndell Drive. The park provides recreational facilities including various athletic fields, a centralized parking lot, and internal walking path. There are no pedestrian facilities along Lawn Road or leading into the park. Evaluation of this corridor included three primary intersections:
    • Route 322/ Lawn Road – Narrow intersection with limited sight visibility and lack of connectivity of pedestrian facilities.
    • Barnwell Lane/Lawn Road – Existing sidewalk along Barnwell Lane terminates at Lawn Road. ADA accommodation needs to be provided at termination for potential connection to the park internal walking trail. A mid-block crossing evaluation and permit is required from PennDOT for the installation of a crosswalk.
    • Lyndell Drive/Lawn Road – No pedestrian facilities are located along Lyndell Drive “
  • Consistent with the Route 322 Corridor recommendations from the Comprehensive Plan, “the Township needs to identify opportunities to link key destinations with a collector sidewalk system. Future improvements to the park need to consider accessibility of pedestrians and bicycle traffic and connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods.” https://www.southlondonderry.org/uploads/6/1/2/6/61268441/slt_crosswalk_evaluation_narrative_2021-09-07_final.pdf

County recommendations:

  • “Support efforts to develop residential units along…transportation corridors within walkable communities to accommodate the housing needs of seniors, workforce households, and to appeal to younger households.”
  • “Develop strategies to attract people that currently commute into Lebanon County to live in Lebanon County.”
  • Strategies that incentivize development (e.g., tax abatements, building fee waivers, density bonuses, etc.) should be considered.
  • · Marketing and outreach/networking efforts should be conducted to encourage residential development and investment activity.
 
 

https://images.phillypublishing.com/lebtown/uploads/2023/09/LebanonCounty-HousingNeedsAssessment-Final.pdf

 

  • “South Londonderry Township envisions a different future rooted largely in farmland preservation and conservation of sensitive natural features. Future growth is confined to locations already committed for service by local utilities. Growth areas are targeted into compact neighborhoods around Campbelltown where sidewalks and other important public facilities are to be provided.”
  • “South Londonderry Township shares some vision of growth and development in its northernmost reaches in and around the Village of Campbelltown and extending towards Palmyra Borough and North Londonderry Township. Here the Township intends to offer a full range of public utilities and services to accommodate staged community development. They too acknowledge their role in accommodating the new residents who desire to locate here. In the Village of Campbelltown, continued vitalization of the local retail conveniences and services in a pedestrian-friendly streetscape with adaptive reuse of historic buildings is the priority. However, South Londonderry Township Officials will strengthen their planning policies and programs to offer greater preservation of their larger and more sensitive agricultural, rural and conservation landscapes south of the ridge that overlooks Campbelltown. This rural landscape has a pure and unspoiled quality that reminds residents of times-gone-by for much of the rest of Central Pennsylvania.”

    https://www.southlondonderry.org/uploads/6/1/2/6/61268441/official_comprehensive_plan_2013.pdf

Conceptual Plan Options for Community Collaboration

Please select your preferred option for each section (A) Residential, (B) Northern Retail, and (C) Southern Retail

Commonly Asked Questions

In an effort to keep the community informed this section will be a platform to ask common questions that we can answer as a single point of reference instead of hunting through township meeting minutes and local news articles. Keep checking back to ask questions and see what questions and answers have been posted.

Coming Soon

From the local community…CCA, etc.

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