Planning Policies
Landscapes3
Landscapes3 is the comprehensive plan for Chester County, and renews the county's commitment to balancing growth and preservation to foster vibrant communities. Landscapes3 is organized around six goal areas: Preserve, Protect, Appreciate, Live, Prosper, and Connect, and addresses land use, growth, and preservation as part of the Landscapes Map. Open space is addressed primarily within the Preserve goal area of Landscapes3, with additional discussion as part of the Landscapes Map and within Live.
Watersheds 2045
Watersheds 2045 is the Integrated Water Resources Plan for Chester County. It was adopted in 2024 and is managed by the Chester County Water Resources Authority. This Plan also serves as the county's Act 167 Plan and the county-wide Rivers Conservation Plan. Watersheds 2045 assesses the progress that has been made to protect and steward the county's water resources since the original Watersheds Plan was adopted in 2002, and creates a roadmap for what we need to do to best manage our water resources for future generations. Learn more.
Linking Landscapes
This plan was adopted in 2002 as the open space element of Landcapes. Although the policies within Linking Landscapes have been updated and superseded by Landscapes3, it still contains useful analysis and background information. Copies of the entire document are available for review at each municipal office in Chester County, at the Chester County Planning Commission office, and at each of the 17 County public libraries.