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MICHAEL BAKER, JR

PLANNING

CLIFTON

RODGERS

SSOCIATES

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BLOOMSBURG TOWN PLAN
19

4 7

A Comprehensive Plan Prepared By
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MICHAEL

JR.,

AND CLIFTON

PLANNING ASSOCIATES
Baker Building, Rochester, Pa.

ROOGERS

Digitized by the Internet Archive
in

Lyrasis

2011 with funding from

Members and Sloan Foundation

http://www.archive.org/details/bloomsburgtownplOObake

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REGIONAL

MAP

BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
TOWN

OFFICIALS

TOWN COUNCIL
James C. Stradling, President of Council

COUNCILMEN

Donald G. Ohl
Ho Leiby
J, Harland Melick
Robert W» Patterson
George C, Welliver
*Dareey A, Wenner

Ray

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COUNCILMEN

ELECT

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John Tc Church
Alfred E Eve land
0, C. Herring
C. Martin Lutz

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SCHOOL DIRECTORS
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Paul C. Webb, President of Board

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MEMBERS
G. Edward Elwell,

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Walter W Goodman
Norman W„ Hoffman
Jesse E 4 Shuman
William B. Sutlif
Roy D, Snyder

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STEERING COMMITTEE
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James G. Law, Committee Chairman

COMMITTEE MEMBERS
John Paul Barger
Robert C e Barton
Arthur S« Clay
Paul R, Eyerly, Jr.
W. Clair Hidlay

'Deceased

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTORY

Foreword
Historical Influences

1
3

BASIC STUDIES

Population
General Background
Existing Land Use

5
8
10

PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS

Highways
Off-Street Parking
Public Schools
Parks and Recreation
Sewers and Sewage Disposal
Future Residential Development
Ultimate Land Use

14
16
20
26
30
32
34

PLANNING IMPLEMENTS

Town Finances
Organization and Administration
Zoning
Program for Action

37
41
45
47

STREET MAP OF

BLOOMSBURG
PENNSYLVANIA
1948
PREPARED BY
MICHAEL BAKER,

JR., a CLIFTON E. RODGERS, Planning
ROCHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA

SCALE

FEET

STREET
A
5-10
7-10

B
BERWICK ROAD

G-H, 9-10
H, 10
E-F, €

ST.

BLACKBERRY AVE
BLOOM ST
BRIDGE

INDEX

ANTHONY AVE
ARBUTUS PARK ROAD

BIRCH

Associates

."....

G
F,4
F,

ST.

BRUGLEH AVE

PARK ST.
PEACH AVE
PEAR AVE
PEARL ST.
PENN ARGYLE AVE

PENN

G, 9
G.7-8
H.IO
G, 8

E-F, B

ST.

PINE AVE
PINE ST
POPLAR ST

4-10

E-7
G,

PURSELL AVE

0,8

6-10

C
CATHERINE ST

F-l,

CENTER ST.
CHERRY ST
CHESTNUT AVE.
CHESTNUT ST.
CHRISMAN AVE

E-l,

B
7

G,B
E-G, 8
E-F, 9
E, 7

CLINTON AVE
COLONIAL ST
COLUMBIA AVE
CREASY AVE

railroad st
reservoir st
ridge ave
reichart ave
river road
river terrace
rose ave

F-G, 7
H-l, 6
G,

6-7

S-6

D
DEWEY ST

EAST ST

F-G, 7
G, 4-10

EIGHTH ST.
8-1/2 ST

5-6
6-B
F-G, 8

G,
H,

ELEVENTH ST
ELM ST
EYER ST

G.4
E-F, 6
F,

4-10

G.5-9
G, 6

ST.

G.5-9
E-6,9
F-G,9
G.6-8

STRAWBERRY AVE
SUMMIT AVE

F-G, 7-8

C-D,7

T
THIRD ST

7-8

e-f,

SPRUCE ST.
STERLING ST.
STERNER AVE

TENTH ST
FAIR ST
FAIRVIEW AVE

f-1,2-6

SCHLEY ST
SCOTT AVE
SECOND ST
SEVENTH ST
SHORT AVE

E, 7

e.5-7
6,5-6

SIXTH

e-i,

d-e, 7

THORNTON AVE
TWELFTH ST

H.6-8
F,

5-10
G, 8

6-8

H, 10

FERRY ROAD
FETTERMAN AVE
FIFTEENTH ST

H-l,

6-8

FIFTH
FIRST

ST.
ST.
FOURTH ST.

5-10

E.5-9
6-10
D-E, B
E, 8
G, 6

FRANKLIN AVE
FRANKLIN ST.
FRONT AVE

6
GIGER

G-5
E.7-8

ST.

GLEN AVE
GRAPE AVE
GREEN AVE

H, 10
F,

GUNDON AVE

8
6

H
HARRIET

H-1,

ST.

HARTMAN AVE
HAZEL ST.
HIGHLAND TERRACE

7-8

G, 10
D,

7-B

IRON

E-l, 7

ST.

JAMES AVE
JEFFERSON

F, 5
E-H, 6

ST.

K
KNAPP AVE

E,7

L
LAURA AVE
LEONARD ST
LIGHT STREET ROAD
LINCOLN AVE
LOCKARD AVE
LOCUST ST

E,7
E-G, 5
8-10

D-E.B
E,
'.

F-G, 9

M
MAGEE AVE
MAPLE ST
MARKET ST.
MARY AVE

G, 10
E-l, 7
F,

MIDDLE AVE
MILLER AVE
MILLVILLE ROAD
MURRAY AVE

6-7

E-G, 7
A-E, 7
E"G, 7

N
NINTH ST

NORTH

E-G, 5-8
E.8

ST.

OAK ST
OLD ORE ROAD
OLIVE ST.

ORCHARD ST
OXFORD AVE
OYER AVE

F-G, 9-10
.

G-IO
G, 9
F, 5
7-8
E-6,6

FOREWORD
The purpose of this report is to determine the forces operating within
the Town of Bloomsburg - public and private, internal and external, beneficial and harmful; to determine the problems created by these forces; to determine and recommend solutions to these problems, means of accelerating
Since no individual,
the desirable trends and deterring those undesirable.
community, or region is static, the analyses submitted herein, based upon
sound and scientific methods, are to be viewed not as an attempt to change
Bloomsburg into something it is not, nor cares to be, but rather a means of
retaining for Bloomsburg all its beneficial aspects in a changing environment.
The attached report, consisting of considerable detail of background
data, analyses and description of methods of reasoning, resulting conclusions, and recommendations has been compiled by the Planning Consultant Staff
of the firm of Michael Baker, Jr. and Clifton E. Rodgers, Planning Associates.
All matters contained in the report have been discussed a number of
times with the members of Town Council, the Steering Committee on Town
Planning, the School Board, and many other members of the community and
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local organizations.
The subjects given special treatment include; Land Use, Population,
Residential Development, Schools, Recreation, Highways, Off-Street Parking,
Finance, Administration, Zoning and Subdivision Control.

An effort has been made to portray the important conditions, trends,
and recommendations through maps, sketches, charts and narrative discussion.
Numerous talks on the Town Plan have been given to civic groups by the
Planning Staff to develop an understanding of the program. In addition a
public exhibit of the proposals has been prepared to demonstrate the many
phases of the plan.
It is interesting to note that the proposed plan for Bloomsburg is not
revolutionary to past trends of development, but merely is an evolutionary
result of changing conditions brought about by modern living and working
habits in our society.
This plan recognizes the responsibilities of a community to the youth, the adults, and the family as a unit, and in turn
recognizes the individual's responsibility to the community. On a scientific
and economic basis recommendations are made to improve education, recreation,
business, health and welfare phases of community life.

Any course of action charted at this time must be fluid, subject to adjustments and dictated by changing conditions. Planning must be a Continuing Function.
Therefore, a Citizens Planning Association is recommended as
the living organ to foster the plan.
The immediate problem in considering
the successful results to be derived from the plan is Leadership.

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The Town Planning Consultants were able to illustrate the advantage of
the planning approach to municipal problems while engaged in preparation of
the attached plan.
The State Highway Department's original proposal for the
relocation of Route 11,
submitted in August, was analyzed by the Planning
Staff,
The resulting modification of the proposal prevented the deterioration of a well established residential area, the splitting of the Town by
a major thoroughfare, the intensification of traffic congestion, etc.
The route proposed by the Planning Staff after due analysis was approved by Council and the Steering Committee, After numerous conferences
both here and in Harrisburg, the proposal was approved by the State, This
will result in the provision of $44,000 of additional pavement at no cost to
the Town; the opening for development of a vacant area in Town; and the provision of excellent access into Town, This one project illustrates that
sound planning pays dividends.

Acknowledgement of appreciation is hereby expressed for the excellent
cooperation given the Planning Staff by the Town and School District officials, commercial and civic bodies, and individuals all too numerous to
mention by name.
Special appreciation is given to the members of the
Steering Committee on Town Planning who have contributed so well of their
time, assistance and suggestions.
As a guide the Town Plan should aid the people of Bloomsburg in continuing to develop their community in an orderly, attractive, and sound economic manner.

Clifton \B, Rodgers
Planning Consultant

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HISTORICAL INFLUENCES
Probably the citizens of Bloomsburg have at some time or other asked
Why is Bloomsburg?
Bow did it come to be? How
themselves these questions:
did it happen to grow where it did, and why is it like it is? The answers
to these questions can be found in examining the Town's historical growth.
For it is in its origin that a community assumes a cause for existence and
begins to provide a common basis for people to live and work together. It
is in the process of growth that it begins to take shape, to establish
certain customs, habits and traditions, to form a life and culture of its
own,

ORIGIN
The original settlement of Bloomsburg and the surrounding area is.
typical American Story: a saga of restless settlers, primarily Quakers,
Dutch and Germans, seeking a spot in a young and vigorous country where
they could establish a new life, free from hardship, fear and interference.
Originally Bloom Township, a subdivision of first Northumberland and then
Columbia County, it was not until 1870 that Bloomsburg was incorporated as
a "Town"- a distinction which it has maintained in the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania to this date,

ECONOMIC BASIS

GROWTH

The original Township of Bloom quickly made an enterprising change
from an agricultural district to a commercial and industrial center.
With
the advent of the canal, the Town's location made it a natural trading
center for the surrounding area
Crafts, the tanning of hides, and the
manufacture of wagons and carriages were among its first enterprises. The
early discovery of iron ore formed a solid nucleus about which the Town's
economy was organized for nearly three-fourths of a century.
The incorporation of Bloomsburg as a Town marked its transition from
an iron economy to a textile-manufacturing center. As early as 1882
textile mills began to establish themselves in Town, and the economy thus
formed has since been strengthened and solidified.
Today Bloomsburg is a
textile manufacturing center, with the production and processing of woolen
and silk goods and the manufacture of carpets among its principal industries,

Bloomsburg has also maintained its dominance as a commercial center.
Although the canal and its advantages as a trade route have long since
ceased to function, the Town's position as county seat has made it a natural
shopping center for the entire region. Today it performs 42 percent of the
retail sales in Columbia County,

COMMUNITY GROWTH
With the establishment and development of a sound economic base, the
Town has also grown and developed.
The population has steadily mounted
since the Town's settlement, expanding from 3,341 persons in 1870 to nearly
11,000 today. New homes have been built, streets have been laid and utilities installed, stores and shops have been developed, and facilities have

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COMMUNITY GROWTH
1802- 1947

BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

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AS LAID OUT

1802

AS DEVELOPED BY I860
AS DEVELOPED BY 1876
AS DEVELOPED BY 1947
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expanded to serve amusement, educational, health, religious and cultural
From a small gridiron settlement developed around eight interpurposes.
secting streets laid out in 1802, Bloomsburg has expanded into a thriving
community with a total developed area of more than 1200 acres,

ELEMENTS
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DISTINCTION

Besides being an industrial and commercial center, the Town of Bloomsburg has developed other distinctions which set it in a class beyond its
neighbor-communities. The Town has adapted itself to the air age in stride
and now owns a class two airport. It is a high-grade floriculture center,
Spectators travel
shipping its floral products to all parts of the Nation,
from miles around to witness the annual Bloomsburg Fair, unexcelled throughout the State,
The Town is also a health center, with the Bloomsburg Hospital and a seat of education, as home for the Bloomsburg State Teachers'
College
These are reflections of a high-calibre growth and status, elements
of community distinction,,

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State Teachers'

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Colle

POPULATION
An accurate analysis of the population is a primary necessity in
preparation of a sound Town Plan, Trends in population growth will have
an effect upon future economic growth and stability, and in turn will
determine future requirements for economic development and civic improvement.
Likewise, geographic distribution of the population will have a
decisive bearing upon location of proposed improvements,

TOTAL POPULATION
The attached chart illustrates the chronological growth of Bloomsburg's population from 1870 to the present, compared with that of the
County, State and Nation,

Compared with the County, Bloomsburg has steadily gained in population.
In the last 37 years, the County has increased only six percent
in population while the Town has gained over 44 percent.
This is further
illustrated by the fact that the Town has steadily increased from 11,6$
of the County population to over 20 percent in the last 77 years.
The
County has ceased growing - in fact, between 1910 and 1947 the County outside Bloomsburg has lost population.
This must be kept in mind - the
reservoir of population adjoining the Town, although not drying up, is no
longer increasing.
This reservoir in the past has been an important source of in-migrants
to Bloomsburg as well as constituting the shopping public utilizing the
Bloomsburg Commercial Area, The competitive situation of the several
municipalities in this retail market area may be intensified in the future
and, therefore, far greater thought must be given to the development of
forces to attract people to Bloomsburg,

CHARACTERISTICS

POPULATION

AGE OF POPULATION

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The attached chart on "Composition of Population" compares the percentage of the Town's population in each five year age group with similar
groups of the State's population. As compared with the State, Bloomsburg
has a deficiency of younger people and an excess of the very old.
The
median age of the Town residents was 32 years while that of the State was
only 29.

This differential from the more normal age pattern of the State indicates several things
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In-migration of adults: an influx of persons of productive
ages from the adjoining areas.

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Low birth-rate:
this implies growth of the Toum is
dependent upon the above in-migration rather than upon
natural increase (difference between births and deaths).

SEX COMPOSITION

The chart referred to above also indicates the sex composition of the
Town by age groups. The startling degree to which women out-number men in
certain age groups indicates an influence of Bloomsburg's dominant industry
- the textile industry.
This industry, employing females to a great extent,
has attracted female in-migrants of adult age.
It may also imply an outmigration of Town-born males due to a lack of desirable employment. Note
that this excess of women starts at the post-school age and continues only
until about 35 years of age

Within the child-bearing ages of 15 through 49, there were 2,868
females in 1940 as compared with 2,495 males - an excess of 369 females, or
In other words, 13 per13 percent of the women in the child-bearing ages.
cent of the potential mothers in the Town cannot, quantitatively, find mates
unless they migrate elsewhere. Thus the birth rate of Bloomsburg will continue to remain low as compared with that of a normal population,
LEVEL OF EDUCATION
The level of education of adults in Bloomsburg is far higher than many
areas of the State,
Statistics compiled in the U» S, Census of 1940 indicates the median number of school years completed by persons 25 years of age
or over in Bloomsburg was 9,7 years, compared with 8,2 years for Columbia
County, and 8,5 years for the State,

TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT
The manner in which the people of a community make their livelihood is
frequently a reflection of the basic community characteristics - economic,
educational and cultural.
The attached chart indicates how the people of
Bloomsburg make their livings

POPULATION DISTRIBUTION
The Population Distribution Map, showing where the people live in 1947,
indicates a high degree of concentration of population within a sharply defined built-up area of the Town, This suggests a higher than normal
"density" of population, with resultant impact upon healthful housing
standards, adequate open space, and increased traffic congestion,

The center of population of the Town was found to be a little south of
East Third Street at Miller Avenue, This factor has an important bearing
upon location of future public improvements within reasonable distance of
the majority of the population.

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COMPOSITION

BLOOMSBURG,
COMPARISON BY SEX
NUMBER
400

500

3C0

200

PA.

POPULATION
-

AGE GROUP

1940
COMPARISON WITH STATE
PERCENTAGE

100

YEARS 8 OVER

TO 69

TO 59

TO 49

40 TO 44

MM
J77

2 5

2 9

20 TO

UNDER

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19

YEARS

PENNSYLVANIA

BLOOMSBURG

ESTIMATED FUTURE POPULATION
It is estimated that the 1947 population of Bloomsburg is approximateAs indicated on the attached chart, the estimated populy 10,700 persons.
lation for 1960 is 12,000 persons. This constitutes, roughly, a gain of
one percent, or 100 persons per year.
The low birth rate of 14.2 per 1000 population is expected to continue
because of the population characteristics and type of employment available.
Due to the older population, the death rate will be in the vicinity of 11.2,
leaving a potential natural increase in population of only 3 Per thousand
population, or an annual natural increase of about 30 persons.
The remainder of the expected annual increase or 70 persons must come from inmigration.

In-migration is dependent upon expansion of employment - i.e. expansion
The amount of employof existing industries and entry of new industries.
ment possible through expansion of retail facilities is limited.
Therefore
in order to attract 70 in-mi grants per year, sustained additional industrial
employment will be required.

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GENERAL BACKGROUND
The Town of Blootnsburg serves a variety of functions:
it is an industrial Town and yet is a college Town; it is the County seat and also is
It is not without cause that
th,e retail and wholesale center of its area.
the Town is referred to as the "Parlor City" of the Susquehanna River
Valley, a surprising nomination for a community in which approximately
three-fourths of the employment is industrial,

THE ECONOMY
The Town of Eloomsburg has a unique economy which possesses some sound
basic characteristics of diversification and yet reflects a few contradictory tendencies. The economy is sound in that it is based heavily both on
commerce and industry. Yet, within the industrial structure, the predominant industry is textiles, and a single plant provides approximately
one-half of all industrial employment. On the other hand, there is a wide
diversification in the local textile industries themselves, ranging from
the processing of fiber and yarns to the manufacture of articles of clothing
and carpets. The above characteristics indicate alternate capacities for
stability and instability, with the resultant of forces apparently providing
a stable economic base.

The local retail and wholesale activity services a wide area.
It is
indicated by available statistics that a population of 2S , 000 consumers is
fully served, with approximately 35,000 partially served,
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EMPLOYMENT
The Columbia County Committee for Economic Development made a survey
in 1945 coordinated with a national survey.
This survey of existing employment and future potential employment reprted that 36 industries in the
Bloomsburg area employed 2,400 persons, A recent survey of the 11 major
industries in Bloomsburg proper indicated an employment of S803, of which
40,5 percent were females. Of these 2803 employees almost 94 percent were
employed in the textile industries. The non-textile industries, making up
only 6 percent of the total, employed females in a ratio of only 1 female
to 9 males.
It is immediately apparent that there exists serious need to
attract to Town male employing industries.
It is safe to assume that with the relatively large number of females
employed, a sizeable market for male labor can be developed through introduction of male employing industries. This remedy can also serve to
neutralize the aforementioned capacity for instability due to non-diversification of types of industry.

Based upon the C,E,D, Survey, for every 2,2 industrial workers there
These acservice or wholesale establishments.
tivities will reflect any changes in industrial employment.
is one employee in retail,

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A survey of existing industries indicated that several soncerns contemplate expansion of facilities which will increase industrial employment
by over 20 percent. This is of importance to Bloomsburg, for it indicates
an expanding community for which planning is an essential.

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OCCUPATIONAL
TOWN OF BLOOMSBURG

TYPE OF EMPLOYMENT

PROFESSIONAL AND SEMI
PROFESSIONAL

PROPRIETORS, MANAGERS,
FARMERS AND OFFICIALS

CLERICAL, SALES

WORKERS,

ETC.

SERVICE WORKERS

CRAFTSMEN, FOREMEN,

ETC.

OPERATIVES AND SIMILAR

WORKERS

LABORERS (FARM AND
NON-FARM)

DOMESTIC SERVICE WORKERS

ALL CLASSIFICATIONS

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DISTRIBUTION

COLUMBIA COUNTY

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PENNSYLVANIA

PERCENT OF EMPLOYED POPULATION

EXISTING LAND USE
The Existing Land Use. Study presents a picture of all the land in
Town - how it is being used, and how much is being used for each of various,
purposes* Through analysis, inspection, comparison with accepted standards,
and reference to past experience in this and other communities, certain
implications can be seen from the existing land-use pattern. Further conclusions can also be drawn regarding preparation of the future land development plan,

STUDY AREAS
The intensity of land use in Bloomsburg varies from relatively extensive farm land to three story apartment houses. Therefore, for a proper
analysis of land use, it has been necessary to define distinctive areas of
the Town,
l.

The Developed Area extends outward from the Town center
to the rural fringe-land.
This area has been further
divided into two categories:
a.

The Inner Developed Area contains all the
facilities used by the community in its
normal everyday life.

The Outer Developed Area consists of the
college, hospital airport, fairgrounds,
water company and tracts of vacant land
surrounding the Inner Developed Area,
,

The Outlying Area consists of the remaining land within
the Town boundaries
predominantly of an agricultural
,

nature.
The table "Summary of Land Use" presents a summary of the acreage of
land devoted to each type of land use in each of the study areas defined
above. An analysis of these areas Will reveal an interesting story of the
Town's development, its physical condition-,, and its efficiency in functioning as a community,

INNER DEVE4 OPE

AREA

RESIDENTIAL USE

Almost one-half (47.5$) of the "Inner Developed Area" is devoted to
residential use. This indicates a very compact residential area, with an
average density of about 33 persons per acre.

Evidently several factors have been contributory in creating this high
density of development. The Town's growth has always been limited by flood

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Consequently, resi- .x
conditions and the presence of the surrounding hills.
dential areas have been laid out in compact units, with many houses built on
In many cases, homes have been built on both ends
lots of substandard size.
of such lots.

The entire density situation thus created is indicative of unhealthy
conditions in several respects. Homes built so closely together cannot
permit adequate entry of needed light and air, nor can they provide the yard
space so necessary to privacy of family life*

Lack of garage or driveway space intensifies the on-street parking
problem.
Heavily developed areas place an additional burden on the adjoining street system, often rendering inadequate a street layout that would have
Finally, it has been found that overcrowded
been quite sufficient otherwise.
residential neighborhoods tend to depreciate more quickly than well laid-out,
low density areas.
The condition of most of the existing housing in Bloomsburg is fairly
There are no well-defined "blighted" or "slums" areas as are found in
most communities. From a very rapid visual inspection of exteriors, approximately 100 dwellings were counted that appeared to be in the final stages of
deterioration. These homes are scattered over the Town in little clusters
and do not constitute a very great threat to the community if properly
handled.
good.

The age-characteristics of housing in Bloomsburg present some severe
implications.
With over one-half of existing dwellings 40 or more years old,
an increasing number of houses will be falling into the category of "inadequate". Unless preventive measures are taken this situation can move beyond
control very quickly, leading to a snow-balling degeneration of the entire
residential area,

MIXED USE

There is a large percentage of land (9.6% acres) in the Town devoted to
mixed use. This is particularly evident along the Main Street shopping area
where the second and third floors are used for living quarters, A glance at
the Population Map will reveal that these areas are among the most densely
populated in Town, Here the dwelling units are greatly overcrowded and provide little or nothing in the way of yard space.

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It is very important that the harmful conditions found in mixed use
areas be rectified.
It is possible that provision of off-street parking lots
in the main shopping area will attract some of the commercial facilities that
are scattered throughout the community.
Some of these facilities, such as
professional offices, personal service shops, etc, could very well be located
in the upper stories of existing stores.
This would accomplish a dual
purpose, eliminating mixed use as well as removing commercial features from
residential areas.

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EXISTING

BLOOMSBURG
BLOOMSBU.RG

TOWN

PL
1947

COMMERCIAL USE
The bulk of the Town's commercial facilities is centered on Main Street,
between East and Market Streets. However, there is a tendency for commercial
establishments to spread out along that portion of existing highways lying
within the developed area.
In addition, commercial facilities of various sorts are scattered
throughout the main residential area, in no particularly indicative pattern.

Should there be a marked persistence in the spreading out of Bloomsburg's commercial facilities, the forthcoming results might well be of a
drastic nature.
Some facilities would undoubtedly locate themselves just
outside of the Town boundary, escaping local taxation. All types of facilities would not be within a reasonable distance of each other, necessitating
several moves and stops for the consumer to complete his shopping. Certain
facilities would probably be duplicated unnecessarily, increasing the number
of marginal shops and business failures, detrimental to the merchant, the
consumer, and the local government.
One of the main active controls available for retaining the bulk of
commercial facilities within a defined area lies in the provision of adequate
off-street parking lots. This topic is discussed more thoroughly under the
section on "Off-Street Parking", Realization of the solution offered therein
will do much to retain existing facilities within the main shopping center,
INDUSTRIAL USE
The main industrial area is located along the D, L, & W, Railroad,
stretching across the lower end of Town from Locust Street to the Fairgrounds

Location of the industrial area has the effect of cutting the Town into
two parts. Although this has some disadvantages, they are not so great as it
would seem at first. The residential area located south of the industrial
belt is very small, and residential expansion is not likely to take place to
a great extent in this portion of Town,
Traffic along the railroad is very
light and permits smooth movement between the two areas.
Future industrial growth and expansion should be confined to the existNot only will rail facilities be readily
available, but industrial facilities will be kept from encroaching upon residential areas,
ing area as much as possible.

PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS
The area of Land devoted to parks and playgrounds is very low ($.3
acres) when compared with other communities or with established recreational
standards.
A study of 2qq American cities with population 5,000 - 10,000
indicates an average of 430 persons per acre of park" compared with Bloomsburg's 2,000 persons per acre.

U.S. Dept. of Interior, National Park Service

twelve

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It may be safely assumed that a lack of adequate recreation facilities
can be highly contributory in fostering discontentment among young people.
Such lack of interest in local activity may well find expression in tendencies
toward out-migration.
If Sloomsburg is to provide a well-integrated community
growth program, the function of recreation must not be neglected.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND PROPERTY

Though there are more than 11 acres o? land within the "Inner Developed
Area" occupied by public buildings, including schools, less than one-half of
Bloomsburg is the County
this acreage is utilized for local public purposes*
seat of Columbia County and must administer County functions, resulting in
location of the court-house and County jail in Town, There are also some
State operated facilities such as the highway garage and Federal buildings
such as the post office. These additional public facilities tend to raise
the amount of land normally required for public use«
An improvement program
for local schools and recreational areas will raise this percentage even more.
VACANT LAND
There exists a very small percentage (S.Ofc) of vacant land in the "Inner
Developed Area". Additional areas, as indicated by the school report, will be
needed for expansion of school and recreational facilities. Only a portion
of the remaining vacant land lies above flood line and is therefore suitable
for residential development

THE OUTER DEVELOPED AREA
Immediately outside of the "Inner Developed Area" lies another large
area of land containing approximately 596 acres.
This is the second study
area, referred to in the opening paragraphs as the "Outer Developed Area", It
contains such features as the fairgrounds, the airport, the hospital, the
college, the. water company, and vacant tracts, in the quantities indicated
in the table, "Summary of Land Use",

THE OUTLYING AREA
The remaining study area, termed the "Outlying Area", comprises the
remainder of land within the Town boundaries. As can be seen from the "Land
Use Summary", the greatest portion of this area is devoted to agricultural
use.
Normally it would be expected that spme of this land could be used for
Town expansion. However, flood conditions, as shown by the 1936 flood line
on the Land-Use Map, render approximately 500 acres, or 27% of the area useless for development.

thirteen

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HIGHWAYS
The function of a highway is to provide for
ment of vehicles. It must be recognized that the
property, commercial development of the roadside,
of vehicles are all the function of local streets
function of highways.

the safe and rapid moveprovision of access to
the parking and loading
and not the primary

This function of rapid and safe movement of vehicles has a two-fold
purpose.
One is to provide movement through town for traffic destined elsewhere and the other is to provide access to the centers of activity of the
Town.

T Through-traffic is of negligible economic value to the built-up area
of Town, Outside of an insignificant amount of food and gasoline purchased
by such through-traffic
a type of purchase the average driver prefers to
there is practically no
make at some out-of-town roadside development
economic gain from such traffic. On the other hand, this type of traffic
causes economic loss through serious interference with local traffic as well
Every
as constituting a serious hazard to the safety of the inhabitants.
effort should be made to discourage such traffic providing that proper and
direct access to and from Town is provided,

—

EXISTING SITUATION
The relative volumes of traffic on the various highways leading into
Bloomsburg and their relation to the street system of the Town are shown in
detail on the Highway Map,

All the highways utilize Main Street as a route through the Town, This
causes serious congestion, especially on Saturday afternoons and evenings
when shopping activity - the basic function of the Main Street properties is at its height,
U. S.

T E

INADEQUACIES OF EXISTING ROUTE

There is no need to discuss the inadequacies of the existing highway,
in the eastern part of Town,
The inadequate width, the poor intersections,
the uncontrolled development of the abutting properties, the high percentage
of vehicular accidents have all forced the State Department of Highways to
plan the relocation of this section of Route 11,
INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM

Route 11 has been designated as part of the National System of Interstate Highways,
One of the recommendations of the National Inter- regional
Highway Committee is the by-passing or skirting of all smaller cities and
towns: "these small cities and towns »«»« may be adequately served by a

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skirting location of the main route",

(l)

Therefore, an ultimate by-pass for all through traffic is recommended.
Although the construction of this by-pass is not feasible at the present
time, the increased vehicular traffic and the increased expenditures for
highways will make such construction economically feasible in the not-toodistant future. The proposed ultimate by-pass route is shown clearly on the
Highway Map.
Sixth Street

Railroad Street Truck By-Pass

Since the ultimate by-pass will not be constructed for at least several
years, it is essential that provision be made for trucks to by-pass congested
Main Street and avoid the dangerous hill west of West Street. As is shown on
the attached map, a logical route from the terminus of the State proposal for
the relocation of Route 11, would be along Sixth Street from the highway
terminus to the Reading Railroad and then along Railroad Street to Main
Street.

This proposed truck by-pass will serve a two-fold purpose.
It will
permanently provide good direct access from the east or west to the industrial area of the Town. Heavy trucking will no longer interfere with
traffic in the central commercial area.
In addition, this route will also
serve as a by-pass for trucks until such time that the ultimate highway bypass will be constructed.

OTHER ROUTES
The volumes of traffic carried on the other highway routes leading into
Town are not great enough to provide economic justification for extensive relocation as on the above route.
It is recommended that the problem of congestion encountered on route
42 to the north be alleviated by widening the right of way in the built up
area and correction of the very sharp curves. This will require demolition
of a number of ancient residences which have outlived their useful existence.

It is also recommended that parking and loading be restricted to one
side of the street on route 339.

No recommendations are made on the remainder of the highway routes.

(1)

Report of National Inter-regional Highway Committee - 1944
Washington, D. C.

fifteen

PROPOSED

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BLOOMSBURG

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MICHAEL BAKER, OR
CONSULTING ENGINEER

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PROPOSED IMME
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RECOMMENDED

•••••• RECOMMENDED
AUXILIARY ACCf

PROPOSED HIGHWAY RELOCATION.
BLOOMSBURG & VICINITY

PENNSYLVANIA
TOWN

PLANNING

TOWN

BLOOMSBURG

SURVEY

COMMISSION

1947

PHPMED
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PROPOSED IMMEDIATE STATE PROGRAM

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RECOMMENDED

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RECOMMENDED IMMEDIATE TRUCK BY-PASS

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AUXILIARY ACCESS STREET

MODIFICATION OF IMMEDIATE STATE PROGRAM

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OFF-STREET PARKING
Everyone recognizes that Bloomsburg dominates the retail market of
Columbia County, but how tenuous the justification for this dominance is not
so. apparent.
The estimated value of retail sales in 1946 in Bloomsburg was
$11,490,000, which was 42 percent of the total for the County. Yet Bloomsburg has only 22 percent of the $47,700,000 estimated gross effective buying
Berwick, with
income of the County and only 21 percent of the population.
its larger population and larger effective buying income, accounted for only
one-third of the County's retail trade.
These figures are cited to demonstrate that very important forces exist
that can operate to remove Bloomsburg' s dominating position over retail trade
in this area.
The commercial area exists today located where it is only
through inertia of investment custom, and habit.
As the County Seat, Bloomsburg was the natural center for the shopping center of this area.
Generation
after generation developed shopping habits centered on Main Street, Bloomsburg.
In response to this demand, merchants invested heavily in fitting out
stores and shops which resulted in Main Street as it is today.
,

However, in recent years this "purchasing power" has mounted itself on
rapidly revolving wheels that clock-off the miles in a matter of minutes.
This "mobility" can radically change long-established shopping habits. Some
positive action is necessary to fix permanently Bloomsburg as the shopping
center of this region.

Recognition of this mobility of purchasers is important, for with the
new proposed highway between the Town and Berwick, it will take less time to
drive to Berwick than to drive down one side of Main Street, back on the
other, and down the side streets in the usual Saturday evening search for a
parking space.

Bloomsburg must provide parking space if its commercial area is to
grow and prosper. As mentioned in the section on "Population" the reservoir
of po pulation living in the areas surrounding the Town is no longer increasing.
Therefore
the competition of the various towns for the privilege
of serving this po pulation will become more severe.
This competition must
be met, and it can only be successfully met and out-distanced by the provision of adequate parking space.
Since all existing street facilities are
already taxed to th* maximum, such new facilities must be off-street parking.
,

Bloomsburg can provide excel lent parking facilities for an additional
238 vehicles at no expense to the Town, to the property owners, or to the
merchants under the plan proposed herein.

sixteen

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SURVEYS

EXISTING CONDITIONS

MAXIMUM DEMAND
Surveys of parking in and near the main business area at times of peak
load, Saturday afternoon and evenings, indicated that 425 cars were parked
in an "improper" manner, on one or both sides of heavily travelled sidestreets, in narrow alleys, or in a dangerous, disorganized manner in the

rear of commercial buildings.
NORMAL DAILY DEMAND

Based upon surveys of parking conditions at various time of the day on
normal week days, it was found that during morning and afternoons 65 to 90
cars were parked in an "improper manner" within or in the immediate vicinity
of the commercial area. Of these, 20 to 45 were parked in the vicinity of
Pine Avenue (Between Main and Third Streets),
During the evening hours
there were only 8 to 12 vehicles parked in the alleys.

PARKING FACILITIES REQUIRED
Based on the above surveys, -estimating that 80% of the cars "improperly"
parked on the periphery of the commercial area were there for shopping
purposes, and allowing a 5% increase for "generated" parking demand due to
provision of new parking space it is estimated that parking facilities for
482 vehicles are required at time of peak demand,

—

PROPOSED PARKING PLAN
It is proposed that a Municipal Authority be established as authorized
by State law to sell bonds, acquire property, improve and operate a parking
area on property adjoining Pine Street in the rear of the south side of
Main Street. This parking area will accommodate 238 cars, or 57 percent of
the number of cars now "improperly"' parked on a normal Saturday evening.

This "Minimum Plan" has attempted to minimize property damage.

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS

PROPOSED PLAN

ACQUISITION AND CONSTRUCTION COST
The assessed valuation of property required has been estimated at $117
per parked car. The cost of improvements, including installation of parking
meters and paving, is estimated at $120 per parking space.

seventeen

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ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY
It is proposed that parking meters be installed in the parking area,
the income to be used in defraying the costs of acquisition and improvement,
to place the project on a self-supporting financial basis.

On the basis of the foregoing surveys of Normal and Peak demands for
parking facilities, it is estimated that each parking space will be used a
"minimum" of 18*6 hours per week. With installation of parking meters this
will net a weekly average income of $0,93 per meter. The attached chart
entitled "Economic Feasibility" indicates that with this income, an acquisition cost for the required land up to 7.6 times the assessed valuation can
be paid, and the project constructed and operated on a self -liquidating
basis.

EXPECTED RESULTS

OF VROffOSAl

This project will have far more valuable effects upon the Town, the
merchants and the property owners - effects which in themselves justify adoption of the plan,
EFFECT UPON COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY AND PROPERTY VALUES
1.

Ease and convenience of parking will attract to Bloomsburg a far
greater percentage of the "mobile purchasing pooter" mentioned
above.

Commercial structures abutting pn parking area can utilize the
rear of buildings as additional frontage
Thus, existing waste
area is transformed to valuable frontage.
.

Additional property can be developed for expansion of existing
concerns and attraction of new concerns - all convenient to the
large reservoir of purchasers in the parking area.

Convenient loading facilities will be provided.

The concentration of the commercial area about the parking lot
will make it possible for purchasers to go from store to store
and complete their intended purchases with a single parking.

All of the foregoing will increase property values and commercial
activity, thereby benefitting property owners, merchants and the
Town as a whole,

EFFECT UPON SAFETY AND ATTRACTIVENESS OF COMMERCIAL AREA
1.

Removal of uns ightly structures would increase value of adjoining
property.
The removal of serious danger from fire that is present
in these old tmder-dry frame structures is important.

eighteen

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OFF-STREET PARKING PROGRAM
BLOOMSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA

ECONOMIC FEASIBILITY

REQUIRED USE OF PARKING AREA
(
\

HOURS PER SPACE PER WEEK
AT FIVE CENTS PER HOUR j

AMORTIZATION CURVES INCLUDE INITIAL IMPROVEMENT COST OF $120
PER PARKING SLOT.

[
-

There is a serious safety hazard present in the disorganized,
unauthorized parking of vehicles in alleys and back yards.
This would all be removed or controlled.

EFFECT UPON TRAFFIC CIRCULATION
2.

Main Street would serve its primary purpose - the free movement
of vehicles - more adequately.
(a)

Removal of a large amount of unnecessary cruising traffic
in search of parking space during periods of maximum congestion.

(b)

Removal of loading trucks from south side of Main Street.
Provision of loading space in parking lot will remove onehalf of a serious traffic hazard as well as providing more
convenient parallel loading faciliti es.

(c)

Concentration of pedestrians upon walkways from parking
area to Main Street will permit a more efficient and safe
This concontrol of p edestrian crossing of Main Street.
stitutes a major source of traffic interference during intensive shopping periods.

Permit more rigid restriction of parking on narrow streets to
assure their use for the movement of vehicles.

GENERAL REMARKS
PIECEMEAL ACTION

IMPOSSIBLE

This plan is economically feasible and can be quickly accomplished.
However, it cannot be accomplished in any piecemeal fashion, for improvement of one part of the area will immediately cause a rapid increase in
This would make the later
property value of all adjoining properties.
acquisition of these adjoining properties for expansion of the parking
area prohibitive.
It must be done all at once or else it cannot be done.
A

BROADER PLAN

POSSIBLE

The plan discussed above concerns a minimum area selected to minimize
property damage but does not fill all the needs for parking and redevelopment of the commercial area.
This plan can be expanded to include redevelopment of the entire central commercial area.
Such a plan is illustrated in attached, plan and persp ective views of a Redeveloped Commercial

Area.

nineteen

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THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Today we consider the community not alone responsible for providing
instruction in the basic elements of reading and writing but many other
aspects of education as well. Our form of living has become so complex
that for the protection of the individual and for the protection and preservation of the community, the Commonwealth and the Nation, the responsibilities of the community for the provision of education have increased
many fold. It is important that we be prepared for the future, which will
bring even greater expansion of those elements which we today readily
accept as part of the public education system*
Bloomsburg has three outstanding needs that must be met by the School
District
The two ancient elementary school buildings must be replaced
with modem structures on sites that meet the educational and recreational
The second outstanding
needs of children of the elementary school ages.
need is the extension of public educat ion to pre-grade school children.
The kindergarten is generally accepted as the responsibility of the public
Pennsylvania and yet, due to inadequate facilities,
school system
The third need is for suppleBloomsburg fails to provide such service.
menting the indoor and outdoor recreational facilities of the existing
high school.
.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
EXISTING SCHOOLS
Ben jamin Franklin Elementary School

Over 20 percent of the children of elementary school age of Bloomsburg
are being educated at the Benjamin Franklin Elementary School of Bloomsburg State Teachers College, at no cost to the taxpayers of Bloomsburg,
This school provides for kindergarten and grades 1 to 6 with 30
students per class, as well as a special class of 20,
The facilities provided for education and recreation are modern and complete.

Existing Town Elementary Schools

Bloomsburg is served by two ancient structures, constructed in 1870
and 1875, - the Third Street and the Fifth Street Schools, A better realization of what the age of these structures implies in relation to public
education, lies in the fact that the two buildings were constructed 20 and
25 years prior to the passage of the first compulsory school attendance law
in Pennsylvania,
These two 12 room school houses provide space only for purely instructional classrooms. The toilet facilities are located in dark, dank,
poorly lighted and poorly ventilated basements. As structures, they cannot be considered, by any standard, adequately serving as elementary
schools. Let us examine some of the other characteristics of these
schools:

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Location:
They are very well-located with respect to the
residences of the school population as is indicated on the
However, the sites are
map titled "Proposed School Plan".
subject to criticism in that a large number of children
must cross main traffic arteries and railroads in traveling
to and from school.

Site Area: The Third Street School site is 1.25 acres of
which only 0.85 acres are available for out-door recreational
facilities.
The Fifth Street School has a site area of only
0.77 acres of which only 0.37 acres are available for play
space.
It is generally accepted that the minimum site area
for an elementary school is five acres.

There is no need to analyze any structural aspects of these buildings
that are older than 95 percent of the residents of the Town.
It is surprising that the parents have tolerated suck poor facilities for the
education of their children.
The State Department of Education has, on
numerous occasions, informally protested against the continued use of
these ancient structures.
These buildings must be replaced almost immediately by structures and sites that not alone meet today's minimum requirements, but schools that will not be outdated for many years to come.

ESTIMATE OF FUTURE NEEDS

On the basis of the population estimates and school census statistics
indicated that Bloomsburg will have a need for accommodating 784
elementary school students by 1960. In addition, facilities will be required for 69 kindergarten students.
This is recommended as the design
capacity for new schools,
it is

RECOMMENDATIONS
Two sites for elementary schools are recommended to replace the two
ancient and seriously inadequate existing schools. The geographic distribution of the population of Bloomsburg indicates that two schools cannot
serve the entire Town and be within one-half mile walking distance of all
students. On the other hand, the total number of elementary school
children does not warrant any more than two schools. Thus, there must
always be some children who walk more than one-half mile to school.
School Site No.

This recommended site is the vacant block bounded by Market, Fifth
Jefferson and Sixth Streets. It comprises 3.8 acres of well graded land.
Although this area is less than the minimum of five acres that would be
desired for an elementary school, it is the only sizeable tract of vacant
land located within the built-up area of the Town, The site area might
be considered as being supplemented by the establishment of a play area
in the site of the existing Third Street School - a matter of 1.25 acres.

twenty-one

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PROPOSED SCHOOL PLAN
BLOOMSBURG & VICINITY

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TOWN PLANNING

TOWN

BLOOMSBURG

A
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SURVEY

PLANNING

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ROCHESTER.

PENNSYLVAN

COMMISSION

This site, it must be recognized, is the only large block of vacant
land above flood level that is at all centrally located. It is the only
possible site for an elementary school in the western part of Town. On
the other hand, the value of this site makes it economically unfeasible
for it is to be acquired by purchase or condemnation. Even if the School
Board were to ignore the unsound economics of the extremely high site cost
per student served, the limited borrowing power of the School Board would
necessarily delay for a number of years, the carrying out of this badly
needed program of replacement of ancient school buildings.

Therefore, it is recommended that the School Board immediately consult with the owners of this property and with civic associations to
develop some plan whereby the School Board may acquire this site by means
other than purchase or condemnation.
School Site No. 2

This site is the vacant rolling land located between Anthony Avenue
and Brugler Street and between Oak Street and a point 120 feet east of -jtU'Locust Street.
It will be noted that the school population thins out near this site.
But it is in this direction that much of the growth of the Town is taking
and will take place. This site will serve the new homes being constructed
on Lightstreet Road, College Hill, Fifth Street, and Berwick Road, These
areas of growth represent a major portion of the total growth of the Town

This site comprises 8.14 acres in all, of which approximately six are
suitable for development with school building and playground. The remainder
must be acquired partly to provide better access to the lower area near
Fifth Street and partly because it would become wasteland for, without the
upper area, it is worthless. This wooded area on a steep slope could be
developed as a natural park - a desirable adjunct to a school site.
School Structures
It is recommended that the Market Street site contain an elementary
school of 16 classrooms to serve grades 1 to 6; a multi-purpose room to
serve as gymnasium and auditorium for indoor active and passive recreation
and entertainment as well as group educational activities; and kindergarten
facilities for one class. The kindergarten should have its own outdoor
play space, entrance and washroom facilities all separated from those of
the older children. For the children in the grades there should be provided
a grassy area for softball, soccer and similar games as well as a paved
area for volley ball, roller skating, etc. Estimated construction cost is
$400,000,
Site No, 2 is proposed as a ten classroom school so designed as to
permit future expansion if needed
This school will also contain the indoor recreational facilities recommended for the above school as well as
similar kindergarten facilities, However, this site will permit the out-

tuenty-two

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STREET

PLAN

PERSPECT

PROPOSED MARKET STREET SCHOOL
BLOOMSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

door play space to be much more extensive than that of the Market Street
Construction cost is estimated at $325,000.
site.
Existing High School
It is estimated that the existing high school will be adequate to accommodate future enrollment insofar as class-room facilities are concerned.
(l) It
However, the high school building has two outstanding deficiencies:
is located on the edge of the main business area, requiring that students
intermingle with the commercial traffic congestion and (2) It is seriouslylimited with respect to provision of both indoor and outdoor recreational
facilities.

Due to the heavy investment already in the school building, built in
1925, and due to the inability to transfer the building to another use, it
The realiis impossible to alleviate these disadvantages by relocation.
zation of a Community Center Building on an adjoining site as discussed in
the section on "Recreation" will supplement the recreation facilities and do
much to alleviate that deficiency. However, the disadvantages in location
are at present insurmountable.

RECOMMENDED PROGRAM
The program recommended to the School Board is a minimum program providing two new elementary schools.
Due to the limited borrowing power of
the School District, ($234,000 as of 1948) the two schools can only be constructed in 1952 and 1960, despite the need for immediate replacement of
the existing elementary school buildings.
The new buildings will permit the provision of kindergarten facilities
for only one-half of the estimated demand.
It is hoped that the School
District will find some method to expand its program by additional income to
permit provision of two additional kindergarten classes.
In order to
minimize the walking distance of these very young children, such facilities
will have to be located in other than the elementary schools. The existing
school sites could very well serve this purpose after construction of the
new school buildings.
On the basis of an estimated $45,000 available each year under current
tax rate and income, and existing indebtedness, the following program is
recommended*

2948 - Acquisition of Elementary School Site No. 2 for future
struction and minor improvement of the site for use as
play field until construction of this school in ig6o.
improvements can be designed and located to serve also
the ultimate use of this site for school purposes.

cona

All

for

twenty-three

1949 ~ Architects fees to be paid for the preparation of necessary
plans and specifications for the construction of the Market
This will permit of construction starting as
Street School.
The architects fee has been
soon as bond issue is approved.
computed as 8 percent of the estimated cost of construction
of $425,000 of whtck 75 percent of this fee is for preparation of designs and specifications

tg$i

Redemption of 2926 bond issue of $125,000 from reserve fund
as set up under this program.

2952 - Immediate issuance of a $400,000 bond issue for construction
of Market Street School, interest rate estimated at 2%.

2952 - Capital outlay of $10,000 for supplementary equipment for
neto school,

2959 - $20,000 capital expenditure for current revenue to pay legal
and architectural fees for the preparation of designs and
specif icat ions for new elementary school No. 2 to be constructed in 2960,
2960 - Bond issue of $325^000 at estimated 2% for construction of
Borrowing power estimated to have increased
School .\'o. 2,
to $507 ,000 by increase in assessed valuation.

2972 - Final bonds redeemed.

SUMMARY
The above recommended program provides for replacement of the two

inadequate elementary schools with modern structures and
facilities that will meet present day educational requirements.
The
program as set forth can be realized within the financial limitations
of the local school board and with no increase in the school tax rate.
Completion of the building program can be effected within the next
twllve years, the Market Street School being built in 2952 and the
Fourth Street School in i960.
existing,

twenty-four

SCHOOL REORGANIZATION
Act 361, of the 1947 General Assembly provides for consolidation of
schools and reorganization of School Attendance Areas and Administrative
The provisions of this Act as carried out
Districts throughout the State,
in Columbia County will have a definite influence upon the above school
program and presents a challenging opportunity for coordination of local
and County school planning efforts.
The Columbia County School Plan prepared in accordance with directions
embodied in the act incorporates Bloomsburg in an Elementary School Attendance Area with Montour and Hemlock Townships,
For the purpose of high
school attendance, Mount Pleasant Township is also included in the Attendance Area,
The entire Attendance Area centers on both elementary and
For the purposes
secondary school facilities tp be provided in Bloomsburg,
of school administration the Bloomsburg Attendance Area is incorporated in
a larger Administrative District with Scott, Orange, Centre and Mifflin
Townships,

Ultimate realization of this program will require expansion of the proposed Fourth Street School to contain 18 class-rooms. This can be easily
accomplished on the recommended site and with the proposed flexible type of
school construction. The present high school facilities in Bloomsburg will
be adequate to service the entire Attendance Area with no additions required,
except in provision of the additional recreation facilities recommended.
It should be noted that while the additional borrowing power of townships in the Attendance Area or Administrative District can be used to
supplement the required building program, the added fiscal capacity is not
so great as would first appear.
Bringing in these township areas requires
an additional $165,000 to be spent in the school improvement program while
adding only $67,800 to the Bloomsburg School Board's total borrowing capacity.
On the basis of the entire Administrative District financial requirements for school improvements are increased by $650,000 while the additional
Potential borrowing capacity is only about $220,000.
,

It is apparent that
on a reorganized, larger
will require State aid.
assist municipalities in

accomplishment of much needed school improvements
area basis, and in a reasonable length of time,
The State School Authority already appointed to
financing school improvements will no doubt be
effective for this purpose.
However, State funds will likely not be available unless the proposed improvements are in accordance with a consolidation
and reorganization plan specified in Act 361.
Constant cooperative action
will be required with adjoining townships as well as the County in carrying
out this program.

twenty- five

PARKS AND RECREATION
Every adult in Bloomsburg should ask himself the following questions;
"Where did I play when I was six years old, where when twelve, and where
when eighteen!" Most of us will discover that what was then play area is
We
But let us go further.
no longer available to the children of today.
A recreationcannot consider that recreation is purely a child's affair.
both active and
al program involving both indoor and outdoor facilities
passive recreation must serve all age groups of the community.
,

The complex conditions encountered in modern everyday life serve to
intensify the need for mental relief and physical exercise and relaxation*
With increasing specialization of work and training activities, additional
leisure time has of necessity been made available. The 40-hour week has
placed upon the community the additional responsibility of providing means
for a proper utilization of leisure time - a utilization that will provide
relaxation from the intensified activity of earning a livelihood and utilization of those capabilities not used in production.

EXISTING FACILITIES
.As discussed in the section of this report entitled "Existing Land
Use", the Town of Bloomsburg has very limited recreational facilities of
any kind.

There are two existing recreational facilities which bear mention and
which can be used as part of a larger proposed program. One is the high
Bchool athletic field, (3,5 acres), which, though poorly located, can be
used as an athletic area for school teams and other organized athletic
There are several shortcomings concerned with this facility: (1)
groups.
it is the only large athletic area available and is not supplemented by a
regular practice field;
(2) being in use for organized athletic teams,
it does not offer the opportunity for participation in sports by unofficial
unorganized groups; and (3) there is no organized off-street parking area
A proposed recreation program should rectify
for the use of spectators
these shortcomings.
.

The other existing facility referred to is a small park (1,8 acres),
located along Main Street on the west end of Town. This area is far too
small and poorly located for extensive use.
If supplemented by similar
areas located throughout the Town, it could serve a strictly neighborhood
recreational function.
There are several other small play areas located as adjuncts to the
existing elementary schools and the high school.
These areas are considered as inadequate and in fact will be revised as part of the proposals
on schools and the community center War Memorial.
The vacant area at the
referred to as "park"
commonly
and
the
Town
owned
by
foot of Market Street
nor mainimproved
neither
present
is
at
such.
It
is not considered as
distance
great
and
at
line
flood
the
below
Location
tained as park area.
except
use
for
unfeasible
area
this
render
population
from the center of
as reservation.

twenty-six

RECREATIONAL NEEDS
WES

OF RECREATIONAL AREAS

Play Lots: -

small local play areas for pre-school-aged children
equipped for the use of the children and with benches,
etc. for mothers in supervising' play, located within
40 units required.
1/8 mile of all Town residents.

Playgrounds -

Active play areas for children ages 5 to 14 during
Such playgrounds
school and after school hours.
should also include a small area reserved for use as
Thus two play
a play lot for the younger children.
facilities can be combined in one area. Maximum
walking distance to playground should be 1/4 to 1/2
Tvo units required. 3-5 acres each.
mile.

Play field -

large active play area should be available to high
school students and grown-ups for active sports such
The Play field can very
as baseball
football, etc.
well have adjacent to it a Playground and a Play lot,
thereby providing facilities for the entire family.
A community recreation
One unit required, 20 acres.
buildings should be included as part of the Play field.
,

Park Lands and Reservations - should be provided for both active
and passive outdoor recreation.
These facilities
should take advantage of natural topographic features
such as vcods, streams, hills, etc. and should offer
hiking trails, picnic areas, bridle paths, etc.

The provision of all the features necessary to meet the above standards would not be at all feasible for the Town of Bloomsburg. Not that
such facilities are unnecessary, but due to the compact nature of the
development of the Town, inadequate open space is available to provide
facilities where necessary. Therefore, the above standards have been applied in limited manner to permit adaptation to existing resources,

RECOMMENDATIONS
COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER BUILDING AS BLOOMSBURG WAR MEMORIAL
There is no better form of memorial in honor of those citizens of the
Town that gave their lives in the last war than a Community Center, They
served Nation , Commonwealth and Town to the maximum, and it is indeed
fitting that the people of the Town memorialize their service by providing
a means of continuous, perpetual service to the community.
They gave their
lives for all of us - adults, children and our children's children - and
we can best show our gratitude by continuing this service to the community.

twenty-seven

It is recommended that a community recreation building be constructed
with funds raised by popular subscription on the inadequate "play space"
west of the high school building. This structure will provide an indoor
swimming pool, gymnasium with balcony, bowling alleys, children's play

The
rooms, several rooms for meetings, reading, talks and discussions.
gymnasium can also be used as a dance floor. With adjacent lounges and
kitchens it can be utilized for community banquets or as a snack bar for
participants in games and dances.
The facilities contained within the Community Center can be used to
supplement the inadequate gymnasium facilities of the high school during
In addition, the auditorium and vocational facilities of the
school hours.
high school can be used to supplement the Community Center after school
The Community Center Building
hours, for all members of the community.
therefore performs a two-fold function.

COMMUNITY PLAYFIELD

Here again a dual-purpose proposal is made. It is recommended that
the Town and the Fair Association co-operate in developing a community playFor 50 weeks a year the Town
field on the eastern end of the Fairgrounds,
will have a highly desirable outdoor recreation area, and during Fair Week
all facilities will be available to the Fair Association, An additional
week will be available for transformation to and from Fairground purposes.
It is proposed that the Town arrange with the Fair Association for
lease and improvement of the entire east end of the Fair Grounds - an area
of approximately 20 acres.
Development of this area can include provision
of all the facilities needed for the large scale type of athletic activity,
i,e, baseball, football, soccer, etc, for all groups of participants.
This
will include a full-sized official football field and running track centered
on the grandstand, as well as a separate practice field and a field for use
by non-organized participants. Another important feature of this area will
be an outdoor swimming pool designed for full-scale public use, as well as
for Fair-time use in aquatic entertainment.
Included also can be ample
tennis courts, adequate space for lawn games, play facilities for smaller
children", and a large organized parking area*

EXISTING ATHLETIC FIELD

During the period of development of the Fairground area, the existing
athletic field will continue to be used in its present capacity. Should
this prove to be an extended period of time, measures should be taken to
provide relief for the parking problem encountered at this site, as well as
to provide additional area for a suitable practice field. There exists
an area of vacant land south of the athletic field which is suitable for
both these purposes. This vacant area, north of Ninth Street and west of
Iron Street, comprises almost 6,5 acres, A temporary practice field and
parking area could be established in this location with a minimum of
clearing and grading.

twenty-eight

When the larger recreational project at the Fairgrounds is completed
and placed in operation it is recommended that the entire recreation
system be revaluated on the basis of experience and a use be proposed for
It is probable that it will still be needed as a
the athletic field.
supplement to playfield activities, while it may prove more expedient to
develop it as a different type of recreation area,
PLAYGROUNDS

Playground facilities will be developed as a part of the proposed new
elementary school sites. It is estimated that approximately 2.5 acres of
land will be available for playground development in the Fifth Street site,
while about 4,0 acres will be available on the other site. The total area
is slightly less than that desired, but here the scarcity of vacant land,
especially on the Fifth Street site, modified the solution. On the other
hand, these facilities will be well located within reasonable walking
distance of nearly the entire population, as discussed more fully in the
school report. It is recommended that a Playlot area also be incorporated
in the Fourth Street site, in order to avoid acquisition of another site
in this general vicinity for this purpose,
PLAYLOTS
As indicated above Playlots are recommended to be developed on the
Fourth Street Elementary School site and on the Fairgrounds Playfield
proposal. Other Playlots are recommended for development as shown on the
Recreat ion Map,

WOODED AREAS AND RESERVATIONS

There exists one remaining recreational need to be satisfied. This
need is concerned with, provision of wooded reservation areas, with picnic
and camping facilities, scenic spots, hiking trails, bridle paths, etc.
There are numerous wooded areas within the Town limits which can satisfy
these conditions, and it is recommended that these areas be acquired and
reserved for public recreational use. Very little cost will be encountered
in development of these areas,
A minimum of underbrush removal and provision of a few picnic tables, shelters and outdoor camp-fires should
suffice.
The areas recommended can be seen on the Recreation Map,

Additional areas that are or would become virtually waste land are
recommended in the section on Ultimate Land Use to be acquired for reforestation. This also .will make available additional woodland suitable
for recreation.

twenty-nine

PROPC SED
RECREATION PLAN
BLOOMSBURG,

PENNSYLVANIA

SUMMARY OF RECREATION PROGRAM
Bloomsburg, Pa,

Acreage

Facilities Provided

Type Area

Location

Community Center

Present High
school site and
adjoining property

Community Athletic
Center

East end of fair
grounds

Athletic Park

Iron St. between
7th and 8th Sts.

3*5

Athletic field and
grandstands (temporary practice field and
parking area to be provided)

Playground

New 5th St.

2.5

Large game court,
swings, slides

3.8

Recreation bldg.,
swimming pool, gymnasium, arts and crafts,
outdoor play space

20.1

Official athletic
field and grandstand
practice field, field
for unorganized participants, swimming pool,
tennis courts, parking
area

School site

Playground

New 4th St.

4.0

School site
Playlot

In athletic area
at fairgrounds

2.5*

Playlot

In new 4th St.
School site

0.5*

Playlot

In old 5th St.
School site

1.2

Playlot

In old 3rd St.
School site

1.4

Playlot

Intersection of
Glen Ave. & Millville Eoad

0.8

Acreage is included in
larger area indicated.

Swings, sand-boxes,
slides, see-saws,
benches and park area
n

SUMMARY OF RECREATION PROGRAM
Bloomsburg, Pa,

Type Area;

Location

Playlot

In block between Fair
Ave. and 1st Street

0.8

Playlot

9th St. and Bailroad Avenue

1.1

Playlot

9th St. and Poplar
Street

l.k

Playlot

West end of Main
Street
Strip along river and
Fishing Creek South
and west boundaries.
Includes riverfront

2.3

Wooded Recreation Area

"park".

Acreage

79-5

Facilities Provided
Swings, sand-boxes
slides, eee-saws,
benches, & park area
ii

Benches., tables,
fireplaces, bridle
path, hiking trails,
picnic shelters

]

Wooded Recreation Area

Between raceway and
Fishing Creek northeast
to Arbutus Park

Wooded Recreation Area

North of Light -Street
Road, below hospital

Wooded Recreation Area

Areas between proposed
highway by-pass and
built-up area

90. k

2.9

180.3

Benches and tables

Benches, tables,
fireplaces, hiking
trails, picnic
shelters
,

SEWERS AND SEWAGE DISPOSAL
SEWAGE DISPOSAL
A plan has already been adopted by the Town Council for a sewage
disposal plant and a site has been acquired. This is in accordance with a
directive of the State in carrying out its stream purification program. The
financing, construction and operation of this sewage disposal plant, and
perhaps garbage disposal, is to be accomplished by a Municipal Authority
set up in accordance with recent State legislation,

SEWAGE COLLECTION SYSTEM
EXISTING SITUATION

Despite the tremendous investments the Town has made in its sewer
system, no complete record is available of the system and no attempt is
made to maintain a record of new construction. This is one of the deficiences resulting from the absence of a full-time administrator in the Town
government.
The absence of a sewer plan for the entire Town prevents maximum utilization of all sewers constructed. Each new sewer extension must be treated
as a separate unit to serve immediate demand, instead of a part of a larger
plan for the drainage area which will meet tomorrow's needs as well as today* s.

The growth of the Town northward and eastward will require considerable
revamping of all sewer trunk lines in the relatively near future,

RECOMMENDATIONS
It is recommended that when the Municipal Authority is established to
undertake the construction and operation of the Sewage Disposal System, the
entire sanitary sewer system of the Town be operated by the Authority, A
condition may be imposed that the Authority have prepared a comprehensive
plan for a sewer system for all the area in Town that has potential for
development. It is not recommended that this design include the area classified as agricultural use on the Ultimate Land Use Map,

With the Municipal Authority operating the Sewage Disposal System and
the Sewage Collection System, all activities concerning sanitary sewers can
be consolidated into one agency.

thirty

AVAILABL

BLOOMSBUR
p

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TOWN

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P L A

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TOWN

BL00MSBUR6

T:
MiCMAEL

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AREA SERVED
AREA SERVED

AREA SERVED

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AVAILABLE UTILITIES
BLOOM.SBURG & VKINTH
!

TOWN

BLOOMSBURG

PLANNING

TOWN

SURVE

PLANNING
1947

COMMISSION

\.*Vy

SURFACE DRAINAGE
The storm water drainage system is inadequately designed and maintained.
A comprehensive design is necessary. The damage to pavements and
private property in a short time would pay for the design of a comprehensive system of storm water drainage.

One of the difficulties of storm water drainage in Bloomsburg is the
unsound layout of existing streets. The steep slopes of some streets act
as stream beds, concentrating the water to an extent that prevents interception by drains and basins.
The control over the development of new sub-divisions that the Town
Planning Commission will have will prevent the recurrence of this error,

TOPOGRAPHIC SURVEY
Before any sewer system, either sanitary or storm water, can be designed, or properly designed extensions made to the existing system, a topographic survey of the Town should be made. This survey should show all
street: grades, curbs, general topography, location of all sewers and drains
as well as elevations, etc.
This survey can provide information that will
result in great savings in the design and location of public improvements.

Co-operative effort between the Town Council and the Municipal Authority upon this project will result to the mutual advantage of both.

thirty-one

FUTURE RESIDENTIAL EXPANSION
In order to anticipate the outcome of future expansion, it is necessary
to understand some of the factors that are likely to influence residential
growth. An analysis of expansion tendencies includes study of the following
features:
z.

Family needs for housing, due to population growth.

Availability of sites suitable for residential development
because of desirable topographic features, location, etc.

From the above information, estimates can be made as to
housing units likely to be produced in future years, together
cation of area and location of sites likely to be developed.
mation will be invaluable in providing a basis for the zoning
undeveloped areas,

the number of
with an indiThis inforof presently

HOUSING NEEDS
On the basis of anticipated population growth, and allowing for the
provision of new dwelling units already accomplished during the war years by
"conversion" and "doubling up" it is estimated that Bloomsburg will have developed a total need for new housing by 1960 of 531 dwelling units. This will
require a construction rate of 44 dwelling units per year.

—

During the construction boom years - 1920-29 - there was a total of 391
dwelling units constructed in Bloomsburg, or a yearly construction rate of 39
In the latter half of this period, homes were built at the rate of 43
units.
units per year. These facts indicate a capacity for local absorption of a
subtained construction period of the magnitude estimated above.
Inasmuch as most of the. existing housing is of the single family detached and semi-detached type, new construction will probably continue to be
of that variety with an increasing preference shown for the detached house.
However, due to the large number of working couples in Bloomsburg, a sizeable
market may be found for the garden type apartment - the two- story, walk-up with adjoining yard space. It is generally designed to accommodate small,
low-rent apartments, placed one above the other and each containing kitchen,
bath, living room and one to three bedrooms.
As nearly as can be determined, most of the families seeking this type
of housing can afford no more than $40 per month rental. Rental housing
today, or within the foreseeable future, is not available at this figure. If
housing is to be made available, some form of assistance is necessary. Whether
it takes the form of to year tax abatement, utilization of Town acquired land,
or any other form of assistance from the municipality, or even a modern form
of insurance company, will depend upon local attitudes.
It is merely the
function of this survey to indicate whether or not land is available for the
housing that is required.
How the existing demand can be rendered an effective demand (able to pay) and whether or not it should be, is for local

thirty-two

determination.
It must be recognized that Bloomsburg has never had dwelling
units produced within the full income range of its residents.

AREAS FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT
A study of open areas within the Town limits indicated that ample space
exists to accommodate 808 new dwelling units in the following probable price
categories:
Moderate priced dwel lings
Intermediate priced dwellings
High priced dwellings
Total

408 Units
200 Units
200 Units

808 Dwelling Units

TRENDS AND IMPLICATIONS
Although the above analysis indicates that a foreseeable residential
construction boom can be absorbed on existing sites within the Town limits,
some further implications will bear analysis.
The natural tendency is for new construction to take place along existing transportation routes, while the bulk of sites discussed above is on
totally raw land, A suddenly released and unplanned-for construction boom
might follow the high ground along Lightstreet Road or in the open areas
along Berwick Road, quickly stretching out into the neighboring township.
This would involve a number of complications, including a loss to the Town
of taxable property. It is evident that, for the community's welfare, every
effort should be made to encourage development of those suitable sites located within the Town limits.
It is unlikely, however, that the suitable raw areas lying on the
fringes of the developed area will be built upon by individuals seeking new
building lots.
On the other hand, well planned, larger scale developments
on these sites might well prove attractive to prospective buyers, neutralizing the trend to out-of-town ribbon development.
Attractively laid-out
developments in these areas may also have the effect of encouraging additional development by those potential buyers who are on the border-line
This factor is important in offsetting the naturally
of indifference.
lagging features of the market, bringing actual construction up to meet the
developed need.

From a longer range viewpoint, the competition of out-of-town sites is
bound to be partially successful in finding a market among Bloomsburg residents* This possibility is evidence of the need for a wider planning area
than that contained within present political boundaries. Its potential disadvantages can bs offset only through cooperative planning action with the
adjoining township.

thirty-throe

'33

DESIRABLE INDUSTRIAL AREAS
AND RESIDENTIAL SITES

TOWN

COLUMBIA

TOWN

BLOOMSBURG

COUNTY,

PENNSYLVANIA

PLANNING SURVEY
1947

K* AREA SUITABLE FOR RESIDENTIAL
DEVELOPMENT
$K
AREA SUITABLE FOR INDUSTRIAL

DEVELOPMENT

MICHAEL BAKER.

ROCHESTER

ULTIMATE LAND USE
The trends and implications indicated by the existing land-use
analysis, together with the proposals contained in the studies on schools,
highways, parking and recreation, have resulted in the formulation of an
over-all ultimate land-use plan, which is presented on the Ultimate LandUse Map, Used in conjunction with projected public works, the zoning ordinance, and the regulation of new subdivisions, the ultimate land-use plan
can act as an aid in guiding future Town development.
In addition to the changes indicated in other sections of the report,
some further recommendations have been made in the ultimate land-use proposals*

THE FLOOD

PLAN

The Ultimate Land-Use Plan endeavors to deter any building in areas
Such development would
below the 1936 flood line as shown on the map.
prove costly to the Town, to the property owner, and to the entire community. Through zoning control an attempt is made to deter the installation of municipal services such as streets and sewers in this area, A
more forceful recommendation to prevent Buch undesirable, uneconomic, and
unnecessary development along the proposed Highway By-Pass is made in the
section on "Ee forest rat ion",

flood control in Bloomsburg is not economically feasible, A minimum
plan for flood control in Bloomsburg investigated by the U. S. Army Engineers stated "The annual charges for flood protection works investigated
for Bloomsburg greatly exceeded the annual benefits which would be ob-

tained— "(1)

RESIDENTIAL USE
In the foregoing section on "Future Residential Expansion" it has bean
indicated that Bloomsburg can accommodate foreseeable residential development on sites located within the Town limits.

Development of large desirable vacant areas, such as the hillside
lying on country club and hospital property, can be accomplished if future
residential areas are designed in advance, as integral wholes. Street
patterns can be designed so as to encourage only local residential traffic
while at the same time take advantage of natural topographic features. As
needs for additional housing become apparent, portions of the area can be
developed in accordance with the over-all plan and layout. Used in combination with subdivision regulations specifying minimum sized lots, the
process can result in well laid out, attractive and healthful residential
neighborhoods, a boon to the entire community.

(1) Letter of August 27, 1947, Baltimore District Engineer

thirty four

COMMERCIAL USE
Commercial facilities have been consolidated in various centers
throughout the town and have been classified according to the type and level
of service performed:
1.

Central Business Area - As a result of the off-street parking
lot, it is estimated that the Central Business Area will beThis will involve furcome consolidated in the area above.
ther commercial development southward to Third Street to take
This
full advantage of frontage on the proposed parking area.
commercial,
high
level
business,
central area will offer a
of
and entertainment features to the surrounding regional population.

!fei ghborhood Shopping Centers - Specific centers have been
proposed for use in servicing residential neighborhoods with
The areas indicated are already
everyday shopping facilities.
partly developed with such facilities and with zoning enforcement, further development can be kept within the prescribed
,

centers,
3.

Decentralized Automotive - Commercial Areas - Specific commercial areas have been proposed on the fringes of the developed
area, along main highways and at important highway intersections.
Existing development of this tyPe has been considered, and the
impact of the new highway has also been evaluated.
Commercial
development in these areas will likely be of a speeial type,
including service stations, used car lots, roadside stands, and
farm machinery show rooms.

INDUSTRIAL USE
The entire strip along the B, L, & W, Railroad has been proposed for
industrial use. The areas included are all at least partially developed
with industrial facilities now, and it is anticipated that the trend will
continue, forcing out the few spots of isolated housing.
Scattered industrial facilities and those which constitute intrusions into residential
areas have been declared non-conforming uses. Allowance has been made for
their eventual relocation in the proposed industrial area,

SEMI-PUBLIC USE
In order to open up some of the above areas for residential development, reorganization of the present country club and hospital areas has
been recommended. In the case of the country club, reorientation on the
crest of the hill is now contemplated, and recommendations are in conformity with the contemplated plans. In the case of the hospital, ample
room has been allowed for any future expansion needs.

thirty-fiv«

AGRICULTURAL USE
It is proposed that agricultural land also be permitted to develop
with low density residential. facilities. Such development would include
suburban residential estates. The only implication carried in the term
"agricultural" is that Town facilities - sewers and roads - not be extended to these developemnts to the same degree as in the other areas.
The peculiarity of the Town's tax system gives justification for this
action especially in areas subject to flood,

REFORESTRATION UROGRAM
With development of the proposed highway by-pass, some problem areas
of wasteland will develop. These will be between the fringe of the already built-up area and the proposed highway. These areas, totalling
approximately 180 acres, all of which are below the level of the 1936
flood line, will be cut off from the agricultural area by the proposed
new highway by-pass. They will be too small for agricultural use, and
residential development will be unsafe if done improperly, and uneconomical if done with the proper land fill.
It is proposed that these problem areas be reforestrated as a
municipal woods and green-belt, with the added provision that a 100 foot
strip be acquired on the south side of the highway and developed in the
same manner. Accomplishment of this program will have three main disadvantages:
1.

The green-belt will act as a physical barrier; preventing
undesirable unsafe, residential development below the
flood line.
,

The combination woods and strip on the south side of the
highway will serve as a control over location of roadside
commercial stands and bill-boards.
In addition, the highway by-pass will become a scenic drive.

Biking, camping, and picnic facilities can be provided
right on the fringe of the built-up area.

SUMMARY
Various land uses have been discussed throughly in otber sections of
this report.
The inter-relation of physical improvements and the land
uses cannot be stressed too greatly. The proposed parking area will
provide additional commercial area which in turn will attract some existing commercial enterprises out of residential sections. The proposed highway results in the establishment of additional recreational
areas. Each facility and service has implications that effect all other
aspects of the Town physical and economic activities*

thirty-six

TOWN FINANCES
The Town of Bloomsburg has been operating under a deficit-financing
Expenditures have consistently exceeded insystem for the past 15 years.
come, with the difference being made up by temporary Loans at 2-% percent
interest.
After receipt of go percent of its tax income for 1947 the
Town still had $42,000 of temporary notes outstanding and three months
Bloomsburg is two years behind on
later this was increased to $75,000.
,

its income.

INADEQUATE INCOME
The continuing deficit is the resultant of an inadequate income
rather than excessive expenditures. The total revenue of Bloomsburg in
1946 was $12.73 per capita, whereas 10 boroughs in the same population
class had an average per capita revenue of $15,05.

An analysis of sources of income indicates that the tax on real
property provided almost 64 percent of all revenue in 1946 and almost 60
percent in 1947. The average for the ten communities mentioned above was
only 44.4 percent. This indicates that although Bloomsburg has inadequate
income, we cannot expect much of an increase from the tax on real property.

EXPENDITURES
An analysis of expenditures in 1946 indicates that more than half
went to "Streets and Parks", This title is misleading, for the amount of
expenditure for recreation was only $100 of the $76,159. Bloansburg has
been putting its money into streets - a very important function of local
government. There is no doubt that this expenditure is swollen by the
back-log of needed paving maintenace delayed until 1946 by the war. However, actual expenditures for recreation should vary from $1,00 to $3.00
Per capita, whereas Bloomsburg has been spending less than 1 cent per
cap ita.

TEMPORARY LOANS
That the existing revenue is inadequate to carry-out the necessary
functions of the Town is further indicated in the continuous program of
temporary financing from 1931 to 1947.

For years the Town of Bloomsburg has not maintained a balance between
Deficiencies in income have consistently
been made-up by short term borrowing from local banks (notes payable) • In
the last 15 years there never has been a month in which all "notes payable"
have been paid. These temporary loans are not used, as intended, for
emergency situations, but instead are used as a means of increasing income
to meet expenditures.
Upon receipt of taxes in July, each year outstanding "notes payable" are redeemed. However, the accumulation of such
temporary loans has now reached the point where they exceed a year's tax
income.
Only part can be redeemed on August 1st and immediately thereafter additional loans must be made for 12 month's normal operating expenditures,
its income and expenditures.

thirty-seven

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The chart entitled "Temporary Loana Outstanding" indicates this
process month by month from 1931 to date with very conservative estimates
until tax§s are due in 1948. Note that after repayment of Temporary Loans
in August, there still remains some debt outstanding^
This "residual debt"
remains - tending to increase each year and constitutes a perpetual debt
burden to the community at 2 to 2-1/2 percent interest.
This "residual debt" is more clearly illustrated in the chart of that
title.
It can be seen by comparison with the equivalent millage scale that
for most years the residual debt is so large that the leaal maximum tax income of 15 mills could not repay all the "notes payable".

TAXES, RATES, AND VALUATIONS
The main source of the Town revenue is through the Tax on real
property.
In 1946 this provided almost 64$ of the total revenue while the
•arae millage on occupations increased the tax revenue to slightly more than
The accompanying chart "Tax-Rate Analysis" compares the assessed
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valuation of real property and occupations, the tax rate, and the resulting
tax from 1936 to date. To render annual changes comparable, each item has
been expressed in terms of percentage of its 12 year average.
This chart indicates that although the tax-rate has been steadily increasing, the resultant tax in dollars has not.
In fact, the Town is imposing less dollars of tax today than in 293$, 1939, 2941 and 1942, when
the tax rates were lower.
This is due, of course, to the rapidly declining
Assessed Valuation of real property. It is obvious that the Assessed Valuation of Property has been reduced to escape paying a disproportionate
share of taxes to the County.
However, the process has necessitated raising
the tax-rate to within only 3 points of the maximum legal limit and has
seriously impaired the Town's borrowing capacity.

RECOMMENDATIONS
INTRODUCTION

Town Council must break away from the customs inherited from previous
administrations and put its financial house in order.
This will involve
three phases of activity:
(1)
(2)

(3)

Rigid control of expenditures.
Eliminate use of "Temporary Loans" except for
unforseeable emergencies.
Increase income to meet necessary expenditures.

These three factors are inter-acting, for unless the Town has an adequate income, it cannot avoid temporary loans. As long as "notes payable"
are issued, there can be no incentive to sound budgeting of expenditures.

thirty-e i ght

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INCREASING REVENUE

Sources

Tax on "privilege, transactions, subjects, occupations", etc, as
authorised by Act 481 of the 1947 Legislature, By this act the State recognized the plight of municipalities during a period of rising costs.

Probably the fairest tax authorized under this legislation as it
applies to Bloomsburg is one on amusements. This would permit a sizeable
source of revenue through levies on admissions to theatres, games, and the
Fairgrounds and amusements therein.
Re-evaluation of Fees and

Permits for Town utilities

Fees and permits must be re-examined to bring them in line with
present day costs.

Local

Assessment for Benefit

The cost of improvements of a local nature not directly benefitting
the entire Town should be made the financial responsibility of the property-owners benefitted. It is common practice in many communities to assess
the adjoining property owners for one-third, one-half, or all the costs
for the installation of permanent paving.
Increased Millage

There is a question whether increased millage is justified, with real
property paying almost two-thirds of the income of the Town, With additional revenue coming from other sources, and if these sources should
be inadequate, a slight increase might be in order,
CONTROL OF EXPENDITURES

A rigid budgeting system must be adhered to - a system that will not
utilize temporary financing for any purpose other than strict emergencies,
A full time administrator as recommended in the section on "Organization
and Administration" will be an excellent aid to Council in preparing and
administering such a budget,
EQUALIZATION OF ASSESSMENTS

Bloomsburg must take the lead in urging a county-wide reassessment of
real property. As to whether or not the recently adopted State legislation
regarding County Equalization Boards is the best vehicle for such activity
is a matter for local determination.
However, all communities must feel
that their property is assessed at the same percentage of true value as
that of all other communities in the County,

thirty-nine

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Bloomsburg must also improve its assessment procedure within its own
boundaries.
It is recommended that assessment maps be prepared to serve
as the basis for assessment of real property.
Unassessed and inequitably
assessed properties have been found during routine investigations of other
matters.

LONG RANGE IMPROVEMENTS
As can be seen from the accompanying chart entitled "Bonded Debt" the
Town is in good financial shape with regard to borrowing capacity. The
present bonded debt is at a level of approximately 30% of the debt limit
and can be amortized with present expectations, by January of 1964. Additional bonded debt for public improvements can be taken on safely, provided
suitable arrangements can be made to amortize such debt through the Town's
taxation and budgetary program.

An analysis of the impact the improvement program recommended in this
report will have upon the bonded debt of the Town is considered in the
section entitled "Program for Action",

forty

BONDED
BLOOMSBURG,
(AS OF JANUARY

DEBT
PENNSYLVANIA
/,

EACH YEAR)

175

150

125

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ORGANIZATION! AND ADMINISTRATION
In reviewing the various aspects of community needs, the function of
Town administration cannot be ignored. Just as the Town's- financial condition determines the limits of improvements which can be made, so its
organization determines the manner in which policies and procedures are
carried out. In contemplation of an extensive community planning program,
it becomes necessary to adjust the Town's administrative structure so as
to implement the realization of that program,

EXISTING ORGANIZATION
The existing Town administrative organization is very simple. The
Town Council and the School Board are the two official bodies selected by
the electorate, the latter being concerned with administration of education
programs, while the council is concerned with community problems of a
broader nature. The Town Council performs executive and legislative functions, determining policy and administering the resultant procedures.
It
has two chief aids in performance of these tasks; a staff agency, made up
of the tax collector, auditors, assessors and constables; and five operating
agencies, utilized in administration of programs concerning health, public
works, police protection, etc,

DEFICIENCIES
There are several outstanding deficiencies in the present organizational set-up - deficiencies caused by the historical background of the old unchanged form of Town Government,
LACK OF FULL TIME ADMINISTRATOR

There is a need of vertical integration, or drawing together of the
various governmental activities under a full-time operating head. At present,
there is no full-time employee concerned with coordination and management of
all the Town's official activities. As a result, the council is obliged to
assume a management function on a part-time basis and spends a large portion
of its monthly meetings in discussion of purely adminstrative and technical
details.
This results not only in inadequate management - but the council
loses its primary function, that of formulating policy.

.•

LACK OF COMMUNITY PLANNING ORGANIZATION

There exists no broadly representative citizens organization which can
maintain liaison between the Town officials and *he electorate^ The electorate
naturally exercises voting control over council. However, citizens' viewpoints on policy can be represented only through individuals and special
groups or organizations. As a result, the majority of the citizenry is not
closely informed on Town policy and has no medium of expression.

forty-one

OTHER ADMINISTRATIVE NEEDS
The above cited deficiencies concern organization per se, and can be
remedied with a minimum of readjustment. In addition, certain other aids
will be required in administration of the contemplated planning and zoning
Into this category will fall the municipal authorities, zoning
procedures.
board of appeals, building commission, etc,

RECOMMENDATIONS
TOWN PLANNING COMMISSION

The Town Planning Commission authorized by local ordinance has not yet
been appointed. Potential candidates have been serving as a steering committee and have had an excellent opportunity to work with the Planning Consultants as the Town plan was being made. It will be its job to analyze
the proposals made herein, recommending approval or disapproval to council.
It will then have to establish procedures and regulations necessary for
development of these proposals. In addition, members of the Planning Commission will be faced with the problem of meeting with proponents of
various plans, etc. On the whole it will assume a permanent advisory role
to council in establishment of public policy and to the school board in
formulation of school improvement programs,

PLANNING ENGINEER
It is recommended that a full-time Planning Engineer be hired by the
Planning Commission with the approval of Town Council, This Planning
Engineer will serve as technical advisor to the Commission, make the necessary investigations and analyses and report to the Commission for policy
determination. In addition, Town Council should utilize the Planning Engineer as its full-time administrator to co-ordinate and execute the policies
established by Council, The Planning Engineer will be in direct contact
with the operating agencies on a day-to-day basis and will be able to make
administrative decisions as questions arise. He will be in a position to
supervise financial procedures, eliminating wasteful practices and unnecessary expenditures, resulting in greater value received per Town dollar
expended. He will relieve Council of its present administrative burdens
and prove an excellent advisory aid to the official Planning Commission on
planning problems and their administration,

CITIZENS'

PLANNING ASSOCIATION

The Citizens' Planning Association can be an excellent means of encouraging citizen participation in planning on a broad and comprehensive scale.
Functioning properly, it will act as an intermediary between its membership
and the official Planning Commission, Acting in this capacity it will
bring citizens' attitudes and proposals to the attention of Town officials,
as well as explain the importance and meaning of official proposals to
the members. Such an organization might well provide a quarterly public
cation for its membership, discussing various planning proposals and stimulating planning consciousness in general.

forty-two

In order to secure the broadest possible representation, this Citizens*
Association can be organized on an individual as ?;ell as organizational
membership basis. This will involve individual membership at a nominal fee,
and organization membership at an appropriate fee. A Board of Directors
could be elected part by vote of the general membership and part by vote of
the various organizations.

The Board of Directors can carry out the memberships decisions and perform the necessary administration required.
The Board could very easily be
broken down into committees on various subjects and thereby efficiently
handle all matters relating to its function,

ADMINISTRATION OF ZONING ORDINANCE
The Building

Inspector

At the present time a building permit is required for all construction
within the Town limits although there is no Building Code» It is recommended that a Building Code be adopted to protect the safety and welfare of
the people.

The Zoning Ordinance would be administered and enforced by the
Building Inspector, Proper administration requires that definite penalties
be established that would deter non-compliance with the requirements of
building permits for all construction.
The applicant for a permit must be
required to submit plans and necessary detailed information to determine
whether or not the proposed structure conforms to zoning and building code
requirements.
Zoning Board of Appeals

A review board will be necessitated with the institution of zoning in
the Town, A Board of Appeals is an administrative body with quasi-judicial
powers whose function is to apply the zoning ordinance and map, as adopted
by the legislative body of the Town, in special and exceptional cases. In
performing this function, the Board is given authority to grant exceptions
and variances from the strict letter of the Zoning Ordinance, but all such
exceptions and variances must be consistent with the zoning plan regulations
as mapped and prescribed by the zoning ordinance, and in harmony with its
general purpose and intent,
MUNICIPAL AUTHORITY
The term "Municipal Authority" has been mentioned in reference to offstreet parking facilities and a sewage disposal system.
Under State laws,
Town Council may establish an "Authority" as a special corporation to
acquire, construct and operate facilities devoted wholly or partially to
public and revenue producing purposes.

An "Authority" is governed by a board of five members appointed by
Town Council for a period of five years - (staggered terms). The "Authority"

forty-three

cannot pledge the credit of the Town in any way nor may it have recourse
It must depend solely on its revenueto taxes or special assessments.
producing projects to meet its obligations.

The "Authority" has the power of eminent domain, may issue bonds,
establish and manage revenue producing facilities. The business of the
"Authority" must be self-liquidating and the life of the corporation is
limited to 50 years, at which time the property or projects shall revert
to the Town.
Such property may be conveyed to the Town at an earlier
date but only after all bonds issued for the project have been discharged.
The following is a partial list of the facilities an "Authority"

may acquire, construct or maintain:
Parking Space
Shopping
Marketing
Terminals
Transportation
Sewers
ewage Treatment Works
Incinerators

Water Supply System
Airports
Recreation grounds and
faci lities

Swimming pools
Playgrounds
Parks
Schools

forty- four

ZONING
Zoning is the legal control for giving effect to that part of the
comprehensive Town Plan that is concerned with the private use of privately owned land - as distinguished from that part that is concerned with
public uses and facilities. Zoning regulates the use of land and
buildings as well as the character of buildings for the general welfare
of the community.
Zoning is not to be construed as an end in itself, but only a means
to the end of furthering and bringing about the desirable development of
the community in an orderly and beneficial manner. Used properly, zoning
will lessen congestion in the streets, secure safety from fire, panic,
and other dangers, promote health and general welfare, provide light and
air, avoid undue concentration of population, facilitate the adequate
provision of municipal services, schools, parks, and other public requirements.

Zoning divides the Town into various districts and establishes requirements for each district covering the following subjects:
2.
2.

3.
4.

Use of land and buildings
Amount and location of open space surrounding new buildings
to be constructed.
Height of buildings
Off-street parking facilities
Density of population

Zoning prescribes, within limitations the desirable and appropriate
use and the manner of utilization for various areas or districts of the
Town.
In the preparation of a zoning ordinance and map, the following
conditions are recognized:
existing conditions peculiarities of locathe
tion and topography
needs of the community the rights of the
property owner both as an individual and as a group, expected growth and
expansion, the requirements of the various types of uses for facilities
and services as well as their availability the protection and welfare
The end result of all these conof the individual and the community'.
siderations is the zoning ordinance which limits the use of an indi-vidual's property but, more so, protects him and his property from the
effects of improper uses of his neighbor s property.
,

TOWN ZONING PLAN
Based upon the Ultimate Land Use Plan, a Zoning Ordinance and Map
have been prepared and are included as a separate section of this report.
This zoning plan divides Bloomsburg into six types of districts varying
The least degree of restriction is imposed
in degrees of regulation.
upon those areas suitable for industrial development and the highest
degree of control on agricultural districts on the fringes of the developing area of Town, These six types of districts consist of one
Agricultural District, three Residential, a Commercial and an Industrial
District,

forty- five

ZONING MAP
TOWN
OF
BLOOMSBURG
COLUMBIA
COUNTY
PENNSYLVANIA
BLOOMSBURG

TOWN

PLANNING
1947

PREPARED
MICHAEL BAKER. JR
COHSULTtltO

EHOIMCCR

ROCHESTER,

CLIFTON

ROOGERS

TOWN PLAHHE*

PENNSYLVANIA

ULTIMATE LAND USE AND ZONING
The Zoning Plan and the Ultimate Land Use Plan differ to some extent
in that the latter anticipates changes further into the future than does
the zoning plan. As mentioned before zoning is one of several tools to
effectuate the Land Use Plan,
The several blocks east of the County jail illustrate this difference.
Surrounded by the jail, railroad on two sides and industry on the other two,
it is natural for this area to become industrial.
It contains residences
in fair condition. But ultimately the County jail site will be abandoned
and a large tract of land will be available to an industry.
This might be
an incentive for clearing the then old residential area for an industrial
site.

On the other hand, if this area were to be zoned industrial now, the
infiltration of small industries would lead to rapid degeneration of the
residential area in advance of a sound demand for all this area for
industry,

SUBDIVISION CONTROL
Although not a part of the zoning powers, the regulation of new subdivisions is equally important and should be applied in conjunction with
the Zoning Plan and Ordinance,
Subdivision control regulates the layout
of new residential areas so as to conform with the overall Town Development Plan,
It insures that new street layouts conform to the general Town
street plan and that such streets are not planned with utter disregard for
natural topographic features of the land. Effective subdivision regulation
also requires adequate width of streets, adequate drainage, and adequate
provision of parking areas so as to avoid future problems.
In requiring minimum sized building lots this control insures that
future developments do not repeat the mistakes of the past. Utilized
effectively the process can prove to be profitable to the land developer,
the home owner and the Town government.
The Town, as controlling authority, does not hold any positive control in regulation of subdivisions. The basic device to be used is in
encouragement of developments which adhere to established standards.
Failing this, withholding the privilege of public record of a plot can be
accomplished by refusing to approve a plan which does not conform to adopted standards,

BUILDING CODE
Again not a part of the Zoning Ordinance, but equally important as a
supplement to zoning is enforcement of a Building Code, While the Zoning
Ordinance prescribes the general use, height, area and set-back lines of
buildings, the building code establishes detailed requirements concerning
the construction of buildings, materials to be used, location of stairways, exits, etc.

forty-six

PROGRAM FOR ACTION
The foregoing analyses have resulted in a number of proposals for
the Town of Bloomsburg, the sum total of which constitutes the Town Development Plan - a guide to future improvement.
It is obvious that all the various proposals cannot be accomplished
The timing of projects in this respect will depend upon the
at once.
cost estimates included in each section, upon the Town's fiscal capacity
as set forth in the section on "Finance", and upon the entire community's
financial resources. Neither can any one individual, group or agency be
held responsible for completion of all projects.
Success in achievement
of all the planning goals set forth will hinge largely upon the effectiveness of Town and community organization, as discussed in the section on

"Organization and Administration",
Given a basic financial program and an adequate framework of organiestablishment of the project program remains largely a matter of
delegating responsibility for accomplishment of the various proposals to r"
different community agencies - establishing priorities according to community need when financial limitations dictate, or when one agency is held
responsible for more than o\ie project.
Thus, once under way, work on all
parts of the Development Plan can be
progress at once, and continuation
will become largely a matter of coordination of efforts.
zation,

The following recommended Program for Action summarizes all the
previous proposals requiring community action and recommends definite delegation of responsibility for accomplishment to the various community agencies.
Cost estimates and recommended means of financing are indicated, and
priority ratings are reconxnended where necessary, projects under one heading
being listed in order of priority.
Due to the methods of finance recommended, it is not expected that debt limitations will deter accomplishment
of any of the projects appreciably. In the case of the recreation program
to be financed by the Town there are some debt limit problems to be considered, which may require delay in certain aspects of the proposals.
It
is expected that negotiations with the Fair Association will absorb an
interim period of time anyhow. In the case of the Community Center, the
date for starting work will depend upon the degree of success in a community
drive for the required funds.

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