About Us
Finding Inspiration in Every Turn
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“Our township is …a good land, a happy land to live in. Let us hope that by care and thought and wise planning, we can keep it so. We would do well to look ahead, where changes lie.”
Clifton Lisle wrote those words in the History of West Pikeland Township in 1966 when there were 1,420 people living in West Pikeland. In 2000, the year that the West Pikeland Land Trust was formed, the population had more than doubled to 3,551. By 2010, that number grew to over 4,000, a threefold increase in just 40 years.
With its abundant natural beauty, West Pikeland is a natural target for developers; but such development comes at a cost for residents in the form of traffic congestion, pollution and destruction of our natural resources. Protecting open space protects our quality of life, avoids more traffic on our roads, conserves our underground water sources, protects our clean streams, and maintains the beautiful rural character of the township.
The West Pikeland Board of Supervisors formed the West Pikeland Land Trust in 1999 to encourage the preservation of township space and to hold easements in trust. Since then, WPLT has worked with local landowners, township officials, county and state governments, and other conservation organizations to preserve open space in West Pikeland.
WPLT has mapped all protected and at-risk township land; initiated a stewardship plan for township-owned properties; sponsored lectures by nationally known authors, city planners, and conservation leaders; and successfully initiated and promoted the township’s first Open Space Preservation tax referendum, making West Pikeland eligible for county, state and possibly federal grants to support open space preservation.
An all-volunteer organization and a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, WPLT’s work is supported primarily through private donations.
Our Mission
To advocate and facilitate land preservation in West Pikeland Township that enhances the township’s unique character, desirability and quality of life for current and future generations.
Our Vision
To create a community-supported “Open Space Network” of preserved public and private land that connects trails, parks, historic sites, and recreational areas.
Land Use, Land Planning, and
Land Stewardship in West Pikeland
Location
West Pikeland Township is located in the northern tier of Chester County municipalities. It is bordered by West Vincent Township to the north and west, East Pikeland and Charlestown Townships to the east and Uwchlan and Upper Uwchlan to the south. Unlike the boundaries of most municipalities, West Pikeland’s is rectilinear, forming a nearly perfect square. The township is located near three major transportation corridors, Route 30, Route 202 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
Characteristics
With fertile land and a climate conducive to many agricultural activities, West Pikeland developed as an agricultural community. Its topography is gently rolling with moderate to steep wooded slopes and an extensive stream network. Despite the development occurring within the nearby transportation corridors, West Pikeland has remained fairly rural and is comprised mainly of low-density residential development with no significant commercial or industrial centers. Water quality is high in the streams and creeks that traverse the area.
Key Statistics
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Size: Approximately 9.9 square miles
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Acres: 6,323
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Population: 4,016 (2020 Census)
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Density: 406 persons per square mile
Land Use Plans
West Pikeland’s current land use plans may be found in the 1999 Comprehensive Plan and the 2006 Addendum to that plan. Despite decades of focus on preserving the rural character of West Pikeland, however, less than 20% of total township acreage is protected open space. As the pie chart below shows, there is a large amount of land currently at risk of development:
Source: West Pikeland Comprehensive Plan Addendum 2006
