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Westtown reviews Chester County mitigation draft, highlights pipelines and funding questions
Summary
Township staff summarized the Chester County 2026 draft hazard mitigation plan and urged the board to identify local risks—staff highlighted pipelines, stormwater and transportation hazards; supervisors asked staff to prepare comments but expressed reluctance to accept unfunded obligations.
Township staff briefed the Board of Supervisors on the Chester County draft 2026 Hazard Mitigation Plan and identified items the draft recommends that are relevant to Westtown.
Staff said the countywide plan covers many hazards but noted particular local concerns: stormwater and flash-flood exposure in constrained drainage areas, transportation-related hazardous-material risks along state routes, and multiple pipelines traversing the township. Staff cited two local statistics presented to the board: about 63% of Westtown's population and roughly 61% of the township's critical facilities lie within a half-mile of an active pipeline. Because pipelines cross municipal boundaries, the county recommended regular coordination with pipeline operators and the development of a pipeline emergency-response plan integrated with the township's Emergency Operations Plan.
The plan also recommends continuing stream-restoration and reforestation projects; staff described the Pleasant Grove stream restoration as roughly 30% complete and noted the Redly Run project is in the pipeline. Supervisors asked whether endorsing mitigation actions would obligate the township to carry out major infrastructure projects; staff responded that aligning actions with the county plan is necessary to be eligible for mitigation funding but does not automatically obligate the township to undertake unfunded projects.
Action and next steps: Staff will prepare a comments package for Chester County; the county requested municipal input by the end of March. Several supervisors expressed reluctance to commit to large, unfunded efforts and asked staff to prioritize realistic, funded actions.
