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In the fall of 2000, third year landscape architecture students
under the direction of Professor’s Sam Dennis, Ken Tamminga,
and Tom Yahner, worked with residents of Tyrone Township to develop
visions for the future of Sinking Valley. A predominantly agricultural
area, the valley has retained its rural character for many years,
and citizens are concerned about the effect of increasing development
pressures with the construction of a new interstate highway, I-99.
Because Sinking Valley has limited land development regulations,
a group of citizens has been working to educate elected officials
and citizens on the importance of developing a comprehensive plan
for the area.
Necessary to this effort will be the creation of a GIS database
to use for planning purposes. The landscape architecture students
conducted in-depth analyses of the historical, cultural, and environmental
aspects of Sinking Valley, and worked in teams to develop visions
for growth and development that preserves the rural character
for specific areas in the valley. Students also collected data
and assembled an initial GIS database. Equipped with the information
and student visions, residents of Sinking Valley are hopeful that
this will assist them in their efforts to involve municipal officials
and the community in the development of a comprehensive plan.
This study has led to the selection of Sinking Valley as a “Keystone
Project” in the Center for Watershed Stewardship, at Penn
State University.
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