Imagine a Delaware County defined by its incredible green spaces, trails and recreational programs. This is our future as we make worthwhile investments in open spaces and greenways. Guided by the 2015 Delaware County Open Space, Recreation, and Greenway Plan - part of the County’s comprehensive plan, Delaware County 2035 - the Planning Department is pursuing the following initiatives which take action to better conserve, enhance, and connect Delaware County trough greenspace and trails:
In conducting trails and green space projects and initiatives, Planning Department staff leverages the power within Delaware County’s people –– municipal leaders, families, individual residents, outdoor recreation enthusiasts, the business community, the wellness community, tourists, county officials, and beyond. The Department’ work positions Delaware County to be a leader in green space conservation, parks and recreation, and trail development through sustainable funding, partnerships, and municipal collaboration. All residents will benefit from the economic impact, ecological services, and enhanced connections within the beautiful and diverse landscapes, towns, cultures, and people of Delaware County.
Delaware County Planning Department can assist municipalities in finding and applying for funding for projects.
DCPD Grant Letter of Support or Consistency
Below is a list of currently open funding resources. If you are applying for a grant, Department staff is available to assist with grant applications. If you are looking for a letter of support or consistency with the County Comprehensive Plan letter, please submit a grant letter of support form with the required information.
DCPD GRANT LETTER OF SUPPORT OR CONSISTENCY FORM
Explore the DCPD Grant Application Dashboard
For a comprehensive view of the grant applications submitted by the Planning Department, along with the application status and brief project descriptions, explore the DCPD Grant Applications Dashboard. This user-friendly dashboard enables users to easily filter applications by year submitted, status, funding program, and more.
EXPLORE THE DCPD GRANT APPLICATIONS DASHBOARD
You can also contact us to discuss your project or needs to help us inform you about future funding. To learn more about commonly available funding sources, view the Planner’s Portfolio Education Series on Funding.
Questions about Finding Funding? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.
Upcoming Funding Deadlines
October 28, 2026 - Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST)
October 30, 2026 - Delaware County Conservation District (DCCD) MINI-GRANT PROGRAM
October 30, 2026 - PECO Green Region
November 13, 2026 - Environmental Education Grant
November 30, 2026 - Local Share Account Statewide
December 31, 2026 - Solar for Schools Grant Program
December 31, 2026 - Recycling Performance Grant (Section 904)
December 31, 2026 - Trees for Watersheds (formerly TreeVitalize Watersheds) Grant Program
March 19, 2027 - 2026 Small Business Advantage Grant Program
Rolling Applications:
Blighted Property Demolition Fund
Historical Marker Grant Programs
Peer and Circuit Rider Grant Programs
Pennsylvania First Program (PA First)
Statewide Waterway Access Grant (SWAG)
Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites Program (PA SITES)
Municipal Opportunities for Retrofits and Energy Efficiency (MORE) Program
PA Community Tree Assistance Program
Household and Small Business Hazardous Waste Collection Program
Commonly used applications and forms requested by the Delaware County Planning Department can be found on this page.
For certain review services, the Planning Department requires accurate completion of official forms, as mandated by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code. Other forms provide Department staff with the information needed to more quickly process requests. This page provides a central repository for forms found throughout the website.
The Act 247 Application is for development and ordinance proposals. Please be sure that this application contains the original signatures of the developer/applicant and designated municipal official and is submitted to the Planning Department along with a minimum of 3 sets of plans. For more information, see "Development Review."
Act 247 (Development Review) PDF Application
Act 247 (Development Review) Online Application
Municipal Confirmation Form (required for online applications)
The Planning Department is the County agency responsible for processing form Component 4B – County Planning Agency Review of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Act 537 Sewage Facility Planning Modules. See DEP’s Act 537 review process and electronic forms. Developers and applicants submitting planning modules to the Planning Department for review should review the required information to ensure a timely review. For more information, see "Development Review."
Act 537 (Sewage Module) PDF Application
The Department can support funding applications that are consistent with County planning goals. In order to provide support letters to grants, we need to know about your project. The DCPD Grant Letter of Support or Consistency Form gives us the information we need to provide a letter of support and send it to the appropriate place. Please submit this form no later than 10 days prior to your grant deadline. For more information, see "Funding Assistance."
DCPD Grant Letter of Support or Consistency Form
Questions about finding or completing Forms? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.
Learn about the Delaware County Planning Department’s plan and ordinance review process.
The Planning Department (DCPD) strives to improve the quality of development throughout the County by conducting advisory reviews of all land developments, subdivisions, and ordinances proposed in Delaware County. Staff planners present their reviews to the Delaware County Planning Commission at its monthly meetings, where official recommendations are made. In addition, Development Review staff provide technical assistance to municipalities and developers on site planning and ordinance compliance issues.
The Planning Department offers Pre-CAD workshops at the municipality’s discretion. Pre-CAD workshops are free of charge and intended to be held prior to submissions or engineered drawings to learn more about opportunities for a land development proposal by bringing together the municipality, landowner or developer, and the planning department.
ACT 247 SUBDIVISION AND LAND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW
Process
The Delaware County Planning Commission's application for mandated Act 247 Review must be completed and contain the original signatures of the developer/applicant and/or designated municipal official. Applicants have the option to submit online, mail-in (PDF), or in-person via application buttons below.
PDF Application for mandated Act 247 Review
Online Application for mandated Act 247 Review
Municipal Confirmation Form (required for online applications)
The application can then be submitted to the Planning Department along with 3 sets of plans (physical application/plan sets not required for online submissions) and the appropriate fee payment in accordance with the Fee Schedule and Submission Procedures for Subdivision and Land Development Reviews.
Fee Schedule and Submission Procedures
Applications submitted will be reviewed by the Planning Commission in accordance with the Meeting/Act 247 Review Application Schedule.
Meeting/Act 247 Review Application Schedule
Recording an Approved Plan
For a plan to be recorded, it must have been reviewed by the Delaware County Planning Commission (DCPC) and approved and signed by the municipal Council or the Board of Supervisors/Commissioners.
The applicant must then bring the approved plan to the Delaware County Planning Department where staff will confirm the Commission’s review of the plan before stamping and signing it. To expedite the stamping process, please bring the “DCPD File Number” that can be found on all correspondence from our office regarding the plan.
The applicant must then go to the Delaware County Board of Assessment-Appeals (ground floor of the Government Center building) to obtain a tax map number and folio number for lots that have been created via a subdivision or document/validate these numbers for existing lots.
The plan will then be recorded at the Delaware County Recorder of Deeds office (first floor of the Government Center building). The Recorder of Deeds requires plans for recording to be a minimum of 18" X 30" and no larger than 36" X 46". The fee for recording a plan can be found here.
For more information, please see Plan Recording on the Recorder of Deeds site.
SEWAGE MODULE REVIEW
Process
The Planning Department is the County agency responsible for processing form Component 4B – County Planning Agency Review of Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Act 537 Sewage Facility Planning Modules. See DEP’s Act 537 review process and electronic forms. Developers and applicants submitting planning modules to the Planning Department for review should reference the documents below to ensure a timely review. Municipalities requesting review of a plan of study to revise a local Act 537 Plan should also refer to these documents.
Delaware County Act 537 Fee Schedule and Review Procedure
Delaware County PDF Application for Act 537 Review
MORE INFORMATION
I'm Interested In...
- Knowing more about the Delaware County Planning Commission
- Viewing what’s on the Planning Commission's Current Meeting Agenda, Past Agendas, or the Prior Month Applications
- Finding Parcel/Site Information
- Viewing the Proposed Subdivision and Land Development Mapping Application* and Dashboard* to see plans reviewed by the Delaware County Planning Commission
- Viewing the Countywide Zoning Application*
- Viewing Delaware County's Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance (SALDO)
For questions about building permits, please contact your municipality’s code enforcement officials to obtain information concerning requirements and specific permit application status for your town.
* Browsers other than Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge are recommended for optimal performance.
Staff Directory
| NAME/EMAIL | TITLE | PHONE |
|---|---|---|
| Gina Burritt | Director | 610-891-5200 |
| Administration | ||
| Michelle Signora | Office Manager | 610-891-5202 |
| Ron Aquilino | Data & Systems Coordinator | 610-891-4328 |
| Patricia Gift | Planning Technician | 610-891-5201 |
| Sophia Peterson | Community Engagement Specialist | 610-891-6983 |
| Environmental | ||
| Michael Leventry | Manager | 610-891-5215 |
| Komeh Lansana | Planner II | 610-891-5222 |
| Noelle Mlynarczyk | Planner II | 610-891-5219 |
| Infrastructure | ||
| Louis Hufnagle, AICP | Manager | 610-891-5217 |
| Mihir Rastogi | Planner III | 610-891-8094 |
| Catherine Spahr, AICP | Planner III | 610-891-5379 |
| Kelsey Stanton-Murphy | Planner III | 610-891-4269 |
| Planning Services | ||
| Rebecca Ross, AICP | Manager | 610-891-5025 |
| Beverlee S. Barnes | Planner IV | 610-891-5209 |
| Kate Clifford | Planner IV | 610-891-5223 |
| Rose Cohen | Planner II | 610-891-5218 |
| Michael Misciagna | Planner III | 610-891-5734 |
Not sure what staff person to contact? Call or contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.
Learn more about current projects being conducted by the Delaware County Planning Department to encourage sound planning.
The Department conducts a wide variety of projects to help the County and its municipalities plan for the future of our communities. The projects listed below are those currently underway for which there is information to share. These pages provide some background on the projects as well as information about past meetings for the project. When projects are completed any final written report will be relocated to our Publications page.
Questions about Current Projects? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.
PROJECTS
- PADEP Air Quality Monitoring – Chester Area
- 1724 Chester Courthouse
- Delco Woods Loop Trail
- Vision Zero Action Plan for Delaware County
- Chester Creek Trail Phase 2
- Chester Creek Trail - Phase Four Feasibility Study
- Safe Streets for Schools
- New County Park Phase II Master Plan
- Darby Creek Loop Trail
- Chester City SEPTA Ridership Survey
- Folcroft Comprehensive Plan
There are currently no internship positions available.
The Delaware County Planning Department is seeking qualified applicants to join its professional planning team.
Delaware County encompasses 49 municipalities adjacent to Philadelphia and the Delaware River and is home to a demographically and economically diverse population of more than 550,000. The following position is available:
Full-Time and Internship positions are periodically available in the Delaware County Planning Department.
We pride ourselves on being a great place to work. Our mission is to provide a high level of service to the County and our residents by attracting, developing and retaining a diverse, well-qualified and professional workforce that reflects the high standards of the community we serve.
The Delaware County Courthouse Complex is located centrally in the Borough of Media and situated approximately 12 miles west of downtown Philadelphia. All applicants will be evaluated on the basis of education, experience, communication skills, and computer proficiency.
Questions about Career Opportunities? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.
I AM INTERESTED IN...
The Bates Awards Program honors excellence in site planning, development practices, and the innovative use of land resources.
The William H. Bates Awards Program was established in 1980 by the Delaware County Planning Commission with the goal “to encourage developers and municipalities to cooperate in providing a more efficient use of land and public services for County residents.”
This long-standing program initially recognized innovative land developments but has now been expanded with two new categories: Adaptive Reuse and Municipal Innovation and Investment. This is not a strict competition. It is meant to recognize applicants and municipalities who strive to improve the built environment and the overall life experience within Delaware County. Additionally, the program is not limited to large scale efforts–we are equally interested in small scale projects and programs as every effort is important!
Questions about the Bates Awards Program? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.
APPLICATION PROCESS
Nominations are open August 1 to December 18 and will be awarded in May 2027.
There are three categories:
- Innovative Land Development: This award will be given to land development projects that demonstrate advanced planning principles.
- Examples include but are not limited to:
- mixed-use development that provides public amenities,
- public/private collaborations,
- exceptional designs,
- open space preservation projects
- Examples include but are not limited to:
- Adaptive Reuse: This award will be given to projects that demonstrate creativity in the conversion or expansion of an existing structure for a new use.
- Examples include but are not limited to:
- rail trails,
- industrial redevelopment to residential or mixed-use properties,
- short-term pop-up projects
- Examples include but are not limited to:
- Municipal Innovation and Investment: This award will be given to projects that demonstrate excellence in municipal/civic investment.
- Examples include but are not limited to:
- new parks or trails,
- public amenities,
- services,
- creative stormwater solutions,
- and forward-thinking planning efforts.
- Examples include but are not limited to:
Applications must be submitted through the William H Bates Awards Nomination Form and must include:
- Up to 3 pictures and/or supporting documents of the project
- A description of the project explaining how it meets the criteria for its category
- A list of partners involved in the project (i.e. consultants, community groups)
AWARD SELECTION PROCESS
The William H Bates Awards Program is not a strict competition. It is meant to recognize applicants and municipalities who strive to improve the built environment and the overall life experience within Delaware County and, as such, there are often multiple awardees for each category.
The process for determining awardees will start with Delaware County Planning Department staff reviewing all nominations and creating a short list for each category. This short list will be presented to the Delaware County Planning Commission who will select the final award recipients, which can include more than one recipient per category.
Awards will be presented in May 2027.
PREVIOUS AWARDS
ABOUT WILLIAM H. BATES
In 1982, the Awards Program was renamed in honor of William H. Bates, the late Chairman of the Planning Commission and whose seventeen (17) years of service on the Planning Commission merited special recognition.
Mr. Bates served as Chair of the Planning Commission during an important time of growth for the County that saw significant residential and commercial developments, including the original Granite Run Mall (cutting edge for its time period). Mr. Bates oversaw the development and adoption of Delaware County Land Use Plan 2000, which identified growth areas and areas of limited growth. This plan helped to coordinate development and timing of public facilities across the County, such as Rose Tree Park.
During Mr. Bates’ tenure as Chair, the Planning Commission supported the creation of the first comprehensive plans for many municipalities. It also tracked and planned for evolving development patterns of the 1970s. Work included the development of Making Commercial Strips Work: An Urban Design Study, a handbook to help municipalities address commercial strips and their impact on surrounding communities. Mr. Bates also Chaired the Planning Commission as it developed the 1976 Open Space, Parks, and Recreation Study, which spurred countless conservation efforts across the County, including the Darby Creek Greenway Acquisition project.