Coastal Zone Task Force

The Coastal Zone Task Force is a group focused on revitalization efforts and supported by the Delaware County Planning Department.

The Delaware County Coastal Zone Task Force (CZTF), formed in 1995, is a group of representatives from various branches of Delaware County government, Coastal Zone municipalities, business, industrial, environmental, transportation, and citizen bodies. Task Force members include, but are not limited to, municipal officials; environmental organizations; businesses; and County and regional organizations such as the Delaware County Conservation District, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, and the Delaware County Transportation Management Association. The group meets quarterly each year to guide Delaware riverfront redevelopment activities, collaborate on projects, and share important information pertaining to the coastal zone. The CZTF aims to promote the redevelopment of the waterfront with a regional perspective by fostering cooperation and coordination among coastal zone communities. This initiative has been designed to help communities make the best use of this limited waterfront and plan for the coastal zone’s future land use.

Meetings are held quarterly, and attendance is open to the public. Should you be interested in participating, kindly refer to the planning department calendar to confirm the next scheduled meeting.

Questions about the Coastal Zone Task Force? Contact the Planning Department at 610-891-5200 or Planning_Department@co.delaware.pa.us.

The Coastal Zone Management Program

The National Coastal Zone Management Program (CZMP) is an important federal-state partnership aimed at safeguarding and promoting the responsible development of our coastal communities and resources. This program is designed to balance the sometimes competing needs of coastal resource use, economic development, and conservation. Common eligible projects include research, acquisition and easements, design, construction, and education.

The Coastal Zone Management Program tackles a range of important issues. These include preparing for and adapting to climate change and its impacts, ensuring that energy facilities are constructed in ways that protect our national interests in energy production and coastal resources, and minimizing conflicts with other coastal uses. One of the key goals of the program is to provide public access to coastal areas. This involves creating new access opportunities and enhancing existing sites, as well as providing public education and outreach to ensure that people know where and how they can access the coast. Another important aspect of the program is habitat protection. This is achieved through land-use planning, habitat restoration, and state and local permitting programs that regulate development impacts to coastal habitats. Finally, the program also aims to address nonpoint source pollution, which is the biggest threat to our coastal water quality today. This type of pollution can come from runoff from streets or lawns, and addressing it is critical to ensuring the health of our coastal ecosystems.

The coastal zone along the Delaware River Estuary extends inland to 660 feet in urbanized areas, to 3.5 miles in rural areas, and includes floodplains of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers and their tributaries to the upper limit of tidal influence, and tidal and freshwater wetlands. The Coastal Zone Boundary, also called the 306 Boundary, is the main management area. The Coastal Nonpoint Program Boundary, also called the 6217 Boundary, is a larger watershed-based boundary for nonpoint source management activities and planning grants.

View Delaware County’s Coastal Zone Web map to see if your project site is part of the Delaware River Estuary: Delaware County Coastal Zone Web Map.

For additional grant information or to view previously awarded projects, please visit: DEP Coastal Zone Grants (pa.gov).