Pennsylvania communities in 25 counties will be able to breathe new life into downtowns, convert brownfields into shovel-ready land and improve the quality of life for residents with the help of $1.6 million in new state investments.
Department of Community and Economic Development acting Secretary George Cornelius says that 43 projects - from helping municipalities update zoning laws to continuing the development of comprehensive plans - will receive funding.
"This investment is good news for communities that are striving to make life better for residents and to bring new jobs within their borders," Cornelius said. "It can be very difficult for communities to balance their desire to both attract new development and preserve their cultural and historic identity. Those that find that balance and follow their plan become beacons for other communities to follow and places where businesses and people want to be."
Cornelius said the new investment comes from DCED's Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program, which is designed to help communities pay for costs associated with finding the best way to address transportation, infrastructure, brownfield, housing, parking, open space, and historical preservation needs. While funding can be in any amount, awards require a 50 percent match.
The Governor's proposed budget would encourage additional efforts to improve local government services and it would also provide funding for projects that create family-sustaining jobs, better educate the state's workforce, revitalize communities and develop more green energy.
For more information about the Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program, visit www.newpa.com or call 1-866-466-3972. Additional information on the Governor's proposed budget is available at www.pa.gov.
Approved Projects
Projects approved for Land Use Planning and Technical Assistance Program funding this fiscal year:
Allegheny County
- $41,200 to Aleppo Township and Glen Osborne and Sewickley boroughs to establish up-to-date zoning ordinances to implement their newly adopted joint comprehensive plan;
- $54,500 to Char-West Council of Governments to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses land use, transportation networks, housing and public needs;
- $50,000 to Clairton to develop a comprehensive plan that addresses housing, development and redevelopment potential, business district revitalization, recreation needs, and development of organizational capacity to implement the plan;
- $75,000 to Pittsburgh for a transit revitalization investment district planning study to support economic revitalization through transit-oriented development in the East Liberty neighborhood.
Bedford County
- $10,000 to Bedford County to conduct outreach that identifies and creates greenways and specific ordinance protection approaches.
Berks County
- $13,690 to Berks County Commissioners to support an ongoing, countywide, joint comprehensive planning assistance program for rural areas;
- $12,915 to Berks County Commissioners for the creation of a similar program for urban/suburban areas;
- $45,275 to Sinking Spring Borough to conduct a corridor study along Route 422 in Wernersville, Robesonia and Sinking Spring and South Heidelberg, Lower Heidelberg and Heidelberg townships.
Bucks County
- $16,450 to Plumstead Township to update its comprehensive plan with particular emphasis on multi-municipal coordination.
Butler County
- $5,080 to Slippery Rock to re-examine its zoning district designations, hierarchy of uses, discretionary use standards and consider flexible techniques such as overlay, mixed-use and transportation access zones to achieve narrow land use objectives;
- $56,700 to Zelienople Borough, on behalf of Harmony Borough, to help produce a joint comprehensive plan and fiscal health study.
Cambria County
- $32,500 to Jackson Township to update subdivision, land-development, stormwater-management, and in-fill development ordinances and provide uniform administration procedures; update zoning maps; and prepare a capital-improvements program.
Carbon County
- $54,795 to Summit Hill Borough to develop a multi-municipal comprehensive plan with Jim Thorpe and Lansford that addresses infrastructure, parking, historic preservation and tourist attractions.
Centre County
- $60,000 to Bellefonte to create a revitalization plan that addresses its brownfields and underdeveloped areas within its downtown waterfront district.
Clinton County
- $42,900 to Lock Haven to update Allison, Bald Eagle, Castanea and Woodward townships and Flemington Borough's zoning ordinances to be consistent with the Central Clinton County Council of Governments' multi-municipal comprehensive plan.
Columbia County
- $11,500 to Bloomsburg for a comprehensive downtown parking study.
Dauphin County
- $50,000 to Tri-County Regional Planning Commission to prepare a multi-municipal comprehensive plan with emphasis on resource protection, rural growth management and rural transportation improvements for Halifax Borough and Halifax, Rush, Jefferson, and Wayne townships.
Fulton County
- $10,000 to Fulton County to create model subdivision and land development ordinances for Belfast, Brush Creek, Licking Creek, Taylor and Union townships;
- $12,500 to Fulton County for updating McConnellsburg's zoning ordinances.
Lancaster County
- $85,000 to East Donegal Township to update a regional plan that manages growth and agricultural preservation;
- $49,810 to East Hempfield Township to update and implement its zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances as part of the Lancaster Inter-Municipal Committee Multi-Municipal Plan;
- $75,000 to Lancaster County for a transportation revitalization investment district planning study in the Gateways Area of Lancaster City/Manheim Township;
- $42,500 to Lititz for a downtown district parking analysis;
- $16,250 to Lititz to audit and revise its zoning, subdivision and land development ordinances.
Lehigh County
- $14,990 to Allentown for advancing ongoing revitalization efforts in the West End Theatre District.
Lycoming County
- $67,950 to Lycoming County for brownfield corridor redevelopment plans in Williamsport and Montgomery.
Luzerne County
- $25,000 to Luzerne Borough to develop a vision plan for its Main Street commercial area and adjacent residential district.
Northumberland County
- $30,000 to Northumberland County to complete a countywide greenway/open space inventory and networking plan.
Perry County
- $20,000 to Perry County to develop a countywide greenway, open space, park and recreation plan
Philadelphia County
- $110,000 to Philadelphia for a comprehensive industrial district study for Henry Avenue and Hunting Park West
Pike County
- $7,500 to Blooming Grove Township to update its municipal zoning ordinance and subdivision and land development ordinances to be consistent with its comprehensive plan
- $20,000 to Porter Township to update its comprehensive plan, zoning and subdivision ordinances and to implement relevant recommendations of the Pike County Planning Initiative Report of Findings.
Potter County
- $35,000 to Austin Borough to develop a plan to preserve, enhance, and promote the natural and historic assets within the borough and Keating Township.
Sullivan County
- $22,500 to Sullivan County to develop an open space and greenway plan.
Union County
- $8,175 to East Buffalo Township to review and evaluate an ordinance that includes a traditional neighborhood development option for brownfield redevelopment.
Wayne County
- $5,500 to Paupack Township to update its Palmyra Township and Hawley Borough's subdivision and land development ordinances, which will ease the implementation of a multi-municipal comprehensive plan.
York County
- $28,000 to Fairview Township to revise its zoning ordinance and subdivision and land development ordinance by updating its comprehensive plan;
- $14,660 to York County Planning Commission to update the transportation element of the Northern York County Regional Comprehensive Plan with a focus on the Route 15 transportation corridor;
- $31,800 to Red Lion, on behalf of Dallastown and Yoe boroughs, to develop a revitalization and growth management plan;
- $21,120 to Stewartstown to prepare a new comprehensive plan.
Multiple counties
- $99,500 to Cumberland County, on behalf of 11 counties and 58 municipalities along the Appalachian Trail, to develop a guidebook and sample ordinance language for zoning protection of the trail. Act 24 of 2008, amending the 1978 Appalachian Trail Act, authorizes municipalities along the trail to use zoning to protect the trail and its natural, scenic, and historic values;
- $40,000 to the Tri-County Regional Planning Commission for regional growth management effort in Cumberland, Dauphin and Perry counties with an emphasis on scenario building and managing development at the municipal level;
- $97,500 to the Pennsylvania League of Cities and Municipalities to assist with the State Planning Board's work in further studying potential benefits to municipalities of shared services. The study will provide cost/benefit analysis of shared services experiences in six subject counties. Findings will be used to support the further development of policies to promote shared services and intergovernmental cooperation.
