Pennsylvania Land Use: A Vision for Sustainable Development

1. Pennsylvania A PLAN FOR LAND USE, TRANSPORTATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2. PA’s Municipal Boundaries

3. Development in the Greater Philadelphia Region (1930–1990) 262% Increase in Land Developed and a 56% Increase in Population

4. Recent History of Land Use in PA 1997 – 21st Century Environment Commission established by Executive Order 1998 – 21st Century Environment Commission reports responsible land use is PA’s top environmental priority 1999 – “Land Use Planning” – Executive Order guides state agencies on decisions impacting land use

5. Recent History (Cont.) 1999 - State land use advisory groups were established, and they conducted public outreach 1999 - Noteworthy County/multi-municipal land use planning activities began to occur 2000 – State Interagency Land Use Team Report provides inventory of Commonwealth programs that impact land use 2000 – Major revisions to the Municipalities Planning Code (MPC)

6. PA’s Vision Statement Orderly and efficient growth, community revitalization and quality of life enhancement of the Commonwealth that: • Preserves open space • Promotes economic vitality • Protects natural resources • Controls sprawl • Optimizes investments in infrastructure (public and private)

7. Achieving PA’s Vision Foster intergovernmental cooperation at all levels focusing on land use decision making and infrastructure investment to: • Promote sound land use principles • Utilize tools from MPC • Conduct education and outreach • Provide financial incentives • Leverage state funding among agencies • Build on existing partnerships • Share “Best Practices” and technical assistance

8. PA Strengths • Interagency structure in place at the state level to coordinate land use and transportation planning • Local government offers opportunities for public input in decisions in land use, transportation, and economic development • Funding for local planning increased and is more coordinated • Robust and enduring planning partnerships • Strong state commitment

9. PA Opportunities • Strengthen local community involvement and integrate their land use vision for the future with transportation planning, programming and project development • Implement multi-municipal planning • Make better use of interagency structures currently in place • Offer incentives for regional cooperation

10. PA Opportunities (Cont.) • Explore and implement various pilot programs to reverse trends that compete with our “Growing Smarter” goals • Evolving process for state agencies to consider local plans when making infrastructure and permit decisions • Collaborate with the General Assembly to address land use policy issues

11. PA Weaknesses • Local governments are not required to have a comprehensive plan • Most municipalities do not think regionally • Limited interstate communication on land use, economic development and transportation issues • Scarce staffing and funding for small municipalities • Lack of county oversight on developments of regional significance • Cumbersome impact fee procedures • Limited use of municipal capital improvement programs and budgets

12. Threats • Global or external forces that impact land use and transportation • Air quality attainment issues • National and global economic forces • Safety and security of infrastructure and other resources • Future viability and efficiency of passenger and freight railroads

13. PA Priorities • Change the culture of land use decision making to realize PA’s vision • Encourage municipalities to think and act regionally • Reinvest in established communities • Strengthen and implement existing state agency processes, procedures and funding mechanisms to promote the critical link between land use planning and transportation project development

14. Peer Review