Transcript Land Use Planning

The Crash Course for Municipal Planning Commission
Members in Cumberland County
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 Combination of background information and detailed
technical “how to” information
 3-night course, 7.5-hours total:
 100 Level Course – Basic PC member background and
orientation
 200 Level Course – Comp plan preparation, ordinance
review, and S/LD review “how to”
 300 Level Course – Administration “how to” and
emerging issues
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 Can we plan? – The legal framework for planning and
the PC
 Why plan? – Making the case for the role of the PC
 What to plan? – Roles and responsibilities of the PC
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 Comprehensive plan preparation and amendment
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Contents
Purpose
Preparation
Implementation
 S/LD application review and comment
 Process
 What to look for
 Helpful tips
 Ordinance preparation and review
 Purpose
 Process
 Helpful tips
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 PC administration
 Establishing review processes
 Running effective meetings
 Decision making do’s and don’ts
 Current and emerging issues
 Alternative energy
 Transportation
 Farmland preservation
 Others
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The 100 Level Course
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 Name
 Municipality
 Years planning or related experience
 Reason why you wanted to become a PC member
 Top question you would like to have answered through
the training
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Establishing the legal framework for the PC
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• PA Municipalities Planning Code
• Act 247 of 1968, as amended
• Includes counties & home rule
municipalities Excludes Philadelphia &
Pittsburgh
• MPC Article II authorizes creation
of planning commissions
• Governing body must create PC by
ordinance
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 Appointed by governing body
 PC comprised of 3-9 members
 Majority must be citizens not employed by or an elected
official of the municipality
 Appointed to 4-year terms
 May be compensated
 May be removed for mal/mis/non feasance
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 Elect chair, vice-chair & any other officers
 May take a variety of formats
 Commission, department, committee
 Establish own rules for procedures
 Subject to requirements of Sunshine Act & Open
Records Law
 Meetings must be advertised & open to public
 Minutes & records must be open to public
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 PC must interact with a variety of other organizations
 Governing body
 Important to understand philosophy & policies
 Regular two-way contact
 Other boards, committees, authorities
 Zoning Hearing Board
 Recreation commission
 Historic preservation committee
 Environmental advisory committee
 Water and sewer advisory committee
 County planning commission
 Neighboring municipalities
 Private land-owners, developers, design professionals,
business owners
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Making the case for the role of the PC
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 Create the “blueprint” of your preferred community
 Manage the way your community changes
 Enhance the predictability in your community
 Create an attractive place to live/work/recreate
 Why wouldn’t you plan?
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Should Be:
Shouldn’t Be
 Action oriented
 Process driven
 Dynamic
 Once and done
 Focused
 Generic
 Community driven
 Special interest serving
 Streamlined
 Time consuming
 Efficient
 Expensive
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Roles and Responsibilities of PCs
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 First and most detailed level of review for the
municipality
 Link between the public, private sector and governing
body
 Responsible for giving your governing body sound
technical planning advice
 If you don’t plan, who will?
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 All activities are at the request of the governing body
 What is the best use of your PCs time?
 Required
 Prepare comprehensive plan
 Keep records of all actions
 Prepare annual report to governing body (due in March)
 Optional
 Review and comment on S/LD applications
 Prepare land use ordinances
 Review land use ordinance amendments
 Prepare & present various studies & plans
 Approve S/LD plans
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 Largest task, review required every 10 years by MPC
 Multidisciplinary blueprint to the future of your
municipality
 Should be actively implemented by PC and partner
organizations
 Many ways to meet basic requirements with variations
in time and money
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 How old is your comp plan?
 Does your comp plan still reflect a realistic vision
for your community?
 Are there inconsistencies between your
comprehensive plan and ordinances?
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 Usually take up biggest percentage of PC’s time
 PC review is generally more technical & detailed than
governing body’s review
 Make use of township staff and professionals
 Consider any recommendations from county PC
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 Do the S/LD plans meet your zoning and S/LD?
 Can the S/LD plans be improved?
 Do you like the layout and design of the plans that
you are seeing?
 Is your process to review and comment on S/LD
plans as efficient as it can be?
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 Implement the goals & objectives from comp plan
 Consider impact of proposals on entire municipality,
not just site
 Consider consistency with county and neighbors
 Must reflect requirements of MPC & any case law
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 Implement the goals & objectives from comp plan
 Identify issues with zoning/S/LD through conduct of
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business
Be cognizant of emerging trends
May require assistance from staff or consultants
Consider consistency with county and neighbors
Must reflect requirements of MPC & any case law
 www.landuseinpa.com is a good resource to review
major law cases
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 Have you seen repeated problems with your
ordinances in S/LD plans?
 How old are your zoning and subdivision
ordinances?
 Do you receive repeated zoning amendment
requests?
 Does your ordinance need an entire overhaul or
just a tweak?
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 Act 537 Sewage Facilities Plan
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Consistent with comp plan and zoning
Identify preferred sewer service areas
Estimates supply and demand
Requires planning module with every S/LD application
Water supply
Environmental resources
Historic preservation
Housing
Economic Development
Hazard Mitigation
Open Space / Farmland Preservation
“Make such studies as…necessary…to fulfill this act.”
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 Are there specific issues in your municipality that
require more study?
 What specific answers do you need?
 What outcomes would be desirable is a special study
was conducted?
 Is the study an “in-house” or outsourced effort?
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 Every PC member should have as applicable:
 Municipalities Planning Code
 DCED Planning Series publications
 Municipal comp plan
 S/LD and zoning ordinance
 Official map
 County Data
 Comp plan
 Online GIS data/tools
 Any related maps / plans
 Village plans, downtown plans, etc.
 Many of these documents are on your PCU CD
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Same Location, Same Time
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