A publication of the Lancaster County Planning Commission Summer 2005 Lancasterfyi County Further Evolves as a Well-Planned and Balanced Community The Lancaster County Planning Commission (LCPC) mix of housing choices. The 24 members of the Hous- and County Task Forces have devoted hundreds of hours ing Steering Committee, representing organizations with to drafting three new or updated elements of the Coun- housing interests throughout the County, unveiled a ty’s Comprehensive Plan. These Updates plan for future draft of key Goals, Objectives, and Strategies to key stake- land-use through the year 2030. holders at the Lancaster County Conference on Current Housing Issues on April 27, 2005. The three major elements—the Growth Management Update, the Housing Update and the Tourism Element Strategic Tourism Element Drafted and Finalized —were developed through extensive public outreach pro- This new element to the Comprehensive Plan, a first for cesses involving County residents, local municipalities, the County, strategically identifies the important tour- key stakeholders, and focus groups. The Task Forces and ism challenges and opportunities that we will be facing Committees are purposely composed of representatives in Lancaster County in the future. The Lancaster County from a cross-section of geographic areas and interests. Strategic Tourism Development Plan was adopted on June 15, 2005. (See article below.) Ultimately, the goal of all three elements is to make Lancaster County the most desirable place for you, your The Growth Management and Housing Updates and the children and grandchildren to live, work, learn and play. new Tourism Element complement each other. All three Here’s how: elements work to preserve the quality of life and unique sense of place which residents and visitors value.Working Growth Management Element Update on all three elements simultaneously is a tremendous un- With a wealth of public input garnered through the dertaking, but the synergies that were found ensure that “This Land Is Your Land” three-part public meeting the elements build upon and balance each other. This series, the Growth Management Update Task Force’s will improve the overall understanding, structure and 60-members are now completing a draft blueprint on implementation of the County’s Comprehensive Plan, Lancaster County’s future. which will benefit residents for years. Courtesy of Rob Bowman Photography Bowman Courtesy of Rob Residents indicated that they want to see growth intensi- Maintaining a balance is a central goal of all the elements. Lancaster County continues to evolve as a fied in the Growth Areas through higher density; the In fact, 94% of Lancaster County residents surveyed by model for “Smart Growth” and balance through creation of mixed-use centers for shopping, housing and Franklin & Marshall’s Floyd Center for Opinion Research its new and updated elements of the County’s employment; and more housing choices. They also want believe balancing new growth with the preservation of Comprehensive Plan. a rural strategy that incorporates farmland, open space, farmland and open space is important. natural resources and crossroad communities. Collaboration with municipalities including public par- In this issue: Housing Element Update Unveiled ticipation will continue to be key, as it was in the devel- Growth Management Element Update . 2 The theme “Choices” was used by the Housing Steering opment process for all three elements. Outreach to mu- 75 Years of Regional Planning in Lancaster County. 2 Committee throughout its 18 month public outreach nicipalities has included surveys, meetings, and regional Fall 2005 Master Planner. 3 and research process. Forecasts commissioned by the breakfasts. The Growth Management Update Task Force Housing Element Update. 3 County indicate that sometime in the middle of the next has also met with the Boroughs Association and the Lan- Municipal Planning Training. 3 decade the baby boomers will become seniors and the caster County Association of Township Supervisors. Two Home Runs for Lancaster. .4 millennial population will reach their twenties. These Lancaster County Bicycle Map . 4 segments of Lancaster’s population and others will want a To meet local needs and ensure effective implementation, LCPC looks forward to hearing from municipalities and Lancaster County Strategic others as these elements are circulated for public comment. Tourism Development Plan Adopted The LCPC and its Tourism Task Force have recently completed the “Lancaster guidance during the process and to assist in the preparation of the Ele- County Strategic Tourism Development Element of the County’s Compre- ment and implementation strategies. The consulting firms of Econ- hensive Plan.” This Element, the first of its kind in the County, strategically sult and McCormick Taylor, both of Philadelphia, are also key identifies the important tourism challenges and opportunities that we will members of the Parter International Planning Team. be facing in Lancaster County. Areas identified for specific action steps for implementation include: The Element was adopted by the Lancaster County Board • Organization/Collaboration of Commissioners on June 15, 2005, as an important • Product Development component of the Lancaster County Comprehen- • Infrastructure/Mobility sive Plan. To view the document, please go to www. • Marketing co.lancaster.pa.us/planning, and click on the link on • Outreach/Public Involvement the left under “In the Spotlight.” To assist and provide guidance in this planning effort, the LCPC appointed a Tourism Task Force made up of 12 representatives from the public, private, For more information on the Lancaster County and non-profit sectors in August 2003. Jim Smucker, owner of the Bird-in- Strategic Tourism Development Element, please call Hand Corporation/Village Inn of Bird-In-Hand, chairs the Task Force. or write Scott Standish, Director, Heritage Planning at 717-299-8333, the LCPC address or via email at The County Planning Commission retained the consultant services of Parter [email protected]. International, Inc. from New York, NY, to provide professional expertise and Growth2 Management Element Update This Land Is Your Land year 2030. The target A Summary of these concepts and the toolbox has been date for adoption of released for a 30-day public comment period. Munici- the Update is late fall of palities and the general public are highly encouraged to 2005. Co-chairs of the share their insights on the Summary with the GMUTF. GMUTF are Lois Herr, Secretary of LCPC, and Public input on the Summary will then be incorporated, Ron Beam, Vice Presi- as appropriate, into a draft of the full Growth Manage- dent of Rettew Associates. ment Update. Drafts of the full Growth Management and Housing Updates will be released for public review in The three-part series took late summer/early fall. place in January, March and April at locations *To view the Summary, please visit the LCPC website at throughout the County www.co.lancaster.pa.us/planning/growthmanagement or to reach the most resi- contact Mary Frey, Principal Planner at [email protected] dents. At Parts I and II, er.pa.us or 717.299.8333. the Task Force heard Examples of tools by category of assistance in the that it is very important draft Smart Growth Toolbox: to residents to balance growth and preservation Smart Growth Tool Box in Lancaster County. Reinvestment Areas Incentive Zoning In Part III, the public shared its viewpoints on Infill Development Standards implementing a Smart Land Recycling Growth Plan for Future Buildable Lands / Mixed-Use Centers Land Use. The emerging Mixed-Use Zoning Designated Rural Areas Traditional Neighborhood Development Strategy and Growth Ar- eas Strategy were present- Transfer of Development Rights ed along with a Preferred Agricultural Resource Areas Based upon public input, the map provides a blueprint for balancing Growth Management Exclusive Agricultural Zoning growth with the preservation of farmland and open space. (see website*) Framework Map, which Farm Support / Home Occupation Provisions The Lancaster County Planning Commission’s Growth merged the two stratigies. The public was asked to com- Tax Policy Management Update Task Force (GMUTF) and its ment on the stratigies and the resulting preferred Growth consultant team, led by Wallace, Roberts, and Todd of Management Framework Map. This input is being evalu- Agricultural and Natural Resource Areas Philadelphia, are in the midst of drafting the Growth ated and will be used to further define these stratigies. Natural Resource Protection Ordinance Management Element Update for the Lancaster County Open Space Land Acquisition Comprehensive Plan. The implementation component of the Growth Manage- Rural Development Standards ment Update is the Smart Growth Tool Box. The Tool- Rural Centers This Update is based upon extensive public input that the box offers a variety of planning, policy, regulatory, and Task Force has garnered over the last six months, espe- investment strategies that can be used by the County and Village / Hamlet Zoning Standards cially through its three-part public meeting series, “This municipalities to achieve the goals and objectives of the Alternative Wastewater Systems Land Is Your Land.” The goal is to develop a document Growth Management Element. Transfer of Development Rights that will guide growth in Lancaster County through the 75 Years of Regional Planning In Lancaster County In the bustle of local planning programs underway last Lancaster’s City Planning Com- year, the 75th anniversary of a major regional planning mission that year. milestone for Lancaster County passed without recogni- tion. Pioneer city planner John Nolen submitted his plan The City Planning Commission for Lancaster City and its environs to Lancaster’s City stated in the preface to the No- Planning Commission in 1929. The plan was the first len Plan that “there has been no substantial effort at regional planning in the area and has attempt to standardize the city. served, since then, as the reference point for all compre- Lancaster is unique . the plan hensive planning in the Lancaster metropolitan region.