2014 ANNUAL REPORT BEDFORD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION March, 2015 Fred Temke, Chair Larry Wright, Vice-Chair Ernest Fuller Mary Stanley Rose Hoffman Wayne Koontz Charles Swartzwelder Joseph Barefoot Stephen Lambert 2014 ANNUAL REPORT BEDFORD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR This was a year of transition and the beginning of movement towards the completion of several planning efforts important to the County. Terry Stacey took over from Pandora Wertz in January as CDBG Administrator, and immediately tackled the Woodbury Water Line Replacement Project. More than ½ mile of line will be replaced, solving long-term problems with the delivery of drinking water to residents. The completion of construction is expected early in 2015. The Planning Commission was also involved with the early stages of planning on updates for several important countywide planning efforts, including: County Comprehensive Plan (adopted 2006) – major update County Hazard Mitigation Plan (adopted 2012) – major update County Natural Heritage Inventory (adopted 1998) – major update County Municipal Waste Management Plan (adopted 2011)—minor update Regional Community Economic Development Strategy (CEDS; adopted 2012)—major update Transportation efforts included participating in the completion of the 2015 – 2018 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) and assisting with updates to the National Highway System (NHS) and the Federal Functional Classification System. The Pike 2 Bike corridor project also advanced in 2014. An Economic Impact Analysis was completed by Fourth Economy, Inc. and adopted by the Bedford and Fulton County Boards of Commissioners. The study provided clear evidence of significant economic impact if the 8.5 miles of abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike and two tunnels are rehabilitated for recreational use. It is projected that as many as 200,000 visitors per year would visit this unique, world-class site upon full development. The next step in the project is the update to the existing Master Plan (2006). A committee of stakeholders from both counties will oversee this effort. The Bedford County Agricultural Land Preservation Board continued to increase protection of farmland through its agricultural easement purchase program. The 320-acre Hershberger Farm in Woodbury Township was preserved in 2014. Late in the year, the Cook Farm in Londonderry Township (610 acres) was accepted as a bargain sale (donation) by the County Board. The easement will be finalized in 2015 and will represent one of the largest farms ever preserved in Pennsylvania. The coming year will be challenging as the Planning Commission utilizes its available resources on the many planning efforts described above. We continue to look forward to assisting local residents. Donald Schwartz Director 1 2014 ANNUAL REPORT BEDFORD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR 1 COUNTYWIDE PLANNING 3-7 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE 8 COMMUNITY OUTREACH 8-9 TRAILS AND RECREATION 9-12 STAFF AND COMMISSION REVIEWS 12-14 BOARD AND COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION 15 CONFERENCES AND TRAINING 15 BEDFORD COUNTY AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PURCHASE 15-16 PROGRAM COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM (CDBG) 17-19 2 2014 ANNUAL REPORT BEDFORD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION COUNTYWIDE PLANNING COMPREHENSIVE PLAN cycle of damage, reconstruction and repeated damage. Hazards may be natural, The Municipalities Planning Code of 1968 technological or manmade. (MPC) defines a county Comprehensive Plan as “a land use and growth management plan Local jurisdictions must comply with the prepared by the county planning commission DMA in order to remain eligible for funding and adopted by the county commissioners and technical assistance from state and which establishes broad goals and criteria federal mitigation programs. Local for municipalities to use in preparation of mitigation plans must include, at a their comprehensive plan and land use minimum, (1) an action plan to mitigate regulation.” Additionally, Section 302(d) of hazards, risks and vulnerabilities; and (2) a the MPC requires that “County strategy to implement those actions. comprehensive plans shall be updated at least every ten years.” The County adopted the Plan on April 3, 2012. The Plan identified flooding as the The Bedford County Comprehensive Plan most important hazard affecting the County, was last adopted on December 6, 2006, so it and noted that ”Because flooding has been is rapidly approaching the ten-year update the most damaging and life threatening of deadline. The six south-central counties the hazards affecting development within represented by the Southern Alleghenies the County, this Plan emphasizes flood risk Planning and Development Commission assessment and mitigation.” (SAP&DC) - Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset – have been investigating the possibility of preparing a regional Comprehensive Plan. While preserving the integrity of information specific to each county, this approach would allow the integration of planning across county lines, and also hopefully result in a cost savings versus the preparation of six, individual plans. SAP&DC staff have been leading the effort to date, and further investigation will occur in 2015. Gravel Bar Obstructing Wills Creek HAZARD MITIGATION PLAN In accordance with the federal Disaster The Federal Emergency Management Mitigation Act of 2000 (DMA) and Agency (FEMA) requires that the County implementing regulations, the County conduct a formal update of the Plan every completed an update of its Hazard five years. Since the funding and planning Mitigation Plan in 2012. Hazard Mitigation process can take more than two years, the is a phrase that describes actions taken to Planning Commission began an prevent or reduce the long-term risks to life investigation of funding options in 2014. The and property from hazards. Pre-disaster Pennsylvania Emergency Management mitigation actions are taken in advance of a Agency (PEMA) attempted to locate 100% hazard event (such as flooding) and are grant funding for a “bundle” of counties essential to breaking the typical disaster 3 2014 ANNUAL REPORT BEDFORD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION through FEMA’s Emergency Management COMPREHENSIVE ECONOMIC Planning Grants (EMPG) program, but this DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY effort was unsuccessful. Another FEMA program, Pre-Disaster Mitigation (PDM) The six south-central counties cooperate in funding, can pay for 75% of project costs. The many ways through their relationship with Planning Commission submitted a letter of SAP&DC. One is the regional interest to FEMA in November regarding Comprehensive Economic Development this program. It is likely that formal Strategy (CEDS). As described by SAP&DC applications will be due early in 2015. a CEDs is “designed to coordinate public sector and private sector planning and FEMA also requires that the County hold an investments into a well-planned “roadmap” annual review meeting to allow for to guide initiatives for diversifying and municipal input and changes to the Plan, strengthening a regional economy.” The pending the next five-year formal update. CEDS for the Southern Alleghenies Region The annual meeting was held on November “analyzes socioeconomic data, sets forth 6, and the period for input on hazard goals and objectives, defines action plan mitigation projects was extended to strategies, and identifies performance December 1. No proposed hazard mitigation measures” to achieve the aim of projects were received by the Planning strengthening the economy. Commission. In 2014, a consulting team was retained to MUNICIPAL WASTE MANAGEMENT prepare a formal update to the interim PLAN CEDS (2012-2016) that had been prepared by SAP&DC. The Planning Commission Bedford County coordinates its municipal participated in a steering committee kick-off waste management activities along with meeting in October, followed by a public Fulton and Huntingdon Counties through meeting in November and a second steering membership in the South Central Counties committee meeting in December. The final Solid Waste Agency (SCCSWA). The report will be due in 2015. County’s most recent revision to its Municipal Waste Management Plan was NATURAL HERITAGE INVENTORY approved by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in 2010, Bedford County last completed a Natural and the County adopted a Municipal Waste Heritage Inventory (NHI) in 1998, and only Management Ordinance on May 24, 2011. five counties in Nine landfills were awarded ten-year Pennsylvania have disposal agreements with the three counties. similar studies that are older. As The owner of an additional landfill stated by the approached the SCCSWA and has asked to Pennsylvania be included as a facility approved to accept Natural Heritage municipal waste. DEP was contacted and the Program, “County Green Floater Mussel, Sidling Hill Creek process for public advertisement for new Natural Heritage landfills was determined. The advertisement Inventories are designed to inform the and review of submitted proposals will occur residents of a county about their living in 2015. heritage and give them a tool to use in planning the future of their communities.” NHIs include “information on important 4 2014 ANNUAL REPORT BEDFORD COUNTY PLANNING COMMISSION natural areas, habitat for rare plants and committee that includes one County animals, and other important natural Commissioner from each of the four counties resources.” and staff from PennDOT and SAP&DC. The Planning Commission, representing