banner image

WHAT IS A COMPREHENSIVE PLAN?

A comprehensive plan is a statement of goals and objectives that establishes a municipality\'s vision for the future. While not technically a legal document dictating how a community is developed, a comprehensive plan is meant to outline a vision to be realized via planning policy and regulatory tools. Therefore, a comprehensive plan contains policy goals for every aspect of the municipality, including land use, transportation, housing, parks and open space, public utilities, schools, health and safety, historic preservation, and economic development.

How will the comprehensive plan be developed?

  1. Project Organization + Mobilization

    The planning process begins with a review of current information pertaining to development trends, population projections, and current planning initiatives at the County, multi-municipal, and municipal levels.

  2. Existing Conditions, Trends, and Issues

    The process then proceeds along three parallel tracks that examine existing conditions, trends, and issues.

    • Data analysis will address:
      • Demographic characteristics and trends
      • Land use and zoning
      • Housing
      • Natural, cultural, and historic resources
      • Community services and utility facilities
      • Transportation
      • Economic conditions and trends
      • Relationship to land use and growth patterns in surrounding communities
      • Present forms of municipal coordination in the region

    • Research involves a review of current plans and initiatives in Union County as well as national "best practices" that could be well suited to key issues in the County.

    • Public Involvement gathers input from the Planning Advisory Team, the municipalities, and citizens through interviews, a community survey, and public meetings.

  3. Framing the Vision

    The next step in the planning process involves "framing the vision." Using planning analysis and citizen input, the planning team will formulate a vision statement, goals, and objectives that capture citizen\'s aspirations for the future of Union County and their respective communities.

    This step also includes the development of land use alternatives, which describe the location and pattern of development, infrastructure, investment, farmland/forestland conservation, and natural resource protection with accompanying policy.

    Based on the preferred land use alternative, as well as the draft vision statements and concepts and issues identified in the previous phase, a Growth Management Framework will be prepared. The key to this effort is to develop a framework to promote growth that efficiently uses the County’s existing infrastructure, adds long-term economic value, and preserves the rich natural and agricultural resources of Union County.

    This phase will also include three public meetings to achieve consensus on the vision, goals, and objectives, and proposed Growth Management Framework.

  4. Plan Development

    The work of the previous phases is further developed and tested during the Plan Development phase of the process to produce the Comprehensive Plan’s components and action plans for each of the three regional planning areas. The Comprehensive Plan will be organized into elements as required by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code, with each element defining policies and strategies in support of the vision, goals, objectives, and Growth Management Framework.

    The elements of the plan will include:

    • Land Use Plan
    • Natural Resources Plan
    • Housing Plan
    • Economic Development Plan
    • Transportation Plan
    • Cultural, Historic and Recreation Resources Plan
    • Infrastructure and Community Facilities Plan

    Implementation is a critical element of the plan, necessary to link the plan’s vision to a commitment to action by the County and its municipalities. County and Regional Implementation will establish a clear set of priorities for short, intermediate, and long-term regulatory, capital investment, and other types of actions. This phase will include a series of public meetings around the County to receive citizen input.

  5. Plan Preparation, Review, and Adoption

    The final phase of the planning process includes the preparation of the Comprehensive Plan document and the process necessary to secure its adoption.