Municipal Officials Meeting
Overview
On January 9, 2008, municipal officials from across Union County were invited to attend a meeting to discuss the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing Union County. The officials also analyzed methods of planning to overcome the challenges and preserve the character of Union County. Information gathered from the meeting will be integrated into the development of a comprehensive long-range plan for the County.
Meeting Format
During the meeting, municipal officials met in regional breakout groups and were asked to respond to the following:- In the next 5-10 years, what are the planning issues facing your community/region?
- What policies or methods will you use to address these issues?
- Identify your planning priorities by municipality.
The responses to each question are summarized in the attached document.
Findings
The countywide analysis of the planning issues facing the community and/or region in the next 5-10 years revealed an overwhelming concern for the preservation of agriculture, calling for regulations to limit and direct growth in an effort to balance growth with agricultural preservation. This concern was echoed in the top three issues.
Planning Issues Facing the Community/Region in Next 5-10 Years
Listed below are the top five issues facing Union County as per the countywide consensus of those who participated in the meeting:
- Preservation of agriculture/zoning for agriculture
- Good planning & zoning/Regulations to limit and direct growth
- Balancing growth with agricultural preservation
- Jobs/Business/Economic growth
- Impacts of new commercial development on core (borough)
Planning Priorities by Municipality
A closer analysis of these issues by region reiterated the concern for the preservation of agriculture and the need for effective planning to limit, balance, and direct growth, which were the top issues in each region. However, several other concerns also emerged. Listed below are the other issues that rounded out the top five in each region (Note: there were several ties among issues):
West- Planning/zoning consistency throughout county
- Conflicts between agriculture and residential
- Protection of natural resources
- Jobs/Business/Economic growth
- Reuse of former Laurelton Center
- Jobs/Business/Economic growth
- Keep development close to existing infrastructure
- Regulations for character development
- Regional participation/cooperation
- Promote local farms/markets
- Impacts of new commercial development on core
- Pedestrian/Traffic issues
- Open space preservation
- Transportation issues
- Revitalization/PA House site
Policies or Methods to Address Major Issues
After identifying the challenges facing Union County, each regional breakout group was asked to identify policies or methods that could be used to address the issues. Outlined below is a summary of the top 5 responses by regional break-out group (Note: there were several ties among methods):
West- Consult other areas of the country for successful approaches
- Provide public "issues" education
- Increase cooperation between municipalities
- Concentrate development in/near existing boroughs/villages
- Create business development incentives
- Zoning
- Market resources, tourism, recreation
- Share costs of regional services
- Encourage agricultural preservation
- Provide incentives for rehabilitation/reuse of older structures
- Enhance agricultural zoning
- Establish county development standards – uniformity
- Ensure consistency across lines/Enforce zoning at municipal boundaries
- Raise the bar on development & determine what the county wants (a vision)
- Use smart zoning that accommodates open space and agriculture
- Support local businesses
- Renewable energy
- Establish growth boundaries
- Encourage intergovernmental cooperation (share land uses)
- Revise zoning ordinance
- Foster cooperation among agencies/groups/organizations
An analysis of the planning methods proposed reveals a diversity of approaches. Variations of three methods were suggested by each regional break-out group. These approaches include:
- Increase cooperation between municipalities, agencies, groups and organizations: Share the cost of regional services; Develop countywide development standards
- Zoning: Revise zoning ordinance; Enhance agricultural zoning; Accommodate open space and agriculture through smart zoning
- Economic growth: Create business development incentives; Support local businesses