5/21/2015

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The Benefits of an Effective Planning Commission

May 21, 2015

Your Cooperation is Needed

Please mute your phone *6

To ask questions and open your line *6

This will help all of our friends!

5/21/2015

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PSAB’s Blended Training

�WebinarsWebinarsWebinarsWebinars

�Traditional Classroom SessionsTraditional Classroom SessionsTraditional Classroom SessionsTraditional Classroom Sessions

�OneOneOneOne----onononon----One Assistance One Assistance One Assistance One Assistance

Upcoming Training

Webinars

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Sign Management May 27

Working with District Judges May 28

Developing a Community Succession Strategy June 3

Municipal Administrators: Reporting & Records June 10

*For a complete list of our upcoming training offerings, visit www.boroughs.org and

click on the training tab

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Upcoming Classroom Training

Your Role as a Municipal Secretary/AdministratorPolice Civil Service Training

Establishing a Rental Property Inspection ProgramThe Course in Community Planning

The Course in Zoning The Course in Subdivision & Land Development Review

The Course in Zoning Administration

Reserve Your Seat for 2015!

Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs

2015 Legal UpdateAugust 26-27, 2015

Sheraton Harrisburg/Hersheywww.boroughs.org

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5/21/2015

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THE BENEFITS OF A

PLANNING COMMISSION

STANFORD M. LEMBECK, AICP

MAY 21, 2015

© 2015. PA MUNICIPAL PLANNING EDUCATION INSTITUTE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute

An educational collaboration of

THE PENNSYLVANIA CHAPTER

AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATIONand

PENN STATE UNIVERSITY

COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

in association with

THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE ASSOCIATION OF BOROUGHS

The Pennsylvania Municipal Planning Education Institute

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Pennsylvania’s Municipal Governments

2,550±

Pennsylvania’s Municipal Governments

2,550small, medium and large

local businesses

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Pennsylvania’s Municipal Governments

2,550The Governing Body is

elected to run these

local businesses

Pennsylvania’s Municipal Governments

These 2550 local businesses

have to do 3 things:

1. Give residents what they want

2. Have the resources to pay the bills

3. Be ready for changes

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Local Government

as a “Business”

& how the planningcommission fits in

Pennsylvania Local Government

Planning

Comm.

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The Planning

Commission

About 1800

municipalities

and counties have a

planning commission

PLANNING COMMISSIONS

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There are about12,000

planning commissionersin Pennsylvania

The citizen planning commission is a unique

feature of American planning going back over

100 years.

Today’s planning commission

���� Is not a separate agency: it’s part

of the local government

���� Works for the governing body

���� Only has the duties assigned to it

PLANNING COMMISSIONS

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Basic Structure of PC

Feature Planning Commission

# Members 3 to 9 (some may be mun. officials)

Term of Office 4 years

Officers Chosen by PC members

Quorum Set by Bylaws

Qualifications Resident of the municipality

Planning commissions are different from other boards and commissions because they are a “multi-purpose” group. They do many things.

PLANNING COMMISSIONS

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Prepare plans

Fact finders

Information providers

Service providers

PLANNING COMMISSIONS

Municipalities Planning Code

▪ Enabling legislation for all

municipalities*

▪ Municipalities choose

what they want to use

▪ Sets uniform requirements

across the state

▪ Municipalities must follow

the standards in the Code

* MPC does not include Philadelphia or

Pittsburgh

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The MPC: Articles

1 General Provisions

2 Planning Agencies

3 Comprehensive Plan

4 Official Map

5 Subdivision & Land

Development

5A Municipal Capital Improve-

ment (trans Impact fee)

6 Zoning

7 Planned Residential

Development (PRD)

7A Traditional Nbhd Dev (TND)

8A Joint Municipal Zoning

9 Zoning Hearing Board &

Other Admin Procedures

10 Appeals to Court

11 Intergovernmental Coop-

erative Planning & Im-

plementation Agreements

11A Wastewater Processing

Cooperative Planning

The MPC’s Purposes for Planning

• Coordinate community development

• Provide/protect amenities and facilities

• Correct current problems

• Minimize future problems

• Improve governmental processes and

functions

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The Planning Commission’s TOOLS

• Comprehensive Plan:overview of local government services

• Subdivision Regulations: standards for creating community assets

• Zoning Ordinance: matching development with service capacity

• Capital Improvements Budget: long-range view for paying the bills

Comprehensive

Plan

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REGIONAL COMPREHENSIVE PLAN

What the Comprehensive Plan looks at(MPC §301.2- Surveys by planning agency)

Housing

Economic

Demographiccharacteristics

and trends

Amount-Type-Location-Interrelationships of

Land Uses

General location

& extent of

TransportationCommunity Facilities

Natural Features affecting development

Natural

Historic

Cultural

resources

Prospects for future growth

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Current Demographic Trends

CHARACTERISTIC TREND

• 1 & 2 person

householdsFastest growing household type

• PA Households:

with children

without children

- Down

- Up a little

PA Average

Household Size Down from 2.87 to 2.44 (15%)

What impacts could these trends have on:+ Residential land use needs + SALDO requirements

+ Lot size, density, zoning standards + Home ownership rates, sales

The Planning Commission

and the Comprehensive Plan

• Directs and manages the planning staff or consultants; works on plans with them

• Sets the long-range community goals

• Involves the public in the process

• Keeps the governing body informed

• Makes sure the right questions are asked

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What’s a Comprehensive Plan?

An official statement of the governing body’s future planning goals

Shows how all the pieces of the community should

work together

A tool for evaluating proposed projects (does

it move the plan forward?)

A guide for the future development of the

municipality

Comprehensive Plan

Comprehensive Plan

Subdivision &

Land Development

Ordinance

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Subdivision/Land Development

▪ Lots are permanent- it’s unlikely they will ever be changed

▪ Each lot is related to other lots: those that came before those that will come after

▪ Communities grow one-lot-at- a-time

▪ One-at-a-time those lots add up and the community changes

▪ Each lot & building should be an asset to the community

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MPC §209.1

A Planning Commission at the request of the Governing Body:

(3) May prepare, recommend, and administersubdivision and land development and planned residential regulations as set forth in this act.

P.C. may be delegated approval authority: MPC §501

Subdivision & Land Development

Lots

Blocks

Streets

Open spaces

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SALDO Regulations-

• Assure standard lots that

will be long-term community

assets:

*water supply* waste disposal* accessibility

• Require improvements to

offset increased costs to the

general public from develop-

ment

• Assure that streets and other

dedicated facilities will be

structurally sound

• Produce high-quality

development sound if based

on community plans &

reasonable rules

• Provide basic consumer

protection to citizens

Officials’ Roles in Project Review

Planning Commission“Administers” the process: maintains clock;

reviews plans (may approve if delegated);

sends plans for outside review; keeps track

Governing BodyApproves/Denies plans & modifications

Approves (& releases) financial guarantees

Accepts dedication of facilities

EngineerReviews engineering components of plans:

streets, storm water mgt., etc.

Inspects construction of facilities

Zoning AdministratorReviews use, calculates number of lots,

density of development, lot sizes; advises if

other approvals are needed

Municipal SolicitorPrepares financial agreements and other

legal documents

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Planning Commission Administers

the Plan Review Process

0-30 days* 90 days

P

R

E

S

U

B

M

I

S

S

I

O

N

Plan Submitted

Check

application for

completeness

Site visit(s)

Preliminary

exam of plans

and data

Distribute copies

P

L

A

N

C

O

M

M

M

E

E

T

I

N

G

Planning Agency

Plan officially “Filed “

review clock starts

Plan review

Reviews by county

plan agency & others

Public meetings

Recommendation to

the Governing Body

Governing Body

Review commission’s

recommendation

Additional review

Public Hearing(optional)

Decision-

• Approve

• Approve with

conditions

• Deny

* Number of days before next regular planning agency meeting as required in SALDO

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Zoning

Ordinance

MUNICIPALITY WITH ZONING MUNICIPALITY WITHOUT ZONING

Zoning by Municipality-2014

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a sim ple definition of ZONING

Zoning is the division of a municipality

into districts or zones

in which certain activities are permitted

and others are prohibited

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What Zoning Regulates

���� Use of landlandlandland

���� Size, height, location of structuresstructuresstructuresstructures

���� Areas on lots to be occupiedoccupiedoccupiedoccupied / left openleft openleft openleft open

���� DensityDensityDensityDensity and intensityintensityintensityintensity of use

���� Natural, historic Natural, historic Natural, historic Natural, historic and agriculturalagriculturalagriculturalagriculturaluses and activities

Zoning Administration Team

GOVERNING BODYConditional Use / Curative Amendment

PLANCOMM

ZONING OFFICER ZONING HEARING BD

• Special exceptions

• Variances

• Appeals from Zoning Officer

• Substantive challenges

• Floodplain /TDR/ Erosion &

Sedimentation decisions

• Process applications

• Issue zoning permits

• Maintain records of actions

• Administration/enforcement

• Register nonconformities

• Give “Preliminary Opinion”

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Characteristics of

SALDO & ZONING

SALDOSALDOSALDOSALDO

• Lot layout & design

• Street layout, construct.

• Water/sewer provision

• Required improvements

• Financial guarantees for

completion

• Option: recreation

ZONING

• Location of uses

• Density of use

• Open space-yards

• Building coverage

• Dimensions- lot size,

height, parking, etc.

Capital Improvements

Budget

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Capital Improvements Budget

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS 6 YEAR BUDGET

PROJECTS EST. $

COST*

RANK 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Storm Sewers 900.0 1 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Sanitary Sewers 900.0 2 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

Well site acquisition 300.0 3 300.0

Fire Equipment 500.0 6 250.0 250.0

Parkland purchase 150.0 7 75.0 75.0

Bridge repairs 600.0 4 300.0 300.0

Road improvements 2,000.0 5 200.0 200.0 200.0 200.0 200.0 200.0

Municipal building 1.250.0 8 300.0 750.0

total 6,600.0 700.0 700.0 775.0 725.0 950.0 1,150.

* Est. costs in 000’s of dollars. Funding sources TBD: taxes, borrowing, grants impact fees

Checklist of PC Services

ZONING REVIEWS

• Curative Amendments

• Conditional Use apps

• Other amendments

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

• SALDO review / approval

• Maintain SALDO review clock

COORDINATION

• County PC reviews of SALD applications; zoning amendments

• Other agencies, such as:

recreation committee

historic preservation

sewer/water authority

INFORMATION

• Notice to school district (Act 97 of 2012)

• Adjacent municipalities of plans and regulations

• Residents; businesses

OTHER

• Testify at ZHB

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Getting the Benefits

from your

Planning Commission

The Planning Commission

Streamline for success

• Have an agenda for its meetings

• Structure its work groups

• Mentor its new members

• Have bylaws for consistency

• Prepare an annual report:

achievements and plan of work

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Commission Meetings

• AGENDA (Plan for the meeting-sent out before meeting)

Set time limits for agenda items

(don’t waste peoples’ time)

Prioritize agenda items: Decision

Information

Discussion

• PREPARES members for the meeting

To Get the Benefits- the Governing Body must

Get the best people to serve

Require a planning commis-

sioner at every governing body

meeting

Give the Commission clear

direction; let them know what is

expected from them

Expect the commission will

work with others in the

municipality & beyond

Demand it treats residents &

others fairly and courteously

Provide for their education and

continuing learning

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Pennsylvania Local Government

County Plan

Comm

PLAN

COMM

Planning Commission Organization

• “Committee of the Whole”

• Commission + Work Groups

• Work groups as subcommittees of the Commission:

Comprehensive Plan; Marcellus Shale; transportation; economic

development; water supply & protection, S&LD review....others

example: S&LD Work Groupmeet with developers; work with zoning officer, twp engineer;

visit the site; maintain “timeline;” review & compile county &

others’ reviews; lead discussion at PC meeting

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PA Municipal Planning Education Institute

• A statewide program providing education in

planning & land use regulations for local

elected & appointed officials since 1992.

• Four in-depth10-hour courses

The Course in Community Planning

The Course in Zoning

The Course in Zoning Administration

The Course in Subdivision & Land

Development Review

PMPEI Courses Coming UpJanuary – June 2015

Community Planning Lycoming Co.- Feb. 3, 10, 17 Bucks Co.- March 12, 19, 26 Montgomery Co.- March 3, 10, 17 Lancaster Co.-Apr. 29; May 6, 13

Zoning

Lycoming Co.- March 3, 10, 17 Chester Co.- March 4, 11, 18 Dauphin Co.- March 10, 17, 24 Berks Co.- April 9, 16, 23

Subdivision & Land Development Review

Lycoming Co.- Mar. 31; Apr. 7, 14 Montgomery Co.- April 15, 22, 29 Cambria Co.- May 14, 21, 28 Chester Co. - May 28; June 4, 11 Mifflin Co.- June 1, 8, 15 Bucks Co.- June 11, 18, 25

Webinars

Running Effective Meetings January 14 6:00 pm Local Officials’ Role in Subdivision Review January 28 12 noon Benefits of a Planning Commission May 21 12 noon Duties of the Zoning Hearing Board June 24 12 noon

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Course & Webinar Registration Information

Ms. Terri Dickow(800) 232-7722 ext. 1042

tdickow@boroughs.org

www.classes.boroughs.org

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