Land Use and Growth Management

2005 State Land Use and Growth Management Report

2005
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code requires the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services to prepare a comprehensive State Land Use and Growth Management Report every five years, beginning in 2005. This report is to be a comprehensive land use and growth management report with information, data and conclusions regarding growth and development patterns in PA along with recommendations to state agencies for coordination of executive action, regulation and programs. This is the inaugural report.
Last Modified
Mar 09, 2011
Viewed
4958 times

2010 State Land Use and Growth Management Report

2011
The Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code requires the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services to prepare a comprehensive State Land Use and Growth Management Report every five years, beginning in 2005. This report takes an in-depth look at statewide and regional growth and development patterns. It will be a vital tool in assessing trends and barriers related to land use, population and development and will be a tremendous resource in mapping out future growth opportunities for Pennsylvania."
Last Modified
Mar 28, 2011
Viewed
4962 times

2012 National Resources Inventory Report

2015
The report provides updated information on the status, condition, and trends of land, soil, water, and related resources on America's farmland. The 2012 NRI provides nationally consistent data for the 30-year period 1982–2012.
Last Modified
Jul 20, 2018
Viewed
2346 times

2020 State Land Use and Growth Management Report

2021
The report contains data on a variety of issues relevant to land use and development in Pennsylvania. It was prepared by the Governor’s Center for Local Government Services with input from a variety of state government agencies and the Pennsylvania State Planning Board. Data covers land use and growth trends; changes in demographics, the economy, and resources that affect land use; and land use and development tools used by municipalities.
Last Modified
Feb 28, 2023
Viewed
5039 times

Backyard Open Space: Challenges of Managing Open Space in Subdivisions

2009
Organizations/Sources: Brandywine Conservancy
These documents are handouts from a 2009 workshop regarding managing open space in subdivisions.
Last Modified
Feb 27, 2024
Viewed
5060 times

Brownfields Resource Guide

2007
This resource guide was created to increase awareness about the funding and technical assistance programs available to support the cleanup and reuse of brownfields in the Delaware Valley region.
Last Modified
Jul 20, 2018
Viewed
1814 times

Building Communities with Transit-Oriented Development

2017
Organizations/Sources: Chester County Planning Commission
Recent trends have indicated that Chester County’s population will grow an additional 146,344 people by 2045, and much of which will occur in urban and suburban areas. Development options such as transit-oriented development can guide population growth and encourage development in the county’s growth areas, while helping to preserve the county’s open space. Many centers within the region are building compact walkable development, such as TOD, to accommodate both Millennials and Baby Boomers.
Last Modified
Mar 18, 2019
Viewed
1684 times

Chapter 2: Human Population Growth and Land-Use Change / Synthesis of U.S. Geological Survey Science for the Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem and Implications for Environmental Management

2007
This chapter of Human Population Growth and Land-Use Change, written by Peter Claggett synthesizes the USGS findings about the rate of urban sprawl in the Chesapeake watershed and outcomes from a vulnerability assessment.
Last Modified
Mar 24, 2011
Viewed
4971 times

Conducting a Resource Lands Assessment for Pennsylvania

2009
Authors: Paul T. Zeph
PowerPoint presentation on the Resource Lands Assessment (RLA) currently being developed for Pennsylvania with assistance from the US EPA. This presentation briefly reviews the RLA developed for the Chesapeake Bay, and the process being used to develop a similar, but different RLA for the whole state.
Last Modified
Aug 21, 2018
Viewed
5674 times

Conservation Industrial Parks: Managing for Money Savings, Healthy Employees, and a Clean Environment

This information sheet provides ideas for converting traditional industrial park sites into conservation-oriented spaces using landscaping techniques, renewable energy, and other environmentally conscious design practices.
Last Modified
Jun 24, 2019
Viewed
3880 times

Conservation in Urban Communities

2009
Organizations/Sources: Heritage Conservancy
This presentation focuses on conservation efforts in urban communities
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
4650 times

Evaluation of CommunityViz Software as a Tool for Planning Boards

2006
This report discusses a first attempt to use Scenario 360 to set up an application that would report a set of development impacts associated with a sample development to a planning board.
Last Modified
Feb 14, 2011
Viewed
4709 times

Financing Mixed-Use Development

2008
This report is designed to aid municipalities and developers in effectively financing mixed-use development. Included are an overview of the benefits and challenges to implementing mixed-use development, best practices in financing (including specific financing mechanisms), different organizational structures for financing, and strategies for achieving success. Case studies of successful mixed-use projects in the Delaware Valley region are presented, as well as funding sources that exist in the region.
Last Modified
Mar 11, 2019
Viewed
1902 times

Greenscapes: The Green Infrastructure Element

2009
Organizations/Sources: Lancaster County
Greenscapes: The Green Infrastructure Element of the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan defines a vision, goals and objectives, strategies, and tools to preserve, conserve, restore, and enhance natural resources through the establishment of a countywide, integrated green infrastructure system. It highlights the importance of protecting large blocks of contiguous land and improving connectivity as it aims to establish a network of natural areas, conservation lands, and working landscapes. Greenscapes provides a blueprint for accommodating appropriate growth and development while preserving the region’s most valuable natural resources, native species, cultural assets and agricultural economy.
Last Modified
Aug 21, 2018
Viewed
5448 times

Guide to Traditional Neighborhood Development

2015
Organizations/Sources: Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Explains the benefits of Traditional Neighborhood Development, tips for implementation, and examples from the Lehigh Valley.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1811 times

Hazlet 2030: A Community Vision for Hazlet Township

2009
Organizations/Sources: Hazlet Township
Press release announcing the kick-off workshop for the Hazlet 2030 visioning process and describes the purpose and funding for the process.
Last Modified
Apr 13, 2011
Viewed
6322 times

Hazlet 2030: Briefing Book

2009
Organizations/Sources: Maser Consulting P.A.
This document was used at a public workshop and presents the existing conditions, describes prior planning efforts and the key focus areas, and provides questions for public discussion during the workshop.
Last Modified
Apr 13, 2011
Viewed
5094 times

Height, Guy Wires, and Steady-burning Lights Increase Hazard of Communication Towers to Nocturnal Migrants: A Review and Meta-analysis

2008
Organizations/Sources: The American Ornithologists’ Union
Communication towers in North America kill millions of birds annually, and most of these are Neotropical species that migrate at night. This paper reviews and analyzes the literature on the features of towers that can be regulated, particularly tower design and placement, to provide a scientific basis for regulation of tower construction and operation.
Last Modified
Mar 10, 2011
Viewed
4179 times

Lancaster County Natural Heritage Inventory

2008
Authors: Rocky Gleason
Organizations/Sources: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
Presentation on the PA Natural Heritage Program
Last Modified
Jul 01, 2019
Viewed
4892 times

Land Use in Pennsylvania: An Inventory of Practices and Tools

2000
This guide contains practices and tools used in Pennsylvania to promote responsible land use.
Last Modified
Feb 25, 2019
Viewed
6620 times

Livable Landscapes: A Park, Recreation, Open Space, and Agricultural and Historic Lands Plan for Lehigh County

2018
Organizations/Sources: Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
The purpose of this plan is to guide the conservation, restoration, and enhancement of the county's open space and cultural resources and create linkages between these vast resources. This plan is intended to guide the decisions of municipalities, conservation organizations, landowners, and developers, and encourage partnerships to achieve common goals for natural resources; outdoor recreation facilities; greenways and blueways; agricultural lands and historic, cultural and scenic resources.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1729 times

Living Landscapes: An Open Space Plan for Northampton County

2018
Organizations/Sources: Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
The purpose of this plan is to guide the conservation, restoration and enhancement of the County’s open space resources and create linkages between the County’s vast natural resources; outdoor recreational facilities; greenways and blueways; farmland; and historic, cultural, and scenic resources
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1784 times

Managing Natural Resources: A Guide for Municipal Commissions

2008
Authors: Bill Elmendorf
This publication is a guide to municipal land use planning. It covers topics that include tree commissions, public landscaping, stormwater management and reclamation of vacant lots.
Last Modified
Aug 20, 2018
Viewed
4633 times

Maps show where Bay's treasures are threatened by development

2005
Authors: Karl Blankenship
Organizations/Sources: Chesapeake Bay Journal
This article discusses the impact the resource land assessment (a development threat analysis) had on preservation efforts in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
Last Modified
Apr 14, 2017
Viewed
4936 times

MCPC Series of Zoning Districts and Model Ordinances

Organizations/Sources: Montgomery County Planning Commission
Each guide describes a different type of zoning district (including related open-space issues) and provides a model ordinance for each. Districts include: village residential district, village mixed-use district, land preservation district, neighborhood residential district, rural residential district.
Last Modified
Mar 11, 2019
Viewed
1621 times

Model Ordinance: Cottage Housing Development

2015
Organizations/Sources: Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
One way to address environmental sustainability and housing affordability issues is to build smaller houses. Cottage housing is an innovative style of development based on the idea of “better, not bigger.” Although it faces the same obstacles as other higher-density development types, cottage housing’s advantages could make it more acceptable to neighbors. This development type would be a useful option for developers, fitting between the detached single family house and the condo or townhouse. It makes more efficient use of the land, is more affordable and offers better energy efficiency than traditional single family detached housing, while providing more privacy than attached housing.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1503 times

Model Ordinance: Mixed-Use Zoning and Development

2015
Organizations/Sources: Lehigh Valley Planning Commission
Model ordinance to promote mixed-use zoning and development in a community.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
2373 times

Pennsylvania Land Use Law Library

This website provides information on proposed legislation, state statutes, and land use case law rulings.
Last Modified
Mar 15, 2019
Viewed
8688 times

Pennsyvlania Municipalities Planning Code: Section 209.1

This section of the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code lists the powers and duties of planning agencies.
Last Modified
Oct 07, 2019
Viewed
2783 times

Rating the Region: Metropolitan Indicators Report

2017
This report compares 26 metropolitan areas in terms of demographics, natural resources and the environment; livable communities; the economy; and transportation. The Philadelphia region’s strengths include its diverse economy; relatively affordable housing, myriad of colleges, universities, and cultural opportunities; health care resources; extensive highway and transit network; and quality air and port facilities. These strengths, however, threaten to be checked by regional challenges, including urban concentrations of poverty and unemployment; low labor force participation; disparately low educational attainment in its cities; an aging population; and fragmented local government. The challenge facing the region is identifying how to capitalize and build on its strengths while recognizing and working to resolve its identified weaknesses.
Last Modified
Mar 11, 2019
Viewed
1708 times

Reclaiming Brownfields: A Primer for Municipalities

2008
This resource provides information about brownfields redevelopment targeted to municipal planners and decision-makers. The primer defines brownfields, identifies benefits and barriers involved in brownfield redevelopment, discusses related issues such as green building and equitable development, and describes Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and federal brownfields funding and technical assistance resources. The primer is organized within a folder. The folder also contains case studies of brownfield redevelopment projects from the region, as well as two previously-published DVRPC resources on brownfields: the Brownfields Resource Guide: Funding and Technical Assistance for Remediation and Reuse (publication number 07052) and Municipal Implementation Tool #10: Reclaiming Brownfields.
Last Modified
Mar 11, 2019
Viewed
1545 times

Stimulating Community Revitalization Through Brownfields

2017
Organizations/Sources: Chester County Planning Commission
This guide presents a set of guidelines and strategies to assist in the rejuvenation of brownfield sites. The purpose is to highlight the importance of brownfield revitalization and provide guidance and processes on how to redevelop brownfield sites.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1311 times

Sustaining and Improving Pennsylvnia's Forest Land Through Comprehensive Plans

2018
Provides a detailed description of forests and their benefits; analysis of threats to forest land; and description of various tools municipalities can use to maintain, protect, and restore forests.
Last Modified
Jul 03, 2019
Viewed
2567 times

Traditional Neighborhood Development

2017
Authors: Nate Lotze
Traditional Neighborhood Development creates compact, mixed-use, non-automobile- dependent neighborhoods and communities. It serves the needs of people and accommodates growth with minimal waste of land. (Print version of ConservationTools.org Guide)
Last Modified
Jun 28, 2017
Viewed
3797 times

Transforming Greyfields into Dynamic Destinations

2017
Organizations/Sources: Chester County Planning Commission
These underutilized commercial centers come in all shapes and sizes. Some are simply outdated while others have been converted to non-traditional retail uses or remain vacant. Fortunately, greyfields offer an opportunity for a municipality to rethink and repurpose these areas to become strong financial assets and centers of their community. Adaptive reuse and redevelopment of struggling properties is not a new concept, but as properties age and demand for brick-and-mortar retail stores declines it becomes more important to consider these options. Introducing a mixture of uses and experience-based retail in greyfields, and incorporating green infrastructure and renewable energy, can begin to revitalize these centers.
Last Modified
Mar 13, 2019
Viewed
1463 times