Growing Smarter Pennsylvania’s Land Use Agenda

Percent of Land Developed in Pennsylvania Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Pennsylvania Land Cover, 1982 Note: Other Land Includes Other Rural Land and Federal Land Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

Pennsylvania Land Cover, 1997 Note: Other Land Includes Other Rural Land and Federal Land Source: Natural Resources Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture

21 st Century Environmental Commission Governor convened to recommend environmental priorities for the next century Identified land use as the “most pressing” problem Report issued 1998

Executive Order Support local planning efforts and encourage regional cooperation Preserve farmland and open space Encourage growth in previously developed areas or locally designated growth areas Respect private property rights Encourage soundly-planned growth at all levels of government Infrastructure plans should be consistent with sound land use

Center for Local Government Services Designated by EO as the principal state-level entity for land use assistance and monitoring Reports annually to the Governor on land use trends in PA and recommend changes to law or policy to support land use objectives

Sound Land Use Forums 53 Forums held statewide between June and August 1999 Nearly 4000 people attended Opportunity for Pennsylvanians to share their vision for the future and provide creative solutions to land use issues

Sound Land Use Forums Intergovernmental cooperation Farmland and open space preservation Infrastructure planning and coordination Community revitalization Planning tools

Growing Smarter Initiative Largest-ever investment to support land- use planning efforts by local governments Top-to-bottom review of state government programs Legislative revisions to the Municipalities Planning Code

Budget $3.6 million for land use planning assistance: $2.6 million for grants to municipalities $1 million to Center for Local Government Services for additional staff and outreach $4.6 million proposed for budget

State Government Review Mission: Complete a comprehensive review of laws, regulations, programs, policies and practices to insure consistency with Executive Order Interagency team coordinated by the Governor’s Policy Office Report to Governor in August 2000

Interagency Land Use Report Inventory of over 100 programs that have an impact on land use Recommendations Programmatic and policy revisions Support of local land use plans and zoning Increase interagency communications and consistency in decision-making

MPC Revisions – Acts 67 & 68 Designated Growth Areas Inter-municipal Transferable Development Rights by written agreement Intergovernmental planning agreements Courts allowed to consider availability of uses in multi-municipal plan and individual zoning ordinances Promote general consistency by ensuring communication and coordination at all levels

State Agency Decisions Commonwealth Agencies shall consider and may rely upon comprehensive plans and zoning when reviewing applications for the funding and permitting of infrastructure or facilities under sections and 1105 of the MPC

PUC Policy Adopted Jan. 11, 2001 The Commission will consider the impact of its decisions upon local plans and zoning including, but not limited to, reviewing applications for certificates of public convenience siting electric transmission lines siting a public utility “building” under Sec. 619 of the MPC

PUC Policy Encourages public utilities to consider the impact of their actions on local land use plans Goal is to further support and promote sound land use in Pennsylvania

Signed into law by Gov. Ridge on Dec. 15, 1999 Invests nearly $650 million over five years in Pennsylvania’s environment Currently in second year of implementation Growing Greener

DEP watershed restoration & protection, mine reclamation, oil & gas well plugging grants DCNR open space protection and recreation grants PENNVENST wastewater, drinking water and storm water management grants PDA county farmland preservation grants Growing Greener

Organizing a Watershed Group Watershed Assessments Watershed Restoration or Protection Plan Implementation of a Watershed Plan Demonstration, Education, & Outreach DEP Watershed Project Types

Drinking water and sewer filtration and treatment plants Collector and interceptor sewers Combined sewer overflows Drinking water distribution systems Storm water control projects PENNVEST Project Types

4,079 acres of wetlands restored 137 miles of streamside buffers planted 389 miles of stream improvements 5,226 acres of abandoned mine land reclamation $90 million leveraged with $80 million in funding DEP Two Year Accomplishments

Water Resources PA has been in drought conditions for the last six years Most municipalities do not know how much water they use and where they get it More than 10,000 new water wells are drilled in PA without regard to impacts State Water Plan is outdated

Water Resources Regional water forums (April – May) Sponsored by DEP, DCNR, PDA and the Center for Local Government Services Systematic process of identifying water resources needs through an open and inclusive process

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