With the approval of the Huntingdon County Commissioners, the Planning and Development Department may provide assistance to municipalities that request it. Such assistance typically involves development of:
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subdivision, zoning and building permit ordinances;
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grant applications and administration;
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requests for proposals for professional services
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various planning studies.
Broad Top Area - Staff developed and received a $33,000 DEP Water Service Regionalization Grant Application for several water systems in the Broad Top Area. The grant was received, an engineer hired and work is underway to prepare a Water Regionalization Study. Planning and Development staff is responsible for grant administration and detailed mapping of existing water systems in Broad Top City, Dudley Area and Saxton. The final report was completed in May 2001.
Carbon Township - Staff provided the Township with the Model Subdivision Ordinance and met with the Supervisors to review and edit the Ordinance according to the Township's needs. A public hearing on this Ordinance is pending in October 2010.
Huntingdon Borough - Urban Research and Development Corporation and Planning Department Staff assisted the Borough with the preparation and adoption of an updated zoning ordinance in 2007.
Mount Union Water Authority - Staff developed a $500,000 CDBG Competitive Grant for new well development in Mount Union. Staff worked with the Authority and Southern Alleghenies to obtain an additional $500,000 in federal funds to augment the CDBG funds. Several wells were drilled in an effort to obtain between 500,000 and 1,000,000 gpd of quality water. This project will be completed in 2002.
Spruce Creek Planning Region - Six municipalities in the Spruce Creek Planning Region have begun exploring intergovernmental cooperation and multi-municipal planning. The six municipalities include Birmingham Borough, Franklin, Morris, Spruce Creek and Warriors Mark Townships in Huntingdon County and Tyrone Township in Blair County. These communities contain 4,652 people, according to 2000 U.S. Census figures. The Planning Director organized a workshop in April 2009 to present the concept of multi-municipal planning. Participants in the workshop included Kim Wheeler, DCED; Bob Jacobs, Centre County Planning Director; and Patrick Leary, Penns Valley Planning Commission. The 25 people who attended represented elected officials and planning commission members from the six municipalities.
The Spruce Creek Region is facing strong growth pressure from State College. The adjacent municipalities in Centre County grew by over 50% from 1990 to 2000. Warriors Mark Township has received most of this pressure to date, growing at over 20%. Recent subdivision activity in Spruce Creek and Morris Townships show that this growth is spilling over into other townships in the region. At present, none of the municipalities have a local comprehensive plan. While four of the municipalities have a subdivision and land development ordinance, only one has a zoning ordinance.
Multi-municipal planning was authorized in Pennsylvania by Acts 67 and 68 adopted in 2000. Act 67/68 allows municipalities to cooperate in both the development and implementation of a comprehensive plan. It further allows the municipalities to balance appropriate land uses among the participating jurisdictions, placing specific land uses where best suited rather than allowing all land uses in each community.
Model Subdivision Ordinance - Planning and Development staff secured the cooperation of twenty-five municipalities in development of a model subdivision and land development ordinance. The Model Subdivision Ordinance was completed in the summer of 2001. Staff will be assisting individual municipalities in customizing the ordinance for adoption.
Model Zoning Ordinance - The model zoning ordinance was developed in 2007 by Urban Research and Development Corporation in connection with the 2007 Supplement to the Comprehensive Plan. Staff will promote the use of the new Model Ordinance by any interested municipalities.