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Gov. Wolf: $220,000 in New Funding to Assist Local Governments in Seven Counties with Zoning and Comprehensive Plans 

Governor Tom Wolf announced the approval of seven projects through the Municipal Assistance Program (MAP) to assist local governments in seven counties with planning for zoning and updating of comprehensive plans.

“It is important for communities to evolve as the needs of their residents change,” said Gov. Wolf. “The MAP funding awarded today is essential in helping communities pave the way for the future through the reevaluation of zoning and comprehensive plans.”

The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) recently approved $220,000 in funding for seven municipal projects throughout the state. Funding from MAP assists local governments to plan for and efficiently implement municipal projects available in two groups of activities: shared services, and community planning.

The approved projects are as follows:

Allegheny County

  • $15,000 to Mt. Lebanon to update their comprehensive plan. The municipality has accomplished most of the goals from the 2013 comprehensive plan and this project will create a new 10-year plan to guide community goals, objectives, and investment.

Butler County

  • $15,000 to Slippery Rock Borough to update their comprehensive plan. The plan will encompass an analysis, accompanied by suggestions related to natural resources, agricultural land, historic buildings, commercial and economic base, public facilities, and the quality of the housing stock while also harnessing the benefits provided by Slippery Rock University to the borough. 

Carbon County

  • $50,000 to Carbon County to update their comprehensive and greenway plan from 2013. The plan will be updated to provide a set of best practice policies for future development and conservation and will be created in two separate volumes. The first volume will include the comprehensive plan which will then inform the greenway, trail, and open space plan in volume two.

Cumberland County

  • $30,000 to Cumberland County to update its comprehensive plan. The project will redevelop the county’s current plan to be more visually oriented, concise, and user friendly. Funds will also be used to update the future land use map to define “character areas” of similar land use throughout the county.

Luzerne County

  • $35,000 to the City of Hazleton to assist with the creation of a multi-municipal comprehensive plan for Hazleton City, West Hazleton Borough, and Hazle Township. The project will provide a roadmap that will allow the municipalities to better address the quality of life and economic development improvements and aims to be the first in Luzerne County that will be both multi-municipal and produced in English and Spanish.

North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission

  • $50,000 to North Central PA Regional Planning and Development Commission to develop a comprehensive plan. This project will outline how to leverage natural assets, federal grant money, and community resources to enhance the well-being and quality of life in Warren, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Lycoming, Clinton, Elk, Cameron, Forest, Clearfield, Clarion, Jefferson, and northern Centre counties.

Westmoreland County

  • $25,000 to North Huntingdon Township to develop a comprehensive plan. This project will create a baseline for formulating annual capital budgets as well as lone-term capital replacement planning and to determine costs for addressing existing issues or deficiencies or to expand the operations/functionality of existing assets. The township’s last comprehensive plan was written in 2000, and the community has seen significant housing and commercial development since then.

The Municipal Assistance Program provides technical resources and assistance for municipalities, consolidation, regional efforts as well as serving as a resource for local government officials, developers, and citizens interested in planning to improve, grow, and enhance communities. More about MAP and other initiatives can be found on the DCED website.

Gov. Wolf has served for two terms as a leader consistently at work for the people of Pennsylvania. Learn more about how his Priorities for Pennsylvania have fueled the commonwealth’s comeback, leaving Pennsylvania in a much better place than when he arrived.