New Hanover Comprehensive Plan Maggie Dobbs, AICP

What is a comprehensive plan? Long-range plan to outline the future growth and development of a place Identifies a community vision for the future Provides implementation recommendations to achieve this vision MPC requires an update every 10 years Must be: Geographically comprehensive Comprehensive in subject matter Long-range time frame typically projects out needs for 20 years Long-range encourages visionary, comprehensive thinking without over-reaching our ability to project data (DVRPC has 25-year projections for population and employment that are updated every 5 years) Ability to reevaluate at 10-years, or half-way through, to evaluate progress and determine if conditions have changed significantly enough to warrant a full reexamination

Benefits of a CP Community-based visioning process Supports community-identified goals Provides direction for implementation Provides guidance for policy-making and decisions regarding infrastructure, zoning amendments, public investments, etc. Can be used to support funding and grant requests

Subdivision & Land Development Ordinance Capital Improvements Program What can you do with a CP? New Hanover Comprehensive Plan Zoning Ordinance - Recommend updates - Identify shortfalls or inconsistencies - Update permitted uses - Define proposed changes to districts Subdivision & Land Development Ordinance - Strengthen requirements Capital Improvements Program - Identify projects that would qualify for the CIP - Project timeframes to inform budget needs Grants - Identify projects with grant potential - Establish priority projects and application sequencing Policy - Identify any changes or updates to policy approaches - Municipal administration As required by Pennsylvania’s Municipalities Planning Code (MPC), a community’s zoning ordinance, subdivision and land development ordinance, and capital improvement program must be generally consistent and work to implement the municipal comprehensive plan. All of the elements work together in the daily administration of the community and should be supported by a strong, long-range, comprehensive community vision as laid out in the comprehensive plan. **Find out if they have a CIP

Plan components Comprehensive Plan Elements Required by the MPC: Statement of Objectives Plan for Land Use Plan to Meet Housing Needs Plan for Movement of People and Goods Plan for Community Facilities and Utilities Plan for the Protection of Natural and Historic Resources Plan for the Reliable Supply of Water Discussion of Short- and Long-Range Implementation Strategies Statement of the Interrelationships between Plan Components Statement of Consistency with Adjacent Municipalities’ and the County’s Comprehensive Plan

Consistency with other plans NHCP shall be consistent with plans from adjacent municipalities, the regional planning commission, and the county Should recommendations be created that are inconsistent with the long-range vision identified in the regional comprehensive plan, the township may petition for an amendment to reflect the community’s goals and values Montco 2040 PMRPC Comp Plan New Hanover Comp Plan

New Hanover Comp Plan Transitioning community desires Desire for a limit to development Concern with increasing vehicular traffic Open space preservation Commercial development Tailored to individual needs of the township rather than to the region as a whole Address more unique township concerns and opportunities Informed through research, stakeholder input, and community involvement and feedback

Plan Structure Introduction and background Discussion of component areas Housing and population projections Transportation Natural and historic resources Future land use Community facilities and utilities Parks and open space Recommendations and implementation strategies In all sections, current conditions will be explored, future needs will be identified, and strategies will be recommended that will ensure those future needs are met

Deliverables 18 month process Background research Stakeholder interviews Coordination with the PC Issues identification, feedback, insight Community outreach elements Survey Workshops Open House Advertising opportunities at community events Draft writing and review Final adoption

Timeline 2019 2020 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 2 3 Background Research   Goals Identification Stakeholder Interviews Survey Strategies Identification Workshop Draft Writing Open House Draft Review Adoption

Role of planning commission MCPC does preliminary background research Reliance on PC to be the voice of residents – representative democracy here to understand the needs/concerns/desires of community to help shape the initial recommendations Provide input on who else to reach out to, history of projects, identification of needs, other research areas may have missed, what other community groups exist Participation in upcoming community events as volunteers in various roles

Next Steps… Confirm public outreach events timeline Will need to establish feedback mechanisms and timelines for delivery of review materials Will use review materials to discuss what goals the community has and begin to develop potential recommendations for each topic area Options: Background data reports Summary of findings

Questions or comments? Maggie Dobbs, AICP 610 292-4917 mdobbs@montcopa.org