Covered bridge in Amish country, Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is a county-based planning program. Lancaster County has a strong regional identity and cultural heritage that are very important to many of its residents, but the county is suffering the effects of sprawl coming from a distant city and its own struggling urban areas. Lancaster County’s plans, though, are entirely voluntary for the municipalities within the county.
The county government is convening more than one hundred local jurisdictions to adopt regional goals and land use strategies. The county has sponsored an overall plan as well as a more focused planning process for the central part of the county where growth is most intense. These plans promote the use of tools like designated urban growth areas, incentives for redevelopment, and farmland preservation to safeguard the county’s scenic character in the face of growing population – without sacrificing economic prosperity. Since the county does not have land use power and does not provide infrastructure funding, it relies on local governments to participate in the planning process, then implement the resulting plans through their local ordinances. This program has been in place for more than 15 years. It has been successful in gradually shaping landscape change in Lancaster County.
Vital Statistics:
Chapter of the Book: 19
State: PA
Year Established: 2005
Geographic Scale: 570,000 acres
Mandatory or Voluntary over Local Government: Voluntary
Authorizing Laws: State
Agencies and Organizations:
Lancaster County Planning Commission
Resources:
Envision – the Lancaster County Comprehensive Plan and Related Resources
Balance – 2030 Growth Management Element Update
Growing Together – the Comprehensive Plan for Central Lancaster County
