subscribesubscriber servicescontact usabout ussite mapBuy a Classified
Tue, Nov 10 2009 

Resources

print this story   Print this story
  Post to del.icio.us

Photos


Seth Hoover/The Daily ItemShawn McLaughlin, Union County planning director, talks about the update of the county-s comprehensive plan during Tuesday-s League of Women Voters luncheon in Lewisburg.
Seth Hoover/The Daily Item /


Shawn McLaughlin, Union County Planning Director, speaks about the update of the county's comprehensive plan during Tuesday's luncheon in Lewisburg.
Seth Hoover/The Daily Item /


Published April 16, 2008 05:54 am - Since 1940, the population of Union County has doubled, and it seems likely the trend will continue.

Official: Plan will direct growth


By Gina Morton
The Daily Item

LEWISBURG -- Since 1940, the population of Union County has doubled, and it seems likely the trend will continue.

"We've had double-digit percentage gains in population in every decade but two," said Shawn McLaughlin, Union County Planning Commission director, "and I expect that to continue."

McLaughlin spoke Tuesday about the update of the county's comprehensive plan during a luncheon forum of the League of Women Voters of the Lewisburg Area. The program was held in La Primavera.

McLaughlin said the updated document is intended to reflect residents' values and aspirations for the future.

"What you want your community to look like 10, 15, 20 years from now," he said. "It's a direct investment in Union County, both private and public, to meet those citizen goals that we determined."

The update of the comprehensive plan was started in March 2006 and kicked off publicly in September.

Through advisory teams, talks with municipal leaders, household surveys, public forums and student research, the group gathered data and determined some of the main concerns, such as land use, transportation, economic development and implementation.

"Union County, you all know it, it's an attractive place. A place that is probably going to continue to grow at a moderate rate," McLaughlin said.

It was the second fastest-growing county in this region between 1990 and 2000, second to Centre County.

About 60 percent of new development from 2001 to 2007 occurred in and around existing towns and villages, McLaughlin said, and 40 percent in the outlying areas, consuming farmland, forests and open space.

"Between now and 2050," he said, "if the current growth trends continue to project into the future and we have a moderate growth rate, we expect we're going to need about 8,000 housing units to be added to this county to support the population growth. And we expect that would consume about 10,600 acres if we continue the same style of development we've had recently."

McLaughlin said primary growth areas, or town centers, where the majority of new development is being encouraged, are in and around the existing communities of Lewisburg, Mifflinburg and Hartleton. New Berlin also is a possible area.

The idea is to have a greater density of development with smaller lots, multi-units, townhouses and condominiums.

Village growth areas, or secondary areas, would focus on Laurelton, Buffalo Crossroads, Kelly Crossroads, New Columbia, Winfield and Millmont. Those areas wouldn't have as much density, but more of an acre-lot size, he said.

"The whole entire goal is to try to get 80 percent of all new development within these growth areas," McLaughlin said, "and then preserve the rest of the county as farmland, working agriculture, open space and forests."



print this story    email this story   





Customer Service
Free Coupons to Print


autoconx
Premier Guide
Find a business

Walking Fingers
Maps, Menus, Store hours, Coupons, and more...
Premier Guide
Premium Jobs

CDL Class A Driver
CDL Drivers, Class A, Tractor trailer drivers. Home every night. Call 570-524-0249...>MORE

CDL Driver
Driver: CDL, For delivery of modular homes, to builders on the east coast. Previous over sized load exp. req. Company b...>MORE

Air Quality Specialist
Up to $15.60/hr to start.
Air Quality Specialist. Local outlet. 25/30 people to start immediately. No exp. nec. Com
...>MORE

Insurance CSR
INSURANCE CSR
Myers & Lynch
Exp. based pay.
Contact Tony
570-644-0371 or tonyr@ptd.net
...>MORE

Full Time clinical dietitian
Full Time
CLINICAL
DIETITIAN

Evangelical Community Hospital continues to meet the needs of our co
...>MORE

See all ads


Domes and Spires book Free Coupons Circulation Updates Promises - weddings - engagements- anniversaries Photo Gallery Subscribe now - Inside PA Tv Channels Public Notices Mortgage Rates Pennsylvania Lottery

 

Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc.CNHI Classified Advertising NetworkCNHI News Service
Associated Press content © 2009. All rights reserved. AP content may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Our site is powered by Zope and our Internet Yellow Pages site is powered by PremierGuide.
Some parts of our site may require you to download the Flash Player Plugin.
View our Privacy Policy
Advertiser index