LOCAL COMMUNITIES GUIDE THEIR FUTURE, PLAN FOR SUCCESS

Would you start a business without a business plan? When it comes to starting a business, a business plan is key to identifying the steps needed to start, grow, and successfully manage a business. Not to mention, a business plan is also one of the first things banks or lenders look at when applying for a loan or startup funds. So when it comes to local government, a comprehensive plan acts like a business plan for a community and is just as important – laying out the vision for future growth and development and the steps needed to get there. Comprehensive plans, and the tools that help implement their vision – like zoning ordinances, subdivision and land development ordinances, future land use maps, etc. – guide communities and can lead to funding opportunities to help a community become the place they want to be. Yet, so many communities put planning on the backburner.

In a time when communities across the US, including those in Westmoreland County, are experiencing change, both positive and negative, comprehensive planning is needed more than ever. Not only has the pandemic left an impact on how communities run, but many places are seeing the effects of population decline play out. Common issues that consistently come up include blight, the growing need for high-quality employment opportunities, and the lack of affordable housing. In the face of immense change and uncertainty, several communities in Westmoreland County have decided to plan for their futures, updating decade-old comprehensive plans to curb and get ahead of common challenges, and reposition our towns.

Over 15 years ago, Greensburg, Southwest Greensburg, South Greensburg, and Hempfield Township worked together to develop and adopt a joint comprehensive plan. Since the plan was adopted, each community has experienced considerable change, and the majority have felt the need for an update. In 2019, South Greensburg Borough was the first to develop and adopt a new comprehensive plan focused on implementable strategies around blight, capital improvements, parks and recreation, and downtown revitalization. Since the plan’s adoption, the borough has already made improvements to parks and recreational assets and has targeted efforts on downtown branding.

Taking a neighborhood-based approach, the City of Greensburg began updating their comprehensive plan in 2021 under the name Shape Greensburg. Working with Pittsburgh-based consultant, Environmental Planning and Design, the city is currently in the middle of an intensive public engagement phase, gathering input from residents and businesses.

The plan will focus on three main topics including parks and recreation, blight, and citywide systems, with the overall goal to improve quality of life among residents. Additionally, the plan will guide local decision-making and target (re)investment and (re)development in the city. Once the plan is developed, Greensburg plans to implement identified actions, improving other areas of their development process including the city’s zoning map and zoning code.

Hempfield Township has also recently started the process of updating and developing their new comprehensive plan. Working with Cranberry-based consultant, Herbert, Rowland & Grubic Inc., Hempfield is currently conducting community outreach, gathering input on areas such as parks and recreation, community development, and revitalizing commercial districts. The township will use the updated plan to make potential zoning changes and target areas that need new or upgraded infrastructure. All of this will be implemented with the aim of spurring development that the community wants and envisions.

Also in 2021, Unity Township announced plans to update their comprehensive plan after realizing that many of their policies and ordinances were preventing businesses from locating within the community. The comprehensive plan update will aim to create a more business-friendly environment and will also look at improving access to recreational opportunities and address stormwater management. Although the township has already made changes to their zoning map to enable more businesses to set up shop, the township plans to make additional changes to their zoning ordinance to encourage new businesses to reuse vacant buildings near US Route 30.

Whether a community is big or small, urban or rural, a comprehensive plan can help guide a community to become a more equitable, healthy, and attractive place where people want to live, work, and play. By taking time to engage with all members of their communities, Greensburg, Hempfield, and Unity have taken an important step to reposition themselves for current and future generations. Through comprehensive planning, these communities are equipping themselves with the strategies needed to proactively plan for future growth and development.