Lycoming County, PA

Comprehensive Plan

Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan Update 2017

Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan

Building off the issues and projects identified by the 6 Multi-Municipal Plan Updates, Lycoming County set out in Spring of 2017 to identify countywide issues of importance and to update the 2006 Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan. The Lycoming County Planning Commission (who acts as the County’s Planning Advisory Team) identified 8 Issues of Countywide Significance and Planning Department staff recommended projects for these issues based on the research gathered during the outreach phases of the plan.

2018 Update to the Lycoming County Comprehensive Plan

Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Planning Areas

In 2015, the Lycoming County Planning Department began coordinating with local stakeholders including municipal officials, local water & sewer authorities, schools, public safety officials, local business owners, and many others to update 6 Multi-Municipal Comprehensive Plans originally adopted in 2005. These plans identify the priority issues for each multi-municipal planning area as identified by the Planning Area Team (comprised of mostly local government stakeholders, community stakeholders, and public service providers). The plans also identify top projects designed to address the priority issues identified by the Planning Area Teams. The final product is an implementable multi-municipal comprehensive plan which municipal officials and community stakeholders can easily use while completing their top projects. Final plans and meeting materials for the Multi-Municipal Planning Areas can be found at the links below.

Greater Williamsport Alliance Planning Area
- Armstrong Township, Duboistown Borough, Loyalsock Township, South Williamsport Borough and City of Williamsport
Montoursville-Muncy Planning Area
- Montoursville Borough, Fairfield Township, and Muncy Township
US-220/I-99 Planning Area
- Jersey Shore Borough, Porter Township, Piatt Township, Nippenose Township, and Woodward Township
US-15 South Planning Area
- Montgomery Borough, Clinton Township, Brady Township, and Gregg Township (Union County)
Lower Lycoming Creek Planning Area
- Old Lycoming Township, Loyalsock Township, Lycoming Township, Hepburn Township, and Lewis Township
Muncy Creek Planning Area
- Hughesville Borough, Muncy Borough, Muncy Creek Township, Picture Rocks Borough, Shrewsbury Township, and Wolf Township

Comprehensive Plan Update Overview

County planning commissions are required by Pennsylvania law to review and update their comprehensive plans every ten years. In 2015, our staff began the process to update the 2006 Comprehensive Plan and multi-municipal plans. This process will take approximately two years and include significant involvement from municipal and community stakeholders, opportunities for public participation, and research, mapping, and data analysis effort.

What is a Comprehensive Plan?

The Comprehensive Plan is a general policy guide for the physical, social and economic development of the Lycoming County community. Although it is not a regulatory document, the Pennsylvania Municipalities Code (MPC), Act 247 of 1968, as reenacted and amended, is enabling legislation that requires the Comprehensive Plan to consider many factors that influence a community such as location, character and timing of future development.

It is also a process of organizing for the future. It creates a blueprint for our land use patterns of tomorrow. Community planning is an organized way or process of thinking about tomorrow. By thinking about how a community changed in the past can help predict what changes might be in store for the future. When this type of thinking translates into action, it needs to be done in an orderly fashion and made part of a routine administrative process.

What does a Comprehensive Plan Do?

The Comprehensive Plan evaluates existing land use, transportation systems, housing, community facilities and services, natural and cultural resources, water supply needs, and opportunities for intergovernmental cooperation. The Plan projects future growth trends based on these analyses and proposes the best possible policies and implementation tools to accommodate expected growth while protecting the County’s vast and precious resources. This Comprehensive Plan will have a significant focus on sustainability, energy efficiency, and community resiliency.

Planning Advisory Teams (PAT)

The County is divided into planning areas for the 2016 Comprehensive Plan update that will focus on future opportunities in each area.

The purpose of each Planning Advisory Teams (PAT) is to provide input, feedback, and pertinent information pertaining to the development of the Comprehensive Plan for each planning area, as well as to present issues and concerns facing the future of Lycoming County. Each PAT is comprised of representatives from each municipality and key stakeholders.

ROLES, RESPONSIBILITIES & OPERATING PROCEDURES

Please click on the planning area of interest below for full meeting notes and materials

The Growth Planning Areas are:

The Rural Planning Areas are:

2016 Focus Group Results

Focus Groups Summary

Lycoming 2030: Plan the Possible is supported in part by a grant from the Lycoming Economic Development Foundation Fund of the First Community Foundation Partnership of Pennsylvania